Players prefer masks over no play
Those on the pitch say despite the difficulties, the trade-off worth it
Senior Day celebrations are normally reserved for late-season encounters just before playoffs begin. Saturday morning, the Maple Hill varsity girls’ soccer quartet of Meghan Bennett, Mia Fleck, Kylie Roloson and Alexis Tedford experienced Senior Day activities prior to the team’s season-opener vs. Taconic Hills.
That was far from the only change the Wildcats and Titans dealt with. The first game of the seven-game Patroon Conference schedule not only happened far later than usual; the players competed while wearing masks as the nation continues to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
“It is a different experience wearing the masks. I am just glad we got the chance to play,” Tedford said.
“It is definitely harder, but you get used to it,” Maple Hill junior striker/midfielder Alayna Fletcher said. “Just being able to play, I would play with 10 masks on if that is what it took to play.”
The Patroon Conference and the Suburban Council are the only two of eight Section II soccer leagues to be conducting play during the fall. Maple Hill opened its season in an impressive 6-0 victory over the Titans. Fletcher netted three goals and junior midfielder April Jacobs tallied two goals.
“We knew we weren’t going to have any scrimmages, so we really put the time in during practice,” Fletcher said. “That work really paid off today. We worked well as a team.”
Tedford, who is set to play midfield this season after playing defense as a sophomore and junior, played the bulk of her time Saturday in the back. The senior said wearing masks is something that she and her teammates are getting accustomed to.
“It is a huge adjustment. It makes it much harder to breathe,” Tedford said. “When you are by yourself, being able to pull it down for a second feels amazing. We definitely know how to play with each other because so many played together last year. We talked a lot more than we did. We made the adjustments (wearing the masks) and it is working.
“I am very glad we’ve been given the chance to play. Being my last year, I want to make it a fun year. This is way better than nothing.”
Maple Hill led 2-0 at halftime on goals by Eva Hirschoff and Fletcher. In the second half, Fletcher scored the first two goals — the second coming on a penalty kick that gave her a hat trick.
“You can’t overthink it. I just had to put it away,” Fletcher said of penalty kick opportunity.
Maple Hill coach Sheila Golden was pleased with the way her players handled dealing with the masks and dealing with all the safety protocols in place.
She was not alone.
Shaker boys’ soccer coach
Dan Foutain came away thrilled with how his Blue Bison dealt with the new normal Saturday afternoon in a 5-1 triumph over Albany.
“I think they are doing really well,” Fountain said. “The masks are a challenge, but what we put to our kids from Day 1 is the only thing worse than wearing a mask is not having a season. It was simple: wear your mask and we have a season or don’t wear your mask and we don’t have a season. When it was put to the kids that way, we’ve had no problems at all with the masks.”
“Definitely weird to have a mask break, but it is definitely a sacrifice we’re willing to take to get back on the field,” Shaker junior goalie Malcolm Robinson said.
“It was definitely different, a little sweaty and uncomfortable,” Shaker junior striker
Colin Brant said.
Shaker junior striker Ben Inglee, who scored the first two goals of the game against the Falcons, said communication with teammates was not an issue Saturday, but there was some adjustment.
“When you are making a fast run, it is a lot harder to make a signal verbally. You have to have more eye contact,” Inglee said.