SWR girls soccer is back in championship form

The Shoreham-Wading River girls soccer team took the Class A Long Island championship twice in a row under the tutelage of Adrian Gilmore in 2023 and 2024. The beloved soccer coach built a top program that was respected statewide.

But when Gilmore unexpectedly passed away in 2025, it left the team and community mourning and reeling.

The school slowly picked up the pieces. SWR hired Lydia Kessel to continue building what Gilmore had left behind. A SWR grad and goalkeeper who played under Gilmore was the perfect solution to move the team forward.

The team put together a 14-3-2 record but ultimately fell short in the Suffolk County semifinals in their quest to three-peat. 

“Last year I felt like we were just trying to survive and get through it,” Kessel said. “There were a lot of ups and downs emotionally. There was a lot of healing and coming together. Soccer came second.”

Through four games this year, it looks like the Wildcats have regained that championship form. They’ve won all four games against Glenn, Miller Place, Center Moriches and Kings Park — scoring 12 goals and surrendering only one.

“This year we went back to the roots of the program,” Kessel said. “Just doing what I know Gilmore would want us to do, and that’s to compete and push ourselves. Fitness-wise, technically, tactically we’ve been pushing ourselves to compete and take that next step.”

Kessel was thrust into a role that expected success. The girls soccer program has been the most prestigious team the school had to offer the last decade; nobody has won more. The program was buttoned up tight from the top to the bottom.

“It was a lot of pressure for me coming into these shoes,” Kessel said. “I feel so proud and honored to be involved and welcomed back to SWR. When I was there, the counties was the biggest thing in the world. Now these girls went further. They’ve been to the states. The expectations are different and I’m looking to keep leading that mindset.”

Though the Wildcats graduated their top goal scorer in Mia Mangano, their field general in Olivia Pesso and their force at the back in Leslie Jablonski, this team hasn’t missed a beat filling those roles. 

Stamatia Almiroudis, who missed the entire season last year due to injury, is back like she never left. She’s scored four goals and one assist thus far.

“Stamatia is one of those players I wish we had last year,” Kessel said. “She’s so important to what we’re trying to do offensively and is able to take on defenders and cause problems.”

Shealyn Varbero has taken on the Pesso role and owns the middle of the field. Varbero, also a quarterback on the girls flag football team that made it all the way to the state finals, is no stranger to passing the ball and finding her teammates. She’s also scored two goals this season.

“I felt like last year we were relying a lot on Mangano and Pesso to do the bulk of the offense,” Kessel said. “This year it’s more spread out.”

SWR will look to Ella Nowaski and Brenna Molinelli to also find the back of the net. Molinelli is tied for the team lead with four goals.

But other than scoring goals, the theme of this year’s team is defense. Tessa Cooke and Madeline Kavanaugh shore up the central defense and the wings are controlled by Molinelli, Cali Greco and Alexis Cordano.

In collaboration with Adrian’s daughter, Kayla, the team has adopted the idea of giving the number 7 to a player that represents a lot of values that Coach Gilmore emphasized. Cordano is the first to receive the No. 7 jersey.

“She valued competitiveness, speed, good sportsmanship, a teammate mentality, all those things,” Kessel said. “Lexi really embodies Coach Gilmore’s spirit so she’s the perfect person to carry the torch.”

Though the start has been picture perfect, the goal is to keep the momentum going and not get complacent. 

“We don’t see this as a peak,” Kessel said. “We see this as our standard.”