By Tim Mastro

DOVER — Caesar Rodney High found the edge of the goalpost twice, but not the back of the net.

The bounces weren’t there for the Riders in the DIAA boys’ soccer Division I state championship on Saturday night.

Salesianum School earned a 2-0 victory over top-seeded Caesar Rodney in the finals, hosted by Dover High. It was the 16th title in the last 18 seasons for the Sals.

Jake Ross netted a goal in each half to pace Salesianum (14-4) which finished unbeaten against Delaware opposition. Caesar Rodney (17-1-1) nearly equalized in the first half from freshman Trevor Sullivan and looked to have scored in the second half from Daniel Gomez but both efforts ricocheted out off the post.

“If those go in it’s a little different game, but sometimes that’s how the game goes,” said CR coach Dwayne Lavender. “It was a good final. Unfortunately we’re on the second-place end of it.”

Saturday was the third time Caesar Rodney faced Salesianum in the finals in the last eight years. The Riders fell to Salesianum 7-0 two years ago and also dropped a 2-1 result to the Sals in the 2014 title game.

The Riders dropped to 1-5 all-time in boys’ soccer state championship contests. Caesar Rodney’s last championship came in 1994, when it defeated McKean 2-1. Four of those five state championship defeats have come against Salesianum.

The chances were there for the Riders on Saturday, even after going down 1-0 early thanks to Ross’ goal in the 11th minute.

Most of the crowd thought Sullivan had equalized in the 30th minute when he knocked a right-footed shot past the Salesianum keeper. The ball rolled and bounced off the inside of the post before it spun away from the goalmouth.

A few minutes later Gomez found himself with some space in the box on the left wing but his blast went wide of the mark from a tough angle.

After Ross doubled the lead with a penalty kick, Gomez was then scorned by the post as he redirected a loose ball off the bounce past the goalie but into the center of the post. The ball was cleared out of the danger area but the Riders had one final chance minutes later that was skied over the crossbar.

“We knew we could play with them and I thought we played a good brand of soccer and it was an even game,” Lavender said. “They capitalized on their chances and we didn’t quite capitalize. I think the game could have gone either way, it went Sallies’ way tonight. They’re a good team and I think I have a real good team too.”

It was the only game this season that the Riders did not score a goal.

Caesar Rodney will graduate eight seniors from this year’s squad.

“It was a unified crew,” Lavender said. “Everyone was together. People were as happy to get an assist or get the pass before the assist as they would be to get a goal. Everybody worked for each other all year.

“It was a selfless group that was all in for the best of the team. It was a real pleasure to have this team and a lot to be proud of. My boys are hungry, we got a young team. Hopefully we’ll be right back here again next year.”