By Joseph Staszewski
Bayside continually put pressure on the Susan Wagner defense. Putting dangerous shots on goal was a different story.
The Commodores (11-1-3) sent passes into the box and to the far post that didn’t find offensive players’ feet and many of its shots were right at Wagner goalie Oscar Torres. Bayside couldn’t answer an early Falcons goal and fell 1-0 in the PSAL Class A boys’ soccer semifinals Tuesday on Randall’s Island. It was the Commodores’ first appearance in the final four in three years.
“We pressured the whole game,” senior Michael Jimenez said. “We just couldn’t finish.”
It was Jimenez that provided Bayside’s best chance to score. He headed a throw-in by Emmanuel Karavangelas just over the top of the cross bar in the 59th minute. It was so close many of the Bayside fans began to celebrate a goal as the ball rolled over the bar.
“I just couldn’t bring it down,” Jimenez said. “It was our best chance, but sometimes soccer isn’t fair.”
Bayside felt Wagner (17-0-0) caught them off guard in the early minutes and didn’t wait their chance in the 4th minute. Yonation Abramove sent a pass deep down field. Miguel Galindo outran the Bayside defense to the ball and chipped to a charging Commodores keeper Julian Rodriguez to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead.
“The first couple minutes of the game teams are feeling each other out, trying to find your (defensive) marks,” Commodores coach Joe Corrado said. “The ball just got poked in the wrong direction, their direction, and they took advantage of it.
The loss puts an end to a tremendous season for Bayside. The Commodores won an unbeaten Queens A East title and won two 1-0 playoff games to reach the semifinals.
Corrado knew he had a talented team when the year started, but one that had some holes. Players stepped up as the year went on and Bayside turned into a team that could compete for a city title.
“We have been working hard everyday, every practice, trying our best every single time,” Jimenez said. “We made it this far. It paid off.”
Robert F. Kennedy 1, Eleanor Roosevelt 0: Joel Bravo scored the lone goal in the second half for No. 16 RFK in the PSAL Class B semifinals. Alejandro Menbreno Lobo made six saves. RFK faces No. 2 Grover Cleveland in the final 12 p.m. Sunday on Randall’s Island.
CHSAA
McClancy 4, Salesian 0: Paul Morales scored three goals for McClancy in the CHSAA Class A semifinals. Justin Cintron added a goal. The three-time defending champion Crusaders face St. Joseph by the Sea 3 p.m. Sunday at SUNY Maritime in the final.
