Jamaica had to win its final three regular-season matches just to qualify for the postseason. Riverdale/Kingsbridge would’ve liked to see the Beavers fall short.
No. 27 Jamaica, the defending PSAL Class B city champions, shocked the sixth-seeded Bronx B winners, 2-0, at Adlai Stevenson Sunday afternoon in an opening-round Class B playoff game.
Andre Beckford and Cesar Aguilar each scored for the Beavers (7-6-2), Aguilar added an assist and keeper Trevor Paddy made 15 saves for the clean sheet for the Queens school, who will face No. 22 George Westinghouse, 2-0 winners over 11th-seeded George Washington, in the second round Tuesday.
Jamaica coach Dave Soverall took exception to calling the victory an upset. He received five new players late in the season, contributors that needed to put in the mandatory eight practices to be eligible. The additions gave him a balanced team, led by sweeper Ibrahima Camara, Beckford at midfield and Aguilar up front.
“I see it as I have a good ball team and we won a game,” Soverall said. “Of course I’m excited and happy. I’ll be more excited and happy when we win the next game.”
Soverall, in fact, was so giddy over the win he took it a step further.
“I’m going to win the championship,” he boldly predicted. “That’s me. I’m a coach, I train a team to play. I went to win a game and I did win a game. I don’t even know who I’m playing next. To me, it doesn’t matter.”
