Hewlett, Lawrence advance in playoffs

Plainedge entered the Nassau Class A boys’ soccer playoffs as one of the favorites to bring home the crown after finishing 10-0-2 and winning the Conference A-2 title in the process.

The second-seeded Red Devils allowed just one goal during the regular season and posted 11 shutouts.

However, the playoffs are a whole new season and Plainedge’s first-round opponent proved just that last Saturday. Hewlett, the No. 15 seed, stunned the Red Devils taking a 1-0 decision on a goal by senior Roy Schwartz in the 34th minute.

“It took a while to sink in because Plainedge is such a great team,” Bulldogs coach Nick Lacetera said. “They don’t have a weak spot on the field. For a team to let up just one goal during the regular season, it’s just unheard of.

“I’m so proud of our guys,” he added. “They pressured us the whole second half and we stood up to it.”

Schwartz intercepted a pass intended for Plainedge goalkeeper Nicholas Joie, avoided a pair of defenders and chipped a shot over Joie and into the net. “Roy has phenomenal touch and is always calm with the ball at his feet,” Lacetera said. “A lot of kids would have rushed a shot in that situation.”

Hewlett sophomore goalie Laurent Dorviller made six saves for his third consecutive shutout. The Bulldogs, who beat Mineola, 1-0, in a play-in game on Oct. 18 on senior Luca Preziosi’s goal, advanced to face No. 7 Island Trees in the quarterfinals on Wednesday night after press time.

Goals keep coming for Golden Tornadoes

Lawrence sophomore Mauricio Puerto-Quintanilla led Nassau County in scoring during the regular season with 17 goals and 8 assists and kept his foot on the gas when the Class A playoffs opened last Saturday.

Puerto-Quintanilla had a hat trick to lead No. 4 Lawrence to a 5-0 victory over Mepham. He scored at 5:44 and 9:44 of the first half and netted his third goal two minutes into the second half. Freshman Alan Martinez set up the first two goals, while freshmen Jesus Moran and Justin Aviles-Perez also scored. Junior goalkeeper Pedro Ramirez made eight saves for the shutout. 

“Mauricio is very skilled and so tough to guard because he moves so quick in a positive direction,” Golden Tornadoes coach Pat Leary said. 

“We’re never out of a game with our offense, but we still want to try to keep the opponent at zero,” he added. “We always want to emphasize the defensive part of our game.”

A dynamic play by senior sweeper Bradley Alvarado denied Mepham from taking the early lead. He cleared a shot that rolled behind Ramirez away from the goal line and out of danger. “It’s a different mindset if you fall behind early, so it was a really big play at the time,” Leary said.

Lawrence advanced to meet No. 5 MacArthur in the quarterfinals on Wednesday after press time.