Boys soccer: Scarsdale dominates Smithtown West for return to Class AA state final
MIDDLETOWN - Being on a team this excellent, and accomplishing as much, allows room for some comical candor.
Because Lev Stahl had no qualms about describing his improbable goal.
"Yeah," the midfielder said with a laugh, "I did not expect that to go in. It surprised even me. I knew time was running out, so I just wanted to get some kind of shot off. That was pure luck."
Stahl scored as time expired in the first half, a double team forcing him to shoot from the right wing at an awkward angle. The ball was squibbed toward the far corner, but it somehow rolled just beyond the goalkeeper's reach.
"That was the first buzzer-beater I've ever seen in soccer," soccer teammate Henry McAllister quipped. "He shot it with his weak foot, too. I didn't think there was any chance that was going in."
But that lucky, laughable moment provided what proved to be the deciding goal as Scarsdale now is a win away from completing another undefeated season. The Raiders beat Long Island's Smithtown West, 4-1, Saturday in a Class AA state semifinal at Middletown High School.
Scarsdale (20-0-1) will face Guilderland or Clarence in a state final at 9 a.m. Sunday.
Lorenzo Galeano, Yusuke Sato and McAllister each also scored, and Lucas Kantor made four saves.
Meeting expectations: Scarsdale beats Cornwall for return to state final four
Take nothing for granted: Scarsdale returns to form in subregional win over Ithaca
"It's exhilarating," Stahl said. "We've done what we did last season to this point, carrying the same mentality, and it definitely helps that we've been here before and know what to expect."
The Raiders were awarded a penalty kick in the second minute and Galeano put them on the board. Stahl sent them to intermission with a 2-0 lead, though it was Smithtown West that applied pressure for most of the first half.
"I think early on we were a little rash in our decision-making," said McAllister, a center midfielder. "We were more composed and comfortable in the second half."
The Section 11 champs drew two corner kicks, a throw-in and a free kick during a four-minute barrage late in the first half, but the Scarsdale's back line of Alex Duval, Zachary Ruback, Jose Alava Marino and Zach Grossberg withstood that charge. Kantor made a spectacular diving save to deflect a point-blank shot with 6:57 left.
"We started playing our game and stuck to our principles better," coach Marcos Monteagudo said of the second-half surge.
John Savino scored a fast-break goal with 33:19 remaining for the Bulls (14-1-2), but Scarsdale dominated possession for most of the final 40 minutes.
Miles Newman was among the midfielders who helped control the pace and create scoring opportunities. Most of those didn't materialize, but the Raiders succeeded in playing keep-away and protecting the lead.
That is, until putting a bow on it with two late goals. Sato scored on a through ball with 9:37 left, blasting a shot from the right flank. McAllister created the margin two minutes later, igniting a brief celebration.
"A lot of these guys have played together since they were 8 and 9 years old, and they've been working toward things like this most of their lives," Monteagudo said. "It's definitely rewarding to see them accomplishing the things they have."
Scarsdale went undefeated last season to capture its first state championship and, with a considerable chunk of its core returning, was a favorite to repeat this fall. With that, of course, comes the pressure of expectations and meeting a bar that was set so high.
"We embrace it and we have full confidence," said McAllister, a senior. "Whoever we face in a final is going to be a great team, but we think that if we play well, we can beat anyone."
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Boys soccer: McAllister, Stahl help Scarsdale return to state final
