JFK PULLS OFF HUGE WIN OVER TOP-RANKED HARVEST

By Shania Bulala

In a highly anticipated matchup in the Interscholastic Boys Football League, the fourth-seeded JFK Islanders pulled off a shocking upset over the number one-seeded Harvest Eagles, earning a thrilling 2–1 victory Monday evening at the JFK Ramsey Field. Nehemiah “Juju” Nauta and Malcom Ogo scored one goal each in the Islanders’ statement win.

1st Half

Coming onto the pitch as the underdogs, the Islanders wasted no time setting the tone. Just shy of five minutes into the match, forward Nehemiah “Juju” Nauta struck first, finding the back of the net to put JFK up early 1–0. The Islanders’ early offensive pressure kept the Eagles’ defense on its heels, forcing the Eagles’ keeper to stay alert as multiple shots were fired on goal.

For Nauta, scoring the opening goal was a proud moment. “My teammates always push me to do my best,” said Nauta. “Getting that first goal really gave us confidence and set the tone for the rest of the game.”

The Islanders continued to control the tempo. They maintained the majority of the possession and dictated the pace through sharp passing and aggressive play. In the 26th minute, Islanders’ Malcom Ogo broke through the Eagles’ defensive line and buried another goal to extend the Islanders’ lead to 2–0 before halftime.

“As a midfielder, you don’t normally score a lot of goals,” said Ogo. “This goal really means a lot to me, especially since it was my first goal of the season.”

2nd Half

The Eagles regrouped after the break and came out more aggressive in the second half. Their efforts paid off just five minutes in when Eagles’ Freshman Seigo Yamamoto capitalized on a dropped ball from the Islanders keeper, slotting it into the net to cut the score to 2–1.

With time ticking down, the Eagles pushed numbers forward, trying to put constant pressure on the Islanders’ defense. The match grew increasingly physical as both teams committed penalties and the Islanders’ goalkeeper even picking up a yellow card late in the game. Still, the Islanders held firm under pressure to protect their narrow lead.

“Even though the other team scored, we never dropped our intensity,” Nauta said. “We focused on making sure nothing else got through. We just kept going and played 100% until the final whistle.”

As the whistle blew, the Islanders erupted in celebration, with their 2–1 victory marking one of the biggest upsets of the season and propelling them further into the playoffs.

“I feel like we did an amazing job,” reflected Ogo. “We came into this match as underdogs, and no one expected us to win, especially against the top seed. But overall, our team did extremely well today.”

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