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Boys soccer: Southold beats Greenport at homecoming, 2-1

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Ryan Herman, Zach Grathwohl and their Southold High School boys soccer teammates completed one memorable week at homecoming Saturday.

The First Settlers won their third Suffolk County League VII game in five days as the two juniors played influential roles in two of those victories.

On Tuesday, they upended Babylon (6-2, 5-1) in overtime, 3-2. Herman scored twice, including the game-winner, and set up Grathwohl’s equalizer late in regulation.

On Thursday, they blanked Port Jefferson on the road, 1-0. Mario Contreras scored off a rebound of a free kick in the 73rd minute.

And on Saturday, Southold bested its closest rivals, Greenport, 2-1. Grathwohl tallied the first goal and Herman the second.

The First Settlers (4-5, 4-3) had more scoring opportunities in the first half and grabbed a deserved halftime advantage as Grathwohl converted off a scramble of a corner kick that was sent in by Luis Herrera with 32:11 remaining.

Herman doubled the lead, driving a 35-yard free kick into the upper left corner over sophomore goalkeeper Xavier Kahn with 20:58 left in the second half.

The Porters (1-7, 1-6), who applied much more pressure on the Southold goal in the second half, cut the deficit in half on sophomore forward Mateo Arias’ marvelous 22-yard curling shot into the upper left corner past keeper Dylan Clausen with 9:18 to go.

Greenport visits Mattituck in a non-league encounter Monday at 4 p.m. while the First Settlers host Center Moriches in a league game Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

Photo: Goalie Xavier Kahn against Ryan Herman’s free kick. It was the deciding score late in the second half. (Credit: Bob O’Rourk)