Huntington's co-captains Carlos Rivera, Wilber Parada and Olvin Palma set up a play during the Blue Devils' 1-0 Class AA quarterfinal loss to Brentwood on Nov. 2. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Huntington’s Jayvin Coto leaps up to head the ball in the No. 4-ranked Blue Devils’ 1-0 loss to No. 1 Brentwood in the quarterfinal round of the Class AA playoffs on Nov. 2. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Huntington had several strategies to score a goal, but none of them paid off on Monday. The Blue Devils had difficulty getting shots early and often enough, and the No. 4-seeded boys’ soccer team fell to No. 1 Brentwood, 1-0, in the quarterfinals of the Class AA playoffs.
“They played hard,” Huntington head coach John Pagano said of his team. “They played with the No. 2 team in the state and the difference was one shot.”
Blue Devils sophomore goalkeeper Nat Amato made most of his seven saves in the first half to keep the teams in a stalemate heading into halftime, but Brentwood only needed to make two stops on their end to record the Indians’ 14th shutout of the season.
With 16 minutes remaining in the game, Brentwood scored off a through ball. With the Indians forward in the corner, Amato came to the right side of the box and a Huntington defender dove but missed redirecting the ball. The Brentwood player then crossed it between Amato and another Huntington defender, who was guarding the opposite corner of the net, to break the draw.
Huntington’s Marlon Licona regains possession of the ball in the Blue Devils’ zone during the team’s 1-0 Class AA semifinal loss to Brentwood on Nov. 2. Photo by Desirée Keegan
In the last 10 minutes, the Blue Devils continued to pressure and push into the Indians’ zone, leaving it all out on the field, but they couldn’t get a good attempt at a goal.
With 5:20 remaining, senior midfielder and co-captain Wilber Parada rushed the ball from the corner to the box, but no one could knock it in — it floated across the front of the net.
“There was no quit,” Pagano said. “They played until the last whistle. We had several scoring chances at the end and the game could’ve easily gone either way. I’m very proud of them.”
Huntington ended the season with a 15-2-2 overall record and a 10-2-2 mark in League III. The Blue Devils will graduate 18 seniors from the roster at the end of this school year, including co-captains Carlos Rivera, a forward, and Olvin Palma, a midfielder.
“It’s been gratifying,” Pagano said of coaching his departing leaders. “It was a pleasure coaching these boys, but it’s going to be sad to see them leave.”
Shoreham-Wading River junior wide receiver Joe Miller dives for yardage in the Wildcats’ 42-13 win over Center Moriches to earn their second consecutive undefeated season. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior wide receiver Jon Constant drags tacklers up the field in the Wildcats’ 42-13 win over Center Moriches to earn their second consecutive undefeated season. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River hasn’t lost a football game since November 2013.
It was a second-round playoff game against Babylon, a team that had always derailed the Wildcats. But since last season, Shoreham’s new winning culture permeates every player who wears the blue and gold.
In eight games, Shoreham-Wading River has outscored its opponents 291-47. Saturday was no different, as the Wildcats defeated visiting Center Moriches, 42-13, for another perfect season and to win the League IV title for the second consecutive year.
Senior running back Chris Rosati has been the Wildcats’ powerhouse running back all season. He scored three touchdowns on the afternoon, but it might have been more if he had played the entire game.
Rosati’s first score came on the second play from scrimmage where he cut to the outside, turned up the field and went 59 yards into the end zone in a game that wasn’t even a minute old. Senior kicker Daniel Mahoney followed by doing what he’d done all season, splitting the uprights to give the Wildcats the early 7-0 lead.
Shoreham-Wading River found the end zone again six minutes later, when junior quarterback Kevin Cutinella threw to classmate Daniel Cassidy, a tight end, for six more points.
