Saturday, November 8, 2025
From winless in 2024 to playoff-bound in 2025, the Malverne-East Rockaway boys’ soccer team has completed a stunning turnaround.
The Rockin’ Mules have already locked up a playoff spot, currently sitting in fifth place in Conference AA3 with an 8-6 record and one game remaining.
Outside of the team, expectations coming into the season were minimal for Malverne-East Rockaway. The conference included perennial powerhouses in South Side and Manhasset who were expected to battle for the top spot, followed by Bethpage and Carey.
But the Rockin’ Mules rocked the landscape in the conference with a 4-2 victory over Manhasset Sept. 4 to set the stage.
“We are the game changer,” coach Rob Anderson said. “We believe we can play with anybody. Right now we’re confident.”
Utilizing a high pressing system, Malverne/East Rockaway has poured in goals. The Rockin’ Mules are third in Nassau County in goals scored with 50, trailing division leaders Calhoun (61) and Garden City (52).
Leading that charge is captain Filip Beben, who Anderson thinks should be the AA3 Offensive Player of the Year. The senior midfielder, who is an excellent distributor, has 14 goals and 10 assists on the season, and he’s not selective with who he’s scoring goals against.
“He’s scored in every game,” Anderson said of Beben, who has been utilized as the No. 10 down the stretch of the season. “It’s not like he’s dialing it up against any specific team.”
There’s also been no shortage of standouts in the turnaround season.
Senior forward Jayden Mora scored 12 of those goals in the first four matches, but has missed most of the action due to club soccer commitments. Even without Mora for a large portion of the season, the Rockin’ Mules haven’t missed a step.
Brothers Joseph and Jeremiah Arning have been huge additions after transferring in from Valley Stream Central. They both have a soft touch on the ball, and Anderson said they instinctively know where to put the ball.
Jose Gomez has partnered well with Beben. The junior has six goals and nine assists, most coming on Beben's goals. Senior Edwin Espinoza is the team’s utility star, Anderson said, contributing at sweeper and midfield.
Defensively, junior center back Liam Whitehouse has been an unsung hero, a consistent weapon on long throw-ins. He’s joined by outside backs Johnny Staubitz and Sebastian Quiroz, who are gritty and physical with non-stop engines.
And then there’s freshman Nate Huertas, the team’s third goalkeeper this year, who has made 22 saves in four matches.
“He’s like a puppy, he just comes in happy and ready to play,” Anderson said. “He’s been all guts, coming off the line, attacking guys on breakaways now, so I'm feeling more confident. He’s been a Godsend with his attitude and play.”
Malverne/East Rockaway has lost back-to-back games, including a tough 3-0 defeat to first-place South Side Oct. 9. Considering where its come from, those defeats are just a small blip for a team that has a “why not us?” mentality entering the postseason.
“They’re not overconfident,” Anderson said. “But they’ve got a chip on their shoulder.”
