No McKeon, no problem for St. Francis Prep

When Jenna McKeon quit the St. Francis Prep soccer team, the decision sent shockwaves through the Terriers program.
A prominent natural athlete, she was Coach John Jenkins’ go-to player, a co-captain, and the team’s backbone.
Some players were upset. Others understood. But they all knew the ramifications: Everybody needed to step up.
So far, her absence has hardly been felt. The Terriers have won two straight without her, routing St. Dominic’s of Long Island, 6-0, and topping local rival Molloy, 2-0, last Friday at Fort Totten.
“With Jenna, she thought she was the team,” said midfielder Nicole Rebusi, who scored the game’s first goal. “She tried to dribble past everybody. After she was gone, we started to realize we could play more as a team, pass with each other and play harder.”
Described as a fiery competitor, McKeon left because she was tired of losing; the team had dropped five of seven to start the year. According to fellow captain Cara Rooney, McKeon felt she was not getting enough out of her time on the team; that she would be better served training with her club team, the East Meadow Dynamite. She was also worried that it would diminish her chances of making an immediate impact as a freshman next fall at UNC Charlotte.
“When she’s not happy doing something, she’ll stop,” Rooney said. “I don’t think she gave up; she just had other intentions.”
“We’re not trying to focus on the fact we lost Jenna — it was a loss and we wish her the best - we try to focus on what we have to do to make the most out of every game,” midfielder Sabrina Martens said.
For the first 40 minutes against Molloy (3-5-2), it looked like McKeon’s absence was affecting St. Francis (4-5-0).
Molloy, who plays in the CHSAA’s Suffolk/Nassau lower division, was controlling play, maintaining possession of the ball in Terriers territory. They had several chances late in the opening half, but the St. Francis keeper Holly Pratesi made three big saves, including one on a header by Tina Maria Oppeclisano at point blank range.
The Terriers came out for the second half a different team. Suddenly the through balls were on the money, they were winning all the 50/50’s, and the tone had changed. Rebusi got the all-and-important first tally off a Janine Guerra cross in the 44th minute and Martens added the other in the in the 57th minute to ice it.
Thanks to the second-half uprising, the Terriers moved to within one game of .500 in Suffolk/Nassau ‘AA’ at 2-3. The two wins have given themselves a legit shot at postseason play. If they can split their remaining six contests, they will likely qualify for the playoffs.
“If we come out every game like we came out in the second half,” Martens said, “we’ll be able to do it.”