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Vee Bees looking to erase last year's playoff nightmareBY ZACHARY BRAZILLERIban Paredes vividly remembers how last season ended. How could he not?
The center midfielder had just evened Martin Van Buren's opening round playoff game with John Adams in the final seconds, setting off a raucous celebration on the Vee Bees sideline - or so he had thought. The referee, after signaling the goal, changed the call, ruling the tally had come after the final whistle signifying that time had expired on the game and Martin Van Buren's soccer season. ”It was a big devastation,” he said. “We were all upset, we were all mad. We felt like we got robbed.” They eventually got over the heartbreaking loss, and are now in the same exact position, Queens II-B division Champions with the playoffs looming. But there is even more riding on the postseason this year, what with 17 seniors, the ones responsible for two division titles, a deep run to the semifinals in 2004 and the quarters in 2003, on the roster. “The unity we had this year is a big part [of our success],” Paredes said. “We all know each other for a long time already.” The Vee Bees have dominated division opponents to the tune of a 30-7 goal differential this fall, fueled by Paredes's nine goals and six more from striker Dwayne Smith. But it's been their play of their back line, led by senior captain Marvin Buckley and junior Damion Beech, and goalkeeper Kemar Brown, the unit Coach Mark Wilson calls the most consistent by far and “essentially the heart and soul of the team.” The players credit Wilson, a no-nonsense disciplinarian who served in the U.S. Army, spending nine months in Kuwait in 2002, for their continued development and success. “It's all coaching,” senior midfielder Stephen Leon said. “The more the coaches put in, the more we give them. We have respect for him (Wilson). He makes us run our laps. In practice, you miss a pass, you better drop down and give him 10 [push-ups]. He doesn't even say it any more.” Wilson's mission from here on out is to get his team to gain consistency, particularly at midfield and in finishing their chances in the box. A soccer player at Andrew Jackson (now Campus Magnet) and York College, Wilson tries to get his players to understand the game, rather than forcing it. He is hoping to instill a relaxed demeanor with his team, especially in the tough times the playoffs will almost certainly bring. “It's all about thinking,” he said. “The game is physical, but before that, it's mental. The way you think, your actions will follow. I think we have what it takes.” Wilson is also using the season's conclusion as a rallying cry, reminding his players that if they don't gain consistency, if they fail to adhere to play the game the right way, their high school careers could end soon. His team is certainly following aware of the scenario. In a rematch of last year's playoff loss to John Adams, they fought through lackadaisical play, to earn a tie, a game that should help down the road. “We already finished one part, won the division,” said Paredes, the 5-foot-6, 150-pounder. “We need to win the whole thing now. … I'm always thinking about [the playoffs]. I want to win a championship. It's my senior year.” |
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