Joseph Staszewski
Emily Mason can make scoring a goal look effortless and easy at times. The Bishop Kearney junior was a dynamic goal scorer for the Bensonhurst school last season, helping to lead the Tigers to the Brooklyn/Queens girls soccer title. Mason found the back of the net 17 times, but it easily could have been more.
“She made some beautiful goals, but sometimes she missed the easy ones,” Tigers coach Charlie Candela said.
He and Mason have worked extensively in the preseason to get her more comfortable, versatile and consistent. Simple things like keeping her eyes open and focusing on the goal have been stressed. She has practiced running on to crosses better and attacking headers, even using the defense’s attention on her to get a teammate an even better look. Mason, who is extremely quick and has good ball skills, is the lone forward in Kearney’s 3-2-4-1 formation.
“Some games I just couldn’t put the ball in the net,” she said. “Other games when it had to count I had to step it up and create goals.”
It’s something she will be asked to do more of for the veteran club, which returns nine seniors. Mason will get help from senior midfielder Joanna Gavin, who reads defenses well, and strong-legged sophomore Shannon Fahy. A few goals should do if Kearney’s defense plays up to its potential. Last season it went nine straight games without giving up a goal. The majority of it returns, but the Tigers lost star goalkeeper Jessica Gargano to graduation.
Her replacement, senior Megan DiBenedetto, playing in her first season in goal, looked like she would fill in just fine judging by her performance in a scrimmage against Poly Prep on Monday afternoon. She made a number of point-blank saves, showed good instincts and has an excellent goal kick.
“She is a lot better than we all expected she would be,” sweeper Daniela Semilia said. “She is going to step in and do her job. She is back and forth. She is energetic.”
The senior, who has a knack for getting to the ball and creating transitions, will be in front of DiBenedetto. She is joined by senior defender Christina Abbate and junior Shannon Rom to form a formidable backline that strives to be as good a defense as it was a year ago.
“We like to have knock outs,” Semilia said.” We don’t let anyone score on us.”
It will be the first step to helping the Tigers prove that last year’s Brooklyn/Queens final win over rival Fontbonne Hall wasn't a fluke or a one-time deal. The Bonnies, who had won the four previous titles, beat Kearney twice during the regular season, before falling and getting shutout in the finals, a loss they called “shocking.”
“They tend to think that we just won once and [they] have all these other years [with titles],” Semilia said. “We can show them we can win again.”
Emily Mason can make scoring a goal look effortless and easy at times. The Bishop Kearney junior was a dynamic goal scorer for the Bensonhurst school last season, helping to lead the Tigers to the Brooklyn/Queens girls soccer title. Mason found the back of the net 17 times, but it easily could have been more.
“She made some beautiful goals, but sometimes she missed the easy ones,” Tigers coach Charlie Candela said.
He and Mason have worked extensively in the preseason to get her more comfortable, versatile and consistent. Simple things like keeping her eyes open and focusing on the goal have been stressed. She has practiced running on to crosses better and attacking headers, even using the defense’s attention on her to get a teammate an even better look. Mason, who is extremely quick and has good ball skills, is the lone forward in Kearney’s 3-2-4-1 formation.
“Some games I just couldn’t put the ball in the net,” she said. “Other games when it had to count I had to step it up and create goals.”
It’s something she will be asked to do more of for the veteran club, which returns nine seniors. Mason will get help from senior midfielder Joanna Gavin, who reads defenses well, and strong-legged sophomore Shannon Fahy. A few goals should do if Kearney’s defense plays up to its potential. Last season it went nine straight games without giving up a goal. The majority of it returns, but the Tigers lost star goalkeeper Jessica Gargano to graduation.
Her replacement, senior Megan DiBenedetto, playing in her first season in goal, looked like she would fill in just fine judging by her performance in a scrimmage against Poly Prep on Monday afternoon. She made a number of point-blank saves, showed good instincts and has an excellent goal kick.
“She is a lot better than we all expected she would be,” sweeper Daniela Semilia said. “She is going to step in and do her job. She is back and forth. She is energetic.”
The senior, who has a knack for getting to the ball and creating transitions, will be in front of DiBenedetto. She is joined by senior defender Christina Abbate and junior Shannon Rom to form a formidable backline that strives to be as good a defense as it was a year ago.
“We like to have knock outs,” Semilia said.” We don’t let anyone score on us.”
It will be the first step to helping the Tigers prove that last year’s Brooklyn/Queens final win over rival Fontbonne Hall wasn't a fluke or a one-time deal. The Bonnies, who had won the four previous titles, beat Kearney twice during the regular season, before falling and getting shutout in the finals, a loss they called “shocking.”
“They tend to think that we just won once and [they] have all these other years [with titles],” Semilia said. “We can show them we can win again.”
