Zaire Bartley is having the time of his life these days.

 

During an eight-day span, the Cosmos B forward has stolen the spotlight, grabbed the headlines, and earned man of the match honors from his older teammates while playing an important role in the team's run in the National Premier Soccer League playoffs.

 

The 20-year-old Bronx native has scored four goals and added a penalty kick in a shootout in three matches.

 

Bartley's most recent performance was his best, striking for both goals in Cosmos B's 2-0 victory over FC Frederick in the Northeast Region Semifinals at Hofstra Soccer Stadium in Hempstead, N.Y. on Wednesday night.

 

"The game is to have fun," he said. "Every game you're supposed to have fun. The team is jelling together and scoring goals. It's fantastic. Now we have to just win the finals."

 

When he entered the team locker room Wednesday, Bartley walked up to the team lineup on the wall and noticed his name was in the Starting XI.

 

It didn't change his attitude or focus.

 

"Same reaction if I was coming off the bench," he said. "Focused, coming in, work.

 

"It felt good starting. I haven't played a 90-minute game in a year."

 

During the regular season, Bartley's playing time was sparse, scoring once in a second-half substitute's role. Moreover, he showed improvement during training and games. Head coach Carlos Mendes decided to give him more playing time and it has paid off handsomely.

 

Asked why he decided to give Bartley the start, Mendes replied, “We wanted to have a little bit more presence in the attack to go with two forwards, be a little more dangerous. We felt that last game we struggled, struggled to create chances. It obviously paid off. He did very well. Zaire is someone who can get in behind and stretch the game. Obviously, it paid off. He did very well. He was excellent and I’m happy for him because he deserves it.”

 

Bartley's impressive play has not gone unnoticed by his teammates.

 

"Just more confidence in the finishing areas of the game," midfielder Jalen Brown said. "We're starting to feed him in behind. He's starting to make runs and just more confidence as a goalscorer. I think he's coming along very well for us."

 

Central midfielder Travis Pittman, who played well in place of the suspended Rafa Garcia, noted how dangerous the 5-8, 150-lb. forward was in training. In 11-v-11 scrimmages, Bartley has performed with the reserves.

 

"Even 7-v-7 in training, I could see he has everything," Pittman said. "He's got the speed, he's got the skill. Sometimes it's mental. So, I've been encouraging him to just push and go and keep going. If you miss a chance, just drop it and keep going, go at players one-on-one. Just everything positive towards him. He's getting confident at the right time and it's showing."

 

Bartley scored the insurance goal in extra time in the 4-2 victory over the Elm City Express in the North Atlantic Conference Semifinals on Wednesday, July 11. He connected for the equalizer against the Brooklyn Italians to force a 1-1 tie and eventually a shootout in the conference final on Saturday, July 14. There, he converted a penalty kick to help New York record a 5-3 tie-breaker win.

 

On Wednesday, Bartley tallied in first-half stoppage and added an insurance score in the 77th minute.

 

"This was the first time in the playoffs that we weren't under a goal," he said. "So for us to get the first goal, it gave the team enough confidence to get the other one."

 

Mendes has been encouraged by the progress the former Jamaican youth international has made since his first training session this spring.

 

"Anyone, especially a young player, you're playing up top, you need the goals to have the confidence," he said. "He has matured in the sense of tactically putting himself in better positions on the field, finding and stretching the game. We think he's best at opening his legs, going 1-v-1. I think early on he was trying to do too much, trying too much to come into the midfield. You see the difference now when he's stretching behind the defense and going at guys 1-v-1. He's very dangerous."

 

Bartley hopes to continue his streak against FC Motown in the regional final at Commisso Stadium in Manhattan on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The Keystone Conference Champions advanced by besting FC Baltimore on Wednesday night, 3-0.

 

"Motown is like every other team," he said. "We're just going to work together to win."