SONS OF ITALY
MARCH 2, 2016 - LATHAM, NY: Sons of Italy battled through the first half, to a 4-4 tie against a gritty GFC squad. Trash talk galore at the beginning of the 2nd half, when Sons of Italy propelled their offensive surge, en route to 7 unanswered goals. Adam Trigger sent a blistering shot to the upper-90, and Tom + Tony Greene's combos played a pivitol role in the 12-6 victory for Sons.
Total team effort - Sons of Italy sits atop the standings early.
NEW SESSION
FEB. 26, 2016 - Sons of Italy finished Session I of the new Winter Year with a 7-6 victory over The Dirty Pineapples. Key goals from Tony Greene, Tom Greene and Vincenzo Alfano helped clinch the win.
Sons of Italy conclude the first session with a 4-3-1 record.
FEB. 3, 2016 - LATHAM, NY: Sons of Italy has roared back onto the pitch this session, most recently with a commanding 8-5 victory over Goonz FC on Wednesday, February 3.
With three games remaining in the Winter 2016 Session, the squad currently sits at 3 Wins, 1 Loss and 1 Tie. Highlighted by a stellar goalkeeping performance by Alex Bonesteel, Sons of Italy drew quick blood and never looked back. Tom Greene and Vincenzo Alfano combined for 6 goals on the night; Enzo Tirino and Valentino Logrippo pouring in the remaining two.
Strong defensive play by Angelo Logrippo, Sal Sapienza and Mike Tahoe kept Goonz FC at bay throughout.
Currently in third place in the League Standings, Sons of Italy returns to the pitch on Thursday, February 11 vs. The Unsubs. Game time set for 9:05pm in Latham, NY.
2015 SESSIONS COMPLETE
OCT. 22 - COLONIE, NY: La Pantera continued their win streak against a depleted Sons of Italy squad. Hindered by 5 injured players not being able to take the pitch, Sons of Italy ends the first Fall Session with an 8-4 loss.
OCT. 14 - COLONIE, NY: A heated battle throughout, Spearmint Rhino edged Sons of Italy 5-4. Despite winning possession and shots on goal, Sons of Italy could not finish.
Defensive lapses told the story of the second half and Spearmint Rhino took advantage. Sons of Italy closes out the session on Thursday, October 22 at 7:55pm in Colonie. They'll face a tough La Pantera team, who overall, have beat Sons of Italy two times, 9-6 and 6-2.
OCT. 7 - COLONIE, NY: Sons of Italy climbed back up the league standings after earning a 10-4 victory over Free Agent Misfit FC.
Sons of Italy's 10 goals bolstered their season and league-leading total to 40.
For the second week in a row, strong defensive stands and goalkeeping led Sons of Italy to a crucial winning result. Newcomer Marcus Aurelius sparked an offensive surge early on, scoring 4 goals in the first half. Sons of Italy kept a comfortable lead throughout, thanks in large part to aggressive midfield play from Vincenzo Alfano and Sal Sapienza. Despite only having one substitution on the night, Sons of Italy fueled a well balanced 2nd half attack.
With the win, Sons of Italy hops back into a tie for 2nd place. Next game slated for Wednesday. October 14 in Colonie against Spearmint Rhino (2-4 on the season, with a -7 goal differential).
OCT. 1 - COLONIE, NY: Sons of Italy secured its second win of the young session, outlasting Gym Class Heroes 7-6.
Trailing 4-0 just five minutes into the match, Sons of Italy could not keep up with the fast pace and quick combos of Gym Class Heroes. A tactical defensive change began to sway the momentum, though, and Sons of Italy quickly found itself back in the game at the half, squaring things up at 5-5. Goals coming from Jerry An, Justin Ko and Enzo Tirino. Vince Futia finding Tirino on the latter by way of a beautiful cross-field switch from Valentino Logrippo.
All defense, all second half - thanks in large part to stellar goalkeeping from Domenico DeNitto, who returned to the lineup after spending one week on Injured Reserve. DeNitto finished the night with 16 saves.
The fat lady's rendition of O Sole Mio sounded Oh so sweet, when Valentino Logrippo's game-clinching upper-90 strike found the net at the 1:22 mark, giving Sons of Italy a much-deserved 7-6 victory.
