Greeley Boys Soccer Wins Section Championship

Horace Greeley's boys soccer team pulled off an upset Saturday, winning the Section I, Class AA championship in a 2-1 victory over John Jay - East Fishkill.

The Quakers' victory came with two goals from senior striker Jeremy Kesselhaut, who scored in the second half, with 32:19 and 9:20 left, respectively. The Patriots got their lone goal from junior midfielder Ryan Kaplan with 5:11 remaining in the game, but it was not enough to turn the momentum in their favor. The first half had been a scoreless stalemate for the teams.

Kesselhaut, talking with reporters after the game, noted the long odds the Quakers - they were seeded No. 13 versus East Fishkill's No. 3 - faced in the sectional playoffs.

“Ever since the first sectional game, we just kept saying we believe," he said.

On their road to the championship game, the Quakers first defeated (accordng to the Boosters) Suffern 1-0 on Oct. 28, then pulled off 3-0 victories against Scarsdale on Nov. 2 and Clarkstown South on Nov. 3.

Kesselhaut also noted the hard work that they did on the defensive side, in holding the Patriots to a single goal.

“I think that’s a credit to this team," he said to reporters. He also noted the large support the team got from alumni, who came to support them at SUNY - Purchase.

“I think this is Greeley soccer at its best, just believing," Kesselhaut said. He also had praise for his teammates, including senior Robby Attia and freshman Oliver Harris, who provided him with assists.

The championship was a milestone for Head Coach Adam Borman, a 2004 Greeley alum who took over the team this year after serving two seasons as an assistant.

“Everybody was just unbelievable today," he said.

Borman succeeded his long-time precedessor Bob Oddo, who stepped down after last year.

Oddo, who was there in attendance, noted that when he left, he told the captains that the biggest gift would be for them to win a championship the next year.

“I’m just really, really proud of them," he said of the team, praising the players and Borman for their work.

The win marked the third section finals appearance in five seasons for the Quakers, who won in 2007 and lost in double overtime in 2009.

The Quakers will play Newburgh in a regional playoff game on Tuesday.