Overtime goal gives Riverhead soccer first league win in three years

With the rain falling down, soccer jersey soaked and dripping, Riverhead junior midfielder Rony Yanes repositioned the ball on a free kick 30 yards out Monday night at Longwood High School.

The score was tied at 1-1 and the second overtime had just started. He had taken a free kick from around the same spot three other times during the game, but they were all a little off. That didn’t stop Riverhead head coach Nic DeZenzo from continually encouraging him.

“I just wanted another chance,” Yanes said. “I knew if I got another one that I could do it. I just needed to trust in the work I’ve put in.”

Yanes stepped through the ball and ripped a curving shot that curled right into the top right corner of the goal. It was truly a bend-it-like-Beckham moment. The goalkeeper had no chance.

The goal secured Riverhead’s first league win in three years and Coach DeZenzo’s first win since taking over the program.

“We’ve been so close this season,” DeZenzo said. “I really wanted this one for the boys. We just hadn’t had the ball fall our way all season. They deserved this win; they’ve been working so hard. It’s nice to finally get a payoff.”

Riverhead (1-8-1) had fallen behind 1-0 in the first minute of the game but didn’t let up a goal the rest of the way. The defense was stout, reactive, calm and confident.

“Riverhead teams in the past would have folded,” DeZenzo said. “This team is different. We fight, we believe. Maybe the results don’t show it, but I think this is the best team Riverhead has seen in a while.”

With just 15 seconds left on the first half clock, Chris Contreras nailed a throughball down the left-hand side of the field just soft enough that Hector Calderon was able to catch up to it unmanned, one-on-one with the goalkeeper. 

The senior approached the goal, cool, calm and collected, and drilled the opportunity past the keeper with just seven seconds left to play. It was a true turning point in the game as Longwood coaches were irate with the late collapse.

“We’ve been pushing each other all season trying to stay together,” Yanes said. “The losses hurt, but we’re a family here, and it was just a matter of time before something bounced our way.”

Riverhead dominated the time of possession and had nine shots on goal compared to just three by Longwood. They were constantly pressing forward. A breakthrough was inevitable. They returned the favor from the first matchup on Sept. 3.

Longwood won that game, 2-1, in double overtime. It started a string of close calls until Riverhead found the victory column Monday.

They tied Sachem North 0-0 on Sept. 18. They lost to William Floyd on Sept. 22 following a free kick in double overtime with just two seconds remaining on the clock. After losing to perennial powerhouse Brentwood 7-1 to start the season, the second go-around ended just 2-0, with the second goal happening late in the second half.  

“It’s a big monkey off the back for the program,” DeZenzo said. “The first one is always the hardest, but now let’s show it happened for a reason. They’re going to say it was luck, but the last few teams we’ve played know this isn’t the same Riverhead. We’re going to give every team a game, no matter who is on the other side.”