7/8 Soccer Teams Play Great Games With Buckley and the Girls Get their First Win Against LWA

The 7/8 Girls and Boys Soccer teams both played twice this past week. On Tuesday the opponents were from the Buckley School of Roslyn, NY and on Thursday came some road contests v. the 7/8 sides of Lawrence Woodmere.

What Kind of Week Did the 7/8 Girls Have.
This was a strong week for the 7/8 Girls Soccer team. Against a talented team from Buckley they played very well, even though the score was 3-1 for Buckley. The great thing about this game was the sportsmanship from both sides. When the game was over both teams gave each other a rousing cheer and many of the Portledge girls remarked about how much they enjoyed the match. Positive experiences like these are why interscholastic competition can be a fantastic vehicle for the promotion of the private school experience. My personal congratulations go out to Miss Nugent and her 7/8 Portledge Girls Soccer team and to Chris Jenne and the 7/8 Girls team from Buckley. Well Done by all!

Thursday was also a big day for the 7/8 girls. They traveled to the South Shore to take on Lawrence Woodmere and returned home with their first victory of the year. The score was 3-1 and, according to coach Nugent, the entire team played well. This team is starting to develop nicely as it gets more game experience. They will have to keep this positive momentum going because next week they face Green Vale on Tuesday and then participate in the LIAAIS Schoolgirl Soccer Tournament at East Woods on Friday. Way to go girls and good luck in your upcoming contests.

How bout the 7/8 Boys?
It was a terrific effort by the 7/8 boys against Buckley on Tuesday. In one of the best all around 7/8 boys games I've seen in the last few years the two teams battled each other up and down the field for the entire 60 minutes. The soccer was flowing and creative, while the tackling was hard but clean. At the end of this 1-1 draw both sides had an appreciation and respect for their opponents, as well as a feeling of satisfaction about their own play. For Portledge, midfielders Ted Hagerty and Brendan McGovern, aka "The Gov", were fantastic. They both consistently thwarted Buckley attacks before they could threaten the Panther net. On defense Eric Diamataris was strong as usual, and dynamic left back "TJ" Roberts might have been the most significant player on the whole field. Portledge answered an early Buckley tally by finishing off a great cross from speedy winger Joe Sartori. Matt Crockett's initial attempt glanced off the post but an opportunistic Justin Starrantino was there to knock in the rebound. As in every big game this season Ian Estevez was outstanding in the goal.

On Thursday the 7/8 boys also traveled to LWA. Many starters were left behind as the coaches rotated a host of 7th graders into the line up. It was a good experience for the younger players in the 7/8 program as they took on an excellent side from LWA. The strong Portledge effort was nor enough though as LWA, led by two exceptional players, triumphed by a score of 3-0. Still, all in all, this was a great week for the 7/8 boys. Way to go guys- good luck against Green Vale on Tuesday and in the LIAAIS Tournament.