Over the course of 20-plus years as Uniondale boys’ soccer coach, Cohen Nelson has developed an eye for talent, whether that’s during tryouts or even a physical education class.
That’s where he discovered who will likely be his starting goalkeeper this year.
Nelson wasn’t teaching the class — it was his free period — but he sat in the back, sipping a cup of coffee, when something piqued his interest.
“I see this kid, maybe 6-foot-2, 6-foot-3, and he’s juggling a football, an American football,” Nelson clarified. “I’m like, wait a minute, what the hell?”
That kid is Herley Jean, who Nelson tracked down at the end of class, asking if he ever played soccer.
Jean told Nelson he played a bit in his native Haiti — as a goalkeeper.
That, Nelson has discovered, was an understatement.
“Every practice, jaw-dropping saves, like the ball is in the net, and all of a sudden it’s not in the net,” Nelson said.
Jean, in many ways, epitomizes what Uniondale will be about this year — a team that may lack a proven name or returning All-County player — but filled with hard workers hungry to take that next step.
A year ago, the Knights needed to win down the stretch just to make the playoffs. And then Uniondale, as the No. 7 seed, reached the Nassau Class AAA semifinals, where it fell to eventual county champion Syosset in double overtime.
That heartbreaking defeat proved to be the impetus for the returning players.
“They are a collective. They have a collective desire to do it, and it’s giving me confidence,” Nelson said. “They are so eager and hungry, and that’s what I always say, it’s desire over skill. I’m very excited about this group.”
The returning household name is Raymond Zavala, a mercurial attacking talent who, if he puts the mental and physical aspects together, could be an All-County player by the end of the season.
The senior has the tools to be one of the best forwards in the county.
“A lot of hard work, but his desire to want to win, and I think a lot of time he gets in his own way, he wants it so bad,” Nelson said. “In terms of desire, he’s 11 out of 10. He has an insatiable appetite to want to succeed, but he can’t do it alone.”
Another player in the attacking third who has high expectations is senior Alberto Pineda, and junior Widensley Lamoth is hungry to score the big goals this fall after nearly netting the golden goal in overtime against Syosset in the semifinals.
Nelson is also high on sophomores Joshua Martinez, who he thinks could be a top player in a year or two, and Marlon Velasquez, who thinks he should score every time he’s on the field.
Senior Angel Velazquez has played almost every position and will slot in at center back and wear the captain’s armband. And senior David Portillo, who Nelson said started with him in the PAL about 13 years ago, is that coach on the field and a vocal leader at fullback.
