74.0°,
Mostly Cloudy Lynbrook Owls off to flying start
Soccer team off and running
Coming off a season that yielded just three victories and left Lynbrook out of the playoffs for the first time in seven years, the Owls are off and running on the boys’ soccer pitch in 2012.
After last Saturday’s 4-1 non-league win over Locust Valley, Lynbrook is 5-1 overall, 2-1 in Conference A-VI. Senior James Cullen scored a pair of goals to lead the Owls, who also saw senior Damian Andreani and junior Matt Kurkemelis find the back of the net.
Coach Josh Berlin is pleased with his team. “We have more depth than we have had in the recent past, and a lot of players who can step in without causing a drop off,” said Berlin, who is assisted by Chris Caramore. “We’re fortunate to have guys that are focused and just want to play soccer. These guys just work hard, and go out and play.”
After missing much of his junior season with an injury, Cullen, a three-year varsity player, got out of the gates fast. Cullen is tied for the county lead with eight goals, including the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over Valley Stream South.
Senior forward Agustin D’Andrea does a little bit of everything in the offensive zone. D’Andrea does a solid job of keeping opponents from getting out of their own zone, enabling the defense to get back in position. Junior Tyler DeMarinis is an aggressive, versatile player. Hard-working sophomore Gordon Purdie provides depth up front.
Junior captain Brendan Tedaldi, a three-year varsity player, does a great job at controlling the pace of the game. Complementing Tedaldi is senior Juan Nielsen, a more technical, savvy performer. Kurkemelis rounds out a strong group of midfielders.
Andreani, an All-County sweeper, is a very balanced player who reads well, closes well, and controls the defense. Senior stopper Ian Reid joins Andreani on the backline. Reid, who was named MVP as Lynbrook won the Mineola Mustang Cup tournament for the first time, is a physical presence who usually marks the opponent’s top scorer. Andreani and Reid are both captains.
Juniors Zak Fellows and Timur Ceylan man the outside of Lynbrook’s defensive unit. Both do a good job at forcing the play to the middle of the field, and it is rare when either is beat on the outside. Senior Ike Polinsky is one of Lynbrook’s most improved players. Polinsky, who plays both defense and midfield, is a smart, technical player who plays well away from the ball.
Two varsity newcomers man the goal. Junior Anthony Rodriguez and sophomore Sebastian Campos-Peyrou are both solid net minders who are gaining confidence each day.
