Hewlett brings balanced attack

A four-win ceiling that had capped Hewlett’s records for more than a half-decade was at last blasted away last season by the Bulldogs girls’ soccer team.

As Hewlett forward Marcie Iannico marched to her second straight All-County season leading Nassau Conference 4 with 13 goals, Hewlett went 3-1 in the stretch, with a vengeance win at Roslyn in its finale, to finish 5-6-1 last fall.

Iannico, who had both tallies in Hewlett’s season-ending 2-0 victory, stayed in stride with a pair of goals in Hewlett’s season opener Sept. 5, boosting the Bulldogs to a 2-0 win over nonconference visitor Valley Stream South. Backed on defense by Honorable Mention All-County twin sister Catie, Marcie Iannico leads a Bulldogs core of six returning starters as Hewlett, hot out of the blocks with what could be a statement win, looks to continue its climb heading back into Conference 4 action.

“We’ve had some solid teams the last few years, but we’ve been building,” said 23rd-year coach Gil Kreiss. “Now, I think, all the pieces are there. In the past we’ve really relied a lot on Marcie. This year we’ll be able to spread it out more.”

Alongside junior returning starter Isabella Vardaro, who had an assist in the opener, sophomore fellow forward Olivia Brown joins Hewlett’s Iannico-led attack, with returning senior center midfielder Brianna Liao-Greene also fitting into schemes in a kind of a point guard role. “Brianna understands the game so well and brings lots of energy; we’re looking for her to distribute,” Kreiss said. “Instead of just going to Marcie all the time, we can play towards Bella in the middle, generate offense from different positions.”

Senior returning midfielder Anabella Lamour has been named one of Hewlett’s four co-captains, along with Liao-Greene and the Iannicos. Catie Iannico heads a Bulldogs defense that crystallized in the latter half of last season, conceding a mere four goals over its final five contests, a stretch which included three shutouts by the Bulldogs.

“Catie doesn’t have the big numbers her sister has,” Kreiss said. “But if you kept stats on how many times someone makes a great defensive play, or takes the ball away from somebody else, Catie would be right up there with Marcie as far as great statistics.”

Behind first-string defenders Jean Rimbos (senior), Sienna Lapaglia (junior), Ella Yamen (freshman) and Iannico, freshman goalkeeper Emily Priotkowski had two saves in notching a shutout win in her first varsity start in the opener, but is set to make way for eighth-grade goalie Alyssa Reich, who Kreiss said claimed the starting job in camp and will debut in net as soon as she catches up on missed practices.

“Alyssa’s been a pleasant surprise,” Kreiss said. “Her technical skills are very good, and the way she reads the game. Having a goalie competition is nice; the battle made her better, and fearless.”

“The big difference this year, overall, is our experience,” Kreiss concluded. “There’s a few new girls, and some very young players, but they’ll fit in without a problem. Almost everyone else is a returner. At every position now, we look like a team that’ll be able to compete.”