Olivia Perez of St. Anthony's controls the ball away from a St. Joseph Hill Academy player during a CHSAA state girls soccer semifinal at Aviator Sports and Events Center on Monday. Credit: Errol Anderson

By Owen O'Brien November 8, 2021 8:30 PM

The St. Anthony’s girls soccer team is one victory away from the goal it’s set aside since Day One, and the opportunity taken away through no fault of its own last year.

The Friars defeated St. Joseph Hill Academy, 3-0, in a girls soccer state CHSAA semifinal at the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn Monday.

St. Anthony’s (19-0) will play St. Mary’s at the Nardin Academy in Buffalo Saturday at 11 a.m. for the opportunity to win its fourth-straight state title. The Friars claimed the league title last year but there were no state championships because of the COVID-19 pandemic. St. Joseph Hill Academy finished 13-3-2.

"Everything we’ve worked toward is for this," said Olivia Perez, who scored two goals. "We want to be state champions again. We want to four-peat and we gave it our all today."

SEE PHOTOSPhotos: St. Anthony's in the CHSAA girls soccer state semis

Perez opened the scoring by finishing a perfectly placed through ball from Emily Hiney with 6:25 remaining in the first half. She added the game’s final goal off an assist from Eva LaVecchia with 35:33 remaining in the second half with the goal coming less than two minutes after Kaleigh Darby scored off an assist from Ashley Kozlowski.

"She’s just a player," coach Sue Alber said about Perez. "She shows up when we need her and she’s so dangerous with the ball, so dangerous in the attacking third. When she’s going to goal, she’s getting it in the back of the net. She’s been a key part of this team since sophomore year and I’m going to be sad to see her go, but we still have one more game with her."

St. Anthony’s brings a 34-game winning streak into the state final and no player wants this to be the team to snap that mark.

"We just want to keep the name going," senior defender Sonni Adams said. "My sister did it for her three years, everyone is talking about five-peat, six-peat because everyone wants to keep the name going and the program to continue to keep going well."

Adams was a part of a backline, including Tess Jablonowski, Sarah Sullivan, Amanda Dolan, LaVecchia and Hiney, that recorded its fourth shutout in the last five games. Madalyn Salkowsky had three saves.

"Each group definitely brings a different element to the game and here at St. Anthony’s and for us coaches, it’s expected to get to the state finals and win it," Alber said. "So I do think there’s motivation there to continue doing and it’s not easy to do."

SEE PHOTOSPhotos: CHSAA girls soccer final

"I think that goal changed the game," Friars coach Sue Alber said. "To be honest -- I didn’t think we were playing that well in the first half."

Baldi entered the game midway through the first half. Later, Alber tweaked the Friars’ formation. Then, Sam D’Angelo sent a cross into the box that wasn’t cleared. Baldi calmly gathered the ball and used her left foot to send a beauty into the upper-left corner for the game’s first goal.

"Call it luck -- whatever it is -- we put it in the back of the net," Alber said. "It was a huge momentum changer."

Baldi has been seeing some starts and plenty of time off the bench from Alber lately, because of her high energy.

"I had a lot of adrenaline running through my body," Baldi said. "I was just really excited to play."

So were the Friars (18-0) who pulled away in the second half thanks to goals from Olivia Perez, Ashley Kozlowski and Felicity Permenter-Davis. Perez also had an assist, as did Eva LaVecchia and Emily Riggins, who was named league MVP after the game.

Goalkeeper Kate Boyle had seven saves for Sacred Heart (9-5-2).

"This run has been crazy," said Perez, who was named game MVP. "It’s been a hell of a ride."

But the Friars aren’t done yet. St. Anthony’s faces the Archdiocese of New York champion at 4:30 p.m. Monday at Aviator Sports in Brooklyn.

"Honestly, we have to forget about this whole league championship thing and start a whole new season," Perez said. "These two state [playoff games] have nothing to do with what we’ve done so far. We just have to start from the beginning again."

However, some of the Friars were a little reflective after such an important victory. Defenders Sonoma Adams and LaVecchia and forwards Perez and Riggins are known as the Friars’ Fab Four. All four are seniors who have started every contest since their sophomore season.

"Every game is a competition, and every game we have someone chasing us, so it’s never easy," said Adams, who will attend and play at Dartmouth next season. "But this is one of the best feelings in the world to be able to continue to do this."

Never knowing when it might be someone’s time to shine.

