Home Sports

SBU Sports: Men’s Cross Country finishes in 13th place while Women’s Cross Country finishes 15th at NCAA Northeast Regionals

by Press Release - November 20, 2024

0 419

crop-1 — Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics

The Stony Brook men’s cross country team returned to competition on Nov. 15, competing at the 2024 NCAA Northeast Regional Championship in Hopkinton, New Hampshire. Four of the seven Seawolf runners placed within the top-100, while Stony Brook placed 13th out of 39 schools as a team, the best finish of all the CAA teams that competed at the regional.

Sophomore Henry Gartner was the Seawolves’ top performer, finishing 47th with a time of 31:05.35 in the 10K race.

Three more Stony Brook runners recorded top-100 placements, with Michael Hawkes (60th, 31:16.62), Steven Struk (93rd, 31:53.68), and Nick Tardugno (98th, 31:57.76) doing so. Thomas Burfeind (137th), Neel Chittur (197th), and John Fontanez (250th) rounded the Seawolves’ field of runners.

“Considering we ran without two of our top five guys from the conference championship team, I was pleased with the overall effort of the men’s team,” head coach Andy Ronan said. “Henry and Michael led the way, with both of them battling hard throughout the 10,000-meter event.

The Stony Brook women’s cross country team placed 15th at the event. Grace Weigele was the team’s top performer, finishing 22nd overall and earning a second consecutive All-Region distinction. Weigele completed the 6K championship course in 20:27.13, the second-best finish for a CAA competitor.

Next to cross the finish line was Rebecca Clackett (65th, 21:19.47). Right behind Clackett was Amelie Guzman (70th, 21:26.82). Grace Sisson (109th), Danielle Cirrito (129th), Niamh Durcan (135th), and Miranda Gatto (140th) rounded out the Seawolves’ field of runners at the regional championships.

“White it was positive for Grace to make the All-Region team, there was some disappointment attached as she fell short of our goal of a top-10 finish, which may have given her a shot to make Nationals,” head coach Andy Ronan said. “She was a little off her game today, but battled to finish in the top-25. I was pleased with the rest of the girls, they competed for the entire race and produced a nice top-15 finish. We had been ranked outside the top 15 going into the meet.”

SBU Sports: Billy Cosh named 2024 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year

by Press Release - November 20, 2024

0 454

crop — Coach Billy Cosh. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics

First-year head coach Billy Cosh has been named the 2024 AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year after leading Stony Brook to its most wins since 2018, following a winless 2023 season. The announcement was made this morning by the AFCA organization. Cosh becomes only the second head coach in program history to receive this honor.

The second-youngest coach in Division I football, Cosh has transformed a team predicted to finish last in the CAA Preseason Coaches Poll into a national contender. Under his leadership, the Seawolves have achieved their highest national ranking since 2018, their most wins since 2017 and their first winning season since 2018, with an impressive 8-3 (5-2 CAA) record.

Stony Brook has taken the FCS by storm this season, ranking in the top 10 nationally in several offensive and defensive categories. The Seawolves lead the CAA and rank in the FCS top 10 for fumbles recovered, turnover margin, turnovers gained, and blocked punts allowed. They also rank in the CAA’s top three—and the FCS’s top 25—in fourth-down conversion percentage, defensive touchdowns, passes intercepted, red zone offense, red zone defense, tackles for loss allowed and time of possession.

This season marks the biggest turnaround in the FCS, with the Seawolves improving from 0-10 to 8-3. Cosh has also secured the third-most wins among first-year head coaches in the FCS and is the fastest head coach in program history to achieve eight career victories.

Cosh has been instrumental in the emergence of key players, including Roland Dempster, Tyler Knoop, Rudy Silvera, Rodney Faulk, and Rushawn Lawrence. Dempster ranks in the FCS top five in rushing touchdowns, rushing yards, rushing yards per game, and scoring. Silvera is eighth in the nation in pass breakups, while Knoop leads the CAA and ranks seventh in the FCS in completion percentage. Faulk and Lawrence both rank in the FCS top 20 in forced fumbles and sacks.

