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Shoreham-Wading River and Miller Place girls volleyball square off

by Bill Landon - September 28, 2023

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After edging by Miller Place in the first set having to win by two, the Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats lost the second set to make it a new match in the League VI matchup.

Squeezing by the Panthers 25-23 in the third set and rallying in the fourth set, the Wildcats were lucky to escape with the 3-1 victory, 28-26, 18-25, 25-23, 25-18, on the road Sept. 22.

Senior Giorgia Balza led the way for the Wildcats with 13 kills, a pair of aces and 4 blocks, and teammate Caroline Lange had a block with 4 kills.

Setting the pace for the Panthers was Payton Horan with 13 kills, a service ace and 2 digs along with Olivia Honkanen’s 6 kills 3 service aces and 4 digs.

The win lifts the Wildcats to 2-2, leaving the Panthers searching for that elusive first win.

Both teams are back in action Sept. 28 when the Wildcats host Bayport-Blue Point at 4 p.m. and the Panthers have a road game against nearby Mount Sinai. First service is set for 4:30 p.m.

— Photos by Bill Landon

SBU Sports: Stony Brook volleyball propels to victory over Charleston

by Press Release - September 27, 2023

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SBU Sports volleyball — Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

Kali Moore and Leoni Kunz both registered double-doubles to help propel the Stony Brook volleyball team to a 3-0 victory (25-23, 25-23, 25-16) against the College of Charleston Cougars on Sept. 24 at the TD Arena.

The Seawolves were led by the double-doubles from Kunz, who had 11 kills and 15 digs, and Moore, who had 14 kills and 15 digs. Abby Campbell added 10 kills to help the attack. On the defensive end, Julia Patsos chipped in for 16 digs to go with seven blocks from Campbell.

Stony Brook opened up an early one set to none lead, taking a nail-biter first set 25-23. The squad grabbed the advantage for good at 24-23 in a set that showcased three lead changes before the Seawolves took over in the second half of the stanza. The Seawolves had a terrific defensive performance from a front row that blocked five Charleston (SC) attacks in the stanza. Campbell tallied two of the final three points for the team after blocking two balls from the Cougars to secure the opening set.

The Seawolves persevered in a back-and-forth second set to win in the stanza that featured four lead changes and was tied nine times. Neither team led by more than four points along the way. After Charleston cut the deficit to 21-20, Moore tallied two kills and a service-ace to ultimately lead Stony Brook to the third-set victory 25-23.

In the third set, the Seawolves took control of the set early when the score was 4-3 and never looked back to win 25-16. Stony Brook led by as many as 10 points at 22-12 after Ayanna Pierre Louis tallied the ace. The team had a hitting perctange of 0.333 and captured 16 kills to secure the sweep.

“It feels great to be heading home with this win and even more so because of the way our team responded from yesterdays loss. I thought we came focused and competed as a team. We executed the game plan defensively and that gave us better opportunities to score. Excited to be back home in Pritchard next weekend,” said head coach Kristin Belzung.

The team returns to the court next weekend when they host North Carolina A&T on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. inside Pritchard Gymnasium.

SBU Sports: Stony Brook football narrowly falls to Richmond 20-19

by Press Release - September 27, 2023

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SBU Sports football — Wide Receiver #80 Jayce Freeman runs the ball down the field during Saturdays'game. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

After a stout defensive effort in which the Seawolves forced five turnovers, Richmond mounted an 11-play, 57-yard drive, culminating in a 28-yard field goal with 46 seconds remaining, as Stony Brook football fell in a tough 20-19 decision to Richmond at LaValle Stadium on Sept. 23.

Four players — redshirt junior Nick Chimienti, redshirt sophomore Jalen Hoyle, graduate student Quenton Porter and redshirt junior JuJu Ganthier each recorded interceptions, with Ganthier’s resulting in a 59-yard pick-six. Redshirt junior Taylor Bolesta forced a fumble that was recovered by redshirt sophomore Rodney Faulk for the fifth takeaway. Graduate student Aidan Kaler finished with a career-high 14 tackles including seven solo stops.

Redshirt sophomore Shakhi Carson paced the Seawolves’ rushing attack with 40 yards on the ground, while redshirt junior Ross Tallarico added 38 yards on four rushes, averaging 9.5 yards per carry. On the receiving end, redshirt freshman Anthony Johnson pulled in three catches for 49 yards and one score. Quarterback Casey Case finished 11-for-22 for 154 yards and the touchdown to Johnson.

Amidst tough kicking conditions, junior Spencer Biscoe went 2-for-2 on field goals while sophomore Clayton Taylor put a pair of punts inside the Richmond 5-yard line.

For Richmond, Savon Smith carried 22 times for 106 yards and a touchdown while Nick DeGennaro caught four passes for 86 yards and a score. Richmond won the ground game, 195-96.

