Falcons clinch division, enter playoffs

The Falcons boys soccer team seniors — all 14 of them — were honored in a ceremony at halftime May 2 before succumbing to Sultan 2-1 in the final home match of the year.

Having kept the Turks in check the first 40 minutes, two minutes into the second period Francesco Ward fired a nice field kick to Kypher Koska who aimed the ball into the far post for the first score.

“I was trying to shoot the ball in, it went off course and Kypher picked it up,” Ward said.

Koska explained further.

“Sultan’s defense collapsed for a second and I made a backdoor run,” he said. “It was more a well-placed kick from Francesco than me.”

Falcons Coach Joel Gerlach thought the game would go into overtime.

“We scored right away but there were some mistakes made in the backfield,” he said. “Their second goal was a fluke. It happens.”

Goalie Oliver Shafaat split duties with Alex McGlenn to deal with second half coverage.

“The ball got across the whole defense,” Shafaat recalled. “We were a second too late. Their second goal was simple — it was a well-placed shot and I missed it.”

The entire team was jazzed for last night’s first round playoff game against Mount Vernon.

“We’ve been working a lot this week on some weaknesses. Hopefully it will all come together,” Shafaat said. He’ll attend the University of Chicago later this year and hopes to make the soccer squad.

Koska, headed to Seattle’s Culinary Arts Institute in the fall, is proud of the team.

“This was one of our school’s most successful seasons and I’m glad I was part of it,” Koska said.

Ward noted he’s pleased how well the team has come together.

“I’m very much looking forward to tomorrow. And the games after that,” he added optimistically.

The boys clinched the division before their final game (going 8-6-1 this season). They played their first playoff game last night against Mount Vernon.

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