At 0-3 to start the season, the Comsewogue boys volleyball team searched for that elusive first win during a road game against the Center Moriches Red Devils on Monday, Sept. 12.
But victory just wasn’t in the cards. Comsewogue forced the Red Devils to win by two, but dropped the close first set. Comsewogue rallied back to win the second set with a five-point cushion.
Center Moriches returned the favor, winning in the third. The Warriors rallied to stay alive, winning the fourth set and forcing a fifth and final game. Despite a late-game Warrior surge, the Red Devils held on for the 3-2 victory.
The Warriors will retake the court on Thursday, Sept. 15, at home against Smithtown East. The first service is scheduled for 5:45 p.m.
It was a “Battle of the Cats” on Saturday, Sept. 10, in the Division IV season opener between the Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats and the Miller Place Panthers.
On a keeper, SWR senior quarterback Dylan Zahn punched in on a short-yardage score to break the ice. With Sam Palmer’s extra point kick, the Wildcats took an early 7-0 lead with 3:16 left in the opening quarter.
Miller Place QB Michael Giugliano answered on the ensuing possession, jetting 65 yards downfield for the touchdown. Kicker Nicholas Oliva delivered the equalizer on the extra point attempt, tying the score at 7-7.
Michael Casey, the sophomore wide receiver for the Wildcats, grabbed a 21-yarder from Zahn for the score, putting the Wildcats ahead 14-7.
Miller Place’s senior in the backfield, Joell Spagnuolo, responded with a 43-yard TD run of his own. But after the missed extra point attempt, the Panthers trailed 14-13 with four minutes left in the half.
The Panthers’ tight end, Logan LaMountain, put his team out ahead. He caught a ball out over the middle of the field, picked up the necessary yards after the catch, and went the distance. Oliva’s foot tacked on the extra point, sending Miller Place into the locker room with a 20-14 lead at halftime.
The second half was a different story as the defensive units for both teams began to hold their ground firmly. Sophomore running back Will Hart did find the end zone for the Wildcats. Still, the Panthers blocked the point after attempt, keeping the game tied 20-20 with 11:29 left in regulation.
This game would be decided in the final minutes of play. After an impressive defensive stand by the Panthers, Palmer’s field goal gave the Wildcats a 23-20 lead with six minutes remaining.
Miller Place threatened when they marched down the field after three consecutive first downs. But the Wildcats forced a turnover in the final possession, intercepting a pass to secure the victory.
Michael Boren of Setauket spied this hibiscus flower peeking over the fence from his neighbor’s yard to greet him as he returned from an outing on Aug. 29
Over 20 framed waterscape & wildlife photographs on display and for sale
By Susan Peragallo
When stepping into the Daniel Gale Sotheby’s office of Northport, to focus on the photographs by John P. Cardone is to be transported into our natural world. One can almost hear the wind rustling in the trees and the crickets creating their musical rhythms as you walk around the room. John says that he tries “to capture the beauty and spiritual magnificence of nature… a moment in time through unique natural setting and the amazing personalities of wildlife.” The subjects include hummingbirds, egrets, owls, eagles, and moose – to name just a few! In Sprague Lake at Dusk, moose are seen taking an evening sip of water, the lake reflecting the magnificent colors of the setting sun, bringing the viewer to a peaceful, tranquil vista.
Most of these amazing photographic captures were taken by John while kayaking and hiking on Long Island. But not only do these photographs capture the beauty and peace of nature, they are also wonderfully composed. This is especially true of Egret in Darkness: the soft white curves of the the egrets neck echo the angular white and gray tree branch beside it. In Frog Swimming, the frog is popping it’s head up in the water, it’s large eye repeating the circular ripples in the cool green water. Eagle Looking Down is another example of John’s sensitivity to form and composition. The eagle’s horizontal body mimics the tree branch it stands on, while it’s head and beak point downward, just as a branch below points down. These captured repetitions of line and form create wonderful compositions and add to the sense of peace and tranquility that John strives to communicate.
There are also captured moments of humor. In Amazing Turtle Pose, one can almost hear the turtle saying “I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille!” as the turtle coyly turns it’s head and smiles! In a moment of tenderness, Swan Portrait shows the swan’s neck bent back over it’s body, which forms a soft pillow for it’s head.
We can all use a moment to escape into nature and John P. Cardone has provided us with a perfect opportunity!
