Grassi & Drake Pace Finley Girls’ Lax-White Offense
Emma Grassi and Kimberly Drake paced the J. Taylor Finley Middle School girls’ lacrosse “white” team’s offense this past spring, combining for 38 goals as the Falcons compiled a 2-7-1 mark.
A skilled eighth grader, Grassi notched 21 goals. Drake, a talented seventh grader found the back of the net 17 times. Seventh grader Synclair Taylor scored 15 goals and eighth grader Isabella Brandine tallied 11 goals.
“This year we had many different goal scorers,” said head coach Courtney Weber, who was assisted by Natalee Schaeffer. “Almost every girl on our team scored at least one goal. Our top goal scorers could not have done it without the rest of the team.”
Finley’s defense was led by Sydney Taylor, Katie Stock, Caroline Hartough, Lauren Berg, Ginevra Sales and Isabel Canales. Transitions and assists came from midfield and attack players Lucy Biblow, Sophie Dellecave, Brooke Biernacki, Cat Jamison, Lauren LoScalzo, Ashlyn Case and Sarah Spitz.
Finley topped Candlewood (12-6) and Stimson (12-5), but suffered many close losses including 13-12 to West Hollow, 14-11 to Northport and 17-14 to Commack. The Falcons tied Finley “blue” 7-7 in a hotly contested game.
The 17-player team struggled at times with players sidelined by sickness or injury. Two players were kept from action by broken arms. “The girls who continued to come every day and work hard really improved their skills over the season and evolved into great lacrosse players,” Weber said.
The highlight of the season came against West Hollow. Finley fielded only 12 players, but they put on a superb performance before dropping a one-goal decision.
Ten players will return to the field next spring for Finley as eighth graders. Another seven players are headed to Huntington High School, where they will be incoming freshmen when classes resume in September.