SUNY COBLESKILL MEN’S SOCCER CLAIMS DELHI INVITATIONAL TITLE

The SUNY Cobleskill men’s soccer team demonstrated why they opened the season ranked ninth in the NJCAA Division III National Poll as the Fighting Tigers mauled the competition at the SUNY Delhi Invitational hosted by SUNY Delhi in Delhi, NY over the weekend. On Saturday the Fighting Tigers massacred the Pioneers of Alfred State College by a score of 6-0 then returned on Sunday to blast the Jayhawks of Jamestown Community College from the field by a 12-2 margin to open the season with a 2-0 mark.

In the opener versus Alfred State, Cobleskill demonstrated a diversified offensive attack featuring multiple scorers as senior midfielder Essaha Jallow, Bronx, NY, DeWitt Clinton High School, senior defender Menesky Magloire, Brooklyn, NY, Clara Barton High School, senior forward Carlton Wildman, Huntington, NY, John Glenn High School, freshman midfielder Emile Barnett, Huntington, NY, John Glenn High School, and freshman defender Jacob Spiegel, Chazy, NY, Chazy High School, each scored a goal while freshman midfielder Cedric Bouemboue, Brooklyn, NY, Aviation High School, added a goal and an assist in the contest.

The Fighting Tigers also received strong offensive contributions from senior midfielder Rilwan Salawu, Brooklyn, NY, F.D. Roosevelt High School, with three assists while freshman forward Lucas Heffron, Lansing, NY, Lansing High School, and freshman defender Zachary Kraehmer, Wallkill, NY, Wallkill High School, also added an assist each in the contest.

In the nets, senior goalkeeper Abdou Seck, Bronx, NY, DeWitt Clinton High School, posted the shutout making two saves including one on a penalty kick to stifle the Pioneer attack.

On Sunday the high powered Cobleskill offense, scored early and often versus Jamestown Community College leading 5-1 at the half before cruising home for the 12-2 win. Freshman midfielder Kwame Sarpong, Bronx, NY, Beacon High School, exploded for four goals on the afternoon while Essaha Jallow continued to impress in the midfield with three goals against the Jayhawks.

The Fighting Tigers also received multiple scoring efforts from: senior midfielder Greg Klopfer, Voorheesville, NY, Voorheesville High School with a goal and two assists and from Jacob Spiegel and Lucas Heffron who each had a goal and an assist in the contest. Also tallying goals in the game were Emile Barnett and freshman midfielder Zakaria Kande, Bronx, NY, Manhattan Comprehensive High School.  Adding assists in the contest were Rilwan Salawu, Cedric Bouemboue, freshman forward Omari Townsend, Hempstead, NY, Uniondale High School, freshman midfielder David Gardner, Malta, NY, Ballston Spa High School, and freshman defender Jamal Niles, Brooklyn, NY, Thomas Jefferson High School.

The successful opening weekend left Cobleskill Head Coach Rob Szmarz in an optimistic frame of mind about his team’s current position and what the future might hold.

“Soccer-wise we proved that we are a possession oriented team and we definitely found our scoring touch both early and often in both games. We also now know what we need to work on collectively in order to progress to a higher level of play,” said the Fighting Tiger mentor.

The Fighting Tigers will next be in action on Tuesday September 4th when in their home opener they host the nation’s number two ranked program the Generals of Herkimer Community College in a rematch of the 2006 NJCAA Region III Division III Championship beginning at 4:00 PM at the Cobleskill Soccer Complex. It will be the Mountain Valley Conference opener for each program and both teams will enter the contest with identical 2-0 records on the season to date. Admission to all Fighting Tiger home contests is free to the general public.