Highland and Ellenville played to a scoreless tie Thursday, Oct. 1, in a varsity boys soccer match dedicated to the memory of Army Cpl. Michael Oremus, a former Highland soccer player and team captain who was killed in action in Iraq in 2006.

Oremus played soccer at Highland and was a team captain during his senior year. He attended Dutchess Community College for a year before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2005. He was killed in action Oct. 2, 2006, at age 21.

Highland players and coaches wore shirts bearing Oremus’ No. 5 under their jerseys. Before the national anthem, sung by a Highland junior, the teams observed a moment of silence in his memory.

At halftime, Oremus’ mother, Maddy Oremus-Palmese, spoke about her son and the legacy he left in the community.

“I appreciate the remembrance of Michael,” Oremus-Palmese said. “When your loved one dies ... you want to know that their name is never going to be forgotten.”

Oremus-Palmese also spoke about the work of the Michael Oremus Foundation, which was established in his memory.

“We help soccer kids who can’t play, we help kids in Kingston that need summer camp expenses paid,” she said. “We’re continuing with the foundation that we have. By this, we keep Michael’s memory alive. He would want us to do that.”

On the field, both teams struggled to generate quality scoring chances, particularly in the opening half.

Highland sophomore forward Jack Elliot led the Huskies’ offensive attack, creating several one-on-one and breakaway opportunities with his speed.

Senior forward Tucker Vett and freshman midfielder Carlos Ochoa also recorded shots on goal.

Junior goalkeeper Bravin Ellenburg provided a strong performance in net for Highland, stopping every shot that came his way, including several corner-kick opportunities.

The pace picked up during the two 10-minute overtime periods, with both teams generating more shots, but neither could find the back of the net.

“It’s a tough one, you know,” Highland coach Matthew Earley said. “Things that we should have done better, I think, would have changed the outcome of the game. But no, it is what it is, and we move on to the next one.”

The Huskies are 2-6-1 on the season. Their victories came against Millbrook Central on Sept. 15 and Ellenville on Sept. 23. Four of Highland’s six losses have been shutouts.