Stiene scores twice in Chaminade win
St. John the Baptist Ian Stewart goes for position against Chaminade's David Chiariello during the CHSAA High School boys soccer game where Chaminade defeated St. John the Baptist 3-0. (Sept. 27, 2011) Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
It didn't take long for Mike Gallagher to needle his younger brother Nick Tuesday. Nick, who coaches St. John the Baptist, showed up late to Chaminade because the bus driver got lost. Nick asked Mike if the team could get 10 minutes to warm up and Mike said jokingly they could have seven and a half.
When the brothers met at midfield before the game, Mike playfully tried to make a bet. The Chaminade coach said if SJB won, he would have to lose 20 pounds and if the Flyers won, Nick would shave his goatee. It's a good thing Nick declined or his face would be bare.
Charles Stiene scored two goals, Kevin Mercadante added another and Matthew Sinatro made 10 saves for host Chaminade in a 3-0 win over St. John the Baptist in CHSAA boys soccer. St. John the Baptist is 3-1-2, 2-1-1.
"I don't think I looked at him once throughout the match and I don't think I could have," Mike said. "It means we won this round. We have one, possibly two more matches against them."
Nick was assistant under Mike for five years, including the last two. Chaminade won the CHSAA state championship last season.
"He's my best friend in the world," Nick said. "He did a great job. Our strengths were taken away."
Chaminade (5-3-2, 5-1) is loaded with first-year varsity players and has played a tough schedule. Some players were moved around Tuesday, including Stiene. He played defense on Saturday and was moved to forward and responded. The first goal came with 31:31 left in the game to make it 2-0 and he added one with 4:51 remaining.
"It's going to help us for the playoffs," Stiene said. "We'll keep getting better. This game was great for us. We beat our rival St. John's."
Said Mike Gallagher: "He's like the best sixth man in the game type thing. You need someone to play left back, let Chuck play it. Need someone to play forward, put him there. Chuck responded fantastically."
According to Mike Gallagher, Joseph Swenson is the first Flyers sophomore to play for varsity. He set up the first goal with a corner kick and Mercadante headed it in with 33:55 left in the first half.
"I was trying to get it into the far post," Swenson said. "I saw Terence [McGovern] and Mercadante open. I was trying to hit one of them."
Both coaches were glad their first meeting was done and Nick was going over to Mike's for dinner Tuesday night.
"He does know us inside and out," Mike said. "He helped design a state championship. It came down to execution and we executed our game plan."
