PLAYOFFS: Harkins' Game-Winning Goal Leads Cyclones Past New Hyde Park, 1-0

After in the opening round of the Class A boy's soccer playoffs against Glen Cove, junior Chris Harkins was at it again in the quarterfinals, scoring the only goal against New Hyde Park on Tuesday to send the Cyclones into the semifinals with a 1-0 win over New Hyde Park. 

After being stonewalled all game by New Hyde Park goalie Aaron Weinstock, senior Alexei Lesko found Harkins streaking down the left sideline with about ten minutes to left in the match. After a tricky pass, Harkins deked the last defender and lofted the ball over the goalie to the far post for the score.

"I came on the sideline, and Lesko saw me running, I was able to cut the defender back and whipped it across," he said. "I saw the goalie was a bit off his line and thought I'd take a shot at it. It was a beautiful ball from Alexei."

Despite having the ball in New Hyde Park territory for most of the game, the Cyclones struggled to score against the senior Weinstock, who finished with nine saves, most of which were leaping and diving stops.

Although his team dominated most of the game, coach Fred Paul said he was still worried that bad luck could thwart his team and prematurely end their season after they struggled to score.

"I was a bit nervous – this can be a cruel game," he said. "I feel like we outplayed them, and I was scared the ball would take a wrong bounce or two and we'd be sent home. But you have to give all the credit to their keeper. He made a lot of great saves on excellent shots, it was more his game than us struggling to score."

Minutes before South Side scored the game winner, the ball almost took the wrong bounce that Paul feared. New Hyde Park drove deep into South Side territory and had an open look on a far post run, but a collapsing defense and charging goalie senior Deven Khosla forced an errant shot, ultimately making Harkins's goal the deciding factor of the game.

"That was just Chris doing what Chris does," Paul said. "That ball was right on target – no one could have saved it."

New Hyde Park struggled all game with the Cyclone's size, and lost nearly every 50-50 ball all game. Sophomore Mark Romanowski and senior Mike Hayes controlled the middle of the field, distributing the ball to junior Kevin Cook and senior Jeff Cohen, who dominated the outsides and created opportunities near the goal for their teammates.

This was the last game the seniors will ever play at Skelos Field, and while Paul said he wanted them to reflect on their time there, he needed them to keep their eyes on the prize— the Cyclones will face either Jericho or Island Trees in the semifinal.

"This was a total team game for us – Hayes and Romanowski were all over the place, Lesko had probably his best game of the season, and Khosla stepped up when he needed to," Paul said. "I'll let them stay on the field as long as they want, this is their last game. I want them to focus that we have the winner of Island Trees and Jericho next. Our goal wasn't to get to the semifinal, we still have two games before we accomplish one of our goals."