Thursday, October 1, 2026
After squandering leads against Freeport, Farmingdale, Hempstead and Syosset, time is slipping away on Oceanside’s chance to earn one of the top conference’s four spots in the Nassau Class AA boys’ soccer playoffs.
The Sailors saw their winless streak swell to seven games (five losses, two ties) with a 3-0 home defeat to Conference AA-I rival Massapequa Oct. 11. It was the first time in five outings they didn’t hold a lead.
“In this conference, teams are talented enough to take advantage of the slightest mistake you make,” Oceanside coach Chuck Phelan said. “We’re not sticking with marking assignments as well as we can, and we’re not putting together 80 consistent minutes.
“Time is running out rapidly,” he added. “We still have a third of the season left, but we might have to win out and also rely on other results to sneak into the playoffs.”
Max Aronica had two goals and Michael Vultaggio the other for Massapequa, which inched closer to first-place Syosset and all but secured a playoff spot. It was the fourth straight game the Sailors (1-5-2) allowed three goals.
“We’re giving up too many goals,” Phelan said. “Three is too tough to answer. I can’t really fault Brian [goalkeeper Wolfe.] We’re asking him to stop breakaways and shots from in close that we shouldn’t be giving up.”
Phelan was planning some personnel changes on defense for the stretch run, which includes games against three opponents the Sailors held a lead against in the first meeting: Freeport, Farmingdale and Hempstead.
Midfielders Casey Densing and Travis Feinberg scored in a 2-2 tie at Freeport, midfielders Dylan Fonte, Michael Schmutter and Eric Filkowski found the net in a 3-3 draw at Farmingdale, and Feinberg and striker John Paul Kretkowski tallied in a 3-2 home loss to Hempstead.
“We’ve wasted some opportunities to get points,” Phelan said. “We’re definitely capable of beating all of those teams. The guys continue to come to practice and work hard. We just have to find that ability to pull ourselves off the ground.”
