Authors Posts by Bill Landon

Bill Landon

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.

Fresh off their season opening road win against Copiague, the Newfield Wolverines hosted Smithtown East in their home opener where they struggled against the Bulls potent offense, trailing by two after three quarters of play.

Smithtown East junior Lucy Tomasic’s shot found its mark at the 3 minutes, 24 seconds mark of the second quarter for the Bulls first goal of the game. Teammate Shannon Pettit off an assist from Katie Cummings rocked the box midway through the third quarter for the insurance goal in the 2-0 win in Division 1 play Sept. 7. 

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.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Last year’s League II powerhouse Smithtown East came knocking on Ward Melville’s door in the opening round of the 2022 campaign in which both teams lost just one game last season. The Bulls of Smithtown East finished at 10-1 in league last season, and the Patriots went 11-1 which set the tone in the first set. 

Both teams stayed within three points of one another in the opening game that required the Patriots to win by two with a 27-25 victory. The second round saw both teams swapping the lead several times but the Patriots were able hold off the charging Bulls to take the second set 25-23. The Patriots stretched their legs in the third set breaking out to an 8-point lead thanks in part to a strong performance from the service line winning it 25-16 for the sweep at home Sept. 2. 

Both teams are back in action Sept. 7 when Ward Melville travels to Bay Shore for non-league game at 4:15 p.m., and Smithtown East travels to Centereach with a 4 p.m. start.

By Bill Landon

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. 

— Photos by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

Coaches often say a team must “play up” to raise its game. That is just what the Mustangs of Mount Sinai did Monday, Aug. 29, visiting the powerhouse of League II, the Ward Melville Patriots, to open their 2022 season.

Ward Melville dominated the time of possession in the first half, scoring four unanswered goals against their League IV visitors. The Patriots added to their lead in the second half, tacking on two more for a 6-0 shutout.

The Patriots shared the wealth as Wilman Castellon, Aiden Burgueno and Owen Haviland each found the net, and teammates Ryan Flockhart, Ron Palillo and Dylan Fastenberg each scored a goal apiece.

Both teams will be back in action on Wednesday, Aug. 31, as the Mustangs go on the road again to face another non-league opponent, the Kings Park Kingsmen. The Patriots will also have their hands full in a road game against a perennially talented Brentwood team. Gametime is 4 p.m.

— Photos by Bill Landon

 

Tucked away off Defense Hill Road in Shoreham is a thriving bicycle motocross community that races twice a week from April to October. The facility was founded 40 years ago this month. 

Its competitive bicycle racing on a permanent road course attracts riders from all over the Northeast. The New York BMX State Championship event has been hosted there in recent years. Shoreham BMX has leased the property from the Town of Brookhaven for $1 a year since its inception. 

Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) was on hand to present a town proclamation commemorating the milestone. She quipped to the crowd that it’s the only fee that has been inflation proof for the last 40 years.

The barbecue grill never missed a beat, feeding the riders and families for the duration of the race card. There were championship bikes on display representing the winning BMX bikes dating from 1982 to the present day. There were also tables with any kind of bike accessory or part that a BMX rider could want or need. 

The organization prides itself in offering a healthy lifestyle choice that’s enjoyed by riders who are just tall enough to reach the pedals to senior citizens. 

— Photos by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

The Royals got rolling in the bottom of the second inning with bases loaded and no outs when Frank Andriani was hit by a pitch, forcing Nathaniel Mullen home to take a 2-0 lead in the Long Island Class C Championship against Carle Place June 3. 

The youngest roster member for the Royals let his bat do the talking in the bottom of the 3rd when Evan Raymond the 8th grader drove in two runs to put Port Jeff out front 4-0. The Frogs avoided a shutout in the top of the 4th, scoring a run but struggling against senior Luke Filippi’s heat from the mound, who notched eight strike outs in the win.

The Nassau County champs threatened in the top of the 5th, loading the bases with one out, but Filippi, no stranger to pressure, pitched his way out of a jam as Carle Place stranded three. Again, with bases loaded in the bottom of the 5th, freshman Joe Aronica ate a pitch, plating the runner on 3rd for a 5-1 lead. Mullen hit one deep to right in the bottom of the 6th, driving home Daniel Owens the junior for a 6-1 lead. With three outs of life left in the top of the 7th, Filippi fanned the Frogs in order to clinch the LIC title game. 

Photos by Bill Landon 

It took the Comsewogue Warriors four minutes into the fourth quarter to take the first lead of the game only to have the Bulls of Smithtown West retie the game at 6-6 on the ensuing possession.

With 4 minutes, 5 seconds left on the clock, James Krieg stretched the net to edge ahead by one when Michael Katz on a defensive take away scored the insurance goal a minute later to win the Suffolk Class B boy’s lacrosse final, 8-6, at East Islip High School June 1. 

Katz scored three goals in the victory, Dylan Rocchio had two goals and an assist and teammates Brayden Arias, Thomas Kennedy and James Krieg each scored. Adam Wachholder had back-to-back saves in the closing minute for seven stops on the day. 

The win propels the Warriors to the Long Island Championship round where they’ll face Garden City at Hofstra University June 4 with a 3 p.m. start.  

By Bill Landon

After trailing by two runs, the Royals of Port Jefferson rallied back to retie the game six all to start the 7th inning. Still deadlocked in the bottom of the inning, Frank Andriani sprinted home from third on a wild pitch to score the go-ahead run to win the game 7-6 against Pierson for the Suffolk County Class C Championship title at home May 27.

Port Jeff senior Luke Filippi pitched the last two innings for the win along with three hits. Teammate Ruairi Rago the sophomore had four at bats with three hits.

The win lifts the Royals to 20-3 and advanced them to the conference V championship.

Photos by Bill Landon