With Mineola High School's first ever Long Island Sports Championship and a trip to the 2005 New York State Soccer semi-finals a distant memory, Coach Paul Pereira celebrates his tenth anniversary anticipating another magical march to Oneonta. This fall's quest is to improve on last year's journey as Nassau's eighth seed via the Mustangs ascent to the top ranking conference in the county. Pereira and staff are well equipped to continue the program's long term success with eight returning starters and a crew of underclassmen destined to continue the legacy of Mustang soccer. The new season began with the annual Mustang Cup last week against Lynbrook, Oceanside and West Hempstead.

After advancing to Conference ABC-II last year, Mineola climbs the ladder to ABC-I battling with the likes of perennial high school soccer dynasties from Wheatley and Jericho. New conference rivals South Side and Garden City are looking to avenge last year's playoff defeats to the Mustangs as highly placed seeds. In all, the conference boasts multiple Nassau County and New York State titles in the last decade. No longer will the Mustangs take foes by surprise - the target is clearly on their backs to duplicate the tremendous effort put forth in 2005.

Pereira and assistant coach Al Cavaluzzo return All-State, Newsday All-Long Island and Class A Player of the Year Gustavo Dias as the heart of the offense. Dias scored or assisted on 14 of 16 playoff goals in the post-season run and surely will be one of the most sought after college recruits in the state. Alongside Dias is his alter-ego, midfielder Michael Marques, a four-year starter and two time captain who has been All-County since his sophomore campaign. Anchoring the defense, one of the few spots affected by graduation, is senior Lucas Natel. Natel is a three-year starter who is tough to beat despite the fact he never leaves the pitch.

The net is ably minded by senior keeper Claudio DeMatos, a fixture between the posts for three years, who will be counted on to keep the leather in front now more than ever. Carlos Barros, an up and coming junior, will spot DeMatos. Junior Raoney Mello begins his third Varsity season and his second shift at defender. Mello will be expected to fill the shoes of George Costa, last year's anchor on the back line. Seniors Jameson Canning and Fred Usma along with sophomore rookie Michael Birk will log valuable minutes in the defensive scheme.

The lights will shine bright on the offensive side of the ball for years to come. Junior Helder Cancelinha came alive in last year's playoff (a key goal in the storm postponed game against South Side that propelled the Mustang rally) and sophomore Nuno Rodriques (a freshman All Conference selection) both exhibited flashes of brilliance. Juniors Shawn Wachter, maintaining a Mineola High School family tradition, and Anthony Morais were key role players on last year's squad with more expected from each in 2006. Similar aspirations have been set for senior John Valente. Scoring should not be an issue for the Mustangs.

With the Mustangs now residing among Nassau's soccer elite, can Mineola turn surprise into consistency? Pereira has no reservations. With 74 wins and a 60 percent winning percentage in his pocket, the coach is confident he has all the elements to sustain his record of five playoff appearances in the past 7 years. Being awarded 2002's Conference Coach of the Year prevented any accolades from being sent his way in 2005, Pereira is happy to focus the attention on his student-athletes rather than his own record as the second winningest coach in Mustang history. Pride is also instilled in his players. A local boy who has made good, Pereira not only coaches the team but is a former Mustang star himself.

The regular season will be grueling but all ABC-I entrants receive automatic playoff placement based upon the level of competition. Names you will be familiar with throughout the fall campaign include South Side's Ian Peach or Garden City's Joey Tavernese. The schedule provides time for the staff to evaluate the team's strengths and opponent's weaknesses before the beginning of the playoffs in late October. Should all proceed according to plan, the Mustangs have a mid-November date at the Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta. This year they hope a different fate awaits.