The New Hyde Park BU11 Sabercats squared off against the Merrick Strikers on Saturday morning Oct. 27. Within moments of the opening whistle, an intense soccer battle of skill and determination unfolded before the excited crowd at Hillside Grade School.
Striker Kevin Walsh drew first blood, scoring midway through the first half, giving the Sabercats a 1-0 edge. But the lead was short-lived, as Merrick tied the score at 1-1 early in the second half. Midfielders Matt O’Leary, Roger Aguilar, Devon Roth, Tomas Demaria and Eoin Atlagh pressed the attack, with many close shots on the opposing goal. Meanwhile, fullbacks Akash Reddy and Samir Sakaria fought off waves of Merrick offensive attempts. Goalkeepers Jake Blancher and Matthew Bartos bolstered the defense and rejected countless shots on goal.
Matt Merolla had an outstanding game. Not only did he impress with his fierce defensive play, but Matt also scored on a perfectly placed corner kick. Displaying truly dynamic skills, Matt Bartos first impressed the crowd with his expert goalkeeping, and then scored twice in the second half — the second time on a breathtaking penalty kick with 30 seconds remaining. This put the Sabercats ahead and sealed a 4-3 victory.
New Hyde Park Barca Lions Finish the Season Undefeated.
The New Hyde Park BU10 Barca Lions team achieved a 5 – 2 win over the Massapequa Titans with 2 goals from Michael Frising (1 assisted by Joseph Moreno), 1 goal by A.J. Melgarejo (assisted by Anthony Mangiaracina), 1 goal by Stephen Perno (assisted by Anthony Mangiaracina) and 1 goal by Joseph Moreno (assisted by Michael Frising).
At the end of the first half, the Barca Lions were tied 2 – 2. However, in the second half, the Barca came back with all the spirits to win the game. Goalie Kevin Meegan made 3 saves in the first half and 2 in the second half. Barca remains undefeated for the season.
