2010 Preview: Sachem East Boys Soccer

Channeling the enthusiasm of its team into greater intensity following a mid-level performance during 2009 in the ultra-tough League I, East seeks to improve in league standings as it battles for its berth. 

With a No. 5 pre-season ranking, the Flaming Arrows has its work cut out and a challenging schedule ahead.

Record last year: 4-6-2 in league, 5-7-3 overall

Head coach: Matt Stallone

League/division pre-season ranking:  No. 5 in League I of seven teams, prior to addition of Lindenhurst (6-6-0 in League II last season, 7-9-0 overall) as an eighth team.

Top players

• Senior goalie Matt Bonomini
• Senior midfielder/forward Eric Lopez     

Position breakdown

The Arrows said goodbye to graduates Ryan Murphy (forward, led scoring last season with 6 goals), Paul Sciortino (goalkeeper, All-County, 98 saves last season) and Nick Bejarano (midfielder) in June, but Stallone said he is confident in his returners, seniors Matt Bonomini (goalkeeper) and Eric Lopez (Empire State Team midfielder/forward) among the starters. Stallone will again be assisted by Glen Monsen, who has worked with Stallone since the district's partitioning in 2004.

"We lost a solid senior class, but the returners are no slouches. We're going to be very young, but we've got a solid core of tenth and eleventh graders coming up," he said, giving special notice to rookie sophomore midfielder Andrew Tinari. As of publication, other positions and who will start in them is still being determined.

A defense-minded team, Stallone said he'd like to keep stepping up on those crucial split-second chances that could, aided by a strong backfield, help break games wide open.

"We preach letting up as few goals as possible, though we've had trouble with our scoring over the last couple of years."

Expectations

While the forecast for the Sachem East varsity boys soccer season remains hopeful, Stallone had no illusions about what was required between that first practice and postseason glory.

"There's no days off in League I," he said, summing up the guiding principle perfectly. 

Key games

• Ward Melville - away, 9/21, 4;15 p.m.; home, 9/27, 4 p.m.
• Commack - home, 10/7, 4;15 p.m.; away, 10/28, 4 p.m.
• Brentwood - home, 9/25, 10 a.m.; away, 10/15, 4 p.m.
• Longwood - away, 9/29, 4 p.m.; home, 10/19, 4 p.m.
• Lindenhurst - home, 9/23, 4 p.m.; away, 10/13, 6 p.m.

Ward Melville (9-3-0 last season, 11-3-1 overall), Commack (10-2-0 last season, 12-3-0 overall) and the ever-formidable Brentwood team - ranked No. 1 nationwide in the preseason by ESPN (9-3-0 last season, 12-3-0 overall) - will be pushing back hard for seeding as the season continues. Complicating things further will be a newly-minted League I-er Lindenhurst, formerly a League II contender. As such, every win and every goal toward it will be hard-earned.

"They're looking good this year, plus they've got a great work ethic," cautioned Stallone about Lindy.