MOUNT VERNON — The rain wouldn’t go away.
The Mount Vernon Yellow Jacket boys soccer team scored a 5-2 victory over a tough Newark team in a match that was called seven minutes into the second half.
The referee, citing poor playing conditions on Mount Vernon’s home field during the downpour, called the game for the safety of the players.
The second half — what little there was of it — was played in a virtual mudbath. Kicked balls were sticking to the ground. Players were sliding around as they chased the ball, with one Newark player twisting his ankle, forcing the stoppage in play and, ultimately, the end of the match.
“I know (Newark’s) player and our players were upset that the game was stopped,” said Mount Vernon head coach Scott Dapprich. “But it was for their own safety. It was the right call.”