Sons of Italy returns to the pitch on Wednesday, Oct. 7 against Free Agent Misfit, who currently sits in last place with a -22 Goal Differential. Sons of Italy (-3 Goal Differential) looks to capture its third win and a piece of 2nd in the Standings.
SEPT. 24 - LATHAM, NY: Lord Bendtners FC proved too strong for a depleted Sons of Italy squad, who was down 5 players for the second straight week. Storming out of the gate fast, Lord Bendtners claimed an early 4-0 lead.
Two costly hand-ball yellow cards from Enzo Tirino and a surging counter attack increased the Lord Bendtners lead to 6-1 at halftime. Sons of Italy fought back valiantly all second half, thanks to two goals from Sal Sapienza and one from Angelo LoGrippo. Sons of Italy looks to bounce back from their 8-3 defeat next week when they face Gym Class Heroes Thursday, October 1. Game time set for 7pm in Colonie, NY.
SEPT. 17 - COLONIE, NY: For the second time in three weeks, a late-game run spoiled Sons of Italy's bid for a victory. El Tigre used 3 quick goals to secure a 10-6 win. Despite a 4-goal night for Jerry An, Sons of Italy didn't have enough in the tank to finish a tight contest.
SEPT. 10 - LATHAM, NY: A heated contest throughout, Corona FC used a late-game 4 goal surge to roll past Sons of Italy 8-3. Both teams traded blows in the first half, resulting in a 1-1 tie after the initial stanza. Sons of Italy returns to action September 17 against El Tigre. Game time slated for 8:50pm in Colonie.
SEPT. 3 - COLONIE, NY: Sons of Italy returned to action with a commanding 11-1 victory over Ramrod FC. Despite missing 3 key players, Sons of Italy stormed out to an early 7-0 halftime lead and never looked back.
Angelo Logrippo opened the scoring on the new season with a tantalizing head ball, by way of a devasting cross from newcomer Justin Ko. Ko and fellow newcomer Jerry An contributed with 6 combined goals on the night. Enzo Tirino and Vincenzo Alfano each added two more; Tirino splitting a 3-man wall with a solid strike midway through the 2nd half - causing the opposing Goalkeeper to walk off the field.
SESSION COMPLETE
APRIL 15 - COLONIE, NY: Despite an outstanding offensive effort, one that included two goals from Riccardo Maioriello, Sons of Italy fell 11-8 to a stubborn We Hate Lee squad. Colonie has been less than friendly to SOI this session and last, not seeing a Sons of Italy win. The Latham location has been requested for all future games.
APRIL 9 - COLONIE, NY: Shooters FC overcame a late surge to hold off Sons of Italy, 4-3.
APRIL 2 - COLONIE, NY: After storming out to a 3-0 lead within the first 5 minutes of the match, Sons of Italy could not hold on, falling 12-6 to Gym Class Heroes.
MARCH 25 - LATHAM, NY: Logrippo-Paonessa Hat-Trick Party Gets Sons of Italy Back on Track
Shorthanded for the second time in as many weeks, Sons of Italy battled We Hate Lee to the end, notching a well-earned 6-6 tie.
In an effort to avenge their early season loss to We Hate Lee, Sons of Italy played a new and improved brand of defense all night. With a strong midfield presence and never-die attitude, SOI was able to apply pressure at all ends of the pitch.
Valentino Logrippo and Tom Paonessa each tallied three goals on the night. In a match that saw four lead changes, Vincenzo Alfano and Vince Futia kept the offensive composure intact; leading to harmonious one-two combinations and eventual goal-scoring opportunities.
With 1:32 on the clock and the score standing 6-5 in favor of We Hate Lee, Goalkeeper Domenico Denitto began a charge upfield to Futia and Paonessa, who then found Logrippo for the equalizing strike.
DeNitto's stellar play in goal earned him 17 saves on the night.
Sons of Italy returns to action Thursday, April 2 when they take on Gym Class
Heroes FC. Game time set for 9:10pm in C
olonie, NY.
MARCH 19 - COLONIE, NY: Sons of Italy suffered a tough loss at the hands of La Pantera, 6-2.
MARCH 12 - COLONIE, NY: A heated contest throughout, We Hate Lee came away with the 8-5 victory over Sons of Italy.
Vincenzo Alfano and Keith Manscuk each scored two on a night where goals were hard to come by. Exuberant play by a speedy midfield, We Hate Lee controlled possession in the first half. However, Sons of Italy began a late-game surge to cut the lead to 2 with less than 3 minutes remaining.
