Practice after practice at Roosevelt School gym the Tornadoes were anxious to get on the soccer field with real competition. Last week's Northeaster ice storm, further delayed their Waldbaum's cup game against Newfield a Suffolk County Division 3 team. They continued to utilize the indoor gym and a tune-up scrimmage with the Rockets at Berry Hill. The Tornadoes found themselves driving on the LIE to exit 63 to encounter the Newfield Power. All of the anticipation came down to a great sunny day and the heat turned on quickly with Newfield Power scoring in the first 5 minutes of the game on a breakaway from the Tornadoes left side of the field over our goalie Madison Fressle's head.

So early in the game, none of the Tornadoes were concerned. Emily Siringo received a pass from Katrina Cappiello and took on a Power defender as she sprinted by her the defender tripped her in the box. Captain Gabrielle Albanese marched on to take the penalty kick with her powerful left foot she placed the ball to the upper right corner of the net. Equalizing the game at 1 to 1.

The Tornadoes took the lead when Erin Allen won the ball in center mid, she fed Emily Siringo with a through ball in the middle. Emily again beat her defensive marker and put the ball in the back of the net with a beautiful shot. Tornadoes 2 Power 1 at the half.

The second half was more of the same with Newfield unsuccessfully trying to break the Tornadoes solid defense consisting of Madison Fressle on goal, Gabrielle Albanese on sweeper, Julia Cranz on right and Erika Eisenberg on left full back. The Tornadoes continued with their breakaways from both sides of the field, Marissa Matarese on the left and Melissa Albanese from the right and Emily Siringo in the center.

With the game on the line and only 9 minutes left the Newfield coach ordered all of his players to go on the offense. The Tornadoes adjusted by adding more players on defense, however, a screened shot from the middle went right through Madison's hands for a tie game with two minutes left.

The Tornadoes were not going to be happy with a tie, our midfielders Mollie Sullivan, Alessandra Puccio, Erin Allen, Katrina Capiello and Arden Etts stepped up to win the ball again and to feed Emily Siringo again for another breakaway to finish it off with a beautiful goal. Tornadoes win 3 to 2.

The U12 boys, ROCKETS, won their first round of Waldbaum's competition Saturday after coming from behind to tie the game and send it into overtime. With 3 minutes left (in regulation, down 1-0) in the game Matthew Del Rosso (stopper) took a shot from 30 yards out which sailed perilously over the goalies' outstretched arms for the score!

Neither team scored in the double overtime periods, leaving the game's outcome to a "head to head" shoot out to 7 players from each team. Little Neck won the toss and elected to begin first!

Each of the first 4 kicks either eluded the net or their shots were blocked by the goalies.

Then Little Neck's number 5 scored, Rockets number 5, Patryk Tauter scored, Little Neck's number 6 scored, Rockets number 6, Chris Hoffmann did likewise, Little Neck's number 7 failed (blocked by pinch-hitting goalie A.J. Core), and our number 7, the one and only Quinn McQuade scored the winning goal! What drama I tell you. Quinn was carried around the field by the rest of the team, a moment I will never forget nor will he.

Coach Ozkan and I commented on how we hadn't seen the Rockets win a game quite like this in the 3 years we've had the pleasure to coach them. Every player did more than their part to ensure the victory for each other. We are very proud of all of you. Let's have fun again this season.

On a beautiful Spring afternoon, the Oyster Bay "Mustangs" Boys U-13 Travel team, faced a determined squad from Center Moriches at home at Vernon.

The Waldbaum's Cup game, a season opener for both teams, ended in a 0 - 0 scoreless deadlock.

There were numerous scoring chances by both teams, but the goalies on both sides were impenetrable. Lucas Santoro the Mustang's Goalie, made one acrobatic save after another, and Shane Reilly as Sweeper, and Esequiel Santibanez, the defensive stopper, played the games of their lives, frustrating the Center Moriches offense time and time again.

They were assisted on defense by newcomers Josh Ramos and Matt Maniscalco, and veteran Jonathan Vega. At midfield, Joey Brambil, Henri Canales, Saveen Wijebandara, Mike Pizarro, Jason Velasquez, and Ryan Yogman kept the offense flowing and assisted in one goal attempt after the other.

Ricardo Contreras and Henri Canales had shot after shot turned away at the goal.

It finally came down to Overtime, and two 5 minute sessions were completed with no goals yet to be scored.

On to the nerve wracking Shoot Out where 5 players on each team take their turns shooting, what amounts to a penalty shot, at each teams goalie, alternating back and forth.

After the first 2 shots were stopped by Center Moriches; Jonathan Vega and Esequiel Santibanez each scored, but the C.E. Bulldogs snuck 2 goals by the Mustangs keeper...SCORE: 2-2.

Lucas Santoro then made a miraculous diving save for team Mustang, and Ricardo Contreras was carried off the field after sealing the win with a shot into the goal upper corner.

What a start to the season. The Mustangs face a team from Patchogue / Medford in round #2.

The Titans are proud to announce they have been promoted to Long Island Division 3 for boys 15 years old.

The Long Island Junior Soccer league has 7 divisions in this age group. "The team has shown great commitment and overcame much adversity in the Fall season" said coach George Esernio, The spring season will bring us in direct competition with several teams we have wanted to play." Also the Titans have applied and been selected to compete in this year's Copa Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. Hosted by the Barcelona Youth soccer, CF Tordera the tournament will commence July 8th. The competition will feature teams from Spain, Italy, France, Ireland, Holland, Sweden and central and western United States. The Titans players need some help and are looking for sponsors to help underwrite the cost of this valuable experience. Also players are available for hire (around school and soccer schedules). If you want to help the team or an individual boy please contact coach Doug Petersen at dapetersen@optonline.net.

In the opening round of the Waldbaums Cup the Oyster Bay Titans faced the Commack Wildcats, a team that they would face in the regular season and a club that had a solid finish in D-3 the past year. While the Titans were in excellent physical condition their play making and mental game was still in a winter freeze. The Wildcats controlled the ball for most of the first half and scored the only goal of the game when striker Ben Rosenthal broke into the Titans end unchallenged and put a hard shot in the upper corner. While the Titans defense shouted off-sides, the ref called for the ball back on the half to kick-off. When the half ended the coaches tried to rally the boys as they were getting pushed around by the Wildcats. Unfortunately the second half was much like the first. The Titans had several good chances but could not convert. The last 4 minutes the Titans were on fire and a late corner kick almost tied the score. Commack won the day 1-0 and eliminated Oyster Bay. Now the Titans need to get on track to start league play and in 7 weeks can take revenge when they face Commack in what has the makings of an important match-up.

Congratulations to the Raptors, Riptide, Twisters, Blizzards and the Storm for also winning their Waldbaum's Cup games.

The Oyster Bay Raptors had a great fall season coming in second place in division 4. Just as important as their play on the field was the fact that they conducted themselves in a tough but always fair and respectful manner. As a result Long Island Junior Soccer awarded them the Sportsmanship Award to recognize that in the eyes of the referees they displayed the best sportsmanship in the entire division. In the past they have been awarded the Sportsmanship Chevron on two occasions. The Raptors have been moved up to division 3 for the spring where they hope to continue to progress as winners on the scoreboard and as role models.

Congrats to all...and the Mustangs won too: 3-2, after a shut out regulation time, and a double-overtime, in a shootout!