Huntington's Tara Wilson and Comsewogue's Hannah Dorney fight for possession. Photo by Bill Landon
The Comsewogue girls’ lacrosse team is taking it to the next level.
The Warriors finished the regular season at 7-7 in Division II, and enter playoffs as the No. 7 seed.
The team will be up against No. 2 Rocky Point, when they hit the road today for a 4 p.m. matchup.
Comsewogue has its fair share of close calls this season, and just fell short to the Eagles, 6-5, the only time the two teams met up this season, on April 13.
If the Warriors win, they will move on to the semifinals, which will be on Tuesday against the winner of the No. 3 Westhampton vs. No. 6 West Babylon matchup.
Comsewogue's Dave Heller slides home safely. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
Comsewogue’s Jordan Lisco makes the tag against a Miller Place player at first base. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place struggled to keep pace with Comsewogue’s baseball team, as the Warrior bats did the talking in their Class A opening-round playoffs Tuesday afternoon. The Panthers tied the game, 1-1, early on, but 13-5 Comsewogue showed why it’s the League VI champion, as the team wore down Miller Place’s defense and put its opponent away 8-2.
“They’re a tough team, but we came out and played great,” Comsewogue catcher Justin Virga said. “We hit the ball well, played great defense behind our pitcher and we pulled out a win. Today was a hard-fought game.”
Comsewogue wasted no time. Jake Sardinia drew a walk that moved teammate John Braun over to second base, as Jordan Lisco stepped into the batters’ box. Lisco drilled a ground ball through the gap that brought Braun home for the early lead.
“Today we hit the ball, played defense and that’s all you can do,” Lisco said. “We hit the ball with runners on base, which is something we’ve struggled with.”
The Panthers answered back in the top of the second when Cole Francis, on a passed ball at the plate, advanced to third base. Teammate Kevin Kelleher layed down a perfect bunt that plated Francis to tie the game.
Comsewogue’s Dave Heller slides home safely. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue bats cracked in the bottom of the inning, and Bryan Hurley drove the ball through the gap, sending David Heller, the go-ahead run, to second. With Joseph Ciancarelli at the plate, a passed ball moved both base runners into scoring position. Ciancarelli chopped an infield dribbler and Heller came sliding home, eluding the tag, for the 2-1 advantage. With Hurley on third, Ciancarelli stole second and Braun smacked the ball deep through the infield, bringing Hurley home for a 3-1 lead with one out in the bottom of the third. Then, Ciancarelli found his way home on a sacrifice fly for a three-run lead.
“They came fired up on their home field, so they weren’t just going to give it to us,” Miller Place head coach Rick Caputo said. “Honestly, I’m disappointed in the way my guys played. I think we missed a lot of opportunities, I think we played our worst game of the year and we saved it for the first round of the playoffs.”
Miller Place threatened in the top of the third inning when Matt Paghidas and Tyler Schrimpf advanced to second and third, respectively, on another passed ball. Schrimpf crossed home plate to make it a two-run game, but that was all the team could muster.
The Panthers pressured again in the top of the fifth with base runners at the corners, but the runner on first stretched his lead a little too far, and Comsewogue picked him off on an infield pop-up that was caught, to retire the side.
Mike Stiles fires a pitch from the mound for Comsewogue. Photo by Bill LandonThomas Bell hurls a pitch from the mound for Miller Place. Photo by Bill Landon
With runners on first and third, the Warriors looked to put the game away in the bottom of the sixth inning when Ciancarelli chopped an infield heater to bring Hurley home for a 5-2 lead.
Miller Place made a pitching change as Christian McPartland relieved Thomas Bell on the mound the rest of the way.
“My control wasn’t there all game — my curveball started working later in the game, but they’re a great hitting team and they were putting the ball in play and making things happen,” Bell said.
It was a busy sixth inning for the Warriors, and they weren’t finished yet. Mike Stiles proved he was as deadly at the plate as he was from the mound, and ripped a fastball deep into the outfield, bringing Ciancarelli and Sardinia home with a stand-up double to break the game open, 7-2.
