Oakland soccer hoping 'chip on our shoulder' sparks postseason run

It might be a safe assumption that the Oakland boys soccer team will enter the postseason next week with a little attitude and redemption on its mind.

After reaching the Class AAA sectional last season and having high expectations for 2018, the Patriots probably will enter next week's 7-AAA tournament as a No. 3 seed.

That hasn't changed the confidence of the Patriots, but it has given them more motivation.

"We do have a little chip on our shoulder," Oakland senior defender Noor Lalani said. "We lost to Stewarts Creek (3-0) and tied Siegel (0-0). It's not the way we thought it was going to go. It's been a tough season, but we come out here expecting to win."

After trailing 1-0 at halftime to Central Magnet on Sunday, that chip came out in the second half. The Patriots scored two goals in the final 40 minutes for a 2-1 win at Siegel Park.

With one more league game to go before the tournament begins Monday, it was a good start to what Lalani and his teammates hope is a postseason turnaround.

As for Lalani, he hopes to end his high school career on a high note. After all, it seems like he has been a Patriot for longer than four years.

"It has been a while," he said with a laugh. "Sometimes the years have gone by fast, sometimes slow. It does feel like (a long career). I've had coaches come up to me and say, 'You're a senior? I thought you graduated.'"

Oakland coach Jeff Porter said growing pains are a key contributor to the up-and-down regular season.

"This team is extremely young and inexperienced," said Porter, whose squad is 2-3-2 in league play entering the district finale against Riverdale on Tuesday. The team also has lost to Blackman twice while tying Stewarts Creek. 

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"But that tells you how tough this district is. It seems every game is a one-goal game. The difference in Blackman and us is one goal (each game).

"We're hoping after being a goal down and coming back (Sunday) will be the motivation we need to get going."

Central Magnet reached the Class A-AA state tournament a year ago and swept through the District 11-AA schedule unbeaten and unscored upon this year.

"Central is never an easy match," Porter said. "Kudos to Coach (Ray) Bennett. He has a tremendous team. They beat (Stewarts) Creek (and Siegel)."

Match highlights: Oakland's Ben Massaro scored the go-ahead goal in the 75th minute after the Patriots tied it just after halftime on a Meyzon Oseguera goal. Central Magnet (11-3) scored a first-half goal on a header by Elijah Barritt.

Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.