Slotnick, Nierenberg help Friends advance to state semis

It's probably not the brightest idea to provoke one of the opponent's best players, especially when your team is overmatched. That's what Haldane's John Kearns did to Matt Slotnick of Friend's Academy Saturday.

Slotnick narrowly missed scoring in the opening seconds of the game and five minutes later, Kearns was whistled for a foul on Slotnick. The two exchanged words and Kearns pushed Slotnick when the officials weren't looking.

Slotnick had the last laugh. When play resumed, Slotnick dribbled around Kearns and blasted a shot into the goal for the Quakers' second in the first 5:23. The directions for Middletown could begin to print.

Slotnick and freshman Jonathan Nierenberg each scored two goals in a 5-0 win over Haldane in the Class C Southeast Regional boys soccer final at Hofstra.

Friends Academy (13-1-2), the defending state champion, will play Madrid-Waddington in the state semifinals at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Middletown High School in Poughkeepsie. Haldane is 9-10-1.

"We threw some words at each other and they weren't very good words," said Slotnick, who has 27 goals this season. "Then I scored and it felt good. I kind of put it in his face."

Said Friends Academy coach Marshall Lindner: "The worst thing you can do is get Matt upset and angry because that brings out a good side of his play. The more physical it gets, the more he gets into it."

The Quakers scored 2:13 into the game on a goal by Nierenberg and it was clear from the outset that they were the superior team.

"There's a lot less pressure on me because everyone focuses on the seniors," Nierenberg said. "They help me out and get all the attention. They help my confidence and show me how to play the game right."

Nierenberg made it 3-0 with 23:06 left in the first half. Then it was Slotnick again putting his skills on display by starting near the sideline, dribbling past several defenders spanning about 25 yards and then blasting a shot into the upper right corner from 20 yards for a 4-0 lead with 11:49 left in the first half.

"Jonathan has been playing really well," Slotnick said. "We have developed a lot of chemistry and communicate well. People are always aware of me, Colin Heffron and Chris Campbell, but he's another kid that can dribble and take shots."

With two more wins, the Quakers will repeat as state champions.

"Our main goal all year was going back to states," Slotnick said. "We're happy about this, but we're going to be disappointed if we don't win the whole thing."