No. 3 Ranked West Islip Lions Team Preview

It’s back to Suffolk County for the number three team in the LILJ top 25 preseason rankings and it’s the West Islip Lions of Class B. Last year they went back to the Long Island Championship game for the second consecutive year and came away victorious in the rematch against Garden City, and appeared in the state semifinal game, coming up just one goal short against Victor of advancing to the state championship game. The Lions are coached by Joe Nicolosi and return the overwhelming majority of their team, putting them in a great position to win their third consecutive county title and second straight LIC.

West Islip’s offense is headlined by their junior midfielder Ava Obloj the future Florida Gator. She returns as their leading scorer after recording a 33 goal, 24 assist sophomore season for 57 points. Alongside Obloj at midfield is junior Yale commit Francesca Tofano who also had a big sophomore year with 36 and 13 for 49 points, making this a dynamic duo that is tough for opponents to stop. The midfield also includes junior Towson commit Alex Livingston. The big absence from their midfield this year Carley Sgueglia who was part of the 2024 graduating class and is now a current freshman at Elon. They return their leading scorer at attack in sophomore Jenna Obloj who burst onto the scene as a freshman with 23 goals and 13 assists. Adding to their returning attack is junior Adelphi commit Mia Nicolosi and freshman Carly Obloj who now enters year two on varsity after a 13 point season as an eighth grader.

West Islip’s defense is led by their senior defender the Towson commit Courtney Xippolitos and Makenna Gagliardi their senior goalie committed to Penn State. Last season Gagliardi tallied 112 saves which was the eleventh most in Suffolk County. Their defense also returns junior defender the Pace commit Olivia Franchina. One key piece to last year’s defense that they are without this season is 2024 graduate Kaelynn Sirizzotti the current LIU freshman. As a team their defense allowed fewer than six goals per game in 2024, a number that they would love to replicate.

West Islip will begin their defense of the Class B Long Island Championship with their first league game of the regular season on April 1st against Comsewogue.