Not only is Valley Stream South leading where it counts most – at 6-1-0, they top the ABC-II standings – but they’re dominating the numbers as well.
As of Thursday, the Falcons held the statistical Triple Crown. Tyler De La Torre leads the county in goals with 15, Nick Accardi is tied for the lead in assists with nine, and goalie Justin Corke is tops with six shutouts.
"It's great that we have those kids doing what they’re doing," said VSS coach Richard Boyd, "but more important to them is the team’s success. They’re beneficiaries of the entire group being solid. The kids around them are doing a lot and that helps."
That’s not just a coach talking up his group. Just like it takes a village to raise a child – well, so they say – it takes a team to boost its players’ individual accomplishments. And unlike the village stuff, we know (and have incontrovertible evidence) that that’s true. Anyway…
Jonathan Velasquez is having a strong season (seven goals, four assists) at midfield, which helps free up the forwards (Accardi and De La Torre). His play draws defensive attention. When the middle is controlled, Boyd said, “you can control the game.”
Also, it goes without saying that a goalie is aided by the play of his defense. Angel Aguirre, Brian Castano and Yazeid Hamarsha are Corke’s lead wingmen.
When the sum of the whole’s parts are great, the whole itself tends to be great. (If that made sense.) And a fortified whole can do stuff like compile 6-1-0 records.