Uniondale needs win for playoff spot

The county final for the Uniondale boys’ soccer team is coming up Oct. 16 against Herricks.

It’s not technically the final — that gets played Nov. 3 at Farmingdale State University — but that’s what the Knights are considering their regular season finale because a win in that match and they’re in the playoffs.

“The mindset is that it’s our county final,” coach Cohen Nelson said heading into the showdown against 1-7-3 Herricks. “Every game going forward is our county finals.”

And should Uniondale (4-5-2) book their berth in the Nassau ‘AAA’ playoffs, regardless of the seed, Nelson likes his team’s chances.

“We can play against anyone,” he said. “If we’re healthy, mentally and physically, we’ll take on the best of them. I’m not scared of anyone right now. We’re ready.”

The Knights proved that with a 3-2 victory over third-place Syosset (6-1-4) on Oct. 10, which Nelson called “easily the best win of the year.” It was Syosset’s first loss of the season.

Raymond Zavala struck for a pair of goals and set up another in his first match back from a two-game disciplinary suspension, the latest to receive tough love from the coach they call “Papa Nelson.”

“I’m very strict when it comes to discipline,” he said. “I’ve benched players in semifinals. I've benched players in key games. I’ve done it time and time again.”

Mental mistakes, which resulted in dropped points against Hempstead, Port Washington, and Oceanside, and numerous injuries have punished Uniondale.

But the Knights have turned the corner in both regards, with co-captains Carlos Godoy and Junior Valle, Angel Vasquez, Jean Auguste, and Michelle Perez all back from long-term injuries.

Starting goalkeeper Pedro Asturis, who suffered a concussion in a season-opening defeat at Freeport, remains out, but Jorge Martinez has stepped up in his stead and has been a pleasant surprise.

“The team has been galvanized around him,” said Nelson, who also lauded sophomore Alberto Pineda for his work ethic.

Heading into the final day of the regular season, six of eight playoff spots in Nassau ‘AAA’ have been booked with Plainview-JFK, Oceanside, Syosset, Hempstead, Massapequa, and Port Washington already in the postseason.

Freeport, Hicksville, Uniondale and Farmingdale are all still alive and the Knights could finish as high as sixth if they win and other results go their way.

Uniondale, which started with one win in their first six matches, has turned the corner and learned from miscues earlier in the season.

Now they’re healthy and head into the Herricks “final” confident of a second consecutive win that would book another postseason berth.

And should they do that, Nelson thinks his side can make noise in the playoffs.

“We are the team to beat,” Nelson said. “Now, I’m almost looking for that challenge, relishing the opportunity to play the best. Once we overcame those two obstacles, the mental and physical injuries, we're ready to battle with anyone at any time, anywhere.”