Thursday, October 1, 2026
After a frustrating finish to the 2024 season, the Freeport boys’ soccer team roared back into the playoffs this fall behind one of the more explosive offenses in Nassau County.
The Red Devils capped the regular season at 7-6-3 overall (6-6-2 in Conference AAA), earning the No. 7 seed in a fiercely competitive division. They squared off against Port Washington in the opening round of the playoffs on Oct. 22 — a formidable opponent that finished second in the conference at 10-4-1 and had previously defeated Freeport 5-2 back on Sept. 10.
The Red Devils’ season was defined by streaks. After an uneven start, they found their rhythm with a three-game winning run once October began, only to stumble late with back-to-back losses to Herricks and Farmingdale — matches in which they managed to find the net just once. The team showed resiliency throughout, however, consistently bouncing back after tough results.
“I think this year, you know, we were just able to hit our stride at the right moment in the middle of the season when we really needed to,” coach Craig Klasson said. “We knew we were going to open up the season with some really, really tough teams, the teams that finished top in the conference.
“So, it was all about keeping our composure and understanding that we have to persevere in the beginning, in the middle of the season and string together wins, which we did,” he concluded.
That brief offensive lull was the exception, not the rule. Freeport’s attack was among the most dangerous in the conference, tallying 38 goals — the highest total among all 15 teams in AAA — and providing a spark that powered their return to postseason play.
All-County player Kevin Leon led the team with 10 goals, while fellow seniors David Menjivar and Emerson Molina, along with sophomore Jesus Sorto, each netted seven. Molina, a two-time All-Conference selection, was especially hot down the stretch with six tallies in his last seven games, including the game-tying marker in the second half that helped Freeport preserve a 1-1 deadlock against Baldwin on Sept. 29.
“We moved [Molina] to forward to striker and it really has served us to be great in the attacking third,” Klasson said. “He’s obviously scoring goals but he's also had a lot of assists as well. He was connecting passes that we desperately needed, which we weren't finding in the beginning of the season. He's been huge for us.”
The team also got production from freshman Jose Huete, who scored three goals, and sophomore midfielder Nicholas Leguizamon, a solid ball distributor who Klasson described as “the link between the defense and offense.”
Junior goalkeeper Kley Corado had a fine season in his first year as the full-time starter, recording more than 90 saves, including a season-high eight in a 3-0 shutout win at East Meadow on Sept. 18.
“Kley had a productive season,” Klasson said. “He's made some really key saves for us in big moments throughout.”
Seniors Jose Molina and Carlos Bustos anchored the defense in front of Corado.
