OA Boys Soccer Snakebitten in First Round Loss to Catholic Memorial

Sometimes, the ball just doesn't bounce your way.

In this case, the boys’ soccer team, despite having several quality scoring chances, just couldn’t get one past senior goalkeeper Tom Stanton. The Tigers fell victim to a lucky goal from forward Henri Jean-Claude in a 1-0 first round loss to Catholic Memorial in the Division 1 South sectional tournament Monday night at Muscato Stadium.

“We were absolutely the best team on the field,” said OA coach John Barata. “This was a clear instance of us absolutely dominating every minute of play and the worst goal we’ve allowed all year, a fluke goal from the corner.”

One of the better players in Eastern Mass., Jean-Claude was forced into a bad angle with three OA defenders eyeing him.

Looking to at least keep possession for a throw-in or corner kick, Jean-Claude booted one towards junior goalkeeper David MacKinnon and got a fortunate bounce for the game’s only goal.

“He’s probably our best skill player,” Catholic Memroial coach John Finn. “He’s the only one I would want to have with the ball in a 1-on-3. He made a nice move to the corner and he actually made a cross and it hit the goalie’s inside arm and it went in.”

The celebration was delayed before one of the referees officially ruled the play a goal.

“We thought it was going to be a corner until it went in,” Finn said. “We didn’t realize it would be official until one off the refs officially ruled it as a goal.”

CM senior midfielder and Easton native Ryan Lemoie tallied the only assist against his hometown’s public high school.

“Ryan’s been a good playmaker for us all year,” Finn said. “The two of them [he and Jean-Claude] have worked really well of us all year. It was nice to see him come home and get a win here.”

Shortly after Jean-Claude’s goal, OA was relentless with possession of the ball spending most of the time down CM’s end of the field. The Tigers, who had 13 quality scoring chances to just two from the Knights, did everything right but score.

The best chance came off the boot from sophomore midfielder David Stapleton on a goal kick late in the second half. Stapleton had Stanton beat, but his shot hit the crossbar.

Stapleton’s shot was just another example of the Tigers’ problems finishing their chances throughout the year, according to Barata.

“All year we had a problem finishing,” Barata said. “On paper, they were the better team but on the field we completely outplayed them. It’s a shame when you lose a game that you dominate.”

Catholic Memorial (12-5-2), seeded 10th in the south sectionals, continues its run Wednesday night when they host its Catholic Conference rivals from BC High (ranked 15th) at 6 p.m.

OA, which earned a share of the Davenport Division crown with Canton, ends its 2011 campaign with a record of 11-4-3.