Landing at number 18 in the LILJ top 24 preseason rankings are the Commack Cougars in Suffolk Class A. Led by Head Coach Melissa Read, this is a team that isn’t short of talent, as they have a roster filled with players that makes them contenders in 2024. They appeared in the playoffs last year as a top four seed, but were defeated in the quarterfinals against Smithtown East, and are hoping that this year they’ll get right back to the postseason and go on a deep playoff run that would take the program to new heights.
Returning for the Cougars this season that makes them a high powered offense is a trio of midfielders that all had stellar seasons in 2023. They will be led by senior West Point commit Emma Hendry, and junior Stony Brook commits Amelia Brite and Lili Pettit. Hendry will have a huge impact both on the draw circle and scoring, as last season she recored 36 points with 26 goals and 10 assists. The two Stony Brook commits Brite and Pettit combined for 104 points last year between the 54 from Brite and 50 from Pettit. Commack also welcomes back St. Anthony’s transfer Aubrey Maurer the junior committed to UConn, which is a huge acquisition, adding to this supremely talented midfield group. The Cougars suited up this winter in the LILJ HSWL where all four middies were their top scorers through six games. Their midfield depth continues with senior Bella Campa and junior Emily Parisi (Sacred Heart), and one of their young gun middies that got to take the field in the winter league is eighth grader Ashley Arizonis where she scored two goals.
At attack is where Commack will miss the production of 2023 graduate Ashley Colomechuk, now at Adelphi and was the quarterback of their offense and went on a tear with 54 goals and 43 assists for 97 points. Replacing that level of production definitely won’t come easy and will be a collaborative effort. They have a young core of attackers in sophomores Ava Kolomechuk, Gabriella Brown, and freshman Samantha Benedict.
Defensively Commack is led by senior Bucknell commit Kate Hearns who makes her presence felt all over the defensive side of the field with her willingness to hunt down ground balls and her IQ/anticipation to create turnovers and carry the ball up the field in transition. Last year’s goalie Olivia Bradley was part of the 2023 class, which means this year the net will be protected by junior Olivia Bezmalinovic.
With the level of talent going into this season look for Commack to have a very strong year with a chance to be playing deep into May.
