Two from Rockville Centre play for Waldorf in state quarterfinals

After a season of dramatic victories and record-setting attendance, the Boys Varsity soccer team from the Waldorf School of Garden City saw their season come to an end on Nov. 5 in Tarrytown , N.Y. with a 1-0 loss to the # 1-seed Hackley. The teams were playing in the quarterfinals of the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) boys soccer tournament.

“Our boys team played extremely hard, and although we created some good scoring opportunities, we just could not find the back of the net,” said Paul LeSueur, Waldorf’s athletic director and varsity soccer coach.

After a student from Hackley scored its lone goal midway through the second period, senior back sweeper Michael Escribano was moved up front with 15-minutes left to play in the game in an effort to score an equalizer. Michael and his classmate Costa Trikas — with assistance from outstanding senior midfielders Sean Proctor and Seaton White — created some havoc for the Hackley defense. Co-captain and stopper Deni Carmon was left to control Waldorf’s back line and did a terrific job keeping the ball in Hackley’s defensive half. Waldorf’s goalkeeper Cristian Longoria made 14 saves on the muddy field.

When the game was over, more than 100 faithful Waldorf fans who made the one-hour journey to Tarrytown came running across the field to hug and congratulate the team on their fantastic run. “It was tough for the eleven seniors who were so instrumental in providing our school with this incredible winning season,” said LeSueur, “But the entire ‘Waldorf family’ was there to help ease the disappointment.”

The loss was only Waldorf’s second of the entire season. With a record of 13-2-2 in the Independent Private and Parochial Schools Athletic League (IPPSAL) Division 1, the Waldorf team outscored their opponents by a margin of 66 to 16. Their IPPSAL League Championship, in a hard-fought win over the team from Long Island Lutheran, marked Waldorf’s second league championship in three years.

“Based on the scores, it is clear that the Waldorf School of Garden City can compete with the best in the state,” said LeSueur, “Now all the teams and coaches in the state will know the name.”