No. 7 Ranked Northport Tigers Team Preview

Landing at number 7 in the LILJ top 25 preseason rankings are the Northport Tigers, one of the perennial contenders year in and year out in Suffolk Class A. Last season saw them win 15 games and appear in the county championship game where their season came to an end against Ward Melville. This year the Tigers will be seeking another deep playoff run with a chance at their fourth Long Island Championship appearance in the last five years and a chance to head up to Cortland for states. The team is led by longtime Head Coach Carol Rose who has been at the helm for 36 years, and last season reached a major milestone with her 500th career win.

The offense which was very prolific last year averaging nearly 13 goals per game and was the most in Suffolk County, sees the return of their junior Vanderbilt commit Kate Atkinson. As a sophomore Atkinson posted gaudy numbers with 59 goals and 26 assists for 85 points. The 85 points were tied for the fourth most in all of Suffolk County and the 59 goals were tied for the third most in the county. Adding to their offense are two of the island’s premier players in the 2027 class in Riley Cash and Juliana Tietjen. Last year the lefty Cash burst onto the varsity scene in a big way, striking for 36 goals and 35 assists for 71 points. The 71 points was tied for top 13 in the county. Tietjenn also had a coming out party with 37 points, totaling 15 goals with 22 assists. They will be without 2024 graduates Julia Huxtable, Kennedy Radziul and Christina Lauro who were part of what made last year’s offense so dominant.

On the defensive side of the field, they return Leah Riccardi who’s committed to Elon and Mary Breckling in the senior class along with juniors Emma Greenberg the Florida commit and Elon commit Sophia Mele. In the freshman class is one of the top defenders Charlotte Cavalone now entering year two on varsity. In goal it will be junior Charlotte Cuneo coming off of a 106 save season last year. As a team the defense allowed a shade over seven goals per game in 2024.

Coach Rose shared that she excited about the youth on their team and how hungry they are for success this season and says that the keys will be team chemistry and work ethic.

Northport will open up the season with their first league game against Walt Whitman on April 2nd.