Shoreham-Wading River senior cornerback Kyle Fehmel leaps up for the interception of Center Moriches’ Hail Mary pass during the Wildcats’ 42-13 win over Center Moriches to earn their second consecutive undefeated season. Photo by Bill Landon
“We prepare for every game like it’s the last game — we play with heavy hearts and we play as hard as we can for [Tom Cutinella],” Cassidy said, referring to his teammate who died last year after taking a hit in a game against Elwood. “And we don’t take any team lightly.”
With Mahoney’s kick, the Wildcats took a 14-0 lead with 4:07 left to play in the first quarter.
The Red Devils were unable to run the ball, but moved the chains on two consecutive pass plays. It was not enough — after the team failed to make a fourth-down conversion, the Wildcats took over in their own end.
Rosati answered the call again. After seeing that the running lanes inside were closed, he bounced it outside and raced by two defenders with alarming speed. He covered 71 yards and again entered the end zone untouched.
“We’ve kept the momentum from last year,” Rosati said. “We work at it in practice and we work on both sides of the ball. On offense, we try to grind it out on every play and our linemen work so hard and they open the holes. On defense, we just fly around. We try to hold them to as few yards as possible.”
With Mahoney perfect on the day, the Wildcats broke out to a 21-0 advantage to open the second quarter.
Shoreham-Wading River senior running back Chris Rosati pushes for more yards as he’s tackled by a Center Moriches player during the Wildcats’ 42-13 win over Center Moriches to earn their second consecutive undefeated season. Photo by Bill Landon
Unable to move the chains, the Red Devils were forced to punt. With a long kick well down field, the Wildcats committed a rare miscue — after choosing not to field the kick, the ball bounced into a Shoreham-Wading River player and Center Moriches pounced on the live ball to recover its own punt.
Center Moriches senior quarterback Joe Martins connected with classmate Kyrin Taylor, a wide receiver, who made it to the 1-yard line for a first and goal. Senior running back Chris Iannelli finished it, but the extra-point attempt struck the left goal post, halting the score at 21-6.
On the Wildcats’ ensuing possession, Rosati struck again. This time the running back swept to his left, outran defenders and sped down the left sideline for his third touchdown of the afternoon. Again, Mahoney was money, and Shoreham-Wading River broke out to a 28-6 lead.
“Our goal is to shut out every team we play,” Rosati said.
Shoreham-Wading River senior running back Justin Squires makes a move during the Wildcats’ 42-13 win over Center Moriches to earn their second consecutive undefeated season. Photo by Bill Landon
The Red Devils had little success moving the ball again, and the Wildcats took over.
Senior wide receiver Jon Constant scored next on a reverse play, covering 40 yards for the score.
“The coach told us before the game to perform on each side of the ball,” he said. “Just shut out the [defense] and fly to the ball.”
With Mahoney’s foot, Shoreham-Wading River surged ahead, 35-6.
On their final possession of the first half, the Red Devils let the clock bleed off and called a timeout with two seconds left. Desperate for a score, Center Moriches dropped back and threw the Hail Mary deep down field, but Shoreham-Wading River senior cornerback Kyle Fehmel leapt up and grabbed the ball to end the half.
With both teams scoreless in the third quarter, senior running back Justin Squires lit up the scoreboard with 4:07 left in the game. On a handoff up the middle, Squires broke outside, found an open running lane and went 70 yards for the touchdown. With Mahoney’s chip shot, the Wildcats were out in front 42-6.
Center Moriches managed one more score with just under a minute left to close out the game, and with the extra-point good, it brought the final score to 42-13.
“I told the kids to just go out and finish — finish every play and let’s finish this season 8-0,” Shoreham-Wading River head coach Matt Millheiser said. “And then we can get ready for the second season.”
The top-seeded Wildcats will face No. 8 McGann Mercy on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Miller Place High School, as the home team, as construction of the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Field at Shoreham-Wading River nears completion.
