By Dylan Butler
It’s a game Alex Damianou has been looking forward to for a year. Ever since the Auburndale Supersonics lost to the Bayport Hurricanes in last year’s Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association’s Open Cup, the defender from Little Neck has wanted revenge.
Damianou got that revenge Sunday at Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview, L.I., scoring a goal and helping keep Bayport at bay in a 2-0 win in the U-14 state cup final.
Auburndale advances to the Region I tournament on Rhode Island June 30 to July 5 for a chance to compete in the national finals.
“The whole team developed over the year and tried to get better and we got here,” Damianou said. “We didn’t care who we faced as long as we won.”
After Bayport had an early chance, it was all Auburndale. The Supersonics dominated possession and defended superbly, much better than they had in a 4-2 loss in last year’s state cup final.
“They played an excellent game, they did everything we game-planned for and they came through, big time,” said Auburndale coach Mike Koutsounadis. “They’ve been working hard all year for this.”
Damianou scored the only goal Auburndale would need in the 34th minute when he followed his own saved shot and slotted the rebound into the net from 12 yards out.
“My first shot was saved by the keeper, but I got the rebound and luckily it went in,” Damianou said.
After missing several quality chances throughout the match, including open headers in the 25th minute, a low, hard shot in the 29th minute that was saved by the Bayport keeper and a header that sailed over the crossbar in the 49th minute, Kevin Ledesma put the game away in the 69th minute when he knocked in a loose ball in front of goal.
In his look and his mannerisms on the field, Ledesma bares a striking resemblance to his father, Carlos Ledesma, a former Rough Riders star who is an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Knights Premier Development League team.
But the younger Ledesma would rather pave his own path.
“I want my own style,” the Fresh Meadows native said. “It was a relief (to finally score).”
Reach Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
