Connor Faello scores 3 goals as Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK beats Glen Cove in boys soccer
Connor Faello of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK takes the ball on his heel during a Nassau boys soccer game against Glen Cove on Tuesday. Credit: Dawn McCormick
The Hawks from Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK finished one goal behind on the final day of their 2023 boys soccer season, falling in the Nassau AAA title game against East Meadow. So there’s a bad memory to motivate them along a new journey.
“It kind of makes our team even more driven,” said Connor Faello, one of their eight returning starters. “Last year, we just didn’t have a great game. I feel like this year that pushes us to make it even further than last year.”
Faello pushed them in the right direction in Tuesday’s opener, scoring three times in a 5-1 road win over a promising Glen Cove team that went to the AA semis last season.
“Our goal is for sure to get back to the finals and compete,” said coach Christine Ho, who guided the Hawks to a Nassau AA title in 2022. “I think we have the talent. It’s just a matter of do we mesh and bring it all together at the right time.”
Glen Cove senior goalkeeper Christopher Hernandez took a knee to the cheek and headed off just 1:50 in. Less than three minutes later, David Diaconu put a rebound of a Matthew Yu shot past Hernandez’s backup, Brian Gutierrez.
Hernandez returned at that point. But Faello made things difficult.
The junior midfielder, playing more of an attacking role this season, took a shot from 25 yards or so away. Hernandez got a piece of it, but it ended up in the net with 20:22 left in the half.
Then Faello unleashed a shot from about 25 yards out and sailed it into the upper left corner with 16:31 on that first-half clock to make it 3-0.
“He can be very dangerous,” Ho said.
Hernandez experienced swelling and had difficulty tracking the ball. So he didn't play in the second half.
“But not to take anything away,” Big Red coach Brian Smith said. “Plainview played a great game.”
Tyler Pilatsky made it 4-0 after taking an nifty, lengthy through ball from Yu.
Enry Hernandez made a long run for Glen Cove and beat Isaac Kim, who had five saves. Faello then capped the scoring off a Pilatsky assist.
“Our potential is to compete for a conference championship,” Smith said. “There was one other time that we lost a game 5-1 and we ended up in the county finals that season. We’re going to make adjustments and we’re going to learn.”
