It is difficult to express gratitude in words. Nonetheless, I would be remiss if I didn't try. I would like to thank the entire Mineola school community for their kind words and support throughout this magical soccer season. From the hot summer days of early September to the crisp November Saturday in Oneonta; the students, parents, faculty and community members of Mineola have gone out of their way to support this special group of young men.

I, and the team, will never forget the roar of the crowd as we defeated top seeded Garden City 3-2 in overtime in the quarterfinals of the Nassau County playoffs at Garden City High School where there were more Mineola fans than Garden City fans. Alumni, dating back to the 1960s, called and e-mailed me expressing their pride in our team and how they felt that they, too, were part of this victory over a historic rival. A sense of something special began to take over our team and the support of the school and community had much to do with it. The Nassau County finals, Mineola's first appearance in the finals since 1970, were played over two days in rain, lightning, and cold bitter wind. Yet, hundreds of fans showed up by the carload and bus load to see sophomore Helder Cancelinha put this team into the history books with the winning goal late in the game. In the stands there were alumni from the 1960s through the 2000s, former coaches and teachers and just regular community members who had been swept up in Mustang fever. The next stop was the LI Championship at Hofstra against Shoreham-Wading River. Again, the hundreds of fans were on hand to take this team to new heights and to witness senior George Costa make more Mineola history by netting the winning goal with seven minutes remaining in the game.

To see hundreds of fans in Oneonta was truly a shock to us. Parents, teachers and students traveled over 200 miles each way to sit in the crisp cold air to make this special experience unforgettable. Although this magical season ended with a loss in the state semifinals, it has truly been inspirational to see what a group of determined young men have done to a school and a community. It is great to see pride and school spirit return to Mineola. It has been a pleasure to coach these fine young men and to enjoy the ride. Thank you for making it that much more enjoyable.

Go Mustangs!

Paul Pereira

Boys Varsity Soccer Coach

MHS Class of 1989