As his Bayside boys soccer team went through its final practice before kicking off the season tomorrow at home against rival Cardozo, Joe Corrado’s mind was elsewhere.
He was thinking about the girls team, the program he took over nine years ago and led to new heights the last few years. The ladies were at Francis Lewis, earning a scoreless tie against talented Francis Lewis in its opener. Corrado chose the boys over the girls when the season switched to the fall.
“It’s definitely tough,” said Corrado, who led the girls to the Class A final in 2007 and at least a share of four straight division titles in Queens. “I’ve been doing it for nine years.”
Not that he is second-guessing his decision. Corrado chose boys for his love of the sport. It’s a different pace, he said, than girls, and more physical.
“There’s nothing like it,” he said.
Corrado likes his club, which he described as young but talented. The Commodores, who went 5-5-2 last year and lost in the second round of the city playoffs to Columbus, will be leaning on center midfielder and captain Martin Reeves, striker Andy Levy (four goals), and returning fullbacks Jorge Gomez, Christian Acosta and Jaison Moreno. Impressive freshman Danny Babar will be the fourth in that group, protecting keeper Constantine Pougiouklidis. He received a few starts last year as a freshman.
“They are a hard-working group of kids, which is what I pretty much have every year,” Corrado said. “They are picking up the system. I would say we’re a typical Bayside team. We move the ball well.”
Sam Englander has yet to coach her first game in Queens A East, but the new Forest Hills soccer coach has a message for the rest of the division:
“I don’t believe it’s going to be Francis Lewis, Cardozo and Bayside,” she said. “Forest Hills is going to throw a wrench in somebody’s plans.”
Englander, who came over from Lincoln, replacing longtime coach Bob Sprance (he stayed with the girls program with the move to the fall), is pleased with her deep and versatile roster.
Up front, Forest Hills, who has missed the playoffs each of the last three years, will rely upon skilled senior forwards Juan Suarez and Dariusz Kruczynski. Senior midfielder Jaider Morales, a co-captain, makes the Rangers attack go and senior keeper Manu Shukurzoda will be in net.
“I have a lot of kids that are going to be interchangeable,” Englander said. “I can sub out anybody on my team and not lose anything.”
Steven Nyarady didn’t have much time to institute his own system – he was hired to run the Flushing soccer program this summer, taking over for Mark Skorupski, who is now coaching the girls at Long Island City. Nyarady, a special education teacher and former standout at Flagler College in Florida, is learning on the fly at his first high school job.
“We’re still trying to get organized,” he said. “I have to figure out who is gonna play where. There is a lot of talent on the team.”
Nyarady said he will rely on returning players Jose Vega, a center fullback, and attacking midfielder Damian Aspiros in the early going. He isn’t sure who will be his goalkeeper, although Fredy Saeteros will begin the season there.
Nyarady was unaware of the prestigious history of Flushing soccer under the guidance of Terry McLaughlin, who retired following the 2005 season. The Red Devils won the PSAL Class B championship in 1993 and 1999, made the Class A final in 2004 and semifinals in 2003, 2005 and 2007. He hopes to bring that tradition back.
“I’m really excited, it’s a school that has so much talent and it’s just about getting the kids out there and informed about what we have,” he said.
Cardozo may not rule Queens like the Judges once did, but they are still a focal point of the general landscape when discussing the best in the borough.
Coach Rich Parascos always fields a talented group that can beat any opponent at any time. His club, after all, tied Queens A East champion and semifinalist Francis Lewis last year, and finished in second in division at 7-4-1 before being upset by Tilden in the opening round of the playoffs.
‘Dozo graduated marksmen Luis Molina and Yakov Suleymanov, but return talented goal-scorer Ioannis Sapountznis, and junior midfielders Daniel Leon (seven assists) and Juan Perez. Junior John Tzanidakis will replace his brother, Nicholas, in net.
John Bowne has lived in the Queens A East basement the last four seasons. Could the Wildcats be moving close to the penthouse? It will be tough in this division, but the pieces are in place, namely senior Andre Molina and junior David Simillien, who combined to score nine goals a season ago.
