By Steve Siniski
Now, the bad news: They've reeled off a 1-0-4 mark, including consecutive ties against Bellmore JFK (1-1) and Valley Stream Central (0-0) last week. OK, so the bad news wasn't so bad, because a bounce here or there and Baldwin could have a few more total points in conference play. In the long run, wins are going to be necessary for the Bruins to remain in first place, a position they currently hold with Valley Stream Central.
"There are seven teams in AA-II and only four make the playoffs," Baldwin coach Mike Palumbo said. "Everyone else has three-to-five points. We have six points five games in [to the league schedule]."
In the tie last Wednesday with Valley Stream Central, Bruins goaltender Jared El Gayeh continued his strong play, turning back 10 shots, though the action was much less than in recent games. During the first three games, the junior averaged 20 stops per game. The return of sweeper Zach Rodgers from an early season knee injury has further stabilized an already solid defensive unit.
"He has single-handedly kept us in games," Palumbo said of his goalkeeper. "[Zach Rodgers] takes some of the pressure off him."
The domino effect of Rodgers return has moved freshman Billy Deignan to midfield and Peter Siegmann from stopper to outside back. With an eight-day break between games, the hope was to use the time to get people accustomed to new positions and assignments.
"[In] the new positions we hope to be ready by [October 4 against Calhoun]," Palumbo said. "We need a win. The ties are nice but we need to win."
For the Valley Stream Central match, Palumbo also decided to switch Stephon Beckford from his normal position at center midfield back to stopper, where he shadowed the Eagles' No. 1 scorer, Brian McMenamin, who scored three times in a meeting between the teams last year. To say it worked would be an understatement. The speedy Beckford played McMenamin physically and kept him from even getting an opportunity to see the Baldwin net. With just one game remaining in the first half, the focus turns from defense to offense, as Palumbo searches for ways to put the opposition away.
"We're trying to see what we can come up with," he said. "If we get one goal, [I feel] we're coming away with a win. Our defense is that much better."
Justin Leaky leads the team with six goals, but his running mate up front - Pascal Oreste - was injured earlier in the year and has yet to return to the lineup. Senior forward Ilmer Gomez, elevated to the starting lineup in the wake of Oreste's injury, scored two goals in a 3-1 victory against MacArthur on Sept. 22.
The second half of the Conference II-AA season begins on Oct. 10 when the Bruins hit the road for a rematch with Oceanside. The teams earlier battled to a 2-2 tie on Sept. 18 with El Gayeh turning back 21 shots. Sandwiched in between the Calhoun and Oceanside matches is a non-league road game with Farmingdale on Oct. 7.