“I knew they were a good hitting team, so I had to get ahead, mix up my pitches and it worked out in the end,” Stiles said. “We hit the ball pretty well, we played pretty good defense — it was a little sloppy in the beginning, but I knew the team had my back.”
Justin Virga smacks the ball for Comsewogue. Photo by Bill Landon
Lisco brought Stiles home with a deep sacrifice fly for a six-run lead.
With gas left in the tank, Stiles made short work of the Panthers in the final inning, retiring the side in order for the victory.
“We swung the bats well today, so I was pleased with how we hit the ball and as the game went on, we protected our lead,” Comsewogue head coach Mike Bonura said. “I wasn’t happy with our defense — we booted the ball around early in the game, which is uncharacteristic for us, because we’ve been throwing the ball and fielding the ball well all year. Mike [Stiles] did a great job for us. We play again tomorrow, so we have to go right at them, same recipe — come out and play solid baseball and don’t make it too difficult.”
No. 2 Comsewogue expected another strong pitching performance when Braun took the mound against No. 6 Mount Sinai Wednesday, but results were not available at press time.
Logan Doran brings home Dominic Lamonica just before the tag to give the Patriots an opening-round playoff win
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The Ward Melville baseball team piles up on Dominic Lamonica in celebration of the Patriots' ninth-inning win. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville's Ben Brown was taken by Philadelphia Phillies in the 33rd round of the Major League Baseball draft. File photo by Bill Landon
Dominic Lamonica attempts a pick-off at first. Photo by Bill Landon
Catcher Tom Hudzik scoops the ball from the dirt. Photo by Bill Landon
Brandon Lee makes a leaping catch and gets the tag at second base for the out. Photo by Bill Landon
Troy Davern lunges back to first on the pick-off attempt. Photo by Bill Landon
Nick Vitale turns the double play. Photo by Bill Landon
Matt Hudzik pitched three scoreless innings in relief for Ward Melville, and improved to 5-0 with the win. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
With both teams tied at four runs apiece, it wasn’t until the bottom of the ninth inning when Ward Melville’s Logan Doran smacked an infield grounder that sent teammate Dominic Lamonica racing and diving for home plate just ahead of the tag, to win the opening round of the Class AA playoffs, 5-4, against Half Hollow Hills West Monday afternoon.
“This is a great bunch of kids they play hard all the time and that’s a great baseball team over there — Hills West, they’re well-coached by a Hall of Fame coach, but our kids did a great job,” said Ward Melville head coach Lou Petrucci. “We battled back and we didn’t panic when we were down 3-1, and the kids got some clutch hits.”
Ward Melville’s Lamonica also struck first for his team, when he hit the ball to right field, driving in Brandon Lee for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning.
After starting pitcher Ben Brown let up just one hit in the first three innings, Hills West made him pay in the top of the fourth.
With a runner on first, Hills West drove the ball deep to center field that bounced over the fence, triggering a ground-rule double that put both runners in scoring position. A single to right field plated both runners, to give the Colts a 2-1 lead, but Lee followed with a pick-off at second for the second out to stop the bleeding. It didn’t last for long though, as the Colts smacked a shot to deep right field for a sliding triple, and the next batter drove the runner home.
“We’ve had games like this one all year long — fighting right to the end — so when we come into big moments like this we’re more prepared than other teams,” Lamonica said. “[Hills West is] a great team. Their pitching was phenomenal — they have one of the best pitchers in Suffolk County. We were able to barrel a few balls off of him, get a few runs and they were able to do the same against Ben [Brown].”
The Patriots went back to work in the bottom of the fourth, and Troy Davern started it off when he ripped an infield heater, and after a defensive bobble, beat the throw to first. Tom Hudzik stepped into the batters’ box next and drilled a long ball to right center field that bounced over the fence for the second ground-rule double of the game — moving Davern over to third. Nick Rizzi’s bat spoke next, and he hit an infield grounder that seemed to be a sure out, but Hills West made a throwing error to first, which plated Davern and Hudzik to tie the game 3-3. Rizzi stole second base, but was left stranded when the Colts retired the side.
