Carlos Gutierrez on Fire for Blue Devil Soccer

Senior midfield Carlos Gutierrez’ sharp play has helped the Huntington varsity boys’ soccer team compile a 2-1-1 mark over the first four games of the season, including a tough home opener against Smithtown West last Saturday that saw the two squads battle to a 1-1 stalemate in a playoff caliber affair.

Gutierrez has scored four goals already, including a three-goal hat trick in a 4-0 non-league win over Half Hollow Hills East. The teenager scored a first half goal last Saturday against Smithtown West, one of the top teams in the league if not in all of Suffolk.

Senior Brian Lizama has also played well, scoring a pair of goals in a 2-0 season opening win over non-league foe Central Islip. Edwin Marroquin picked up an assist in the game. Goalie Dylan Hayden recorded three saves.

The win over Hills East also saw sophomore midfield Jayden Schneider score a goal and Marroquin assist on two goals. Lizama also had an assist. Hayden had a pair of saves and goalie Nick Plachta stopped one shot.

Huntington’s lone blemish has been a 3-0 non-league loss at home to Shoreham-Wading River. The Blue Devil lineup still wasn’t at full strength and the team seemed slightly out of sync as head coach John Pagano and assistant coach Jason Suarez worked out some wrinkles.

But against Smithtown West, the Blue Devils were outstanding through 100 minutes of regulation and overtime. The atmosphere was at times playoff like and both teams played very hard. Hayden made six saves over two 40 minute regulation halves and two 10-minute overtime periods.

“It was a physical, but nice game,” Gutierrez said. “I feel that we can do big things this year.”