Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK boys soccer wins program's first Nassau title since 1985
Weber Nakagawa Duarte #8 of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK celebrates with teammates after the Hawks' 1-0 win in overtime over Oceanside in the Nassau County boys soccer Class AA final at Mitchel Athletic Complex on Wednesday, Nov 2, 2022. Credit: James Escher
Christine Ho held a meeting with her Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK boys soccer team at the school before coming to Mitchel Athletic Complex for Wednesday night’s Nassau Class AA championship game.
She had a personal message to pass to the players.
“It took me 23 years to get to this game,” Ho told them. “So make it count.”
The Hawks made it count.
They had to work overtime, actually double overtime for it. But with 9:46 left in the second extra session, two sophomores delivered.
Weber Nakagawa Duarte headed the ball in off a feed from Ryan Misiti to give second-seeded Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK a 1-0 win over No. 1 Oceanside.
“Just wow,” Ho said. “It’s been an unbelievable year. Right from the start, I said that this is a special group, and we’ve kind of been preaching that to them, that they’re special. Just wow.”
This didn’t just give Ho a first title in a first appearance in a final. It gave the program its first title in 37 years. Last county championship — 1985.
“It’s crazy,” Misiti said. “It feels really good.”
Next up: Pursuit of the program’s first Long Island title since 1985. The Hawks will meet the winner of Thursday’s Suffolk final between Smithtown West and Connetquot Sunday on this same Mitchel turf.
“I think we have what it takes,” Ho said.
Ben Selmer made five saves to post the shutout. The Hawks (14-3-1) had their chances, but put only three on target, at goalkeeper Jacob Raphan, before the winner.
“The other team’s defense is pretty good,” Nakagawa Duarte said. “But we’ve been working hard the whole season, and we knew that was going to happen. I thank our coach; I thank God and my mom.”
Misiti crossed the ball from the left side to Nakagawa Duarte in the box, and he used his head to end it.
“I didn’t even feel it, man,” Nakagawa Duarte said. “I just saw the goal coming in and just ran up to my partners. This is our championship. . . . We’ve just got to celebrate now.”
There was joy on one side and sadness on the other. This was a chance for Oceanside (13-2-3) to win its first county title since 2000. But the Sailors hit a post in the second half and missed on a few other good chances.
“It’s heartbreaking for the seniors,” coach Patrick Turk said. “It’s heartbreaking for all of us to lose this way.”