The seniors of the Shoreham-Wading River football team pose for a photo after their second consecutive undefeated season. Photo by Bill Landon
Smithtown West senior forward John Kazubowski kicks the ball behind him toward the goal. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Smithtown West senior forward Max Mohrmann pushes the ball forward toward East Islip’s net. Photo by Desirée Keegan
By Desirée Keegan
John Kazubowski said he normally doesn’t score goals, but if he told you that Tuesday, he’d be lying.
The Smithtown West senior forward scored a hat trick to lead the No. 3-ranked Bulls, 4-2, over No. 14 East Islip in the first round of the Class AA playoffs.
Just over 10 minutes into the first half, Kazubowski went to knock the ball deeper into East Islip’s territory from the 30-yard line, only to hit the top of the crossbar and bounce into the right corner of the net for a good goal and the 1-0 lead.
In shock, the forward threw his hands up in disbelief as the crowd erupted.
“I don’t usually shoot during the season a lot, so I thought, ‘Hey, might as well,’” he said. “I had space so I took it and it came out nice, I guess.”
Minutes later, an East Islip player escaped defenders and on a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, knocked it into the right corner to tie the game.
Smithtown West head coach Tom Lips said that since his team was going against a low seed, the other team knew they had to give it their all if they wanted to progress through the bracket.
Smithtown West senior midfielder Matt McDonnell keeps the ball in play. Photo by Desirée Keegan
“They have everything to loose, but more importantly, we’ve had two starters out of our consistent lineup,” he said of junior defender Reed Massaro and sophomore midfielder Andrew McDonnell who were both injured in the last game of the regular season. “We’ve had no injuries until the last game of the season and this is our first game playing without them, so it obviously affected us greatly — especially in our back line where we’re very thin defensively.”
Despite Kazubowski scoring again in the eighth minute off an assist from senior midfielder and co-captain Matt McDonnell, East Islip tied it up, 2-2, off a foul kick four minutes later.
“I don’t think we rose emotionally to the occasion,” Lips said. “I think the other team outworked us. Do I think we’re a better team? Yes, but they outworked us. We have talent, it’s just we weren’t cohesive, pretty much played their style and it’s a compliment to them. We just weren’t good today.”
The Bulls opened up the second half with an early attempt, but couldn’t capitalize, which happened multiple times throughout the game.
“We came a little not awake in the first half and it was a tough one, but we rallied through the second half,” Kazubowski said. “We have to play better in the next round if we want to do something big this season. We have to wake up for the next round and produce something better.”
At the 21:53 mark, the senior forward proved he couldn’t be stopped, when he grabbed a tipped rebound in front of the box and faked out the keeper, shooting the ball into an empty right side for the 3-2 advantage.
Smithtown West’s Nathan Biondi maintains possession as East Islip defenders swarm around him. Photo by Desirée Keegan
“We didn’t play our best, but we definitely came back after they scored a goal or two and pushed in the end,” Matt McDonnell said. “I think we were physically a little more fit toward the end of the game, which helped us.”
With 15:09 left on the clock, McDonnell took a penalty kick shot after a teammate was blocked on a breakaway, and he shot it past a diving East Islip goalkeeper for the 4-2 win.
“I think we were just able to persevere,” he said. “We had a few missed plays and couldn’t finish a few opportunities, but we worked hard and got back in it. If we come together as a team we can go far.”
Smithtown West hasn’t lost a game since Sept. 16, when the team fell to crosstown rival Smithtown East, 1-0, and are now 14-1-1. The Bulls move on to host No. 11 Half Hollow Hills West on Friday at 2 p.m.
No. 16 East lost its outbracket game at home against No. 17 Sachem North, 3-1, on Oct. 24.
After leading by two sets, the Ward Melville boys’ volleyball team dropped the next two to send the match into a decisive fifth set, where the Patriots overcame a six-point deficit to defeat the Tigers.
Ward Melville’s Matt Lilley leaps up for the block against Northport’s Nick Bitteto. Photo by Bill Landon
Both teams fought for every point in the first set, which was tied 21-21 before Ward Melville put the set away, 25-23.
