Senior-led Clarke shows promise

Clarke not only has its sights set on getting back to the Nassau Class A boys’ soccer playoffs after a disappointing 2015, but also a top four finish in the 13-team Conference ABC-III.

The Rams, with a dozen seniors, needed just seven games to double last season’s win total and stood at 4-3-3 (3-2-2 in ABC-III) with five remaining. “We started too slow last year and never recovered,” coach Matt Germaine said. “We played well in the Town of Hempstead summer league and the confidence has carried over. I believe we’re a playoff team without a doubt.”

There’s still work to be done, but with strong defense and goalkeeping, Germaine expects Clarke to be in every game. The Rams recently traveled to upstate Oneonta to participate in a college recruiting showcase event and battled Skaneateles, ranked fifth in the state in Class A, to a scoreless tie, and lost 1-0 to Owego Free, another club ranked in the top 10. 

“It was a bonding experience and we played the best we’ve played in a long time,” Germaine said. “We have a few games remaining against teams above us in the standings, so we’re looking to keep it going.”

The draw against Skaneateles was Clarke senior goalie Joseph Zirkel’s fifth shutout of 2016. “We’ve been defending really well and Joe’s made some big saves,” Germaine said. “He’s very athletic and grew over the summer. He’s improved, driven and works hard every day.”

The defense in front of Zirkel features senior Francisco Martinez, who also handles kicking duties for the football team, and junior Rico Dalipi in the middle, and seniors Gio Lizarazo and Matt Heitner at fullback. Martinez was an Honorable Mention All-County midfielder last season and is a four-year member of the varsity. “He’s got a strong leg and sees the field well,” Germaine said of Martinez, who isn’t afraid to go on the attack. Dalipi, Lizarazo and Heitner are all three-year varsity contributors. Dalipi brings a hard-nosed style, Lizarazo is an aggressive one-on-one tackler, and Heitner is aiming for a healthy season after back-to-back injury plagued campaigns.

Germaine’s system calls for five midfielders, and the group is at least six deep. Defensive-minded senior Vincent Lafata has grown by leaps and bounds, the coach noted, and is a major presence. Senior Oscar Osario and sophomore David Flores work the outside, with senior Owen Restrepo and sophomores Thomas Vivona and Dylan Santos in the center. With the high level of skills Restrepo, Vivona and Santos bring to the table, one could move up top to join senior leading scorer Jimmy Posillico down the stretch.

“We’re looking to generate more scoring,” Germaine said. “We need to be a little more consistent on offense.”

The speedy Posillico is Clarke’s target player, the coach said, and he’s got five goals and one assist. No other player on the roster had more than one goal through 10 games. The Rams’ high-water mark came Sept. 13, a 3-0 victory over Locust Valley that saw Posillico score twice and Restrepo once.