3 Photos
Sarah Gormley RON ESPOSITO
Lily Strebel RON ESPOSITO
Mia Valenzuela RON ESPOSITO
The Westhampton Beach girls soccer team looks to build upon its success from last season — when it ended an 11-year playoff drought after going 8-5 in League IV, 8-6-1 overall.
The Hurricanes will have to do so with some added obstacles this season, the first being the need to replace, or try to, the loss of eight seniors to graduation, namely four-year starter Amanda Shannon. The core of the team is still intact, so that shouldn’t be a huge problem, but there is the jump to Class AA/Division II. Due to changes to enrollment numbers statewide, Westhampton Beach has jumped up from Class A to AA.
“Due to the reclassification, we are facing a handful of new teams this year who are traditionally known as soccer powerhouses,” head coach Erika Habersaat said. “Our goal is still the same — make the playoffs.”
Sarah Gormley, who was All-State, All-County and League IV Player of the Year last season, returns for her senior season and should provide some offense up top as a forward. Many of her teammates return with now multiple years of varsity experience. That includes senior midfielder and three-year varsity and All-League player Katie Baker and four-year varsity player as a junior, Mia Valenzuela. Sophomore Khloe Hoda, who Habersaat said barely came off the field in her first year on varsity a season ago, also returns to create a formidable midfield group.
Seniors Allie Munsch and Sintia Gregorio are paired up on defense together. Gregorio is returning after missing a large part of last season due to an injury. Sophomore Ava Failla is returning for her second year in net.
“We have a group that works well together and pushes each other,” Habersaat said. “I’m looking forward to this season.”
The ’Canes are expected to host William Floyd in a nonleague game on Thursday at 4 p.m. and then are scheduled to play at Center Moriches two days later on September 2, at 10 a.m.
Lein Takes Over For Hoyt
Cody Hoyt, who had been the head coach of the Westhampton Beach varsity boys soccer team since 2015, stepped down in the offseason, clearing the way for former junior varsity head coach Randy Lein to take over the program. Lein, who has been a teacher in the Westhampton Beach School District for the past 13 years, had coached the JV program since Hoyt was hired as head coach of varsity over seven years ago and now gets his chance at making his mark with the team.
He’ll have to do so with a team that has been hit brutally hard by graduation the past two seasons. Following an overtime loss at Shoreham-Wading River in the opening round of the playoffs last season, the ’Canes graduated 12 players, including starting goalie Alex Ajiataz and fellow starters Chance Brindle, Kade Murphree, Amner Rosales and Pablo Vicente.
Lein said due to those big graduating classes the past two years, he doesn’t have a ton of upperclassmen this season. Montgomery Hahn is a senior striker and Lewis Gibbons will play defense this season. Lincoln O’Connell, one of the team’s most seasoned players entering his third year on varsity as a junior, will play midfield, while sophomore Lucas Semitekolos returns as well.
“The goal of any team is to make the playoffs. I know we’ve been struggling winning a playoff game the past several years. I’d love to not only make playoffs but progress through them a little bit,” Lein said. “As far as the team goes, we have a lot of kids that are younger. I’d like to see them come together as a unit because I think they have incredible potential, these guys. It’s just a matter of time for them to come together and reach that potential.”
Westhampton Beach opened the season on Wednesday in a nonleague game at Elwood-John Glenn. It will open its league season at East Islip this Saturday, September 2, at 10 a.m.
