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Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats

Ava Zicchinelli slides safely home for the Panthers in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

Miller Place Panthers opened their 2024 softball season with a victory over Islip, a win against Sayville and then blanked Kings Park, before traveling to Shoreham-Wading River looking to make it four in a row.

Freshman Delaney Schleider’s bat spoke first, driving in two runs for the Panthers in the opening inning to take the early lead in the nonconference matchup April 8.

With one out, Miller Place loaded the bases in the top of the 4th when the Wildcats defense made a statement, turning a double play to strand three runners to end the inning.

It didn’t matter, the Panthers went on a scoring fest in the top of the 5th to break the game wide open by plating 11 runners before it was all over. Shoreham Wading River with their backs against the wall trailing 13-0 in the bottom of the 5th needed to answer back but the Wildcats bats fell silent, triggering the mercy rule — trailing by 10 runs or more — to end the game two innings early.

Miller Place junior Ava Zicchinelli put on an impressive pitching performance for the Panthers striking out eight batters while giving up just two hits, and teammate Brooke Borkowski had three hits, two runs with two RBIs in the win.

Miller Place retook the field the next day, April 9, with a home game against unbeaten Bayport-Blue Point, but lost for the first time, 2-0. Shoreham, on the other hand, cantered to an 18-5 victory at Harborfields. — Photos by Bill Landon 

Just past the halfway point in the season Shoreham-Wading River, the 2023 Suffolk County class A champions, find themselves in the middle of the pack in their division. The Wildcats (5-5), having lost to Mount Sinai three days earlier, were hungry to get back to their winning ways when they hosted Center Moriches (1-8), making short work of the Red Devils winning 58-35 in the League VI matchup Jan 8.

Senior Juliana Mahan led the way for the Wildcats doing what she’s done all season battling in the paint netting eight layups/putbacks for 16 points. Grayce Kitchen, a junior, netted 11 points and Kady Keegan, the sophomore, banked eight. Kitchen had a 3-pointer as did freshman teammate Stamatia Almiroudis.

The Wildcats next two games will be their litmus test with a road game at Elwood-John Glenn on Tuesday, Jan 16, followed by a home game against Hampton Bays Jan. 20. Game times are 5:15 p.m. and noon respectively.

By Bill Landon

With eight consecutive nonleague games to open the Shoreham-Wading River girls basketball season, game five pitted the Wildcats against Greenport Tuesday night when the visiting Porters clung to a one-point lead to open the second half. The Wildcats came alive in the final 16 minutes of play, slamming the door shut to win the game 50-28 in the Dec. 19 contest.

Senior forward Juliana Mahan led her team in scoring with eight field goals and three from the line for 19 points, while juniors Alyssa Bell banked 17 and Grayce Kitchen netted 9.

The win lifts Shoreham-Wading River to 2-3 in the early season.

The Wildcats retake the court in another nonleague matchup Thursday, Dec. 21, with a road game against Rocky Point. Game time is slated for 4:30 p.m.

— Photos by Bill Landon 

Rocky Point forward Max Wignall shoots in a non-league matchup against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon

With an injury-riddled starting lineup, the Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats had their hands full in a road game against Rocky Point where the Eagles defense was able to hold the Wildcats at bay. The Eagles offense pressed for all 32 minutes to win the nonleague matchup 55-40, Monday night Dec. 11.

Rocky Point guard Casmere Morrow topped the scoring chart for the Eagles with 17 points and forward Max Wignall added 13.

Shoreham-Wading River senior Gordon Votruba led the way for the Wildcats netting 11 points.

The win lifts the Eagles to 2-0.

The loss drops the Wildcats to 1-4. They will desperately need their bench to get healthy and will have to be at full song to make a postseason bid.

Shoreham-Wading River senior Alex Makarewicz battles his way to the rim in a road game against Centereach. Photo by Bill Landon

The Cougars of Centereach opened their season when they hosted the Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats (0-2) where both teams looked to put a “W” in the win column in a nonleague matchup Tuesday night Dec. 5.

Shoreham-Wading River had lost to Smithtown Christian and Hampton Bays to begin their season. Although the Wildcats had a 10-point advantage in the final minute of play, the Cougars closed the gap in the timeout-riddled final 20 seconds, where Shoreham escaped with a 42-38 victory.

Centereach retakes the court Dec. 9 when they host their crosstown rival Newfield before league play begins Dec. 12.

The win lifts the Wildcats to 1-2 with two more nonleague matchups before they hit the road to take on Port Jefferson to begin league play Dec. 21.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Shoreham-Wading River girls basketball head coach Adam Lievre’s strategy last season led the Wildcats to a county championship playing their toughest nonleague matchups early on. The Wildcats, a Division VI team, hosted William Floyd, a Division 1 team, to open their season and hit a brick wall. Having lost key players to graduation and with a returning starter sidelined with an injury, Shoreham-Wading River struggled with Floyd’s pressing defense and fast break ability, lost the battle 50-29.

