They’re one of the best group within the nation. by a rustic mile.
The Friars of South Huntington St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) have been knocking on the door of greatness for a variety of seasons; the group as soon as schedule an interstate recreation in opposition to Owings Mills McDonogh (Md.) in an period when the Eagles have been one of the best group within the nation. The date was April 30, 2011, and McDonogh gained the sport 14-8.
One of the memorable gamers in that recreation was St. Anthony’s midfielder Darcy Messina. Given the truth that the opposing McDonogh facet had the likes of Jen Cook dinner, Sammi Burgess, Megan Whittle, and a fairly good attacking midfielder by the identify of Taylor Cummings, that’s saying one thing.
After a distinguished profession on the College of Florida, Darcy Messina coached at Boca Raton St. Andrew’s (Fla.) for seven years earlier than transferring again residence to Lengthy Island.
She coached the Friars on the JV degree for one 12 months, however as soon as she ascended to the head-coaching place in 2024, the group reached one other degree. Have a look at them play, and they’re at a distinct degree from anybody else within the nation. The Friars schedule robust groups exterior of their league, enjoying the likes of New Canaan and Darien from Connecticut’s public faculties, Victor from upstate New York, Summit and Chatham in New Jersey, and groups on Lengthy Island similar to Wantagh and Chilly Spring Harbor.
And right here’s the factor that has made Messina the TopOfTheCircle.com United States Coach of the 12 months for 2025: since teaching her first varsity recreation at St. Anthony’s, she has but to lose a recreation.
Should you’ve ever learn protection on this weblog, particularly as regards discipline hockey, this narrative ought to sound acquainted to you. It’s eerily just like the Voorhees Japanese (N.J.) discipline hockey program below the legendary Danyle Heilig. Since she began teaching at Japanese in 1999, she went six and a half seasons earlier than struggling her first defeat.
In fact, it’s not concerning the coaches for Messina, however the expertise on the sphere. The group depends on the expertise of some monumental senior lessons. There have been 20 seniors on final 12 months’s group, 15 seniors on this 12 months’s group, and subsequent 12 months’s senior class will come from a bunch of 24 juniors from this previous season’s undefeated facet.
Given the uncooked materials that Messina has at her disposal, particularly within the passionate lacrosse hotbed of Lengthy Island, it could possibly be argued that anybody might take up a clipboard, draw up some performs, watch faculty video games, and create a group.
However what Messina has executed is create a program. St. Anthony’s is now a program which sustains excellence in all areas of the sport — offense, protection, attracts, goaltending. It’s an incredible group to behold, and Messina is a worthy winner of this 12 months’s award.
Messina joins a bunch of luminaries who’ve gained this award up to now:
2025: Darcy Messina, South Huntington St. Anthony’s (N.Y.)
2024: Skip Harris, Essex (Vt.)
2023: Lisa Lindley, Darien (Conn.)
2022: Jill Thomas, Princeton (N.J.) Day College
2021: Rachel Sanford, Aurora Evergreen (Colo.)
2020: No award, COVID-19
2019: Chris Robinson, Orlando Lake Highland Prep (Fla.)
2018: Richard DeSomma, South Using Freedom (Va.)
2017: Alyssa Frazier, Bridgewater-Raritan (N.J.)
2016: P.J. Kesmodel, Lewes Cape Henlopen (Del.)
