11-9-08 State CHSAA Final 4-1 W

Mission accomplished.

BY JASON MOLINET

There wasn’t an overflow of emotion, just the simple satisfaction of a job well done. The St. Anthony’s boys soccer team wrapped up an unbeaten and historic season on Sunday with a dominating 4-1 victory over Queens power Molloy in the state CHSAA title game.

As the St. Anthony’s starters – by now on the bench – jogged onto the turf field at Adelphi in Garden City once the clock drained to zero, a few enterprising players grabbed the water bucket and emptied it on assistant coach Don Correo. There were broad smiles and hugs, but hardly the explosion of emotion you might expect.

Each player calmly accepted championship medallions and when the team plaque was handed out to longtime coach Gene Buonaiuto, the players coolly assembled around him and posed for pictures.

This season was hardly preordained – everyone had high hopes, but who knew? – yet the Friars took to the role of champion with a comfortable familiarity. This marks the second title in program history and the second in four years. The truth is this year will be long remembered.

“This is probably my best team,’’ said Buonaiuto, who improved to 290-92-29 in 24 seasons as coach. “They have the best record.’’

These Friars (21-0-1), ranked second in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, also have the most recognition. Every bit of it was earned.

“You don’t get any better than winning a state championship,’’ junior defender Tyler Botte said.

The game was won in the midfield and by unsung heroes such as Botte. Midfielders such as senior Keith Jecewiz controlled the tempo and pushed the ball around the field, making opponents chase and react. And on the few occasions a forward broke through, the defense went to work.

It was much the same against Molloy. Friars senior goalkeeper Alex Naples was hardly tested, although he did surrender his fifth goal of the year with 7:17 left and the Friars sitting on a 3-0 lead.

But the game was all but over by then.

Senior midfielder Mike Valencia, two days after a two-assist effort in a semifinal win over Buffalo-Nichols, struck first against Molloy. He was taken down in the box just 4:03 into the title game and earned a penalty kick. Valencia went right and buried the ball in the back of the net for a 1-0 St. Anthony’s lead.

Senior Greg Mallia’s goal just before intermission made it 2-0. Sophomore Henry Tirado put in another goal off a rebound with 18 minutes left. Senior Chris Durant made it 4-1.

The bench might have been sky-high by that point, except for the fact that winning has been such an everyday feat for these Friars. Well, there’s nothing standing between these Friars and greatness now; no one else to conquer. Enjoy it.

Pursuit Of Perfection

Forwards rarely get this good a look at Alex Naples.

BY JASON MOLINET

Fuzzy childhood memories still carry Alex Naples today. He was just a toddler when Jeremy Pracher, his uncle on his mother’s side, played soccer for Bellport High School. Naples recalls being at many of the games.

It’s not just past recollections imprinted in Naples. Soccer is apparently embedded in his DNA too. That’s because his father, Michael Naples, was a goalkeeper on one of the first soccer teams at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue.

All that soccer knowledge has been passed down. And it was on display Friday night when St. Anthony’s played one of the biggest boys soccer matches in program history. The 5-11, 170-pound Naples was in goal. The Friars downed Buffalo-Nichols, 4-0, in a state CHSAA semifinal at Adelphi.

Actually, Naples was never challenged by Nichols. The defense in front of him wouldn’t let anyone through. But he may be tested in the title game at 3 p.m. Sunday when the Friars face Molloy.

“He’s very athletic and fearless,’’ Friars coach Gene Buonaiuto said. “He’s actually made great saves in a lot of games. He’s only given up four goals this year.’’

Credit plenty of soccer experience at a young age. It began with advice and tips from his uncle and father. Naples graduated to sessions with trainers at the age of 12.

“I’ve learned a lot from [my uncle and father] growing up,’’ Naples said. “I was never the tallest goalie and that’s a big thing. So I needed to make up for it technically. So I tried to make up for it trying to be technically perfect. I’m athletic but I don’t fit the mold of a goalie.’’

But where Naples really came into his own was in the last year playing for Queens-based Met Oval, one of 64 teams in the fledgling U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy. In June, Naples was named All-Conference in the Northeast Division.

And with two seasons in goal for the Friars, the senior has several options to play at the next level. If Naples gets accepted early decision, then Penn is the likely destination. Naples wants to major in business. But Holy Cross, Northeastern and Adelphi are in the mix.

Naples chose St. Anthony’s over his home school district of Bellport, namely for the academics. So don’t be surprised if that’s the deciding factor in a university.

College can wait. Naples still has one game left in his St. Anthony’s career. And it’s been a wild run.

