V.S. South in unfamiliar territory

Posted

New faces and new opponents are the themes of Valley Stream South boys’ soccer in 2016.

The Falcons, coming off a double-digit win season and an appearance in the Nassau Class A quarterfinals, return just three starters as they embark on life in Conference ABC-III for the first time. South, which fell 3-2 to South Side in the playoffs, finished 8-2-1 in A-II and were in the title hunt throughout.

“We won a lot of games, but ultimately we didn’t reach our goal of winning a championship of some kind,” coach Rich Boyd said. “We lost a crazy playoff game that could’ve went either way.

“We’re in unfamiliar territory now,” he said of the conference switch. “We lost some rivalries. We graduated a ton of kids and have a lot of question marks, so we’ll see how we match up.”

The Falcons faced former conference rivals Valley Stream North and Lawrence in non-league games to open the season and help prepare for a new dozen foes, including Mineola, Seaford, Carle Place, Cold Spring Harbor and West Hempstead. South must finish among the top four Class A teams in ABC-III to reach the playoffs. “We expect to be competitive,” Boys said.

Most of South’s experience and all of its returning starters can be found in the midfield, led by junior Brian Garay. A two-time All-Conference selection, Garay has all the tools and intangibles. “Brian sees the field as well as anyone I’ve ever coached,” Boyd said. “This could be a real breakout year for him. He’s strong in the air and has great anticipation. He’s a leader and someone who makes other players around him better.”

Garay, who scored seven goals last season, returns to the center and is joined by senior Edwin Garcia, who moves from the outside. “We’re looking for those guys to control the middle of the field and help set the tone,” Boyd said. Garcia, who like Garay had a strong 2015 finale in the playoff loss at South Side, brings solid technical skills and composure. “Edwin’s in great shape and has potential for a big year,” the coach noted.

Boyd is also looking for talented senior outside middie Brian Palacios, a returning starter, to raise his game to another level after playing well down the stretch and into the playoffs. Junior Liam Tormey, who started a few games last fall, is ready to step in and fill Garcia’s former spot.

Up front, Boyd said there’s open competition for three starting spots with senior Danny Tovar, in his third varsity campaign, likely to earn one. Junior Sebastian Lopez, up from JV, and freshman Chris Camacho and Jaheim Pilgrim, up from the middle school team, will also contribute.

In the back row, Boyd believes junior Chris Peralta can develop into a strong goalkeeper once he gains experience. Senior Nick Brown has varsity experience and takes over as the starting sweeper, while Patryk Wasilewski, a junior, and Keyshawn Newman, a sophomore, are physical fullbacks with size.