Sakk sends Sayville boys to state soccer final
Sayville senior Vincent Sakk reacts after scoring the game-winning goal in the second half against Goshen (Section IX) at Middletown High School. (Nov. 20, 2010) Credit: Christopher Pasatieri
MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. - Sayville's Sean Fullam joked about the developing off-the-field chemistry he has with teammate Vincent Sakk. Fullam and Sakk have been sharing a hotel room as the Golden Flashes compete in the boys soccer state tournament.
"We have a connection going on," Fullam said, laughing. "It carried onto the field."
The connection worked when Fullam sent a cross inside the six-yard box to an undefended Sakk who easily tapped the ball past Goshen goalkeeper Doug Finkelstein with 9:22 left in the second half to give the Golden Flashes a 1-0 victory over Goshen in the Class A state semifinals Saturday at Middletown High School's Faller Turf Field.
Sayville (19-1-1) will face Pittsford Mendon (17-2-2) in the state championship today at 10:30 a.m.
Sakk said it was one of the easiest goals he's ever scored. "I better not have missed it," Sakk said. "It was handed to me; doesn't matter how we did it, just put it in the back of the net."
Fullam, who scored two goals in the Long Island final/Southeast Regional final against South Side last Sunday, beat a Goshen defender to the ball after it deflected off of a second Goshen player before passing it across to Sakk.
"We were up there with the defenders all game, just waiting for one break," Fullam said. "I knew if I just laid it across the six someone would be there."
Goshen nearly tied the score in the final minute on a header by Dylan Begany but Sayville goalkeeper Dan Scheck was there to make the save. The Temple-bound Scheck made five saves in his fourth consecutive shutout.
"I've said it once I've said it a thousand times the kid's a solid rock back there," Fullam said of Scheck. "The crowd was cheering 'brick wall,' it's not a joke."
The Golden Flashes have allowed just three goals all season and posted shutouts in 19 of 21 games.
Sayville avoided disaster when Goshen's Kenny Anderson shot the ball over the crossbar from less than 15 yards out with 16:20 left in the second half. It was déjà vu for Anderson, who had a similar opportunity in the 33rd minute of play but shot over the crossbar then as well.
Finkelstein made four saves for Goshen (13-4-3).
It is Sayville's first appearance in the state finals.
"We've made the playoffs 16 straight years but this is the furthest we've ever gotten and it feels good," Sayville coach Val Winter said. "My goal initially was to get them this far because it's an experience just being here but now that we're here just getting here is not good enough anymore."
