Jozef, Sparacio, Rios lead Wheatley to Long Island Class B title

All Cecilia Jozef could think was: “Don’t let it in, please.”

With Wheatley holding a one-goal lead early in the second half, the senior goalkeeper stared down a breakaway, doing her best to remain composed. Understanding this play could decide the fate of a championship, Jozef trusted her instincts and made the stop to help Wheatley to a 2-0 victory over Mattituck/Southold/Greenport in the Long Island Class B girls soccer championship/Southeast regional final Saturday afternoon at Islip High School.    

“I was just thinking to step toward her ankle and dive toward the way she turned so I can keep my team in the game,” said Jozef, who had two saves as she wasn't tested often thanks to a solid backline.   

Wheatley (5-4-2) advances to its second state Class B semifinal in the last three seasons, and will face the winner of Bronxville/Chenango Forks Saturday at 10 a.m. at Cortland High School. Mattituck/Southold/Greenport finished at 9-9.

On a windy Saturday afternoon, Rebecca Sparacio put the Wildcats on the scoreboard first with a goal off a cross from Isa Rios with 1:48 left in the opening half.

“It was a dream come true,” Sparacio said. “I just wanted to do it for my team because I was so proud to be a part of it.

“I got the ball and I turned and everyone was telling me to shoot, so I just played it right to the corner and fingers crossed, it went in,” she added. “It was incredible.”

After Jozef’s breakaway save less than three minutes into the second half, Rios went on her own breakaway five minutes later, beating the goalkeeper before a combination of the wind and the defense of Saira Bachez cleared the ball of the goaline.

But Rios had another opportunity with another breakaway off a pass from Sparacio. She scored off her own rebound with 14:59 left to give Wheatley a 2-0 lead.

“I was just thinking, ‘Go to goal, I had to get it in,’” Rios said. “It’s a crazy memory to have.”

The Wheatley backline, featuring Samantha Rothstein, Katharine Gold, Julia Braito and Kaitlin Schriefer, played a strong game to limit Mattituck/Southold/Greenport’s scoring chances. 

“We had to keep the pressure and we had to want it,” coach Michelle Santoro said. “Because the wind was kind of like a third team on the field.”

But the Wildcats aren’t done yet, looking to prove themselves in Cortland.

“This is what we’ve been working toward for 12 weeks,” Sparacio said. “Our motto is, ‘All in.’ We just wanted to do this for each other. We know we’re good enough to get there and it’s been our goal and it’s crazy we were able to achieve that.”