The second set was a lot like the first. Both teams tied at 9-9 and again at 17-17, with neither team giving an inch. The Patriots edged ahead 22-20, and were able to take the set, 25-21.
“We were fortunate, early on, to go up 2-0, but we knew they would come back and force that game four,” Ward Melville head coach Chris Holden said. “They’re not a team that’s going to back down and go out without a fight.”
Northport was hanging by a thread, and although the team broke out to a three-point lead, Ward Melville’s Matt Lilley, on a service tear, put his team out in front 13-12, before the teams tied it 14-14. The Tigers edged ahead 19-17, and put the set away, 25-22.
Although his team was down two sets, Northport senior Dom DellaMarco said he was confident his team could turn it around and avoid a shutout.
“In that third set, we knew we had to come together as a team, dig deep and keep pushing,” DellaMarco said. “We can’t let up and we can’t get down on ourselves.”
Northport led the fourth set like it did in the third, and the Tigers surged ahead 21-13 before the Patriots rallied back to trail 24-20.
“We were pretty confident going into that third set, but I think we took a little bit for granted — some of us thought that team would just roll over,” Ward Melville’s Chris Allen said. “But Northport showed us that wasn’t going to happen. They fought back. They’re a quality team.”
Northport senior Nick Bitetto said his team had to leverage their victory in the third set and bring that energy to the fourth.
Chris Allen sends the ball over the net for Ward Melville. Photo by Bill Landon
“I knew we just couldn’t give up — we had to come together and we had to build momentum,” Bitetto said. “We had to fight. We didn’t come this far to lose.”
Northport scored next to win the fourth set 25-20, and force a decisive fifth.
Ward Melville stayed one step ahead of its opponent, as they stretched their legs to lead 15-10. Both teams traded points, and minutes later the Patriots had a 20-15 lead.
Northport wasn’t about to go quietly, and the Tigers closed to within two, 22-20, late in the set.
“We were well prepared; we saw them in a couple of tournaments where we went head to head with them — starters against starters — and we came out on top all three times,” Northport head coach Robert Hamel said. “We knew we matched up well with them. We knew it was going to be a playoff-type of game.”
After several long ball rallies, Ward Melville won the final set, 25-21.
“We knew we needed our passing to come down — when we’re in system, we know we can beat any team we need to,” Lilley said. “We did well in our transition, passing and hitting, and because of that, we got better and better in the fifth set.”
With the win, the Patriots improve to 10-3 and Northport fell to 8-6. Both teams are still headed to the playoffs, which begin Nov. 3.
Miller Place's Kristin Roberto and Comsewogue's Brooke Cespites fight for possession in a semifinal game. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Comsewogue field hockey has come far this season.
After making it to the playoffs with a 9-5 overall record, the No. 4-ranked Comsewogue Warriors made it past the first round of playoffs for the first time in school history, topping No. 5 Bayport-Blue Point, 1-0.
Unfortunately for the girls, their undefeated semifinal opponent, No. 1-seeded Miller Place, wanted to stay that way, and eliminated the team from the postseason with a 4-0 shutout Monday.
Comsewogue’s Brooke Cespites and Miller Place’s Arianna Esposito fight for possession in a semifinal match. Photo by Desirée Keegan
“It’s awesome to make history — I’m really proud of our team,” Comsewogue junior defender Megan Turner said through tears. “It’s awesome. I really love these girls.”
Both teams stormed the field, playing with intensity and pressing for possession.
“I think they came out really, really strong,” Comsewogue head coach Katy Dornicik said. “We didn’t have a lot of scoring opportunities, but I feel like in the middle of the field we were evenly matched, we just didn’t come out strong at the end.”
With 26:42 left to play in the first half, Miller Place senior forward Danielle Powers broke the ice when she scored off a corner with an assist from junior Arianna Esposito.
