Chaminade boys soccer's Alex Nunez nets two goals in NSCHSAA semifinal win over Kellenberg
Alexander Nunez (No. 5) of Chaminade scores the opening goal of a NSCHSAA Class AA boys soccer semifinal against Kellenberg on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, in Central Islip. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Michael Price was doing extra work on his own time Sunday, prepping for Chaminade’s NSCHSAA Class AA semifinal Tuesday against Kellenberg. But No. 5 for the Flyers got injured in the process and couldn’t play. Yet No. 5 was out on the SUSA Sports Complex turf anyway.
Alex Nunez, usually No. 25 on this boys soccer roster, wore the senior center back/captain’s number.
“I decided to take his number because he’s a big influence on our team,” Nunez said. “He got injured, obviously, and I wanted to wear this jersey to represent him so that he’s here with us on the field even though he’s not playing with us, to show he’s a part of our team.”
The junior striker represented Price’s No. 5 rather well. Nunez scored twice in the first half off Hudson Keefer assists. The second-seeded Flyers held on to edge the third-seeded Firebirds, 2-1, in Central Islip.
So the defending state CHSAA champs will go for an NSCHSAA three-peat at 8 p.m. Sunday against top-seeded St. Anthony’s at Adelphi. The Flyers played to a 2-2 draw with the Friars last Thursday after losing, 3-1, in September.
“If we play how we can play, with all of our focus, everyone together, the whole bench being riled up, I know that we’re going to win this game,” Keefer said.
Chaminade started 1-4. Since then? Try 9-2-1. So make the overall record 10-6-1.
“We were a new team,” coach Brian Anselmo said. “We graduated a bunch of seniors, 10 starters. And so we needed time to figure it out. Now we have a better idea of who we are.”
Nunez provided the lead in the eighth minute after taking a cross from Keefer.
Then in the 22nd minute, Chaminade had a corner kick. Yanni Gordon passed it short to Keefer, who sent the ball across the box. Nunez headed it in — 2-0.
Keefer felt the Flyers got comfortable.
“That can’t happen again,” the senior said.
Alex Buckenmeyer sliced the margin in half, scoring with 32:36 left. The Firebirds (12-5-1) kept pushing. They had their share of chances to tie it but couldn’t get the ball past Conner Gawlik, who made eight saves.
“In a league of giants, to compete at this standard that Chaminade and [St.] Anthony’s have held nationally, state, regionally, it’s a real testament of the character of our boys this season,” Kellenberg coach Bill Masiulis said. “They came in prepared.”
