Sailors moving in right direction

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Oceanside got goals from five different players and stretched its unbeaten streak to four games with a 5-0 victory over Long Beach in a Conference AA-II/AA-III boys’ soccer matchup on Sept. 30.

Junior Aidan Barry, senior Zachary Brooks, junior Bryan Provvido, junior Brandon Tarrash and and senior Greg Verdino all celebrated goals for the Sailors (5-2-2 overall), who got a combined shutout from keepers Alec Somerstein and Anthony Puleo.

“We were very young the past two years,” Oceanside coach Joe Pumo said. “Now we’re starting to see the experience show. We would’ve liked better results in a few games because we played well, but we’re pretty happy being tied for second place.”

Despite injuries to forwards Matt D’Antonio (ankle), Jason Rosa (hamstring) and Brooks (knee), the Sailors have managed 20 goals in nine games. Junior Joseph Mesoraca leads the way with four, while junior Shane Monaghan has three.

“We’ve had a bunch of players step up,” Pumo said. “Offensively, we’re doing a good job of getting the ball wide and behind defenders. Most of our goals have been assisted. We’re stressing possession and moving the ball around.”

Senior Matt Miller, junior Kyle Porcano and junior Matt Rosenbaum picked up assists in the Long Beach game. Miller and Mesoraca have formed a tremendous 1-2 punch at center-midfield, Pumo said.

“Joe’s our creative force in the midfield,” Pumo said of Mesoraca, who also has three assists. “It’s his fourth year on varsity. He’s a field general and a great distributor.”

The coach called Miller the team’s most improved player. “Matt came into the season in great physical shape and a step quicker,” Pumo noted. “He’s got excellent field vision and stops a lot of counter attacks.”

Prior to rolling over youthful Long Beach, the Sailors played back-to-back draws with Calhoun and defending Nassau Class AA champion MacArthur. Both times Oceanside overcame an early deficit to earn the tie. Mesoraca scored against Calhoun on Sept. 24, while senior Andrew Hawk got the equalizer against MacArthur four days later.

“We regained our composure in both games,” Pumo noted. “We played down a man for half of the Calhoun game and nearly pulled it out. Against MacArthur, we hit the crossbar twice and the post once.

“We’re definitely a skillful team, but you have to have grit and character to go along with it,” he added.

In the second conference game of the season, the Sailors fell behind Farmingdale early but scored three unanswered goals — Brooks, Monaghan and Rosa — for a 3-1 victory. “That sort of set the tone for the year,” Pumo said. “The guys didn’t put their heads down. They just kept plugging away.”

Working behind a defense led by junior Joseph DiMiceli, Porcano, Hawk and senior Nicholas Triano, Somerstein has been solid as a rock between the pipes. He has 44 saves. “Alec works very hard,” Pumo said of the starting keeper. “He’s a physical presence in the net and a good-decision maker. He’s been coming up big.”