2004 All-Long Island Girls Soccer

BY ERIK BOLAND | STAFF WRITER
A look at the girls soccer players who stood out on Long Island high school varsity squads in the fall of 2004.



MARIA BAEZ
MacArthur, Midfielder, Junior
Maria Baez led MacArthur to its best regular season record (11-1 Nassau Conference IV) in program history and its first conference title. She had the ability to score from anywhere (13 goals), but also to set up her teammates (13 assists). "It's not about scoring or awards for her," MacArthur coach Jen Roden said. "It's about winning."



KATIE BUFFA
East Meadow, Goalkeeper, Senior
Earlier this season, in a loss to Conference I power South Side, Kaite Buffa stopped a point-blank shot, deflected the rebounded shot, then made a diving save off another rebound. "Their coach [Judi Croutier] looked at me and shook her head as if to say 'Wow,' " East Meadow coach Matt Pedicini said. "I just stood there and clapped." Buffa, a starter since her sophomore year, elicited that reaction all season, making 10 or more saves in eight of East Meadow's 14 games.



JILL BYERS
Northport, Forward, Senior
Northport battled injuries in the starting lineup all season, starting with the loss of last year's leading scorer, Grace Hawkins, who was lost in the first game. To no one's surprise Jill Byers, a standout on the basketball team and coming off a lacrosse season in which she scored a Long-Island record 119 goals, picked up the slack, netting a team-best 22 goals and adding 12 assists. Byers recently signed with Notre Dame for lacrosse.



CHRISTINA DiMARTINO
Massapequa, Midfielder, Senior
Christina DiMartino missed much of her junior season because of injury. She made it through this season relatively unscathed, making a loaded Massapequa team, which won a second straight Long Island title, even more potent. Though DiMartino can score and pass (12 goals, seven assists), it is her almost magician-like ability to control the ball that most dazzles the opposition. "Her footwork is just amazing," Massapequa coach Kerry Jacobs said. She will attend UCLA on a soccer scholarship.



GINA DIMARTINO
Massapequa, Forward/Midfield, Junior
Gina DiMartino emerged from her older sister's shadow this season, scoring a team-best 18 goals and adding seven assists. "She's the type of player you can play her almost anywhere and she's going to make an impact," Massapequa coach Kerry Jacobs said. Jacobs stressed that the two sisters are not one in the same, but both seem to be at a different level when it comes to footwork and the ability to beat defenders.



MOLLY DRESKA
South Side, Sweeper/Midfielder, Junior
Molly Dreska can dribble, pass, and play defense. "She goes anywhere and does anything you ask of her," South Side coach Judi Croutier said. "She encompasses it all." Dreska had 12 assists and added six goals, demonstrating exceptional field speed that allowed her to beat defenders on offense and track down the opposition's top scorers on defense.



BRITTANY HENDERSON
Commack, Goalie, Junior
Brittany Henderson started all 21 games for Commack, which won the League II title and advanced to the Class AA Long Island Championship game, and recorded 11 shutouts. She allowed 14 goals all season, five of which came in an early-season tie against Sachem East. Henderson, a national pool player, did more than deflect shots. Her booming leg sent clears past midfield, resulting in three assists this season. "She's the whole package," Commack coach Tracie Morenberg said.



KELLY HENDERSON
Baldwin, Midfielder, Junior
Kelly Henderson was responsible for half of her team's scoring. Baldwin scored 26 goals this season; Henderson had nine goals and four assists. How valuable was Henderson? In an earlier game, Baldwin led Garden City 2-0 at the half. Henderson twisted her ankle early in the second half and missed the rest of the game, which Baldwin lost, 3-2, in double overtime. "She made our offense go." Baldwin coach Don Schreier said.



JESSICA HERRMANN
Islip, Center Midfielder, Sophomore
Though Jessica Herrmann stands only 5-3, she was largely responsible for Islip's League V title season in which it went 11-1. She had nine goals and 11 assists and was rated, by Suffolk coaches, as one of the top field players of the season. "She has a presence on the field," Islip coach Mike Reilly said of his national pool player. "She's so noticeable because she plays all aspects of the game."



