Milestones highlight South Side victory

South Side senior Caitlin Haggerty earned kudos from girls’ lacrosse coach Rob Devlin for “bringing a lot more balance this year” to her offensive game. The All-County attacker, whose 72 goals last season led South Side, has branched out this spring to lead the team in assists while sitting second in tallies – with 24 and 27, respectively – her 51 points ranked No. 2 in Nassau Conference 1.  

If Haggerty’s performance last Saturday marked a regression, it prompted no complaints from Devlin, whose team – led by Haggerty’s season-high five goals to reach her career 100th – thumped non-league visitor Calhoun 16-5, moving to 6-5 on the season (3-4 in Conference 1).  

"I think Caitlin wanted that hundredth goal,” Devlin said. “I wasn’t going to stop her.”

Haggerty’s century-mark milestone helped trigger another one last weekend, as teammate Annie Madden – ranked sixth in Nassau with 21 assists – had a season-high five assists against the Colts, boosting her career points total to 100.

"[Haggerty and Madden] work pretty well together,” Devlin said. “It’s fun just watching them go.”

Added Devlin: “This year everyone’s having more fun. Everyone’s matured. Winning has given them more confidence. This team believes we can go further than last year, get to the final.”

After going winless in league last season yet finding its stride in the playoffs – all Conference 1 teams receive a berth – to reach the Nassau Class C semifinals, South Side wasted little time setting a different course this spring, winning three of its first four league matchups.

Following South Side’s drought-ending 7-6 comeback win at Port Washington – which saw Madden feed attackman Anna Chimienti for the game-winner late in the fourth quarter – the Cyclones’ April 13 league visit to reigning county Class C champion Manhasset served to sway Devlin that his team had turned the corner.

Hat tricks from Haggerty and team goals leader Charlotte Rathjen (32) had helped vault the Cyclones to an 11-7 lead before sophomore goalie Tara Cody’s season-high 16 saves helped South Side outlast the Indians 11-10.

“I could see it in their eyes that game,” Devlin said of his team’s stern win at Manhasset. “The girls just said, ‘We need to close this out. Everyone needs to stay focused.’ That’s something I didn’t really see last year. And that’s against a perennial county contender.”

Cody’s 100 saves rank second in Nassau, while senior mainstay Morgan Harloff has been key for South Side defensively alongside defender/midfielder Sienna Connolly, the All-County junior now a two-way force with 12 goals and one assist while winning 60 percent of her faceoffs.

“Sienna’s been phenomenal,” Devlin said. “For primarily a defensive-minded person, her ability to transition up to the offense has helped us a lot.”

Unlike recent seasons, the regular-season stretch, now upon us, holds playoff seeding possibilities for South Side. The Cyclones’ finale May 10 at Syosset (8-3, 4-2 Conference 1) could see South Side leapfrogging into the postseason.

“A higher seed’s nice, but you still have to beat the best team in the final,” Devlin said, adding: “That’s still our goal, as always.“