Authors Posts by Bill Landon

Bill Landon

Northport midfielder Ricky Corbett with a header at home against Newfield Sept 14. Bill Landon photo

The Newfield Wolverines looked for that first win of this early season in a League II road game against the Northport Tigers when senior co-captain Oscar Moreno broke the ice to put the Wolverines out front 1-0 with 10 minutes remaining in the opening half. 

Northport senior midfielder Justin Besosa made it a new game midway through the second half to even the score. Both teams unable to break the tie finished the game in a draw. 

Newfield senior goal keep Carter Rothwell had twelve saves in net where Northport’s goalie Tommy Pace stopped five.

Newfield at 0-1-1 will retake the field in a home game against Bay Shore Sept 17. Northport also at 0-1-1, 2-1-1 overall, will face Walt Whitman in a road game Sept 18. Game times are 5:15 p.m. and 8 a.m., respectively.

Port Jefferson senior quarterback Luke Filippi breaks to the outside on a keeper in the Royals season opener against Shoreham-Wading River. Bill Landon photo

Shoreham-Wading River running back Max Barone was a one-man wrecking crew as the senior powered his way in to the endzone five times in the Wildcats season opener 42-7 victory at Port Jefferson in a league IV matchup Sept 11.

The Royals struggled to find traction until late in the 3rd quarter when senior line-backer John Sheils recovered a Wildcat fumble and punched in for the Royals’ lone touchdown on the day. Port Jeff senior Kyle Yannucci’s kick was good to trail 35-7.

Will Hart, the freshman running-back for the Wildcats, found the end-zone midway through the 4th quarter and Ryan Farron’s foot drilled the uprights for the final score. Farron was perfect on the day nailing all six extra points.

The Royals look to regroup when they retake the field in a road game against Greenport/Southold/Mattituck Sept 17. Kick is at 6 p.m.

The Wildcats are back in action at home to take on Miller Place Sept 18 with a 1 p.m. start.

All photos by Bill Landon

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On Sept. 9, Smithtown East led 20-11 in the first set and let Ward Melville right back in it when the Patriots rallied to win 25-21. The Bull’s answered in the second set squeezing out a two-point win to tie the match at one all. The Patriots countered in the third set edging the Bulls by four, but Smithtown East dominated the fourth set winning by 10 to force a game five. The Patriots picked their spots and took the deciding final set 15-11 to win the match 3-2 on the road.

Jaron Popp a junior led the Patriots with 22 kills, and senior Timmy Chu notched 51 assists followed by Dylan Fagan who killed 14 and had 18 digs in the contest. Both teams retake the court Sept 14 where the Patriots host West Hampton and the Bulls hit the road to take on Comsewogue. Game times are 4:15 and 5:45 p.m. respectively.

The Cougars of Centereach fresh off their season opening victory two days earlier, chalked up another one in the win column when they edged visiting Smithtown East 2-1 at home Sept 4.

Senior mid-fielder Oscar Garces struck first scoring at the 27-minute mark off an assist from senior forward Robert Arenas. With 4 minutes and 42 seconds left, Smithtown East senior Alex Palas drove his shot home to make it a new game. Thirteen minutes into the second half, Arenas scored off an assist from Garces to put his team out front, 2-1. Centereach senior goal keep Ryan Jenkins was kept busy in the final minutes with a late game attack from the Bulls but finished the game with seven saves to secure the win.

Centereach is back in action Sept 9 hosting Half Hollow Hills East while the Bulls have a road game against Huntington. Both games start at 4 p.m.

Rocky Point goal keeper Zachary Accetta with a save for the Eagles in a non-league matchup against Sachem North Sept 6. Photo by Bill Landon

Rocky Point senior defender Justin Pititto scored the equalizing goal in the second half off an assist from Zachary Loeser. 

Pititto’s goal at the 27:29 mark would be the last forcing overtime play resulting in a 1-1 tie in a non-league road game against Sachem North Sept 6.

The Eagles are back in action with another road game against Islip Sept 10. Game time is 5 p.m. 

— Photos by Bill Landon

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Ward Melville fresh off the 3-0 win in their season opener against Willian Floyd two days earlier, kept the momentum going in another shut-out victory on the road against Longwood on Sept. 3.

After briefly losing the lead in the second set, the Patriots rallied back to sweep the Lions 25-12, 25-21 and 25-17 in League I action. Seniors Anne Gursky and Kiersten Schmidt led their team in digs with fifteen. 

