The J. Taylor Finley Middle School girls’ lacrosse team has been practicing for several weeks and is now beginning to play games against area opponents.
Finley will play East Northport, Commack, West Islip – Beach, West Islip – Udall, Bay Shore and West Hollow. The games run through June 8.
Finley is coached by Linda Costello-Roth and Ysrael Gonzalez. The team practices every day after school on its own field adjacent to the building.
The team consists of energetic and talented players who love the sport. The group includes seventh graders Julianna Ackerman, Bridget Callery, Domenica Elgart, Grace Gordon, Daniela Ibarra, Mia Johnson, Shannon Koepele, Kyra Larsen, Isabella Palacios, Cameron Smith, Riley Uvena, and Jolie Weinschreider; and eighth graders Ella Ackerman, Rosie Arner, Sophie Carlson, Daniella Granito, Isabelle Gregorio, Rafaella Gregorio, Lily Hotine, Jenna Italiano, Ariana Lepera, Molly O’Brien, Aine Rimkunas, Devon St. John, Gwendolyn Tittmann and Sophia Weiss.
Many of the players have years of experience and are highly skilled. While COVID-19 prevented last spring’s season from being held, many of the seventh and eighth graders have been playing with local club teams since they were in elementary school.
“We have a great group of young woman playing on the team this year,” Costello-Roth said. “They come to practice excited and give it their all for two hours. We are having fun and improving every day. They are really wonderful representatives of Finley and the Huntington community.”