As we are now in the top 10 of the LILJ preseason rankings, coming in at number 10 are the South Side Lady Cyclones. Rob Devlin is their head coach and last season they went 10-3 and were in the Class B county finals where they lost to Garden City. The program has seen a lot of recent success, appearing in at least the semifinals each year since 2018. This year they return a strong group of veterans that will look to guide them right back to the county finals and elevate them over the top.
South Side’s offense was absolutely explosive last season. Three seniors who will surely put up big numbers this year are Mia Delmond (Quinnipiac), Emily Iacobellis (Cornell), and Maggie Long (Pitt). Delmond is a lefty attacker and recorded 34 points with 26 goals in 2021. Iacobellis and Long made a huge impact at the midfield position, combing for 74 points. This year they are each going to have to produce even more with the loss of 2021 graduates Sydney Rathjen(Brown) and EllaGrace Delmond(Quinnipiac). The two were extremely dynamic and accounted for a combined for 144 points.
Returning in the cage will be senior goalie Mackenzie Creagh (Holy Cross). Creagh had an outstanding 2021 season, making 164 saves and a 56% save percentage. Two defenders she will be playing behind are senior Ciara Giannone (Albany) and sophomore Morgan Harloff. Harloff saw plenty of action last season as a freshman and is a tremendous on-ball defender that moves extremely well. One of their key defenders from last year’s team that graduated was Skylar DeLuca. As a team they allowed less than 10 goals in nine games last season.
The Cyclones also have a few young guns that could possibly see playing time this season. Sophomores Avery Testa, Annie Madden, and Caitlin Haggerty all played for South Side in the LILJ Winter Box League and had a great showing. Testa and Haggerty play attack and were lethal offensively, combining for 64 points. Madden plays midfield and also got plenty of time this winter.
This year South Side has a really tough schedule that will see them play against plenty of Nassau County’s elite teams. The marquee games on their schedule are as followed:
Syosset @ South Side (3/28)
South Side @ Massapequa (3/31)
Garden City @ South Side (4/4)
South Side @ Long Beach (4/9)
Cold Spring Harbor @ South Side (4/13)
South Side @ Manhasset (4/25)
South Side @ Wantagh (4/28)
One notable alumni from South Side is Jolie Creo who is a 2018 graduate and is currently playing at Holy Cross. In her high school career she compiled 103 goals and 98 assists.
