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Miller Place High School

SWR Wildcats prevail late, winning 23-20 over Miller Place Panthers

by Bill Landon - September 12, 2022

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By Bill Landon

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.

Pitch perfect: Miller Place shuts out East Hampton

by Bill Landon - April 21, 2022

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It was a battle of the unbeaten Tuesday, April 19, when the Panthers of Miller Place, 5-0, hosted East Hampton, 9-0, in a league VI matchup.

In dominant fashion, the Miller Place pitching staff put on a shutout performance. Starting pitcher Jason Strickland had four complete innings for the win and Tyler Hodella picked up the save in a 6-0 Panther victory.

Despite their winning streak, there will be no rest for Miller Place this week as they have games scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Miller Place-Rocky Point St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns March 13

by Press Release - March 10, 2022

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Friends-of-St.Patrick-parade-2017-28_Savage-scaled-e1611178036159 — File photo by Bob Savage

After a two year hiatus brought on by COVID 19 restrictions and mandates, The Friends of St. Patrick will resume a springtime tradition by hosting the 70th annual Miller Place-Rocky Point St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 13 starting at 1 p.m. sharp. This year the committee has named all former Grand Marshals to be Grand Marshals at this year’s parade.

“North Shore residents have been cooped up and socially distanced for two long years now. It is time to break free and come out and celebrate with your community in this annual rite of spring. Pipe bands, fire trucks, dancers and marchers promise to lift all our spirits,” said a press release.

In lieu of naming a Queen and her Court, the Friends of St. Patrick have begun a scholarship fund for our local high schools. This year’s winner of a $1,000 scholarship is Alexa Zichinelli from Miller Place High School. Alexa wrote an essay on Irish history and lore inspired by her great-great Grandma, Mary Margaret McArdle from County Clare.

Alexa will be studying pre-med in college and is an active athlete, musician, tutor and volunteer. She aspires to become a surgeon and be a part of Doctor Without Borders.

For further information please visit their website at www.friendsofsaintpatrick.com or call 631-473-5100.

Idir drains 7 triples

by Bill Landon - December 11, 2021

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Port-Jefferson-Miller-Place-basketball-121021-Abigail-Rolfe-Landon-9997 — Port Jeff senior forward Abigail Rolfe gets mugged down low in a non-league home game against Miller Place Dec 10. Photo by Bill Landon

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Port Jefferson’s girls’ basketball squad, although short on roster depth with only seven players suited, are long on talent when the Royals made short work of Miller Place in a non-league home game with a 67-34 victory Dec. 10.

Junior point guard Lola Idir led the way for the Royals seeming to score three pointers at will, nailing seven treys a field goal and three from the free throw line for a team high of 28 points.

Senior teammates Annie Maier hit two triples and six field goals for 18 points, and Abigail Rolfe banked 9. Miller Place seniors Emma LaMountain scored 14 and Lauren Molinaro netted 13.

The win lifts the Royals to 3-1 while Miller Place searches for that elusive first win in this early season.

— All photos by Bill Landon

Rocky Point wins against Miller Place

by Bill Landon - December 3, 2021

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Miller Place senior Emma LaMountain fights for the rebound in a non-league matchup against Rocky Point Dec 2. Bill Landon photo

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The Rocky Point Eagles never trailed in their non-league road game against Miller Place Dec. 2, but the Panthers did tie the score at 27 all with 4:21 remaining in the contest.

Some late game fouls saw the Eagles cash in at the free throw line to hold the Panthers at bay, to hang on for the 36-29 victory.

Leading the way for the Eagles was senior forward Victoria Curreri with 15 points, McKenzie Moeller banked 8 with Sarah May and Leela Smith netted 6 apiece.

Kathryn Doherty the junior scored 9 points for the Panthers and senior Andrea Mott sank 8.

Rocky Point retakes the court on Dec. 6 against Mt. Sinai before opening their league season against Islip on the road Dec. 9. Game time is 5 p.m.

Miller Place has three more non-league matchups before league play begins Dec. 13. Tip-off is also at 5 o’clock.

— All photos by Bill Landon

Panthers blank Bonackers

by Bill Landon - November 1, 2021

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Miller Place senior running-back Jayden Jackson finds an opening in a home game against East Hampton/Pierson Oct 29. Photo by Bill Landon

It was all Miller Place Friday night in a Div IV matchup at home against East Hampton/Pierson Oct. 29 when the Panthers scored five unanswered touchdowns in the first half.

