Authors Posts by Bill Landon

Bill Landon

In a historic first visit to the Long Island Class A Championship, the Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats girls basketball team led by a single point with two seconds left in regulation.

However, Manhasset’s Caitlin Barrett went to the foul line, shooting two. Barrett missed the first but hit the second to tie the game at 45-all, forcing overtime.

The Wildcats trailed by three points in the opening minute of the four-minute overtime period. Manhasset was able to contain the Wildcats’ potent offensive pressure, edging ahead to win the game 58-51 at Farmingdale State College on Saturday, March 11.

Senior Sophie Costello led her team in scoring with 18 points. Seniors GraceAnn Leonard and Colleen Ohrtman scored 11 points, and senior Annie Sheehan netted six.

The Wildcats conclude their 2022-23 campaign as Suffolk County Class A champions with an impressive 24-2 record.

— Photos by Bill Landon

It was the 21st edition of the coveted “Battle of the Educators,” where the Mount Sinai School District faculty squared off in an annual basketball game pitting the high school teachers against their middle and elementary school colleagues on Friday, March 3, at the Mount Sinai High School. 

Funds raised from gate admission, food and snacks and apparel sales supported the Mount Sinai Booster Club, with the proceeds going towards athletic scholarships awarded in June. 

The game took place in front of a near-capacity crowd, with attendance approaching pre-pandemic levels.

— Photos by Bill Landon

It was all for the bragging rights during the overall Section XI championship when the undefeated Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats (23-0), the small school winner, squared off against large school champion Walt Whitman at Island Federal Credit Arena at Stony Brook University on March 4. 

The Wildcats trailed by two points to open the second half. However, they struggled to land their shots, allowing Whitman to slowly edge ahead for the 50-42 victory, handing SWR its first loss of the season. 

Sophie Costello led the Wildcats with 12 points. GraceAnn Leonard followed with 10, and Annie Sheehan and Juliana Mahan banked seven points each. Teammates Colleen Ohrtman, Haylie Abrams and Anabel Keegan netted two points apiece. 

Shoreham-Wading River, the Suffolk Class A title holder, lives to fight another day, advancing to the Long Island Championship round (regional finals) on Saturday, March 11, when they’ll face Manhasset (23-1) at Farmingdale State College. Game time is slated for 2 p.m.

— Photos by Bill Landon

The only undefeated team in Suffolk County at 22-0, the Wildcats found themselves trailing by two points at the halftime break. They would need Annie Sheehan’s free throw appearance to put the Wildcats back out front when the senior sank both to retake the lead 37-36 with 4:16 left in the third quarter. 

A three-pointer from GraceAnn Leonard would re-tie the game at 51-all with four minutes left in regulation. But the Wildcats’ unrelenting defense contained the Lady Kingsmens’ potent offense down the stretch. SWR closed the game for a 63-56 victory, delivering the program its first-ever Suffolk County title. 

Leonard led the Wildcats with 27 points. Sophie Costello added 16, and Sheehan banked 10.

Jaxie Cestone led Kings Park in scoring with 18 points, and Ryan Currier also netted 15.  

The win sends the 23-0 Wildcats to the Long Island Championship round on Saturday, March 11, when they face the Nassau class A title winner at Farmingdale State College. Game time is slated for 3 p.m.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Shoreham-Wading River survived a late game surge from the Eagles of West Babylon when junior Juliana Mahan scored from the paint to put her team ahead 53-51 in the final seconds of the Suffolk Class A semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at Centereach High School.

West Babylon had the final possession of the game. But with three seconds left, the Eagles could not get a shot off, sending the Wildcats to the county championship.

Mahan led the Wildcats in scoring with 18 points. GraceAnn Leonard followed with 11, and teammates Colleen Ohrtman and Annie Sheehan each netted eight points.

— Photos by Bill Landon

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Ward Melville, the No. 3 seed found themselves in an uphill battle against Walt Whitman, the No. 2 seed in the Suffolk Class AA semifinal game Feb 22.

