McNicholas' goal gives South Side Class A crown
After scoring the winning goal, South Side's Alexandra McNicholas flips near her goalie during the Nassau Class A final on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
The traditions at South Side don't change, the players do.
Take Alex McNicholas, for example. A year ago, she sat on the bench during the Cyclones' loss in the county championship, devastated, wishing there was something she could have done.
Well, that was a long time ago, and that was a different McNicholas. She completed her transformation Tuesday night. McNicholas' goal with 5:48 remaining gave top-seeded South Side a 1-0 win over defending state champion Garden City in the Class A girls soccer county final at Mitchel Athletic Complex.
"Last year was really upsetting and I never wanted to see my teammates like that again,'' McNicholas said of South Side's loss to Garden City on penalty kicks. "We got it done this year.''
McNicholas' goal would not have been possible if not for the hustle of Juliana Klaum.
Kayla Hospodka served a well-placed free kick from 45 yards on the left wing. The ball bounced in the box and carried toward the end line. Klaum chased it down with a defender trailing, and just before it crossed the line, she flicked it back to McNicholas, who tapped it inside the near post.
"I wasn't going to let anything pass through the box,'' Klaum said. "After what happened last year, what they took away from us, we were not going to leave this field without winning.''
Kayla Klarides made nine saves for South Side (13-3-1). Rebecca Buchman, called the "player of the game'' by South Side coach Shannon McEntee, was relentless on defense, applying constant pressure and attacking when needed.
Garden City's best opportunity came when Lauren Miesemer's strike from the left flank hit the crossbar with a bit more than 12 minutes remaining. Caroline Peppard made eight saves for No. 3 Garden City (11-4-3).
South Side plays the winner of Sayville and Shoreham-Wading River in the Long Island championship Saturday at 5 p.m. at Dowling Athletic Complex.
"We came in with fire and we knew what we needed to do,'' Hospodka said. "We all have the same goal and we're headed in that direction.''
The goal is to continue South Side's most important tradition: winning state championships. The new and improved McNicholas put them one win closer.
"I would have loved for anyone to score,'' McNicholas said. "Today it happened to be me, and it's just a great feeling . . . a lot better than last year.''