“A lot of their passes were connecting, they were looking up, which was great,” Miller Place head coach Alana LaMorte said. “That’s what we want to do, and their corners were phenomenal today.”
Comsewogue came through with some big blocks off more corners to stay in the game, but after the Panthers called for a timeout, the team kicked it into high gear, leading to another goal off a corner, this time by senior forward Alyssa Parrella, off an assist from sophomore Crystal Esposito.
Miller Place’s Emily Contrelli catches a loose ball in a semifinal game against Comsewogue. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Coming out of the halftime break with a 2-0 lead, Miller Place cheered and shouted to build up the intensity as the team took the field. That strategy worked — the last two goals for Miller Place were again scored off of corners. With 13:59 left to play, Parrella found the right corner of the box from the far left side, off an assist from junior Julia Burns, and rounding out the scoring with less than five minutes left to play was Powers, off an assist from the younger Esposito.
“It feels great, but we’re looking forward to the next one,” LaMorte said of the win. “I think they both came out really intense. I do think that Comsewogue really put up a very big fight. It was not easy for us even though the score differential says otherwise. I think both teams came out tight, we just were able to put it in.”
Miller Place moves on to face Rocky Point in the Class B finals on Thursday at Dowling College at 4 p.m., while Dornicik is forced to say goodbye to some of the girls she’s coached since they were in seventh and eighth grade.
“It’s rewarding to see how far they’ve come now that I’m the varsity coach,” she said. “I’m very proud of them.”
Turner said her Warriors team had a lot of confidence coming into the game and believed it could overthrow its No. 1-seeded opponent. She said the team, the coaches and the fans have been nothing but supportive throughout this season’s journey.
“We were all there for each other, we really tried our hardest and this is definitely one of the best teams I’ve ever been on,” she said. “I think it’s a very big self-esteem booster considering how far we made it.”
The Mount Sinai football team huddles up before taking the field. The Mustangs topped East Hampton-Bridgehampton, 33-0, for the homecoming shutout win on Oct. 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai junior linebacker John Paolella brings down an opponent in the Mustangs' 33-0 homecoming victory over East Hampton-Bridgehampton on Oct. 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai junior wide receiver Jake Knab moves the ball up the middle in the Mustangs' 33-0 homecoming win over East Hampton-Bridgehampton on Oct. 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai senior wide receiver Griffin McGrath cuts outside and goes the distance for the touchdown in the Mustangs' 33-0 shutout of East Hampton-Bridgehampton for a homecoming victory on Oct. 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai parents cheer from the sidewalks as Mustangs teams and organizations, and floats pass by during the homecoming parade on Oct. 24. Photo by Bill Ladon
The North Shore Colts youth football team rides in their float during Mount Sinai's homecoming parade on Oct. 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai's homecoming king and queen, Ray Krahm and Emily Whelan, ride through the Mustangs' homecoming parade on Oct. 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai cheerleaders get the crowd going during the Mustangs' 33-0 homecoming win over East Hampton-Bridgehampton on Oct. 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai freshman running back Liam McGrath rushes up the field in the Mustangs' 33-0 homecoming win over East Hampton-Bridgehampton on Oct. 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai senior running back Christian Knab goes the distance for the touchdown in the Mustangs' 33-0 homecoming shutout of East Hampton-Bridgehampton on Oct. 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai junior defensive back Andrew Fiore tackles an opponent during the Mustangs' 33-0 blanking of East Hampton-Bridgehampton on homecoming day on Oct. 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai junior running back John Paolella plunges into the end zone for the score in the Mustangs' 33-0 shutout homecoming victory over East Hampton-Bridgehampton on Oct. 24. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
The Mount Sinai Mustangs made short work of visiting East Hampton-Bridgehampton on the football field Saturday afternoon, shutting out the Bonackers, 33-0, in a victory that was icing on the cake for the host team’s homecoming celebration.
