Plainview-Old Bethpage girls team seeking flag…
Meet the girls of the gridiron.
Flag soccer has turn into an explosively well-liked high college spring option for feminine student-athletes on Long Island, as one program is already seeking dynasty standing within the newly launched sport.
The girls of Plainview-Old Bethpage, who took home New York’s first state-sanctioned title final 12 months with a mighty 20-0 report, are pulling out the stops to reign as back-to-back champs.
“Winning has been the most fun,” senior rusher and large receiver Emma Heaney, who scored two touchdowns in a Wednesday night time opening win over Syosset, bluntly instructed The Post.
“We just want to take states home again, definitely,” added Heaney, who will play basketball subsequent season at Lafayette.
This 12 months, nevertheless, the duty shall be more durable.
Nassau County has added 5 new faculties on account of high demand in what’s now the league’s fourth season, stated coach Alec Abramowitz.
“It’s awesome to see, even as a coach. … As much as it stinks that other teams are getting better, this is what it’s going to take to grow the sport,” stated Abramowitz, who has about 40 girls cut up between the Hawks’ varsity and JV squads.
Lara Glasser — a senior enjoying quarterback, large receiver and linebacker — is floored to see all of the ground gained since first becoming a member of as a ninth grader for the inaugural season.
Plainview-Old Bethpage gamers run a play during a current observe. Heather Khalifa for New York Post
“It was just this little program that didn’t really have that much traction. Not many athletes came out,” she recalled.
“Now it is definitely posing a threat to softball, lacrosse and track. … It’s become really prominent now across Long Island.”
Option play
When Glasser was in ninth grade, the varsity allowed spring athletes to play a sport along with flag, however the 12 months after, everybody needed to make a alternative.
Plainview-Old Bethpage girls flag soccer team shares a snigger during a current observe. Heather Khalifa for New York Post
Glasser initially cut up her spring between observe and the soccer subject.
She selected to stay with the seven-on-seven league as a result of “there’s just something different about being on a team sport.”
Heaney, who joined as a sophomore with a number of different buddies from the soccer and basketball groups, felt comparable.
“I feel like it’s opened up a lot of new doors … we’re all [multi-sport] athletes, and this is something that we really are good at and like to play,” Heaney stated. “So I’m just really grateful that we have the opportunity.”
Rachel Ganz runs a drill during Plainview-Old Bethpage’s flag soccer observe. Heather Khalifa for New York Post
It’s a good factor all of them signed on as a result of the Hawks gained a regional championship in Heaney’s first 12 months earlier than bulldozing into the state title a season after.
Glasser, like Heaney, stated that chasing wins in a aggressive subject is fueling the team’s ardour and camaraderie — they even watched the Super Bowl collectively in February.
“It became so much fun because we really bonded like a real team,” Glasser stated.
The replacements
Plainview-Old Bethpage’s participant runs a play during the team’s flag soccer observe. Heather Khalifa for New York Post
Senior security and wideout Rachel Ganz is already fascinated with the following era.
“Seeing a lot of the younger kids get interested in it, and having people come to our games and looking up to us, it’s definitely very cool,” she stated.
Like her coach, Ganz additionally is aware of to take nothing as a right this 12 months.
“We know it’s going to be a challenge because there are a lot of new teams — and every team is going to give us their best game since they want to beat us,” she added.
Plainview-Old Bethpage’s girls flag soccer coach Alec Abramowitz. Heather Khalifa for New York Post
That’s why Abramowitz is popping up the heat at observe, operating intense drills and has taught signal-calling to his predominantly senior team — a core bunch that led to the varsity’s first state title since 1983 final 12 months.
Nevertheless, one huge 12 months isn’t enough for these hungry Hawks.
“Repeating would be the perfect ending to everything,” Glasser stated.
“I know Emma is continuing to play sports after high school, but for the rest of the seniors, none are. So that would be the best way to end our athletic careers.”
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