By Five Boro Sports
WEST ISLIP, L.I. – The celebration was starting on the field, but there was something — or someone — missing.
After not even making the playoffs last season for the first time in a decade, the St. Francis Prep girls’ soccer team had just earned a berth into the NSCHSGAA ‘AA’ semifinal courtesy of a thrilling, 1-0 overtime win against St. John the Baptist on Friday.
But all Raquel Babio, the hero of the game offensively and defensively, could do was watch her teammates and coaches sitting Indian-style on the sideline. She left late in the second overtime due to a cramp in her leg.
“I always get Charlie horses,” the senior said, laughing. “I wanted to get up, but I couldn’t.”
Eventually her teammates realized they were missing someone. Nicole Catalanotto came over first, then Caroline Plunkett followed with a hug. Francesca Rossi offered to put Babio on her back for the post-game handshake.
That treatment was well deserved. Babio scored two minutes into the first overtime to give the fifth-seeded Terriers (8-5-3), who are scheduled to play Wednesday at top seed St. Anthony’s, a lead it would not relinquish. Her shot deflected off goalkeeper Jackie Ubert’s hands and trickled back past her into the net.
“At first I thought she saved it,” Babio said. “I was kind of in shock. Then I realized what happened.”
Babio, who didn’t play last year, is a great representative of what is a completely different St. Francis Prep team. The Terriers, hurt by the quitting of star Jenna McKeon, won only four games in 2007. They have now doubled that total and coach John Jenkins credits that to one thing: teamwork.
In the past, the 28th-year coach said, Prep would rely on two or three very good players — like McKeon, who is now playing at UNC Charlotte. The Terriers of 2008 are very much an 11-person squad.
“Now, we’re a team,” Jenkins said.
That was clear Friday. On defense, the Terriers picked each other up after every mistake. Babio managed to clear a ball St. John’s Jennifer Meier had 10 yards from the net two minutes into the second overtime. Time and time again, the backline of Cara Rooney, Rossi and Catalanotto made significant plays to keep the Cougars off the board. It took pressure off goalkeeper Holly Pratesi, who only plays between the pipes because Prep has no one else that can do it, Jenkins said.
Terriers senior Kelly McArdle ran the show from center midfield all afternoon. She seemed to be involved in every chance St. Francis had.
“She’s one of the top five players I’ve ever coached at St. Francis Prep,” Jenkins said.
Prep comes into the semifinals on a roll. The Terriers won their two final two regular-season games before their second straight win against St. John the Baptist, a team they lost to 4-2 in the first game of the year. SFP has also won five of its last eight, with two of those losses coming, both by scores of 3-1, to their semifinal opponent: St. Anthony’s.
“I think we can beat St. Anthony’s,” McArdle said, “if we play to the best of our abilities.”
