Fearless Nunez paces CK over Stepinac

John Nunez looks and acts like a typical 14-year old freshman. That is, until he steps on the soccer pitch.

“He has no fear,” Christ the King coach Ovid Cusu said. “The kid doesn’t care he’s a freshman. He goes in and gives the best he can and he wants to learn.”

That was on display in a CHSAA Class AA intersectional first round playoff match against Stepinac Wednesday as Nunez struck for a pair of critical first-half goals to lead Christ the King to a 4-2 win against Archbishop Stepinac at Juniper Valley Park.

“I’ve never done it before, but it’s more [meaningful] now that we’re in the playoffs and I’m a freshman playing varsity,” Nunez said. “I’m playing against guys two times my size and to put in two goals in less than a minute, that’s pretty amazing.”

The Royals advance to the quarterfinals for a second consecutive year and on Saturday will again take on Iona Prep, which knocked out Christ the King in overtime last year. The Gaels went on to win their first-ever intersectional title.

“We’re just going to go there strong and play our game,” Nunez said. “If we play our game, nobody can stop us.”

Nunez helped Christ the King (8-5-3), ranked No. 12 in New York City by MSG Varsity, book its ticket to Maritime College by scoring twice in a one-minute span late in the first half.

Prior to his goal, the Royals were tentative and tight. But that all changed when Nunez tapped home Calogero Curcuru’s cross along the goal line at the back post in the 37th minute.

“That first goal opened up everything and then we scored four,” Cusu said.

Nunez wasn’t done, heading in a cross from Federico Curbelo in the 38th minute to give the Royals a 2-0 halftime lead.

“He’s not afraid to take on players,” Christ the King senior midfielder Peyton Atteloney said. “He’s like a little Ronaldo or Messi.”

Atteloney added to the Royals lead with a 30-yard rocket in the 64th minute and Cesar Oviedo chipped Archbishop Stepianc goalkeeper Michael Pizzuti one minute later to put Christ the King in front, 4-0.

“My first instinct was to hit it and I wanted to put it in the top corner,” said Atteloney, one of just two seniors on the Royals roster. “I saw it go in and I was happy, I saw the crowd cheering. It was a big goal for me.”

The Royals took their foot off the gas and Stepinac (4-8-4) pulled within two on a pair of goals by Emmanuel Laoutaris with 10 minutes left in the second half.

But Christ the King held on and earned another berth in the quarterfinals. The Royals dropped a 5-3 decision in New Rochelle on Sept. 22, but Cusu said that was a different, and younger, squad.

“We didn’t play at the level we’re playing at right now,” Cusu said. “I think we have a great chance at making the Final Four. That’s our dream.”

Contact Dylan Butler at dbutler3@cablevision.com

Follow him on Twitter: @Dylan_Butler

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