The New Hyde Park Wildcats BU7 team faced a tough Plainedge Storm team in the opening game of the Plainedge Father’s Day Tournament.
After holding the opposition to only one goal in the first half; the Wildcats fell to the Storm by the score of 7-0. The NHP team played together for only less than a week and needed some time to gel.
Dale DelloIacono and Matthew Ribaric shared the goaltending duties, as the Storm applied constant pressure throughout the match. Both Dale and Matthew made great saves and tried to keep the Wildcats in the game as much as they could. In addition, Dale and Matthew also played solid defense while playing the field.
Neel Khurana anchored the defense as he made great defensive stops. At forward, Zain Begawala and Robert Profeta kept the Plainedge defense on their toes as the both made nice runs and pressured with strong shots on goal. Zain and Robert made their presence known throughout.
In midfield, Sherwin Fernandes, Austin Lee, and Devon Shah provided the Wildcats with solid play on both sides of the field. Sherwin showed tenacity with continued pressure. Austin flashed some nice ball handling skills and Devon displayed his big shot. Ewan Zehnter, Ben Yousfan, and Thomas Honovic also had solid games as Ewan made some great runs, Ben showed fancy footwork and Thomas displayed good positioning throughout the match.
Although the score tells a different story, New Hyde Park showed heart and were learning from this experience for their next game.
Looking to put their first game behind them, the NHP Wildcats fought hard against a solid HBC United team out of Huntington. A tight game, the Wildcats fell to the United by the score of 3-1.
Ewan Zehnter scored the lone goal for the Wildcats. After making a nice run in the United zone, Ewan was taken down on the play and was awarded a penalty shot. Ewan took the shot and scored by placing the ball in the lower left corner of the net.
Dale DelloIacono and Ben Yousfan shared the goaltending duties for the Wildcats and made solid saves throughout the game. In addition to goal, both Dale and Ben played well on the field. Dale played solid defense while Ben helped create scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Neel Khurana again anchored the defense along with Austin Lee and Devon Shah. Neel displayed his speed throughout the match while Austin and Devon made key stops as well as great individual runs throughout.
Sherwin Fernandes controlled the middle of the field for large portions of the game by using his great speed and continued hard work. Matthew Ribaric and Thomas Honovic also played well in the middle by displaying good positional defense and making great defensive reads.
Zain Begawala and Robert Profeta continued their strong play as they pressured the United’s defense and created many scoring opportunities for the team. Zain displayed his speed while Robert had many great runs.
The NHP Wildcats showed great improvement from their first game and were really starting to gel as a team.
The team entered their final game of the tournament by being very hungry for a victory. After a hard fought battle, the Wildcats lost to the Orange by the score of 1-0. The Orange were awarded a penalty shot in the final minute of the match on a questionable hand ball. Oceanside capitalized on this golden opportunity and won the game.
Although disappointed, the NHP players battled hard and played well enough to win.
The Wildcats received super goaltending by both Dale DelloIacono and Ben Yousfan, Dale and Ben made several outstanding saves throughout the match. Their heroics allowed the Wildcats to stay in the game. Dale and Ben also played very well on the field as their defensive moves helped the team withstand the Orange’s attack.
Zain Begawala, Ewan Zehnter, and Neel Khurana anchored the defense with solid reads and clearing attempts, while Austin Lee, Matthew Ribaric and Devon Shah all played solid in the midfield. Austin used his fancy footwork and efficiently moved the ball down the field. Matthew played solid defensively as he maintained his position by consistently covering the opposition. Devon showed his hustle and continuously attacked the ball.
At forward, Sherwin Fernandes, Thomas Honovic, and Robert Profeta all played great. Sherwin attacked the ball and created many scoring opportunities for the Wildcats. Sherwin also backed up his teammates on the defensive zone whenever needed. Thomas showed determination and tenacity. Robert had his best game of the tournament by pushing the ball in the Orange zone every chance he could. Robert also showed his speed and made some great shots on net as well.
Although the Wildcats were on the losing side, they boys are all winners as they showed improvement at each game and made their coaches very proud.
New Hyde Park Wildcats GU16 Roaring Tigers looking for players
The 2015 Division 1, New Hyde Park Roaring Tigers girls under 16 team is actively looking for talented and motivated players to add to the team for the upcoming fall season.
The team is made up of a friendly, fun girls who possess great sportsmanship, enjoy the game and play hard.
Interested players should contact Coach Phil Lugo at (516) 775-8120 or nhp_roaringtigers@hotmail.com to arrange a tryout.
