Soccer Rams lose three of 4 games during heat wave

September 13, 2023 at 11:28 p.m.

Between the high heat/humidity index, drizzles that turned to downpours, and thunderstorms and lightning when the heat broke, often all in the same day, the week that was triggered high school game cancellations and worse, all of which wreaked havoc with the local scholastic sports schedule.

And whether the weather had anything to do with it since everybody had to play under the same conditions, the Port Chester soccer Rams dropped three of four games during that period.

Promising start

It started promisingly if unconventionally with a 4-0 win over Spring Valley away last Wednesday (9/6) under the lights. The game was originally scheduled to be played at Port Chester a day earlier but was canceled due to the heat and moved to Spring Valley to be played the next night when it promised to be cooler. And it was, but what was even cooler was the way Alexander Villa scored two goals for the Rams while Jorge Lopez and Daniel Cruz scored a goal apiece with assists coming from Jostin Gualipa who had two and Andrew Palacios with one.

After that, things went mostly downhill.

Thunder, lightning

In a shortened away game against Roy C. Ketcham the next day (Thursday, 9/7), for example, the Rams were shut out 2-0 with the game cut short by thunder and lightning. "Not making any excuses, but it looked as though the heat from the week and no rest between games got us," head coach John Cafaldo said.

The Rams next dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker against Harrison at home Saturday (9/9) when they dominated play but couldn't catch a break and continually came close without putting the ball into the net.

The scoring woes continued with a 7-2 loss against a very good Yorktown team away Monday (9/11) although the Rams scored twice, Gezer Cruz unassisted and Enrique Farias off an assist from Byron Aguirre.

The sked ahead

But hopefully things will get better—including the weather—in the next few days although the going won't be easy for the Rams because their upcoming away games include rival White Plains Tuesday (9/19) and Lincoln Thursday (9/21), both at 4:45 p.m. Their next home games include Ossining Saturday (9/23) at 11 a.m., Lincoln next Tuesday (9/26) and Horace Greeley next Friday (9/29), both at 4:30 p.m.

Whether the weather will cooperate is anybody's guess. But whatever happens, hopefully there will be more wins than losses for Port Chester in that timeframe.

And maybe the ball will find its way into the net more often for the Rams.