No. 13 Ranked South Side Cyclones Team Preview

Number 13 in the LILJ top 25 preseason rankings are the South Side Cyclones who come into the season following a historic 2025 for the program. They won their first ever county championship and now come in as the team to beat in Nassau Class C as they have their sights set on repeating. Championship expectations are firmly in place under longtime head coach Rob Devlin, who begins his 10th year at the helm with a veteran-heavy roster that has high level talent.

A strong core returns, led by captains Lexi Giannone (Merrimack), Tara Cody (Skidmore), and Charly Testerman, along with key contributors Skye Korten (Albany), Reese Long (USF), and Bobbie Creo (Holy Cross). Korten was one of the team’s top offensive threats in 2025, posting 58 points, doing damage as both a scorer and distributor while Creo added 43 points and versatility through the midfield. In goal, Cody brings back invaluable experience after making 121 saves last spring and will be the anchor of the defensive unit. South Side will look to replace major production lost to graduation, including Charlotte Rathjen, Sienna Connolly, and Annie Chimienti, all playing at the collegiate level who combined for elite two-way impact and scoring. Players like juniors Austen Finegan, Natalie Cammalleri, and sophomore Summer Stack are expected to step into larger roles as the Cyclones reload. This winter South Side was a participant in the LILJ winter league to gear up for the spring, and it was a breakout winter for freshman midfielder Juliet Diorio in her first opportunity to suit up with the varsity team where she was tied for second on the team in points and impacted the game all over the field. Look for her to be a major difference maker for the Cyclones this spring. With a balanced offense, experienced leadership, and a hunger to push beyond past accomplishments, South Side is poised to once again be a major factor in the county title race looking to go back-to-back and even further this year. They start the season with their first regular season game against Kellenberg on 3/20, followed by their opening matchup in the power conference against Long Beach on 3/23.