Rye Neck Boys’ Soccer

By Mitch Silver

The 2017 edition of Rye Neck Boys’ Soccer appeared to be on a shakedown cruise when the season began. Not only was all-Section standout Luis Galeano playing in college, so were a raft of other starters, including striker Reed Peterson, most of the midfield, and three-quarters of the back line.

Half of the coaching tandem was new as well, with former Panther great Ivan Martinez in and Frank Gizzo out, making good on a pledge to spend more time with his young family. The changes made for a bumpy start, with four losses — all of them closely fought — dampening the team’s spirits.

But that was then and this is now. Coaches Bryan Iacovelli and Martinez have sorted things out, moving speedy holdover Donovan Dunning to the middle and teaming Dan Fujiwara with target man Jack Sheldon up top. Defenders Thomas Crook, Delmiro DaSilva, Colin Kelley, Connor Flood, and Luke Masciopinto have blended to form one of the strongest units in Section 1, and veteran keeps Tom Bermingham and Guillermo Pons have made the tough saves when they were needed.

In the past two weeks, the Panthers stoned Bronxville October 11 in front of the home crowd, with Tom Hendrickx and Sheldon netting the goals. The next day the team beat archrival Blind Brook 2-1, avenging an earlier loss. Jon Casas scored on a penalty kick with three minutes to go in the first half. The Trojans tied it up with little more than ten minutes left in the game, but Casas scored again 60 seconds later on a through ball from Spencer Goldberg and slipped it past the goalie.

After the game, Coach Iacovelli praised midfielder Dan Fujiwara and added, “Our back four was solid all game, slowing Blind Brook’s counterattack.”

The team traveled to Pelham for the Pelicans’ homecoming game Saturday night. Down after an early goal, Rye Neck evened things on a beautiful Spencer Goldberg shot from the left side into the far corner. Pelham scored again, but Jack Sheldon tied things up once more in the 33rd minute. The overtime game ended that way, 2-2.

Josh Goldin-McCarthy (11) won’t be denied. Spencer Goldberg backs up the play.

Jack Sheldon out-jumps four defenders.

Donovan Dunning shows off his hops against the Broncos.

Colin Kelley (6) is not about to be run off the ball.