Thursday, October 1, 2026
Wantagh’s boys’ soccer head coach Tom Liguori is looking for improved team chemistry this fall and saw early signs of unity in the face of adversity.
The Warriors gave up two second-half goals in a 10-minute stretch to trail Floral Park by one in the second game of the season on Sept. 6 before answering the bell. After falling behind with just nine minute remaining, Nick Celli evened the score two minutes later followed by the eventual winning goal from striker Liam Ireland in the 75th minute.
“The moment I first saw the team coming together was in the Floral Park game when they went ahead in the 71st minute,” said Liguori of the team’s dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 win. “The guys showed some great character.”
Wantagh entered the new season with goals of returning to the postseason after a 7-5-2 season in 2016 that ended with a 1-0 loss to South Side in the second round of the Nassau County Class A playoffs. The Warriors entered the week 2-3-1 and Liguori is looking for continued strides on and off the field as his veteran and younger players begin to jell.
“We want to be playing our best soccer at the end of the season,” Liguori said. “We definitely want to make the playoffs in a very difficult conference.”
To achieve one of the open playoff spots in Conference A-II, Wantagh is leaning on the experience of senior tri-captains Nick Cerasi, Chris Avena and Ireland. Cerasi and Ireland earned All-County honors last year after impressive offensive seasons. Avena anchors the defense and has the ability to earn All-County accolades of his own this year, according to Liguori.
Celli is shining offensively for Wantagh after an impressive sophomore campaign last year. He has tallied two goals including the clutch tying tally at Floral Park and another strike in Wantagh’ 3-1 win against Hewlett on Sept. 13.
Wantagh boasts an experienced defense led by Avena and fellow senior Charlie Mazzer. Freshman Scott Bindell has stepped up as a defensive central midfielder after excelling for Wantagh Middle School last fall. Junior Brendan Harrington has also been instrumental in the backline after moving from midfield to defense this season.
“He locks things down,’ said Liguori of the versatile Harrington. “He’s very calm and unassuming out there.”
The Warriors have depth at goalie with junior Drew Donaghy and Matthew Reich competing for starting time. Donaghy registered seven saves in the Floral Park victory while Reich recorded nine stops in a 2-0 loss to Roslyn on Sept. 11.
Wantagh is next in action at Lynbrook this Saturday morning before facing Plainedge at home on Tuesday under the lights for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The entire team died their hair blonde for the season for team bonding, but Ligouri stressed that more is needed for true cohesiveness.
“The real successful teams I have had in the past hung out together off the field and really gelled,” he said. “I think we are coming together as a team, but we need to come together a little bit more.”
