Sports

Boys Soccer: Sayville rallies from two-goal hole against SWR

The Shoreham-Wading River boys soccer team learned a difficult lesson Friday, even when school wasn’t in session.

“It’s not over until its over,” said coach Russ Mitchinson, who watched his team squander a two-goal lead in the second half en route to a frustrating and disappointing 3-2 overtime loss at Sayville.

David Salloun’s header in the box snapped a 2-2 game and climaxed the Golden Flash’s (4-3-0, 4-1-0) stunning comeback win over the Wildcats (3-1-1, 3-1-0) in the Suffolk County League VI game.

“We have to make sure we’re closing out these games, games we should be winning,” Mitchinson added.

Asked what he was going to tell his players on the bus ride back to the school, Mitchinson replied, “We don’t quit. We have to make sure we see things out. It’s not over until the final whistle blows, that last ball is in the back of the net.”

After an evenly played opening half, the Wildcats grabbed the lead with 30 minutes and 28 seconds remaining in the second half on senior midfielder Trey Ekert’s goal off Jake DePaoli’s corner kick.

DePaoli connected with 22:14 left, firing home Anthony Guzzone’s left-wing feed past goalkeeper Adian McEnerney for a two-goal advantage.

“They were playing phenomenal,” Mitchinson said. “We took our foot off the gas and we paid for it a little bit.”

That second goal woke up the hosts, who struck twice within a 2:16 span to turn the momentum around.

PJ Kloska twice did the honors, slotting home scrambles off Jack Davis’ corner kicks with 20:52 and 18:36 to go past keeper Wesley Pase for a 2-2 deadlock.

“We gave up a cheap one to let them back in,” Mitchinson said, “something we should have cleared very easily and we didn’t. From there, the momentum shifted a little bit. That second half they wanted it a little more in the last 20 [minutes]. They came into the overtime feeling good.”

The Wildcats will have an opportunity bounce back against Long Island Class A champion Amityville at home Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.