“We knew we had a good team,’’ Naples said. “We lost in the semis last year. Our main goal was to win the league outright this time. I’m not saying we expected it. But we had the talent and ability to do that.’’

That mission was accomplished with an impressive 3-2 win over defending champ Chaminade. Now if the Friars can clear one more hurdle, they can lay claim to being one of the best teams in the country – and program history.

That’s a memory that may never fade.

10-14-08 CHAMINADE 2-1 W

That both of these teams actually scored a goal against each other was news let along that one had prevailed in a match up of top Catholic League, Long Island and nationally ranked squads.

When defender Adam Weinzimmer took a pass from fellow senior Karl Rumph and deposited it into the net for a 1-0 lead 10 minutes into the contest it was one more goal than either team tallied in a 0-0 draw on Sept. 30.

Then junior forward Orlando Castanada dished to senior midfielder Mike Valencia and with 17 minutes remaining in the game scored the game winner. Don Anding had knocked in the equalizer 22 minutes in.

The Friars are now 7-0-1 and is ranked fourth in a nationwide poll kept by ESPN. The 7-1-1 Chaminade squad is ranked eighth in the identical poll.

Scoring
Team…………………….1….2 – Final
Cham……………………1….0 – 1
St.A………………………1….1 – 7
GOALS – Cham: Anding; St. A.: Weinzimmer, Valenica. Saves – Cham: Saldana 3, Gallagher 4 St. A.: Naples, 6.

10-4-08 MOLLOY 3-0 W

Senior midfielder Mike Valencia came across the box and took a pass from junior forward Orlando Castanada and headed into the net for a 1-0 advantage 6:01 into the first half.

Valencia returned the favor at the 23:06 mark as junior forward Nick Masotto tallied on the cross for a 2-0 lead. The Friars extended their lead as Greg Mallia scored on a through ball from fellow senior midfielder Karl Rumph 8:42 into the second half.

Scoring
Team…………………….1….2 – Final
Molloy……………………0….0 – 0
St. A……………………….2….1 – 3
GOALS – St. A: Valencia, Masotto. Saves – Molloy: N/A 12; St. A: Naples 2, Hayes 2, Wiess 2.

9-30-08 @Chaminade 0-0 T

This is what happens when two of the best teams on Long Island and possibly the region match up. Scoring chances, but no scoring as both schools point toward the second’s season contest.

“There were crowds in front of the nets, but no goals,” said coach Gene Buonainuto, who thought it was a “well matched game.” There is no overtime except for playoff games.

Adan Weinzimmer was stopped in the ninth minute and with less than two minutes remaining in the first half Nick Masotto was thwarted by Steven Stefanek, as he broke up a pass that Masotto was zeroing in on. Karl Rumph’s 20-yard direct kick shot was headed away with 5:40 to go in the game. The Friars are now 7-0-1.

Scoring
Team…………………….1….2 – Final
St.A……………………..0….0 – 0
Cham.…………………..0…..0 – 0
Saves. St.A: Naples 13. Cham. NA.

9-11-08 ST. DOMINIC 6-0 W

Following a switch of strategy from the first half, the Friars exploded for five goals in the second half en route to a 6-0 home win over St. Dominic in their first league game of the season.

At the 11:17 mark Ed Curry shoveled the ball to Matt Barry, who buried it into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead. A little more than a minute later, Keith Jeceiwicz took a pass from Anthony Uliano and tallied the third goal.

“We changed and started shooting from the outside as they were packing it inside, said coach Gene Buonaiuto, who noted that a majority of the scores came off crosses.

At the 25:12 mark, Adam Wienzimmer scored unassisted and later in the half goals by Uliano and Nick Mosotto completed the scoring. Curry also assisted on the Friars initial tally by Greg Mallia at 14:10 in the first half.

It has been a stutter step start for St. Anthony’s as after winning an out of town game versus Archbishop Curley of Baltimore 3-0 on goals from Orlando Casdanada, Mike Valencia and Wienzimmer and a 1-0 win over Massapequa Jeceiwicz goal) they endured a pair of rain outs (Syosset and Holy Trinity). Goalkeepers Alex Naples, Shane Wendt and Kevin Hayes have all seen playing time.

SCORING
Team……………………………1…..2 — Final
St. Dominic…………………….0…..0 — 2
St. Athony’s……………………1…..5 — 6
Goals – St. Anthony’s: Mallia, Barry, Jeceiwicz, Weinzimmer, Uliano, Mosotto.
Saves – St. Anthony’s: Naples 2.