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High school girls soccer squads enjoyed a mixed bag of success in the Hudson Valley last year. Some teams enjoyed terrific seasons while others struggled to compete. But as usual, the fall brings new hope and high expectations. Here’s a look at what to expect from the ladies of the pitch in 2007.
Arlington
Jessica Waldorf’s Arlington squad had a good season in 2006, going 11-6-2 before getting knocked out in the first round of the sectionals. Now she – and the Admirals – are hungry for more.
“We’re looking pretty good so far,” said the fourth-year coach. “We have a good solid returning core with a good amount of experience under its belt. Everybody is fit and focused. We have some pretty high expectations this year, to tell the truth.”
Those expectations were only lifted after a season opening 4-0 win against Monroe-Woodbury last Saturday.
“We saw some great things against Monroe,” said Waldorf. “We were very excited to get that win.”
The Admirals boast a terrific front line that includes senior center midfielder Colleen Barry and senior forward/midfielder Caitlin Steinberg, who not only work well together on the field, but are good friends off it as well.
“They both exhibit great leadership and drive,” said Waldorf. “They really push each other.”
Waldorf will also be counting on a solid group of veterans to provide support for Barry and Steinberg. That group includes center midfielder Nikki Odell, as well as four defenders who excelled as a unit last season: junior Lindey Sescik, senior Shannon Cobb, senior Lauren VanOss and sophomore Shannon Barry. Sophomore Val Nelson will “man” the goal for the Admirals in 2007.
“Everybody communicates with each other well,” added Waldorf, who points to an October tilt with Ketcham and the final regular season game against John Jay as two good barometers for how her team will stack up this season. “I always tell the girls this is their team, their season and their opportunity. What will come out is equal to what they put in. I always say the harder you work, the luckier you get. We need to go into each situation wanting to be great. Then, no matter what the outcome, (the girls) can be proud of themselves.”
FDR
Last year was a difficult season for Dan Hassoun and the FDR Presidents. And after finishing 1-9 in 2006, an 0-2 start (in which FDR didn’t score a goal) doesn’t bode very well for 2007. But Hassoun remains optimistic.
“I’ve seen a lot of improvement already,” said the third-year coach. “The team cohesiveness is better. We’ve just got to start getting the ball in the net.”
Hassoun thinks the Presidents just need a little success to turn the corner.
“We need a couple of wins under our belt,” he said. “We lack confidence because of our history. We need to see what it feels like (to win). We need to get a taste for it.”
Hassoun is counting on a triumvirate of captains to propel his squad to a more successful campaign in 2007. Senior halfback Alex Crowell, junior striker Kristi Hedrick and junior center/halfback Deedee Connolly all have the experience Hassoun is looking for to turn around the Presidents’ fortunes.
The coach is also excited about sweeper Martika Hubbard, a first-year player he said is “a quiet girl who is all business on the field. She’s young, but I feel confident with her as the last line of defense.”
If FDR is going to have a positive season, Hassoun’s never-say-die attitude will be instrumental.
“Getting the girls to play as one unit is very important to me,” he said. “We have a lot of great athletes. I’d still like to get to .500 or better. Once we start to get that winning feeling, it will catch on. Who knows? Maybe we’ll make it to Sectionals.”
Ketcham
Coming off a wildly successful 18-3-3 campaign in which his team won the section, Chris Calimano knows there are heavy expectations for his squad in 2007.
“We definitely need to perform well,” said Calimano. “The practices have looked good. We’re trying to come together as a team. We’re not thinking long-term. We’re just taking it game-by-game.”
Calimano, a second-year coach, puts a lot of emphasis on the way his team practices.
“I want them to come in for 90 minutes and give me everything they have,” he said. “We need 100 percent energy and focus in practice so that we’re mentally and physically prepared for the games.”
This year’s standouts for the Ketcham squad will include senior goalkeeper Suzie Karach, senior striker Brittany Sullivan, junior midfielder Emily Rokitowski and sophomore defenders Jessica Paskowski and Jessica Woeckener.
For a team as successful as Ketcham was last year, Calimano is pointing to two games in particular to gauge how this year’s squad will fare.
“We’ve got John Jay at home on Oct. 17 and Arlington for homecoming on Oct. 13,” he said. “Those games are going to tell where we are. Arlington is stacked and John Jay is always well-coached. Those are high-intensity games.”
Poughkeepsie
Sixth-year head coach John Petacchi is excited about the depth of this year’s Pioneers following a disappointing 3-11 campaign.
“I expect improvement,” said Petacchi. “There’s more depth among the skill players. We’ve got eight girls with solid soccer skills. In the past we only had four or five.”
Petacchi also said the schedule bodes well for a better season.
“The schedule is independent this year, so it’s more compatible to our skill level,” he added. “The teams we play are similar to us. We should at least be a .500 team. I’d be surprised if we aren’t.”
“The thing is we’re an inner-city school,” he continued. “Most schools have girls who play year-round. We just need to concentrate, play hard and hopefully everyone will play to the best of her abilities.”
Petacchi said the Pioneers will be strong up the middle this year, led by eighth-grader Rebecca Kardas, a striker/forward who was a starter last year as well. Also leading the Pioneers will be sophomore midfielder Gabrielle Frisenda, senior sweeper Araceli Rodriguez, junior defender Tylie Wilks and senior goaltender Joquana Ashley, who has won All-League honors for the past three seasons.
“She sees a lot of shots,” said Petacchi.
No matter the results, Petacchi is just happy he gets the chance to work with an inspiring group of girls.
“They never get discouraged even though we have taken our share of beatings,” he said. “They’re always smiling, having fun. I’m really blessed. As long as they have fun, work hard and represent good sportsmanship, that makes me pleased.”
Spackenkill
Last year’s Spackenkill Spartans had a solid season, going 8-6-2. But head coach Mike Corbett thinks his team is on the precipice of even better things.
“We had a young team last year,” said Corbett. “We’re more mature now. I think we’ll be really competitive. We’re going to surprise some people.”
Corbett, whose team has gotten off to a 2-0 start with wins against Millbrook and Rhinebeck, is comfortable with the way his team is shaping up.
An experienced defense mixed with a well-rounded midfield gives the Spartans a formidable backbone. The last element, according to Corbett, is making sure his team learns how to finish.
“We need to get the ball in the goal,” he said.
And despite the pride he takes in his team’s play, Corbett is even prouder of something else. Last year, his girls were recognized by New York State as a scholar athlete team. “That’s rare for soccer,” he said.
The Spartans are led by senior center/midfielder Debbie Towle (2 goals and 2 assists against Rhinebeck) and senior striker Eleni Kustas (2 assists against Rhinebeck). Junior defender Megan Nizzi and junior sweeper Emily Burnham are also standouts for the Spack squad.
With so much optimism, Corbett is pointing toward next Friday’s showdown with Highland – which went to the state semifinals last year – as a measuring stick for his team.
“We’re looking to be very competitive (with them),” he said. “We want to beat them, of course, but it’s important we play them better than we did last year.”
