Sports

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Addison Azmoun leaps a fence. Photo by David Luces

Horseback riding is a sport that requires full commitment, courage and a particular skill set, one based on mental fortitude and bravery to even get up on the horse. 

For members of the Old Towne Equestrian’s middle school team, they can’t picture their lives without their horses. Now their collective passion, as well as their recent successes in tournaments throughout the season, has propelled them to the Interscholastic Equestrian Association National Finals taking place April 26-28 in Pennsylvania.   

From left, Addison Azmoun, coach Lauren Sobel, Graney, Ali Treuting and Hairston show off the awards they’ve received this season. Photo by David Luces

Myrna Treuting, head coach of the team, couldn’t be prouder of the girls. 

“We’ve had a pretty strong team this year,” she said. 

To get to nationals, individual and team performances throughout the season are crucial in getting the points necessary to qualify. First, if the team has enough points, it qualifies for regionals, and the top two teams then go to zone finals. The Old Towne team won the IEA Zone 2 Final March 16, securing a spot in nationals and bringing home a trophy back to the Old Towne Equestrian Center barn. Two members of the team: seventh-grader Maggie Graney of Garden City and eighth-grader Ali Treuting, Myrna’s daughter, also qualified individually to compete at nationals.   

“This is the first time that the middle school team has [collectively] qualified for nationals,” the head coach said. 

According to Treuting, the team is the top ranked middle school team in all of New York State. 

Fellow coach Lauren Sobel said the journey has not been easy. 

“They are very dedicated, hardworking and they show great sportsmanship,” she said. “Going to nationals is very exciting for us.”

Sobel said most of the girls have been riding at the barn their whole careers, and started at a very young age, some before they could
even walk. 

In preparation for nationals, the coaches have made sure the riders are securing extra practice and are getting used to riding without stirrups. 

In many of the competitions, riders draw the name of the horse they will ride out of a hat the morning of the event. It is a way of evening the playing field as many riders become comfortable riding with their own horses. 

Treuting said it’s the luck of the draw sometimes, and it doesn’t come down to the horse but to the skill of the rider. She mentioned her team has experience riding many different horses and can easily adapt to a new steed. 

“I think going to nationals is a great opportunity to advance and learn to ride different horses  outside of your comfort zone,” seventh-grader Tess Hairston of Selden said. 

Graney added the season has been pretty good, and it’s really cool to go back to nationals this year. The young girl had qualified individually for nationals last year as well. 

The members of the team are close with one another, and though they don’t go to school together, they relish the time they spend with each other at the barn. 

“It is exciting, you get to learn together and get to grow as friends,” Hairston said.  It’s nice because we get to see each other more often and do things that we love.”

Tess Hairston practices drills. Photo by David Luces

Treuting has owned the Old Towne Equestrian Center for close to 30 years and started a horseback riding team about 15 years ago, just around the time IEA was created. The organization’s mission is to introduce equestrian sports to students grades four through 12. 

In addition to the middle school team, Treuting coaches a high school team and the Stony Brook University Equestrian Team as well.   

“I think we can do quite well at nationals, we have a very good team,” she said. “We are so proud of them, they work hard and they deserve it.”

The Old Towne Equestrian Center is located at 471 Boyle Road in Selden.

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By Bill Landon

The Harborfields Tornadoes’ girls lacrosse team had a difficult time against visiting Sayville April 9, losing the game 4-5.

The loss puts Harborfields at 3-4 in league and 4-5 overall. The Tornadoes will host West Islip April 17 with a game time set for 4 p.m.

 

By Bill Landon

The Northport boys baseball team had an explosive first inning, scoring seven runs against Centereach, but the Tigers bats fell silent for the next five innings, allowing the Cougars to chip away at the deficit. At the end of five, Centereach made it a one-run game, but Northport dropped the hammer in the bottom of the sixth, batting in six more runs to put the game away 13-6 April 11. The Tigers took the third game of the three-game series at home besting Centereach 2-1.

Northport junior Dan Deutsch went three for three at the plate scoring twice with a pair of RBIs.

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Port Jeff sophomore attack Daniel Koban, right, celebrates with his older brother Nick after Daniel scored one of his three goals against Babylon April 8. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

After going down four goals in the opening quarter, Port Jefferson’s boys lacrosse team shifted gears in the second, scoring three goals and then surging in the third quarter and finding the net four times to take a
one -goal lead. Babylon countered in the final 12 minutes of play to retie the game and then scored the go-ahead goal with four minutes left, defeating the Royals 11-10, April 8.