With a runner on first, Hills West hit a stand-up double that put the runners in scoring position. The Colts finished the job with a rip to shallow left field that knocked in the opponent on third, to give the team a 4-3 edge in the top of the fifth.
The Patriots missed the opportunity to take the lead, and went down swinging with two runners on base. But Ward Melville was able to plate one more in the bottom of the sixth inning to make it a new game, and Tom Hudzik’s twin brother Matt took over the mound looking for the win.
“I’ve been in this situation multiple times this season, and every time I go [out there] I just have to throw strikes,” Matt Hudzik said. “I’ve got seven guys behind me that I know will make plays for me.”
Ward Melville missed another opportunity when the Patriots drew a walk to load the bases in the top of the eighth, and went down swinging.
After Matt Hudzik pitched three scoreless innings, the game came down to the bottom of the ninth.
“Matt Hudzik has been stalwart — he’s got five wins [now] out of the bullpen,” Petrucci said. “It was a great [showing by] Matt Hudzik and Ben Brown, who kept us in the game.”
Lamonica led off the inning with a routine pop-up that nobody called for, and the wind blew the ball as it dropped down for a charity single. Davern followed by drawing a walk, and after a strikeout, both runners advanced on a wild pitch. With runners on second and third now, Doran stepped into the batters’ box with two outs.
“I was in the same situation in the last game I played, and I didn’t get it done,” Doran said. “But I knew I’d get it done today in a big game.”
Lamonica, with a healthy lead, waited as Doran battled in the box, fouling several pitches before the count was full. Then, Doran drilled a ground ball up the middle to the shortstop, who fielded it cleanly and threw to home plate. But Lamonica had the lead, and beat the throw home for the game-winning run as the players rush to the diamond to pile up in celebration.
“You really don’t know the magnitude of the situation you’re in until you’re out of it,” Matt Hudzik said. “And it’s a great feeling once you’re out of it.”
No. 6 Ward Melville advances to take on No. 3 Smithtown East on the road May 17, at 4:15 p.m.
TOPSoccer program brings smiles to children with mental and physical disabilities
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Mason tells his TOPS mentors that he's going to get them as he runs around the field during a game of soccer freeze tag. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Frankie, Michele Anzaldi's son, dribbles the ball with his knees during a skills lesson. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Rocky Point boys' soccer head coach Joe Camarda sets up his TOPS team for their next drill. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Jack chases after the ball, while Mason chases him during a game. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Justin, Samantha Netburn's son, dribbles the ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Summer, Samantha Netburn's daughter, raises her hands as she waits for the ball to be passed under her legs to unfreeze her in a game of soccer freeze tag. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Sarah smiles after scoring a goal during a TOPS game. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Frankie, Michele Anzaldi's son, chases after the other TOPS athletes during a game of freeze tag. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Rocky Point girls' soccer head coach Pete Costa high fives Summer, Samantha Netburn's daughter, after she scores a goal. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Mason chases after the other TOPS players during a game of freeze tag. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Brother and sister Summer and Justin intertwine as they chase after the ball during a TOPS game. Photo by Desirée Keegan
The Rocky Point TOPS team smiles for the camera with its coaches and volunteers from the varsity boys' and girls' soccer teams during photo day. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Children race across the soccer field grinning from ear to ear, eyes beaming as they learn skills and play games, and it’s all because of Rocky Point’s TOPSoccer league, which is a program for children with mental and physical disabilities.
“We’ve been in a couple of programs where it was hard for them to keep up with the other kids, and this one, working with the big kids is amazing,” said Samantha Netburn, whose young children Justin and Summer participate in the league. “They really support them.”
Rocky Point varsity soccer coaches Joe Camarda and Pete Costa have wanted to start the program for years now, but hadn’t had enough interest. The two also teach in the district, and after hearing some parents were looking for a program like this one, the coaches teamed up with Long Island Junior Soccer League to create the current team, which has approximately 10 kids along with varsity team members as helpers.