The Seawolves return home for their regular-season finale on Saturday, November 23, against Monmouth, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. on FloFootball. The game will also serve as Senior Day, with Stony Brook honoring its graduating football student-athletes in a pregame ceremony.

The AFCA began recognizing district coaches of the year following the 1960 season. The awards were established the same year Eastman Kodak agreed to sponsor the AFCA Coach of the Year award. Prior to 1960, the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain had sponsored the program, which recognized one national Coach of the Year. The AFCA first recognized eight district winners in each of two divisions: university and college. In 1972, a ninth district was added in each division.

In 1983, the award was changed to recognize regional winners instead of district winners. The number of divisions was also increased from two to four and five regional winners were selected in each division. This resulted in a more equitable selection process and better represented the make-up of the membership. At the same time, the new system increased the number of honorees from 18 to 20. In 2006, the AFCA Division II Award was split into separate Division II and NAIA divisions, giving us the 25 winners we now recognize.

2024 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Winners

Football Bowl Subdivision

Region 1: Jeff Monken, Army West Point
Region 2: Clark Lea, Vanderbilt University
Region 3: Curt Cignetti, Indiana University
Region 4: Kalani Sitake, Brigham Young University
Region 5: Spencer Danielson, Boise State University

Football Championship Subdivision

Region 1: Billy Cosh, Stony Brook University
Region 2: *Chennis Berry, South Carolina State University
Region 3: Nathan Brown, University of Central Arkansas
Region 4: Tim Polasek, North Dakota State University
Region 5: Tim Plough, UC Davis

Division II

Region 1: *Jim Clements, Kutztown University
Region 2: Tremaine Jackson, Valdosta State University
Region 3: Adam Dorrel, University of Central Oklahoma
Region 4: Todd Knight, Ouachita Baptist University
Region 5: Jerry Olszewski, Augustana (S.D.) University

Division III

Region 1: *Curt Fitzpatrick, SUNY Cortland
Region 2: Sherman Wood, Salisbury University
Region 3: Andy Frye, Centre College
Region 4: Peter Stuursma, Hope College
Region 5: Ryan Munz, University of Wisconsin-Platteville

NAIA

Region 1: Myles Russ, Keiser University
Region 2: Aaron Mingo, Taylor University
Region 3: Paul Hansen, MidAmerica Nazarene University
Region 4: Steve Ryan, Morningside University
Region 5: Berk Brown, Southern

To purchase season, single game, mini plans or group tickets, click here or call 631-632-WOLF (9653) or email [email protected].

SBU Sports: Knoop throws three touchdowns, football falls late to New Hampshire

by Press Release - November 20, 2024

0 391

resize — Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics

The Stony Brook football team was in control for a majority of the afternoon on Nov. 16, including a 21-point lead, but the New Hampshire Wildcats score 22 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to ultimately take the victory at home.

The Wildcats improved to 7-4 on the year and 5-2 in Coastal Athletic Association play, while the Seawolves fell to 8-3 overall and 5-2 in conference matchups.

Tyler Knoop led Stony Brook’s passing attack with 194 yards through the air, tossing three touchdowns without throwing an interception. Roland Dempster paced the Seawolves rushing attack by accumulating 85 yards over the course of the game, averaging 4 yards per carry. Knoop also added 32 yards on the ground.
Cal Redman reeled in five catches for 66 yards and one score. Jayce Freeman got in on the action in the passing game as well, hauling in three balls for 55 yards and one touchdown.

Rodney Faulk led the Stony Brook defensive effort, collecting four tackles, 3.0 TFL, two sacks, and one forced fumble. A.J. Roberts added six tackles, 1.0 TFL, and one recovered fumble and Shamoun Duncan-Niusulu had seven tackles and one interception in the loss. Both teams forced two turnovers in Saturday’s contest, with Stony Brook turning those takeaways into three points. The Seawolves defense took up residence in New Hampshire’s backfield all game, collecting four sacks and nine total tackles for loss.

