South Side begins title defense

South Side is coming off its 30th Nassau County girls’ soccer title in program history and 10th under coach Judi Croutier, who has a handful of key returnees to lead the way to a potential repeat in Class AA.

Then-senior Nora Basile’s penalty kick goal 1:25 into overtime lifted the Cyclones to a 1-0 victory over Garden City in the county final after Charlotte Rathjen, one of six seniors on this year’s roster, was taken down in the box. Smithtown West defeated South Side for the Long Island crown.

“We had a senior-heavy team that accomplished a lot,” Croutier said. “But we had some underclassmen who started and many others who contributed. We have a really nice core back. We’re a work in motion but we definitely have talent.”

One area the Cyclones are brand new for the first time since 2019 is between the pipes, where junior Abbey Grunner, who plays goalkeeper in travel soccer, takes over the reigns from four-year starter Avery Testa. “Avery was a phenomenal goalie and even though it’ll be different, Abbey is experienced at the club level and is a confident vocal leader with a lot of strong attributes,” Croutier said.

The defense in front of Grunner features senior Sienna Connolly, an Honorable Mention All-County in 2023 who’s a Northwestern lacrosse commit, and sophomore Viv Haley, who started every game in the back a year ago.

Connolly, a captain who also sees time at midfield, is a strong marker with quickness, athleticism and an outstanding skill set, Croutier said. “She’s just a tremendous athlete who’s going to succeed wherever she plays,” the coach noted. “One of the best things about our roster is the flexibility. We don’t stick to one system and Sienna is an example of someone we can use in multiple spots.”

Haley is a full-time defender who wins the majority of 50-50 battles, Croutier said, and has great field awareness. “She’s a quiet type who just goes out there and gets everything done,” said Croutier, who added senior Taylor Hansman is in the mix for a bigger defensive role.

Junior Brooke Doreste is a center-midfielder who’ll connect the defense to the forward group. “She played a lot last year and is a composed, skilled and smart player,” Croutier said.

Midfield is South Side’s deepest area. Sophomore Katori Martin, who scored the game-winning goal in last year’s quarterfinal playoff win over Mepham, off an assist from Doreste, brings speed to a midfield that also includes seniors Lindsey Martorana and Jules Roberts.

Rathjen, another lacrosse standout headed to North Carolina, is no stranger to the midfield but is more likely to form a 1-2 punch at striker with fellow senior captain Sarah Schaefer. “Charlotte is a stud athlete who can play anywhere, but we’ll count on her to score,” Croutier said. “She’s a great leader with a great work ethic.”

South Side opened the campaign Sept. 5 with a 3-2 win at MacArthur.