“For our first year I think it’s a successful program,” Camarda said. “I like to see the interaction between the varsity kids and the kids that are involved.”
Athletes from the boys’ and girls’ teams donate their time, teaching the kids how to dribble, juggle and play offense and defense. They also group up to do various exercises, and the volunteers encourage the kids and repeatedly tell the young athletes how great a job they’re doing. The team recently competed in its first tournament, where Rocky Point played two games against TOPS teams from other clubs in Commack. There were close to 300 members competing.
Netburn said it has really boosted her children’s self-esteem.
“It’s such a small community and everyone is so kind to each other,” she said. “My kids look forward to coming here.”
Michele Anzaldi, whose son Frankie is in the league, said she too hadn’t been able to find anything like it for her son.
“He absolutely loves soccer — we love our ‘soccer Saturday’ and Frankie looks at the weather all week long to make sure it’s going to hold up for soccer,” she said. “We’re so grateful that the coaches and kids are taking the time and it’s refreshing to see high school kids treating kids with disabilities so well and so nicely.”
Frankie said he’s having a lot of fun.
“I like to play soccer,” he said, after scoring a hat trick. “It’s awesome.”
For varsity players like Ryan Hembury, it’s also a great time.
“It’s a good thing to do for the community and a way to give back,” he said.
Registration is still open at www.rockypointsoccerclub.com, with two more weekends left in the spring before a trophy day on June 11. The program could return in the fall, and Netburn said she’s already spreading the word and getting more families involved.
“It’s nice to see everyone happy,” Camarda said. “It’s a reward you can’t pay for.”
Community helps raise over $2,000 in Tom Cutinella's memory
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The varsity team stands on the corner of 25A to get the word out about the second annual Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation car wash held at the Wading River School. Photo by Bill Landon
The "varsity soap team" cleans cars during the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation car wash. Photo by Bill Landon
Kevin Cutinella, Tom Cutinella's younger brother, scrubs down a car during the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation car wash. Photo by Bill Landon
The number 54, representing Tom Cutinella's No. 54 jersey, hangs on a banner in front of Wading River School during the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation car wash. Photo by Bill Landon
Brian Sheehan rinses off a car during the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation car wash. Photo by Bill Landon
The drying team takes a time out during the second annual Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation car wash. Photo by Bill Landon
Sean Halpin, Margaret Tartarian and Jimmy Puckey smile as they send the happy customer on her way during the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation car wash. Photo by Bill Landon
Paul Curran collects donations during the second annual Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation car wash. Photo by Bill Landon
The "varsity soap team" cleans cars during the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation car wash. Photo by Bill Landon
A flag stands in front of the Wading River School entrance during the second annual Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation car wash. Photo by Bill Landon
Paul Curran, at center, stands next to Linda Unterstein who is according to Curran the mother of four of the best players in the boys' lacrosse team's history, a Hall of Fame supporter and "godmother of Shoreham-Wading River lacrosse" as the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation supporters celebrate the second annual car wash fundraiser. Photo from Paul Curran
By Bill Landon
Tom Cutinella remains an integral part of the Shoreham-Wading River community.
On May 15, the boys’ lacrosse team held its second annual car wash to honor its fallen friend and teammate, who died following a head-on collision with an opposing player on the football field in 2014.
The event kicked off at the Wading River School — veterans and seniors could get their car cleaned free of charge, and there was a suggested donation of $5.40 in recognition of Cutinella’s retired No. 54 jersey. All proceeds went to the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation, which awards scholarships to Shoreham-Wading River and other Suffolk County seniors who meet the eligibility guidelines, which can be found at www.tom54.org.
Event organizer and Wading River resident Paul Curran, whose son Jason was a teammate of Cutinella’s, said the turnout was a testament to the respect the area has for Cutinella’s legacy, especially with so many kids pitching in to help out.