The Patriots retake the court in another road game against Bellport Sept. 9. First service is at 4:30 p.m.

Pictured clockwise from above, Ward Melville’s Bailee Williams, left, and Siena Hart battle at the net for the Patriots; freshman Emma Bradshaw battles at net; Ward Melville senior Anne Gursky from the service line; Patriots senior Emma Zwycewicz sets the play; and Ward Melville celebrates a point in their three game sweep over Longwood.

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Seyma Ikizoglu attacks the net for the Warriors in a road game against East Islip Sept 1. Bill Landon photo

After an abbreviated 12-game season last spring, the Comsewogue girls’ volleyball had their hands full in their season opener on the road against East Islip Sept. 1.

The Lady Warriors fell in three sets 11-25, 14-25 and 10-25. Comsewogue retook the court Sept. 3 where they hosted Hauppauge, followed by another road game against West Babylon Sept. 10.

First service for both games is 5:45p.m.

All photos by Bill Landon

After a COVID-shortened fall season four months ago, Northport hosted the Rocky Point Eagles in what should be a full slate of games for the upcoming campaign. It was a non-league season opener which pitted the Tigers, a Divison I powerhouse, who finished the regular season last (year) at 12-1, against the Division II Eagles who finished the previous regular season at 10-2.

The Eagles struggled to stay upfield where Northport slowly closed the door for a 4-0 shutout. Northport junior Sydney Wotzak scored twice along with Hailey Roethel and Olivia McKenna with a goal apiece.

Rocky Point goalie’s Molly Luchsinger had seven saves on the day, and Maddie Zarzycki stopped six. The Eagles are back in action Sept. 1 where they host Pierson Bridgehampton at 4:30 p.m. with Northport facing Walt Whitman the following day at home with a 4 p.m. start.

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Ward Melville’s girls soccer team finished last season atop the League II leader with a 9-0-1 record in an abbreviated COVID-shortened season to advance to the Suffolk Class AA final. The Patriots, No. 1 seed, faced Sachem East, the No. 3 seed,w and played to a 1-1 tie to share the Class AA title as co-champions.

Ward Melville opened their 2021 campaign at home where they hosted East Islip to kick off a full season the first time since 2019. After 80 minutes of regulation and two overtime periods, the results were the same, ending in a scoreless 0-0 tie in a non-league game Aug. 30. 

The Patriots are back in action Sept. 1 in another non-league matchup on the road against St. Anthony’s with a 7 p.m start before league play begins Sept. 4 on the road against Walt Whitman. Game time is 10 a.m.

It was the Lawmen of Suffolk County who took on the Nassau County Lawmen in the Battle of the Badges charity softball game at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank on Wednesday, June 23.

The Nassau lineup consisted of police officers from the Nassau County Police Department, while the Suffolk roster included correction officers, deputy sheriffs and members of the SCPD.

After the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Honor Guard presented our nations colors, the Suffolk County Police Department Pipe and Drums took to the diamond before the ceremonial first pitch was thrown by SCPD Officer Christopher Racioppo.

Racioppo was severely injured when he was stabbed during a traffic stop in Patchogue earlier this year.

Both teams fielded long ball hitters in a high scoring game in a benefit for the USA Patriots/Wounded Warrior Amputee softball team. Its mission is to bring athletic and like-minded veteran amputees together to promote the benefits of inclusive sport and therapeutic recreational activities, to inspire and motivate communities of people, to support children with physical challenges, and to operate as a vehicle that offers national opportunities for continued service to our country.

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr., Suffolk County Police Acting Commissioner Stuart Cameron, and Nassau County Police Commissioner Pat Ryder conducted the coin toss to decide who batted first.

The USA Patriots are made up of veterans from across the country. They will return to Long Island next month for two free games and a children’s clinic, where players will meet with kids and stand for photo ops.

On July 17, the USA Patriots will go against the Bayport Blue Point All Stars at the newly turfed Bayport Commons,  2p.m.

Sunday, July 18, the team will go against the Long Island All Stars at noon at the Medford Athletic Complex in Brookhaven. There will be a s special opening ceremony with guest of honor Daniel Murphy, father of Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy.

On Friday,  July 16, at the Bayport Commons and the Medford Athletic Complex in Brookhaven, kids ages 5-12  can meet and greet the players at the children’s clinic, starting at 2 p.m. The clinic is free, but they ask to register with Scott June at [email protected].

All events are free. Donations will be accepted.

Additional reporting by Julianne Mosher