It was a lopsided game after Mount Sinai scored its fourth unanswered touchdown, and rather than kick the extra point, the Mustangs took a knee to arrest the scoring fest at 27-0.
Mount Sinai head coach Vinnie Ammirato rested his starters and flushed his bench, as every available player on his 35-man roster saw action the rest of the way.
On their first possession of the game, the opposing team was forced to punt on three and out.
With the game less than two minutes old, Mount Sinai senior running back Christian Knab fielded the ball then found a hole, bounced to the outside and went the distance for the score. With the extra point, the Mustangs took the early 7-0 lead.
“We played our hardest — everyone played their best,” Knab said. “We came out and we did what we’re supposed to do.”
The Bonackers, fielding just 18 players and losing two to injury during the game, used every available player on their bench out of necessity. Again, unable to move the chains, the opposing team was forced to punt.
Mount Sinai senior wide receiver Griffin McGrath went 64 yards for the next touchdown, and after another East Hampton-Bridgehampton three and out, junior wide receiver Jake Knab fielded a clean ball and took it all the way down the stretch for the team’s third touchdown.
“I caught the ball and there was a good wall set up [in front of me so] I followed the wall,” McGrath said. “And it was clear all the way to the end zone.”
Jake Knab took over at quarterback for junior R.J. Maher the rest of the way.
“This game was unusual — first string starters usually come out and sometimes second string goes in,” Knab said. “Today was a fun game for me because I rarely play.”
Early in the second quarter, Mount Sinai junior running back John Paolella plowed up the middle to find the end zone for another six points.
“We played well all around and second teamers got their chance today,” Paolella said. “It was a chance to play at homecoming and we made the most of it.”
As the kicking team took to the field for the point-after attempt, Ammirato barked the play from the sideline, and the Mustangs lined up as if they were going for two, but took a knee to keep the score 27-0.
“We don’t want to score anymore,” Ammirato said from the sideline. “Let’s keep the score reasonable.”
The Mustangs non-starters couldn’t control themselves, and freshman running back Liam McGrath, who was brought up from the junior varsity squad to play in the game, was not to be stopped as he raced with the ball down the left sideline for the final touchdown of the afternoon. Choosing not to attempt the point after, Mount Sinai again took a knee to hold the score at 33-0.
With the win, the Mustangs improve to 6-1, vying for second place in League IV with John Glenn. The Mustangs will battle John Glenn on the gridiron Saturday in the last game of the regular season, to break the tie.
“Everyone is going to work their hardest and put in the extra work in practice,” Christian Knab said, for his Mustangs team to be able to top John Glenn. “And we’ll have to see what happens on Halloween.”
Ammirato said that the best part of the homecoming win is that everyone on his bench saw action.
“Just getting everyone in the game — I love when that happens,” the head coach said. “These kids come to practice every day and work just as hard sometimes they get in the game sometimes they don’t, and today they got a chance to play some quality minutes at homecoming in front of a big crowd; getting their names announced.”
Ammirato said that because the junior varsity game was cancelled, it presented an even bigger opportunity, bringing up some sophomores and freshman that saw some action, too.
Griffin McGrath is ready to see his team claim the No. 2 spot.
“We’ll have to work hard in practice this week and watch film,” he said. “And we’ll have to execute the coaches’ game plan to the letter.”
Newfield junior Dalia Perez digs one out during the Wolverines' 3-1 victory over Centereach on Oct. 23. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield junior Dalia Perez digs one out during the Wolverines’ 3-1 victory over Centereach on Oct. 23. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
After dropping the first set to the Centereach, Newfield won the next three on the road, defeating their crosstown rival 3-1 in League III volleyball action Friday afternoon.
The Wolverines looked to put the first set away, leading 20-15 at the first time out, but the Cougars battled back to tie it at 24-24, ultimately winning 26-24.
Newfield head coach Christy Innes said her team came out flat.