A bright spot for the Wildcats was Alyssa Bell where the junior put together six field goals, a triple and four free throws for a team high of 19 points. When injured returning starter Juliana Mahan is able to rejoin the lineup, it’ll be a much-needed boost for the Wildcats 2023-24 campaign.

Shoreham-Wading River retakes the court with a road game against Cold Spring Harbor Saturday morning, Dec. 2, at 10 a.m. followed by another away game against Patchogue-Medford Dec. 6. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. 

— Photos by Bill Landon

Shoreham-Wading River, the No. 4 seed, hosted Center Moriches (No. 5) in the Suffolk quarterfinals round of Division IV postseason play Friday night, Nov. 3, at Thomas Cutinella Memorial Field. Center Moriches drew first blood on a broken play to find the end zone early in the opening quarter. Shoreham-Wading River senior quarterback Kieran Clifford evened the score on a keeper to tie the game and with the point after took the lead. 

From there, the Wildcats never looked back. Running back Liam Kershis did what he’s done all season finding the end zone for a touchdown, and Clifford punched in from short yardage to open the second half. Senior Travis Finnegan followed when he nailed a 25-yard field goal. The Wildcats would make the final buzzer with a 38-12 victory.

The win lifts the Wildcats to 7-2 to advance to the semifinals round Friday, Nov. 10, with a road game against No. 2 seed Babylon. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. 

— Photos by Bill Landon

Meet your new Suffolk County Class A champions. Photo by Bill Landon

Kings Park ended their regular season atop the Division III leaderboard having suffered its only league loss to Shoreham-Wading River back in September. The Lady Kingsmen looked to settle that score in the Suffolk Class A championship final with a rematch with the Wildcats at Diamond in the Pines Wednesday night Nov. 1.

After a scoreless first half, it was Shoreham-Wading River’s Grace Hillis who would write the Kings Park epitaph first with a 30-yard free kick that found its way in the upper far corner of the net. Then the senior scored the insurance goal 11 minutes later. Despite a ferocious late-game surge by the Lady Kingsmen that kept Wildcat goalie Morgan Lesiewicz busy the rest of the way, Shoreham-Wading River prevailed with a 2-0 victory.

Lesiewicz finished with seven saves in the win to punch the Wildcats ticket to the Long Island Championship round where they faced Plainedge on Saturday, Nov. 4. Yet again the Wildcats rose to the occasion with another 2-0 victory to advance to the New York State championship round in Cortland Nov. 11.

— Photos by Bill Landon

It was the duo of Grace Hillis and Bella Sweet, the Shoreham-Wading River seniors, who made their mark in the Class A Long Island championship game at the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Field Saturday morning, Nov. 4, against Plainedge with the Wildcats defeating the Section VIII champions 2-0. 

Before the season began Shoreham-Wading River High School was selected as the location for the New York State Regional Finals, otherwise known as the Long Island championship round, so the Wildcats enjoyed a home-field advantage in their quest for another New York State championship title.

Hillis struck first at 11 minutes scoring off a corner kick to break the ice for the Wildcats for the early lead. With 17:30 left in the first half Sweet scored off an assist by Hillis for the insurance goal for the 2-0 victory.

Plainedge, who came into the game with 13-2-3 record, wouldn’t go quietly as they pressed the Wildcats relentlessly until the final buzzer.

Morgan Lesiewicz had four saves in the win.

The Wildcats will board the buses and make their way to Cortland High School for the New York State semifinal round Saturday, Nov. 11, where they will face Section III champions New Hartford. Game time is slated for 5 p.m. 

According to New York State Public High School Athletic Association, “This is a digital-ticketed event. Cash sales will not be available on-site. Kids 5 and under are free.” Tickets can be purchased at gofan.co/event/1128589?schoolId=NYSPHSAA.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Senior running back Liam Kershis bolts through an opening. Photo by Bill Landon

It was Shoreham-Wading River’s Homecoming weekend and the Wildcats, at 4-2, looked for a win on their special day, and a convincing win is what they got. 

Southampton arrived with only 16 players dressed for action as injuries have plagued the 0-6 Mariners.

Senior running back Liam Kershis set the tone early with a 60-yard touchdown run on the Wildcats’ opening possession. Kershis struck again on the Wildcats next offensive effort with an 18-yard run for the score. Sean Casey joined the fray with an 11-yard touchdown run followed by Chris Johnson’s short yardage run to put the Wildcats in the lead by 27-0 after 12 minutes of play.

Kershis had three carries for 104 yards, and sophomore George Greene had two touchdowns on five carries for 89 yards in the 48-0 victory in the Division IV matchup Saturday afternoon, Oct. 21.

The win lifts the Wildcats to 5-2 on the season with one game remaining before postseason play begins Friday, Nov. 3.

Photos by Bill Landon