Port Jefferson proving to be a far different soccer team this year
Tomas Qepuri scores Port Jefferson's fourth goal of the game host Southold on Monday. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
If senior Tomas Qepuri and Port Jefferson boys soccer want you to know one thing, it’s that this year’s team is different from ones of years past.
It showed Monday afternoon in the team’s 4-1 road win over Southold, battling back after Southold’s CJ Bailey headed in a corner kick from Alan Huertas just over six minutes into the game to give the Settlers an early lead.
“Since we’re such a young team, we still make a lot of mistakes,” Qepuri said. “But one thing about this group, we don’t like to give up.”
Sure enough, Port Jefferson (8-5-1) bounced back and equalized in the 14th minute after senior Kevin Johnston utilized his long throw-in to find the head of fellow senior Sviat Zalizniak, who lofted a header and scored from just inside the 18-yard box.
“It’s great, especially with this team having taken a lot of losses in recent years,” Johnston said. “To get a bunch of wins and a winning record with this team, it’s just such a special feeling.”
Qepuri scored the go-ahead goal just over 10 minutes later after Johnston whipped a cross into the 18-yard box for junior Leonardo Panasci to perfectly lay down a header at the feet of Qepuri to rip a shot into the bottom-left corner.
Senior Chase Davis provided a spark off the bench, particularly in the second half. He was eventually rewarded after sophomore Ezechiel Maginier placed a great cross across the box for Zalizniak to flick onto the back post where Davis laid in wait, giving Port Jefferson a two-goal advantage.
“I have no doubt that every single player on our team, no matter how much playing time they have, is going to give 120%,” Zalizniak said.
Qepuri added his second goal shortly later, lofting a shot from around 25 yards out to catch Southold goalie Elmer Velasquez off his line and give Port Jefferson a comfortable lead.
Monday’s result was a far cry from Port Jefferson’s narrow 1-0 win over Southold (10-4-1) on Sept. 4, let alone the four-win Royals team that lost 2-0 and 5-0 to Southold in 2024.
“I don’t even want to consider what we were doing as soccer; we were just kicking the ball and hoping for the best,” Qepuri said. “But as the season went on, we practiced our formation, we started passing the ball and communicating more. Our chemistry just went up from there.”
A rematch with Southold on Nov. 1 awaits for the Suffolk Class C title, as well as a spot in the state regional round four days later.
“We’ve always been known as the losers of soccer,” Qepuri said. “All my life, I just wanted to make something of this team. And now, with Kevin and Sviat, we’re actually winning games and making this program be known.
"It’s a great feeling — it’s what I’ve always wanted — and I can’t wait for the playoffs.”
Michael Sicoli covers high school sports for Newsday. He graduated from Quinnipiac in 2022 and left with a master’s degree in sports journalism in 2023.
