Perettine OT goal gives Farmingdale title

Mike Perettine admitted that even as he tried to imagine what a victory in the Long Island championship game would feel like, he didn't dare to dream that it would happen like this.

"I try to be humble. I've never had a game-winning goal before in my whole life," the Farmingdale senior midfielder said.

He has one now, and he'll have a lifetime of pleasant daydreams because of it. Perettine fired an overhand shot low and hard to the left corner of the net 2:26 into overtime as the Dalers stunned two-time defending champion West Islip, 10-9, Saturday night at Stony Brook University's LaValle Stadium in the Long Island Class A championship game.

The victory puts Farmingdale (15-4) into the state semifinal game against Shenendehowa on Wednesday at White Plains High School and ended West Islip's 40-game winning streak.

"To do it in the Long Island championship game against a team with the great tradition of West Islip . . . You're speechless. You can't put it into words."

But he was able to put it in the net against West Islip's Kyle Turri, just moments after the Lions' Mike Sagl (three goals) hit the pipe and Farmingdale goalie Mike Palmer followed with a save. Pat Starke cleared the ball across midfield and got it to Sal Tuttle (three goals, one assist) behind the net. Tuttle found Perettine open.

"I had the big side of the field and I had time," Perettine said. "But it all started with our defensive intensity."

SEE PHOTOSClass A final: Farmingdale 9, West Islip 8 (OT)

Farmingdale's defense did a solid job, helping the Dalers to a 40-28 advantage in shots. Farmingdale was also feistier, winning the ground ball battle 43-28. Defenseman Joe Ostrander was particularly outstanding, with five ground balls and three forced turnovers.

The Dalers took a 5-2 lead in the second quarter, but the Lions rallied on goals by Federico, Sagl and Conor Braddish to tie it just before halftime. Neither team led by more than a goal after that.

Federico scored twice in nine seconds to give the Lions a 9-8 lead with 3:33 left, and it appeared their magical run of four state titles in five years and the long winning streak would continue.

Then the Dalers forced a turnover and regained possession with 1:21 left and called timeout. Ten seconds later, Tuttle scored an unassisted goal to tie it.

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"A set play. I faked a flip to the side and cut to the middle," Tuttle said. "I shot it to the bottom left. I'm a senior. I had to lead my team. We remembered last year when they beat us 13-1 [in the LIC]. This was all about redemption."

But with West Islip having won all four of its overtime games this season, including a dramatic 12-11 thriller over Smithtown West in the county championship game on Wednesday night, the extra period seemed to be the Lions' domain.

They won the opening faceoff and called timeout to run their own set play. For a fleeting instant, it appeared to work. But Sagl's potential winner hit a pipe, setting in motion a dream sequence for Perettine.

"In the huddle we were talking about this being our year," Perettine said. "I'm feeling 100 percent happiness. Like I'm on top of the world. I'll remember this always."