EIGHT WAS ENOUGH 8 LIJSL players play in Crew-Rapids encounter
Eight players from the Long Island Junior Soccer League played in the Columbus Crew's 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids in a nationally televised match on Saturday.
It probably was themost players from one youth soccer league to compete in a match of MLS, which is celebrating its 10th season.
The elite eight who performed in the match:
* Rapids starting defender Mike Petke grew up with the Bohemia Soccer Club and Brentwood Arsenal. Petke's 94th minute header from a corner kick was clearedoff the goal line by the Crew's Mario Rodriguez.
* Colorado defender Ritchie Kotschau competed for the Levittown Soccer Club and Hicksville Hawks. He started and was substituted in the 74th minute.
* Rapids midfielder Kyle Beckerman, who played for Commack United, was in for the entire match.
* Crew forward Knox Cameron started and was replaced in the 53rd minute for new acquisition John Wolyniec. Cameron played for the LIJSL's Hewlett/Lawrence Blue Streak and the Bronx Tigers while Wolyniec was a star forward with the Northport/Cow Harbor Celtic and Silver Lake S.C. (Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League).
* Midfielder Kyle Martino, who played for Huntington's HBC New York United, started and hit the post in the 14th minute. He had made a slashing run across the top of the penalty area that beat several defenders and then bested keeper Joe Cannon with a low shot that struck the outside of the
post.
* Martino was replaced in the 75th minute by defender Chris Wingert, who played for the league's clubs in North Babylon, Deer Park and Commack.
* Forward Edson Buddle came on in the 80th minute. He was Martino's teammate with HBC New York United.
