Sports

Smithtown West’s Necco Cottage battles Nick Palhares at face off in a Div-II matchup Apr. 6. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

After narrowly winning their season opener, Comsewogue Warriors dropped their next two in a row and looked to get back to winning ways with a home game against Smithtown West, Saturday, April 6. 

Fresh off their win against Westhampton, the Bulls led 5-2 at the halftime break on a cold and windy morning in the Division II matchup. After a scoreless 3rd quarter Comsewogue managed a pair of goals in the final 12 minutes of play as Smithtown West notched an insurance goal to hold on to a 6-4 victory.

Smithtown West senior John Savino had two goals and one assist as did teammate Liam Byrne. Dylan Bonasera had nine stops in net for the Bulls.

Connor Rocchio topped the scoring chart for the Warriors with an assist and two goals, Ryan Meyers and Hunter Marquardt both scored, and goalie Adam Wacholder had 13 saves between the pipes.

In their next games, April 8, both teams had crushing victories, with Comsewogue beating Center Moriches 17-4 and Smithtown West defeating West Babylon 21-4.

Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

The Stony Brook University men’s lacrosse team got back in the win column, picking up a decisive 13-8 victory over Drexel on April 6 at LaValle Stadium. Nick Dupuis (five assists) and Dylan Pallonetti (five goals) each tallied six points, while Jack Dougherty scored four times to propel the Seawolves to the win.

Will Danowski opened the scoring just over three minutes into the contest, scoring on an assist from Pallonetti. Drexel evened the score at 1-1 with a goal on the advantage. After the two sides traded another pair of goals back and forth, Stony Brook ripped off four straight tallies that spanned eight-plus minutes of second-quarter action.

The Dragons scored twice in the final 64 seconds of the first half, trimming the Seawolves lead to two goals, 6-4, heading into the half. Dougherty opened the second half on a heater, scoring three times to help Stony Brook jump out to a 9-6 lead. Pallonetti caught fire after Dougherty, scoring the final two goals of the third period to extend Stony Brook’s lead to 11-7. Pallonetti was responsible for the Seawolves’ two goals in the fourth quarter, helping Stony Brook close out a 13-8 victory over CAA foe Drexel.

“I’m pumped up for the guys. I thought the last two weeks, we’ve had our best weeks of practice,” head coach Anthony Gilardi said. “Opportunity to continue to compete and grind; we’ve got a long haul ahead of us here and we’re ready to keep getting better.”

Up next, the team returns to action on April 13 on the road at Delaware. The Seawolves and Blue Hens get going at noon on FloLive.

Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

Coach Joe Spallina earns 200th win at Stony Brook

Stony Brook women’s lacrosse used an offensive explosion to defeat Delaware, 17-4, on Senior Day, April 6. The Seawolves were led by graduate attack Kailyn Hart who scored a career-high seven goals, six of which came in the first half of play.

With the win, Stony Brook head coach Joe Spallina earned his 200th victory with the Seawolves. Spallina improves to 200-39 over his 13 seasons at Stony Brook and 273-41 over his head coaching career.

Hart led a trio of Seawolves who tallied hat tricks in the win. Senior midfielder Ellie Masera and graduate midfielder Charlotte Verhulst each found the back of the net three times apiece.

Stony Brook also dominated on the defensive end as it limited Delaware to a season-low four goals. The Seawolves outshot the Blue Hens, 32-7, and recorded 26 shots on goals to Delaware’s six. The Seawolves also won the battle of the turnovers as they forced 22 turnovers, nine of which were caused, and only turned it over 13 times.

Junior defender Avery Hines helped anchor the defense as she caused a career-high six turnovers and scooped up three ground balls. Her six caused turnovers are the most in a game by a Stony Brook player since Haley Dillon forced six turnovers vs. Vermont on March 26, 2022.

Stony Brook opened the game on an 8-0 scoring run, with Hart rattling the cage four times over the span. Senior attack Maggie Reznick and senior attack Hayden Lachenmeyer each scored their first career goals in the first quarter.

The Seawolves added to their lead in the second quarter and took a commanding, 11-2, lead into the halftime break. Stony Brook surrendered just three shots in the first half and forced 14 turnovers.