“Lost the game, credit New Hampshire for doing a great job of responding and coming back to win,” said head coach Billy Cosh. “Their players played hard and made plays. We made too many mistakes as an organization to win that game. It starts with the coaches to the players and we just didn’t execute at the end of the game. We got to learn from this one. We’ve had a good stretch, lots of things we need to get better at this week.”

Up next, the returns home for the regular season finale on Saturday, Nov. 23 against Monmouth for a 1 p.m. kick off on FloFootball. Next week’s contest will be senior day, as Stony Brook will honor its graduating football student-athletes pregame. Stony Brook is 3-6 all-time against Monmouth.

Playoff stunner: Emotional roller coaster ends on a downer for Northport football

by Steven Zaitz - November 15, 2024

0 604

1 of 9

By Steven Zaitz

In Week 4 of the regular season, Northport quarterback Enrique Hernandez piloted a desperate, two-minute drill for a touchdown to cap an exhilarating 20-19 victory over the Suffolk County Conference II defending champion North Babylon Bulldogs.

Five weeks later, the two teams met again in the first round of the playoffs, and the Tigers were again down by six points. This time, however, Hernandez was on the sidelines, his arm wrapped in a sling after being injured at the end of the third quarter.

With backup QB Simon Blissett also out, Tiger Nation turned its lonely eye to senior receiver Christian Campoli to step in behind center.

Could Campoli, who has played running back, wide receiver, kick returner and defensive back over the course of his Northport Tiger football career, lead another miracle comeback?

Yes … and no.

With five and a half minutes left, the Tigers, who had led for the first three quarters, were running out of chances. Campoli was operating what was essentially a Wildcat offense and a highly condensed version of the playbook, calling on himself and running backs Luke Loiacona and Asher Levine to chip away at the 70 yards between them and the potential winning score.

After a few modest gains on running plays, an automatic first down on a pass interference call and a critical 21-yard conversion on fourth down from Campoli to wide receiver Tommy O’Brien, the Tiger offense was set up inside the North Babylon 20. The home Tiger fans were now screaming and believing.

Six running plays later, their faith was rewarded.

Levine scored from three yards out behind a key block by Reid Johansen with 45 seconds remaining to tie the score at 20. Kicker Zac Loh trotted in to add the extra point for Northport and give them a one-point lead.

Loh, who was a perfect 24-for-24 on extra points this year, kicked a ball that skimmed the top of his offensive linemen and dribbledunder the goal post — and a wildly happy and raucous crowd just seconds before turned stone silent.

Instead of a one-point Tiger lead, the game would now be decided in overtime.

Bulldog star running back Jawara Keahey scored a touchdown on the opening drive of the extra session and their extra point was successful. This compelled Northport to hold serve.

Loiacona rumbled eight yards to set up first and goal at the five, as the Tigers looked to send the game into a second overtime. But Northport was stopped three times for minimal gain, setting up fourth and goal from the 2-yard line.

On the next, and what would be the game’s final play, Loiacona was swallowed up behind the line of scrimmage by three Bulldog defenders shortly after he took the handoff. The game was over, and with it, Northport’s football season.

As the visiting team in white threw cups of water and Gatorade into the air, the entire Northport offensive unit lay scattered across the end zone in various states of shock and despair. Campoli, who stood to be the game’s surprise hero was one of the few players left standing.

He looked to the heavens and held the front of his facemask in disbelief — his helmet, slathered in tiger paw print stickers for past acts of football heroism, gleaming in the western afternoon sun.

Despite the loss in his final game as a Northport Tiger, he deserves at least one more sticker for his helmet.

Hauppauge football falls to Islip in first round of playoffs

by Steven Zaitz - November 15, 2024

0 833

1 of 23

By Steven Zaitz

The Suffolk County high school football playoffs kicked off this weekend, and in most cases, the higher-seeded teams were met with little resistance. But when the sixth-seeded Hauppauge Eagles flew south down Route 111 to No. 3 Islip on Friday night, they did everything they could to sink the Buccaneers’ planned pleasure cruise in the Conference III quarterfinal.

