Mattituck soccer ties Center Moriches at homecoming
Not every soccer draw is equal.
Just look at Mattituck High School’s 1-1 tie against Center Moriches at Homecoming on Friday night.
“One hundred percent feels like a win,” said senior forward Corey Dickerson, who scored with 3 minutes and 26 seconds remaining in regulation to help the Tuckers snap a five-game losing streak this season, against their perennial archrivals.
“It was really good, because we had a bad loss to them last time,” Dickerson said, referring to a 3-1 defeat at Center Moriches on Sept. 30. “It was really good on our Homecoming night.”
Mattituck head coach Dan O’Sullivan was just as elated in a rare home game played under the lights.
“Incredible,” he said. “Just the atmosphere. It’s great when you get this opportunity to play under the lights like this. I’m just so proud of the effort of all of them, to the point of even the bench screaming to help [the coaching staff] at the end, because we have no voices left. A full team effort. Every single player. We had a game plan. We executed the game plan. I’m so proud of everything we did today.”
The hard-fought, physical confrontation was played at a fast pace and great intensity. In other words, it was a typical Mattituck-Center Moriches match in what is one of the most storied soccer rivalries in the state. Those classic clashes go back to 1936.
Both teams have clinched Class B playoff spots and could very well meet again at Center Moriches (10-3-2, 9-2-1, 19 points), currently the second seed, or at Babylon (11-2-1, 10-1-1, 21), the top seed, in the semifinals, depending on Monday’s results. The Tuckers (7-5-3, 7-4-1, 15), in the third spot, host Southampton (6-4-2, 14), in fourth, in their regular season finale.
Charlie Carter leans into the play. (Credit: Bill Landon) 
A pie in the face got a cheer from the crowd. (Credit: Bill Landon) 
Mattituck midfielder Franklyn Secaida takes flight. (Credit: Bill Landon) 
Connor Searl heads the ball for Mattituck. (Credit: Bill Landon) 
Cris Cuellar makes the save for Mattituck. (Credit: Bill Landon)
The draw gave Mattituck some much-needed confidence, after recording what is believed to be the longest losing streak in the program’s 90-year history.
“Definitely a big deal, as we haven’t been winning recently, but I think this is our turn in the season. We just have to keep going up from here,” said junior goalkeeper Cris Cuellar, who had an outstanding game with seven saves. “We feel like we could take on anyone.”
Dickerson agreed.
“It’ll really boost our confidence, because some people on the team didn’t necessarily think we were going to win, but didn’t have high enough expectations,” he said. “This tie shows how good our team is going to be.”
The visitors took the lead at 58:41, when Alex Rotunda put away Ethan Turner’s feed on the left side of the penalty area, becoming the third Center Moriches player to reach double digits in goals.
The Tuckers equalized as Dickerson followed up Andy Mancia’s free kick during a scramble in the box, burying the ball past keeper Hunter Bernhard (five saves) from five yards at 76:34.
“This is probably one of the biggest goals I’ve had,” he said.
The goal also gave the Dickerson family a unique double on the night, as Corey’s sister, Casey Dickerson, tallied in MSG’s 7-1 triumph over Port Jefferson in the opener of the doubleheader.
“I’ve been talking to him in practice last,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s so strong. ‘You don’t have to have to put everything into it. Just place it.’ He did that. He worked his butt off, up and down the field. I’m just proud of him.”
Neither side scored in a pair of 10-minute, sudden-death overtime periods.
Mattituck’s defense kept the dangerous Marquise Miles and Luke Rebore-Costanzo (12 goals each) from finding the net. Cuellar punched away Miles’ blistering effort at 63:52.
“Center is a very good team,” Cuellar said. “They have top strikers like Marquise. He’s very good, very talented.”
He added that his defense has “been excellent this whole season. They’ve kept everyone in check.”
Cuellar and the defense have allowed 17 goals in 15 matches.
“I know he’s a junior, but he’s a captain for a reason,” O’Sullivan said. “We have the utmost faith and confidence in him. We haven’t been able to use him as much lately in terms of free kicks. But he knows his role. He knows he’s got to lead these guys. He knows he’s going to be counted on for one or two big saves. Did everything we could ask for.”
The only upsetting news came when senior defender Jackson Case suffered a knee injury at 51:07.
“He said that when he went up for the ball, when he landed, his knee just didn’t feel right,” said O’Sullivan. “He didn’t say he heard a pop or anything. I guess it’s going to be a lot more to come.”
