Shoreham-Wading River girls soccer's run ends in state Class A semifinals

CORTLAND — Three straight county championships and back-to-back trips to the state semifinals are accomplishments not many programs can claim. But the Shoreham-Wading River girls soccer program isn’t like many others.

Shoreham-Wading River has built a standard of excellence over the past decade with five Suffolk Class A championships over the last eight seasons. Although the Wildcats’ season ended Saturday with a 2-1 loss to Pittsford Mendon in the girls soccer state Class A semifinals at Cortland High School, that doesn’t dampen what the team accomplished this fall.

“I couldn’t be more proud,” senior goalkeeper Morgan Lesiewicz said. “I’m so glad that I got to spend my last season ever playing this sport making history. When do you ever hear a team do this so often, especially back-to-back years.”

Shoreham-Wading River ended its season at 13-3-2 after winning its third straight Suffolk Class A title and second consecutive Long Island Class A championship.

“It’s crazy to see how good we can be even after losing crucial players,” Lesiewicz said. “There’s always someone coming ready to work to become who you need them to be on the field.”

Pittsford Mendon (18-1-1) scored two goals in the second half after Stamatia Almiroudis scored off an assist from Shealyn Varbero with 17:30 left in the first half to give Shoreham-Wading River a 1-0 lead. Almiroudis took a few dribbles following a through ball from Varbero and beat the goalie to the bottom-left corner from 10 yards out.

Pittsford Mendon scored one minute into the second half to tie the score at 1 before scoring the winner with 14:35 left in the second half.

“[The first goal] kind of broke us down a little bit and it’s unfortunate,” Lesiewicz said. “But honestly, it was good on their part and I give them kudos. It’s not very often we get scored on, so when we get scored on, it does sort of break our character and I think today it did break us a little bit. But we put up a fight until the final seconds.”

Ava Gengler, a senior who missed last season with a torn ACL, shared similar feelings.

“I’m so unbelievably grateful,” Gengler said. “A lot of people don’t get to go this far, so to come back as a senior after missing my junior year and to come to Cortland is an amazing thing. I’m really proud of all of us.”

Coach Adrian Gilmore was proud of the team’s season success and Saturday's performance, creating chances and controlling possession the majority of the contest.

“I think in soccer sometimes the better team doesn’t always win and I think today we were the better team,” Gilmore said. “We had two unlucky bounces and they capitalized on it. But I thought we dominated the game. We just came up a little bit short.”

Gengler hopes to see next year’s team continue the program’s legacy.

“In the locker room [Saturday] we said this isn’t our last game, so it’s not the outcome we wanted,” Gengler said. “But I wish the best for our team next year. Hopefully, they can go further.”