Box Score
ACPHS conceded the game's first three goals and could never recover last Saturday night, dropping their opening postseason contest with SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry 5-3. With the loss, ACPHS wraps up the year with a record of 9-6-2, and 6-1-1 in the HVIAC regular season. SUNY-ESF went on to take down #1-seed College of New Rochelle in the Championship Game to become 2016 HVIAC Champions.

The Mighty Oaks came out swinging in this one, with sophomore forward Jean Carlos Barrientos grabbing his fourth goal of the year in the 9^th minute. He was picked out in the box by eventual 2016 HVIAC Tournament MVP Jorge Guarin, and struck a left-footed half-volley into the upper corner that senior keeper Matt Houlihan (Levittown, NY / Kellenberg Memorial High School) had no chance at.

The Panthers' junior Kyle Jenkins (Holbrook, NY / Sachem East High School) cleared an ESF attempt off the line in the 15^th minute to save a goal, but that didn't stop ESF from breaking through again before the break. In the 33^rd minute, Joe Marino curled a low cross behind the ACPHS defense that freshman forward Joseph Kulikowski tipped back behind a diving Houlihan for a 2-0 ESF lead.

Shortly after the half, junior Dylan LaBarge (Ellenburg Depot, NY / Northern Adirondack Central High School) committed a foul in the box to hand the Might Oaks a chance from the spot. Jorge Guarin dispatched the penalty into the lower left and there looked like no way back for APCHS. This all changed in the 62^nd minute following a corner kick from freshman Austin Myers (Morrisonville, NY / Saranac High). Sophomore Reid LaPlante (Chateaugay, NY / Chateaugay Central High School) rose above his marker and placed a header into the upper-right corner to give the Panthers some life.

Myers cut the deficit to one just three minutes later, finishing off a breakaway led by junior Mina Girgis (Canyon Country, CA / John Burroughs HS). Myers drew the keeper in and drove a shot above him at a tight angle for his fifth goal of the year. The Panthers were finally on the front foot, but suffered another setback shortly thereafter. LaPlante covered a long ball over the Panther defense that Houlihan was also charging forward for. LaPlante did not see that Houlihan had vacated his goal though, and attempted a back-pass that rolled right into the ACPHS net.

Down 4-2, ACPHS looked to continue their comeback with hero, turned villain, turned hero Reid LaPlante. LaPlante again used a Myers corner to bury a spectacular back-heel attempt to put the Panthers back within reach with 20 minutes left. ACPHS never could find the equalizing goal, and ESF's Kulikowski put the game to bed with his second goal in the 84^th minute. Houlihan made seven saves in a losing effort and closed out his year at 7-5-2. The Panthers did not record a shot in the first half, and were outshot 24-11.

This game also meant the end of the line for three senior Panthers: Connor Laughlin (Cohoes, NY / Cohoes High School), Matt Burkett (Saratoga Springs, NY / Schuylerville High School) and Zak Giorgi (Whitesboro, NY / Whitesboro High School). These three have all done ACPHS proud in their years here and are sure to succeed in whatever they pursue next.