“With Thomas, veterans and seniors were two groups that were especially close to his heart — he was that way from a very young age,” Paul Curran said. “He was close to his grandmother who lived with him, which had a lot to do with it, and they’re a very close-knit family.”
Shoreham-Wading River senior Jon Constant said his teammates just want to continue to do things in their friend’s memory, and that’s what made the car wash easy to put together.
“We just wanted to help out the community, and the car wash seemed to be the right thing to do,” he said. “Keeping his memory alive is important because he was a great kid and we’ll never forget him.”
Constant said the washing started at 9 a.m., and by noon the kids had been cleaning non-stop.
“Who knows the number of cars we’ve washed, but we want to keep it hot,” he said.
Three hours into the event, Curran said that although seniors and veterans could get their car washed for free, and many came through the line, everyone wanted to contribute $5.40.
According to Curran, in addition to the scholarships given out each year, the foundation also donates to traumatic brain injury research.
Manning the rinse team was Wading River resident Brian Sheehan, a family friend whose son Chris also played with Cutinella. Brian Sheehan said the event is a great way to honor Cutinella’s memory and keep his legacy alive.
“[We do] anything to keep Thomas’ name at the top of everyone’s mind — it’s a privilege to be part of this annual event,” he said. “This is the second year and I plan to participate as long as I live in this community. It’s a great way to keep Thomas in our hearts and to raise money at the same time.”
Curran said last years’ event raised more than $2,500. This year, there was a similar turnout, which he said is a reflection of the community.
“Word of mouth is what drives this — social media and the youth leagues, and once it goes through there, you have hundreds of families,” he said.
This year, the event raised more that $2,000.
“I just think it’s a great way to show support for Tom and it’s a great way for [everyone] to come together and show their support, and we have fun doing it,” said senior Chris Rosati, another teammate of Cutinella’s. “This is definitely very important. It shows our support for him, which has a great impact on the community.”
Kevin Cutinella, Thomas’ younger brother, said that along with keeping the memory of his brother alive, the community outpour inspires his family.
“It means a lot to us that people are doing this without us telling them to do it, to keep Tom’s memory alive,” Kevin Cutinella said. “It means a lot to our family, it brings smiles to our faces and it keeps us there as a family.”
Ben Resnick tags the Sachem North runner out at second base. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
The Kings Park baseball team had to sweep its remaining five games to even make the playoffs, and did, winning the five games in nine days to achieve a 10-10 record to send the Kingsmen into a postseason Class AA outbracket matchup Saturday afternoon. No. 19 Kings Park traveled to No. 14 Sachem North, and although the game remained close, at 2-0, most of the way, the Kingsmen couldn’t bring its base runners home, and fell 4-0, ending their season.
Chris Kenavan drills the ball to deep right field. Photo by Bill Landon
“I knew they were going to come out swinging,” Kings Park head coach Mike Luzim said of Sachem North. “And in the spot that they needed to, they came up big.”
The Flaming Arrows broke the ice in the bottom of the second inning with a deep shot to right field for a stand-up double that drove in two runs. Kings Park countered by making contact, but its opponent’s defense was able to make the plays to keep Kings Park scoreless.
After a lead-off walk by A.J. Fenton in the top of the fifth, Kings Park threatened when Ben Resnick also drew the walk to represent the tying runs on base. With two outs and two runners on, Jack Feibusch drilled one deep to left center, but Sachem North’s center fielder tracked it down in stride to retire the side.
Kings Park’s Ben Sacks took over the mound the rest of the way, but the Kingsmen’s bats went silent.
A.J. Fenton makes it back to first base safely after a pick-off attempt. Photo by Bill Landon
Luzim said he knew it was going to be a tough game, sighting both teams’ similar records.
“We kept them off-balance for a bit, but when we walked two and they hit that double that kind of capped it,” he said, adding that the opposing pitcher was the toughest his team had seen all year.
With runners at the corners, Sachem North smacked in another run to take a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Kingsmen went three up, three down in the top of the sixth, and the Flaming Arrows scored once more in the bottom of the inning to end the scoring.