“The girls did not come out with a lot of energy, but they turned it around in game two,” she coach.
The second set was very different from the first.
The Wolverines turned up the intensity, and in convincing fashion, claimed the second set 25-16, to tie the match.
Centereach senior Lauren Meigel makes contact with the ball during the Cougars’ 3-1 loss to Newfield on Oct. 23. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach senior co-captain Lauren Meigel said she wasn’t surprised at the margin of victory in set two.
“That was to be expected as they were angry and wanted to get back [at us],” Centereach senior co-captain Nicole Fellone said. “Today we had great communication, where we had problems [with that] before.”
Trailing by six, Centereach battled back in the third set to tie the game at 21-21, and took a 24-22 advantage, but Newfield refused to lose, rallied back to tie it at 25-25, and neither team would give way, as the rivals retied the game at 26-26.
“Our attacking was a lot better in the later matches,” Newfield junior Rachel Mennonna said. “We talked a lot more and we moved our feet better.”
Newfield senior Gabby Darnaby sets up the ball during the Wolverines’ 3-1 win over crosstown rival Centereach on Oct. 23. Photo by Bill Landon
With a 27-26 lead, Newfield finished the third set, to go up 2-1 in the match.
“We played a team that was better than us,” Centereach head coach Mike Weaver said. “We’ve had a number of injuries over the season. We’re down three starters.”
Newfield showed why they took third place in league play this season, by stretching their legs in the fourth set to break out to a 19-11 lead, thanks to the senior captain Gabby Darnaby. On a service tear, rattling off eight consecutive points, Darnaby propelled her team to a 22-11 lead with a pair of service aces along the way.
“We had better energy after that first set — we had better communication and we played better defense,” Darnaby said. “We set up the blocks where they were supposed to be, and that helped a lot.”
Centereach junior Rachel Masullo leaps up to spike the ball in the Cougars’ 3-1 loss to Newfield on Oct. 23. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield junior Dayna Hunter brought her team to the brink with her kill shot for a 24-11 advantage. Coping with an injury-riddled lineup, Weaver had to make adjustments — rotating players to fill the holes.
“Emily Timarky, who is a freshman who was thrown into a spot she’s never played, she stepped up and had nine kills, so I was very happy,” Weaver said.
But it was too much for Centereach, as Newfield put the fourth set away, 25-11, to win the match.
“I think we worked as hard as we possibly could everyone gave 100 percent,” Meigel said. “We hustled the whole way, and on offense, we just kept swinging away; we swung hard and we were not going down without a fight.”
With the loss, Centereach fell to 5-8, and with a win to finish off the regular season, Newfield improved to 10-4, which places them solidly in the playoff picture, which gets underway Monday Nov. 2.
The indoor facility is expected to play host to various Stony Brook University sports teams. Rendering from Stony Brook Athletics
It’s a perfect match.
A graduate of Stony Brook University has committed to a matching challenge grant to help raise money for the Stony Brook Foundation and Stony Brook Athletics as they work to collect $10 million to fund an indoor training center on campus.
Glenn Dubin, a 1978 grad, teamed up with his wife Eva to announce the $5 million pledge in the form of a 1:1 matching grant he said would hopefully give a boost to the fundraising campaign. Once completed, Stony Brook Athletics said it planned on breaking ground on a new state-of-the-art indoor practice facility and complex near LaValle Stadium.
“With this challenge pledge, I hope to inspire Seawolves friends, fans and family to support current and future Stony Brook student-athletes,” Glenn Dubin said in a statement. “We wanted to kick-start this campaign and rally the Stony brook community around the athletic department. Stony Brook Athletics has substantial and significant aspirations for the near future, and excellent facilities are a necessary component to realize these aspirations and achieve success.”
In a statement, Stony Brook Athletics said the new facility would include a 100-yard indoor multi-purpose synthetic turf practice field, as well as innovative lighting, film equipment, sound and video systems and a 90-foot ceiling clearance height. The building was also designed for multiple uses, with the intention of hosting all Stony Brook intercollegiate athletic teams’ practices throughout the year.
