What a start to the school year it has been for the Dragons of Manhattan Academy of Technology. Last year, frustrating as it was, M.A.T. formed the first all-girls soccer team in the city, with only one private and three public schools to play (all three of whom joined late in the season). The Dragons won that tournament easily. This year, the task was not a small one. No fewer than eight public schools had girls soccer teams this year, and the competition was fierce, with most schools practicing rigorously from the onset of September.
“This year was no walk in the park for our girls, as they were challenged every step of the way. Our girls stepped up to the level of competition and have accepted their role as the team to beat in soccer in New York,” Coach John De Matteo said after the game.
The team had tough competition this year, losing three games on the year – twice to NEST and once to LAB. In the last two weeks of the season, however, everything came together for the girls and they saved their best soccer for last. In the league tournament, M.A.T. avenged their loss to LAB by beating them in the first round 2 – 0, simply dominating them from the start. After a forfeit win vs. TASS Middle, M.A.T. then faced NEST in the final.
“NEST is such a strong soccer school, we knew we had to play our best game in order to win. Their boys team won the city championship again, and they always have great soccer players, so we had to really dig down and prepare for this one.”
De Matteo said. “The game was one for the ages.”
So it was that on Thurs., Nov. 1st at Baruch Field on Houston St., M.A.T. met NEST for the championship. The game started out slow, with both teams showing a lot of respect for each other, and playing tremendous defense. With 8:00 to go in the first half, M.A.T. struck first, scoring on a goal from Daniella “Chippy” Azulai on a great feed from Angelina Pranken and Tafarii McKenzie. Not to be outdone, NEST tied the game with one second left in the half, 1 –1.
In the halftime huddle, DeMatteo and Coach Robert Mehan from SUNY-Cortland, told the girls to triple team their best player who had led NEST all season. M.A.T. players Destiny Torres and Patty World Rosa stuck with her all second half and the strategy worked, shutting down their all star player. M.A.T. jumped out to an early lead again with a goal from McKenzie from the right corner on a pass from Safiyah Riddle and Ellen Mullan Jayes, but then found themselves tied as a NEST player scored on a breakaway goal. With the game tied at 2, Daniella Azulai scored her second goal of the day with 14:00 remaining on a beautiful pass from Angelina Pranken and M.A.T. took a 3 – 2 lead. With the game winding down and time running out, the Dragons made sure that NEST’s all star player (Hayley) did not touch the ball and the clock ticked down for the victory. Down the stretch, Ashley Thomas, Amy Ye, Kaylee Cimino and Salina Goodman played tremendous team defense.
Gathering more accolades on the season is goalie Alice Fornari who made 6 incredible saves in the championship game to save the win for M.A.T. and be named New York City M.V.P. in girls soccer.
“Without Alice, the score would have been 7 – 3, simply put. She’s incredible and played a brilliant game,” said De Matteo.
McKenzie also shined for M.A.T. Two weeks ago, she is believed to be the first girl ever to have three different wins in three different sports in one week and on Thursday, she was the first girl in city history to win two different championships in two different sports in the same day. Earlier during the school day, Tafarii won the annual one mile ING pre NYC Marathon Central Park Cross Country Championship in a school record 6:02. Not only was she the first girl finisher, but out of 330 runners, she came in 7th overall. S
“I’m enjoying every step, every moment and every day of having her around because when she’s gone, I’ll never see another like her,” De Matteo said. “This city will never see another Tafarii McKenzie.”
