LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — The boys’ league varsity soccer match on September 13 came down to a single goal.

At 37:56 in the second frame, Seward’s Danny Forera fired a shot past Sullivan West’s keeper off an assist by Nick Perez, handing the visiting Spartans a slim 1-0 victory.

In a sense, the home-team Bulldogs had the advantage, as they field a varsity squad of 24 booters, while Seward has a total of 26 booters split between JV and varsity players.

Bill Steele, coach of the Spartans (2-1 overall, 2-0 division), led his team to a 14-3 record last year, but this season is faced with helming a rather inexperienced team.

While for a lot of coaches, this might be an unwelcome challenge; for Steele—a veteran coach with 24 years as a varsity coach—it represents a chance to do what coaches love.

And that’s coach.

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Speaking of the lack of numbers, he said, “We’re going bare minimum every day, but we’re getting a lot of playing time. Everybody’s playing good numbers [on the field]... It’s a coach’s dream to be able to really coach.”

He has “kids out there going as hard as they can,” added Steele. “I love the fact that they’re all working together; they’re trying to figure out where everyone goes, and it’s going to be a serious learning process year.”

The Spartans of 2023 have four senior starters on the roster: Nick Perez, Danny Fodera, Derrick You and goalie Miarz Garcia.

Kristina Verrico is back for her third season as coach of the Bulldogs’ varsity booters (0-2 overall, 0-1 league), and noted that the team has four seniors, three of whom share the role of captain: Alec Ward, plus captains Austin Nystrom, Nic Perez and Brodey Herbert.

“It was definitely a winnable game for us,” she said of the solo goal loss to Seward. Next time they meet, “hopefully the score will be reversed.”

For several soccer seasons, Sullivan West’s Will Nearing made quite a name for himself as he defended the home-team goal.

After Nearing graduated, Austin Nystrom, a 17-year-old senior and co-captain, took over as “Guardian of the Net.” That’s after playing in that position in the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), and later in high school as a midfielder and striker.

“He was a monster on the field,” said Coach Verrico of Nystrom’s ability in his former roles. Of his current position as goalie, she added, “He’s doing a fantastic job in the net.”

Nystrom had a laid-back and insightful approach to serving as goalie.

“It’s different, but it’s something I’m used to, taking over control of the field, like a catcher in baseball,” he said.

And speaking of his predecessor goalie, Nystrom said of Nearing, “I learned a lot from him last year about being a leader… it’s great to fill in his footsteps as a goalkeeper.”