Baldwin earns conference title

The Baldwin girls’ soccer team fell short of qualifying for the Nassau County Class AA playoffs but the achievements were plentiful.

Baldwin won its first championship in 10 years as co-titlists of Conference AA2 with Hicksville. Senior Jessica Darcy, who notched 17 goals and 4 assists, won the Conference Player of the Year. And British coach Lee Rogers captured Conference Coach of the Year. 

However, in a play-in game against Hicksville Oct. 17 to advance to the 8th playoff seed, Baldwin (11-2-2) was beaten 2-0 despite having the upper hand in shots 

Still this was a season to remember. 

“I was very happy about it,’’ said Darcy, who posted four hat tricks. “Last year we had high hopes for the following year, wanting to do a lot better after being third. We knew we’d come back better. I had the most fun this year than my past four years.’’

Darcy and her twin sister, Taylor, dominated the midfield, though Jessica was spotted on defense, too.  She’s a top-notch school violinist, a scholar-athlete candidate but played her best music on the soccer pitch. 

“Jessica stood out even when I put her on defense,’’ Rogers said. “She scored goals on defense. I put her at midfield she scored, put her at forward she scored. She’s such a good all=around player.’’

Rogers, a native of Southampton, England, pushed all the right buttons to win top coaching honors. 

“Being from England does play a part,’’ Jessica Darcy said. “He knows the game really well, playing his whole life. I can tell the way he talk about the game, with demonstrations, he’s different from other coaches I’ve had.’’

Anna Wehr was the next top scorer (8 goals, 3 assists).  Kaitlin Timmes, an 8th grader, scored 5 goals and 4 assists but missed the Hicksville play-in after breaking two bones in her leg the day before in a club match. 

Timmes still attended the match that turned badly on Hicksville’s early penalty-kick score.

 “That was a great thing,’’ Rogers said. “Showed her great character. She had her leg in the cast and still came.’’

Baldwin was also missing another 8th grader, Lizzie Hill, out with a concussion. That both 8th graders are big contributors bodes well for the next few seasons.

 Baldwin had just four seniors and used a freshman goalkeeper in Dee Ikechukwu, nominated for goalkeeper of the year.

“It’s incredible the fact we had two eighth graders,’’ Rogers said. “It’s a very young team. Even though we had a fantastic season, it looks like we can go upward.”

Its best victory came Oct. 8 when it beat East Meadow, 1-0, to clinch a tie for the conference crown. The game-winner was scored by sophomore Averi Thomas, who had just returned after missing time with a thigh injury. Rogers had her press more in the second half and it paid off.

Thomas will be back, along with sophomore Anabel Lopez, who led the conference with 10 assists. She’s known for footwork, getting to the outside and crossing balls into the middle. 

  “(The title) is a huge accomplishment,’’ Jessica Darcy said. “If you would’ve asked me my first year if we could do that, I’d probably say no.’’