Jack Dorsey powers Chaminade boys soccer to win over St. Anthony's
Jack Dorsey of Chaminade gets past Patrick Keena of St. Anthony's during a CHSAA boys soccer game on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
The Chaminade varsity boys soccer roster had 19 seniors a year ago and, though then-sophomore Jack Dorsey could have been an impact player, a decision was made to give him as much playing time as possible on the junior varsity. Well, now Dorsey is a junior and the break is over for the rest of the NSCHAA.
Dorsey scored both goals in the Flyers’ first of two meetings with archrival St. Anthony’s as they scored a significant 2-0 victory Tuesday at Chaminade’s Gold Star Stadium.
“We knew what we had in [Dorsey] even before the season started,” senior Jack Veletanga said. “He was the MVP for the JV and now he plays like he’s been on the varsity for two or three years.”
“Today I was in the right spots at the right time,” Dorsey said.
Chaminade (9-1-1, 5-0-0), sits at No. 10 in the most recent United Soccer Coaches national rankings, and also now sits in the driver’s seat to earn the top seeding for the NSCHSAA playoffs. Two-time defending champion St. Anthony’s (10-3-0, 2-2-0) can’t catch the Flyers when it hosts them on the final day of the regular season without another Island Catholic school tagging them with a loss.
“St. Anthony’s is always a tough task and we understand winning puts us in a good position,” Flyers coach Brian Anselmo said. “But it’s only a position. We have to keep our foot on the gas.”
The only blemishes for Chaminade are a loss to No. 4 St. Benedict’s (N.J.) and tie against No. 25 Delbarton (N.J.).
Dorsey’s first goal came on a lightning-quick play during a first half when Chaminade’s attacks kept getting disrupted by St. Anthony’s considerable defense. Flyers senior goalkeeper Keegan Portsmore’s long kick from the back found senior Blake Donahue streaking down the right side of the field and he quickly redirected the ball to the left side of the field, where Dorsey was cutting to the goal. The midfielder’s shot went back across into the right side of the goal.
“We have a connection,” said Donohue, who will play at Cornell next year. “[Dorsey] does the hard work for us.”
“I know if I make the run, he’ll find me,” Dorsey said.
The clincher came with 10 minutes left when Veletanga had a free kick from the right 23 yards out and put it right on the cutting Dorsey’s foot. He didn’t collect it perfectly, but it stayed with him and he got the shot off.
“I wanted to shoot right off the pass and I got lucky it stayed on my foot,” Dorsey said. “That goal was all Jack. I just put the finishing touch on things.”
St. Anthony’s managed only a half dozen threats. Senior defender Franco Ferazzoli foiled two and Portsmore made three saves. Junior goalkeeper Cole Lawrence made eight saves — some spectacular — and junior defender Lavrenti Kudierov had a standout game on the back line for the Friars.
“It’s going to be tough to finish where we want to be,” Friars coach Don Corrao said. “Now it’s about the playoffs. Maybe we can meet two more times.”
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.
