Oceanside falls in quarterfinals

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Oceanside fell 2-1 to No. 3 Calhoun in the Nassau Class AA boys’ soccer quarterfinals on Oct. 26, dashing coach Joe Pumo’s expectations that his senior-heavy, sixth-seeded squad could make a deep playoff run.

Midfielder Mike Briguglio scored the game’s first goal, while fellow senior and forward Shane Monaghan had a goal reversed on an interference call that kept the score tied 1-1 at halftime and beyond. In overtime, some Sailor defenders were sidelined by cramps, and Calhoun’s Ryan Hilke exploited the backfield breakdown and planted the game-winning goal.

The loss stung Pumo harder because his players had just come off their best game of the season, a 6-0 first-round blowout against Westbury. Oceanside scored five first-half goals, with Monaghan and senior forward Jason Rosa each scoring twice. Exceptional passing, outstanding communication and minimal turnovers allowed the Sailors to dominate. 

Moreover, seniors Thomas Goetz, Kyle Porcano and Bryan Provvido and junior Adam Murasso offered a well-organized defensive attack, and senior goalkeeper Anthony Puleo made key saves that stopped Westbury’s momentum. “We were just very determined and were as sharp as we looked all year,” Pumo said. 

Oceanside posted five regular-season shutouts, including a 1-0 downing of state champion Hicksville. After a gut-wrenching 4-3 loss at Valley Stream Central in mid-September, when the Sailors relinquished three late goals, the team won three consecutive shutouts against Calhoun (2-0), Long Beach (3-0) and Herricks (2-0.) 

Puleo had 14 saves during the streak while his teammates won their midfield battles. Senior Joe Mesoraca and juniors AJ Raiz and Luca Ancona controlled the center of the field to help set up Monaghan and senior forward Jason Rosa to score. Rosa had a team-high seven goals this season. 

Pumo called his midfield unit, a platoon that included seniors Val Napoli and Aidan Barry, one of the best in the county and a key contributor to his team’s 7-4-2 overall record. “There were no complaints about playing time; they did whatever the team needed, and we kept the rotation to keep everyone fresh,” Pumo said.

Pumo said the focus and determination of his players to achieve their goals and their camaraderie distinguished them from others teams he has coached during his four years at the helm. “It really was more of a family than a team, and how they interacted was evident in our practices, games and pasta parties,” he said. “It was really a brotherhood.”

Certain injuries set the team back, none bigger than senior center back Joe DiMiceli breaking his jaw in a 2-2 tie against Hicksville on Sept. 30. 

Still, DiMiceli was voted AA-II Conference Player of the Year and he also earned All-County honors along with fellow senior captain Mesoraca. Rosa and Briguglio received All-County Honorable Mention and Monaghan, Puleo, Napoli and Provvido were named All-Conference players.

Next year, Pumo must fill the void of graduating 16 seniors, many of them starters, and begin to rebuild. 

“We’re going to be young for the next two years, but there’s some talent coming up,” he said. “It’s going to be a process.”