Friday, November 7, 2025
There are few guarantees in life, but one is that the Bellmore-JFK girls' soccer team is going to make the playoffs.
That’s not a bold prediction; it’s the truth. Every team that competes in Class AA will compete in the postseason.
Another truth is the Cougars, who’ve exceeded coach Christine DeFilippo’s expectations this year, aren’t content with just making the playoffs.
“They work hard at practice every day. I have a lot of veterans on the team. We have nine seniors, most of them have either been on varsity since they were in ninth or 10th grade,” DeFilippo said.
Kennedy is 5-2-2 and second in Conference AAA/AA-3, four points behind undefeated Farmingdale. In a clash for the top spot in the conference, the Cougars were on the wrong end of a 6-1 defeat.
But that result has been an outlier. There were losses to Mepham and Calhoun, where the Cougars had a lead. And DeFilippo makes a point to utilize her entire roster in those non-league games.
What Kennedy has shown is a resilience to rebound from a loss or a tie, an important quality to have down the stretch drive of the season.
“I definitely think they’re very talented, so they bounced back well from a loss or a tie, which is good because sometimes that could be a battle in itself, but, I think they’re starting to believe they are actually a team that can compete,” DeFilippo said. “If they just keep that in their heads every game, I think we can continue having a positive second half of the season.”
Leading the way up front for the Cougars is Hailie Siegler, who committed to Division I Mercyhurst University and has elevated her game as a senior. The captain leads the Cougars with five goals.
“She didn’t really score that much for us last year,” DeFilippo said. “She’s got one year left of high school before she goes to college, so I think she’s trying to make something out of every moment.”
Jordana Wohlleben is another captain who has 5 goals and provides leadership from the midfield, both vocally and with her aggression, footwork, and fitness.
Both players are four-year varsity players.
Senior forward Samantha Frank has made the biggest strides, from coming off the bench as a junior to being a regular in DeFilippo’s starting XI.
“Her fitness improved, her footwork, she’s made a statement from the get-go,” DeFilippo said. “It’s been incredible to watch her growth from junior year to senior year.”
Defensively, seniors Kayla Indich and Emily Quezada have been solid as outside backs who maraud forward in the attack.
Daniella Schneider has been a force defensively, and eighth-grader Ava Rosen in central midfield has not only proven to be one for the future, but also hugely influential and impactful in the present.
“She’s got great footwork, she's got great speed, she's got a great read of the game. It’s almost like she could read three plays ahead of time,” DeFilippo said. “She’s definitely a playmaker, someone I would say, people should watch out for.”
