This article is one of the winning submissions from the first annual New York Post Scholars Contest, presented by Command Education.
This past fall, the girls varsity soccer team at Townsend Harris High School underwent an incredibly successful season, boasting the title of undefeated Division Champions and winning the A Division City Championship.
Junior Carina Fucich, a prominent scorer on the team, reflected on the season and its various triumphs: “I had so much fun and am grateful for all of the opportunities that our team was given. I will never forget this season.”
Seeded first in their division (NYC A) with a 9-0 record, the team, led by Coach Vaselios Sioukas, began playoffs with their goal set on winning the championship. In an exciting match on November 11 at Randall’s Island that ended with a 1-0 win for THHS, the team achieved this goal and became the 2022 City Champions. The win was livestreamed on Instagram by the student publication at Townsend Harris, The Classic.
“It felt very good to win the championship because it showed all of the hard work we put in as a team,” said freshman Sophia Lee.
The team faced many opponents that they had never played before throughout the season, especially from far-off boroughs such as Manhattan. However, junior Ioanna Giannopoulou said that various team members resourcefully utilized statistics available on PSAL to determine who the top scorers on opposing teams were and develop effective strategies for gameplay. “For example, if we see a guard who scores ten points a game, my team and I know that we need to play tight defense and lock their player down,” she said.
The season was not without trials. For one, according to The Classic, the team had trouble accessing the nearby Kosmos Soccer Field at Kissena Park, and had to resort to playing on the bumpy grass of the Kissena Cricket Fields. This made practices more difficult as playing on the grass inhibited the team’s ability to pass, dribble and shoot. Moreover, the team was forced to play their home games on the turf fields at Flushing Meadows Park rather than at Townsend Harris’ traditional home field in Kissena Park.
Several of the team’s starters had also graduated the previous year, leaving the team with a new dynamic, leadership, and starting lineup that took some adjusting to get used to. “We lost seven seniors from last year who constantly brought up the morale of the team and played key positions while only gaining one freshman,” said Carina.
Despite these challenges, the team persevered, creating a team that was strong not just in its skill but also in the bonds between players. “I think we did a really strong job of [adapting to new circumstances and filling vacant positions], and everyone on the team stepped up when they were needed,” said senior and captain Amelia Ferrell.
Junior Audrey Lin, who joined the team this year, said that “It was great to have such welcoming teammates help me adjust to the team and sport. It was a great way to start off my junior year and introduced me to new people.”
Throughout the season, players formed strong connections and learned the importance of hard work and determination. “What’s really important is building a strong team culture that makes people want to show up every day and work hard to improve. Every player on and off the field had so much dedication to the team and kept a positive attitude during the season which gave us the intensity we needed on the field to win,” said Amelia.
From their undefeated record to their City Championship victory, the girls varsity soccer team experienced numerous successes this past season, learning the value of effort, teamwork and determination along the way. The team shot for the stars—and scored.
An 11th-grader at Townsend Harris High School in Flushing, Gildea intends to pursue applied mathematics.