Blue Devils Nipped by Brentwood in County Semifinals
The Huntington boys’ soccer team gave top seeded Brentwood all it could handle on Monday afternoon, playing to a stalemate through the first 64 minutes of the Section XI Class AA semi-finals before ultimately bowing to the Indians, 1-0 before a crowd of 250.
The feisty Blue Devils kept pace with powerful Brentwood, which entered the week ranked No. 2 in the state. Huntington’s defense and midfield repeatedly stopped the Indians’ offensive attacks, intercepting passes, clearing balls and swarming wherever the action happened to be on the field.
Carlos Rivera, Huntington’s main scoring threat with 22 goals this fall, desperately tried to put the ball in the net, but Brentwood (18-1) smothered him most of the game. The Blue Devils had a few opportunities, but were unable to convert any of them, much to the frustration of head coach John Pagano.
Huntington’s long march to the Suffolk Final Four began last summer when the team started practicing in August. Stretching over parts of four months, the Blue Devils became like a family, caring for one another and helping each other. Pagano and assistant coach Jason Suarez preached “family” at every opportunity and players bought into the philosophy, repeatedly picking each other up when someone started to falter.
Seeded fourth in Suffolk League III, Huntington roared to life this season, compiling a 15-2-2 record and rising as high as No. 13 in the state rankings. With its success the team started drawing surprisingly large crowds to its games. Players became celebrities around the high school, but the teenagers kept their humility on the field and continued playing hard.
In Brentwood, the Blue Devils met their match; a strong, fast team filled with highly skilled and experienced players. But at halftime, the score stood at 0-0, which was a shock to some of the Indians’ fans, but not to Huntington, which came prepared to win the game and reach the county finals for the first time since 1971.
The stalemate was finally broken when Brentwood’s Roberto Ventura scored off an assist from Jefferson Portillo with about 16 minutes remaining in the game. In 14 of the Indians’ 18 wins, Brentwood has held its opponent scoreless. Its defense held Huntington off the remainder of the game.
The Blue Devils’ starting 11 consisting of Nat Amato, Jason Catarino, Mark Rafuse, Kevin Gulizio, Olvin Palma, Jayvin Coto, Wilber Parada, Renato Aguilar, Denilson Osorto, Marlon Licona and Rivera played splendidly throughout the fall. The team chemistry and commitment to winning was remarkable and paved the way for one of Huntington’s best seasons ever.
With Brentwood staging relentless offensive attacks, the Blue Devils somehow found a way to keep the game scoreless. Amato stopped seven blistering shots in goal for Huntington. The talented sophomore notched eight shutouts this season and he held the Indian’s prolific scorers at bay longer than nearly anyone else had all year.
“It was an amazing experience and I wouldn’t have wanted to go through it without this team, this year,” said Amato about the season and his teammates. “It’s heartbreaking that it has to come to an end.”
Catarino was one of the Blue Devils who left it all out on the field and he was among the players devastated by the loss. “This season was a fantastic experience for me,” the midfielder said. “I couldn’t see myself playing with any other team. We worked really hard this year and shocked the county and put Huntington on the map for soccer. Everyone on the team worked their hardest every day I can truthfully say that I’m proud to call my team my family.”
Huntington had one final chance with two minutes remaining, but Brentwood goalie Jason Murillo raced out of the net and caught the Blue Devils’ corner kick before any damage could be inflicted.
As Huntington players walked off the field with tears in their eyes, Suarez told them to keep their heads up, a sentiment Pagano reiterated a few minutes later when the team gathered in the mouth of one of the goals for a post-game chat.
“These kids gave us everything they had,” Pagano said. “We are very, very proud of them.”