Thursday, October 1, 2026
It was time to celebrate last Saturday for the North Babylon girls’ soccer team. Thanks to a 5-0 win over Huntington, the Bulldogs became league champions. Their record improved to 13-0-2 overall with a 6-0-2 mark in league play.
Coach Steve Currado believes that the experience of this team has gone a long way. “There are seven players on the team who have multiple years of experience at the varsity level,” said Currado. “The game has slowed down so much for our seniors.”
In 2022, North Babylon lost in the county semifinals in double overtime. The year after, Julianna Hunter, one of the team’s better players, suffered a major knee injury so the last two seasons have not ended well. “Hunter was on varsity for five years so losing her really took the wind out of our sails,” Currado said. “It forced us to move players into positions that they were not ready for.”
Despite the negative impact that losing Hunter had on the team last year, there was a silver lining. “It gave us a head start for this year,” said Currado. “Our younger players were able to develop and blossom at a faster rate.”
The captains this year have played big roles in the team’s success, especially senior forward Jenna Biondo. She currently ranks in the top five of the Suffolk County leaderboards in goals, assists, and points. Her 56 career goals are also a school record. “She has been fantastic,” Currado said. “Last year she played midfield and this year we moved her to forward and the offensive production has skyrocketed.”
Another cpatain, Sofia Milheiser, is also an important piece of the puzzle. “She has been on varsity for four years so she’s a great leader,” said Currado. “She will not light up the stat sheet but the dirty work does not get done without her in the middle. She is really the heart of the team.”
Isabella Buck also has done a lot for this team that does not show up on the scoreboard. “She is such a dynamic defender,” said Currado. “Her ability to attack out of the back is crucial.”
In terms of young players who have made impacts, Alexa Furman has really come out of nowhere. The sophomore had never played goalie before but has stepped in and played great. “It has been remarkable to see her make the switch so smoothly,” said Currado.
Kate Nunziato has turned things up a notch as well. Top 10 in goals, assists, and points in the county after not earning the starting job until late last year. “She has done nothing but improve since last year,” Currado said.
When a team is playing as well as North Babylon, it can be easy to become too cocky and lackadaisical. Currado, though, continues to find ways to motivate his team.
“I try to give them new challenges every time we step on the field,” he said. “I always tell them that the most important game is the next game. We can’t think about what we did yesterday.”
