Soccer Roundup: Island Trees Boys, Division Girls Through to County Finals

Each Levittown high school team will have one team participate in a soccer county championship game next week after the Island Trees boys and Division girls won their semifinal games Friday and Saturday.

On Friday, the hero for second-seeded Island Trees was J.T. Famularo. He had been held off the score sheet in the first two playoff games against Manhasset and Garden City. Against Great Neck North, it was his turn to come up with the big goal; he put home a cross from Adonis Martinez with 11 minutes left to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 victory and a berth in the Class A final.

After a scoreless first half, each team had significant chances to take the lead in the second. Before Famularo gave Island Trees the lead, Great Neck North had two significant chances, but missed both by inches, with one hitting the side of the net. The Bulldogs' defense, which hasn't allowed a goal in three postseason games, was able to make Famularo's goal stand up.

On Saturday, the top-seeded Division girls were able to convert on chances created from an early dominance of possession and withstand a Plainedge charge for a 3-1 Class A semifinal win.

The Blue Dragons created at least four good chances to score early in the first half, but converted on just one when Maggie Carew latched on to a through ball from Susan Ballantyne and beat the Plainedge keeper at the 7:21 mark.

As Plainedge caught up to Division's level, the physical play picked up from both teams. Elbows flew and jerseys were tugged. That rough play, according to Division coach Steve Kissane, motivated the Blue Dragons to come out flying in the second half.

"They were a little upset that there was some physical stuff going on at the end of the first half," he said. "I didn't have to say much."

The dominance in possession returned, and this time, chances were converted. In the 43rd minute, a corner from Krista Fitzpatrick dropped in the box to Susan Ballantyne, who tapped it in just inches from the goal line for 2-0. Less than five minutes later, Fitzpatrick crossed to Carew, who controlled and fired a shot past the keeper for 3-0.

Plainedge was able to control possession in the middle of the second half and were rewarded with a goal by senior Kathleen Kennedy in the 58th minute. They had two more chances in the next twelve minutes, but Kennedy missed another goal wide by inches and Fader turned a Sibohan Swayne free kick over the net in the 70th minute, which would be the last chance Plainedge would generate.

The Division girls, Island Trees boys and MacArthur girls will all play their county championship games on Wednesday. MacArthur will play Calhoun at Tully Field at 4:30 p.m., where Division’s game against South Side will follow. Island Trees will play Jericho at 5 p.m. at Hofstra.

Colleen Radcliffe contributed to this report.