Turf sparks East Meadow's success

The term “turf magic” was trending this fall among sporting crowds at East Meadow.
And for good reason. Playing its home games on newly-laid crumb-rubber synthetic turf, the East Meadow field hockey team pulled off a kind of presto change-o routine – shedding its recent sub-.500 guise to rematerialize as a Nassau Class A semifinalist.
Hocus-pocus aside, the Jets’ 8-3 finish in Conference 2 (a half-game out of second place) – and subsequent return to postseason play for the first time since 2018 – came courtesy, mainly, of the league’s second-leading offense (2.63 goals per game).
Still, 12th-year coach Courtney Castle stressed the new playing surface played a prime role.
“It took our game to another level,” said Castle, whose club fell to spring Class A runner-up Massapequa in a semifinal matchup Oct. 30. “We used to be a grass team that would have to go play turf teams on their fields. Now that we have it, it’s easier because we get to practice on turf all the time. So, we say we had a little turf magic this year.”

With an act that featured making lots of shots disappear into opponents’ goals, senior forwards Lauren Canto, Nikki Turrisi, and Sam Goldstein led the Jets to a 6-0 start. Canto’s team-leading six goals and eight points (two assists) were both third-highest in Conference 2, while Turrisi’s five goals ranked fourth in league, and Goldstein’s overtime winner at home led the Jets past Oyster Bay Oct. 14.
“Lauren is a powerhouse up there,” Castle said. “She has a strong drive, and she’s super smooth. Nikki really worked to earn her spot as a starter; she became a real asset. Sam has improved tremendously over the last year. Her confidence has grown and she displays that with her success on the field.”
Perhaps spooking foes by seeming to appear in several places at once, super-utility senior Kim Smolen had three goals and two assists as a forward/midfielder, and was 2-0 with 13 saves as the Jets’ backup goalie, while junior midfielder Mikayla Verdi – an All-Conference selection in spring – turned in two goals and three assists for East Meadow, supplementing another fine defensive season.
“Kim’s very athletic and fast, with great ball skills” Castle said. “Everywhere we needed, she filled the gaps. She stepped up as our backup goalie. Mikayla works hard and it shows; her skills are above and beyond. She’s always got new tricks. She’s just fun to watch.”
First-year starter Briana Deakoum posted 37 saves and five shutouts for East Meadow. The junior goalie allowed just one goal throughout the Jets’ season-opening six-game win streak. “Briana’s very sold and gets the job done,” Castle said. “She’s very quick and agile around the goal, communicates well to the defense. She’s awesome.”
In addition to turf – and any of its supposed occult properties – Castle identified another key ingredient of her team’s special season. “This team is a family,” she said. “The girls care about each other and work hard together. And that becomes success.”