Sepe's goal gives West Islip semifinal win
West Islip celebrates their victory over Half Hollow Hills East during their Class AA semifinal playoff game. (Nov. 7, 2011) Credit: Barry Sloan
There weren't many opportunities for Sean Sepe to score Monday. All Sepe and Jack McKenna needed, though, was one chance to connect.
The West Islip seniors -- who have a penchant for knowing where the other is on the field -- made the most of their opportunity.
Sepe scored off a pass from McKenna, his best friend, with 19:26 left in the game to give No. 6 West Islip a 1-0 win over host No. 2 Half Hollow Hills East in a Suffolk Class AA boys soccer semifinal.
West Islip (16-1-2) plays three-time defending champion and last season's state champion, No. 5 Brentwood, in the finals at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Dowling. West Islip will make its third appearance in the finals in seven seasons; it last won a title in 1973.
"I saw Jack dribbling up and I knew he was going to play it to me," said Sepe, who will play at St. John's next season. "I made the run. I saw the goalie come out and hit it over his head. I know what he's doing and he knows what I am doing. We hang out every weekend."
Said McKenna: "It's a dream to connect in such a big game. We've been playing together since age 9."
It was Sepe's 18th goal of the season. "He can be completely silent for an entire game and then boom, he's right there to finish something," West Islip coach Eddie Pieron said. "He knows how to finish and that's what he did right there."
It was a great run for Hills East (16-2-1), which won a league title for the first time since 1996. Hills East tied West Islip in the first matchup of the season and won the rematch to clinch the league title.
"It was a hard-fought game," Pieron said of yesterday's playoff meeting. "Hills East is a great squad. They played well and easily could have won this game. . . . We pulled one out. It's kind of how we've been playing."
Sean McAllister made seven saves for his 12th shutout. On Hills East's last chance, a corner kick with 35 seconds left, McAllister punched the ball away.
"I thought we had a good chance to get to the finals," he said. "It's a great feeling."
Brentwood returns to finals. Andrew Ortega's throw-in deflected off a defender and Carlos Escobar headed it in with 18 minutes left for the game's only goal as No. 5 Brentwood (16-2-1) beat No. 8 Commack, 1-0, in the other semifinal.
Raul Bonilla made four saves for his 12th shutout. Jake Amereno made nine saves for Commack (10-6-3).