Scotty Seymour, the junior running back, set the tone early with a 35-yard run for the opening score on the Panthers first offensive play.

On the Bonacker’s ensuing possession, senior defensive back Jack Davis intercepted a pass and went the distance to lead by two scores a minute later and with Anthony Bartolotto’s foot lead 14-0.

Three minutes later it was Bartolotto’s turn when he went the distance then kicked his own extra point for a three touch-down lead.

In the final minutes of the quarter full-back Robert Cunningham punched in for the score to lead 28-0. East Hampton was unable to stem the flow, and on the Panthers next possession Seymour picked up a loose ball and punched in to put the Panthers out front 35-0 at the halftime break.

Miller Place spelled its starters part way through the second half for which East Hampton/Pierson had no answer for your final 35-0.

The win lifts the Panthers to 6-2 and now waits for the post season playoff brackets to be posted to see who they’ll face in the opening round Nov. 5.

— Photos by Bill Landon

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Former Miller Place teacher mails each student a memory

by Julianne Mosher - July 7, 2021

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letters 3, juliannemosher — Kathy McLeod retired back in 2013, but she still kept a tradition of mailing her former students a keepsake when it was their turn to graduate. Photo by Julianne Mosher

Kathy MacLeod taught in the Miller Place School District for 36 years.

Mostly a fourth-grade teacher, she created years ago a project that would eventually become a tradition for her students and their families.

“The students had to write a letter to themselves that I would save and mail to them when they were ready to graduate from high school,” she said. “And they were just adorable.”

MacLeod would have the students write to their future selves about their families, hobbies, what they learned in school and what they thought they’d be doing as a senior.

“Sometimes, they were very funny, like, I’ll be driving a Lamborghini or, you know, I’ll be playing Major League Baseball,” she said. “And some would be more realistic, saying that I’ll be driving a car or working at McDonald’s.”

The first batch of letters had to wait eight years to eventually be mailed out, with a reminder of the graduating year when they were to be dispatched.

And the majority of the time, MacLeod said, the students forgot the assignment from their elementary school days.

The Miller Place High School graduating class of 2021 was different, though, as this was MacLeod’s last batch of letters.

In 2013, she decided to retire, but retirement didn’t mean stopping from sending out the last eight batches of letters her students wrote. Over the last eight years, she sent the envelopes back to them with copies of what the children wrote to themselves.

Sadly, this was her last group to graduate.

“The parents love it,” she said. “They’re very emotional when their kids are getting ready to graduate, and it’s like a voice from the past.”

MacLeod is so devoted, she always finds a way to get the letter into the right hands — one former student she had to track down in Arizona, and the girl was thrilled.

“Teaching there was the best job I could have had in the best school,” MacLeod said. “It really was a wonderful place to work.”

Along with the letter and the self-portraits she encouraged them to draw, MacLeod attaches a photo from the students’ fourth-grade class picture. The kids look different now.

“I remember them like it was yesterday,” she said. “It’s so funny seeing them grown up.”

Of the class that has just graduated, the students recently received their letters that their previous teacher mailed out.

Andrew Bova, 17, said the blast from the past was very different than what he previously remembered.

“I wrote to myself that I’d be a professional Islander player,” he said. “Now I’m going to Emerson College for musical theater.”

Bova said it was a blast from the past and reading what he thought of his life when he was 8 years old was nostalgic.

He said can’t thank her enough for this fun memory.

“She’s by far my favorite teacher,” he said. “I really appreciate her.”

Ariel Martin, another student, said that her 8-year-old self thought she would have pink streaks in her hair and would be going to Harvard after high school.

She decided instead to Chapman University in California for film production.

“I just want to give her a big ‘thank-you’ for holding onto these and sending them out to all of us,” she said. “To this day, she’s my favorite teacher.”

MacLeod said it’s bittersweet that she won’t have to head to the post office with a large envelope in 2022.

“I just wanted to remind them how proud I am of them, how creative and fun the class was,” she said. “But this class in particular, they were such a creative, loving bunch. It wasn’t an easy last year and a half, and I just think they came through with flying colors.”

Miller Place’s leaders of the class of 2021

by Kimberly Brown - June 20, 2021

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Graduating with the class of 2021 of Miller Place High School, Kyla Bruno will be leaving as valedictorian, finishing at the top of her class with a weighted GPA of 102.34. Kyla plans to attend college at Northwestern University and will be majoring in mathematics, with a minor or double major in music.

