Carle Place boys soccer advances to state Class B final with win over Rye Neck
MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. — To say the Carle Place boys soccer team came here shooting for the stars wouldn’t be exactly right. It came shooting for one star.
Above the team logo on all the Frogs’ gear is embroidered a gold star. It is an homage to the 2013 team that won Carle Place’s only state soccer championship. And after rallying from a one-goal deficit for a 3-2 state Class B semifinal victory over Section I champion Rye Neck on Saturday, Carle Place is one win from earning that second star.
“Since the beginning of the year our coach has been telling us this group has the possibility of getting that second star,” senior Ryan Leary said, pointing to the logo on his chest. “We are the group to do it. We believe we can win a state championship and then this one star won’t be so lonely.”
Carle Place (16-2-2), winners of seven straight Nassau County titles and three consecutive Long Island crowns, are finally getting to play for that elusive second state championship. The Frogs will meet the winner of the second semifinal between Section III champion Westhill and Section VI champion East Aurora in Sunday’s 10 a.m. state final at Faller Field.
“Everyone in Carle Place knows 2013 and still talks about it, so this team has been on a mission all season,” Frogs coach Conor Reardon said. “Let’s make them remember 2024.”
Leary has a deep and lethal throw-in that would make a corner kicker envious. He used that weapon in the 25th minute and Stratos Mehalakes headed it in to tie the game, 1-1. Just 54 seconds later, Leary found himself on a breakaway with only Panthers goalie Thomas Schmuck between him and the goal. Leary faked left and got him to bite and then went right and rolled a shot into the open net for the go-ahead score.
With a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes going into the wind, Carle Place wasn’t done. In the first minute after halftime, Matt Babino maneuvered the ball toward the goal along the end line to get off a pretty centering pass. Lucas Viegas went high and got his left foot on it to redirect it into the goal for a 3-1 lead that took a toll on Rye Neck (12-3-6).
“After that third goal, you could see it in their eyes — they looked a little scared, like they knew they couldn’t play with us,” senior Jason Pereira said. “It froze them a little bit.”
“Once we got that first goal, we just started clicking,” Leary said. “After that it was ‘barbecue chicken.’ Once we get going, you can’t stop the Frogs.”
Babino, a senior center back, and senior goalie Max Cordova (six saves), did well foiling most of the Panther’s late chances. Still, Rye Neck got a great chance on a free kick from 18 yards out with 1:11 to play. Panther Rocco Ruscitto drilled a hard shot toward the goal, but freshman Gavin Lima turned it away to seal the win.
“This is a good win, but it doesn’t mean anything until tomorrow,” Babino said. “We need to play those 80 minutes, win the championship and earn that second star. That’s what we came here for.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
