West Islip girls soccer's Madison Rindos, Kalinka Klusek combine for penalty-kick win in regional semifinal
It's a three-peat for West Islip in its Long Island Class AA girls soccer championship win against Garden City at Farmingdale State on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
The Southeast Regional semifinal in Class AA girls soccer was going on and on Tuesday night. After 110 minutes of scoreless play, it became a question of which team was going to score more in the penalty kick phase.
West Islip started seven for seven. Garden City matched the Lions each time.
Then came the eighth round, and West Islip scored the knockout.
Madison Rindos put the ball in the right side of the net. And then Kalinka Klusek shifted to her right to stop the Trojans’ try.
The Lions were given a second chance after suffering their first loss of the season in the Suffolk Class AA title game against Northport because this county classification owned an at-large bid into the regionals. And they took advantage.
Technically, they won 1-0 after outlasting Nassau champ Garden City 8-7 on those PKs at Farmingdale State.
“We were so lucky and so fortunate to have this opportunity,” West Islip coach Ed Jablonski said. “ . . . And we’re proud and happy to be moving forward.”
This was technically not a Long Island championship game, although the 18-1 Lions, who won it the previous two years, did receive the title plaque again.
So they are going to the Southeast Regional final Saturday afternoon to play the winner of Wednesday’s game between Section I champ John Jay-Cross River and Section IX champ Warwick.
If John Jay-Cross River wins, the game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Nyack High School. If Warwick wins, the game is scheduled for 2:30 at Walkill.
“The sky’s the limit,” Jablonski said.
Both teams had their share of chances before the PKs. Then Klusek, who made eight saves before the eight rounds, got her hands on the last shot.
“I felt so much pressure in the PKs,” the senior said.
Rindos, another senior, did her part moments before the pivotal save, too.
“I didn’t want to let down my team,” she said, “and I put full faith in Kalinka Klusek in the net.”
So Garden City ended at 13-3-4 this season. It was also the end for Scott McAuley, who’s retiring as a coach and teacher at the end of the school year. He was an assistant with this team for 22 seasons and the head coach for the last three.
“It’s bittersweet,” McAuley said. “I’m happy that we were able to secure at least a county championship, but what’s frustrating is to know that we had more in us.”
