By Demitri Diakantonis and Marc Raimondi
“I like the competition,” Horan said. “I think we have a solid chance of having a very successful season.”Despite losing captains Grace Law and Jaquely Roche, Horan has nine returning starters and still feels very confident about his team this year. He is expecting senior Alison Lubo and junior Amparo Garcia to step up in the leadership role. After his team lost in the quarterfinals last year, Thomas Edison coach Frank DeNunzio has received an overwhelming turnout of tryouts this year. He hopes the 55 girls who came to try out for 24 roster spots would give him enough talent to put together a championship team, but he doesn't want to think too far ahead.”We just got to take it one game at a time and play the same way every time” DeNunzio said.With returning seniors Anika Charles, who was the team's leading scorer last season, and team captain Diana Echeverri, DeNunzio knows he has enough leadership to take in his younger players. Sophomore forward Jodiann Bernard has excellent speed and DeNunzio has also has been impressed with Karen Canales, another sophomore forward.It was the 79th minute of the 2004 PSAL 'B' semifinal game, Forest Hills was up 1-0 and on their way to upsetting the eventual runners up to the city championship, Lab Museum. However Forest Hills didn't have the depth and wound up losing the game 2-1 in overtime. Don't expect Forest Hills to run out of gas this year. The Rangers finished with an overall record of 8-4-2 and have almost their whole front line returning, including Samantha Kempis who led the division with 11 assists.”Last year depth was a problem for us, but this year I'm blessed with 17 interchangeable players,” said coach Bob Sprance. Despite losing star goalie Olga Driker, who led the division with a 0.14 goals against average, and midfielder Tiffany Thompson, the Rangers have the core of last year's playoff team intact including sophomore Anna Islas, who led the team with 13 goals and was ranked third in the division with 30 points. “This year's team is very small, but they can handle the ball well which will make up for the height problem,” said Sprance. “Every girl on this team comes to play hard and we look forward to getting back into the playoffs.”This year, the word 'Newcomers' is not just the name of the school, it's a good description for the Lions team too. Coach Elizabeth Schuellien will lead a team (6-6-2 last year) that has 18 first-year players.One of them is junior Agata Kasza, a converted basketball player who Schuellien expects to be a “fantastic sweeper” and one of her team's best players. All-purpose junior Eleni Donaldson (“She has no fear,” Schuellein says) and speedy sophomore Esmeralda Hernandez will return as the team's core.”Our first priority is to be .500 and makes the playoffs,” Schuellien said. “(But) we're going to give everyone a run for their money.”Losing nine seniors would be tough for any team to overcome, but the presence of last year's 'B' division leading-scorer, Jessica Restrepo, should ease the blow for Long Island City.Restrepo (who also swims for the school) and fellow junior Jennifer Williams, who is moving from goalkeeper to midfielder this year, were named co-captains by coach Alex Bravo.Bravo is hoping the reserves from last year will step in and make significant contributions for an LIC team that finished 10-3 last year and in second place in its division.”We have a good foundation,” Bravo said. “I'm hoping the bench from last year will step up and perform this year.”- Evan Enden contributed to this story
