Carey completes 11-win campaign

It was a banner year on the lacrosse field for the Carey girls this spring. The Lady Seahawks won the Nassau Conference IV championship with a perfect 9-0 record in league play, and qualified for the Class B playoffs where they fell to Hewlett. Carey finished with an overall record of 11-4.

Carey coach Nicole Kaye is happy with the progress the program has made, but is far from satisfied. “The girls finished undefeated in league and that can never be taken away from them,” Kaye said. “But, I’m really excited about what we can be in the future. We’re retaining a lot of talented girls, and we expect to move up a conference. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”

After splitting their first two non-league contests, the Lady Seahawks got on a roll when league play began. The team went eight consecutive games without a loss, winning most games in dominant fashion, including a decisive 15-11 victory over second place Mineola. Junior Kelly-Ann McGrath scored seven goals and added three assists in the win.

McGrath, who finished third in the county in scoring with 71 goals and 43 assists, earned All-County recognition. “Kelly-Ann is a one-of-a-kind player,” Kaye said. “Her skill and drive are unmatched. She brings it every time she’s on the field. She wants the ball, and she goes and gets it. But, she’s 100 percent a team player. She’s out to make herself and her teammates better.”

Junior Alex Busch, who stepped up and scored 60 goals as a sophomore with McGrath sidelined for the season with an injury, had another solid year. She scored 59 goals and picked up 17 assists. Busch, who scored seven goals and assisted on three others in a 15-10 win over Baldwin, was an All-County honorable mention recipient.

“Alex and Kelly-Ann have a real nice connection, and Alex can really whip it on net,” Kaye said. “They look for one another on the field. Their play together is impressive.”

Another junior who made a big contribution was All-Conference honoree Gabby Campos. While she doesn’t post gaudy numbers, Campos does the things that teams need to be successful. Kaye cited her ability to play off the ball, make solid cuts, and find open teammates.

Vanessa Tortorella was called on to play goalie as a sophomore and she hasn’t looked back. The junior netminder, an All-County honorable mention selection, had a slew of big games, including a 17-save effort in a victory over Island Trees that saw her blank the Bulldogs in the opening half.

While most return in 2020, the Seahawks lose senior leaders Athanasia Tzakas, Maia Membreno, and Jenna Lim, who was selected as the league’s Unsung Hero. Membreno earned scholar-athlete status for having the highest grade point average on the team.

“We’re definitely going to miss the three seniors,” Kaye said. “They were quiet leaders who led by the example they set on field. They were strong team players who did all the little things that you want out of players.”