BRADENTON, Fla. – There’s a certain languidness about the way Ironbound SC Boys U14 winger Brendan McSorley attacks an opposing defender that gives the impression of a throwback to another era of soccer.

But given the influence McSorley’s father Guy, a former player for Kearny FC in New Jersey in the 1970s, has had on his son’s playing style, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. 

“He taught me how to play soccer, so I try to do what he did,” McSorley said on Saturday after his side had taken a 1-0 victory against Barcelona USA MD to earn a second consecutive win at the Super Y League North American Finals at IMG Academy. 

“He took people on, he was the same position, same type of player,” McSorley added. “He taught me how to go past people, so I do what he told me.”

McSorley didn’t find the scoresheet in Saturday’s win, his closest chance being cleared off the line less than a minute into the second half after he had woven into the penalty area from the right after a chipped pass over the top that came almost directly from the kickoff.

The passage of play was emblematic of McSorley’s overall game, which saw him either glide past opposing defenders with tight close control of the ball, or be brought down in the process. The way McSorley approaches the game is definitely encouraged by Ironbound’s coaches. 

“We give our players freedom, right?” said ISC Coach Chris Tolkin. “We tell them, take guys on when you have the opportunity in the right part of the field. He’s a dynamic player, and we don’t take that away from him.”

McSorley has been part of Ironbound’s side each of the past two seasons, when it has reached the SYL Finals, but fallen short in the group stage. His ability to challenge opposing defenses has been a trait he has carried since Tolkin first saw him play when he was eight years old.

“He’s always been confident in his ability to beat players,” Tolkin said. “I think a lot of the game now, guys don’t encourage guys to take other guys on. Now, there’s a place in the field where you take guys on, and there a place where you don’t, and we try to correct it when he does it in the wrong spots, but when he’s one-v-one in the final third of the field, we encourage him to take on his man.”

Ironbound will have a chance to claim a place in the semifinals on Sunday when they face a Chicago Inferno side that has also gone two-for-two in wins so far at the tournament. With the Inferno holding a superior goal differential to Ironbound, the Jersey side will need to take victory, but McSorley is confident he and his teammates can come through with the result they need.

“It’s going to be a tougher game than these two, even though these two teams were great, but I’m excited to play them,” McSorley said. “They seem like a good team, but I love this group of kids and I know we can do it.”