BY JOSEPH STASZEWSKI
Elmont coach Patrick Corvetti knew Ahkeel Rodney was one of the elite soccer players on Long Island, but didn’t know his talents went far beyond that.
Rodney simply didn’t tell him.
"He’s very modest," Corvetti said. "I didn’t know he played for the national team until I put him up for awards He never even told me. He is a modest kid who wants to win."
Rodney, Newsday’s Nassau Player of the Year, starts for the U17 national team and the Region 1 team. For Elmont last season he scored a Long Island leading 33 goals to go along with four assists. The junior’s desire to win was evident after Elmont (11-4-1) saw a 4-1 lead evaporate against Plainview JFK late in the season. After he tied the score at 5 with 1:00 left in the game, Rodney scored the winner, his fourth goal of the contest, with 15 seconds left in the game. It was his seventh goal in two contests.
"I didn’t want to lose at all," Rodney said. "We couldn’t lose. That was crunch time for playoffs. I just kept working."
The All-Region selection was as dominate an offensive force as you could find, even though he drew multiple defenders and a defense’s undivided attention nearly ever game. Rodney possesses superb quickness, great accuracy and excellent foot skills. He has already received interest from St. John’s, Boston College, Santa Clara and Hofstra among others.
"He would be like a five-tool baseball player," Corvetti said. "He is fast, he has soccer smarts, he’s athletic, he’s coachable, and he’s a leader. He’s got the whole package. If he played goalie he wouldn’t give up a goal."
Rodney believes his role will increase even more next season as Elmont loses a substantial number of seniors. It should bring even more attention on him and possibly more accolades, but he’d rather quietly go about the business of winning.
"I don’t really like telling people that stuff," Rodney said. "I’m very humble. I don’t like people going ‘oh, oh, congratulations.’"
After this season he may get use to it.