For Bayside, it’s déjà vu a third time

Since arriving at Bayside three years ago, Despina Psomopoulos has developed into a scoring machine. She netted 73 goals across those seasons, dressing down defenses and goalkeepers with the thunder in her right foot, quickness upon first touch and spellbinding moves around the net.
There is one opponent, however, the junior striker has yet to master.
That would be McKee/Staten Island Tech and their star senior Genna Pepe. The top-seeded Seagulls ended the Commodores season yet again last Thursday afternoon, blanking them 3-0 in the PSAL Class AA semifinals at Tottenville, the third straight spring No. 5 Bayside was knocked off by the Staten Island school.
In each loss - including last year’s title game - Pepe, the Seagulls’ Lehigh-bound senior, flawlessly marked Psomopoulos. Pepe took Psomopoulos, the Commodores’ premier threat, away. When Bayside tried to go over the top to Psomopoulos, Pepe was there. When they attacked on the perimeter, Pepe was there.
“It’s just tough having someone always on you, always on your back,” Psomopoulos said. “Even if I beat her, there’s another person waiting for me.”
The philosophy is one many other opponents have utilized against the Commodores. Some shadow her with up to two and three defenders. Yet, none are quite as athletic or skilled.
By shutting down Psomopoulos with just one defender, it enabled the Seagulls to match up evenly with the other Bayside strikers, namely senior Zoe Margulies.
“Everywhere we went, they had someone on us,” she said.
McKee is more than just a stout defensive club. They dominated from the get-go in all facets. Melissa Ramhold hit two posts in the opening minute. Peppering Bayside keeper Nicole Carroll with 17 shots, nine in the first half, the Seagulls controlled play at midfield, usually a Bayside strength, forcing play deep into the Commodores end.
If not for Carroll, who made 14 saves, several of the spectacular variety, Margulies said, “the game could’ve been 100 to zero.”
“They take away your offense because you’re always on the defensive with this team,” Bayside Coach Joe Corrado said. “Their midfielders are fit and good, so you’re constantly trying to defend against them that whenever you get the ball, the one or two chances you can actually do something with, they take those options away.”
Corrado resorted to a different game plan than the previous meeting, opting to sit back to negate the Seagulls’ superior athleticism. For 53 minutes, the ploy worked. Eventually, though, McKee struck for three goals - two by Jessica Panarella and a third from Michelle Tartaglione - against a helpless Carroll in the next 13 minutes.
“I’m finding out every year that goes on,” Corrado said, “I’m running out of strategies.”
Lost in the aftermath was yet another remarkable season for the suddenly juggernaut Commodores. After another undefeated league season - their third straight - they have established themselves as an elite city power. One season after becoming the first Queens team to reach a final since Richmond Hill in 1986, and graduating seven starters, they again engineered an extended May run, reaching the semifinals for the third consecutive season.
“If you ask any coach in the city on a rebuilding year if he wanted to get back to the semifinals, I’m sure he’ll say yes,” Corrado said.
And with Psomopoulos, Carroll and sophomore Chelsea Cabarcas, their best midfielder returning, another promising season lies in wait. Better yet, if they do happen to meet McKee again, Pepe won’t be around to silence their top weapon.
“Eventually,” Corrado said, “we’re going to break through.” semis