West Islip Boys Soccer Escape First Round With 3-2 Win Over Comsewogue

Any thoughts that the West Islip boys varsity soccer team's late season struggles would carry into the playoffs were put to rest with a three-goal barrage in the first 15 minutes of Tuesday's first round matchup with Comsewogue.

After beginning League II play with a 10-0-1 record, the Lions (11-2-1) lost two of their final three regular season games before clinching the league title and a No.5 seed in the playoffs.  An early three-goal lead against No. 12 Comsewogue (8-4) almost fell by the wayside, but the Lions were able to close out a 3-2 victory and advance to a quarterfinal showdown with No.4 Brentwood.

"We needed to get out to a good start," head coach Ed Pieron said. "It was very important. In the beginning of the game we finished our chances and then we missed a ton the rest of the game. We played a very, very good first half and a so-so second half."

That very, very good first half started at the 31:56 mark. Junior Phil Denara got a pass from senior Danny Kyc, came up the right side, beat a defender to get in close and snuck a shot past Comsewogue's keeper Chris Friedl to give the Lions an early 1-0 lead.

"Coming off strong is a major part of the playoffs because at any point any team can beat you so you have to make sure you come strong every time," Denara said.

Five minutes later, Denara sent a corner kick off Tyler Bell to the legs of Cameron Eiseman who buried it to give the Lions a 2-0 lead. At the 15:48 mark, Colin O'Connor's shot rebounded off Friedl right back to junior Sean Sepe who kicked it into a wide open net for the three-goal advantage.  Friedl had to make 16 saves in the game.

Comsewogue, however, kept the game close with two goals in the second half. Matt Delph cashed in after being awarded a penalty kick at the 28:55 mark. After Friedl made a few highlight-reel saves and the Lions sailed a few shots off the mark, Comsewogue's Jesse Inkles got loose on a breakaway with eight minutes left and beat keeper Kyle Carrick to make it a one-goal game. After a tense eight minutes the buzzer sounded and the Lions moved safely into the next round.

"It got close at the end but I know we had plenty of chances and if we finished it could've been eight or nine nothing at one point," Denara said. "I feel like in the next game we'll be able to finish our chances and put things away."

"Chalk it up to missing out on the chances," Pieron said. "The defense did a few things that we don't normally do that we'll correct. It doesn't matter, it's the playoffs you just have to figure out a way to win and move to the next game."

The victory for the Lions sets up a quarterfinal match against No. 4 Brentwood on Friday, Nov. 5 at 2:30 p.m.

"We're going to Brentwood on Friday so we'll see," Pieron said. "I want us to play our game. I don't want us to go in there and feel like we have to do things special because it's Brentwood. I just want us to play our game because our game is good enough to play with them…we just have to figure out a way to win."

"We have to stay organized," Denara added. "[We have to] know that we have a chance no matter what and just play our hearts out."