By Zach Braziller
The PSAL Class A second-round victory over sixth-seeded Bronx Science last Thursday was sweet for No. 11 Bayside for a variety of reasons. From the poise the Commodores showed throughout to dealing with what they felt was uneven officiating — they were issued eight yellow cards — to navigating the rainy conditions, it was a satisfying 3-1 victory for the lowest seed remaining in the citywide playoffs.
Yet those feats were nothing compared to the Commodores’ true motivation: beloved former teammate Samuel Owoeye.
Owoeye died July 5 shortly after soccer practice with his club team, the Little Neck Hurricanes. Owoeye, a Nigerian immigrant who came to Queens with his parents a few years ago, and members of the Hurricanes had been taking part in an unofficial practice.
He would’ve turned 18 last Thursday.
“Right before the [opening] whistle was blown, all of us said, ‘This is for Sammy, this is his game,’” goalkeeper Constantine Pougiouklidis said. “He would’ve been happy to be here. He would be right next to us, playing with all his heart.”
The Commodores honored Owoeye by wearing his No. 18 on their shirt sleeves. They have thought about him often this year, none more so than last Thursday. On the bus trip through the Bronx, they talked about winning the game for him, how happy he would be just to be part of such a match.
“He’s not forgotten — that’s for sure,” Bayside Coach Joe Corrado said.
Corrado had high hopes for Owoeye, a speedy striker with a solid understanding of the game. A good student, he made the team as a sophomore but played in just three games. He nevertheless arrived early for practices and left late. Over the course of last season, which concluded with a quarterfinal loss to Beacon, Owoeye had improved and Corrado said he was set to be slotted in as one of the team’s starting forwards.
Soccer, indeed, was his passion. The final few weeks of classes last spring, he would spend his free period in Corrado’s office, following the World Cup intently.
“He was always trying to make himself better, trying to make the team better,” Corrado said. “As a coach — and all his teammates will say the same thing — he was a great player to have on the team.”
Still, Corrado liked Owoeye the person more than Owoeye the player. He would brighten up others’ day just with his ear-to-ear smile. He was quiet and unassuming yet Bayside players said he was well-known and liked at the large public school.
Shortly after his death, graduated senior and team captain Hernan Benavides spoke highly of Owoeye, who he never saw mad, always happy and “he treated the team like a family,” Benavides recalled. “You saw him in the hallways, he would always come up to you with a smile.”
The Commodores felt that smile pushing them last Thursday afternoon, pushing them through the rain, through the poor officiating, against the favored opponent. Owoeye wasn’t physically with them on the pitch, but Bayside felt his presence.
“He drove us to play a little harder and better,” Pougiouklidis said. “He was there with us, watching over us as we played.”