Whitman’s relentless defense keyed on Patriot point guard Julia Greek who ranks 14th in the county in scoring, according to Newsday, averaging 17.1 points per game limiting the senior to just eight points. The Patriots trailed by 21 points at the half, a deficit they were unable to erase falling to Whitman, 63-38, at Longwood High School.  

Ward Melville senior Kyra Gianelli topped the scoring chart for the Patriots with 12 points and Grace Balocca netted seven.

The Patriots concluded their 22-23 campaign with an impressive 15-2 record in their division 16-5 overall.  

Port Jefferson broke out early and never looked back in the Suffolk Class C/D final against Smithtown Christian on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Centereach High School. 

The Royals, the Class C qualifier, cruised to a 60-27 victory over their Class D opponent. 

Senior Lola Idir topped the scoring chart for the Royals with 23 points. Sophomore Maitreya Driscoll-Stremich netted 13, and senior Amy Whitman banked 10.

The win lifts Port Jefferson to 17-2 on the season. The team will face Class B qualifier Center Moriches at Center Moriches High School on Saturday, Feb. 25. Gametime is at noon.

Pictured clockwise, from above: Port Jefferson sophomore Maitreya Driscoll-Stremich goes to the rim for the Royals; sophomore Siena Cipriano nails a three-pointer ; and Port Jefferson senior Lola Idir drives the lane for the Royals in the Suffolk Class C/D final against Smithtown Christian.

— Photos by Bill Landon

The Mustangs of Mount Sinai broke out to an early lead, protecting a seven-point advantage to open the second half and managing to keep the Amityville Warriors at bay the rest of the way in the Suffolk Class A semifinal at Longwood High School.

Mount Sinai senior Derrek Shechter led the way in scoring for the Warriors with three triples, four field goals and three from the line for 20 points in the 58-50 victory Feb. 21.

Teammates Dominic Pennzello followed with 13 points, Drew Feinstein netted 12, and Chris Paz banked 10 to punch their ticket to the championship final round on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Stony Brook University when they will face Kings Park. Gametime is at 5 p.m.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Ward Melville senior point guard Julia Greek made history during the Suffolk Class AA quarterfinal playoff game between Ward Melville and Centereach, scoring her 1,000th career point before her home crowd on Saturday, Feb. 18.

The game’s outcome was a toss-up as both teams deadlocked at 45-45 with 1:49 left in regulation. But the Patriots were successful in containing the Cougars’ last-minute surge. 

Ahead by three points in the final 30 seconds, Centereach had no choice but to foul Greek to stop the clock. The senior made the Cougars pay at the charity stripe, securing a 54-46 victory and leading her team to the semifinal round.

Greek again led the way in scoring for the Patriots with four field goals, two triples and eight free throws for 22 points on the day. Grace Balocca added 15, and Catie Edson netted eight.

Centereach freshman Hayley Torres topped the scoring chart for the Cougars with 19 points. Sophomore Meaghan Grieco netted 15, and senior Alexandra Madrigal added six. Centereach concluded its 2022-23 campaign with a respectable 12-8 record.

The third-seeded Patriots will face second-seeded Walt Whitman on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at Longwood High School. Gametime is set for noon. Tickets for the game can be purchased at gofan.co/app/school/NYSPHSAAXI.

— Photos by Bill Landon

The Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats did what they have done all season, outscoring their opponent by double digits during a Friday, Feb. 17, playoff game against Comsewogue. At 21-0, the undefeated Wildcats won their Suffolk Class A quarterfinal 73-39 at home.

It was the usual suspects for the Wildcats, with senior Sophie Costello putting up 16 points along with GraceAnn Leonard, Colleen Ohrtman and Juliana Mahan netting 12 points each. Annie Sheehan banked eight.

The win propels the Wildcats to the semifinal round of the postseason when they will face off against West Babylon at Centereach High School on Wednesday, Feb. 22. Game time is set for 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at gofan.co/app/school/NYSPHSAAXI

— Photos by Bill Landon