After a brilliant 23-yard touchdown scramble down the left sideline by Eagle quarterback Nick Lachapelle, Hauppauge had a 22-14 lead and was less than 10 minutes away from a not-so-mild upset. Islip came into the game with a 6-2 record and was fresh off a rousing 42-6 win over Amityville in the final week of the regular season, while the Eagles had suffered a soul-crushing shutout at the hands of top-seed Sayville, 49-0.

But the slate was blank once the playoffs started, and Hauppauge wasn’t thinking about what happened at Sayville. They needed to continue to bottle up Islip’s All-County quarterback Brady Nash for the next nine minutes and 42 seconds to survive and advance.

After Lachapelle’s TD run, Buccaneer scatback Dylan Smith got Islip to midfield immediately as he took an end-around on the first play from scrimmage. A completion to wide receiver Jack Rao moved the ball to the Eagle 29, and two plays later, Nash found a wide-open Rao for a 16-yard touchdown. Islip converted the two-point conversion, and the game was tied at 22.

Lachapelle, who was beaten and battered throughout the game by a relentless Bucs pass rush, also plays as a defensive back and long-snapper on punts. When he made a tackle on a critical third down with less than four minutes left and the game still tied, he limped noticeably but stayed on the field. The lanky lefty was sacked on third down by Josiah Patterson for the third time in the game and needed assistance getting to his sideline as the Eagle punting unit came onto the field with 2:15 remaining.

As an injured player must sit out for one play, Lachapelle handed over the snapping duties to backup Matt Cira.

“I was cramping really badly and couldn’t even stand, so we had to put in our backup snapper,” said the junior Lachapelle, who rushed for 67 yards on 12 carries and threw for 89.

These cramps put a real crimp in Hauppauge’s chance to win the game.

As the gentle, southerly breeze that blew in from the Great South Bay at the start of the game turned colder and more biting, Eagle punter Jackson Ruple took the field. Lachapelle could only watch helplessly from the sidelines as Cira’s snap fluttered way over the head of Ruple, who chased the ball near his own 20-yard line and was immediately decked by Islip’s do-it-all Christian Hall.

A minute later, Nash, who totaled exactly 300 yards of offense, took a third-and-3 shotgun snap and darted up the middle for a 12-yard, go-ahead touchdown. It was 29-22 with 58 seconds left, and a gimpy Lachapelle and Hauppauge were out of bullets.

“That loss really hurt, and I wanted a playoff win more than anything,” Lachapelle said. “It’s unfortunate I had to sit out that one play.”

Eagle running back Gershon Diaz had the other touchdowns on runs of 6 and 18 yards.

For the senior Nash, he and his teammates had a playoff win after an abysmal 2-6 season in 2023. He finished with two touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns, the last of which won the game.

“The winning touchdown run was one of the moments that everyone dreams of having, and I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Nash said. “It was huge for the town, the team, and it was an amazing moment.”

Nash is ticketed for more amazing moments when postseason award banquets start up in a few weeks. But before he hits the carving stations and the salad bars, Nash and his Buco teammates have a date with fellow All-County quarterback Joe Filardi and Half Hollow Hills West next Saturday at West in the Suffolk County Conference III semifinal game. The Colts beat up on the Bucs 56-20 in Week 7 of the regular season.

“We learned a lot from that week against Hills West,” Nash said. “I think we’re all pulling in the right direction.”

Shoreham-Wading River girls soccer punches ticket to NYS finals

by Bill Landon - November 14, 2024

0 704

1 of 15

By Bill Landon

The Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats, unafraid to shoot, rifled five shots on goal that were near misses before Mia Mangano broke the ice with a shot to the corner of the net 11 minutes into the second half in the Long Island Class A championship game Sunday afternoon at Farmingdale State College.

