Wantagh Girls Lacrosse Expectations Remain High in 2012

The girls lacrosse team has high expectations in 2012 as they try and remove the sting of in last year’s Nassau County Class B semifinals to Manhasset.

The Lady Warriors will be aiming for a return to the county finals, which they reached in 2009 and 2010 before the two-year streak ended last season. Wantagh finished second to Garden City in the Conference B1 regular season and were ranked ninth in New York State and among the top 100 in the nation throughout the 2011 season.

Wantagh lost some key seniors from last year’s 13-4 team now competing on the collegiate level including midfielders Paula Schmidt (North Carolina), April Iannetta (Hofstra), Brianna Schussler (Sacred Heart), Alexandra Rousseau (Manhattan) and Sabrina Mattera (Marist), goalie Kelly Keenan (Sacred Heart) and defender Brittany Rader (Long Island). Despite losing loads of talent, Wantagh head coach Bobbi Colavita is optimistic that her team will make a run at a county title.

“Our expectations this season are high,” Coach Colavita said. “We are an athletic team and we are looking forward to being competitive in our conference.”

 Wantagh’s offense will be anchored by Northwestern-bound midfielder Kaleigh Craig, who was hobbled by an ACL injury last season and is ready for a big senior year in 2012. “She is a strong athlete and person who will bring motivation and dedication to the team,” Colavita said.

Craig is one of three senior captains along with midfielder Tara Basile and attacker Allie McClain. Wantagh's starting defenders early in the 2012 season include Ryley Weber, Jen Graham, Stefanie Wenz and Paige Craig. Starting in net is junior goalie Sophia Gambitsky.  

“Our girls are striving towards the county finals this year,” Colavita said.

Wantagh opened its 2012 campaign with a hard-fought 12-10 non-league loss to Class A power Farmingdale on March 19. The Lady Warriors bounced back in a big way two days later with a 19-2 romp of Lynbrook in its conference opener. Through two games, Wantagh’s leading scorer is junior attacker Colleen Lovett with seven goals and six assists. 

Wantagh is next in action at South Side on March 28 at 4:30 p.m. The team’s next home game is slated for April 2 against Suffolk County power West Babylon at 4:30 p.m.