H-ton Field Hockey Captures
Post-Season Awards
Four Huntington High School players captured post-season awards at the Suffolk Field Hockey Coaches Association’s annual awards dinner at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook.
Irina DeSimone was named All-County; Emma DeGennaro earned All-County honorable mention; Kelly Palladino garnered All-Conference recognition; Cara Sorrentino was honored as All-Division.
The Blue Devil players were joined at the dinner by their parents and head coach Kathy Wright and junior varsity coach Allison Conlon. “The Huntington field hockey team had a great season,” Wright said. “We played every game with pride and left it all on the field each game.”
Huntington was captained by DeSimone, DeGennaro and Palladino and fellow seniors Sarah Fernandez and Meghan Plant. The 24-player team compiled a 7-7 record in Suffolk Division II play and went 7-8 overall.
DeSimone tallied three goals and five assists from her forward position. “Irina has strong stick skills, dodges, lifts and speed,” Wright said. “She plays for the love of the game.”
DeGennaro officially played defense, but she really covered the field from one end line to the other. The teenager had three goals and two assists. “Emma is a powerful defender and was able to recover the ball for us,” Wright said.
Palladino also played superb defense and she even managed to score a goal. “Kelly is another powerful defender,” Wright said. “She has speed and endurance.”
Sorrentino starred at goalie, recording 103 saves. “Cara is strong and fearless in goal,” Wright said. “Her ability to read where the ball was going along with her ability to slide and dive allowed her to make save after save.”
Plant was another superb player for the Blue Devils, notching a team high eight goals as one of Huntington’s best forwards. Junior Liz Berejka scored four goals and added four assists. “She’s an amazing link who is able to bring the ball up the field and finish with a goal,” Wright said.
Juniors Grace Curran and Jessica-Rose Greene were two more offensive standouts. Curran scored six goals and Greene had three goals and an assist. Junior Michaela Carnesi had two goals and an assist. Senior Victoria Martin and sophomore Lindsay McKenna both scored goals. Junior Alexa Cassar had an assist.
“The team played with heart,” Wright said. “We played as a team and supported each other. Aerial lifts and air dribbling change the game.”
Huntington was nicely balanced all the way around. DeGennaro, Palladino, Fernandez and freshman Morgan Minicozzi teamed up with Sorrentino to lead the defensive unit. “Their strength was in their ability to slide, communicate and recover the ball as well as to transition it up to the midfielders,” Wright said. “The defense, along with the midfielders, was able to slowdown and stop many of the opposing attackers.”
Senior Jaclyn Schultz and junior Ashley Wright joined with Curran and McKenna to give Huntington a strong midfield line. “They were fast and their stick skills were their great attributes,” Wright said.
Two of Huntington’s losses were by one goal and three others were by two goals. The Blue Devil offense scored 30 goals with many coming from the powerful forward line. “Their ability to play the post and score was game changing,” Wright said.
There were 15 underclassmen on the roster. That group gives Huntington a skilled core for next fall’s campaign. The Blue Devils will be saying goodbye to DeGennaro, DeSimone, Fernandez, Martin, Palladino, Plant, Schultz, Sorrentino and Kelsey Jamison.
“There were nine seniors who had second effort, athleticism and determination to win,” Wright said. “The seniors have been role models for the underclassmen, who are determined to play with the same enthusiasm next year.”