Eric Armijos nets three goals in East Hampton win over Comsewogue
East Hampton forward Eric Armijos looks to move the ball against Comsewogue in a Suffolk League IV soccer game Thursday at Comsewogue. Credit: George A Faella
The battle of unbeaten Suffolk IV boys soccer teams on Thursday met and exceeded expectations.
East Hampton senior striker Eric Armijos got out on a break off a smartly-placed pass from junior defender David Armijos (no relation) and threaded a sweet eight-yard shot between the last Comsewogue defender and the keeper and into the bottom right corner of the goal with 3:11 to play. It was his third goal of the contest and snapped a tie score, sending the Bonackers to a 3-2 victory at the Warriors’ Tom Cassese Athletic Field.
“When I got the ball, I saw space,” Eric Armijos said. “I felt I was quick enough to beat the center back and, when the goalie came out after me, I saw an opening to shoot it.”
“I saw there was no one next to him,” David Armijos said. “You have to get him the ball in those situations.”
The win by East Hampton (8-1, 6-0) combined with Shoreham-Wading River’s 5-0 win over previously unbeaten Sayville makes the Bonackers the team to beat in Suffolk IV, at least for the moment. They play at Sayville Sunday at 1 p.m.
After East Hampton dominated most of the first half and took a 2-0 halftime lead, Comsewogue (6-4, 5-1) and senior midfielder Ryan Harding pulled even by asserting control of the midfield and making the most of their chances. Harding cut the margin in half with 24:23 to play by heading in senior defender Pat Griffin’s corner kick. After being taken down in the box, Harding scored on a penalty kick with 17:02 left to knot the score.
“He’s the cog that makes our machine go,” Warriors coach Justin Seifert said.
“Each team did some great things,” East Hampton coach Don McGovern said. “Our passing and [unselfishness] was outstanding. They are strong and tall and played better on balls in the air.”
Eric Armijos won a race to the ball against Comsewogue junior keeper Joao Ferreira and flipped it over his head for a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute. He got a downfield pass from junior midfielder Gary Gutama and used his considerable ball skills to score again with 5:24 left in the first half.
Eric Armijos and Harding each have 10 goals on the season.
“Today you could see that Eric is the complete package,” senior striker Michael Figueroa said. “He’s fast, he can beat anyone on the dribble with his moves and his shot is unstoppable.”
Nicholas Guerrero had five saves in goal for East Hampton. Ferreira had 10 saves – some on athletic dives – for Comsewogue.
“This win is a beginning,” Eric Armijos said. “We see we’re capable of going really far, but there is so much work to do.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