We Hate Lee held on for the win. Four teams, including SOI, now sit jumbled in the standings, each with one win and one loss in the new session. Pantera leads overall wth 2 wins and no losses.
Sons of Italy returns to action next week. Game and setting to be announced.
MARCH 5 - LATHAM, NY: Animals. Easy, Easy. T-25. All words and phrases that played a role in an action-packed return to the pitch for the start of Session 3.
Sons of Italy began right where they left off in Championship form, securing a 9-7 victory over Shooters FC.
Keith Manscuk began the scoring seconds into the match after receiving a glorious touch from Domenico DeNitto. Manscuk and DeNitto spent what seemed to be most of the game behind the opposing goalkeeper, with pictures to prove. Manscuk finished with four goals and two assists, while DeNitto ended up with two goals and three assists.
Making stellar runs and combination craving connections throughout, Riccardo Maioriello tallied two sensational goals on the night. The play of the day, and perhaps the season so far, came midway through when Vincenzo Alfano flipped a wondrous ball to Angelo Logrippo, whose stretched out finish beautifully found the back of the net. When asked about the awe-inspiring goal that towered over Shooters FC's talented goalkeeper, Logrippo added, "I knew I had a chance to find the net with one touch. T-25, baby. T-25."
Strong defensive stands and relentless coverage by Gabe Barbato and Vince Futia proved to be too much for Shooters FC's quality strikers to overcome.
SESSION 2 COMPLETE
FEB. 19 - Colonie, NY: Despite missing 4 players, Sons of Italy finished the session strong with an 8-4 victory over Has Beens FC. With the win and a Shockers loss earlier in the evening, Sons of Italy take the session title.
Albany soccer legend, Gabe Barbato, stepped in on defense and played a pivotal role in the win. In a match that saw 6 goals from Keith Manscuk, Sons of Italy dictated the tempo and held Has Beens FC to limited possession throughout. Angelo Logrippo and Tom Paonessa each tallied one goal, and Alex Bonesteel recorded an impressive 13 saves on the night.
Taking a look at the session that was: Sons of Italy finished with a 7-1 record, 67 goals for and 32 goals against. The +35 goal differential sets a new all-time record for Afrim's Sports Level B-East.
The team embarks on a new journey in a new grouping beginning March 5. Their cohesiveness and unselfish play are sure to aide the squad as they prepare for a level bump.
FEB. 12 - Latham, NY: Not as creative on the field as their name might indicate, ABCDE FC fell victim to another 9-goal clinic at the hands of Sons of Italy (FC). With two games slated on the night, Sons of Italy first took care of the younger ABCDE FC squad 9-3, and later rallied to complete the double-header sweep with a 5-4 win over GRC Celtic.
Domenico DeNitto and Keith Manscuk recorded nearly all scores in the 9-3 win over ABCDE FC; Denitto striking in 3 and Manscuk 5. Tom Paonessa dropped in the ninth and final goal, after a one-two combination made its way from DeNitto and Enzo Tirino.
Vincenzo Alfano and Vince Futia played crucial roles in the second match of the night; each providing game changing assists. GRC Celtic never led, but kept pressure on Sons of Italy throughout. Able to withstand the heat, Sons of Italy responded with two late game-closers - Tom Paonessa placing one in the net after a dime from Valentino Logrippo, and Keith Manscuk from Domenico DeNitto fittingly ending the tallies for the night.
With the victories, Sons of Italy steal first place for the time being. Their league-leading 59 goals have paved the way for a +31 goal differential with one game remaining in the second session. A win next week against Has Beens FC and a Shockers loss over the next 2 weeks would give Sons of Italy the session title.
Securing at worst a finish in the top-3, Sons of Italy have set themselves up nicely for a bump to the Serie A grouping next session. The session finale is slated for Thursday, February 19 - 10:05pm kickoff in Colonie, NY.
FEB. 4 - Colonie, NY: Man of the Match honors were presented to Goalkeeper, Alex Bonesteel. Recording a season-high 22 saves, Bonesteel shined in net throughout the contest, orchestrating a 9-3 win for Sons of Italy. Blast after blast from a potent Volts offense, Bonesteel kept the ball out of the net for a majority of the 55 minutes and secured another convincing victory for Sons of Italy.
