Thursday, October 1, 2026
Derailed down the stretch last season by injuries and illness, West Hempstead’s girls’ soccer team is hungry to return to the playoffs after finishing 3-7-2.
“Toward the end of last year we weren’t even close to full strength,” coach Mike Scaturro said. “It was frustrating.
“We’re eager to get started,” he added. “I thought we played really well the first 30 minutes of our scrimmage against Valley Stream North. We took a lot of shots. It was encouraging.”
With Nassau’s move to enrollment-based conferences, the Rams are competing against some unfamiliar foes this fall. They’ll face Lynbrook, Manhasset, Glen Cove, Great Neck North, Floral Park and Valley Stream South twice apiece.
“It’s going to be tricky,” Scaturro said. “I think it’ll work out for us because our conference looks to be very competitive on paper. We haven’t played most of these teams in the past, so we’re stepping into the land of the unknown.”
The good news is better than half of the conference will advance to the playoffs, which is the No. 1 goal for the Rams. “The top four get in and that’s something we’re aiming for,” Scaturro said.
With a roster stocked with club players, West Hempstead has what it takes to go beyond the regular season. Leading the way is junior All-County forward Olivia Czavar, a four-year varsity performer who registered nine goals and three assists in 2009 despite missing a handful of games. “She’s a quick, physical player who can put the ball in the net,” Scaturro said. “If she continues to score, we’ll be in good shape.”
Returning up front with Czavar is senior Ashley Merrill, an All-Conference selection also entering her fourth varsity campaign. “Ashley’s strong one-on-one and has good chemistry with Olivia,” said Scaturro, who noted speedy freshman Nina Boria will serve as an additional offensive threat.
At the opposite end of the field, senior goalkeeper Kimberly Velazquez is a three-year starter with solid all-around skills. She earned All-Class honors in 2008 when the Rams won a conference championship and is mulling a few scholarship offers to play at the collegiate level. “She’s our backbone,” Scaturro said. “She’s a tremendous shot-stopper and punts well.”
Leading the defense in front of Velazquez is junior Sasha Selim, who moves from fullback to sweeper. “She’s fast and talented,” Scaturro said. “She covers up mistakes quickly and gets our transition game going with long clears.”
Senior Hayley Bifulco is the voice of the back row, Scaturro said. The fifth-year player will be a key on the right side. Senior Katie Kurs, another player with five years of varsity experience, leads the midfield along with senior Ashley Centrella. Freshman Taylor Freiermuth enjoyed a strong opening week of practice and could see a lot of time in the midfield or at forward.
The Rams play three straight Conference VI games at home beginning Sept. 23 against Glen Cove. Floral Park visits on Sept. 28 and Great Neck North is in town to close out the month.
