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Randall’s Island, Manhattan, NY - On a cold winter weekend of February 25th and 26th the Hoosac Boys Elite Soccer team traveled to Manhattan to play on the prestigious fields at Randall’s Island Park. The Manhattan Kickoff Classic is an annual tournament that has been attracting college coaches and recruiters from all over the country year after year. The beautiful facility made for a weekend full of memorable sites both on and off the field as Hoosac's soccer team won all three matches in the top bracket of the U19 age group of the college showcase.

Opponent: Manhattan SC - Saturday 2/25, Randall’s Island Field #70, 4:30PM - The first match of the weekend was against the tournament hosts, Manhattan Soccer Club. Ironically, the last match Hoosac played before this one was against Manhattan SC in a college showcase called “EDP” in Hammonton, New Jersey on November 27th. That match resulted in a 4-2 win for Hoosac. 

This time around, the match proved to be another closely played contest that ultimately ended in Hoosac winning 1-0. 

The game got off to a very evenly played start and continued that way throughout the 1st half. Hoosac registered four total shots, with two on target, while Manhattan totaled five shots with three of them on target. Following half time, each team came out with limited adjustments hoping that their side could find the breakthrough goal in the final half. 

In the 61st minute of the game, captain Jose Corporan ’23 delivered a free kick from 35 yards out on the left side of the field that found Jiseong Choi ’24 on a one touch volley for the finish in the bottom corner of the near post. This goal proved to be the winner as the teams limited the opposition’s chances over the final minutes of the game.

Joe Faro Ballester ’23 held on for a seven save clean sheet in the match.

Opponent: Barca Academy Pro NY - Saturday 2/25, Randall’s Island Field #70, 7:20PM - In the second match of the showcase, Hoosac faced off against an opponent they had not gone up against before. Barca Academy Pro NY is a newly established team just under 10 years ago out of Long Island, NY. They are coached and operated by former technical staff of their parent club, FC Barcelona. 

The match was played on a cold night with the weather reaching under freezing temperatures by the end of the evening. Coming off a quick break from their previous match, Hoosac didn’t seem to cool down at all as they began scoring early in the match when Jiseong Choi converted his second of the weekend on a rebound from Dennis Osei Nyame’s ’23 shot. Just minutes later, Carlos Iglesias ’23 also converted a chance on a great low finish into the bottom corner of the goal. These two goals led Hoosac into halftime with a 2-0 lead. With just under ten minutes left in the game, Jiseong Choi capped an outstanding day as he converted his third of the day on a shot from 22 yards out that beat the goalkeeper to the top corner of the near post. If there were goal of the tournament nominations, this one would surely have made the list.

Wyatt Roy ’23 served the second shutout in as many games, earning three saves on the day that led Hoosac to a 3-0 victory.

Opponent: Black Rock FC - Sunday 2/26, Randall’s Island Field #10, 10:50AM - The final match of the weekend couldn’t have been set up better as a decider of the winner of the Manhattan Kick Off Classic U19 top bracket. Hoosac and Black Rock FC were tied in tournament points at 18 each heading into the final game (Tournament points included a point for clean sheets, goals scored, goal differential, and wins/ties/losses).

The last matchup between the two teams came last fall on October 29th at Northwood School. That match resulted in a 2-1 win for Hoosac.

The increase in temperature on this day resulted in a seemingly hot start for Black Rock FC. They owned the majority of possession in the first few minutes of the match, and it eventually led to a foul committed by a Hoosac defender on the top of their own box resulting in a Black Rock FC free kick from straight on and only 24 yards out. The ensuing shot was hit just above the wall of four Hoosac defenders and had just enough speed to beat Joe Faro Ballester’s outstretched arm, who got a hand on it but not enough to re-direct the shot wide of the target. 

After the goal, the teams boasted a high pressing system of defense that looked to stifle the other team’s midfield and often times was successful for both sides, ultimately limiting chances to few and far between. After a close battle for a while in the first half, Lapo Romieri ’23 won a 50/50 ball at midfield in the 22nd minute, and completed a pass after a great run from Dennis Osei Nyame, who converted his 1st of the weekend on a breakaway to tie the game at 1-1.

In the second half, an even battle ensued for the first portions of the final half of the day. If the two teams remained tied at the end of the match, it would’ve headed to a shootout to decide the tournament champion. Black Rock FC broke through on what might have been the winner with 14 minutes left in the match after converting a finish just under Wyatt Roy’s hand to the bottom portion of the goal. However, just four minutes later, Jiseong Choi pressed a Black Rock FC defender, creating a turnover and then converting that into a goal to tie the game at 2-2 with just under 10 minutes to play.

Hoosac scored the game winner after a cross was delivered into the box, and Lapo Romieri had a shot saved in close, but Matvei Keshkekian ’23 was there to tuck in a left footed shot on the rebound for the winning goal.

With a 3-2 final score, Hoosac left the showcase as Champions of the top bracket in the highest age group available.