Uniondale takes conference, Baldwin hits reset button

With both the Uniondale and Baldwin boys’ soccer teams already qualified for the postseason, there wasn’t much at stake aside for the latter’s seeding when the two teams met in the regular-season finale at Oceanside Park Oct. 19.

However, after Uniondale picked up a defiant 2-0 victory, the teams will travel much different roads despite sharing a destination.

With the win, Uniondale rolls into the postseason without losing its last nine matches. Meanwhile, injury riddled Baldwin suffered shutouts in its final four contests and enters the playoffs on the downswing.

“It's tough losing and kind of going out on that end,” Baldwin coach Chris Soupios said. “I think the reality is the players have sort of a new season. That's the mentality that I think we have as a group.”

Baldwin, the No. 4 seed, will face Oceanside in the opening round of the playoffs, while Uniondale draws East Meadow as the top seed in the Class AAA playoffs with a final record of 11-2-1.

Uniondale built much of that success on the leg of junior striker Adan Gomez, who led the Knights with eight goals this season.

“All season, that’s how he’s been,” Uniondale coach Cohen Nelson said. “He's been one of those prolific strikers that if he gets out in space, he’s going to finish his chance.”

Gomez had two scores against Baldwin, both in the opening half. While the first seemed like a flesh wound, his second proved fatal for the Bruins.

Immediately after a poorly executed Baldwin corner kick, Joseph Lopez fired a long stretch pass downfield, allowing Gomez to beat Baldwin keeper Josue Ascencio one-on-one.

“I was very happy to score two goals for my team,” Gomez said through a translator.

Even though Ascencio allowed two goals in the loss, that isn’t indicative of his overall performance this season.

“ Josue is one of the best goalies on Long Island,” Soupious said. “I don't think there was anything he could have done on really either one of those goals. He's a guy who's played every single game since he came up as a freshman. He was the conference goalie of the year as a sophomore and a junior. He's had over six shutouts this year. You can’t fault him too much.”

On the other end of the field, Hugo Alessandro stopped all six shots that came his way in his fourth shutout of the season for the Knights after starting 2023 on the JV squad.

“I am so proud of him,” Cohen said. “ First one at practice, last one to leave. He has that grit.”

Grit will be important for Uniondale throughout the postseason. Despite their regular-season dominance, the Knights know they’ll need to play as they have to reach their ultimate goal.

“Every game is a championship game,” Cohen said. “The most important shape is not a tactical shape. It's a mental shape. Are we locked in? With this performance, I think we're locked in.”