Bears Maul Knights on Homecoming

In front of a boisterous Homecoming crowd, who remained spirited despite the rainy weather, the boys’ soccer team improved to 6-1 on the season with a 7-0 win over Smithtown Christian on Friday night.

New York State’s 3rd-ranked Class C team continued its trend of getting on the board early, when Alvaro Martinez Torres scored an unassisted goal following a beautiful give-and-go with Haban Weon. The strike came less than five minutes into the match, making it the seventh time in as many games that Martinez Torres has scored the first goal within nine minutes of kickoff.

As a heavy mist swirled around the Buyers’ Park lights, the Bears continued to pour it on as well, bagging three more goals before the halftime horn. Martinez Torres tallied his second score two minutes later, rifling a shot right over the head of the keeper after receiving a great pass from David Choi in the backfield. The Bears’ third goal was an adventure. After Martinez Torres sent a gorgeous, looping cross into the box, a Smithtown Christian defender misplayed his clear, sending the ball toward his own net. The keeper made a sensational stop, but deflected the ball straight up in the air. The ball bounced once on top of the crossbar before falling back toward the field of play where Jai Narain was only too happy to head it home for a 3-0 lead. Martinez Torres capped the first half scoring with a well-placed shot into the right side netting thanks to a beautiful pass from Gazie Moghalu, who corralled the ball with his right quad before putting a deft touch off of his right foot.

The Bears continued the onslaught in the second half, scoring within the first 10 minutes. Martinez Torres dribbled past three defenders down the left sideline, then cut back toward the middle of the field before sending a cross up to Caleb Lindo. The senior sped past one defender before attempting a cross to Weon which was misplayed by a Knight defender, who sent the ball into his own net for a 5-0 lead. Martinez Torres then capped a career night, scoring his fourth goal by deftly dribbling past a defender and an overaggressive keeper before tucking away the sixth goal of the night. David Wadding gave a great assist on the play. The final goal may have been the score of the night as Choi scored on a beautiful header, courtesy of a Henry Bi cross.

The defensive unit of Mac Bohuny, Ben DiRuggiero, Caleb Spreckels, Bryant Kang, Aidan Mega, and Thomas Lawton ensured that Smithtown Christian did not threaten all night. David Choi and Sam Han each made deft stops in the slick conditions for the third clean sheet of the season.

With his four goals on Friday, Martinez Torres is currently the second-highest scorer in Suffolk County with 16 goals, two behind the leader. He is also just four goals away from tying Robbie Marvin’s school record of 20 goals in a season, set during the undefeated League Championship season of 1994.

The boys will hit the field again on Wednesday evening in a league match-up at Class B Center Moriches.


Bear Paw Thumbnail

Leave a comment! GO BEARS!