“They’re a tough team,” Kings Park senior Chris Kenavan said. “We can play better than we did. It’s not the outcome we wanted, but in the end, we made a good run.”
Jack Feibusch makes a play on a hit that dropped into center field. Photo by Bill Landon
Sachem North threatened, but got greedy on a single that the team tried to stretch to a double. Kings Park’s Resnick made the tag to throw the sliding runner out at second, to end the inning.
With their backs against the wall, Kings Park took to the plate for the final time. Again, contact wasn’t the problem, but a fly ball to the center fielder followed by a long drive to right field secured the first two outs, and the game ended with an infield pop-up.
Senior pitcher Mike Tully said that he expected his team to hit better, adding that that was the difference-maker in the game. His teammates agreed.
“Our plan coming into the game was whoever made the fewest mistakes would win the game,” Kings Park senior Jake Shickler said. “They’re a tough League II team — we definitely didn’t do our job hitting-wise and we made too many mistakes.”
Residents and visitors can rent stand-up paddle boards at the Port Jefferson Village Center until October.
The village board of trustees recently approved East Main Street business Sunpaddle to provide rentals of the watersport boards at the harborfront park next to the community center off East Broadway this summer, after a trial period last year.
Sunpaddle is located on East Main Street. File photo
According to the board, the rentals will be available seven days a week, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., from May 28 to Sept. 5.
From that point through Oct. 1, the rentals would be on weekends only, but during the same business hours.
In an interview during last year’s trial period, village recreation director Renee Lemmerman had called it another way of “providing services for our residents to really use their harborfront” and a good way for families to exercise at the beach.
The system will benefit the village as well as Sunpaddle — according to the board, the village will receive 40 percent of the revenue from the rentals.
Members of the Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team hold up four fingers to signify the four straight America East championships the team has won. Photo from SBU
Freshman Kasey Mitchell scored a free-position goal as time expired to lift the Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team to a 10-9 victory over the University at Albany and its fourth-consecutive America East championship Sunday afternoon at LaValle Stadium. With the win — the 14th-straight for Stony Brook — the Seawolves improve to 16-3, while the Great Danes drop to 11-6.
Courtney Murphy scored four goals on the afternoon to give her 95 on the year, three back of the Division I single-season record set in 1984. Junior Dorrien Van Dyke added four goals and an assist, while sophomore Kylie Ohlmiller chipped in a goal and three assists. Murphy was named championship Most Outstanding Player and was joined by Mitchell, Van Dyke and sophomore Samantha DiSalvo on the all-championship team.
Kasey Mitchell attempts a shot at the cage for Stony Brook. Photo from SBU
The Seawolves trailed 9-8 with 90 seconds remaining before junior Courtney Murphy tied the game with 1:23 to play. Senior Alyssa Fleming caused an Albany turnover with 39 seconds to go, and following a Stony Brook timeout, Mitchell won it at the buzzer.
Junior Kristin Yevoli tallied five draw controls and freshman Keri McCarthy added four. Freshman Anna Tesoriero made five saves between the pipes.
Fleming had two caused turnovers, including the crucial one in the final minute, along with a ground ball.
Stony Brook improves to 4-1 all-time in America East Championship finals. The Seawolves allowed more than seven goals in a game for just the third time this season.
However, Stony Brook is 2-1 in those games.
Stony Brook improves to 48-5 at LaValle Stadium since 2012. Associate head coach Caitlin Defliese captured her eighth career America East title Sunday. Defliese has won the last four conference championships as part of the Stony Brook staff and won four straight as a player at Boston University from 2007-10. Murphy broke the America East record for goals in a single season with her first tally of the day, passing the mark of 91 set by Defliese’s Boston University teammate, Sarah Dalton.
The women’s team will open the NCAA Championship in Massachusetts, with a game at Boston College on May 13 at a time to be announced.
