Familiar spot for Francis Lewis

When Roger Sarmuksnis took over the boys soccer program at Francis Lewis four years ago, the potential and talent was there. It just needed to be properly molded.
It has not taken long for the former Molloy jayvee coach. The Patriots have the won Queens A-East title three consecutive seasons. After completing their first-ever undefeated league season (11-0-1), they have not lost a regular season league game since October 20, 2006, when Cardozo beat them.
Now, when discussing elite public school soccer in Queens - actually, high school soccer in the borough altogether - it is impossible not to mention Francis Lewis.
“We’re actually noticed now,” senior midfielder Daniel Ospina, said. “My freshman year nobody knew Francis Lewis. Now everybody knows: ‘We better watch out for Francis Lewis.’”
For all their success, however, there is one caveat: Francis Lewis is still searching for playoff success.
The last two seasons have ended in despair, in heartbreaking quarterfinal defeats. In 2005, the Patriots had national power Martin Luther King Jr. on the ropes, down a goal at halftime. The Knights bounced back with two second-half tallies, sending the Patriots home in tears.
Last fall was even more painful. One of the city’s four No. 1 seeds, Francis Lewis was bedeviled by Lehman’s 6-foot-5 goalie Sheldon Parkinson, who made eight sparkling saves in a 1-0 victory. “You knew that it was right there on the edge,” Sarmuksnis said.
“We want to win the whole thing - that’s our goal,” sophomore striker Sebastian Guenzatti, who leads Francis Lewis in scoring with nine goals.
Last season was supposed to be the Fresh Meadows school’s greatest chance at winning a championship. That team graduated their goalkeeper, Haris Papson, and top-flight striker, John Koutsounadis.
The level of competition in Queens A-East is slightly down, yet the Patriots have still managed to rise above expectations. Guenzatti has helped fill the enormous void left by Koutsounadis, although he has been aided by the play of fellow sophomore Frank Lopez (six goals). Junior Luis Diaz, meanwhile, in his first year in net, has adequately replaced Papson.
From top to bottom, the team is stocked with talent. Mauricio Mora, the sweeper, Sarmuksnis said, could play center midfield. In a recent non-league win over James Madison, two third-stringers, Walter Lopez and Matthew Bruno, scored two goals apiece. Therein, Sarmuksnis said, lies a problem. It’s often a toss-up between who starts, plays, or never even steps on the field in a given match.
They are adept at playing beautiful, unselfish soccer, but also prone to selfish, ego-driven soccer. Unfortunately, the Patriots wait until falling behind until playing with one another.
“Physically, we can go head-to-head with just about any team in New York City right now,” Sarmuksnis said. “Whether or not we stick to our game plan and the other team that we play sticks to their game plan, that’s where I get worried.”
Last week, Sarmuksnis held a strictly skills workout to find out “who is No. 1 and No. 32.” It was also done, he said, to remind the team of the ultimate goal - to win a championship - and remind his players that goal will only be accomplished by playing as one unit.
“He’s important,” Ospina said of Sarmuksnis. “If you had a laid-back coach and he didn’t care, we wouldn’t be doing this.”
Sarmuksnis knows this current trend of dominant soccer may not last, despite all his skilled players. Soon, all that talent could wind up at Bayside or Cardozo. For now, it resides at Francis Lewis. He would like to take advantage of the opportunity.
“Every year as coach, I go into it with the idea that all we want is a chance,” Sarmuksnis said. “And thank God, we’ve been given another chance.”
“This is pretty much our year,” added Ospina. “We have to make it [to the championship game] this year.”