After playing far from perfectly in the last five games, the Mustangs (8-2-2) rallied Monday night to beat Conference VII Champions Island Trees Bulldogs (9-2-1) 2-0 in the last game of the regular season at Mineola high school.
The Bulldogs secured the conference title on Saturday, making this game more of a playoff preview and a test of mettle than a typical regular season game. "It had that intensity, that feeling, of a playoff game," Coach Paul Pereira said after the game.
Both goals for the Mustangs came after the halftime whistle, as senior Richie Forte booted a free kick from 20 yards out, curving the ball around the Island Trees defensive wall and into the upper right corner of the net.
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Mineola has scored only three goals since their October 4 drumming of Seaford.
Junior Paul Sandoval put the second goal through towards the end of the game, taking a pass from senior Fred Muller, to split two defenders before hitting a soft dribbler past the Island Trees keeper.
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While Forte was scoring goals for the Mustangs, senior Joe Dores and junior Denis Lazo-Cruz seemed to be in the middle of every possible Bulldogs attack, breaking up most chances, or deflecting dangerous shots, as senior keeper Filipe Ribeiro kept the clean sheet.
In what may have been his best save this season, Ribeiro blocked a cross shot from the boot of Bulldogs attacker Anthony Leonick headed towards the inside the box. Ribeiro jumped wildly to his left, and was able to put a fist to the ball to send it clear.
"This is how good he really is," Pereira said of his senior keeper, who saved six shots for his tenth shutout of the season.
While the second half of the Mineola season did not go quite as planned for the Mustangs, Pereira and company can finally set their eyes on the playoffs. "We've seen the bigger picture all along," Pereira said. "Today got us believing in ourselves again."
With senior Marco Oliveira and junior Dan Muller on the mend for the game, the Mustangs also have more horses to bring out of the stable for their first playoff game.
The teams will be seeded Wednesday, with a strong possibility of Mineola opening the playoffs at home on Friday afternoon.