The team is back on the road for the next two weeks, and will close the month of September with a matchup against the Maine Black Bears (0-4, 0-2) on Sept. 30 at 3:30 p.m. on FloSports.

Stony Brook Athletics announces contract extension for women’s basketball head coach Ashley Langford

by Press Release - September 25, 2023

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Ashley_Langford_4 — Coach Ashley Langford. Photo from SBU

Stony Brook Director of Athletics Shawn Heilbron has announced that women’s basketball head coach Ashley Langford has signed a contract extension through 2028.

“Our women’s basketball program is thriving under Ashley’s leadership, and I am very excited to extend our partnership together. Ashley is a tremendous competitor and a caring mentor who invests so much of herself in our student-athletes on and off of the court. I look forward to celebrating many successes for our women’s basketball team this year and into the future.”

Over her two seasons on Long Island, Langford has guided the Seawolves to a stellar 41-19 record, including a 23-5 mark at Island Federal Arena. Coach Langford has posted the highest winning percentage (.683) of any head coach in program history and the team has averaged 20 wins per season under her watch.

“I’d like to thank President McInnis and Shawn Heilbron for their continued belief in me and our program. I’d also like to thank my staff – you continuously pour into our women, and each of you has a tremendous, positive impact on the program. I love this University, the players, staff, and our community. I’m elated to serve as your head coach through 2028, as I know our future will be full of many wins on and off the court,” said coach Langford.

In her second year at the helm in 2022-23, Langford guided the program into a new era as the team embarked on its first season in the CAA. The Seawolves finished the year 18-13, 11-7 CAA, earning the No. 6 seed in the CAA Tournament where they defeated Elon in the first round to pick up their first-ever win in the tournament.

Langford’s offensive style proved to be pivotal in the CAA as the team finished the season second in the conference in scoring average with 67.9 points per game.

Under coach Langford’s tutelage, three student-athletes were tabbed to the All-CAA Team and helped them have career seasons on the Island. Anastasia Warren was named to the All-Conference First Team, forward Sherese Pittman claimed All-Conference Second Team honors, and guard Gigi Gonzalez was selected to the Third Team.

The trio of Warren, Pittman, and Gonzalez all upped their scoring outputs from the season prior under coach Langford. Warren averaged 12.0 points per game in 2021-22 and finished at 16.4 points per game, the fourth-most in the CAA. Pittman averaged 0.5 points per game in 2021-22 at JMU and finished the 2022-23 season averaging 13.7 points per game at Stony Brook. Lastly, Gonzalez went from 9.6 points per game to 12.5 points per game last season.

In her first season at Stony Brook in 2021-22, Langford had an immediate impact as Stony Brook’s offensive output increased by nearly nine points per game and seven student-athletes increased their scoring from the season prior.

The squad finished with a 23-6, 14-4 record and earned an at-large berth into the WNIT, which marked its sixth appearance in a national postseason tournament and third in the WNIT. The 23 wins in 2021-22 were tied for the fourth-most in a season in program history and were the most by a first-year head coach in program history.

Stony Brook received votes in the WBCA Top 25 and were ranked as high as No. 7 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 during their stellar 2021-22 campaign. The Seawolves also picked up marquee wins over two Power Five opponents in Washington State (69-62) and Rutgers (53-44). The wins were the third and fourth over Power Five opponents in program history. India Pagan and Warren both claimed All-Conference honors.

Under coach Langford, the Seawolves have maintained a 3.14 GPA or better over her two seasons and the team earned WBCA Academic Top 25 Special Mention following the 2021-22 season.

Langford has been named to the Advancement of Blacks In Sports (ABIS) Mid-Major Head Coaches Watch List in back-to-back seasons and this summer she was invited to the inaugural Women’s Coaching Development Seminar hosted by the WNBA, NBA, and G League.

Over the course of her coaching career, she has coached two WNBA Draft picks, 11 players playing professionally overseas, one Olympian, and four players competing for the Puerto Rican National Team. She has also recruited and coached 19 All-Conference selections, one Player of the Year, two Rookies of the Year, one two-time Defensive Player of the Year.

Before Stony Brook, Langford spent four seasons at James Madison. Prior to the 2020-21 season at JMU, Langford was elevated from assistant coach to associate head coach. While at JMU, Langford helped lead a team that produced a 91-31 overall and 58-11 conference record as well as three CAA regular season titles.

During her playing days, Langford was a standout point guard at Tulane from 2005-09. She is the Green Wave’s career leader in assists (722) and assists per game (6.0). She graduated as the program’s leader in games started (119) and minutes played (4,162) as well. Langford scored 1,047 points during her collegiate career and was inducted into the school’s athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.

