MacArthur seeks second-half run

A shorter season creates an extra hurdle for a young MacArthur boys’ soccer season to overcome in its bid to return to the playoffs a year after reaching the championship stage.
MacArthur graduated all but one starter off last year’s 13-2-3 team that fell to Garden City in the Class A finals at Hofstra. The Generals entered the last full week of September 0-2-1 after a 5-3 loss to Mepham last Friday with little margin for error the rest of the way in a Conference A-1 schedule that was reduced from 12 to 10 games this fall.
“It takes time for a young team to get going and unfortunately this year there are only 10 league games,” said seventh-year MacArthur head coach Andy Atkins. “They have to mature quickly.”
Junior striker Danny Conigliaro is the Generals’ lone returning starter after leading the team in scoring last year. The All-County performer, who is one of five team captains, has struck early this season with five goals and one assist during the team’s 1-2-2 overall start through five games.
“He’s a leader,” said Atkins of Conigliaro, who tallied two goals in last Friday’s 5-3 loss to Mepham. “We’re expecting big things from him.”

Conigliaro leads MacArthur’s offensive attack with junior midfielder Tim Weber, a fellow captain who has two goals and an assist on the young season.  Atkins is also looking to juniors Joe Traenkle and Pablo Contreras along with sophomores Vincenzo Ontefusco as capable scoring threats in the Generals’ 4-4-2 formation.
On the defensive end of the field, MacArthur has recorded two shutouts including a 5-0 non-league win against Plainedge on Sept. 8 and a 0-0 tie with Great Neck South on Sept. 17. The backline features seniors Aaron Mayber and Matt Metzger as well as junior Peter Soguero, and sophomore Joe Misuraca.
Goalkeepers Jack Howard and junior Ryan Bray have split time in net early in the season. The duo combined for nine saves in the 5-3 setback to Mepham in which MacArthur was reduced to 10 players with 15 minutes left.
MacArthur can earn a playoff spot by placing in the top three in a challenging Conference A-1 that features Herricks, Mepham, Calhoun, Great Neck South and Valley Stream Central. The Generals entered the week in fifth place with seven league matches remaining.
“It’s a very competitive conference,” said Atkins, who led MacArthur to a county title in 2014 two years after taking over a program that was coming off back-to-back winless seasons.  “There is no easy game.”
After a road match with Valley Stream Central, the Generals will return home for back-to-back matches against Calhoun this Thursday at 4:30 p.m. and Herricks next Tuesday evening for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff.  Atkins hopes his squad will keep improving match to match and be in position for a second half run that will assure the chance for some postseason magic.
“We have to really make a run,” he said. “There is no room to rest.”