The Mineola High School boys varsity soccer team is headed to the playoffs as champions of Conference B-IV. After sewing up the league title with a 3-2 win over Clarke on Oct. 15, the Mustangs ran their undefeated string to 10 and 0 before dropping their regular season finale to Sewanhaka 5-2. Matt Bispo and George Barros scored in the loss. Mineola completed the regular with an overall mark of 13 wins and one loss, while the conference record is 9 and 1. Coach Paul Pereira is obviously proud of his squad. As we noted last week, this was first conference title for the boys varsity soccer program since 1992. Coach Pereira also explained that this was the first season since 1979 that Mineola has reached a double digit win total. Mineola was scheduled to play Cold Spring Harbor in the first round of the Nassau County Class-B playoffs. The girls varsity soccer team closed out its season falling to Mepham 6-2. Trailing just 1-0 at halftime, the game got away from the Lady Mustangs in the second half. Mepham put five goals on the board in that period. Maryanne Georgeou and Katie Steven scored the goals for Mineola, which completed the season with four wins and 11 losses. A pair of 5 and 0 team squared-off on Oct. 19. Mineola traveled to Seaford for one of the headliner games of the day in Nassau County. But, the Vikings were primed for the game and rolled to a 28-0 win over the Mustangs. Seaford scored just about every way a team can. All of their touchdowns came on big plays too. The first score came in the opening quarter on Peter Gaebler's 82-yard punt return. Then, in the second quarter, Seaford quarterback Damien Asquino found wide receiver Mike Ferretti on scoring strikes of 31 and 36 yards. Seaford completed the scoring in the third quarter when linebacker Stephen Hillman picked-off a Mineola pass and returned it 47 yards for another score. The Mustangs offense just couldn't get going. Mineola was held to 125 yards of total offense on the day and suffered from four turnovers. So, Mineola's record dropped to five wins and one loss with two games remaining in the regular season.

The Mineola girls varsity volleyball team came the closest it has all season to its first victory, only to drop a five game match to West Hempstead. The Lady Mustangs took the first game 25-19. West Hempstead came back to win the next two games 25-21 and 25-10. Mineola took the fourth game 25-23 but dropped the fifth and deciding game 25-12. The tough season for Coach Janna Balsamo's squad continued. The heartbreaking West Hempstead defeat was followed by a loss to Garden City in four games and losses to Wantagh and Floral Park in three games each.

Meanwhile, the Mineola JV volleyball team is finding the win column. Coach Sue Kennedy's Mustangs defeated Hewlett 3 games to 2. The coach said, "The match was fast-paced and very tense, but the Mustangs pulled through winning the last game 25-23." Jess Petraglia served the last point as the defense held on for the win. The Mineola JV team also defeated Garden City 3-0. Coach Kennedy singled out Joanna Cohen, Amy Kemmler and Jess Petraglia for their excellent serving. The coach also pointed to Lauren Napolitano, Courtney Barry and Jessica Napolitano for great attacks and the defense played by Sam Hegmann and Janet Holler. Coach Kennedy said, "The team has really improved all season and has overcome many obstacles. We are down to eight players, but the girls are showing great skills and good effort."