Newsday's All-Long Island boys soccer team 2023

Newsday Player of the Year: Tommy Poz, Garden City, F/M, Sr.

Goal No. 28 in a soccer season full of them meant a lot to Tommy Poz.

That was the one that broke his dad Tom's single-season record at Garden City.

“I was absolutely just so happy and proud,” Tommy said. “My dad was, too. He wanted me to break it all season. It was just like a good moment for us.”

There were so many good moments for Long Island’s most prolific goal scorer and point producer this season during an 18-1 run that ended in the Nassau Class AA championship game.

Poz scored twice in a 2-1 win over Glen Cove to send the Trojans to the title round. That gave the left wing/attacking midfielder a final count of 34 goals, which also came with six assists.

The 40 points were up from his 27 as a junior when Poz posted 18 goals and nine assists and helped Garden City make the Nassau Class A championship game. He’s a repeat selection for Newsday’s All-Long Island first team.

“He’s a high-skilled, great technical player,” Glen Cove coach Brian Smith said.

Poz’s announcement regarding his next team has yet to be made. Fordham, Boston College and Boston University have recruited him.

“He’s a special kid, such a hard worker, loves the game,” Garden City coach Paul Cutter said. “He’s all about the team as well.”

Suffolk Player of the Year: Robert Hauss, Ward Melville, F, Sr.

Characterized as a “pure scorer” by coach Rocco Vetro, Robert Hauss turned in one of the Island’s most-prolific seasons. He totaled 27 goals — just short of half the Patriots’ 55 for the season — and assisted on 10 more.

He was especially clutch in their postseason drive to the Class AAA title game, with three of his goals and two of his assists coming in the run. He eclipsed the program’s previous single-season record of 22 goals.

“He is so fast with the ball on his foot that it’s comparable to his speed without it,” Vetro said. “He has an eye for the goal. He scored almost as many with his left foot as his right and scored four times on headers.”

Vetro added, “He was a tremendous example. In fitness, in training, in practice, he was the team’s hardest worker.”

Stalyn Acosta, Brentwood, M, Sr.

Acosta was a center defensive midfielder and contributed five goals, eight assists and so much more for his undefeated Class AAA state championship team. Coach Ron Eden said Acosta was “the glue between the defense and the attack,” that he “came forward and scored goals, big goals, for us and set up some big goals,” and “was rock steady all year long.”

Gabe Feldman, Manhasset, F, Sr.

Feldman was a key factor as Manhasset captured the Nassau Class AA championship, totaling 26 goals and eight assists, including the overtime winner in the title match against Garden City. “He’s an unbelievable finisher,” coach Mark Giardino said. “He can beat people one-on-one, score from distance and cut through a defense.”

Diego Flores, Smithtown East, G, Sr.

Flores, an Olympic Development Program national team goalkeeper the last two years, posted eight shutouts, giving him 23 over his three seasons as a starter. Coach Mike Menendez called Flores a “great shot stopper and communicator” and someone who “plays angles well and rarely give an opponent a second opportunity on (a) rebound.”

Joe Joannou, St. Anthony’s, D/F, Sr.

Perhaps the biggest catalyst in the Friars’ surge from a 6-5 September to a Diocesan (and later state) title was moving Joannou from the back line to attack. He had 10 goals in October to help propel St. Anthony’s to the NSCHSAA crown and finished with 11 goals and three assists. “He’s special,” coach Don Corrao said. “He inevitably makes the big play for us.”

Anthony Ortiz, Brentwood, D, Sr.

Ortiz played center back for a team that held opponents to no goals 12 times, one goal six times and two goals four times en route to a 22-0 record and a state title. Coach Ron Eden said, “He’s probably, in all the years that I’ve coached, one of the best, if not the best man-to-man marker,” and Eden praised Ortiz’s tenacity and intelligence on defense.

Travis Thompson, Garden City, M, Sr.

The chief playmaker as the Trojans reached the Nassau Class AA title game, he finished with four goals and 16 assists, including a goal and an assist in the postseason. “He’s a big-time player,” coach Paul Cutter said. “With speed, athleticism, physicality and vision, he checks all the boxes.” Thompson will play at Maryland in the fall.

Chris Tuohy, Chaminade, D, Sr.

As the centerpiece of the Flyers’ back line and the player given the toughest defensive assignments, Tuohy helped Chaminade put up 13 clean sheets and allow only 16 goals over 20 games. He also contributed three goals and an assist. Tuohy was tabbed as the NSCHSAA’s defensive MVP by the league’s coaches.

Alex Tylar, Smithtown West, D, Sr.

Tylar was primarily a center back for the 14-1-2 Bulls, anchoring a defense that yielded one goal or less, including seven shutouts, in 10 of 11 games prior to the Class AA state semifinals. He also scored six goals. Coach A.J. Gercke described Tylar as “big, strong, fast, technical with both feet, dominant in the air, dangerous on set pieces,” and added that he “reads the game extremely well.”

Sawyer Wayne, Syosset, D, Sr.

As the anchor on the back line, Wayne was a major reason why Syosset had eight clean sheets and allowed just eight goals over 15 games. He also contributed two goals and two assists. “He sees the field extremely well and takes great angles as a defender,” coach Brett Waxer said.

Nassau Coach of the Year: Al Cavalluzzo, Mineola

Cavalluzzo led the Mustangs to the program’s first Nassau and Long Island titles since 2005 and a berth in the Class A state semifinals. The team finished at 13-3-3.

Suffolk Coach of the Year: Ron Eden, Brentwood

Eden guided Brentwood to 22 wins in 22 games and Suffolk, Long Island and state titles in Class AAA. The team, which claimed the program’s first state championship since 2019, was ranked third in the country in the final United Soccer Coaches poll. Eden has a record of 449-66-30 with four state titles in 28 seasons as Brentwood’s head coach.