Landon Schneider's penalty kick puts Smithtown West in boys soccer final
Smithtown west players celebrate after Landon Schneider scores the game-winning goal against Northport in the Suffolk Class AA boys soccer final on Monday. Credit: Neil Miller
Landon Schneider had saved this Suffolk AA soccer semifinal for Smithtown West. Now he was trying to win it, too.
After making a sensational save in the first overtime, the senior goalkeeper found himself at the other end, lining up to take a shot in the first round of sudden-death penalty kicks after Smithtown West and Northport had scored five apiece in the first phase of PKs.
Northport finally misfired. So Schneider had one thought running through his mind as he waited on his home turf to let go from 12 yards away from goalkeeper Tommy Pace: “Don’t miss. Just don’t miss.”
The former field player didn’t miss, drilling the ball into the left side of the net. The fifth-seeded Bulls edged the eighth-seeded Tigers, 6-5, in penalty kicks Monday after the teams played two 40-minute halves and two 15-minute overtimes without scoring.
So Smithtown West (12-4-1) will face No. 2 Connetquot (14-2-3) in the title match at 7:30 Thursday night at Comsewogue.
“I don’t think I’ve been happier in my life,” Schneider said. “These are things you dream about.”
The Bulls last won a county title in 2013. Coach A.J. Gercke wasn’t thinking at the beginning of the season that this was going to be their year.
“But the way that this group has come together and performed, and the way that they play for each other, it feels like we have something special here,” Gercke said. “We know we’re in for a battle, though.”
Schneider left the net for the PKs despite making six saves, including his first-overtime stop on a tough close-in shot. Brendan Madden, the starter the previous two seasons, took over.
“We practice penalties a lot,” Schneider said. “We both know he’s the better goalie for it.”
In the first phase of PKs, the teams alternated and nobody missed.
Aidan Kolbe, Travis Scandalis, Ricky Corbett, Andrew Pinzone and Luke Carrano converted against Madden. Jake Trama, Matt Ferrero, Alex Tylar, Lukas Kailitzis and Jake Paget converted against Pace, who made an impressive stop in the second overtime and had eight saves overall.
The Tigers (12-6-1) had beaten Smithtown West, 1-0, in double OT earlier in October.
“We had a great season,” coach Don Strasser said. “First time in 25 years we made it to the final four. Great bunch of seniors. They played hard all season long. … It was an excellent run that unfortunately ended today.”