After finishing a fantastic regular season 10-2 (11-3 overall), our girls’ soccer team enters the playoffs next week with thoughts of more championships on their minds. On Friday, November 5 @ 3:00pm at Diamond in the Pines, they take on Port Jefferson and will attempt to win their fourth straight Suffolk County Championship. In their two match-ups against the Royals this season, our girls have emerged the victors 2-0 and 5-2. The most exciting thing about this team is that throughout all of their ten league wins this season, they played without an essential cog in their machine. However, for the most important games of the year, this team is healthy and ready to make some more November memories.

Last year’s New York State Player of the Year Donna Liotine is back after a month’s hiatus and has scored 7 goals in her three games since returning. Liotine’s dynamic partner, Michelle Hennessy, is one of the most potent offensive threat on Long Island and the two have powered the Bears to a 21-2 margin of victory in their last three games. The defense, led by All-State keeper Danielle Pappas and irreplaceable sweeper Brianna Stiklickas, has registered six shutouts on the year. If these girls were able to have the kind of regular season they did while battling injuries to Liotine, Pappas, dynamic forward Kelsey Wentling, Stiklickas, Brannon Burke and Rachel King, then the Brook may be a team to be reckoned with now that they are healthy.

The boys’ soccer team enjoyed their most successful regular season in several years, finishing 9-2-1 (10-3-1 overall), earning a #2 seed in the County Tournament and narrowly missing out on their first League Championship since 2004. The boys will have an opportunity to make up for that shortcoming on Wednesday November 3 @ 2:30pm as #3 Pierson comes to campus for a Suffolk County Class C semifinal match. The Bears and Whalers locked horns for 160 minutes this season and mustered just one goal between them. On September 29, the boys defeated Pierson, 1-0, behind a goal by captain Tyler Anderson, then on October 20, the Bears were on the short end of a controversial 0-0 result that wrested the League Championship from their grasp. Over the course of the season this team has shown an ability to play brilliant soccer.

Their excellence shown in a 3-0 defeat of League VIII Champion Port Jeff and a 5-1 win over Class AA West Babylon, but inconsistencies were visible in a 4-3 scare at the Ross School. However, one thing this team has consistently exhibited this season is the willingness to battle and persevere. The offense may not be clicking on a particular day but they will make run, after run, after run until someone puts in a goal. The defense may look off-kilter one afternoon, but they will charge every ball and knock an opponent down before they afford him a clean look at the goal.

That toughness was a characteristic last season’s team did not possess, but with solid senior leadership to draw from, this squad has developed some thick skin and look poised to make a run at the program’s first County title. The deadly offense is galvanized by Anuraag Sah (6 goals/5 assists), Pablo Celis (3 goals/2 assists), and Khoren Lawson (7 goals/2 asissts) while our defense is anchored by keeper Wes Woodley (75 saves/7 shutouts), Tyler Anderson, Jon Wentling, and PK Thorstenn. One reason this team is well-suited for a playoff run is a number of heroes could possibly emerge if they are called upon. Nine different players have scored for the Bears this season and each of them should be ready to seize their moment Wednesday on Fitch Field.

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