Blue Devils Capture Third Straight Shutout

While it’s still early in the season, the Huntington varsity boys’ soccer team looks very good. The Blue Devils captured their third consecutive shutout, topping visiting William Floyd on a rainy afternoon, 4-0.

Huntington is 3-1 after dropping its first game of the season to Patchogue-Medford in overtime, 3-2. The Blue Devils are coming together nicely. Head coach John Pagano has to be happy with the off-season overhaul following the graduation of so many players from last fall’s county finalist team.

Against William Floyd, the rain didn’t slow down Huntington’s speedy players. Kevin Velez scored two goals and Bryan Lizama and Orlando Chinchilla each had a goal and an assist. Kieran Husselbeck and Joseph Ramirez also tallied assists. Dylan Hayden stopped five shots in goal.

Huntington hasn’t entered the toughest part of its schedule, but winning three-of-four games to open the season has the players and coaches in a positive frame of mind. Winning can do wonders for confidence levels. But Pagano knows much more work lies ahead.

The Blue Devils have fielded one of Suffolk’s finest programs in recent years and it looks like Huntington will do it again this year. The team is starting to get its timing down and all the new faces on the field settle into their positions and roles. Pagano isn’t done tinkering with his lineup and the team still isn’t at full strength so there is still plenty of room for further improvement.

Huntington’s first four games were all non-league contests. Today (Friday) the Blue Devils will take the field for their first league game when Bay Shore comes calling at 4 p.m. Huntington then plays on Monday at Walt Whitman at 5 p.m. and hosts Lindenhurst next Friday at 4 p.m.

Players on the team want to win badly. They push each other. Will this be another magical Huntington season? Time will tell.