Keith Manscuk continued his surge to the top of the scoring leaderboard, finishing with 5 goals on the night. Manscuk's surgical midfield composure created headaches for a veteran Volts FC squad. Vincenzo Alfano added two more goals, one by way of Bonesteel and another coming off a precisely placed free kick from 21 yards out.
It was a night filled with beautiful setups and one-two combinations, most which began with Tom Paonessa, who added two more assists. Angelo Logrippo appeared on the tail-end of Paonessa's second assist of the night, smoothly finishing after a one-on-one encounter with the keeper.
JAN. 29 - Latham, Ny: Sons of Italy boosted their goal differential to +19 with a 9-2 victory over FC Biergarten. SOI controlled every aspect of the game, winning the possession battle 74% to 26%. Tom Paonessa contributed to the win with a hat-trick and Keith Manscuk recorded 4 goals.
Vincenzo Alfano connected on 3 impressive assists, one finding Enzo Tirino for a second half goal. Domenico DeNitto rounded out the scoring. Potent defense from Vince Futia and Angelo Logrippo stymied a caught-off-guard FC Biergarten squad. Alex Bonesteel kept a clean slate throughout most of the match, and ended up recording 15 saves.
Sons of Italy returns to action Wednesday, February 4, when they face The Volts. Game time set for 10pm in Colonie, NY.
JAN. 21 - Latham, Ny: Sons of Italy could not hold the momentum of a strong first half performance, ultimately succumbing to a tenacious Shockers squad, 9-6. SOI led 3-2 at the half and controlled most of the possession throughout. Valentino Logrippo added two assists on a night that saw SOI struggle to finish offensively and remain disciplined on defense. Angelo Logrippo once again found the net on a useful cross-field bender halfway through the second stanza. That proved to be the last of the scoring for SOI. The Shockers ended the match with the final 3 goals.
JAN. 14 - Latham, Ny: No heat, Afrim? No problem. Sons of Italy packed in all the warm energy The Dome could handle with a surge of 14 goals against a desperate but gritty Albany Rebels squad.
Angelo Logrippo shined defensively throughout, but it was his emphatic strike 13 minutes in that set the tone for the rest of the contest. The crowd rallied, and so did Logrippo's teammates. The 14-2 drubbing was highlighted by 6 goals from Keith Manscuk, 3 from Domenico DeNitto and 3 nifty assists from Valentino Logrippo. Enzo Tirino tallied two more goals and Tom Paonessa boosted his assist ratio with 2 successful connections on the night.
Another stellar defensive performance and midfield-controlling effort from Sal Sapienza, who also added an assist. Not challenged much in net, Alex Bonesteel held his own for much of the match, recording 13 saves.
JAN. 8 - Latham, Ny: Newcomer Keith Manscuk stormed onto the scene, recording four goals and two assists for Sons of Italy en route to a 7-4 victory over Park the Bus.
A heated battle throughout, Sons of Italy and Park the Bus traded goals for most of the contest. Manscuk racked up the first three scores of the night, assists by way of Valentino Logrippo, Domenico DeNitto and a corner-kick connection from Enzo Tirino. Vincenzo Alfano added a sensational header into the net minutes in to the second half; Logrippo placing a dime of a cross for his second assist on the evening.
With the match at a 4-4 standstill with just over 4 minutes remaining, Sons of Italy lit the cannon. Tom Paonessa sparked the resurgence with two key late goals, and Manscuk put the icing on the cake with one more. Another strong team effort all the way around, including stifling defensive performances from Sal Sapienza and newcomer Vince Futia. Futia, pictured above, was a member of the 1990 Sons of Italy squad. Pleasure having him on the team - a true O.G.
Jan. 1 - Latham, NY - The second winter session began with a 3-0 forfeit from We Dem Boyz. Sons of Italy return to action on January 8, when they face Park the Bus.
SESSION 1 COMPLETE
Jan. 1 - Latham, NY - The first session came to a close with a tough 3-2 defeat at the hands of Has Beens. Marred by a mid-game brawl, Sons of Italy kept their composure and finished strong. Enzo Tirino and Vincenzo Alfano tallied goals for SOI.
Their efforts fell a bit short in the end and the squad finished the first session with a record of 3-5.
