Babylon boys soccer wins Long Island Class B championship after Daniel Murphy's second-half goal
Babylon’s Trace Cerrone celebrates with his team after defeating Carle Place in the Long Island Class B boys socer final at Harborfields on Tuesday. Credit: Kathy M Helgeson
For four consecutive years, the Carle Place and Babylon boys soccer teams have met in the Long Island Class B championship game. Babylon had lost all three prior matches, never scoring in any.
Even in Tuesday night’s championship rematch, the Panthers didn’t manage a shot on goal until the final five minutes of the first half.
But sometimes all it takes is a single goal to change everything. Junior captain Daniel Murphy supplied it after weeks of battling a groin injury and, for the first time since 2021, the Panthers sit atop Long Island.
Babylon beat Carle Place, 1-0, at Harborfields High School to lift the Long Island Class B trophy. Babylon (14-3-1) will travel to the winner of Section I’s Albertus Magnus and Section IX’s Mount Academy on Saturday in a state quarterfinal match.
“The fact that I can help this team raise the silverware, it means so much,” Murphy said.
Less than three minutes into the second half, Murphy danced around multiple defenders as he dribbled down the left sideline, suddenly getting tripped inside the 18-yard box. He stepped up to the penalty spot and didn’t disappoint, burying his shot into the left corner of the goal.
“I knew as soon as I won it, this is going to be my moment,” Murphy said. “I was going to show them who I am.”
It may have been Murphy’s only contribution on the stat sheet, but the midfielder flew around making tackle after tackle from the opening whistle onward. His effort set the tone for a scrappy Babylon side that refused to break against a formidable Carle Place (6-8-3) attack.
Senior goalie Trace Cerrone made five saves and consistently navigated traffic to deny crosses and long throw-ins from Carle Place senior Ryan Leary.
“I can read where the ball goes, especially with throws being so much easier than kicks,” Cerrone said. “I was used to him from last year. And the year before that.”
Senior defenders Ronan Dee and Dylan Borruso won consistent 50-50s in the center of the backline. For coach Dennis McGovern, who said he still carries the rosters of past teams, , the group's hustle was all about representing those that tread the path to Tuesday's triumph.
“Our motto here is, be first,” McGovern said. “That’s what this second half was, we had to be first to the ball. We were under pressure the entire time … and today we were first."
Junior Christian Pena laid down on his back around midfield as the final seconds ticked down. Whether it was exhaustion, or pure disbelief, is up for speculation.
But where Babylon is going next isn’t up for debate. Ready the bus: The Panthers have places to be.
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.
