Josh Canales’ header goal five minutes into the second overtime gave the Huntington High School boys’ soccer team a thrilling 2-1 victory at East Islip last Friday afternoon.
The team both scored first half goals before playing to a stalemate. The Blue Devils’ superb goalie, Lee Reiver worked his magic by stopping a breakaway shot with five seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime. Canales notched what proved to be the game-winner Scott Gulizio used a free kick to send the ball soaring into the air. Canales took it from there.
Jeremy Gelb scored the Blue Devils’ first goal off an assist by Matt Whitcher. Reiver recorded six saves in the game. The win improved Huntington’s mark to 4-3-1 in Suffolk League IV play. East Islip fell to 5-3.
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“This game was huge for our team,” Reiver said. “To be down 1-0 late in the second half and show the character to not only tie it up, but then win in overtime will give us momentum moving forward. I do believe we are at our best right now. As we move into the second half of the season we are really starting to trust each other and our chemistry is only getting better.”
Stopping a breakaway shot with seconds remaining in regulation will go down as one of the highlights for Reiver in a Blue Devil uniform. “I think that was pure adrenalin and the thought of letting that game slip away with such little time left didn’t seem like an option,” the teenager said about the thoughts going through his mind as all eyes were on him. “Our team executed when we needed it most and this was an enormous win, both for our chances to make playoffs, as well as for our confidence. Hopefully we can use this momentum to bring us on a run before playoffs.”
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“The team showed a lot of heart out there on Friday,” senior midfield Alex Castillo said. “We could have put our heads down after East Islip scored to go up 1-0, but instead we came out at halftime hungry for a win. The play of the game has to go to Lee for his point-blank save with only five seconds to go in regulation, keeping it knotted at 1-1 and sending the game into overtime. At this point, we have given up the least number of goals in the league and now that our offense is finding the back of the net, we are going to give any team we play a serious contest.”
Earlier in the week, Huntington dropped a 2-1 verdict at second place Hauppauge (5-1-2). The Eagles scored both their goals in the first half and the Blue Devils played “catch-up” the rest of the way. Whitcher had Huntington’s lone goal. Reiver made seven saves.
