On Saturday afternoon, on a schizophrenic afternoon that packed in weather from all four seasons, the boys’ soccer team improved to 4-0 on the season with an 8-0 victory over Long Island Lutheran. It is the Bears’ fourth straight victory over the Crusaders, dating back to the 2018 PSAA Championship.

The Bears’ potent offense, which has outscored opponents 34-3 over its first four games, set the tone early when Daniel Kim sent a lovely through-ball to Malik Ulysse who crossed to Luqman Bare at the 36:51 mark. Mo Romeus followed five minutes later by placing a free kick in the left side netting from just outside the box for a 2-0 lead. At 26:44, the lead grew when Romeus played a ball wide to Jovan Haynes whose cross led to a Dennis Yilmaz strike. Less than four minutes later, Yilmaz sent a ball from the right wing into Bare who buried it in the top shelf for a 4-0 edge at 22:56. Though the waves of Bear attacks continued unabated, that completed the first half scoring.

Tiger Winston began the second half scoring with a lefty goal at the 22:39 mark. Romeus scored off of his own rebound with 12:15 left, Bare completed his hat trick with a blast at 7:32, and Romeus rung up his own trifecta with a final notch at 5:09 to complete the barrage. Though largely untested due to the Bears’ dominant play in the middle of the field, Lemuel Kutame and Jackson Petroske combined for a shutout in goal.

While the scoring appears outlandish, it was less a product of a LuHi team weakened by several key graduations, than it was about the Bears’ level of execution and their ability to continuously create meaningful opportunities.

The Bears are back in action on Monday in a home Senior Day match-up vs. Staten Island Academy that will be a major factor in determining the regular season champion.

_____________________________________________________________