Floyd football overpowers Patriots 31-21

by Bill Landon - September 21, 2023

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By Bill Landon

Last November, Ward Melville ended William Floyd’s undefeated season, eliminating the Colonials in the semifinal round of the Division I playoffs. The Patriots returned to the scene of the crime Wednesday afternoon looking to pick off Floyd again, but the Colonials had other ideas.

Ward Melville quarterback Ethan Burgos found wide receiver Jackson Weber on a 6-yard pass play for the touchdown in the second quarter to break the ice. Floyd answered three minutes later to make it a 7-7 tie at the half. The Patriots trailed 21-13 in the fourth quarter when Burgos on a keeper found the end zone on short yardage. Burgos would finish it by running in the 2-point conversion to tie the game 21-21.

After an impressive 36-yard field goal to edge ahead, William Floyd running-back Jaden Montalvo ripped a 67-yard touchdown run in the closing minutes to seal the deal, defeating the Patriots 31-21.

The win lifts the Colonials 2-0 while the loss drops the Patriots to 1-1 in the division.

Ward Melville looks to put a “W” in the win column when the team hosts Central Islip Saturday, Sept. 23. Game time is slated for 2 p.m.

— All photos by Bill Landon

Rocky Point captains to bring ‘uncommon effort’ to the football field

by Rich Acritelli - September 21, 2023

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Acritelli_Athletes — Senior captains of the 2023 Rocky Point High School football team. From left, Ryan Meyers, Jeremy Graham and A.J. Aschettino. Photo courtesy Rich Acritelli

The 2023 Rocky Point High School football team hopes for a promising season behind their main senior players, even after an indifferent 0-3 start.

A.J. Aschettino, a team captain, is also one of the finest baseball prospects on Long Island, who will be playing for Northeastern University after graduating from Rocky Point in June 2024.

He will be leading the football team as a safety, running back and possibly even quarterback. Always a quiet team leader, Aschettino leads by example on and off the field.

Last year, Aschettino played well against Islip, scoring a touchdown and rushing for 120 yards on the ground. Against East Hampton, he had four tackles and an interception to help his team to victory.

As the league’s most valuable player for baseball last season, batting an impressive .522, Aschettino will also establish a solid example of hard work and discipline for the younger players on the roster. Longtime head coach Anthony DiLorenzo indicated that Aschettino has “great football knowledge, with speed and agility.”

Jeremy Graham is a senior captain who has played varsity football for the last three seasons. He will be active on the field, leading the team as quarterback while playing cornerback on defense.

Graham had shown flashes of brilliance last season. Against East Hampton, he scored three touchdowns, passed for 60 yards and ran for another 130 yards on the ground. On the defensive side, he had four tackles in last year’s matchup against Eastport-South Manor.

DiLorenzo believes Graham is a “gritty and gutsy” player who fights for every yard. Like Aschettino, he is an exceptional baseball player, having hit .400 in the playoffs last season. He will be on the Hudson Valley Vikings squad after he graduates.

Another excellent football player is senior captain Ryan Meyers. One of the hardest hitting linebackers in the county, Meyers will make his presence felt on the defensive end of the field as well. He will show his versatility in running the ball, where he wants to help the offense gain points against the opposition.

DiLorenzo marvels at Meyers’ physicality, describing the senior linebacker as having the ability “to run through a wall” to help his team win. Last year against Eastport-South Manor, he had five tackles and two sacks to showcase his defensive prowess. After he graduates from Rocky Point, Meyers will play lacrosse at Binghamton University.

DiLorenzo believes that these three senior athletes will help the team attain its goal of establishing “an uncommon effort, with positive energy and a unit that always has support and love for each other.”

Setauket ‘taken out to the ball game’ at Sherwood-Jayne Farm

by Mallie Jane Kim - September 21, 2023

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Gavin_Marlborough — Gavin Marlborough practices his swing with a solid wood bat. Photo by Mallie Kim

By Mallie Jane Kim

Fans of America’s “old ball game” watched a historical treat in Setauket Saturday, Sept. 16, when the New York Mutuals faced off against the Brooklyn Atlantics on the back field of Sherwood-Jayne Farm using 19th century-era baseball rules.

The two hobby teams from all over Long Island and beyond, hosted at Sherwood-Jayne by Preservation Long Island and The Long Island Museum, represented real baseball teams from the 1800s and played using replica uniforms and equipment. That means swinging heavy wooden bats and catching baseballs with no gloves.

The event was part of Preservation Long Island’s efforts to connect with the community and allow neighbors to engage with one of their historical properties, alongside their local partner organization, The Long Island Museum in Stony Brook.

Two historical baseball teams face off in the upper field of Sherwood-Jayne Farm.
Photo by Mallie Kim

Elizabeth Abrams, PLI’s assistant director for operations and programs, said the event was a success. “We got a lot of folks who’ve never been here before,” she said. “It is great that we’re exposing our organizations to new people.”

