South Side looks to continue success

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With 12 players gone from last year’s South Side girls’ soccer team, it would be easy to call the 2017 season a rebuilding year for the program. But new coach Jennifer Herman refuses to see it what way.

South Side has advanced to the Nassau Class A girls’ soccer championship game in each of the last five years, but key losses throughout the lineup will make a sixth straight trip a lot more challenging. The coaching staff was also not immune to change with Herman, an Oceanside native who previously coached the Herricks boys’ middle school team, taking over for Shannon McEntee behind the bench. 

“We really want to call this a reloading year,” Herman said. “We think that the talent we brought up and the girls that we brought back are really significant to the program.”

Seven freshmen are on the roster, including forward Ella Grace Delmond, who had a goal and an assist in South Side’s first victory of the season, a 3-1 triumph at Lynbrook on Sept. 13. But growing pains have been evident in the three other games, all shutout losses in which the team allowed an un-Cyclone like 11 goals. Last year’s squad surrendered just 21 goals all season.

Senior co-captain Jolie Creo, who scored twice at Lynbrook, leads the offense with Delmond, junior Lauren Thomas and Dana Allen, the other freshman starter, also logging minutes up front. Creo had seven goals last season, including a hat trick against Manhasset in the Nassau A semifinal.

“She’s a major asset,” Herman said of Creo. “She sets the tone at practice and is a role model for the girls. As the games progress, she’s becoming more confident and I think she’s going to shine for us throughout the year.”

The midfielders are senior co-captain Jenna Lopez and juniors Alex Chruma and Olivia Rodriguez. The defense had the most turnover with four new junior starters, Lindsay Tighe, Kelsey Barrett, Megan Sullivan, and Erin McElwain. 

“These girls have really stepped it up,” Herman said of the back end. “They’re still learning, but they’ve been great so far.”

Sophomore Julia Cavanagh is the starting goaltender. She made eight saves in the win over Lynbrook and did her best to keep South Side in the game against Massapequa on Sept. 15 with 26 stops in a 2-0 loss.

“At this moment, we felt Julia was right for that position right now,” Herman said. “She’s consistently getting better and continues to show us what she has.”

Because of the inexperienced roster, Herman said she will be assessing the players abilities as the season goes along and tailoring her game plan around those attributes on a weekly basis. 

“We’ve been playing with formations [and] we’re seeing really what works with this young team and how well they mesh together,” Herman said. “So [we’re] taking their skills and their abilities and seeing what works for them and what fits our opponent. They’re committed and they really want to win.”