All County West Islip soccer player dies

Alexis Pilkington, an All County performer for the Long Island Class AA championship-winning West Islip girls soccer team, has died, West Islip High School officials said.

The cause of death was unknown Sunday.

West Islip athletic director Tim Horan, told of the news Sunday morning, called it "devastating." He said the school would enact its crisis management protocol beginning Monday morning for students and staff.

Lions soccer coach Nick Grieco called Pilkington "a great kid."

Pilkington, a two-year starter at West Islip, had committed to play at Dowling College in the fall.

A midfielder, Pilkington, of West Islip, scored nine goals with five assists this season as the Lions won their first Long Island Class AA title since 1989.

She scored one of West Islip's goals in its 3-2 loss to John Jay-East Fishkill in the state semifinals in Cortland on Nov. 20. She also assisted in Codi-Lynn Johnson's game-winning goal in No. 6 West Islip's improbable comeback from two goals down in the final nine minutes against Sachem East in the Suffolk final at Dowling on Nov. 11.