Seaford poised for playoff berth

Seaford girls’ soccer coach Ken Botti is looking to mark the next step in the program’s turnaround this fall.
The fifth-year coach quadrupled the win total from his first season leading the Vikings in 2015 with an 8-4 2018 campaign that fell just short of Seaford’s first playoff berth since 2011. A strong returning core that includes all of last year’s offensive starters is poised to push a hungry Seaford team over the top into postseason play.
“We have a very good chance of making the playoffs if not winning the league,” said Botti, whose team moved to 5-0 in Conference AB-IV with a 4-1 win against Oyster Bay last Friday. “We’re off to a pretty good start.”
Junior central midfielder Olivia Pearse leads the Seaford offensive attack after a 15-goal sophomore season that earned her All-Class honors. Pearse, who garnered All-County honors two years ago as a freshman, is off to a strong start in her junior campaign with 16 points on nine goals and seven assists entering the week.
Ashley Sidoti was second on the team in points with 11 as a sophomore and has already eight goals this season. Junior strike Niki Kassimatis is on fire offensively with 20 points including 14 goals with five of the scores coming in an 8-2 win at Floral Park on Sept. 17.

“They are like the cog of our offense,” said Botti of the Pearse, Sidoti and Kassimatis scoring trio. “They really make our offense go.”
Senior Jolie Kistinger provides veteran leadership in the midfield playing behind Pearse. Kistinger is one of three captains along with Pearse and senior outside midfielder Ally McMahon.
“She is a tough, gritty kid,” Botti said of Kistinger. “She is fearless on tackles.”
A young Seaford defense is making strides in surrendering just five goals in a five-game stretch since a 5-4 win against Plainedge on Sept. 6. The backline features sophomores Emma Williamson and Alex Leggio, who came up from JV as a freshman last year. Sophomore sweeper Jenna Moraglia, who moved to Seaford from Queens this year, and classmate Abby Kossmann are also integral parts of the defensive effort, which recorded a clean sheet in an 8-0 win versus Casey on Sept. 10.
Junior goalkeeper Maddy Catalanotti has shined early on in her varsity career after starting on JV last year. Catalanotti, who recorded five saves in the shutout against Casey, replaced four-year starting net-minder Ashley Casha.
“She has done an amazing job stepping in,” Botti said of Catalanotti. “These were not easy shoes to step in.”
Seaford begins the second half of its Conference AB-IV schedule at Carey on Wednesday.  Unlike last year when only the first place team in AB-V reached the playoffs, Seaford can end a seven-year postseason drought this fall by finishing among the league’s top two.
“We’re hoping to be in the mix and accomplish the things we have talked about accomplishing,” Botti said. “We’re moving in the right direction.”