Commack boys soccer's family culture helps result in program's first Long Island championship since 2014
The Commack boys soccer team celebrates with its Long Island title after defeating Herricks in the Class AAA final on Saturday in Islip. Credit: Dawn McCormick
“The we is more than the me.”
That’s the mantra of Commack boys soccer and something coach Dave Moran says when standing in the middle of a team huddle. Senior captain Luke McDonough then breaks it down with the traditional “Family” chant.
So it was all the more fitting that senior Ryan Schalk, whose white tape on his wrists don the name of a group chat with his close friends, as well as the initials of his grandparents, mother, father and sister, and for his aunt who passed away two years ago, was the one who played the most crucial role in sending Commack upstate.
“They’re the most supportive group, including my dog, Rusty,” Schalk said. “Having all my extended family come out to watch me play, it’s just so surreal. I never thought I’d be in this position today, and I’m just so grateful for it all.”
Schalk scored two of Commack’s first three goals on the way to a 5-0 win over Herricks in the Long Island Class AAA championship game at Islip High School Saturday. It’s the first Long Island title for Commack (18-1-1) since 2014, a year that saw the Cougars lift a state title. Members of that team, which also attended the county championship win over Brentwood, manned the stands at Islip Saturday afternoon as well.
“That just makes me so proud as a coach,” Moran said. “The old guys are coming back to support the new guys. It makes me feel old, but that’s OK.”
Commack will face Section III’s Baldwinsville at 6 p.m. Saturday at Middletown High School in the state Class AAA semifinal after winning the Southeast Regional Final.
Schalk opened the scoring down the right sideline, cutting in before firing a shot toward the near post just seven minutes into the game. He added a brilliant goal in the 32nd minute, suddenly cutting back outside with his left foot before taking a touch forward with his right and powering in another score.
Senior Ferenc Bagi continued a stellar campaign with goals in the 29th and 37th minutes, tapping the second one in off a corner kick from senior Brayden O’Boyle that was flicked onward from McDonough.
“We’ve been wanting this ever since we were 5 years old,” Bagi said. “Our parents have known each other since we were 5 years old. It’s all we’ve ever talked about, and it’s all we ever wanted.”
Bagi, who now has 24 goals this season, has scored in all but four games in what Moran called “one of the best seasons in Commack history.”
Yet befitting Commack’s mantra, the game could’ve played very differently if the Cougars didn’t have the efforts they had from all 11 players on the field. O’Boyle, Bagi and junior Christopher Morici constantly pressured Herricks’ backline and junior midfielders Ryan Curcio and Axel Paz, plus senior Mico Tuccilo, flew around the field to be first to the ball.
“Against Brentwood, we had that lull in the middle of the game where we sat back too much,” Moran said. “We knew that Herricks can play but under pressure, that seemed to be to our advantage.”
Herricks (10-5-3) enjoyed a tremendous season that saw the Highlanders lift their first county title in 20 years. Senior goalie Brayden Haase finished with eight saves.
Commack conceded just three shots on goal, none of which seriously threatened senior goalkeeper Zach Bloom. With McDonough playing strong in the middle of the defense, he’s also been able to win alongside his younger brother, a fellow starter in sophomore Dylan McDonough.
For a Commack program that’s been waiting for this moment for over a decade, it only seems right that the family mantra that always surrounds the team is quite literally on the field between the McDonough brothers.
“He stepped up big this year, being a sophomore on varsity, pretty much playing every minute of every game,” Luke McDonough said. “I’m just so proud of him.”
Michael Sicoli covers high school sports for Newsday. He graduated from Quinnipiac in 2022 and left with a master’s degree in sports journalism in 2023.