Author Susan Peragallo is the Gallery Coordinator and Curator Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery, Art League of Long Island in Dix Hills
The Northport Arts Coalition presents Nature Photography by Long Island Author/Photographer John P. Cardone at Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, 77 Main St., Northport through October 5. The show is free and open to the public during office hours. All artwork is on sale. For more information, call 631-754-3400.
Newfield sophomore Bella Norton settles the ball. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield junior Jessica Centeri with a save. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield junior Jessica Centeri with a goal kick. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield junior Sarah Cavello pushes upfield. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield senior Gianna Rutigliano maneuvers midfield. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield junior Sarah Cavello heads the ball. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield senior Maddy Keenan eludes a defender. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield senior Gianna Rutigliano battles for possession. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield sophomore Miranda Palumbo crosses the ball. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield senior Maddy Keenan with a header. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield sophomore Bella Norton pushes upfield. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield sophomore Miranda Palumbo throws in. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield senior Maddy Keenan maneuvers midfield. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield freshman Peyton Hughes settles the ball. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield senior Brianna Sanflippo heads the ball. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield senior Brianna Sanflippo battles for possession. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield senior Maddy Keenan breaks free. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield sophomore Miranda Palumbo clears the ball. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield senior Gianna Rutigliano maneuvers midfield. Photo by Bill Landon
The Newfield girls’ soccer team hoped to notch its third win of the season on Saturday, Sept. 3, in a League II matchup against West Babylon.
Newfield had the wind in its sails, coming off a 2-0 victory over Hills East on Aug. 30, followed by a 4-0 win over Bay Shore two days later. But the trifecta wasn’t to be as neither team could find the net, playing to a 0-0 draw.
Jessica Centeri, the junior goaltender, had a busy day in net, recording 18 saves for a third consecutive shutout to start the season.
Newfield retakes the field Wednesday, Sept. 7, when the team will travel to Comsewogue for its first road game. Gametime is 5 p.m.
The entrance to Cedar hill Cemetery. Photo by Chris Ryon
By Tara Mae
From slightly spooky to sublimely serene, the Port Jefferson Village Center’s latest exhibit captures the majesty and tranquility of Port Jefferson’s historic Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Titled Cedar Hill Cemetery: Hidden Sanctuary of Our Past, the exhibit of approximately 60 photos offers insight into the still-operational, non-denominational cemetery as seen through the lens of Port Jefferson Historian Chris Ryon and historic photographs from the Library of Congress.
The Hulse family plot at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Photo by Chris Ryon
Located on the second floor mezzanine of the Center, the show, which opens Sept. 5, features black and white, color, and near-infrared photographs, evoking different emotions and transcending different periods of time.
The photos trace the seasons, years, and decades of the cemetery, which was established in the mid-19th century and houses the grave markers for some of the area’s most prominent and historic names, including members of the Woodhull, Roe, and Mather families.
Ryon, who began regularly photographing the cemetery about ten years ago, curated the exhibit and contributed most of the images, including all of the near-infrared pictures, which require a specially outfitted camera. He said he is fascinated by the distinctive, haunting images it can yield.
One striking example is the Mather family marker, a 41-ton obelisk that is the largest memorial in Cedar Hill. Standing high above its neighbors, a focal point in any photo, it features the names of John R., prominent shipbuilder, and his son, John Titus, founder of Mather Hospital.
With the near-infrared, details such as snow covered tombstones and skylines framed by trees and awash in clouds, the hint of the harbor in the background, take on a gothic luster. The cemetery’s gates appear stark and imposing. Names and details of the gravestones are frequently in sharp focus, names clearly visible.
“I just keep going back to infrared; it is just so ominous looking … green turns white, shadows become more pronounced, etc,” Ryon said, adding that he was drawn to the cemetery as a subject because of his dual appreciation of photography and history. However, he sees the exhibit and cemetery appealing to more than photography and history buffs.
The gates of cemetery came from the 71st regimental armory on Park Ave. in NYC. Photo from Library of Congress
“This cemetery has everything: photographic interest, history, insight into the lives of people in Port Jefferson … I return because it is a serene, moody place different from our everyday lives,” Ryon explained. “Through this exhibit, we are trying to encourage people to visit the cemetery; they will be rewarded for it.”
