Newsday - November 22, 2004

Wheatley keeps its promise

Wins championship dedicated to former teammate who died

BY CHRIS ANTONACCI

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

November 22, 2004

ONEONTA, N.Y. -- Wheatley's first state boys soccer title since 1983 was about many things. It was about a balanced offense. It was about a defense that allowed only seven goals this season. Mostly, though, it was about a promise received and a promise returned.

When time expired following a 3-0 win over Section III champ Westhill yesterday in the Class B state final at the National Soccer Hall of Fame's Wilber Field yesterday, Wheatley honored former teammate Craig Grumet's memory.

Each player removed his jersey as they raced across the field to the stands, displaying T-shirts with Grumet's face and the following slogan underneath the picture: "Still in the game." Wheatley had completed an emotional journey on which it embarked after Grumet died at 17 following a May 7 car accident.

"It's been on our mind for the whole year," senior goalkeeper Jordan Sawyer said. "We wanted to win this for Craig. He should be here with us."

After Grumet's death, 33-year coach Bernie Hintz informed his players of a promise Grumet made as a freshman defender when Wheatley (14-0-4) last played in a state final.

As he came out for a late substitution in an eventual 5-1 loss to 2001 Class B champ Chittenango (III), Grumet told Hintz: "Don't worry, coach. I promise we'll come back to win it when I'm a senior."

This would have been Grumet's senior season.

"It's hard for us because every single kid on this team was close to him," senior forward Kevin McPhillips said. "It's hard talking about it. We made a promise to get him this title. He was a kid who always kept his promises. It was up to us to fulfill the promise that he made."

McPhillips came through when he gathered a rebound and put it past goalkeeper Scott Morton (10 saves) to break a scoreless tie with 19:05 left in the first half. Steven Bonnen finished Robert Mendes' cross to give Wheatley a two-goal lead 13:51 into the second half. Dany Rios knocked in a loose ball following McPhillips' corner kick for the final score with 16:24 left.

Sawyer made three saves in Wheatley's 11th shutout of the season. Defenders Jordan Edelman, John Arciuolo, Greg Orologio and Niko Kapetanos hardly allowed Westhill (17-7-1) to penetrate.

"There wasn't a player who didn't want to do this just for Craig," Hintz said. "His spirit lived in each of these kids."

Wheatley has not allowed more than one goal in any game this season and only trailed once, in Saturday's 3-1 semifinal win, en route to finishing as Long Island's only undefeated team. As the state introduced five classifications this season, Wheatley remained in Class B. Jericho, a fellow Conference A-I member, moved up to Class A and shared a state title. Jericho defeated Wheatley, 2-0, in the 2003 Nassau Class B final.

"We joke around sometimes, but when we got on the field, each of us knew what we had to do," Edelman said. "We had a purpose."

And a promise to fulfill.

WHEATLEY 3

WESTHILL 0