LAUREN KOPPEL
South Side, Forward, Senior
Lauren Koppel, a Hi-Five All-Long Island pick last season, has been a core part of a South Side program that has won four straight Nassau titles and is making a third straight state final four appearance. Koppel scored 13 goals last season and eight this year, although balanced South Side had 15 scorers this season. Koppel is equally proficient with her left and right foot and is capable of dribbling past anyone on the field.



JENA KROOG
Bellport, Forward, Junior
Jena Kroog led Bellport with 27 goals and 15 assists and sparked Bellport (9-0-1 League IV) to its first unbeaten league season, and title, in the 23-year history of the program. Kroog had a productive sophomore season with 14 goals but raised her game to a new level this season. Bellport coach Tony Esposito said, "Her ability to shoot from anywhere on the field," was Kroog's primary strength but added, "If an opportunity to score isn't there, she's looking to be a playmaker."



KERRI McNICHOLAS
East Islip, Midfielder, Senior
Kerri McNicholas was rated by Suffolk coaches as the county's top field player and for good reason. She had 12 goals and 13 assists as East Islip shared the League III title with Northport. McNicholas, who will attend Boston College on scholarship, devastated opponents this season with her open-field speed and quick-trigger release on her shot. "She has phenomenal speed with the ball and her ability to take on players [stand out]," East Islip coach Julie Gick said. "And she's extremely unselfish."



CAITLIN NAYLOR
Rocky Point, Midfield, Senior
Caitlin Naylor scored 26 goals, second in Suffolk, while leading Rocky Point to the county finals. Naylor earned League V Player of the Year honors a season ago and is the program's all-time leading scorer with 81 goals. "She's one of those kids that you're glad is wearing your color jerseys," Rocky Point coach Joe Spallina said of his five-year starter.



LIZZIE SPECK
Sacred Heart, Midfielder, Senior
Lizzie Speck, a finalist for CHSAA Player of the Year, was the key part of Sacred Heart ending St. Anthony's recent league dominance. She scored 10 goals, second best on the team, and added a team-best 10 assists. Speck's confidence and swagger filtered down to the rest of the team, which beat St. Anthony's twice, including in the CHSAA title game. "She set the tone for the team," Sacred Heart coach Chris Chruma said. Speck will attend Boston University on scholarship.



TRISHA TARPEY
Mattituck, Forward, Senior
Trisha Tarpey first earned Hi-Five All-Long Island honors as a sophomore, scoring 16 goals. She duplicated both efforts a season ago then outdid herself this season with 23 goals and led Mattituck to its third straight Long Island championship. Tarpey recorded three hat tricks this season and recorded multi-goal games in seven of Mattituck's 14 contests. She has scored 67 goals in four years.



COACHES OF THE YEAR
JUDI CROUTIER
Nassau Coach of the Year
South Side (15-1-2)
South Side, last season's Class A state runner-up, was expected to win games this season – it returned 10 starters – but expectations and victories don't always coalesce. They did this year under the direction of Croutier. South Side received an early-season wake-up call with a loss to Sacred Heart – no shame in that as Sacred Heart went unbeaten – but did not lose the rest of the way heading into the state final four. South Side, with loads of offensive talent, had 15 players score, suggesting an unselfish approach that often is a reflection of the coach.



TRACIE MORENBERG
Suffolk Coach of the Year
Commack (17-2-2)
One usually gets the sense when watching a Commack game that the fiery Morenberg would put herself in the lineup if she could. Instead she pushed the right buttons from the sideline, leading Commack to a Suffolk League II title and the Suffolk Class AA championship. Morenberg was determined, with nine starters returning, not to duplicate last year's playoff disappointment when Commack lost in the quarterfinal round. It didn't happen.

HOW THEY WERE PICKED The All-Long Island Girls Lacrosse Team and coaches of the year were selected after polling coaches and Newsday staff members. Staff writer Erik Boland wrote the player and coaches capsules.

Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.

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