Thursday, October 1, 2026
On Oct. 29, the season came to an end for the Valley Stream South boys’ soccer team, after it fell 1-0 to South Side in their Nassau Class A quarterfinal playoff matchup.
But the conclusion of the Falcons’ season did not come before an exciting late-season push allowed them to not only secure a postseason spot but also win two playoff rounds.
Over their first eight games of the regular season, the Falcons struggled to a 3-5 record. But VSS was able win its final three games of the regular season and earn a playoff berth.
One of the biggest turning points of the season, coach Rich Boyd said, was the return of junior William Sarrion to the lineup. Having him back on the field allowed others on the team to move back into positions that they felt more comfortable.
The Falcons also decided to make a change in net during the final stretch of the season. Senior Mike Wasilewski helped his team turn things around, posting two shutouts.
Finishing over the .500 mark earned VSS the No. 12 seed and a matchup at home against Mineola in an out-bracket playoff game. In that game the Falcons were able to jump out to an early lead and hang on for a 3-1 victory to move on to the next round.
The very next day Boyd’s team would have to hit the road to take on Island Trees. Despite the quick turnaround, South was able to come away a dramatic 3-2 win. “That was a difficult task, because the playoff games are really intense,” Boyd said. “But we were able to ride the Mineola victory. Sometimes that works to your benefit, because we were on a high and we came back the next day.”
The win was even more impressive considering the fact that the Falcons fell down 2-0 in the match before mounting a comeback in the second half, and netting the game winner in double overtime. “The kids really showed a sense of resiliency,” Boyd said. “When you’re down 2-0 you sometimes kind of seeing it going the other way. The kids never gave up.”
In the quarterfinals against South Side, the Falcons once again fell behind, and were unable to mount a comeback. Alessandro Pugliese scored a goal for the Cyclones just two minutes into the game, and neither team would find the back of the net the rest of the way.
“I think early in the game we were a little flat,” Boyd said. “Maybe we were still coming off the big victory Saturday night. South Side is always a good team. They play hard and are very competitive. In the second half we did have some chances. We just didn’t get a bounce.”
Despite the disappointing end, Boyd was very happy with the effort. “We won two rounds, so it’s a good feeling,” he said. “The kids should be proud of themselves, and I’m proud of them.”
