Depth, camaraderie Brentwood's winning formula

Irvin Flores was checking his text messages continuously as they came in fast and furiously. Flores, a senior for the Brentwood boys soccer team - and probably the Indians' top defensive player - was sitting in his room reading updates of his team's game against Massapequa for the Long Island Class AA championship.

Because Flores received a red card in the Indians' Suffolk Class AA county championship win over Commack, he was forced to sit out the championship game and couldn't attend. The first text he received from friends at the game announced a Massapequa goal.

"I felt like crap when I saw it," Flores said. "I felt so bad."

That feeling changed quickly as Brentwood scored the next three goals and won, 5-3. In its celebration after the game, the team held up Flores' No. 5 jersey. That epitomizes what Brentwood was about. The Indians had great chemistry and rose to every challenge.

When there were injuries, someone stepped up. Brentwood won the state Class AA championship for the third time and second time in three seasons. Brentwood (20-1-2), which has appeared in five state championship finals in six seasons, finished the season ranked sixth in the country by ESPN RISE and seventh in the NSCAA rankings.

"This was a very unselfish team," Flores said. "We passed the ball without second thoughts. No one cared who scored. Everyone likes each other. Everyone was always happy and joking."

There was a buzz of sorts in the preseason that Brentwood's dominance was at an end because the Indians' lineup had been decimated by graduation. Those doubts permeated after a loss to Commack in the opening league game. But the Indians had returned a lot of players, although many hadn't played much.

"I told people this was a very good team," said Brentwood coach Ron Eden, who raved about his team in July. "Nobody listened."

Said senior Frank Guzman: "Everyone doubted us after we lost to Commack. That was a turning point. It was another challenge for us."

Brentwood wouldn't lose another game. In seven playoff games, the Indians had six shutouts, including both state tournament games against Scarsdale and Baldwinsville.

"The defense never gets credit," Flores said. "Defense is the most important part in any sport."

What made Brentwood so difficult to stop was its depth. Johnathan Interiano scored in both games upstate. Julio Olivares had two assists and Guzman scored a goal in Middletown. Herson Guzman wasn't tested much in goal, but made 11 saves against Scarsdale in the state semifinal when he was needed the most.

Giancarlo Luna had three goals and two assists in the playoffs. Unsung players like Marvin Chinchilla, Ronald Garcia, Andres Franco, and Andres Padilla were big contributors.

"We had a lot of experience in big games," Eden said. "League I is a nightmare of a league. Those teams make you better. You find out your weaknesses. I was hard on these kids, but they responded. Every single kid would shake my hand before and after practice. They know I'm there for them. I didn't let them get away with anything. It became a good relationship. I'm so proud of them."