Southampton Falls to Babylon but Keeps State Hopes Alive

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association implemented a new rotation system for at-large bids in boys soccer last year, a change that determined Southampton’s path before the final whistle. The top-seeded Mariners lost the Suffolk County Class B Championship to third-seeded Babylon on Friday afternoon at Harborfields High School in Greenlawn.

Babylon defeated Southampton 2-1 to claim its seventh consecutive county title. Despite the loss, the Mariners had already secured a Class B at-large bid by winning their county semifinal against Center Moriches. This guarantee allowed them to remain in the state tournament bracket regardless of the championship result.

Babylon’s victory also granted the Panthers a choice in their next match. They could play in the Long Island Championship or travel upstate for a subregional game. Babylon selected the local option to face Carle Place on Tuesday. Consequently, Southampton must travel four and a half hours to Windsor High School to play the Southern Tier champion, Chenango Forks, on Wednesday.

The game saw Southampton control possession for the first twenty-five minutes. Senior co-captain James Garvin had a shot on goal just after the ten-minute mark, but Babylon capitalized on a throw-in with 14:08 left in the first half. Danny Murphy, a senior and co-captain for Babylon, took the ball into the box and shot it past the defense to give his team a 1-0 lead.

The score held until 13:22 remained in the second half. Southampton goalie Oscar Strickland attempted a long pass into the box, but the ball landed wide open for Babylon junior Brenden McCarthy. McCarthy stole the ball, dribbled around Strickland, and scored on the empty net to extend the lead to 2-0.

Southampton responded with 6.3 seconds left in the game. Garvin found junior Ulisses Lopez Silva, who had scored the winning goal against Center Moriches in the semifinal. Silva put the ball in the net to make the final score 2-1. Head coach Dave Riley called the loss an upset that must serve as motivation for the upcoming trip upstate.

The teams could meet again in an All-Suffolk state final. Riley noted that Babylon’s defense was difficult to penetrate, with defenders stepping in to cover gaps. Garvin acknowledged that his team played their best but faced a more experienced opponent. The Mariners will now focus on refining their play for the Wednesday match in Windsor.