Stony Brook continued to cruise in the second half as it outscored Delaware, 6-2, over the final 30 minutes on its way to the 17-4 victory. Masera scored all three of her goals in the second half, while Verhulst scored two of her three goals. 

Possession? Bill Landon photo

By Bill Landon

If the Wildcats of Shoreham-Wading River were concerned that they trailed the Comsewogue Warriors by three goals to begin the second quarter, it was senior midfielder Ryan Wilson’s stick that breathed new life into the Wildcats offense by cutting the deficit to 4-2 in the Division II rivalry Wednesday night, March 27. 

SWR’s senior midfielder, Liam Gregorek, rattled off two unanswered goals to make it a new game at 4-4. Both teams traded goals, and retied the game at 6-6 with 2:53 left before the halftime break, which arrived with Shoreham leading 8-6 that became 11-9 after the third quarter. 

Comsewogue senior attack Dylan Rocchio split the pipes to open the final 12 minutes of play for the Warriors to trail the Wildcats 11-10. With eight minutes left in regulation, SWR’s Alex Kershis dished off the ball to Wilson who buried his shot for the insurance goal. Minutes later senior attackman Liam Kershis fired at the cage, hitting the top upright but the rebound hit his stick and he fired off his second shot for the score for Shoreham to lead by three. Comsewogue’s Ryan Meyers answered with five minutes left in regulation, but the Wildcats held on for the 13-11 victory at Thomas Cutinella Memorial Field.

Topping the scoring charts for the Wildcats was Liam Kershis with nine assists and one goal and Gregorek netted four. Jaden Galfano had nine saves in net.

Senior Meyers led the way for the Warriors with four goals and two assists, and teammates Rocchio, Doug Annicelli and Andrew Krieg each scored two goals apiece.

The win lifted the Wildcats to 2-0 in the early going and Comsewogue dropped to 1-1.                                    

By Steven Zaitz

The Walt Whitman flag football team traveled just a few miles northeast to notch their first win of the season in a nonleague game against Harborfields on March 27. 

The Wildcats scored four touchdowns in the first half against the Tornadoes and cruised to 28-0 victory. Whitman quarterback Madi Richter was 11 for 14 passing for 87, including a touchdown toss to wide receiver Katelyn Adams. Whitman also shined on defense and special teams as they intercepted Tornado quarterbacks four times, returning one of them for a touchdown, which was by Nevin Letren. 

Wildcat punt returner Brittny Cisneros Campos scampered 46 yards for a touchdown, as the rules have been changed this year to allow punt returns to be advanced – as long as the ball has been fielded cleanly by the receiving team. 

Campos also scored the first touchdown of the game on a two-yard run. Whitman played against the Half Hollow Hills combined team on April 2 in a battle of predicted powerhouses. They lost 20-12 to the 2023 Suffolk County champion Lady Thunderbirds.

Tornado quarterback Kate Lysaght was 13 for 20 passing for 83 yards and defensive back Scarlet Carey led the team with six flag pulls and two passes defended.

Harborfields tried again on the road against Sayville on April 1, but were beaten 39-7. They will host Wyandanch on April 4.

— Photos by Steven Zaitz

By Bill Landon

Having lost their first two games of the season, Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats looked to put a win up on the board in this early season and win they did, defeating Kings Park 14-7 in driving rain Tuesday afternoon, April 2, at Thomas Cutinella Memorial Field.

In the opening minutes of the second quarter, SWR freshman midfielder Madison Herr notched her hat trick on a penalty shot to put her team ahead 7-1. The Wildcats took the opportunity to rest some of their starters until the final buzzer sounded.

The win lifts the Wildcats to 1-2 in their division as the loss drops Kings Park to 0-3.

Both teams retake the field Friday, April 5, when Kings Park hosts Elwood-John Glenn at 5 p.m. and the Wildcats take on Westhampton in another home game at 4:45 p.m.

— Photos by Bill Landon 

Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics

Mia Haynes was dealing on March 31, hurling a one-hit shutout to lead Stony Brook past Towson, 1-0, at University Field.

Haynes went the distance for Stony Brook, giving up one hit, walking two and striking out 10. She earned her sixth victoy of the season in the circle. In the batter’s box, Julianna Sanzone drove in the lone run of the contest with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.

The Seawolves took the lead for good in the sixth, scoring for the first and only time in the game when Alyssa Costello came across to score on a Sanzone sacrifice fly to the opposite field.

