Mattituck tops rival Center Moriches in emotional season opener

Four of Mattituck’s impact players came up big time in the boys soccer team’s 3-1 season-opening win over archrival Center Moriches on Tuesday afternoon.

Senior Charlie Carter scored the first goal in the Suffolk County League VI match. Senior midfielder Andy Mancia set up the second goal. Senior goalkeeper Cris Cuellar produced a vital save right before halftime. And junior forward Connor Searl put a bow on the victory with an insurance tally in the waning seconds.

But they weren’t the only Tuckers to excel.

Senior forward Peter Ortiz came off the bench to score a goal and assisted on another. Junior midfielder-defender Jose Chapeton set up Searl’s goal with a perfect curled feed. And senior defender Liam Springer shut down the Red Devils’ most dangerous player.

“Unsung heroes,” Mattituck head coach Dan O’Sullivan said.

Against a talented Red Devils team, all hands, or should we say, feet, need to be on deck.

Mattituck-Center Moriches is celebrating its 90th anniversary this fall. It is arguably the fiercest rivalry on Long Island and perhaps in the state.

The game was a typical confrontation. It was played with intensity, and was a physical affair.

“Coach says that every time we play Center, their coach always makes a point that we always give 110 percent,” Carter said. “It was really nice to see today that we stayed true to that. Our players had just a little bit more fire.”

Added Mancia: “We played one of the hardest teams in our division. It’s going to push us forward in the season.”

The win culminated in an emotional several days for the Tuckers. They postponed their Sept. 4 season opener against Southampton after hearing that senior Gavyn Drago had passed away after a pool accident that day.

Senior midfielder Keegan Carr said that the team dedicated the game to his close friend.

“He was a great kid,” Carr said. “He inspired all of us in ways that none of us even would have thought.”

“We talked about Gavyn today,” said O’Sullivan, who taught Drago in the third grade at Cutchogue East Elementary School. “It’s a small school community. They all know everybody.

“These guys give you everything they have until they can’t anymore. I’m so proud of them,” he added.

Mattituck came out aggressively and was rewarded when Carter slotted home Ortiz’s left-wing feed past keeper Logan Cervelli 16 minutes, 58 seconds into the game.

After a Mattituck turnover, the visitors almost equalized with 50 seconds remaining in the half, as Cuellar denied Ethan Chernis in a 1 v 1 situation.

“You need one save from your goalie every game to keep you in it, and that was it,” O’Sullivan said.

Center Moriches (1-3, 0-2) pushed early in the final half, but Mattituck doubled the lead as Ortiz volleyed home Mancia’s feed at 46:57.

After Mattituck was assessed a yellow card, O’Sullivan brought on Ortiz as a wingback.

“That he was able to go in, get an assist, and get a goal was just phenomenal,” he said.

Ortiz said his third varsity goal was important because it was against Center Moriches.

“It just shows how great we could really be this year,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to the year.”

The Red Devils sliced the lead to 2-1 with 15:08 remaining as Carlos Garcia put away Wilmer Amaya’s pass.

Chapeton’s curling effort to Searl gave Mattituck breathing room with 2:23 remaining.

“I was going to take it along, but I saw Connor,” Chapeton said. “I knew I had to pass since he had such an open space.”

Springer kept senior forward Marquise Miles (hat-trick in a 4-1 win at Miller Place on Sept. 1) off the scoresheet with some close marking on the right flank.

“He’s quick. He’s a good player,” Springer said. “We just got to keep someone out there and just know where he is at all times. You try and stay in front.”

The Tuckers’ schedule is unusual. They play their Class B rivals — Babylon, Bayport/Blue Point, Southampton and Center Moriches only once in a division that also houses Class C and D teams — as opposed to having home-and-home series.

Mattituck visits defending Long Island Class B champion Babylon on Thursday.

“The mentality this year is 1-0,” O’Sullivan said. “I’ve had that conversation with [the team]. We can’t look past any games. We have to win every game that’s in front of us.”