Dryden rallies past Marathon

Cortland Standard

MARATHON — Jake Czapranski and Tor Wildenstein scored second half goals nine minutes apart to help Dryden High overcome a 1-0 deficit and post a 2-1 victory over Marathon Central in the Interscholastic Athletic Conference North Division regular season soccer finale for both teams.
Dryden wraps up the regular season at 12-3. Marathon closes the books at 11-4 heading into post-season play.
Marathon took a 1-0 lead in the 38th minute of play. Zack Brandstadt got the ball to Dan Lincoln off a corner kick. Lincoln found a hole and poke the ball into the goal for the Olympians.
“We played a very good first half,” Marathon coach Chip Stewart said. “We got the ball deep a number of times, but did not take the shot. That was the difference because Dryden pulled the trigger on shots while we looked for the perfect shot.”
Dryden got the equalizer 10 minutes into the second half. Mike Harvey laid the ball off to Czapranski for the finish. With 21 minutes to to, Czapranski delivered a corner kick into the box. Wildenstein received the ball and drove it home for the lead.
“That was what we needed,” Dryden coach Laszlo Engel said about Wildenstein’s game-winner. “We took care of the ball and held the lead for the win during the last 21 minutes. It was an exciting and intense game all afternoon. Both teams had their times of danger.
“I liked our work effort today and our ball management to earn the win,” he added. “Marathon worked hard to get their goal in the first half. It was a very nice goal.”
“I was disappointed that we didn’t handle the intensity in the second half,” Stewart said. “It really was a well played game by by both teams.”
Goalie Kyle Young kept Marathon in the hunt with six saves. Haile Cutter recorded two saves for Dryden.
Marathon will now prepare for the IAC Overall Small School Championship match Friday. The North Division Champion Olympians will meet Spencer-Van Etten at 8 p.m. on the Tompkins Cortland Community College turf.
Marathon girls will play the 6 p.m. game Friday as the Lady Olympian also meet Spencer-Van Etten for the Overall Small School title match at TC3.
THE IAC LARGE SCHOOL Overall Championship matches are set for Saturday at TC3. North Champion Lansing and South Division champion Elmira Notre Dame will meet in the girls’ title game at 6 p.m. The Bobcat and Crusader boys will then square off in the 8 p.m. championship match.