Robbie Campbell's hat trick lifts Huntington boys soccer over Glen Cove in Southeast Regional Class AA semifinal
Huntington players celebrate after winning the Long Island Class AA boys soccer championship against Glen Cove on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026 at Patchogue-Medford High School. Credit: Thomas Hengge
It’s been a unique week for Huntington’s boys soccer team. Coach John Pagano equated it to life and death.
The Blue Devils lost to Smithtown West in the Suffolk AA championship on Sunday, which in almost any other year would’ve ended their season. However, due to the county’s classification receiving an at-large bid, Huntington’s season continued.
That left Pagano to tell his team a book he read — he couldn’t recall the title — written by a man who died and came back to life.
“He wrote a book about his perspective of having a second chance with house money,” Pagano said. “Crude analogy, I know … but we’re playing with house money.”
That meant a return to Patchogue-Medford High School, just three days after the county championship, against Nassau champion Glen Cove in the Southeast Regional semifinal. And on the back of a hat trick from Robbie Campbell and despite a red card midway through the second half, the Blue Devils will live to fight yet another day after winning, 3-1, Wednesday.
Robbie Campbell wasn’t ready to hang up his Huntington jersey. And after a hat trick Wednesday against Glen Cove, he won’t be.
— Michael Sicoli (@Michael__Sicoli) November 5, 2026
Take a look at all three goals, as well as the celebrations with the lifting of the plaque.@NewsdayHSsports pic.twitter.com/ouGcCHBqYu
“It’s great, bouncing back from losing the county final to being here tonight and winning and then scoring three goals to bring my team to victory,” Campbell said. “It’s great, man, it really is.”
Huntington (15-4) advances to the Southeast Regional final to face Section I’s Mahopac at Byram Hills High School at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
Campbell scored in the 12th minute and headed in a corner kick from Eduardo Reyes in the 38th minute to hand Huntington a two-goal lead. Glen Cove (15-3-2) quickly responded, however, as Jack Martinez scored less than a minute later with 58 seconds left in the half.
Both teams boasted strong performances from their goalkeepers, with Huntington’s Edwin Caballero and Glen Cove’s David Bernal saving eight shots apiece. Bernal also denied a breakaway by Campbell midway through the first half that left the goalkeeper visibly in pain throughout the game.
“He’s got grit, determination; he gave it his all,” Glen Cove coach Brian Smith said. “It’s hard to play that position, and he kept on fighting.”
Campbell scored his third with a poised finish to the bottom right corner after beating his defender down the right sideline in the 50th minute. However, a red card issued to teammate Jayson Chavez with 19:08 for a dangerous tackle resulted in Campbell playing center back as Huntington held back Glen Cove.
“I was very nervous; I’ve never played center back before,” Campbell said. “I just adjusted to the moment and made it work.”
The rebirth is complete. Now, it’s time for Huntington to stay alive.
Michael Sicoli covers high school sports for Newsday. He graduated from Quinnipiac in 2022 and left with a master’s degree in sports journalism in 2023.
