Not only did Center Moriches defeat Mattituck High School in the Suffolk County Class B boys semifinals Wednesday, did it in a spectacular way.

Red Devils goalkeeper Colin Raupp scored off a 70-yard free kick for the equalizing goal in a 2-1 victory.

Top-seeded Center Moriches will play No. 3 Babylon for the title at Diamond in the Pines Saturday at 3 p.m.

Center Moriches and Mattituck have the longest boys soccer rivalry in Suffolk County, if not Long Island, dating back to 1936.

According to a story by Bob Liepa in The Suffolk Times: coach Chris O’Brien texted his keeper before the game.

“I said to him: ‘It’s your last game on this field. You’re a senior playing your last game on this field, let’s make a memory,’ ” O’Brien said.

Raupp complied – spectacularly.

Erik McKenna’s goal at 13:03  gave the Tuckers (4-5-2) a halftime lead before Raupp performed his heroics booting his long-range free kick over the head of goalkeeper Steve Moeck. It was the first goal Raupp conceded in nine matches.

“I’ve been doing this for 37 years, and it’s one of the crazier goals I’ve ever seen,” O’Brien told the Times.

Only 67 seconds after Raupp’s goal, Michael Luongo tallied the game-winner as Center Moriches won for the 10th consecutive time.

For the Suffolk Times story, visit:

 

Boys Soccer: Goalie’s 70-yard FK goal helps down Tuckers

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.