The beginning of a school year brings the beginning of a new season of Lynbrook soccer. The 2023-24 season is in full swing, and to start the year off, Newsday recently released its list of the top-100 soccer players on Long Island. LHS was fortunate enough to have three players find themselves named on that list. For boys, Marco Pantano and Patrick O’Doherty, and for girls, Mikayla D’Ambrosio made the list.
Junior defenseman Marco Pantano dominates on the soccer field and is described to be “one of the very best defenders” by his coach and teammates. Alongside the Newsday nomination, he received an All-County Honorable Mention at the end of the 2022 season. Pantano finished his season with three goals, one assist, and four points. His best performances were in a 1-1 tie game against Mineola, a 3-1 win against Valley Stream North, and a 1-2 loss against Floral Park where he scored one goal and one point in each game.
Making the list was a special moment for Pantano, “I put a lot of time and effort into getting better, and it shows me that my hard work has paid off,” he expressed. He also shared that he is happiest while playing soccer and that the sport has given him lifelong friendships and memories. Varsity boys’ soccer coach Joshua Berlin describes Pantano as a “pretty special soccer player.” Berlin said, “Watching his leadership, skill, and emotion combine, makes him one of the very best defenders I have had the chance to coach. Having the chance to coach such a player has been very special.”
After receiving All-County Selection at the end of his 2022 season, Patrick O’Doherty is back for more and continues to be a leader on the soccer field. He ended his senior season with six goals and six points. For the fall season, alongside soccer, O’Doherty is also the kicker for the varsity football team. He had his best performances in a 2-0 win against Valley Stream North, a 1-1 tie against Lawrence, and a 1-1 tie against Sewanhaka where he scored one goal and one point in each game. O’Doherty claims he has learned everything he knows about soccer from his dad, and he has been playing soccer for as long as he can remember. He was honored to earn a spot on the Top-100 list, and his coach and teammates agree that he has proven to be an asset to the team. “I have had the chance to not only coach Patrick for four years at LHS but was also his middle school teacher. Having had the chance to see him grow and develop for the past seven years is special, and I am honored to have had the chance to be his coach,” Berlin shared.
Berlin was extremely proud of Pantano and O’Doherty for their nominations and can attest to the fact that they were both deserving of this honor, “[O’Doherty’s and Pantano’s] approach to competition is outstanding. They raise the level of play of those around them and make the team around them better. They lead by example and walk the walk each day they take the field,” he concluded. The boys entered the second half of their season with positivity and ended their season filled with pride.
Mikayla D’Ambrosio has been on fire since her first season on Lynbrook varsity soccer. Her flame is still burning, and she came in hot for her senior year. Representing the girls, she was also recognized on the Top-100 list. The senior defender is a four-year varsity player who received an All-Conference award in ninth grade, an Honorable Mention award in tenth grade, and was named an All-County Player in eleventh grade. The girls’ final record was 2-8-2 and they played in a higher conference this year.
To D’Ambrosio, soccer is “a big part of [her] life, and it has been for a long time.” She added, “It is a place where I can just have fun and where I met a lot of amazing friends and coaches. It helped me a lot.” D’Ambrosio is also very involved in basketball as she plays on Lynbrook varsity basketball as well as a travel team.
Being recognized on the list turned out to be a birthday surprise for D’Ambrosio, as she was notified of her placement on her birthday. “I was very excited. It was a great gift, and I feel a great honor to be recognized,” she described. Her coach, Mike Palumbo, described her as “a huge asset for our team this year” who has “ been a tremendous asset for the girls’ varsity soccer program over the last four years.” He added that he has “only had positive experiences in coaching Mikayla” and that she is deserving of this honor. “She continues to lead by example on the field. She gives 100% when she is playing on the soccer field. She is a very physical and intelligent player. As a Top-100 player, she is truly a captain and leader!” he exclaimed.
For the rest of her final season in Lynbrook, D’Ambrosio wants to make as many memories as possible with her teammates. “I hope we can make it to the playoffs because we earned it for being in a harder bracket this year. I also hope to receive All-County Honor again,” she concluded.
