Early in the second half of Mattituck High School's Brookhaven Summer Soccer League opener last Monday, senior goalkeeper Peter Iskotjac-Krogrec accomplished a rare feat.
He made four spectacular saves within seven seconds of the game against Miller Place at Diamond in the Pines in Coram.
Iskotojak-Krogrec drew praise from friends, foes and judges alike.
“Unbelievable!” Miller Place head coach Thomas Frank said at the time. “This should be on ESPN.”
“no one, [four] “It's a save in seconds,” veteran umpire Austin Mangan said. “I've been in this business a long time.”
Unfortunately, this amazing scene wasn't captured on video.
Iskotoyac-Krogrec's performance drew praise from Mattituck head coach Dan O'Sullivan, whose team lost 7-0.
“I found the goalkeeper,” O'Sullivan told the sportswriter seconds after the save.
That's good news as Coach O'Sullivan looks to rebuild a team that lost 21 players to graduation, including its starting goalkeeper.
Iskotojac-Krogrec may have made O'Sullivan's job a little easier in at least one position.
“Peter's a great kid,” O'Sullivan said, “in fact he just told me he's never played as my goalkeeper, not even in the three years since his touring team was dissolved.”
O'Sullivan said there are two other keeper candidates but they chose not to play over the summer.
“I don't know if that means we'll play in the fall,” he added. “I said to Peter, 'This is a fantastic opportunity.'”
Iskotjac-Krogrec, who has primarily played as a central midfielder in recent years, grabbed the opportunity with both hands and was realistic when it came to making saves.
“To make an instant save from such close range is always just instinct,” he said. “Sometimes luck plays a part too. When it works, it's great.”
Overall, it was a rare bright spot for the Tuckers, who conceded two penalties in the first half and five goals in the second.
“I think our performance in the first half was not bad,” said Iskotojak-Krogurec. “In the second half we started to get tired. It's the first game of the season. We will get better over the summer and even better when the season starts.”
The Brookhaven League consists of a nine-game regular season plus playoffs that run through early August. It is similar to baseball's spring training, giving coaches a chance to evaluate the high school roster going forward, while also giving younger players a glimpse of the faster, more physical game they'll play at the varsity level.
“I told them, 'It's July 1,'” O'Sullivan said. “It's their first time on a college field. It's just a chance for them to get used to the flow of the game.”
O'Sullivan has long known a rebuild was imminent, but it was never more evident than when he asked graduating seniors to stand up and be recognized at Mattituck's athletics festival on June 11.
“They were 21 people. When they stood up, there were only five people sitting down,” O'Sullivan said. “We lost a lot of stuff.”
But he always tries to stay one step ahead, coaching many of the players with the North Fork Warriors of the Long Island Junior Soccer League.
“That gave them the opportunity to learn my style,” he said. “We did a lot of tactical and ball possession drills. [training]When I came here I knew what to expect. The biggest thing is finding the position. We're trying to find the defenders.
“I take notes every game,” O'Sullivan added. “The five goals we conceded in the second half were defensive mistakes. We didn't have that midfield duo who were comfortable with each other and communicated well.”
O'Sullivan will again count on his seniors to lead the way, including midfielders Shawn Szczodzka and Anthony Soto, the only returning starters.
As he was leaving the facility, O'Sullivan noticed Szczodzka and Soto still kicking the ball around.
“That's the kind of guys they are,” he said. “We're going to ask a lot out of them this year, but they welcome the challenge. They've been here a long time and they're going to do a lot of the little things that make this team tick. We're going to be rooting for them.”
They both already understand that.
“I'm kind of the heart of the team,” Szczodzka said. “I have to keep the team together. I have to keep everybody together. I have to make sure everybody is doing what they're supposed to do and working hard.”
Soto added: “My role on the team is kind of like a leader, a captain. I tell them when to do this, when not to do that. I lead by example.”
Preseason training will begin on August 26. The regular season will begin on September 4 at home against Suffolk County League IX rival Greenport at 4:30 pm.
By then, O'Sullivan hopes to have a firm grasp on what to expect from his team this fall.