Bryan Balladares picked the perfect time for his first postseason goal.
His header in the seventh minute of overtime sent second-seeded Queens Vocational Tech past FDA, 2-1, and onto the PSAL Class B quarterfinals Wednesday afternoon at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens.
“Bryan is our last man, but I moved him up because he is very good with his head,” coach Anthony Ali said. “I knew he was capable of doing it.”
The Tigers’ sweeper headed home a cross as the defending ‘B’ champions advanced. Mark Puma and John Avila (one assist) also scored and goalkeeper Alex Kiourkenidis made eight saves for Queens Vocational (13-0-0), which meets seventh-seeded Hunter Monday at 2:30 p.m. in the ‘S’ bracket final.
“This win takes a lot of pressure off our players,” Ali said. “We didn’t play how we should’ve played, so now tomorrow we’ll have a sit down, talk about what was right and what was wrong. They will be more relaxed for the next game.”
No. 7 Hunter College HS 2, No. 10 George Westinghouse 1: Emmett Kim and Jakub Glowala found the back of the net, Jan Zielonka assisted on both tallies and goalkeeper Drew Adler made nine saves for Hunter. The Hawks (13-1-2) take on No. 2 Queens Vocational Tech, the defending city champions, in the PSAL Class B ‘S’ bracket final Monday at 2: 30 p.m. Westinghouse finishes its season at 12-2-2.
‘P’ BRACKET
No. 1 Taft, No. 17 Leon Goldstein 0: Stephen Mensah had a hat trick, Khalil Abubakar had two goals and an assist, Michael Frempong tallied a goal and two assists and Albert Anokye followed with a goal and an assist for undefeated Taft (15-0), which meets No. 9 James Monroe in the PSAL Class B ‘P’ bracket title game Monday at Williamsbridge Oval Field at 2:30 p.m.
No. 9 James Monroe 5, No. 25 Bushwick 1: Erick Hungria notched a hat trick and added an assist and Steve Kouevi had two goals and two assists for Monroe (13-2-1), which meets top-seeded Taft in the PSAL Class B ‘P’ bracket final Monday at Williamsbridge Oval Field at 2:30 p.m. Bushwick finishes the year 8-7-1.
‘A’ BRACKET
No. 3 Campus Magnet 1, No. 19 Adlai Stevenson 1: Damar Campbell scored the match’s lone goal on a Darrian Chambers assist for Campus Magnet (13-0-0), which hosts sixth-seeded Prospect Heights in the PSAL Class B ‘A’ bracket title game Monday at 2:30 p.m. Stevenson is 10-6-0.
No. 6 Prospect Heights 3, No. 11 School of the Future 1: Jerry Gaston, Jaime Avila (one assist) and Carl Anderson each scored once and goalkeeper Jean Ulysse made eight saves for Prospect Heights (15-1), which visits No. 3 Campus Magnet in the PSAL Class B ‘A’ bracket final Monday at 2:30 p.m. School of the Future completes its season at 12-3-1.
‘L’ BRACKET
No. 4 Millennium 2, No. 20 Riverdale/Kingsbridge 1: Thomas Ghebremicael scored in a losing effort for RKA (9-7-0). Millennium (14-0-2) takes on fifth-seeded Thomas Jefferson in the PSAL Class B ‘L’ bracket final Monday at 2:30 p.m.
No. 5 Thomas Jefferson 5, No. 12 Washington Irving 0: Clevin Billy and Destry Dublin each scored once and Jamal Samaroo added three helpers for the Orange Wave (15-1), who meet No. 4 Millennium in the PSAL Class B ‘L’ bracket final Monday at 2:30 p.m. Irving finishes its season at 12-3-1.