Brady, Weber key Kings Park's win in second OT
If you ask Sean Brady to list the memorable moments in his soccer career with Kings Park, the conversation would be brief. Brady, a four-year varsity player, has endured a lot of losing.
It has been a stark change this season and Brady's been a key part of it. The senior helped set up the winning goal by Scott Weber Wednesday in Kings Park's 2-1 double-overtime win over visiting Miller Place on Senior Day in Suffolk League V boys soccer. With the victory, Kings Park (11-4, 9-2), which already clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2002, is in good position to get a home postseason game.
"It's a huge win," Brady said. "It's the best win of my career by far. I have never made the playoffs and now we might get a home playoff game. I didn't think we would be this good. I don't know what it is about this team. We really bonded and meshed."
Said Kings Park coach Tom Nally Jr.: "Brady is our go-to guy. He made the play happen."
Brady took a shot on goal and Miller Place goalkeeper Kevin LaBarbera made the save, and Weber scored off the rebound 19 seconds into the second overtime.
"It was very tough to have a positive morale the last two years," Weber said. "When you're losing and keep getting smacked down it's hard to pick your head up and keep going. It all came together this year."
Andrew Moorman scored off an assist from Matt Peixoto with 7:06 left in the first half to give Kings Park a 1-0 lead. Things looked bleak for Miller Place (8-5, 8-3) when one of its players was given a red card for talking back to an official with 14:39 left in regulation.
Miller Place played short one player, but managed to tie the score when Matt Ebel scored off a header on a pass from Steve Jackolski with 3:54 remaining.
"I truly believe we moved the ball better and had more opportunities," Miller Place coach Chris Herrschaft said. "We possessed the ball better. We battled down a man. They deserved a better outcome."
Nally was the junior varsity coach when many of the seniors on the current team went 1-13-2 in their freshman season. Nally took over two years ago and the Kingsmen went 4-10-2 in 2008 and 6-8-2 last season.
"It's been a long road," Brady said. "This time of year the past few seasons has been rough. We're usually not playing for anything. We were playing spoiler and now we were fighting for a home playoff game. Coming from where we came from means so much more."