Sophomore attack Daniel Koban and junior Colton VanOverberghe each scored three goals for Port Jeff, while senior midfielder Jonathan Moshe netted two. Junior Jack Speidell and sophomore Gage Jampol also scored one goal apiece.

The loss drops the Royals to 2-4 in league and 4-4 overall in the Division II standings as they approach the midway point of the season with eight games remaining

The Royals continued their road trip against Deer Park April 10. They will be back on their own home turf April 24 when they host Miller Place. Game time is 10 a.m.

By Bill Landon

The Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats boys lacrosse team is on a tear, making short work of visiting Sayville with an 18-8 league victory April 6 to remain unbeaten. The Wildcats, a perennial powerhouse in the postseason, sit atop their division at 6-0.

The Wildcats have outscored their opponents 86-29 through six games, where their closest was an 8-6 win against Bayport-Blue Point in their season home opener. The Wildcats were back in action when they hit the road April 11 taking on Islip, where they won 18-7. SWR next hosts Harborfields April 12 at 7 p.m., and later Comsewogue April 16 at 4 p.m.

 

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By Bill Landon

The Sachem North boys lacrosse team retied the game at 4 to 4 late in the third quarter but the Ward Melville Patriots shut the door in the final 12 minutes, scoring four goals to put the game away, 8-5, at home April 5.

Ward Melville remains unbeaten, and the win put the Patriots atop the Division I leader-board at 6-0 as of April 5. The loss dropped the Flaming Arrows to 4-2.

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By Bill Landon

The Commack Cougars girls lacrosse team stayed with Middle Country trading goals for an 8-8 tie at the half, but the Mad Dogs stretched their legs in the final period to surge ahead for a 17-12 road win April 4. After the game, the Mad Dogs remained unbeaten at 4-0 in Division I trailing Northport and Riverhead, but then beat Riverhead, 11-10, April 6 to head the table.

Middle Country senior midfielder Sophie Alois led the way for the Mad Dogs notching five goals and four assists. Eighth-grader Kate Timarky split the pipes three times with a pair of assists, while senior goalie Elizabeth Pomaro had five saves on the day.

Commack senior Katie Kelly found the back of the net four times for the Cougars with three assists and teammate Sam Pugh had an assist and stretched the net three times. Senior keeper Cat Deutsch had eight saves in net. The loss dropped Commack to 2-3 in the division, 4-3 overall.

By Bill Landon

The Warriors continued their winning ways defeating Hauppauge, 17-4, at home in a Div II matchup April 2. 

The victory extends Comsewogue’s winning streak to four in a row with a record of 4-0 in league, 4-1 overall. Senior attack T.J. Heyder tallied five assists and two goals, and Sean Kennedy recorded three goals and three assists for the Warriors. Senior Chris Wolfe stretched the net three times and Jake Deacy split the pipes twice.

Hauppauge’s Riley Henselder had one goal along with an assist, and Andrew Sellitto, Dylan Sas and Andrew Maiorini also scored.

Comsewogue hits the road on April 6 against Kings Park while Hauppauge retakes the field hosting Harborfields April 4. Game times are scheduled for 10 a.m and 4:30 p.m. respectively. 

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By Bill Landon

It shouldn’t surprise anyone when the Mount Sinai Mustangs girls softball team, who made it to the final four last season in the Class A state championship round, trounced visiting John Glenn, 14-1, halting play after just five innings.

Mount Sinai senior Holly McNair, a standout in the Mustangs’ Long Island championship basketball team, went three for four and drove in three runs. Senior Ilexa Skulnick plated two runners and senior pitcher Julia Golino went the distance allowing one run along with 12 strikeouts. The Mustangs have allowed only two runs through three games in this early season letting their bats do the talking by putting up 56 runs.

The Mustangs retake the field when they travel to take on crosstown rival Miller Place April 4. 1st pitch is set for 4 p.m.

By Bill Landon

After the Ward Melville girls lacrosse team dominated the first half of the game outscoring Smithtown East by eight goals, the Bulls regrouped for the second half and drew within four goals twice before the Patriots dropped the hammer to put the game away, 17-12, at home March 29.

Ward Melville senior Courtney Carollo led the way with four goals and three assists, 10th grader Summer Agostino, followed with three goals and two assists, and senior Lexi Reinhardt had an assist and found the cage four times. Also pictured above center, two Patriots celebrate a score against the Bulls.

Smithtown East senior midfielder Gabrielle Schneider topped the charts for the Bulls with three assists and two goals, sophomore Alayna Costa split the pipes four times, and her older sister Isabella Costa had two assists and two goals.

As of April 1, the win puts the Patriots at 1-1, and the loss drops Smithtown East 2-1 in Division I.