Situated on 23 acres of carefully tended rolling hills (the highest point is 271 feet above sea level), grass roads, and reimagined sheep pasture at the end of Liberty Avenue, Superintendent of the cemetery Ken Boehm described Cedar Hill as “an oasis in the middle of suburbia.”An additional few acres of untouched wooded property enhances the feeling that the cemetery complements and almost sprouts from the natural world.
Architectural details, such a somewhat squat, “brick house” that once housed the deceased awaiting burial and now holds landscaping equipment, are testaments to the cemetery’s evolution from privately owned land to publicly accessible final respite. And, of course, historic Cedar Hill Cemetery continues to function as originally intended.
“Not to sound corny or anything, but we are helping people at the worst time in their lives, so to be able to maintain this place, make it a sanctuary any way we can, is very rewarding,” Boehm said.
In April of 1859 Hubbard Gildersleeve sold 13 acres of his land to the Cedar Hill Cemetery Association, which had been established on March 30, 1859, with the express purpose of establishing a public cemetery. Prior to this, residents had largely continued the long held custom of burying loved ones in family plots on private property.
“These larger cemeteries were all established around the same time; there was a change in the way we thought about the dead, and how we wanted to respect them,” Ryon said.
The Association still exists today and oversees the cemetery’s operations.
Back row, from left, Nick Hartmann, Will Hatfield, Spencer Woolley, Tom Cove and Ken Boehm. Front row, from left, Nick Koban and Dennis Jourdain. Photo by Chris Ryon
Cedar Hill’s first official burial was of Mary B. Hulse, wife of Charles L. Hulse, who died March 27, 1859. Gravestones, belonging to people who predeceased her, soon joined Mrs. Hulse.
Since it was considered both disrespectful and unwise to disinter the actual bodies from their more informal resting places, bits of soil from those locations were moved with the markers to their new homes. Families who visited would often picnic and tend the gravesites; photographs from different eras may show them sitting among the graves or looking towards the water.
People still come to visit their loved ones, do some plantings at the family plots, and take in the views, though they rarely picnic, according to Boehm.
Other modifications, not just in behavior but appearance, have been made over the years. The tall gates, somehow both welcoming and austere, which greet or guard the entrance to the cemetery depending on the time of day, were purchased from a salvage yard in 1971. They once protected the 71st Regiment Armory on Park Avenue in New York City, and need some TLC after so much time on the job.
“The gates will be restored; people want to restore them. Fundraising and other efforts are in development,” Ryon said.
This ties into the larger goal of Hidden Sanctuary: to bring more public awareness to its existence and garner more support for its preservation and maintenance. The Cemetery Association and Village of Port Jefferson are discussing plans to create QR codes, implement cemetery tours, and generally invite people to take advantage of all the cemetery has to offer.
“The exhibit is important to make the public aware of this beautiful sanctuary right in our village. Many do not know it exists. We are hoping to share our cemetery with everyone and take some of the stigma out. We are non-denominational, all are welcome,” President of the Cemetery Association Gail Tilton said.
The Port Jefferson Gallery at the Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson presents Cedar Hill Cemetery: Hidden Sanctuary of Our Past from Sept. 5 to Oct. 31.Join them for an opening reception on Sunday, Sept. 11 from 1 to 3 p.m. Viewing hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. For more information about the exhibit, call 631-473-4778 or visit www.portjeff.com/gallery. To learn more about Cedar Hill Cemetery, call 631-371-6113 or visit www.cedarhillcemeterypj.com.
In John Hanc’s forward to John P. Cardone’s Chronicles of a Nature Photographer (Waterview Arts), he states the book “reminds us that, just on the other side of the highway, deep in the recesses of, say, one of our magnificent Long Island State Parks, are the streams and brooks, the marshlands and estuaries that still provide a home to birds, animals, plants, flowers.” This beautifully explains Cardone’s celebration of nature in a book that offers his passion in prose and imagery.
Author John P. Cardone
Cardone is a vibrant storyteller with a pastoral bent. He defines “chronicles” as “documenting personal experiences over time in a historical fashion.” But he offers more than just an account, infusing the fifteen chapters with wry observations, wit, and honesty. As a result, his revealing narrative is wholly personal. “Let me start by saying that everything you read here is true and with no exaggeration or embellishment.”
