By Tom Jordan
Canle will be expected to set the tone once again, but he won't have to do it alone. Forward David Pinto, sweeper Rob Rotkowitz and defenseman Zaid Hamarsha are all returning juniors who started last season and contributed to the team's success.
The Falcons began the new season with a 2-2 tie against Valley Stream Central on Sept. 10, as they twice came back from one-goal deficits. Mike Schaffhauser and John Costanza scored a goal apiece. They were set to host Oceanside on Sept. 12, before kicking off league play with a home game against Glen Cove Sept. 15.
Beyond Canle, Pinto, Rotkowitz and Hamarsha, the Falcons don't have a ton of experience, but that hasn't diminished Boyd's expectations or enthusiasm.
"Our goal is to win the conference," he said. "We have solid players and high expectations."
Benko to lead Lady Falcons
Just how good is Nicole Benko, an all-county selection last year as a junior?
"She has a chance to be the best player I've ever coached," said Falcons coach Franco Visone. "She's just a tremendous soccer player and a great leader. She can take on two or three players seemingly at will."
With Benko and co-captain Katie Hicks, a 20-plus goal-scorer a year ago, to lead the way, it isn't hard to envision a strong season for the Falcons. They earned second place in Conference IV with an 8-3-1 record last season, and will play in Conference III this fall. They were set to start their season by hosting rival MacArthur on Tues., Sept. 13, followed by a game at Cold Spring Harbor Sept. 15. They'll host Lynbrook Sept 17, at 10:30 a.m.
In addition to the firepower provided by Benko and Hicks, the Falcons will benefit from the return of junior Kelly Viana, a solid player last year who has come back with an extra burst of speed.
"She's very athletic and fast," Visone said of Viana. "She's always had a lot of enthusiasm and love for the game, but now she's raised her skill level. It's premature because we haven't played one game yet, but we've got a lot of weapons and I think we'll give opponents a tough time."
Visone will rely on Jill Moran and Mary Gallo to set the tone defensively. Moran is the leader on the defensive end and Gallo is a smart defender who makes good decisions, Visone said.
"We've been preparing for the season since June," he said. "Everyone wants to be a champion, but you've got to put in a lot of hard work to get there. We've been pushing hard to get ready, so [the players] have earned their jerseys."
