Sophomore Searl’s hat trick leads Tucker victory
Only 105 seconds into his season debut on Monday, Connor Searl reminded Mattituck High’s soccer foes that he will be a force to be reckoned with.
The sophomore midfielder-forward scored his first goal of the campaign, starting his path to a hat-trick while igniting the Tuckers to a 6-1 home victory over Pierson in Suffolk County League IV action.
Searl, who enjoyed a promising freshman season (eight goals, six assists), missed Mattituck’s four opening matches with a sprained ankle he suffered in the Brookhaven Summer Soccer League. While his playing time was limited to 25 minutes on Monday, Searl was clinical.
“Of course, it’s a very, very important score like that, to score early and to have the confidence to keep on going throughout the game,” he said. “I was just grateful to be out there after missing some time.”
The win continued the Class B Tuckers’ unbeaten start to the season (4-0-1, 3-0-0), against mostly Class C and D teams. They played Half Hollow Hills West (Class A) to a 1-1 non-league draw on Sept. 2.
“I’m excited for this team that looks great going forward,” Searl said.
Senior defender Jackson Case said that the players’ familiarity of playing on the North Fork United youth team will be vital. “I know that we’re going to have a pretty strong, connected team,” he said. “We’re going to take it hopefully to Long Island [championships], and then hopefully states. We’re going to take it far this year.”
Searl started things off, slotting home a throw-in from junior midfielder Charlie Carter past goalkeeper Esteban Montanez one minute and 45 seconds into the game.
“That’s a play we’ve been working on in practice,” he said. “We set up a little triangle at the front post area. He just throws it into the front of the triangle. One our strikers or myself try and flick it into the net.”
Which Searl did.
“It kind of uplifts the team to see someone so young, and who just came back from an injury, who’s been eager to play just score a goal,” Case said.
“More than just the team, it’s important for him,” head coach Dan O’Sullivan said.
Carter’s long and accurate throw-ins also have turned into a weapon.
“In the beginning of the season, I was throwing a lot in the same spot, and we weren’t really able to capitalize,” he said. “I’m happy that Connor’s back. He’s making good use out of my throws.”
Searl also put away another Carter throw-in for a 4-1 lead at 37:01 before completing his hat-trick off an assist from junior keeper Cris Cuellar at 51:08. Freshman Kyle Petrowski (13:44), Andy Mancia (25:14) and Anthony Soto (58:57) also scored.
“That’s our secret weapon, which is not a secret anymore,” O’Sullivan said of Carter. “It’s like having a free kick every time he takes a throw-in. [And] every time Cris takes a free kick, he’s going to ping it somewhere in the vicinity.”
Cuellar’s booming free kicks from the Tuckers’ side of the field can be an adventure for opposing goalies. He scored in the 7-0 win over Greenport on Sept. 7. Cuellar has more goal contributions (three, including two assists) than the goals he has allowed (two).
The Whalers (0-3, 0-3) solved the Mattituck defense at 16:46. Tyce Russo buried Ricardo Lima’s shot that bounced off the crossbar, cutting the lead to 2-1, during a defensive breakdown.
In a rare family match-up, Case played against his aunt, Pierson head coach Haley Luzim, who is his father’s sister. “She was looking forward to play us today,” he said. “That’s kind of cool, having a family member on another team you play.”
After the post-game handshakes between the teams, they talked. “I ran over there and gave her a hug, and she said [that] I played great,” Case said. “Just the usual family chat, catching up.”
After hosting Smithtown Christian on Thursday at 4:30 p.m., Mattituck will play six consecutive away matches over a 15-day span. It starts with Bridgehampton on Sept. 20 and finishes with Southold on Oct. 4. Games against Class B opponents — Center Moriches, away on Sept. 30 and home on Oct. 17, and Babylon, home on Oct. 8 and away on Oct. 14 — will determine playoff seedings.
“I keep saying to these guys that we have the talent; we have the skill; we have the motivation,” O’Sullivan said. “Our goal is to get a one-seed and have a home playoff game. We have to go out and do our job on the road.”
