Freshmen Kaylie Conklin and Ryleigh Nocera lead Seaford girls soccer to first Nassau Class B title

The moment was anything but too big for the freshmen duo of Kaylie Conklin and Ryleigh Nocera for Seaford.

With time running out in the first overtime period of the Nassau Class B girls soccer final, Nocera and Conklin knew there weren’t going to be many more chances to end the game before penalty kicks. Seaford didn’t want the game to reach that stage.

Nocera made a nice move to beat a defender near midfield and dribbled 30 yards downfield before crossing over to Conklin. Conklin was initially unsure if she would shoot or try to find a teammate, but she kept dribbling toward the goal. And once she was 10 yards out, she took her rip — and brought the Vikings a title.

Conklin scored with 2:30 left in the first overtime period to give top-seeded Seaford a 1-0 victory over No. 3 Wheatley in the Nassau Class B girls soccer final at Plainedge on Thursday night.

“We couldn’t risk going into [penalty kicks],” Conklin said. “I know they have really good goalies, I knew I had to finish it. [Nocera] had to do something and I knew something was going to happen and it did.”

 That something delivered Seaford its first girls soccer title in program history. The Vikings (13-1-1) advance to play the winner of Babylon/Center Moriches in the Long Island Class B championship/Southeast Regional final at Berner Middle School at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Wheatley finished 9-5-1.

“I’m really happy we could do it,” Conklin said. “There’s a lot of freshmen on this team, including me, and I’m just really happy we were able to step up our game. Even though we are younger, we were able to dominate on the field.”

Nocera knew her speed could be the difference maker in the championship-clinching play.

“I was just trying to go as fast as I could and I just needed to get to the goal,” Nocera said. “I needed to get past her and cross it. It was a little nerve-wracking.”

The Seaford defense, including Arianna Garcia, Amanda Williamson, Amanda Ettinger and Mia Leggio, with Joanna Bello’s 11 saves, played a pivotal role in the victory.

“There was definitely a lot of pressure on the defense knowing they had a couple of fast girls, but we have really good chemistry this year,” said Ettinger, the lone senior starter. “Knowing I had my teammates next to me, I felt comfortable the whole game.”

Coach Ken Botti said his team is filled with “a ton of freshmen phenoms.” Conklin and Nocera proved to be two of them in the pivotal moments.

“A lot of these kids were well established before I got them,” Botti said. “I just got the brush and I did the final strokes on a masterpiece is how I think of it.”