An asset on the sidelines that Wesselhoft said has provided a huge lift is assistant coach Kaysi Ward, a former All-County performer at Long Beach who played on the collegiate level at Towson University. Ward, who is in her second year as an assistant coach for the Lady Marines, previously played for Wesselhoft and has deep roots with Long Beach soccer.

“She has a natural connection with the girls,” Wesselhoft said. “They definitely look up to her.”

Wesselhoft is expecting her team to compete with Plainview-JFK and Hicksville for playoff positioning. She predicts Syosset and Port Washington to be at the top of Conference AA-2. “What we lack in skill we make up for in speed,” she said. “They are a talented group.”