Top seed West Islip repeats as Suffolk Class AA girls soccer champion

Jillian Olfano watched the shot sailing toward her, Bella Barra’s beautiful curling kick from about 20 yards away, to the left of the box, a soccer ball bound for the upper part of the net. A crash-landing in there would mean a tie match for Harborfields.

But Olfano’s mind was racing now with about 17 minutes left in this Suffolk Class AA final. The senior goalkeeper for defending champ West Islip felt so determined as she faced the Tornadoes’ attempt swirling through the air Tuesday over the wind-swept North Babylon turf.

“Honestly, all I’m thinking is: This ball cannot go in the back of the net,” Olfano said. “It would change the entire atmosphere and mood of the game. The whole game would shift. I was like 'Whatever happens, this ball just needs to get out. Even if it goes out of bounds, it just cannot be in this net.' ”

Harborfields coach Scott Wallace said Barra “has a really good shot.” He was hopeful.

But Olfano got her right fist up and punched it up and out of play to save the day. Top-seeded, undefeated West Islip hung on, making senior forward Leah Tomeo’s first-half goal hold up for a 1-0 win over the second-seeded Tornadoes.

The Lions had pulled off a repeat feat.

“It means everything for the girls,” said Ed Jablonski, their first-year head coach. “It was their stated goal from the beginning of the season. And we saw how hard it was. This game was an incredible game, back and forth. They left their heart out there, played tremendously.”

SEE PHOTOSPhotos: West Islip vs. Harborfields

Now they will try to be on the winning side against South Side at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Whitman and repeat as Long Island champs, too. That game will also serve as a Southeast Regional final.

This Lions team is 17-0-2 and craves the best plaque — a state title plaque — after falling in double overtime in the regional final against Albertus Magnus last year.

But is it really capable of claiming a state crown?

“Absolutely, 100%, it is,” Jablonski said. “We made states last year. They had that chip on their shoulder after not getting out of that outbracket round. So that’s their goal.”

The ending to 2024 is indeed fuel. Their experience helps as well.

“I think it motivates us because we have 12 seniors and nine of them were here as freshmen,” Tomeo said. “… We know how WIGS (West Islip girls soccer) is. We’re a family. This is the year to do it because we have so many returning players.”

Tomeo provided the offense, unleashing a beautiful shot of her own from a little more than 20 yards away on the left side. The ball carried into the right side of the netting, flying over Maddie Michalopoulos, who otherwise made 10 saves.

“You give her any space whatsoever, she’s able to make a quick cut and shoot from anywhere and score,” Jablonski said of Tomeo, a Western Connecticut State commit who owns eight goals.

Olfano, a first-year starter, had to only make stops on two shots that were on target.

But she said, “I did feel a lot of pressure.”

She conquered it.

So the Tornadoes finished at 13-2-4. The losses? Both to the Lions.

“Outstanding,” Wallace said of the season. “They exceeded our expectations all year long.”