Southold boys soccer shines under lights in 5-0 Homecoming win

Playing under the bright Friday night lights brought out the best in the Southold boys soccer team.

In what Southold believed was its first home night game in 25 years, the Settlers recorded a 5-0 Homecoming victory over Pierson.

Several players stood out in the Suffolk County League VI match.

Senior co-captain Brandon Boyle scored twice for the first time in his career. Junior Indie Riddell contributed a goal and an assist. Senior co-captain CJ Bailey and senior Brandon Moran added goals. Junior goalkeeper Grady Brigham recorded his third shutout of the season.

“It was unreal,” Brigham said. “I’ve never played in anything like this. It’s homecoming. Everyone showed up. These lights, it just makes such an atmosphere.”

Brigham wasn’t alone.

“The energy was here, the hype was there,” Boyle said. “It’s the first time we’ve played a night game, and it started raining. It lifted up our energy. We love playing in the rain.”

Added Riddell: “This is a huge turnaround for our season. We’ve been coming off a few really tough losses. A big turning point and a big W for us.”

The Settlers (3-5-1, 3-4-0) snapped a five-game losing streak to keep their postseason hopes alive.

“I thought we played well,” head coach Chris Ruggi said. “The effort was excellent; our finishing was excellent. But there are definitely some areas that we need to improve on and fix up if we’re going to make the kind of run that we’re hoping to.”

Such as?

“We’re fouling too much, especially in dangerous areas of the field,” he added. “Defensively, we’re overcommitting at times. We need to play a little smarter and a little faster.”

Twelve portable lights lit the field, helping put the spotlight on Southold as it scored twice in a four-minute, eight-second span.

Boyle fired a 25-yard rocket into the upper right corner at 11:52. In soccer parlance, that is called a golazo, a spectacular goal.

“I had space,” he said. “I saw the defender was a couple of yards off of me. My coach has been working with me on shooting. I took a very good first touch and was able to strike it really cleanly into the top corner.”

Then Riddell finished a quick passing sequence at 16:04.

“I found the ball right at my feet in front of the goal. I just picked a corner and placed it there,” he said.

The Whalers (2-6-1, 2-5-0) pressed forward but could not find the net.

At 24:59, Moran fired a free kick from the left side that goalkeeper Jordan McKelvey bobbled. In the ensuing scramble, Boyle accidentally kicked McKelvey in the head.

“I went in to go for it,” Boyle said. “He dove for it. I couldn’t stop. I didn’t mean to hurt him. I really hope he’s okay.”

“I asked his coach [Haley Luzim], please let me know if he’s okay.”

McKelvey was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center as a precaution.

In an email, Luzim said that McKelvey was okay.

Since the team’s backup was injured, Sebastian Cardenas, a member of the Pierson basketball team, replaced McKelvey.

Southold pulled away with three second-half goals.

Moran scored from a tight angle to make it 3-0 at 63:39.

Bailey headed home Jonathan Moran’s corner kick at 74:35.

“I want to use my head to score all my goals,” said Bailey, who recorded his first goal of the season. “I want to go in, head it in there as fast as I can.”

Boyle closed out the scoring with 1:44 remaining.

Brigham wasn’t severely tested but was solid in the net.

“It’s really important for me because I’m filling such a big role, filling in for Travis,” he said.

He was referring to the graduated Travis Sepenoski, a member of the team that reached the Class C final last year.

“It just feels so nice to win and help my team win and try to get back to the counties,” Brigham added.

The Settlers have five games remaining in the regular season. After visiting Greenport on Wednesday, Oct. 7, they play at Port Jefferson on Friday, Oct. 9. They close things out with three consecutive home matches: Smithtown Christian on Oct. 13, Riverhead Charter on Oct. 15, and Babylon on Oct. 20.

“Our coach talked about it before the game,” Boyle said. “This is a bounce, a spring for us this season. … This win is going to help us a lot, lifting our energy, lifting our spirits.”