Young Owls on the prowl

Graduation was tough on Lynbrook boys’ soccer. Coach Josh Berlin lost 14 seniors from a team that finished with an overall record of 9-3-4, and advanced to the county quarterfinals for the third time in past four years.

Despite returning just eight players with varsity experience, Berlin likes the makeup of the 2010 Owls. “We have only 17 players on the roster, we’re very young, but I think we make up for our relative inexperience with our intensity,” said Berlin, who is assisted by Chris Caramore. “The guys are dedicated to being the best that they can be.”

Perhaps the biggest difference from a year ago is the return of enrollment-based scheduling. Boys’ soccer had aligned conferences by ability. The Owls compete with Great Neck North, Valley Stream South, Bethpage, Glen Cove, Manhasset, and West Hempstead in Nassau Conference VI.

Lynbrook strength is on the back line. Junior goalkeeper Evan Foley saw limited time in 2009, but has some varsity experience. Foley’s hard work and attention to detail enabled him to earn the starting nod. Fellow junior Jake Oelbaum will be ready if called upon.

Captain Andrew Marks, a three-year varsity player, is the backbone of the defense. The physical, agile senior, an All-Conference honoree as a junior, will play both sweeper and stopper. A pair of brothers, senior Gonzolo Andreani and sophomore Damian Andreani, round out a fast, intelligent starting defensive unit. Also seeing time on defense will be sophomore Ian Reid, junior Brian Koffler, and senior Daniel Marom.

Most soccer games are won or lost at midfield. Berlin will look for senior captain Rich Bellusci to be the field general, control the pace, and create opportunities for the strikers. Partnering with Bellusci is junior Mike Milillo. As a sophomore, Milillo found the back of the net six times, including all three of the Lynbrook’s playoff tallies.

Two talented performers, senior James Kirby and freshman Brendan Tedaldi, handle the left and right midfield positions, respectively. Sophomore Juan Nielsen and junior Eric Kolbrenner will see time at midfield.

Lynbrook’s go-to guy is All-Conference senior striker Angelo Messina, who had six goals and four assists in 2009. “Angelo has shown the ability to lead and the rally the team,” Berlin said. “He doesn’t try to do things on his own. It’s not that he leads by example, he is the example. He works hard and sets the tone for the rest of the team.”

Joining Messina at attack is junior speedster Hector Mendrano. If Mendrano continues to hone his ability to fill the net, Lynbrook’s attack will be in good shape. Sophomore James Cullen is also in the mix up front.

While the defense should be Lynbrook’s strength, Berlin believes all cylinders need to be firing if the Owls are to compete for a league title. “We need to be the complete package,” he said. “If we can be stingy on defense, control the pace of the game, and jell as a unit, we can be a strong team.” 

Lynbrook hosts Great Neck North at Lynbrook North Middle School on Sept. 25 at 10:30 a.m.