The Huntington High School varsity boys’ soccer team is coming off its winningest season ever. The Blue Devils won a record 15 games en route to a county runner-up performance. Seven players are recipients of post-season honors.
Huntington compiled an overall record of 15-4-1, including three shutouts in the playoffs. The Blue Devils dropped a 1-0 verdict in the county final to eventual state champion West Islip.
“After losing our first game, the team went 15-3-1,” head coach John Pagano noted. “They were extremely coachable and determined.”
Julio Martinez heads the ball near the goal. (Darin Reed photo.)
Seniors Danny Alzate and Roberto Contreras captured All-Conference and All-County honors. Senior Julio Martinez was named All-Conference. Juniors Ian Husselbeck and Kieran Husselbeck and senior Jeison Blanco Portillo were tapped as All-League. Junior Vincent Grassi garnered Academic All-County recognition.
Alzate notched nine shutouts, including three in playoff games. Martinez tallied nine goals and 12 assists. “Danny is one of the top goalkeepers in the state,” Pagano said. “Julio emerged as one of the most potent scoring threats in Suffolk.”
Huntington advanced to the county championship game for the first time in 57 years. While the Blue Devils dropped a one goal game to West Islip. The Lions went on to defeat Rochester area Hilton for the state title, 5-0.
The roster also included freshmen Jerson Contreras-Moreira, Edwin Marroquin Chavez and Justin Villatoro; sophomores Dylan Hayden, Bryan Lizama and Dante Salgado; juniors Roman Borovica, Enzo Pupillo and Kevin Velez Rua; and seniors Cristian Avelar-Romero, Jose Flores, Enriqque Garcia, Matthew Lange, Liam Lennon and Max Rentsch.
Contreras, Alzate and Flores captained the team. While the Blue Devils will be graduating more than a dozen seniors, there are plenty of talented underclassmen on the roster and still more skilled players in the pipeline.
The Husselbeck brothers will lead a dozen returning varsity players for Huntington next year.