LYNN – Classical took on Lynn Tech in the finals of the City Series tournament where the Rams won 2-1 in the final minutes of the game.
“We wanted to try and control the game and calm it down the best we could because we knew it would be a really anxiety-provoking game,” said Classical’s coach Eric Moreno Jr. “We didn’t do so well in the first half but in the second we knew the team that took control would come out on top. To be honest they did great with Greg (Gregoire Amissi) and their goal but the way we came back and we just kept coming back.”
“It wasn’t what we wanted to do. We dominated the whole game but we kept giving fouls and fouls over and over. Unfortunately they were the better team,” said Lynn Tech’s coach Eric Moreno Sr. “They were more physical than we were, even though we dominated. I told my team that they’re not going to be the same team this year. We played them in a scrimmage where we beat them 3-1 but I told them they weren’t going to be the same team.”
For sixty minutes of the game it was a back and forth battle causing tempers to flare towards the end of the first half. Until Lynn Tech’s junior Felipe De Oliviera scored the game’s first point at the eighteen minute and forty-nine second mark in the second half.
“We were already prepared for it before the game and we knew that this was how it was going to be and I feel like for the most part we did keep our cool,” said Moreno Jr. “I would say that we did a better job than the other team with keeping cool and I thought that was a big reason why we were able to hang in there the whole game.”
Gregoire Amissi seemed to be absolutely everywhere for the Tigers. “We continue to depend on Greg (Gregoire Amissi) and we are going to lose a lot of games like that, because we need somebody else to step up,” said Moreno Sr. “We can’t solely rely on Greg every game, we need someone else to step up.”
Then at the twenty-six minute mark Classica’s Imer Payes tied the game 1-1. With the final minutes ticking away Jleren Mierles securing the win for the Rams.
“Our MVP who’s also our captain Elzon Halimi, every set piece he kept putting in made Tech really worried and kept building their frustration. It really opened up different things during the game,” said Moreno Jr.
“Being a senior captain and it being my last year, I had to win. I told my players we got this and no pressure. We have been through this before and yeah it’s a final but treat it like every other game though because at the end of the day we’re winning,” said one of Classicals captains Elzon Halimi. “ We are city champs and we can be state champs too.”
