STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The second game of Friday night’s Staten Island All-Star Soccer Showcase doubleheader delivered every ounce of drama the packed crowd hoped for, as the South All-Stars edged the North All-Stars, 3–2, in a high-energy boys’ matchup at Wagner College.
Earlier, the girls’ game saw the North erupt for five second-half goals to defeat the South, 7-2, in the annual event that featurs top players from across Staten Island and Xaverian HS in Brooklyn.
With temperatures dipping and the wind swirling across the turf, the Island’s best boys high school talent brought intensity and skill from the opening whistle. The bright stage set the tone for a competitive rivalry match fueled by bragging rights, school representation, and community pride.
The South team struck first in the 19th minute, when forward Dardan Anamali (Tottenville) received a through-ball just beyond the top of the 18, turned into space, and fired a low strike past keeper Benjamin Shifrot (Susan Wagner).
The North weathered the early waves and slowly found its footing. Their equalizer came in stunning fashion in the 26th minute, as midfielder Abanoub Habib (St. Peter’s) unleashed a breathtaking 40-plus-yard effort from midfield —a swerving, dipping blast that froze keeper Dan Olivera (Monsignor Farrell) and tucked into the low corner for the equalizer. The goal electrified the North bench, and the teams went into halftime locked at 1–1, despite the South’s edge in possession and chances.
Just three minutes into the second half, Anamali struck again, this time on a one-touch shot off of a skied ball placed inside the goal box, beating St. Peter’s keeper Jasin Skretovic to put South back in front, 2–1.
With momentum clearly shifting, the South continued to build pressure. In the 65th minute, midfielder Yassi Saleh (Tottenville) was able to use his blinding speed and footwork to shed a defender on the wing, gaining the box and rocketing a right-footed strike off the sharp angle to double the South’s lead to two, 3-1.
But the North still had magic left — once again through Habib.
In the 69th minute, the midfielder struck a second long-range goal, this one launched from nearly 40 yards away bending sharply away from the keeper before nestling into the side netting.
South goalkeeper Rami Rifi (Staten Island Academy) was especially composed under late pressure, reacting sharply to play in his own box to prevent opportunities to keep the advantage intact, making a winner out of coach Michael Meagher’s unit.
Tottenville’s Adelina Hidric (left) and Curtis’ Camille Banks found themselves facing each other in an all-star setting Friday night. photo credit, James Speciale
In the girls’ game, the North pounced early, with standout forward Camille Banks (Curtis) striking twice in the opening 15 minutes to give her side a quick 2-0 advantage. Banks weaved through a trio of defenders to break away and lace a shot from just over 15 yards out for the opening goal in the third minute, and then 11 minutes later added another with a sterling left-footed strike from the top of the 18-yard box on a failed clearance to double the North lead.
Coach Lacey Stram’s North side continued to put on the pressure, and it wasn’t until the midway point in the half before the South started to string together some more established attack time and look fully comfortable on the pitch. Eventually, the team put enough together to battle back before halftime. At the 29-minute mark, the South was able to finally break through, when a Sophie Ibrahim (McKee/SI Tech) pass found an overlapping Adelina Hridic (Tottenville) who raced in shoulder-to-shoulder with the defender and buried a shot into the right side passed North keeper Daniela Ferrari (Notre Dame) to bring the South to within one, 2-1. Then with just seconds left in the half, Madelyn Albano (Susan Wagner) was able to stuff in a goal from in close on a scramble in front of Ferrari off of a corner kick to level the score at 2-2 going into the break.
After halftime the score and the statistics were predominantly even, however, the momentum shifted sharply in the second half as the North’s Tima Dzemovski (NDA) intercepted a goal kick from 40 yards out and raced in past a couple of defenders, gaining space and blasting a shot into the opposite corner from just inside the 18-yard box to give the team in green a 3-2 edge in the 53rd minute. Just four minutes later, Dzemovski added the insurance tally, taking in a gorgeous pass from Banks at full speed, shedding past a defender and racing in alone on keeper Jill Perazzo (McKee/SI Tech) and tapping it through for the 4-2 lead in the 57th minute.
Midfielder Kate Morrison (CSI/McCown) added a clinical finish in the 63rd minute, and late goals by Isabella Grimaldi (Xaverian) on a header off the corner and Amber Martin (St. Joseph Hill) on a sharp-angle twister punctuated a dominant second half by the North.
The South had bright spells and several promising offensive pushes, but were repeatedly denied by North second-half goalkeeper Maria Vlahopouliotis (St. Joseph Hill), whose positioning and reflexes maintained the advantage.
South goalkeeper Jill Parazzo turned in a gritty performance, making multiple difficult stops and keeping the game within reach for stretches despite absorbing heavy pressure.
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NOTES: Youth soccer players from Island joined the teams on the field for pre-match introductions, and several participants were recognized for college commitments during pre-game festivities.
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