Friday, July 18, 2025
The future of soccer in Merrick and Bellmore is extremely bright thanks to a group of young boys who have ripped through the competition in recent months.
Winning has become the norm for the U10 Merrick Sharks Academy travel soccer team with first-place finishes in two different leagues as well as several tournament victories. Their run began last summer with wins during the LERSC Summer Showdown and John Jay Labor Day tournaments last summer and that success carried over into the spring season, when they claimed the Baymen Easter, Hershey, and Platinum Challenge Cups while also finishing first in the LIJSL Premier and EDP Division 1 leagues.
The boys’ most recent victory was a 2-0 win over Chelsea Piers that gave them the EDP Cup at the SUSA Orlin & Cohen Sports Complex in Central Islip on June 22.
The team is coached by Manfred Kapper, and his 11-player roster has players from both the Merrick and Bellmore areas. They include Angelo Amanna, Ryan Biscardi, Max Findlay, Max Kopelowitz, Reid Londis, Leo Mahindra, Liam Matos, Christian Nicholson, Giuseppe Nicolosi, Donagh O’Grady, and Nicholas Spataro.
“We’re so proud of the boys for working so hard,” said team manager Lori Biscardi, who formerly coached the Calhoun High School girls’ soccer team. “They practice three times a week and we try to play as much soccer as possible, even through the winter. “
Amanna is a consistent goal scorer at striker despite being one of the younger players on the roster. He had a breakaway goal in a 5-1 win over the NYC Soccer Club at Islip on June 21 before getting both tallies in the cup clincher.
Center midfielder Nicholson had a hat trick in the first half against the NYC Soccer Club and has been known to score using the acrobatic bicycle kick this season. Ryan Biscardi also scored against NYC and anchors a stellar defense that has helped the strong goaltending tandem of Mahindra and O’Grady, who have split time between the pipes.
The team will remain together during the summer when they participate in a beach soccer tournament.