Throughout her high school career, Kyla has accomplished a tremendous amount academically. She was awarded AP Scholar with Honors, Performing Arts Teeny Award for Outstanding Instrumentalist, and was recognized by the College Board National Hispanic Recognition Program.

Consistently achieving honor roll while enrolled in all AP and honors courses, Kyla has also received Special Recognition of Excellence in language arts, geometry, Spanish, and orchestra. She was additionally named an All-State Musician.

Not only is Kyla academically gifted, but is a very active athlete as well, earning the Scholar-Athlete Award for tennis and track. She is a member of both the spring and winter track teams and was recognized as All-League and All-County on her tennis team.

Leaving with a 101.30, the second-highest GPA in the Class of 2021, Jason Cirrito was named salutatorian at Miller Place high school.

Jason was notably awarded for his academic excellence, but also had a big involvement in his community. He achieved High Honor Roll for every marking period since 9th grade and received awards for Advanced Placement Scholar with Honors and the Geometry Honors Award.

He was also given the Outstanding Acts of Kindness Award for helping his classmates and community members without expecting anything in return.

Spending his time at the Port Jefferson Library, Jason helped coordinate events and also served as the assistant coach for the Miller Place Parent Teacher Organization basketball team.

To add to his stellar academic and community service achievements, Jason was known as an involved student-athlete. He was a member of the cross-country team, soccer team, and the winter and spring track teams.

This fall, Jason will be attending Vassar College and plans to major in math education and become a secondary math teacher.

Miller Place High School students prepare for the corporate world

by Julianne Mosher - May 21, 2021

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ASOTS Picture — Juniors and seniors in Thomas Fank’s fourth-period virtual enterprise business class. This year, the three classes at Miller Place High School have won more than a dozen awards for their creativity and business planning. Photo from MPSD

For students at Miller Place High School, fourth-period is actually a working office.

The virtual enterprise business class is open to juniors and seniors there, and its idea is to allow students to “run” a virtual business, which they completely create.

It is a business ownership simulation class where students network with other students around the United States and world under the auspices of the Virtual Enterprises International organization. Throughout the school year, students create, manage and work collectively with their peers to help ensure their business concepts and ideas are successfully put into action. Students then take their business model and begin to network with other VE students from all over the country.

In Thomas Fank’s fourth-period class, 22 students have worked diligently on their business model for an online boutique they created called As Scene on the Screen — a store with movie, TV and pop-culture memorabilia.

But it’s not a real store, Fank said. It’s all virtual and a simulation that allows students to see what it’s like to run a business and deal with customer service. Just like a real business, As Scene on the Screen buys products from wholesalers, and then sells items for a profit, all with virtual funds.

“They’ve sold items and created their business throughout the whole year,” Fank said. “And now, we just got results back from a bunch of the national competitions — 13 awards.”

Since the class started in the district three years ago, it’s won 30 awards. And over the last couple of years, it has piqued the interest of many students. Along with fourth-period, he has 28 students in his second-period class and 26 in eighth.

And just like an office, the class shows how important teamwork is when running a business.

Anthony Gagliardi, head of marketing and design with As Scene on the Screen, said that working on their digital portfolio — which includes both professional and personal portfolios — students move through the different steps to do just as a typical corporate setting would do in the real world.

“Now we’ve gotten up to working on a website,” he noted. “Just explaining about ourselves, what we do for this company, and that really just shows how we function as a class.”

Throughout the 40-minute period they have available, each and every minute is spent in meetings, making sales, working on company documents and networking with other students across the country and around the world.

“The students will do trades and complete purchases from other schools,” Fank said. “This helps stimulate the virtual economy.”

As a capstone class, students are able to earn six college credits through SUNY Farmingdale. Underclassmen are encouraged to take lower-level business electives, like accounting, digital design, business law, sports marketing or computer literacy, prior to the course so they’re completely prepared.

“I think that’s what’s helped lead to kind of the success that we’ve been seeing so far,” Fank said. “So not only are they getting kind of real-life readiness — career readiness skills — they’re also getting six college credits.”

Jack Soldano, head of design at the virtual company, said this class is different than his other classes throughout the day.

“Every other period of the school day there’s a lot of memorization, formulas, historical figures, and this class is such a breath of fresh air, because it allows you to be creative and have some fun with a task,” he said. “It’s a great teamwork experience.”