Authors Posts by Bill Landon

Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

It was the final edition of the Patriot Run to honor the legacy of Thomas Cutinella, who tragically lost his life following a head injury sustained on a varsity football field Oct. 1, 2014. 

Thomas’ football jersey No. 54 has since been retired and the Shoreham-Wading River Wildcat Athletic Club, which sponsors the event, established the race distance at 2.54 miles in his memory. 

The finale was held Sunday morning, Oct. 20, at Wildwood State Park in Wading River. The runners were met with mild temperatures and brilliant sunshine, and were treated to a barbecue after the race.

The fundraising event raises money for the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation, whose mission is to improve awareness of football-related head injuries, stress the importance of being an organ donor and keep Thomas’ legacy alive.

The foundation awards scholarships to local area students who exhibit characteristics of kindness, modesty and selflessness, as well as a genuine concern for improving the condition of the community at large.

For more information visit www.tom54.org.

By Bill Landon

The Patriots of Ward Melville girls soccer team came calling on Sachem East Saturday morning, Oct. 19, with an unblemished League II record 6-0 looking to stay atop the leaderboard just ahead of their opponents, but the Flaming Arrows at 5-1-1 wouldn’t make it easy.

Ward Melville forward Adriana Victoriano broke the ice for the Patriots at the 16-minute mark of first half when she rifled a shot to the back of the net. The lead would not last long when a minute later Sachem East countered to make it 1-1. 

Sachem East struck again halfway through the second half, courtesy of a corner kick to take a 2-1 lead, before Victoriano struck again six minutes later to retie the game. Victoriano scored in the closing minutes of the game for a notable hat trick as the Patriots secured a narrow 3-2 victory.

Ward Melville goalkeeper Kate Ronzoni notched four saves.  

— Photos by Bill Landon 

By Bill Landon

It would be the foot of Dan Jurgens, the place-kicker for Center Moriches, that would decide the game when Shoreham-Wading River came calling, snatching victory from the Wildcats to win 17-14 Friday afternoon, Oct. 11.

Deadlocked at 14-14 from the middle of the third quarter, Shoreham-Wading River mounted a late-game surge only to be stopped 2 yards from the end zone where the Red Devils took over on downs. Center Moriches, with a ground-and-pound offensive running game, mounted an eight-minute drive moving the chains bleeding out the clock, and called time-out at the 19-yard line with two seconds left in regulation. Jurgens split the uprights for the 29-yard field goal for the Red Devils win as time expired.

The victory lifts Center Moriches to 3-2 in Division IV, while the Wildcats drop to 3-2.

— Photos by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

The undefeated Patriots of Ward Melville’s girls volleyball team at (11-0) did something they’ve only done once this season. They didn’t sweep their opponent 3-0 in the best of five sets for the second time this year. The visiting Patriots remain atop League I, having dispatched the Raiders of Patchogue-Medford, 25-12, 25-21, 23-25, 25-14, on Oct. 10.

The only other time the Patriots didn’t make a short day of it was when they dropped their very first set of the season in another road game, against William Floyd, Sept. 27, but still won 3-1.

After the Patriots handily won the first two sets, the Raiders countered in the third, edging their rival 25-23 and forcing a game four. Ward Melville wasn’t about to let the match go to five games as they downed the Raiders by 11 points to take the match.

Seniors Emma Bradshaw and Alexa Gandolfo proved to be a potent combination in the Patriot attack notching 31 kills, while juniors Chloe Borch and Jaclyn Engel recorded 32 digs between them.

The Patriots at 12-0 retain first place with four games left before postseason play begins.

— Photos by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

Ward Melville at 8-1 hosted Walt Whitman (6-4) in a Division 1 field hockey contest that was never in question. The Patriots spread the scoring around to five different players in the 5-0 shutout Monday night, Oct. 7.

Peyton Phillips and Madison Toth got the momentum going in the opening quarter before Maddie Larsen made it a three-goal lead. Jadyn Stoecker and Nura Qasaimeh rocked the box in the fourth in the 5-0 win.