Ten minutes later, Olivia Pesso dished the ball to Shealyn Varbero, who headed it to the back of the net for a 2-0 lead over Wantagh, the Nassau County champion — a score that would stand until the final horn. Senior goalie Morgan Lesiewicz had a quiet day in net with two saves.

The win propels the Wildcats to their second consecutive New York State championship appearance in the semifinals Saturday, Nov. 16, at Cortland High School. The Wildcats will face Pittsford Mendon with hopes of advancing to the final round the following day.

– Photos by Bill Landon

Shoreham-Wading River football falls to Miller Place

by Bill Landon - November 14, 2024

0 553

1 of 14

By Bill Landon

The Shoreham-Wading River football team aimed to avenge a late-season loss to Miller Place in the opening round of the Division IV playoffs, but a win for the Wildcats wasn’t in the cards. Miller Place quarterback Shane Kiernan and wide receiver Dennis James Williamson proved to be a potent combination, connecting three times for touchdown scores covering 88 yards. Miller Place defensive back Ethan Monaco’s interception and 20-yard return put the Panthers ahead 22-0 at halftime.

The Wildcats managed to get on the board when Brendan Friedlander found freshman wide receiver Gavin Cleary late in the third quarter, but the Wildcat offense stalled the rest of the way as the Panthers won 36-12.

The Wildcats conclude the 2024 season with a 4-5 record. Miller Place, the No. 3 seed, advances to the semifinals, where they will face the No. 2 seed Babylon on Friday, Nov. 15. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.

— Photos by Bill Landon

SBU Sports: Stony Brook football earns first Golden Apple victory since ’21

by Press Release - November 13, 2024

0 379

Behind a dominant defensive effort that forced four turnovers, Stony Brook football took down UAlbany 24-6 at home on Nov. 9 to bring back the Golden Apple to Long Island. The Seawolves improved to 8-2 on the year and 5-1 in Coastal Athletic Association play, while the Great Danes fell to 3-7 and 1-5.

Tyler Knoop led Stony Brook’s passing attack with 229 yards through the air, tossing one touchdown without throwing an interception. Roland Dempster led all Seawolves rushers with 98 yards and two touchdowns in the contest. Dempster also added 49 receiving yards. Brandon Boria also added four yards on the ground, averaging 4 yards per carry. Jasiah Williams reeled in seven catches for 74 yards. Jayce Freeman got in on the action in the passing game as well, hauling in two balls for 56 yards and one touchdown.

Shamoun Duncan-Niusulu showed out for the Stony Brook defense, totaling 11 tackles and one recovered fumble. Anthony Ferrelli added seven tackles and one recovered fumble and Rudy Silvera had six tackles, one forced fumble, and one recovered fumble in the win.

The Seawolves won the turnover battle in Saturday’s game, forcing four turnovers while coughing the ball up one time, with Stony Brook turning those takeaways into 10 points. Stony Brook converted on 42.9 percent of third-down attempts on the day.

Stony Brook took care of business in the red zone, scoring three times on three trips inside UAlbany’s 20-yard line, with all of those scores being touchdowns.

The team returns to the field next weekend as they head to Durham to take on New Hampshire on Nov. 16. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m. and can be streamed live on FloFootball.

SBU Sports: Women’s basketball defeats Le Moyne in home opener

by Press Release - November 13, 2024

0 374

The Stony Brook women’s basketball team opened up their 2024-25 home slate on Nov. 7 as head coach Joy McCorvey earned her first career win, leading the Seawolves to a 53-43 victory over Le Moyne on their home court.

Zaida Gonzalez led the squad with 20 points and eight rebounds. Janay Brantley had an all-around performance tacking on five points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals and Lauren Filien chipped in with eight points, six rebounds and two blocks.

Led by Dallysshya Moreno’s six offensive rebounds, Stony Brook did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 19 boards that resulted in 12 second chance points. The Seawolves’ defense held Le Moyne shooters to only 27.9 percent from the field, including 20 percent from three-point range. Stony Brook also kept the Dolphins’ Haedyn Roberts to 5-of-19 shooting in the game.