In the first chapter, Cardone begins with his fascination with the hummingbird. He juxtaposes his struggle with cancer and his journey with stem cell transplant with his desire to photograph these elusive birds. Eventually, with his wife’s help, Cardone builds a hummingbird garden during his recovery (which also coincided with the pandemic). He draws a subtle connection between the opportunity to capture images of these rare creatures and his eventual healing.
From the very start, Cardone offers a thorough background on his subjects. His knowledge is impressive and seems vast, but he articulates with an accessible and almost conversational tone. He gives enough explanation of his photographic process without overwhelming the reader with technical details. He has ventured out in all weather, in all conditions, capturing a host of animals and settings, fascinated by the range of species, markings, and habitats.
He makes a strong case for flowers as subjects. “… I can tell you that what photographers generally agree upon is what affects a photograph—and most will say light, color, and composition. With flowers as your subject, you have all of these and more.” Whether the focus or used as a framing border, this chapter contains incredible photographs — all vivid, rich, and colorful.
Of course, the greatest joys of the book are the color photographs, 175 in all, which are elegantly reproduced. A glorious study of an osprey landing on its nest, its wings slightly expanded, sits across from a regal American bald eagle, almost posing for its portrait.
From photographing insects with interesting angles and unusual compositions to vast landscapes and waterscapes, Cardone attains remarkable results. In Chapter 12, “A Bird in the Hand,” he shares personal pictures of his family on a visit to the Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge in Noyac. The final chapter has nearly two dozen glorious photos of wild horses.
‘Chronicles of a Nature Photographer’
The author’s sense of humor permeates the entire text. Whether introducing the white-tailed deer (“Love Them or Leave Them”) or expounding on his love of photographing turtles (an exchange with his four-year-old grandson, Noah, who references Raphael and Leonardo), Cardone finds whimsy and delight in his art and his life. The quests — such as his search for the snowy owl — present both small and big joys, along with surprises. (The day he photographed this particular owl as well as a harbor seal.)
While the book focuses predominantly on his Long Island experiences, Cardone ventures as far as the Rocky Mountains. He first visited the Rocky Mountain National Park during his military service (1969-70) when stationed at Fort Carson, eight miles from Colorado Springs. He then purchased his first camera and learned how to develop black-and-white film and print with an enlarger. Fifty years later, in April 2017, he returned to the Rocky Mountain National Park, photographing elk, moose, bighorn sheep, screech owls, and a range of scenic views.
There is a certain Zen to Cardone’s approach: “Sometimes, as a nature photographer, I will take a long pause and just soak up the beauty of what I’m seeing. Being in the moment is a mindfulness practice that can help calm you.” This crosses over into his pleasure in the planning of excursions. (Currently, he offers two kayaking tours of Carman’s River: one is a photography tour and the other a naturalist tour.)
Cardone is an artist, a fan, but above all, a teacher. The book reflects someone who stands in awe of nature but embraces its possibilities. He seeks deeper understanding and communicates both the encounters and the underlying zeal. His ultimate goal is to inspire the reader to “put [his] hiking boots on and get out in nature. It’s all there, just waiting for you to visit. And if you are a parent or grandparent, to nudge the children in your life toward loving nature as well.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A resident of Ronkonkoma, author John P. Cardone is the founder of the Long Island Authors Group, a nature photographer, a wildlife photography instructor, and a lecturer on nature topics. Chronicles of a Nature Photographer is his sixth book and is available online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. To learn more about John, his books, and his nature work, visit his website at www.WaterviewsBook.com.
Pamela Murphy took this photo at West Meadow Beach in her hometown of Stony Brook on Aug. 20. She writes, “I was impressed with the strength of someone I saw swimming against the current trailing a swim buoy as I’m a swimmer myself. Racing along with the swimmer was a boy on the shoreline. The seagulls overhead appeared to be calling the race! I reflected how it’s always a unique experience at our beautiful beach.”
It was a see-saw battle in the first two sets between cross-town rivals Mount Sinai and Port Jefferson on Tuesday, Aug. 30.
While the Mustangs kept it close in both sets, the Royals, fueled by Erin Henry’s dominant performance from the service line, finished strong and won both.
Mount Sinai rallied in the third set, but the Royals played mistake-free volleyball and swept the match 25-21, 25-22, 25-15 in the opening round of this non-league matchup.
Both teams begin league play Thursday, Sept. 1. Mount Sinai hosts Center Moriches at 5 p.m. and the Royals travel to Pierson/Bridgehampton with a 6:15 p.m. start time.
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