Calhoun makes run to finals

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Few opponents over the last four years could boast about playing Massapequa to a draw as well as leading the mighty Lady Chiefs with a girls’ soccer championship on the line.

The 2016 Calhoun Lady Colts are in the minority. Two weeks after battling the three-time defending state champions to a tie, Calhoun opened the scoring in the Nassau Class AA title game at Cold Spring Harbor on Nov. 1 but ultimately fell to Massapequa, 5-1.

University of Illinois-bound Hope Breslin scored twice, her 29th and 30th goals of the season, as the dominant Lady Chiefs won their 14th county crown in the last 15 years. They advanced to meet Northport for the L.I. title.

Calhoun (9-4-5), which notched exciting 1-0 playoff victories over Hicksville (in overtime) and Port Washington to reach the title game under first-year coach James Raucci, struck first against Massapequa (15-1-2) on junior Kathryn Healy’s penalty kick at the 7:23 mark of the first half.

“It was a fun ride and I’m really proud of the girls and the season they put together,” Raucci said. “We brought a lot of energy and started off well, but Massapequa has so many weapons and the pressure they bring is just relentless.”

The second-seeded Lady Colts also created two other golden opportunities early in the game, including a goal-mouth scramble in the opening minute. “We could’ve been down 3-0,” Massapequa coach Bruce Stegner said. “We were not very sharp in the first 15 minutes and they deserved to be ahead of us. I was concerned until there was about 10 minutes left because Calhoun’s a quality team.

“Once we got organized and pushed the ball forward, we’ve got a lot of skilled players who can make things happen,” he added.

Breslin made it 1-1 at the 18:39 mark, and No. 1 Massapequa took the lead for good about five minutes later when Cassidy Byrns popped in a rebound after Calhoun senior goalkeeper Gillian Stapler denied Julia Hannon. Breslin, Sierra Brophy and Christina Ferrara added second-half goals.

Stapler, who made several dazzling saves, was instrumental in the team’s deep playoff run. “Gillian had a great year and she was just on fire down the stretch and in the playoffs,” Raucci said. “She had some unbelievable games.”

Arguably Stapler’s best performance came in the quarterfinals against seventh-seeded Hicksville on Oct. 25. She made 14 saves and was swarmed by teammates after senior Lauren Marinello’s overtime goal off an assist from junior Annie Coogan kept Calhoun’s season alive. It was Marinello’s team-leading ninth goal of the year.

Three nights later, in the semifinals against No. 3 Port Washington, Coogan scored the game’s only goal off a pass from Healy midway through the first half. Stapler, behind a defense led by Healy, seniors Dana Brown and Morgan Connelly, and sophomore Sarah Tappeto, denied all 10 shots she faced.

“Lauren and Annie were clutch for our offense all year,” Raucci said of his top two scorers. “We’re going to miss the seniors, but we’re bringing back a bunch of starters next year.”