Massapequa Girls Soccer Eyeing Another State Championship

The Massapequa girls’ soccer team was undoubtedly the most successful team in town last year, winning the New York State championship with an undefeated record. The Chiefs finished 19-0-1 in Conference I-A in 2010.

Massapequa has won three state titles in the last eight years under now ninth-year head coach Bruce Stegner and four total in the programs’ history. The Chiefs hope that this new season will only bring more of the same success.

“We want to win the Counties, win Long Island and get to the States again, so those are our goals for now,” said Stegner. “We have to rebuild our defense, because that is where our play starts from. We have to make our back four very solid and it’ll be a challenge this year.”

The Chiefs graduated a large and successful senior class made up of 13 players. The group included the starting back defensive line made up of Victoria Lander, Stephanie Nelle, Tara Brady and Jamie Strumwasser, as well as top midfielder, Amanda Reverberi, the New York State Player of the Year. 

“We have a young team, but Massapequa has such a strong soccer program, so we are always hopeful to succeed,” said Chiefs sixth-year assistant coach Brigit Canlé. “We need a lot of fitness, team chemistry and a lot of individual improvement as far as wanting to work hard.”

Despite the youth of the team as Canlé said, the Chiefs will feature a wealth of talent in hopes to rack up the wins as in years past. Juniors Rosie Dimartino and Tori Maley will lead the midfield unit. Junior Erica Modena looks to play an incremental part up front and junior Emmalee Meyer will be back in goal for another year.

“We have some juniors that have been around several years so they should feel confident in stepping up and we have a few seniors to take the leadership roles as well,” Stegner added.

With the switch back to ability-based conferences from school enrollment-based conferences in 2010, Massapequa will likely play a tougher schedule. Their conference competition includes Baldwin, Hicksville, MacArthur, East Meadow, Mepham, Farmingdale and Oceanside, who the Chiefs defeated in last years’ Nassau County championship game.

Massapequa will also play a highly anticipated non-league game at night against Southside on October 1.

“I think we still have great players that are able to rise to the occasion, and I feel we can be just as good as last year if we work hard and keep on doing the same things,” said returning senior Nicole Raab.  

Massapequa opens up their 2011 schedule on Monday, September 12 at home against Baldwin at 4:30 p.m.