“This was an important series for us and I’m so proud of how our team responded,” head coach Megan T. Bryant said. “Each game was different; today was a pitcher’s dual and Mia was exceptional. We stayed locked in, made plays and scratched across the run we needed. Very gritty by our group.”

Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics

No. 15 Stony Brook women’s lacrosse wrapped up the month of March with an 18-8 victory against Monmouth at Kessler Stadium on March 29. The Seawolves picked up their fourth straight win, moving to 9-2 (4-0) on the season while Monmouth dropped to 5-6 (1-3 CAA).

The team was led by graduate student Kailyn Hart who scored four goals on the afternoon. Graduate student Charlotte Verhulst and junior Courtney Maclay each netted three goals, while senior Clare Levy added two. Six more players finished off one goal on the afternoon. Stony Brook tallied nine assists on Friday, led by graduate student Erin MacQuarrie and senior Jaden Hampel with two each.

Graduate student McKenzie Mitchell picked up three ground balls and Levy added two, while Mitchell and Emily Manning caused two turnovers each. Manning made six saves in the second half, allowing just two goals, while senior Aaliyah Jones got the start and made four stops on a .400 save percentage. In the circle, Levy collected a career-high nine draw controls while Verhulst contributed four of her own.

 Monmouth was led by Maddie Flynn who put up a hat trick, while Shea Berigan and Ella Spears each scored twice. Goalkeeper Katie Sullivan made eight saves on the afternoon.

 “Excited to be 4-0 in conference, and for our players to get a few days off to refuel and get right as we head into another very difficult part of our schedule,” said head coach Joe Spallina. “I really love this group and I know our best lacrosse is ahead of us.”

The team heads home to continue conference play, facing Delaware on April 6 at LaValle Stadium. Opening draw is set for noon on FloLive and Stony Brook will honor its women’s lacrosse seniors prior to the game. Stony Brook is 5-0 all-time against the Blue Hens, winning 18-6 in both the regular season and the conference tournament last year.

By Bill Landon

Ward Melville girls lacrosse team opened their season at home against the Longwood Lions on Monday, March 25, under brilliant sunshine in a Division 1 matchup where both teams traded goals through two quarters of play. Longwood found the back of the cage in the final seconds to take a 5-4 lead into the halftime break.

The Patriots dispatched the offseason cobwebs in the second half as they dominated the time of possession, and with smart clock management rattled off six unanswered goals, shutting out the Lions in the second half to cruise to a 10-5 victory.

Senior attack Kate Spinks picked up where she left off last season topping the scoring charts for the Patriots with four goals and one assist. 

Junior midfielder Ava Simonton had two goals to go along with an assist, and teammate M.J. Timpanaro found the back of the cage twice.

The Patriots looked to build on Monday’s momentum when they traveled to Sachem East Wednesday, March 27, but the result was not available at press time.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Pitcher Andrew Poxon fires one in against Grand Street Campus. Photo by Steven Zaitz

By Steven Zaitz

The Ward Melville Patriots baseball team played a scrimmage against Brooklyn-based Grand Street Campus this past Sunday, March 24.

Patriot third baseman, Matt Poxon, takes a throw during a bang-bang play against Grand Street Campus. Photo by Steven Zaitz

After the all-day and night downpour on Saturday, the skies were blue on Sunday, but that didn’t mean it was ideal baseball weather. With the early-morning start time, a whipping wind, and a temperature that barely crawled into the 40’s, it was a day more suited for ice fishing than baseball.

It looked like Ward Melville was playing with some frozen fingers early on as a botched bunt play and an outfield overthrow in the second inning led to four unearned runs for the Wolves, who would win 5-1.

Nick Carnovale, Andrew Poxon and Ben Ferraro pitched for the Patriots.

Ward Melville played again on Monday and had a big, late-inning rally to beat Brentwood 9-8. First baseman Joe Karpowicz and outfielder Danny Cornish had RBI singles in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Patriots were down by 8-5 entering the inning. 

Pitcher Jason Stiles threw three scoreless innings for the win in relief of starter Patrick Duryea. The Patriots played their final non league game on March 27 against East Islip and will start the regular season with a three-game set against Connetquot on April 2.

— Photos by Steven Zaitz