“May you live in interesting times.” The Chinese considered it a curse. Brian Iacovelli and his Co-Coach Frank Gizzo are looking at it as a challenge.

 

By Mitch Silver

 

“May you live in interesting times.” The Chinese considered it a curse. Brian Iacovelli and his Co-Coach Frank Gizzo are looking at it as a challenge.

 

“Sure, it’ll be interesting,” Iacovelli confided. “We lost eleven kids from last year’s team, including our keeper, Angelo Spedafino. We’ll need several seniors and JV players to step up. And I think they will.”

 

Last year’s high point was a 1-0 defeat of major power Fox Lane in early October. The nadir was probably the shocking 2-1 upset loss to Alexander Hamilton later in the month, when the Black Cats hit the post instead of the net

 

Two players Coach Iacovelli knows he can count on are Takuno Nishimura, a three-year varsity veteran, and Corey Soriano, who’s been playing on the big club since his freshman year. Along with junior sweeper Willie Galliano and his cousin, sophomore midfielder Luis Galliano, the coaches are looking to another soph midfielder, Noah Klur, to help possess the ball and ignite the 4-4-2 formation.

 

“We’ve got enough talent to be successful,” Coach Iacovelli, entering his ninth season, said. “Now all they need is the experience.”

 

The Panthers will start getting that precious experience when they kick off the season against league power Blind Brook at home September 6, at 1 p.m.