Savvas Christoforou's goal gives Vikings Nassau AA title
Port Washington's Savvas Christoforou reacts after his team's win over Massapequa in the Nassau Class AA boys soccer final at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale on Wednesday.
Port Washington was the second-to-last team in the Nassau AA playoffs, but Savvas Christoforou and the Vikings are now the last team standing.
Christoforou scored the lone goal of the game in No. 8 Port Washington’s victory over No. 3 Massapequa Wednesday night in the county championship at Mitchel Field, earning the first county title in the boys soccer program’s history.
Port Washington will play either Newfield or Whitman for the Long Island title on Sunday at Diamond in the Pines in Coram.
“No one really believed in us, but we just kept winning and winning,” Christoforou said. “I knew from the start of the year that we were strong-minded and going to capitalize on people doubting us. We wanted to make a name for Port Washington.”
Christoforou scored the winner with just under 35 minutes left in the match when he found space inside the penalty area and fired home with a left-footed shot.
“Massapequa is superb in every aspect of the game and I knew they were going to play hard,” Vikings coach Don Fish said. “We put it together, supported each other and the culture of this group really helped produce wins.”
Port Washington (8-5) hardly had an easy route to the final, as they had to win a play-in against Oceanside for the right to face top-seeded Syosset. The Vikings edged the Braves in overtime thanks to a goal from Douglas Barerra Yanes and beat No. 5 Farmingdale in a semifinal on Friday. Their win Wednesday dropped Massapequa to 9-2-4.
“We played the most games, since we were the only team with a play-in game,” Christoforou said. “Each one has been a battle. Respect to every team we played. We grew in confidence and so did our whole school. The first game, it was just our parents. Now we have two school buses full of students here.”
“We got better with every game,” midfielder Jack Fridman said. “This is something I’ve been waiting for and I felt it coming.”
Fridman added there were nerves early on in the match, but the Vikings soon settled into it and played their usual game.
“It was the first time any of us have played in a game this big,” he said. “We came out a little shaky but once we gained our confidence, we knew it was ours.”
