Boys Soccer Defeats Northport In Second Round Playoff Match, 2-1

Commack Boy's Soccer (15-1-1, 12-1-1 League I) defeated cross-town rival, Northport (10-3-3, 9-2-3 League II), 2-1, in a second round battle that was hard fought.

Though the score was very close, it doesn't do justice to Commack's offensive onslaught. If it hadn't been for the 10 saves by Northport's Jackson Sirica, many of which were a combination of great positioning and acrobatic prowess, Commack could have scored twice as many goals. In the second half both teams put on the pressure, moving the ball quickly downfield.

As Northport tried to catch up to Commack things got a lot tenser, and the final moments were almost excruciating for the Commack and Northport fans that looked on. However, Commack's defense tightened up and stayed close to the ball, limiting Northport's opportunities in the end.

Hero: Michael Biondo scored both of Commack's goals with a great offensive effort. Granted Commack's entire offense played a part in the goals, Biondo was always there to make a play. Also, Jack Miller played some great ball, contributing to Biondo's goals, despite being sick.

Turning Point: Commack was actually very much in control for the first 60 minutes. But once Northport scored and could see the potential for a win, they turned the heat up. At this point Northport's rushed offense often worked to Commack's advantage, allowing them to kill the clock with long balls to Adam Tamburello and Jack Miller, while Northport's defense played further upfield.

Quotable: "It was a great second-round victory," said head coach Patrick Friel. "It was a big game against a cross-town team, and we showed up today."

As far as today's game was concerned, an early lead was key. "It was really important to score first," said Friel. "Once we got up we settled in and we needed to."

Bottom Line: The real difference maker here was the fact that the Cougars came out and played for all 80 minutes. It was an important game, and the boys seem to recognize that.  Even when up by two goals the Cougars were unrelenting on offense to the point where the defense could relax a bit.  Jake Amereno's lack of saves speaks to the fact that he was rarely in a position to have to make them.

Key Stat: Shots on goal. In a very back-and-forth game, Commack put a lot of pressure on Northport's Jackson Sirica, who made some incredible saves despite the loss. Commack's offense today was reminiscent of much of the season – little high-flying antics, but a real team effort. There were some great through balls, though both goals came from scrambles close to the net, where the boys excelled at being persistent.

Commack Boys Soccer Playoffs

TEAM…………1…….2 – F

Commack.….2……0 – 2

Northport....0….…1 – 1

Goals – Commack: Biondo, Michael 2. Northport: Yodice, Neil-Ryan. Saves – Commack: Amereno, Jake 3. Northport: Sirica, Jackson 10. Yellow Cards – Commack: Joseph, Alex. Northport: Comma, Malcolm.



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