Bonac Boys Soccer Team Knocked From Postseason

The narrative going into this year’s Suffolk County Class A boys soccer playoffs was that it was any team’s tournament to win, especially after parity ruled the day during the regular season.

But the Wyandanch Warriors had a different story to tell.

Seventh-seeded Wyandanch dominated No. 10 East Hampton on Monday with a 5-0 victory on the Warriors’ patchy and uneven home field, which was a factor in the equally uneven result, according to East Hampton head coach Don McGovern, whose team was unable to find a groove for most of the afternoon.

Wyandanch striker Jonathon Salguero scored two goals, and assisted on another, as the Warriors (11-2-1) advanced to the Class A quarterfinals to face No. 2 Amityville on Thursday, October 28, at 2 p.m.

East Hampton, which had to win its final two regular-season games just to qualify for the postseason, finished the year with an overall record of 9-6-1 as the careers of 16 East Hampton seniors came to an end.

“They were a great group of guys,” McGovern said about the senior class, which included standouts like John Quizhpe, Manuel Ruiz, Robert Rea and goaltender Dutan Neyser. “I wish there was a better result and a better effort for their last game. They’re disappointed.”

The Bonackers were energized entering the playoffs after victories over Harborfields and Islip stamped their ticket, and a long bus ride, to Wyandanch on Monday. That momentum was short-lived, however, as the Warriors struck early on a goal by Nicolas Corea. They pushed the lead to 2-0 after a brilliant pass from Salguero found the foot of freshman Jeff Ventura directly in front of the net.

The Bonackers had their two best chances of the game late in the first half, with both Quizhpe and junior forward Eric Armijos firing shots that sailed high above the crossbar, with each player having to field an awkward bounce off the bumpy grass field.

“They were a good team and they outworked us, but I think if we score on one of those two opportunities, it’s a different game,” McGovern said later. “The field didn’t lend itself to that, the ball was bouncing around. Eric and John had good chances and it would have been a 2-1 game going into halftime.”

East Hampton midfielder Randy Pizarro, another senior, had a quick chance early in the second half, but his shot sailed high as well. Moments later, Salguero, the Warriors shifty number 10, scored the first of two goals to all but put the game away.

“Through the midfield they outworked us,” McGovern said bluntly. “They were very good and very efficient with getting the ball upfield.

“The home field definitely helps, and it impacted us, but you can’t put the result on that,” McGovern was quick to add about the effect the field had on his team’s pace of play. “We just did not show up to play today. We were still in the game early, but we didn’t overcome the adversity.”

Other East Hampton seniors expected to graduate next spring alongside Neyser, Pizarro, Ruiz, Quizhpe and Rea are Eric Barahona, Justin Bravo, Daniel Londono, Bryan Solano, Boris Guanga, Brandon Vicuna, Jason Chunchi, Eddie Quiridunbay, Anthony Guevara, Joshua Villaplana and Dylan Woolcott.