Jimmy Caddigan shoots through traffice, and scores with a shot to the top, far right corner. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Danny Caroussos is sandwiched between the Bay Shore goalkeeper and a Bay Shore defender after scoring a goal. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Dan Riley, who had three assists on the evening, races across midfield. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Brandon Meir pushes his way past a stick across the chest and fires a shot at the net. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Dan Varello raises his stick to maintain possession after the faceoff. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Matt Caddigan rockets a shot through traffic and scores. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Jimmy Caddigan maintains possession while a Bay Shore defender tries to force a turnover. Photo by Desirée Keegan
John Hoffman moves the ball around inside the box as Bay Shore defenders race to gain possession in a last-ditch effort to score before time expires. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Kyle Zawadzki winds up to pass the ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Danny Caroussos moves the ball around the cage. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Jimmy Caddigan dives for the loose ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Smithtown West bounced back from a tough loss to Northport with a 9-7 win over Bay Shore Tuesday.
With one game left in the regular season — a tough matchup against Division I leader West Islip — the boys’ lacrosse team has lost just four games this season, all of them one-goal games. The Bulls’ defense had a target to keep all opponents under five goals this season, and came close with 10 of its 15 competitors scoring six or fewer.
“We’ve been playing some big games lately,” said junior attack Jimmy Caddigan, who tallied a hat trick and two assists in the win over Bay Shore. “I think today we got back on track a little bit. Our defense has been playing great all year. We had some man downs that they played big on.”
Smithtown West senior attack Danny Caroussos got his team on the board first to open the game, and although Bay Shore tied it up, sophomore attack and midfielder Kyle Zawadzki scored with 15.9 seconds left in the first quarter to give his team the advantage.
Being a man down, Bay Shore was able to capitalize on the Bulls’ yellow card to again even the score. But that would be the last time the Marauders would come that close.
“Overall I though we could’ve played better — definitely not up to our potential, but coming off a loss it’s great to get back in the win column and get some momentum going into our last game of the year against a very good West Islip team coming in, especially on senior night,” Caroussos said of the May 12 game, which kicks off at 5 p.m.
Caddigan assisted on Zawadzki’s final goal of the evening, and Caroussos assisted on Caddigan’s first when he passed to the sophomore, who swiveled around the cage from the left side and scored for the 4-2 advantage.
The Bulls led by four goals twice. First, when Caddigan whipped the ball into the netting from two yards out with 30.5 seconds left in the first half, and second, when his younger brother Matt Caddigan found the net off an assist from John Hoffman.
Right before that goal that gave Smithtown West an 8-4 lead, senior midfielder Danny Varello, who won 17 of 19 faceoffs, won the draw and raced into Bay Shore’s zone, rocketing a shot in, in a play that lasted just several seconds.
Despite the showing, Smithtown West head coach Bobby Moltisanti Jr. said his team has some more work to do.
“It was a gritty win,” he said. “I felt we were inefficient on offense. There was an opportunity throughout the game where we could’ve pulled away, but we didn’t. I feel like we can play better, and the boys know they can play better. But I give the boys credit. They fought.”
His athletes agreed, but still think they have what it takes to go far.
“I think this team can beat anyone,” Jimmy Caddigan said. “We’re getting over that hump of finishing the regular-season games and we’re looking forward to the playoffs.”
Although playoffs are looming in the near future, the Bulls are looking to take it one game at a time, with the immediate focus being on their senior night game.
“They’re No. 1 right now, we have a big rivalry between us and them,” Jimmy Caddigan said of West Islip. “We play them every year and we want one more big win.”
Zawadzki said the teams needs to clean up before heading into the next matchup, but added that the win over Bay Shore was important.
“This gives us confidence going into next week and we’ll just keep it rolling,” he said.
Smithtown West was a mixed bag this season, with strong senior leadership but some big contributing underclassmen. Although plenty of strong players will be left no matter what happens this postseason, for seniors like Caroussos, heading into his last few games will be bittersweet.
“There’s definitely mixed emotions,” he said. “We have a lot of potential and the county championship is one of the goals. I think we honestly have a chance to do that. We just need to come together as one unit and keep motivating each other to play better and better, and keep finding ways to win.”
