By Tom Jordan
After twenty years, eleven trips to the state finals, eight state championships, six All-American players and his first-ever red card, coaching girls' soccer hasn't lost its luster for Bob Bigelow of South Side. And, after the Cyclones' 1-0 victory over Oceanside on October 17 earned them the Conference I crown, he can look forward to leading his team through yet another playoff run.
The Cyclones were expecting to open the playoffs with a home game on Monday, October 30. Playoff seeding took place on October 25, after The Herald went to press.
"This is still fun to me," Coach Bigelow said. "If it weren't, I wouldn't be here."
South Side, at 12-0, had within its reach an undefeated regular season, one year after being moved up to the "A" bracket in Nassau's Conference I, which consists of schools with larger enrollments. But, despite being one of only three Long Island teams with an unblemished record, and needing only to protect a 3-1 lead over the final 17 minutes of a suspended game that was to be resumed against New Hyde Park on October 25, the coach wants his team to set its sights on loftier goals.
"We've had plenty of undefeated seasons and then lost in the state finals. That erases all the wins. It's the last game you play that matters," said Coach Bigelow, whose argument with an official when South Side played New Hyde Park on October 17 earned him an ejection that left the Cyclones without a coach and unable to continue.
So high are expectations year after year, that Coach Bigelow
described last season, one that culminated with the Cyclones earning a portion of the Long Island title, "a bit of a disappointment." His team battled Suffolk representative Whitman to a tie in the championship game, but was beaten in a shootout, ending South Side's run.
Of his current team, Mr. Bigelow said he would be comfortable putting it "on the field with anybody."
Among six senior players are co-captains Liz Roberti, the team's leading scorer, and Meredith Finch, a standout goalkeeper. Both are primed for the playoffs, and understand the finality of the outcome.
"Our goal is to get to the state finals, as it is every year," said Ms. Roberti. "And we know that once we lose, there's no coming back."
"[Mr. Bigelow] takes care of the strategy, and Liz and I take care of the team's frame of mind. We're trying to convey to the younger players what the playoffs are all about."
Neither Ms. Roberti nor Ms. Finch, whose four years have included two trips to the state finals, has decided on a college for next fall, but Coach Bigelow said: "When the girls leave here, the ones that want to go on and play in college, do. And the ones who were captains of this team go on to be captains in college."
After having outscored the opposition 49-4 in its first eleven games, the Cyclones struggled in consecutive 1-0 victories over Oceanside and Hewlett, Coach Bigelow said. He admitted the team's focus may have waned late in the season. "It gets tough, because everybody's always gunning for us. In what is probably the toughest conference in Nassau, going against teams like Massapequa and Oceanside, we always get the best other teams have. We've always been targets, but that's nothing new to these kids. I think it makes us better."
After slow starts, the Cyclones played hard in the second half of each game, he said. "Once the team started playing together, and began focusing on every possession, we were okay."
Said Ms. Finch: "This is what counts. It's time to get that focus back, because it's easy to lose that edge."
"Because of our success, people tend to forget about the 1-0 games. But we've seen the competition, and we haven't lost," said Ms. Roberti.
Coach Bigelow said the secret to his teams' prolonged success can be attributed to Rockville Centre's youth soccer program, which has continually supplied him with polished players.
"These girls start playing soccer when they're four or five years old. They have a great background, and they're exposed to great competition. Some of them have even competed in Europe by the time they get to high school. I feel they're at their best when they're allowed to do their thing. I'm doing my job when I don't cramp their style."
The Rockville Centre Youth Soccer Club runs leagues for boys and girls, starting when they're in kindergarten. More than 1,400 youths this year play on 126 local teams and 27 traveling teams.
"One of our missions is to prepare our men and women to play at the high school level," said club president Rich Polio. Of the success South Side has enjoyed over the years, Mr. Polio said, "It's almost expected at this point. This year's team is exceptional. I've had the opportunity of coaching several of them, and they have the nucleus to be state champions."
Still, Coach Bigelow is realistic. "We're playing a game with our feet; anything can happen."
2000 Cyclones
Amanda Abbinanti, freshman; Christine Abrams, sophomore; Ali Arnone, sophomore; Laura Cimini, senior; Christine Conway, freshman; Kaitlyn Dowling, senior; Meredith Finch, senior; Suzanne Graham, junior; Lisa Jaffa, junior; Kristin Johnson, sophomore; Jill Kell, sophomore; Katie Kid, sophomore; Lauren Kriete, junior; Katie Kuntz, sophomore; Glynnis McCabe, freshman; Katie Mellilo, junior; Amy Muller, senior; Karen Muller, sophomore; Nina Nanavrakis, junior; Jessica Piccolo, senior; Liz Roberti, senior; Lauren Shane, junior; Corry Silon, junior; Samantha Stewart, junior; Katherine Stritzl, sophomore; and Susie Walsh, junior.