Samuel L. Stanley Jr., president of Stony Brook University, applauded the Dubins for their generosity and said their matching challenge opened the door for more donors to play their part in making the new facility a reality.
“Over the past decade, Glenn and Eva Dubin have shown incredible vision and had a tremendous impact on Stony Brook Athletics,” Stanley said. “This new challenge match gives others the opportunity to play an active role in the success of our student athletes and our athletic program.”
Stony Brook University Athletic Director Shawn Heilbron said the new building was an integral part of the college’s five-year plan through an initiative known as Together We Transform, which was launched in 2015 as an aggressive strategic plan to have Stony Brook recognized as a premier NCAA Division I athletic department.
“Our objective is to positively transform the life of each student-athlete,” he said. “And this project will benefit the more than 435 student-athletes that comprise our teams. I am extremely grateful to the Dubin family for their belief in our program and for their sincere generosity.”
The G. & E. Dubin Family Foundation previously donated $4.3 million to Stony Brook Athletics back in 2010 for the creation of an 8,000-square-foot strength and conditioning facility named the Dubin Family Athletic Performance Center, which already opened in 2012. Glenn Dubin, who played both football and lacrosse at Stony Brook University, has remained a staunch supporter of the Seawolves athletic club as a regular attendee at men’s lacrosse and football games. He also donated $1 million to Stony Brook in 2005 to create the Glenn Dubin Endowed Scholarship Fund, which offers scholarships to students from Washington Heights, particularly students from P.S. 132, where he attended elementary school.
Tornadoes defeat Rocky Point and break 9-year dry spell for league title, with playoffs on horizon
The Harborfields boys’ varsity soccer team poses before the final game of its regular season. Photo from Gerard Espinoza
The Harborfields boys’ soccer team was crowned league champion on Friday, Oct. 16.
The team comfortably defeated Rocky Point at home, 4-1, to maintain its No. 1 spot in League V, with a 10-2 record.
The Tornadoes hadn’t won a league title since 2006, and for specifically League V, the team hasn’t won in 33 years; since 1982.
Harborfields’ Brian Root, a senior, scored the first goal 10 minutes into the game, off a rebound from a save by Rocky Point’s goalie. Minutes later, Harborfields committed a foul at the top of the 18-yard line, and Rocky Point’s Xavier Guey-Mock capitalized off a free kick for the equalizer.
With 10 minutes left in the first half, Harborfields senior Chad Terc scored off a corner kick, where the ball was sent into play by senior Gerard Espinoza, to break the tie. Several minutes later, Espinoza assisted again, with a second corner kick, and senior Hunter Cuthbertson sent the ball crashing into the back of the net for the 3-1 advantage.
In the second half, Harborfields junior Spencer Stapleton scored the final goal for the Tornadoes.
It was a fitting end for the team’s senior night, as the crowd was filled with parents and friends who came out to support the upperclassmen who were playing their last home game of the regular season.
Jaclyn Wilton bumps the ball in a game last season. File photo by Bill Landon
Jaclyn Wilton bumps the ball in a game last season. File photo by Bill Landon
Despite losing some top competitors to graduation last year, the Kings Park girls’ volleyball team is on track to do it again.
The Kingsmen currently sit atop the League V standings, tied with Westhampton with a 9-1 record.
The team has shut out eight of its opponents so far this season, not including the Wednesday result, and only had one five-set contest in which the team topped Islip, 3-2, Oct. 14.
The Kingsmen were undefeated in league play in the previous three seasons, and won four Long Island championships in a row, making it to the state championship each year as a result.
The team will traveled to Harborfields on Wednesday. They will follow it up with a tournament at Smithtown West Saturday, and wrap up regular season play at Hauppauge on Monday at 6:15 p.m.
Prev
