By Rob Centorani
ONEONTA _ Oneonta High defender Kyle McCue is a sarcastic young man.
He's good at it, too _ straight-faced, serious voice ... but then the words come out.
His assessment of junior Eric Deemer's goal that went a long way toward sending the second-seeded Yellowjackets into their first sectional boys soccer final since 2006?
"Deemer always rips amazing shots out of nowhere," McCue deadpanned after the Jackets' 2-0 Section Four Class B semifinal victory over sixth-seeded Dryden on a chilly day at the National Soccer Hall of Fame fields. "Top three for Eric Deemer this season. Eric Deemer is Hall of Fame. I'm going to start making him a monument."
As funny as that might sound, Deemer's 20-yard shot from the right corner of the penalty box was of the grade-A variety.
The play started on a free kick by Jacob Joseph from just inside of midfield.
A Dryden defender headed the ball about 10 yards from the goal that came out to Deemer at the top of the 18-yard box. Deemer touched it to the right to create space and then drove a high shot that started bending to the far post.
Lions goalie Matthew Cushman leaped, but the ball went just over his right hand, dipped under crossbar and sneaked inside the left post with 24 minutes, 33 seconds left for a 1-0 lead.
"Fantastic shot," Dryden coach Laszlo Engel said of Deemer's team-leading 17th goal of the season. "Upper 90, side net _ what are you going to do? No goalkeeper is stopping that. I wish we didn't give him the shot in the first place."
Added Deemer: "You get the ball in the box and strike it in the top corner, that's the best goal you can get. I got a good foot on it, but you never know. The best part is you get to watch it go in the goal."
Aaron Foreman contributed an insurance goal with 4:37 left as OHS advanced to the final for the first time since beating Dryden, 3-1, in the 2006 B title game.
The Yellowjackets (15-2-1) will meet top-seeded Owego (15-2) at 11:45 a.m. Saturday, back at the Soccer Hall. The Indians advanced Wednesday with a 4-0 victory over fifth-seeded Watkins Glen.
"I'd bet on it," a more-serious McCue said of the chances of playing the Indians for a third time this season. "I'm excited for it. I hope we can beat them here."
OHS and Owego traded road victories this season. The Indians won, 2-1, on Sept. 11 and the Yellowjackets earned a 3-1 win Oct. 16 that clinched the Southern Tier Athletic Conference Central Division title.
Though the 2-0 score Wednesday might indicate OHS had an easy time of it, this one was a struggle for the Yellowjackets, who had two starters _ Matt Arcidiacono and Cody Primmer _ out with the flu.
The Lions (13-4) and Jackets threw their bodies around freely in a game that featured numerous fouls and two yellow cards _ assessed to Dryden's Tim Cutia and Christian Jenne.
"They're rough," Deemer said of the 13-4 Lions. "There was a lot of smack talk going on out there."
Following Deemer's goal, Dryden had its best sustained offense of the afternoon. For the next 15 minutes, the Lions tested OHS' defense repeatedly, but McCue and fellow defenders Joe Sullivan, Ryan Gracy and Logan Osterhoudt responded. So much so that OHS goalie Alex Meschutt did not have a make a save.
Still, the Lions wasted three good chances during that span.
Justin Niziol sent a 20-yard free kick about 3 feet over the crossbar with 21 1/2 minutes left. Niziol then mishit a open shot from right side of the box after a pass from Mark LaLonde with about 15 minutes to play.
Two minutes later, Dryden nearly had the equalizer. Sean Norstrand sent a high crossing pass from the left wing in the direction of Dan Holland, who came into the game with a team-high 23 goals. Holland's header from 10 yards hit the top of the crossbar and rolled onto the top netting.
"They're a team that's strong and they wanted to destroy, and did a lot of destroying," OHS coach Alex Brannan said.
Oneonta sealed it with 4:37 left.
Again, it started with a free kick by Joseph. From the left corner, he sent a high kick to the left side of the box about 8 yards out. Sturdy midfielder Ryan Graig got a head on it and popped it up toward the crossbar. It appeared as if Cushman wanted to tip it over the crossbar, but the ball hit the crossbar and deflected back into play. Foreman rushed in and side-swiped a volley into the back netting. It was his fourth goal of the season.
Brannan said getting healthy will be key for the Jackets on Saturday.
"You just don't know," he said of his team's bout with the flu. "You come to practice and you've guy 10 (players) one day and 12 the next day. The next day, you're going, Who's out today?'" This has been the season of a makeshift team."
Oneonta 2, Dryden 0
SECTION FOUR CLASS B
Semifinal at Soccer Hall
Dryden0 0 _ 0
Oneonta0 2 _ 2
6-Dryden (13-4): None.
2-Oneonta (15-2-1): Eric Deemer 1-0, Aaron Foreman 1-0.
Shots-corner kicks: D 3-5; O 5-6.
Goalies: Matthew Cushman (D) 2; Alex Meschutt (O) 0.
___
Rob Centorani can be reached at rcentorani@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 209.
