After an injury plagued 2024 season led to an early playoff exit, the South Side boys soccer team is energized to extend this season into November.
The Cyclones enter 2025 with a healthy starting lineup looking to compete for a championship after failing to Jericho in the Nassau Conference AA quarterfinals last year. The returning players were driven in the offseason with a number of player practices and won the South Shore summer league.
“This group is really motivated,” said fifth year coach Patrick Corvetti. “We left a little bit on the table last year.”
Leading much of the Cyclones’ fuel for a better finish are senior co-captains Jack Darlington and Karter Kasschau. Darlington is a big piece of the offense as a center midfielder and Kasschau will help lead defense as a center back.
Senior midfielders Travis Rose and Ryan Okeeffe also bring veteran leadership to the Cyclones this fall. The versatile Rose was part of the defense in the home stretch of last season after recovering from an early season injury.
The offense close to the net will be keyed by senior forward Michael Forker, who tallied six goals last season including an unassisted tally in South Side’s 2-0 first round playoff win against Baldwin.
The backline will feature Kasschau, who moves to a defensive role after playing central midfield as a junior. The lone returner to the defense is junior Colin Levine, who was part of a unit last year that produced eight clean sheets.
Senior goalie Gavin McDaid returns for his third year as starting netminder and Corvetti is looking for him to make big strides in his final high school season.
“He had a pretty good season last year, but I definitely expected a little bit more and this year he’s been really locked in all summer and preseason so I’m looking for him to lead,” Corvetti said of McDaid, who recorded four saves in the shutout playoff win against Baldwin. “He matured a lot over the last couple of years so he’s definitely looking much better this year.”
South Side’s schedule is highlighted by a Sept. 27 Saturday afternoon home league match against Manhasset, which Corvetti expects to be a conference title contender and among the top teams in Nassau County. The Cyclones will also host a non-league match on Sept. 21 against Lawrence, who reached the Conference A finals last season.
The Cyclones compete in Conference AA3 which also features Manhasset, Elmont, Bethpage, Carey, Clarke, Division and Malverne-East Rockaway. Last year South Side placed in third in the league with a 10-3-1 record, three points behind second place Manhasset.
“We should be competing once again as a playoff caliber team,” said Corvetti, who is looking to guide South Side to its first county title since 2014. “We should definitely be battling for the conference championship.”