Senior goalie Olivia Zummo had a quiet day in net.

With five games remaining before postseason play begins, the Patriots look to bolster their seeding atop the division leaderboard, rubbing shoulders with Sachem East and Northport.           

— Photos by Bill Landon 

Reese Marcario fires at the box for the Wildcats. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

The Shoreham-Wading River field hockey squad tore open their season with 10 consecutive wins but stumbled in a road game against Harborfields, losing to the Tornadoes 2-1, Sept. 30. 

The Wildcats wasted no time in clawing back to their winning ways with a home game against Eastport-South Manor (9-2) Monday night, Oct. 7. The Sharks struck first with two minutes remaining in the opening quarter but sophomore forward Madison Herr answered back 30 seconds later to make it a new game.

Senior midfielder Ellie Arena rocked the box with six minutes left in the first half off an assist by Marisa Cacciola for the Wildcats to take a 2-1 lead, a score that would make the final buzzer.

The win lifts the Wildcats to 11-1 in a three-way tie along with Miller Place and Bayport-Blue Point atop the Division II leaderboard. 

— Photos by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

It would take five sets to determine a winner when the Commack Cougars came calling on Smithtown East Saturday morning, Oct. 5, as both volleyball teams traded victories through four sets. The Bulls were able to corral the Cougars in the final set to win the match 22-25, 25-14, 23-25, 25-17, 15-9 in the Division I matchup. 

Outside hitter Brody Bernhardt led the way for the Bulls with 15 kills and teammate Michael Pennisi notched 11.

East hosted table-topping Ward Melville, Monday, Oct. 7, but went down in three sets.

By Bill Landon

The Port Jefferson girls volleyball team, defending Long Island champions, have picked up where they left off last season. Winning. Through 10 games, the Lady Royals are undefeated but what’s remarkable is in all of these games — the best of five sets — the Royals have swept all of their opponents 3-0, not having lost a single set.

Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 8, was no different when Port Jeff hosted Southampton in a League VII matchup. Despite falling behind in two of those sets, the Royals swept the Mariners, who were on a six-game winning streak, 25-19, 25-18, 25-13.

Ava Reilly the sophomore, has been the cornerstone of the Royals success doing what she’s done all season long leading her team in assists with 30. McKayla Pollard recorded 16 kills along with seven digs and Thea Mangels notched four service aces. Bianca Nakagawa inked seven kills and Lina DeLeo killed six along with eight digs. Hannah Pflaster, the libero, spent a lot of time on the deck, digging out 11.

The win lifts the Royals to 11-0 with five games remaining before postseason play begins.   

— Photos by Bill Landon 

By Bill Landon

It was the Jaguar Drivers Club of Long Island’s 51st edition of their annual car show held on the Great Lawn of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Mansion, Museum & Planetarium Sunday afternoon, Oct. 6. The show, known as the Jaguar Invitational Concours d’Elegance, was held under brilliant sunshine and deep blue skies in the heart of Centerport, overlooking Long Island Sound. 

Jaguars and anything British adorned the lawn of the 43-acre estate as the entries were judged in several different categories: Championship, Driven and Special Division as well as the People’s Choice and Judge’s Choice awards.

— Photos by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

The Cougars of Centereach girls volleyball squad has won four out of six games to open their 2024 season, and in all of those four wins they have swept their opponent 3-0 in the best of five sets. 

The Cougars hosted Deer Park Saturday morning, Sept. 28, and made short work of their visitors, 25-17, 25-10 and 25-17, in the League III matchup for the fourth victory.

Outside hitter Chloe Arnaiz, a junior, led the way with 15 kills along with eight digs. Senior Meaghan Grieco notched eight kills and eight service aces, and Lexi DAttolico and Francesca Vera had four kills apiece.

Ashley Welch had 23 assists and Kayleigh Balsamo recorded 11.

— Photos by Bill LandonÂ