*GIRLS SOCCER

• GIRLS SOCCER TRYOUT AS FOLLOWS 

@Cy Donnelly Field

Girls Varsity Soccer               August 23 4:30-6:00 PM 

                                                 August 24   10:00-11:30am

                                                 August 25 12:00-1:30pm

Girls Junior Varsity Soccer  August 23    3:00-4:30 PM

                                                August 24 12:00-1:30pm

                                                August 25 1:30-3:00pm

Girls Freshmen Soccer           Canceled for Monday

                                                   August 24 12:00-1:30pm

                                                   August 25 1:30-3:00pm

                                                    August 26th TBD

Varsity Head Coach SUE ALBER

For more detailed information I can be reached at salber@stanthonyshs.org  

Dear Girls Soccer Candidates:

         I am very excited about the upcoming soccer season at St. Anthony’s High School.  Each year prospective soccer candidates have the opportunity to build upon the history and success of the St. Anthony’s High School soccer program.   Over the years, our program has featured many of the best soccer players on Long Island and regularly compete for championships.  More importantly, our program demands and exudes exemplary character, leadership and citizenship from all members. 

         In order to give you the best opportunity for selection and membership to the St. Anthony’s High School soccer program, I recommend and highlight the following information:

• FITNESS STANDARD:  

Competing at the highest level of players requires peak physical fitness capabilities.  Each player should commence a formal physical fitness routine.  All players will be tested for minimum standards including the 1.5 mile run, 120 yard shuttle test and 300 yard shuttle test.

• TRYOUTS INFORMATION:  

Be prepared,  Be physical and mentally ready.  Be committed to the school program.  Be respectful of the school history and reputation and all the players who preceded you.  If you are not present for these tryouts, you may not be eligible to participate on a St. Anthony’s High School soccer team.  WEAR: WHITE SHIRT (with your last name clearly printed on the back).  

Please bring a properly inflated soccer ball, shin guards, soccer shoes, running shoes and water.  

Eva LaVecchia #20 of St. Anthony's gets ready to make a centering pass during a Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA girls soccer game against Kellenberg at St. Anthony's High School on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021.  Credit: James Escher

By Christopher Matias November 13, 2021 9:52 PM

The Friars’ "Fab Four" of seniors Sonoma Adams, Eva LaVecchia, Olivia Perez, and Emily Riggins started every game since their sophomore year. They have won three league titles, and a state championship and looked to add to that list on Saturday.

"Everything we have worked for, done on and off the field has worked," Adams said. It’s not just one person, it’s everyone together."

St. Anthony’s defeated St. Mary’s-Lancaster, 3-0, to claim the state CHSAA championship on Saturday in Buffalo, the Friars' 35th straight victory. LaVecchia, Perez, and Riggins each scored a goal.

"Scoring in a state championship is a once in a lifetime experience, I can’t explain the excitement." LaVecchia said.

The Friars (20-0) led 2-0 at halftime and played down a player for nearly the entire second half after receiving a red card. Riggins scored their final goal to make it 3-0. St. Mary's is 12-6.

"This win meant so much, because it was my final high school game, I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished." Riggins said.

An eight-hour bus ride up to Buffalo was the final bonding experience for the team.

St. Anthony's forward Emily Riggins (24) celebrates her second goal of the game against Sacred Heart with defender Eva LaVecchia (20) during the second half of a CHSAA girl's soccer match in Hempstead, NY, on Friday, Oct 22, 2021. Credit: Brad Penner

By Christopher Matias Updated November 5, 2021 9:06 PM

Emily Riggins of St. Anthony’s girls soccer is a "fighter."

That was the word she used to describe herself.

Whether it’s off the field, where she maintains a 4.0 GPA, or on the field, where she has won three league titles, she does everything in her power to get to the top.

"Throughout all of it I’ve just been grinding and just trying to be the best version of myself," Riggins said. "Trying to help everyone else and just stay hardworking."

The senior midfielder was named CHSAAA Player of the Year after a 10-goal and seven-assist season, leading the Friars (18-0) to an undefeated record.

Riggins, who is Newsday’s Athlete of the Week, been an integral part of a 33-game winning streak for the Friars, spanning the past three seasons. St. Anthony’s has won three league titles since Riggins joined the program, including one this season. They won the state championship in her sophomore year and will have an opportunity to do so again this season after the pandemic prevented them from having that opportunity a season ago.

"Every single game she always comes to win," St. Anthony’s coach Sue Alber said. "That competitive feistiness, that’s Riggins. She just has so much heart and passion for the game."

Riggins has a busy schedule as her commitments extend past St. Anthony’s. She also plays for SUSA Academy, a club team. When she steps off the field she enjoys creating art in her spare time, dedicating a corner in her basement to drawing, which helps her "relax."

"I’ve been doing this probably since seventh grade, so I kind of grew up into it," Riggins said. "I like the chaos of it, I think I do better in school and soccer when I have more stuff to do."

She will officially move on from the black and gold of St. Anthony’s into red and white as she joins the St. John’s Red Storm soccer team in the fall of 2022. She is leaning toward majoring in business or finance.

Riggins has enjoyed a ton of success in her soccer career to this point, but she hopes when people see her in the future, they think of more than just her ability to put the ball in the net.

"Hard-working, a leader," she said. "I hope they see someone who led others in the right direction."