Mustangs score five unanswered goals in second half to secure 6-5 win over Shoreham
Mount Sinai teammates huddle around Meaghan Tyrrell after she scores what would be the game-winning goal. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Mount Sinai’s motto this season has been “proving people wrong.”
And again, the girls’ lacrosse team did just that. Despite being down 5-1 at halftime, the Mustangs rallied back to score five unanswered goals en route to a 6-5 win over Shoreham-Wading River in the game’s final minutes Monday.
Mount Sinai’s Caroline Hoeg scores over Shoreham’s Sophia Triandafils. Photo by Desirée Keegan
“It was a great turnaround,” Mount Sinai head coach Al Bertolone said. “Everything that you wanted to have happen in the first half happened in the second half. It was the way I thought we could play.”
But the girls came out flat.
While the Mustangs had trouble getting started, the Wildcats were off to the races. Isabella Meli and Erin Triandafils tacked on two goals each, and Mikayla Dwyer scored once while Jesse Arline assisted twice, to put Shoreham up 5-0.
With 3:28 left in the first half, Mount Sinai senior midfielder Caroline Hoeg dodged opponents as she made her way up the middle and scored unassisted to break the ice for her team.
“I think we started off rocky, but we came out at halftime and knew what we had to do,” she said. “Everyone knew they had to play for the girl next to them and we played our hearts out.”
Mount Sinai’s Camryn Harloff reaches between Shoreham defenders for the loss ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Hoeg helped win possession off the draw to open the second, and from the left side of the cage, passed to junior midfielder Lisa Nonnenmann who scored through traffic up top.
“It’s a gut-check time,” Bertolone said of his team being down. “I told them, ‘are we just going to let someone come in and push us around? Are we going to respond?’ And they did.”
At the 11:12 mark, sophomore attack Meaghan Tyrrell took matters into her own hands when she swiveled around the back of the cage and fired a shot across the front of the net to the far left side. Minutes later, she passed the ball to Hoeg up the middle, who beat out defenders and bounced in a shot that close the gap, 5-4.
“At halftime, our coach was pep-talking us and our captains were great,” she said. “When we came out we knew we had to win the draws to come back, so that was our motive.”
Bertolone called for a timeout and before sending his team back onto the field, the girls shouted “heart,” and continued to play with a lot of it.
The Mustangs won possession off the next draw, and although Nonnenmann had a free position shot soon after, she failed to capitalize. At 3:50, she got another shot, and made it count, tying the game 5-5.
Mount Sinai’s Erica Shea makes her way around Shoreham’s Isabella Cortes. Photo by Desirée Keegan
“It was nerve-wracking but we’ve been working really hard this season and it was just great to get out there after we dug ourselves into a little bit of a hole to really work all together, settle the ball and pull it out,” she said. “I think we practice more than anyone else around, we get down to business and it helps us get the job done.”
With 2:06 left on the clock, the Mustangs proved that hard work pays off. From outside, Hoeg passed to Tyrrell at the front of the net, who bounced a shot into the open right side after a goalkeeper misstep, for the 6-5 lead.
“Caroline knew I was open, she knew that was the play, and I saw the goalie’s stick come out and I thought she was going to save it, but I got in there, went around her and shot,” she said. “It was very nerve-racking, but it also felt really great.”
Bertolone called for another timeout, and told his team, “You don’t want to lose this after coming all the way back. We need to win this draw.”
The Mustangs won the draw, and despite turning the ball over, forced a turnover and held the ball until time expired.
Mount Sinais’ Leah Nonnenmann makes her way to the cage ahead of Shoreham’s Erin Triandafils and Megan Daly. Photo by Desirée Keegan
The 2015 state championship-winning team is hoping to get back to Cortland this year, and the team’s resiliency may take them there.
“We practice for days like this,” Hoeg said. “This is what we have to do if we want to get to the next level and we want to get back upstate. We knew that we all had to come together and show people that we can come back from losing our top players and prove people wrong. That was the motto this year — coming out and doing what people think we cant.”
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