Dec. 18 - Latham, Ny: A total team effort from start to finish, Sons of Italy took care of business against a gritty Blunt FC squad - coming away with an 8-4 victory. For the second time in as many games, Valentino Logrippo opened the scoring with a tantalizing strike and Sal Sapienza followed with another to stake SOI to an early 2-0 lead. Logrippo later set up Riccardo Maioriello, who calmly found the net for his first goal of the season.
Domenico DeNitto tallied two more goals, one coming by way of Tom Paonessa. Blunt FC trailed throughout the contest, thanks in large part to staggering defensive efforts from Angelo Logrippo, Sal Sapienza and Enzo Tirino. Vincenzo Alfano recorded yet another hat-trick; highlighted by an astounding, low-lining free-kick from 19 yards out. Alfano has accounted for 15 of SOI's 34 goals on the season, leading all League scorers. Alex Bonesteel came up big in net once again, racking up 14 saves on the night.
Sons of Italy returns to action on New Year's Day, looking to cap off the first Winter Session with a .500 record.
Dec. 4 - Latham, Ny: Two weeks off for the Turkey celebrations? Exactly what the doctor ordered. Sons of Italy stormed out of the gate with a quick score-opening strike from Valentino Logrippo :42 seconds in; Alex Bonesteel setting the play up to perfection from the goal box. The Albany Rebels never found their groove and watched as Sons of Italy controlled every facet of the contest, taking the 6-2 victory. SOI dominated possession 72% to 28% and received another hat trick from leading scorer Vincenzo Alfano. Tom Paonessa also boosted his goal total with 2 net-finders on the night.
Nov. 19 - Colonie, Ny: Celtic opened up the scoring early with two goals coming in the first 10 minutes of the match. Sons of Italy then made their way onto the scoreboard after a blistering free kick from Enzo Tirino found the net from 16 yards out. Down 2-1 with 11 minutes remaining, Vincenzo Alfano evened the match after a quick counter-attack spurred on by Domenico DeNitto by way of Tirino. Celtic found the net one more time in the final minutes to take the lead for the duration of the match. Looking to rebound, SOI returns to action in two weeks.
Nov. 13 - Latham, Ny: For the second time in two weeks Sons of Italy found themselves in a deep hole at the halftime whistle, down 6-0 to La Pantera. And for the second time in two weeks Sons of Italy clawed their way back into the contest. A quick one-two connection from Enzo TIrino to Vincenzo Alfano began the second-half comeback. Domenico DeNitto and Valentino Logrippo each followed with one goal during the final 8 minutes. The two teams battled back and forth for a majority of the second period, with Sons of Italy edging possession 55% to 45%. Despite Alfano finishing with 4 goals on the night, Sons of Italy fell 9-6.
Nov. 6 - Latham, Ny: Sons of Italy notched their first win of the season with a 4-2 decision over a tenacious Liga MX team. Fresh off a hard-fought match against We Dem Boyz FC, SOI dominated Liga MX possession wise 66% to 34%. After receiving a superb ball switch from Devery Farrell, Domenico DeNitto opened the scoring early with a blistering far-post cannon. DeNitto later followed with another goal, by way of Salvatore Sapienza. Vincenzo Alfano and Tom Paonessa each tallied one goal to round out the scoring. SOI appear poised for a big mid-season run after a confidence-boosting night. Sharing the pitch for only 3 games, SOI is beginning to gel and show promise.
Nov. 6 - Latham, Ny: An own goal quickly began the scoring and SOI found themselves in a 5-0 hole at the half against a strong and experienced We Dem Boyz squad. It all changed with the second half whistle, as SOI began the period with 5 straight unanswered goals of their own. Vincenzo Alfano accounted for 3 goals during the 12 minute barrage and later assisted Tom Paonessa on an exquisite 2v1 opportunity, giving Tom two goals on the night. Valentino Logrippo chipped in with another to stake the contest at 6-6 with just over 7 minutes remaining. Unfortunately, We Dem Boyz FC found the net two more times in the final 4 minutes to take the 8-6 victory.
OCT. 30 - Colonie, Ny: Sons of Italy began the 2014 Winter season with a tough loss against veteran latent team The Shockers. Despite winning the first half possession battle 58% to 42%, SOI couldn't find the net and succumbed to a 5-2 defeat. Two late goals brought SOI back in it with just under 8 minutes remaining; one from newcomer Salvatore Sapienza and the other from Domenico DeNitto.
A gritty and respectable performance from the SOI squad, whose players just tonight joined forces for the first time ever.
