The latest iteration in the decades-long Mattituck–Center Moriches rivalry had just about everything you’d expect from two talented boys soccer teams.
The squads played another intense, physical affair with plenty of back-and-forth action that produced a dramatic ending at Mattituck’s Homecoming Friday night.
Senior co-captain and forward Sean Szczotka made sure of that. His goal with 5:42 remaining in regulation climaxed the Tuckers’ comeback from a pair of one-goal deficits in a 3-2 triumph.
Mattituck head coach Dan O’Sullivan said the game lived up to its hype and his relatively young squad lived up to its promise.
“It was everything and more,” O’Sullivan said. “The last couple of days in practice, you could tell that they were a little nervous, like they knew what was coming. Some of these guys stepped up big time.
“There’s a lot of kids here that were on the JV team last year. I have to commend them,” he continued “This was the first time that we said, ‘You’re playing your rival. You get the bright lights of Homecoming. They’re undefeated going into the game.’ I’m so proud of the guys that have been here for a while, the young guys that stepped up tonight, the bench. Everybody was involved.”
Unranked Mattituck (6-1, 5-1), which extended its winning streak to four, handed Center Moriches (6-1, 5-1), ranked 12th in the state, its first loss of the Suffolk County League IX season.
“One of the funnest games I ever played,” said Szczotka, who also added an assist. “The energy was there. Everything was there. We were playing pretty good. It was a tough team that played very aggressively, but it was such a fun game.”
The rivalry dates back to 1936 — the first season Mattituck started playing soccer — when the Red Devils recorded a 1-0 win. It has grown into arguably the best high school soccer rivalry on Long Island. Last year, it appeared legacy was headed to history’s dustbin when Center Moriches was promoted to Class A because of rising enrollment. But when the numbers dropped this year, the team returned to Class B.
Center Moriches entered Friday’s game after outscoring the opposition 37-2.
“Honestly, I thought we were going to lose because of the scores I’ve heard from other games,” said junior midfielder Anthony Soto, whose corner kick set up the game-winner. “They beat Southold, 4-0. I thought we were going to lose, but we went above.”
Especially by twice rallying back from deficits.
“I think it just shows our energy, how much passion we have,” Szczotka said.
Added Soto: “We just work hard, work harder than everyone.”
The win didn’t surprise O’Sullivan.
“It shows heart,” he said. “The other day, we were playing Port Jeff. We came from behind [for a 2-1 win]. That was part of our pregame speech. Whether you go up one goal, go down one goal, just keep playing hard. Play with heart and play for one another.”
The Red Devils found the net at 22:38 when freshman midfielder Alexander Rotunda, off a Joe Hiller feed, lofted the ball into the back of the net past goalkeeper Chris Cuellar. At 26:20, Tuckers sophomore forward Andy Mancia knocked his own rebound past keeper Hunter Bernhard for a 1-1 tie. Justin Fox, pushing up from center back, assisted.
Center Moriches again took the lead, as Hiller tallied on a counterattack 7:15 into the second half.
And again, Mattituck equalized. Freshman midfielder Connor Searl scored his fifth goal from eight yards on a sequence that Soto initiated.
“He knows how to take guys on. He’s not afraid of contact,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s ready to go at all times. First couple of games, we were trying to ease him in a little bit more. Now he’s like, ‘I want 80 minutes. I don’t want to come out.’ He’s acclimated very quickly.”
That set up Szczotka’s heroics as he buried Soto’s corner for the game-winner.
“There was a bunch of people in front of me, but it ended up getting through,” he said.
Sophomore midfielder Charlie Carter, who went up for a header, was injured on the play.
“I saw the ball on his foot, and I stopped even watching,” O’Sullivan said. “I didn’t see it go in the back of the net. I was so worried about Charlie because I just saw that play happen. That’s how much faith we have in [Szczotka].”
O’Sullivan said that he tried to get the referees’ attention as quickly as possible, “because I knew he was hurt.”
Carter had a cleat mark on his neck, said O’Sullivan, who added, “He definitely took one for the team.”
These two rivals will meet again at least once more, on Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. at Center Moriches. It would not be surprising if they also clash in the Class B playoffs.