A goal seemed certain in that moment, given the skill level of the offensive players and their positioning during a fast break. Dylan Conte leaped to deflect the initial point-blank shot, but the ball clanged off the crossbar and ricocheted to a forward on the right post.
Now, that one was even more of a certainty than the first attempt.
But Conte recovered in time, scrambled to his left and made a diving stop of the put-back shot with 25 minutes remaining.
“I’m there thinking, ‘How on God’s green earth did he save that?'” Our Lady of Lourdes teammate Evan Cancro said Tuesday. “Ned (Van Loan) might not have gotten to that, and that’s saying a lot.”
It would’ve been more unbelievable, had Conte not made a similar double-stop to halt an almost identical sequence three minutes earlier.
“At the beginning of the season, I did feel pressure because of who I was replacing and the kind of expectations the team has,” said Conte, who is in his first season as the starting goalkeeper, succeeding Van Loan, an all-state star who led the Warriors to a state final last fall.
“I hadn’t played much before,” Conte continued, “so I wasn’t sure how I’d do.”
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But with his steady improvement through the first month, along with this spectacular performance, Conte is stepping into the proverbial big shoes left behind and now making strides in them.
As is the team, of course. Cancro scored twice and Jack Yough had a goal and an assist, leading Lourdes in an attention-grabbing 5-0 win over visiting Marlboro.
“That’s a very good team; Marlboro has done a great job,” Warriors coach Roy Kievit said. “We see the success they’re having and looked at them as one of our better tests. I’m sure they looked at us the same way.”
Because the Iron Dukes, with an impressive start, have nudged their way into the early discussions of the Section 9 title contenders. Marlboro and Lourdes won the previous two Class B section titles, but with an adjustment of the classifications this fall, both now are in Class A. Still, they remain favorites.
The Warriors also were without midfielder AJ Geis, who left the game with an apparent head injury after a collision in the 11th minute. So, a win this decisive over a potential playoff opponent under those circumstances, Conte said, “definitely builds up our confidence.”
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Conte made eight saves in the shutout, and DJ Devito and Matt Claire each added a goal for Lourdes (5-0-2). Dominick Pineda and Zach Cervone had assists.
“I had all the confidence in the world in Dylan, but he needed this game,” Kievit said. “He’s had some good saves in past games, but to have a performance like this, it shows him and his teammates just how good he is and what he’s capable of against a tough opponent.”
The Warriors controlled possession for most of the first half and broke through in the seventh minute on Devito’s goal. He took a cross from Yough toward the right post and lined it into the far corner.
Marlboro nullified their other early scoring chances, including clearing a corner and a direct kick, and Alex McAteer’s stop of a penetrating drive on a 2-on-1 break 20:18 before intermission. McAteer had nine saves for the Dukes (6-3).
“It was an opportunity for us to see where we’re at against one of the best teams,” Dukes coach Jim Ventriglia said. “It showed aspects of our game that are strong, although we weren’t able to capitalize on them. But it also showed us where we need to improve. It’s still early in the season, so we’ll have a chance to correct those things and grow from it.”
Possession was more evenly split in the second half, but the Warriors cashed in on their opportunities and pulled away. Yough scored with 26:56 remaining, firing from about 20 yards along the left flank. Cancro, who credited their adjusted formation for helping create space, made it 3-0 two minutes later, gathering the ball in a scrum and sending a roller into the right corner.
Lourdes’ defense also shined, including Colin Gaddoniex and Sam Escaleras deflecting would-be shots on goal. Alex Crysler and Noah Balicki helped maintain possession and pace in the midfield.
“They played well from the beginning,” Kievit said of his team. “We’ve had to pull out some games after slow starts, but they brought the intensity right away today.”
Cancro added a penalty kick with 19 minutes left, and Claire created the margin with 2:06 left, scoring off an outlet pass from Cervone. The senior notching his first varsity goal was celebrated by teammates.
“We were ecstatic to see him score,” Cancro said. “It was an amazing through ball from Zach, and Matt Claire did what Matt Claire does.”
Lourdes excelled last fall, winning sectional and regional championships before narrowly losing in the final minutes of the state final. With a large portion of their core back, along with the addition of Pineda, the team is again expected to make a postseason run. A lopsided victory bolsters that belief.
But, they’ll be tested again on Saturday, hosting Section 1 power Briarcliff in a rematch of last season’s subregional, which the Warriors won in a dramatic round of penalty kicks.
“After a game like this, we feel like we’re on top of the world,” Cancro said. “You enjoy it in the moment, but then move on. We’ve got plenty of good teams coming up on our schedule and that great feeling can change real fast. We’ve just gotta keep progressing.”
Stephen Haynes: [email protected]; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
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