Massapequa Girls Soccer Teams Kicks Off New Season

Written by Ronald Scaglia Friday, 05 October 2012 00:00

Seniors lead the way as team tries to recapture county title

There are some events which are expected to happen routinely every fall. Leaves will fall off of the trees, a bit of a chill will emerge in the air, children will delight at the thought of dressing up in costumes and trick or treating on Halloween, and for eight years, the Massapequa varsity girls soccer team would win the Nassau County championship. Between 2003 and 2010, Massapequa girls varsity soccer had a phenomenal run, winning eight consecutive county titles. During that time, the team also brought four Long Island championships and three New York State championships to Massapequa. That streak of county championships was snapped last year.

“We were very disappointed,” says coach Bruce Stegner of having the streak come to an end. “We didn’t see it coming. It was disappointing that we couldn’t get to the same spot.”

However, while last year may have ended disappointingly, the team is primed to recapture their spot atop the county this year. The girls had a good start to the season, going 4-2-1, and Stegner says that his players have the skills and the talent to get back to the top.

“I think we have the ability to win the county championship and go further,” Stegner commented. “It comes down to commitment. We work as hard as the other teams and we make that commitment.”

With 11 seniors on the team, including six who played on the varsity team as sophomores, the team does not lack leadership or experience. Stegner has high praise for this group.

One player who has accomplished quite a lot in her career, and who Stegner speaks highly of is Rosie DiMartino. The midfielder is a prolific goal scorer who is closing in on the Massapequa girls varsity record for goals, which is currently held by her older sister Gina. He also singled out Victoria Maley, who he said like DiMartino is “a good distributor of the ball.”

“She runs the show,” the coach says of Maley’s leadership on the field.

The coach also speaks highly of forward Erica Modena, who he describes as a “playmaker, goal scorer, (with) very good foot skills.” He describes Anna Seneta as a “good athlete, hard working, quick,  tenacious, (and) composed,” and said outside defender Nicole Epstein is “aggressive with good skills, good speed, and is a good attacking defender.” He also praised goaltender Emmalee Meyer, who has backstopped the varsity team since she was an eighth-grader.

These players continue the fine tradition of so many previous Massapequa soccer players. On Oct. 13, two of those players will be honored at “alumni night” to be held at Burns Park at 7 p.m. That night, when the 2012 team takes on MacArthur High School, Christina DiMartino, a 2005 graduate, and Christie Welsh, who graduated in 1999 will be honored. Both of these players had sparkling careers at Massapequa and went on to play for the U.S. National Team.

“We expect a pretty good turnout,” Stegner says of that game.

The season runs through October, and Stegner hopes it will continue through November, culminating with another county championship. It would be fitting end to the high school soccer career of some talented players.

“It’s tough to see them leave but they’ve been a great influence on the program,” he says of the team’s seniors.