Blue Devil Boys’ Soccer Alumni Game on May 31
The Huntington High School boys’ soccer program is planning an alumni game on Saturday, May 31 at 2 p.m. on the synthetic turf field at Blue Devils Stadium. Huntington soccer alumni of all ages are invited to participate.
Blue Devil varsity head coach John Pagano has been actively spreading the word to former players about the game. He hopes to reach as many alumni as possible. The game is a way for former Huntington players to reconnect with old friends and teammates and revisit their soccer past at the school.
This will mark the seventh year for the event, which the coach said has become a popular annual tradition. Pagano believes that a strong alumni group can be of benefit to the current program and players in many different ways
Former players have returned to the alma mater from out of state for past games. “All of our soccer alumni are welcome to play,” Pagano said. “It will be fun for everyone together again. Anyone who wants to play should arrive early so they have time to warm-up.”
Alumni playing in the game are asked to make a $10 donation to the program. To participate, former players should contact Pagano at jpagano@hufsd.edu.
Last May’s game was said to have been the “most thrilling” men’s soccer alumni match-up ever as Pagano’s team topped assistant coach Jason Suarez’s squad, 4-3.
More than 30 alumni players returned to their alma mater for the 2013 game.
Once warm-ups had concluded, the two teams got down to it, engaging in a fierce battle for bragging rights. Suarez scored the game’s first goal from about 15-yards out about 20 minutes into the contest.
Down 1-0, Pagano’s team responded by rattling off the next four goals to take a 4-1 lead by halftime. Saul Baires tied the game at 1-1 with a diving header off a Sam Michaels shot that hit the crossbar. Goalkeeper Kyle Wasarhaley tipped the drive, but Baires headed in the rebound.
Sam Michael put his team ahead five minutes later with a blast from 10-yards out. Game MVP and Huntington junior varsity coach Jose Alfaro then scored the game’s next two goals. The first was a neat combination assisted by Pagano and Andone Pleitez. The second came off a free kick assisted by Pagano and Jesse Michaels.
The second half saw Suarez make some tactical adjustments with his team, which paid immediate dividends. Tyler Balzer was moved to forward, where he promptly scored the game’s next two goals to narrow his squad’s deficit to a single goal at 4-3.
Despite a furious last minute rush, Team Suarez was not able to pull even as time expired. Team Pagano celebrated its victory at midfield. Goalkeepers Jon Tasman and Wasarhaley were brilliant in the nets.
Class of 1986 alum Mark Maldonado impressed all players with his mix of fitness and passing ability. Once the game had wrapped up, participants headed down to Huntington village for an after-match party at Rookies Sports Club.