Now we get to the top 10 of the LILJ top 24 preseason rankings, and coming in at number 10 are the Westhampton Beach Hurricanes of Suffolk Class C. In 2023 the Hurricanes went 10-6 in the regular season with an appearance in the playoffs but were defeated in the quarterfinals against sixth seeded Mount Sinai 7-6 in a nail biter that went right down to very end. Although last year didn’t end the way they had hoped, they graduated very few players and bring the majority of the team back for a chance to turn the page and flip the script this season.
Westhampton is led by Head Coach Mary Bergman who is in her 11th season at the helm, and she believes that this is a special team that can make this a very exciting season.
“This group is a special group. They were underclassmen when they won a LIC and now as upperclassmen they really do believe they can compete with the best. It’s going to be an exciting , competitive season.”
Starting on the offensive side of the field, this Hurricanes team is loaded with talent that makes this a high powered and difficult offense to contain. It starts with their UNC bound junior Reese King who’s an offensive force whether at attack or midfield, and commands the draw circle in ways not many players can. After a sophomore season where she recored 48 points, 64 draw controls, 34 ground balls, and 27 caused turnovers, this year expect another dominant season across the board. The HSWL was the precursor for what is to come this spring after she led the team in points with 28 and 15 draw controls through six games. The talent at the midfield continues with sophomore Ava Derby, now entering her third season as a varsity starter. Derby consistently delivers on the brightest stage in the biggest games, and last year was no different with her 26 goal, nine assist freshman campaign.
Westhampton’s attack features seniors Peyton Worby (Wagner), Aine Byrne, and juniors Brie Provenzano (Quinnipiac), and Meaghan Tufano (Hofstra). In the winter league Westhampton’s offense seemed to be firing on all cylinders, averaging just under 13 goals per game.
On the defensive end of the field Westhampton has elite goaltending with junior Penn commit Maya Farnan who is often times the difference maker that gives Westhampton the edge in a number of their games. She makes the saves she’s supposed to make at ease, but consistently makes saves that seem impossible which means that Westhampton will be in nearly every game with a chance to win it at the end. In 2023 she saved over 130 shots with a better than 50% save percentage. The defense in front of Farnan includes Chloe Mosher (Wingate), Gabby Wendel (Bentley), Kenzie Schindler (Southern Connecticut), Hailey Donahoe and middie/defender Lily Graves (Binghamton) who is the ultimate Swiss army knife.
Adding to their depth as players who could be in the fold to see an increased role or be in the mix as first year varsity player is junior midfielder Katie Lanning (Queens), sophomore midfielder Caeden Dorn, sophomore defender Dagney Beasley, and freshman midfielder Reagan Schindler.
As one of the many teams in Suffolk’s deep Class C, the Hurricanes are in a prime position for a long playoff run as they hope for a chance to be heading to Cortland for the second time in three years.
