North Shore’s lineup an interesting mix

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Looking at the bright side of playing high school soccer season in March and April, North Shore girls’ coach Lauren Gotta said it’ll make for a smooth transition into summer workouts and the traditional fall campaign come September.

“Soon after this season is over the returning players will begin their offseason routines and get ready for the fall,” Gotta said. “We have our senior leaders but also a lot of young talent that we’re mixing into the lineup. It’s good that varsity and JV are practicing together because we could be using different combinations from game to game.”

The Vikings have 27 girls in the program, down about 10 from the norm, and face a challenging Conference A-II schedule featuring two games apiece against Calhoun, Bethpage, Kennedy, New Hyde Park, Lynbrook and Plainedge.

Gotta is counting on an experienced defense and goalkeeper to keep North Shore in every game. The back row features seniors Ashton Guss and Celia Labbate, as well as sophomore Ari Guss. They’re all back from the 2019 defense and provide a strong foundation in front of senior keeper Julianna Graziosi, a second-year captain who’s been on the varsity roster for five years.

“We have all the confidence in the world in Julianna,” Gotta said. “She communicates so well. It’s like having a coach on the field.”

Junior Morgan Griffin is a defensive center-midfielder coming off an All-County season. “She’s a great distributor with great field awareness and always plays with passion,” Gotta said. “She’s a natural winner.”

Also starring in the midfield is All-Class selection Isabella Tedesco, a senior with an offensive mindset but is also strong defensively. “She’s an impact player and we’ll move her around to different spots because we had success doing that last season,” Gotta said.

Up front, the Vikings are led by playmaker Evelyn McCreery, a junior with a high soccer IQ. She can put the ball in the back of the net as well as set up teammates. “She’s one of the smartest kids on and off the field that I’ve ever coached,” Gotta said.