VSC sets sights on playoffs

Posted

Valley Stream Central missed out on last year’s Nassau County Class AA boys’ soccer playoffs by one game, and the disappointment of being that close added extra fuel for 2015.

The Eagles finished in a three-way tie for the final postseason spot in Class AA and missed out on a tiebreaker. The returning players, especially 12 seniors, are motivated to write a different end this season.

“We reflected on what happened last year and don’t want that to happen again,” Valley Stream Central head coach Lenny Fiorentino said. “The team realizes every game counts.”

Central faces tough competition to fulfill that goal of reaching the playoffs in Conference AA-III. The Eagles also have to play crossover games against AA-I opponents. The playoffs can be obtained by placing in the top five in AA or finishing at .500 or better.

The Eagles approached the first week of October at 4-3-1 overall, with two of those defeats coming by a goal. The early season-wins included convincing victories against AA-I foes Hempstead and Uniondale.

“There is a good mix between juniors and seniors,” said Fiorentino, whose team was in third in the Conference A-III standings as of Oct. 5 with 10 points behind Plainview JFK and Westbury. “We play with heart and determination.” 

Central’s two dynamic playmakers are captains Rashaan Robe and Jamie Quiroz. Robe leads the midfield unit in his senior season, while Quiroz is a scoring threat as a striker with nine goals and six assists entering the week after earning All-County honors as a sophomore in 2014. 

“They are my big boys,” said Fiorentino of Robe and Quiroz. “They are unstoppable together.”

Another offensive threat for the Eagles is senior striker Edwin Agular, who recorded six points over the first six games. “He has good footwork,” said Fiorentino of Agular.

Junior goalie Daniel Melgar helps anchor the defense after missing much of last season with a concussion injury. Melgar recorded 10 saves in a hard-fought 2-1 loss to Conference AA-I power Syosset on Sept. 28 and 10 stops in a 3-0 shutout of Uniondale two days later.

“He is doing unbelievable,” said Fiorentino of his starting keeper. “He may be the strongest I have seen him in the last two years.”

Melgar has a solid defense in front of him led by junior sweeper Olivier Prevel and senior defensive midfielder Joel Fajardo. The latter is a three-year varsity player who adds versatility to the lineup. “He has done exceptionally well controlling the midfield,” Fiorentino said of Fajardo. “He is the kind of player you can put anywhere on the field and he will give you 100 percent.”

After a road game at Port Washington, Central returns home to face Plainview-JFK this Saturday at 10 a.m. at Fireman’s Field. The Eagles also face a challenging road game at Massapequa on Oct. 13 and a home tilt with Westbury the next day.

“We’re in a tough conference,” Fiorentino said. “We do the best we can with what we have.”