“I’m really proud of the team’s resiliency and the growth that we showed with such a quick turnaround after our game against Columbia,” stated head coach Joy McCorvey postgame.

“We took a lot of teaching and learning moments from that game [Columbia] and I definitely saw some of that in tonight’s game. We’ve talked a lot about our effort and as we continue to define who we want to be as a team, we always want to be on the defensive end and that comes with resiliency and a dawg mentality. Tonight, they did just that. Shots weren’t falling for us, but they never wavered from what truly matters to our team and doing it on the defensive end,” she said.

The team returns to the court on Friday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. across the Long Island Sound at Yale. The Seawolves have gone 4-3 all-time against the Bulldogs with an 81-66 victory last season. Coverage is available on ESPN+.

Stroked and stoked: Ward Melville field hockey gains playoff win over Northport

by Steven Zaitz - November 9, 2024

0 513

1 of 10

By Steven Zaitz

The Ward Melville field hockey team defeated Northport 1-0 on Saturday in the Suffolk County semifinals, ending the storied career of Lady Tigers coach Gina Walling.

Peyton Phillips scored on a rare penalty stroke with two and a half minutes remaining in the game, securing the game’s only goal and sending the Lady Patriots to the county final against Sachem East on Tuesday.

Ward Melville goalkeeper Olivia Zummo held Northport scoreless, making four saves and extending her 2024 shutout streak against the Tigers to seven consecutive quarters. The teams previously met on Oct. 22, with the game ending in a 0-0 tie as officials called it due to darkness midway through the fourth quarter.

This time, bright skies lit the field on Saturday afternoon. Both teams struggled to generate scoring chances despite a healthy number of penalty corners awarded, with much of the game contested at midfield.

With 2:34 remaining in the fourth quarter, Phillips was brought down in front of Northport goalkeeper Mariselle Camillone, earning the rare penalty stroke. The two had been in this situation before: on Oct. 16, 2023, Phillips attempted a penalty stroke but was denied by Camillone. That game marked the end of Northport’s 68-game winning streak, which lasted nearly 1,000 days.

Ward Melville won that matchup 3-0, despite Camillone’s save.

This time, Phillips placed the shot — taken from only seven yards out — between Camillone’s leg pad and left blocker glove, sending it into the net. She was immediately mobbed by her teammates, a celebration that would repeat two and a half minutes later when the final whistle secured Ward Melville’s playoff victory. The Patriots had finally overcome Northport, which had eliminated them the past four years.

The game marked the final regular-season contest for longtime Northport Coach Walling, who has led the Lady Tigers for 17 years, winning multiple Coach of the Year awards, Suffolk County titles, and New York state championships in 2021 and 2022.

Ward Melville lost to Sachem East 1-0 on Tuesday, Nov. 5 in the Suffolk County Championship game. Sachem East completed their undefeated season in Section XI play with a 17-0 record. They will play the winner of Massapequa and East Meadow for the Long Island championship game on Sunday.

Prev 1...262728...247 Next

Page 27 of 247

SBU Sports: Men’s Cross Country finishes in 13th place while Women’s Cross Country finishes 15th at NCAA Northeast Regionals

SBU Sports: Billy Cosh named 2024 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year

SBU Sports: Knoop throws three touchdowns, football falls late to New Hampshire

Playoff stunner: Emotional roller coaster ends on a downer for Northport football

Hauppauge football falls to Islip in first round of playoffs

Shoreham-Wading River girls soccer punches ticket to NYS finals

Shoreham-Wading River football falls to Miller Place

SBU Sports: Stony Brook football earns first Golden Apple victory since ’21

SBU Sports: Women’s basketball defeats Le Moyne in home opener

Stroked and stoked: Ward Melville field hockey gains playoff win over Northport

Most Viewed

Meet the scholars of Smithtown East High School and Hauppague High School

Local celebrations match those around the world for opening of historic telescope

‘Clueless’ returns to the big screen June 29 and 30