Baldwin earns hard-fought draw

Baldwin twice battled back from one-goal deficits on scores that were as pretty as they were important, earning a hard-fought 2-2 tie with Farmingdale last Saturday morning in a Nassau Conference AA-II boys’ soccer game. 

The conference standings are razor thin in the battle for second, third and fourth place, meaning every point the Bruins (5-3-4 overall, 5-3-3 in AA-II) can earn is an important one with the playoffs on the horizon.

“We know we have to work for every goal,” Baldwin coach Mike Palumbo said. “We were down 1-0 and 2-1, and we had to work to get back into it.”

Sophomore John Gamble knotted the game at 2-2 by heading in a perfectly placed corner kick from senior center midfielder Alessandro Garcia eight minutes into the second half. “It was a set corner play,” Palumbo said. “He was playing the back post.”

Equally as impressive was Baldwin’s first goal, on a free kick by junior Tyrese White in the first half after Farmingdale had already jumped out to a 1-0 lead. White’s shot went around the defensive wall in front of him and was placed so perfectly, the Dalers goalie never even attempted to make a save.

Defense has been the name of the game for the Bruins, who’ve posted three wins in four games that have ended with a 1-0 final score. Senior goalie Mario Lamacchia has had an impressive first season as a varsity starter, posting five shutouts. He made seven saves in the tie with Farmingdale, and has helped limit opponents to one goal or fewer in nine of the team’s 11 games. “As a junior he [was the backup] but he practiced his butt off,” Palumbo said. “He has stepped up. He’s been [a goalie] you only dream about. He has kept us in games.”

The defense in front of Lamacchia has also been a strength led by senior sweeper Carlos Padilla, the leader of the backline. Senior Jack Thibault, a four-year varsity player, has been a steadying influence at one of the outside back spots and has even had three goalmouth saves off of rebounds. Senior Dominic Francois and a pair of sophomores, Christian Gauthier and Juan Gordillo, have also had a hand in the success on the defense.

Though the offense has scored just 11 goals, the hope is that the unit is turning the corner heading into Homecoming on Saturday against Oceanside. Depending on how the final week of games shook out after presstime, the final regular-season battle with the Sailors could determine the pecking order of the conference behind unbeaten Hicksville. The Bruins won the first meeting between the teams by an all-too familiar 1-0 score on a goal by their leading goal scorer, junior Leo Vanegas. “We’re constantly getting better,” Palumbo said. “And this team has that potential [to do well in the playoffs].

The Nassau Class AA playoffs are expected to begin on Friday, Oct. 23.