The Dalers boys soccer team has reached a milestone no Farmingdale squad had achieved before, capturing its first Long Island championship with a 2-1 victory over Lindenhurst on Wednesday. The celebration continued well after the final whistle, as fire trucks escorted the team back to campus, where a large crowd of supporters greeted the players late into the night.
“We had a dance party right outside the high school,” longtime coach Brian Weber told The Post. “The parents were there, the superintendent was there — it felt like the entire community showed up. It was incredible. I just stood back and tried to absorb it all.”
The emotional championship run has carried even greater meaning for a team that has rallied around junior forward Adam Vitulano.
Vitulano’s father, John, died of liver cancer during the playoffs, and his teammates stepped in to support him as a second family, he said.
“The bond they developed, especially as the season went on, is impossible to break,” Weber said. “They genuinely care about one another.”
One day after his father died, Vitulano scored the golden goal in double overtime to send Farmingdale into the Nassau County final.
“I understand exactly how much that moment meant to him,” Weber said.
Farmingdale now turns its attention to Mamaroneck of Westchester in Saturday’s state championship regional final at Byram Hills High School in Armonk.
“We’ve focused on taking everything one game at a time because none of us wants this remarkable run to end.”
Sisters act
Carle Place’s Reedy sisters are hoping their state championship journey has more chapters left.
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The Frogs have relied on the unusual chemistry of senior midfielder Madison Reedy and her sophomore sister, Tyler, a defender. Their connection is instinctive, allowing the Long Island champions to adjust seamlessly on the field.
“We make the switch without even thinking about it,” Madison told The Post. “For that brief moment, it feels like she’s me and I’m her.”
Carle Place and the Reedy sisters now face their toughest test of the season: a state championship regional qualifier against Westchester powerhouse Pleasantville on Sunday at Farmingdale State College.
“Knowing we might not get another day together like this is motivating us,” said Madison, who will play lacrosse at Northwestern next year.
The opportunity carries special significance for Tyler, who is making the most of her final soccer matches with her older sister.
“The connection between sisters on the field is different,” Tyler said.
“There’s a special confidence in knowing she’s behind me,” Madison added. “Even though she’s two years younger, she makes such a major difference on the field.”
Now the sisters and their teammates are determined to introduce the rest of New York to Carle Place soccer.
“I really believe we can shock the world,” Madison said.
