By Dylan Butler
It was a result that shocked Queens PSAL soccer, but Long Island City’s 1-0 win over Newtown Sept. 26 as well as two other victories have been reversed as the PSAL forced the Bulldogs to forfeit three league games because they used an ineligible player.
Instead of being 4-0, LIC is now 2-3. Its opening-season win over John Adams was not affected because the player, midfielder Bryan Tovar, was not in the lineup against the Spartans.
LIC has since defeated Grover Cleveland, as well.
Tovar played for Aviation last year but was suspended by Queens Superintendent John Lee last spring for disciplinary reasons. According to PSAL bylaws, a player must sit a full year after being superintendent suspended.
He transferred to LIC, but according to LIC second-year coach Alex Bravo, neither he nor LIC athletic director Steven Sfass knew Tovar was suspended.
It became an issue when Aviation coach Mario Cotumaccio saw Tovar in the lineup when LIC defeated Aviation on Oct. 3.
“I asked him why he left Aviation and he told me he wasn’t interested in aeronautics anymore,” Bravo said. “It was an honest mistake, just an unfortunate mishap.”
According to PSAL commissioner Will Stasiuk, the league began its investigation Oct. 4 and the forfeits went into effect Oct. 6.
“It’s unfortunate that LIC made a mistake, sometimes these things happen,” Stasiuk said. “They were very cooperative in the investigation and understood they had to atone for it.”
Bravo said Tovar, who is no longer with the team, wasn’t an integral part of LIC’s early season success.
“He is replaceable,” Bravo said. “We’re a strong team and we can still make the playoffs. In our minds and our hearts, we’re still undefeated.”
Campus Magnet 1, Richmond Hill 1. Barrington Mighty scored off an assist from Keon Bobb for Campus Magnet (5-1-2 Queens B South).
Cardozo 2, Forest Hills 0. Steve Ortiz and Pablo Gil scored, and Manny Manakis had two assists for Cardozo (3-2-1 Queens A East). Forest Hills dropped to 2-4-1.
Bayside 1, John Bowne 1. David Salazar tied the game for the Commodores with four minutes left in the game. Bowne is now 5-1-1 in Queens A East, while Bayside is 4-0-2.
Franklin K. Lane 2, Flushing 2. Erwin Zilker and Jooan Barrios scored for Lane (0-6-1 Queens A East). Oscar Santa and Diego Velasquez scored for Flushing, which is 1-2-3.
John Adams 2, Bryant 2. Max Munos and Luigi Prudente scored for Adams (0-4-1 Queens A West), which rallied from a 1-0 half-time deficit. Bryant is 3-1-1.
Robert F. Wagner 3, Hillcrest 0. James Corcino, Dilbert Chaux and William Maralanda scored for Wagner (3-2 Queens B North). Hillcrest is 2-3.
Long Island City 3, Grover Cleveland 1. Carlos Moncaleano netted a hat trick for LIC while Ergyn Lame netted the lone goal for Cleveland (1-3 Queens A West).
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by email at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 143.
