The J. Taylor Finley Middle School girls’ soccer team featured an exceptionally large roster this past fall. Coached by Linda Costello Roth and Ysrael Gonzalez, the squad was captained by Emma Boyle, Wynne Franciscovich, Giselle Salmeron, Emili Licona Banegas, Ruby Baliber and Chelsea Gordon.
“The girls really came together,” Roth said. This was the final season for the coach, who is retiring from Huntington UFSD at the end of June. She played on Huntington High School’s first girls’ soccer team and has made it a priority to get seventh and eighth graders interested in the sport.
This year’s roster included seventh graders Andie DiGioia, Leighton Evans, Aubrie Godin, Talia Hayden, Justina Hlenski, Madyn Kalb, Grace Kline, Erin Langton, Gabriella LoScalzo, Leah McManus, Briana Maldonado Acosta, Ava McDonald, Caroline Mitek, Norah Moskowitz, Leila O’Toole, Ashley Palma, Dakota Respass, Melanie Rodriquez, Arianna Rubio, Audrey Sherwood and Kalissa Simon.
The roster also featured eighth graders Julianna Ackerman, Ruby Baliber, Emma Boyle, Sage Cicciari, Grayson Dunn, Wynne Franciscovich, Chelsea Gordon, Emma Gutierrez, Mildred Hernandez Veliz, Erika Hernandez Veliz, Ruby Hoffman, Daniela Ibarra, Emili Licona Banegas, Jesley Martinez Canales, Cecilena Monge Moreira, Anis Oyuela Herrera, Giselle Salmeron and Genesis Sorto.
The Finley squad was competitive throughout the season. With half the roster eligible to play on the high school level next fall, there will be many openings for incoming seventh graders and for eighth graders who would like to give the sport a try.
