South Side working to jell

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A young South Side team is searching for a comfort zone together after opening the season with consecutive wins against Conference II rivals Carle Place and Calhoun before falling to defending Class C girls’ lacrosse champions Wantagh.

The Lady Cyclones came out playing fast against Carle Place as senior Jolie Creo netted four goals and had five assists and freshman EllaGrace Delmond contributed two goals and two assists in the 17-10 home victory. 

Coach Rob Devlin said Creo, Delmond, a first-year varsity player, and sophomore Katie McMahon, who drives well to the net, are working hard to get in sync at midfield. 

“As they get more comfortable together, it’s going to be fun to watch,” Devlin said of the trio. 

From the first game to a 20-7 win over Calhoun, Devlin noticed his players had improved their stick skills, won several draws, moved the ball more smoothly and reduced turnovers that allowed them to go up 3-0 out of the gate and 11-3 by halftime. 

Senior midfielder Ailis DeTommaso, a strong and steady presence skilled at feeding cutters across the middle, scored five goals and had two assists, while Creo tallied four goals and four assists. After the first two games, 11 Lady Cyclones had at least one goal. 

“We definitely saw progress from game one to game two,” Devlin said. 

In a 15-11 loss at Wantagh, DeTommaso notched three goals, while McMahon and two attack wings, junior Julia Gentile and freshman Sydney Rathjen, desposited two goals. Creo and Delmond had one goal and one assist apiece. 

Heading into the season, Devlin picked Wantagh, the favorite to repeat as Class C champs, as a non-league opponent he wanted to play as an early-season barometer for his freshman-and-sophomore-heavy team. 

“We worked hard from start to finish,” he said about his team’s play against the Lady Warriors. “We learned a lot and will keep working to improve.”

After losing a quarterfinals match in overtime to Lynbrook last year, South Side graduated three defensive seniors and Devlin knew he’d need someone to step up on D this season. Senior captain and first-year starter Olivia Watterson has done just that as a relentless low defender. 

“From preseason practice and straight on through, Olivia is the one challenging everyone to get better,” he said. “She has really done a phenomenal job in filling in and making our defense what it is.”

Watterson is one among three vocal leaders on defense that includes second-year sophomore starters Nicolina Mauro, who is exceptional at moving the ball upfield from her low position, and Jillian Schumacher, a quick and athletic goalkeeper.

Devlin counts Gentile and two other sophomores, offensive attacker Erin Reich and defender Lara Solano, who will all split significant time with the starters this season, as promising up-and-coming players. 

“We have enough athletes on our team with lacrosse skills,” Devlin said. “So if they can get comfortable with each other and keep seeing the progress we’ve seen, I think we’ll be just fine.”