Abrams said it was important to PLI, which is a small nonprofit based in Cold Spring Harbor, to make the event open to as many people as possible, and their partnership with LIM as well as some in-kind donations allowed them to offer the event free of charge.

“When we have the ability to put on a larger event, we want to make it as open and accessible as possible for the community that we’re in,” she added.

Among the approximately 240 guests at the event, John and Rebecca Wygand of Shoreham brought their four children to enjoy the game. “A little history for the kids,” Rebecca said, adding, “We’re baseball fans, you know.”

The Wygands said they were supporting both teams, impressed that the players were working so hard and without gloves — jamming fingers is an occupational hazard — and in the case of one player, without shoes.

But Rebecca Wygand balked when her husband suggested they also support both present-day New York teams, the Mets and the Yankees. “No, just Yankees,” she said. “You can keep the Mets for yourself. No thank you.”

The Wygand family enjoys the baseball game at Sherwood-Jayne Farm on Saturday, Sept. 16. Photo by Mallie Kim

In the end, a tie between the Mutuals and Atlantics pushed the game into the 10th inning, with the Atlantics taking the win, 12-11.

At a display with historical baseball artifacts near the field, visitors could hold old baseballs and try out a real wooden bat. Gavin Marlborough, 7, a Nassakeag Elementary School student who plays on the Three Village intramural baseball league, enjoyed watching the game.

“I like to watch old-fashioned baseball,” he said, noting the jerseys were very different from those used today — they look like white bibs buttoned on to white shirts.

For his own future, though, Gavin said he prefers modern baseball. The wooden bat, he said, is “too heavy.”

On the main lawn next to the house, live music provided a backdrop for visitors enjoying food, drinks, tavern-style iron puzzles and a bounce house for children.

The Sherwood-Jayne Farm House is currently open on Saturdays for docent-led tours, and the grounds are open year round from dawn until dusk for “hikers, joggers, bird-watchers and nature lovers,” according to the PLI website.

Bulls East football loses to Northport, falls to 0-2

by Steven Zaitz - September 21, 2023

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The Northport Tigers Football team defeated the Smithtown Bulls on Sept. 14 in a rare Thursday afternoon matchup.

In observance of the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, schools throughout Long Island moved up football games to Wednesday and Thursday last week. The short rest was not an issue for the Tigers, as junior quarterback Enrique Hernandez tossed two touchdown passes and senior running back Giancarlo Valenti rushed for 211 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown.

Tiger junior tailback Christian Campoli, who left the previous game early with an injury, was back in the lineup and it was he who was on the receiving end of both of Hernandez’s scoring throws. Lucas Santangelo rushed for 120 yards for Smithtown East, and senior quarterback Jake Fields was 8 for 17 for 65 yards and had a rushing touchdown.

The game started off with a bang for the Tigers as Campoli ran a down, out and up on the right sideline and hauled in a floater from Hernandez for a 63-yard touchdown on only the fifth play from scrimmage.

Smithtown East would begin the second quarter with similar explosiveness. Santangelo took a handoff straight up the gut for 66 yards on a 2nd down and 2.

A great hustle play by Campoli’s brother Michael stopped Santangelo at the 1-yard line, but Fields would tie the game on the very next play with a quarterback sneak. The half would end with the score 7-7.

It would become untied after Northport’s first possession of the third quarter when Hernandez threw a perfect strike to Christian Campoli for a 34-yard touchdown to put Northport up 14-7.

Valenti would put the game away midway through the 4th quarter when he blasted through the middle for a 49-yard touchdown, to make the score 21-7 in favor of the Tigers.

Northport is 1-1 on the season as Smithtown East falls to 0-2.

Shoreham-Wading River girls soccer keeps Kings Park at bay

by Bill Landon - September 21, 2023

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Kings Park hosted the Wildcats of Shoreham-Wading River in a girls soccer matchup Tuesday, Sept. 19, when the Lady Kingsmen struggled to find the net in this League III contest.

The Wildcats struck 14 minutes into the opening half when freshman Shealyn Varbero stretched the net to take the lead into the halftime break. The Wildcat defense was able to keep Kings Park at bay when sophomore Mia Mangano scored the insurance goal for the Wildcats with 19 minutes left in regulation to lead 2-0 for the final score.

Shoreham-Wading River goalkeeper Morgan Lesiewicz had five saves and Kings Park goalie Alex Scott stopped 14. The win lifts the Wildcats to 4-1 in the early going, and Kings Park drops to 2-1-1.

— Photos by Bill Landon

SBU Sports: Early scores too much as football falls to Arkansas State 31-7

by Press Release - September 21, 2023

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Stony Brook football fell behind early and was unable to recover as the Seawolves fell to FBS foe Arkansas State 31-7 at Centennial Bank Stadium on Sept. 16. The team fell to 0-3 on the season while the Red Wolves picked up their first win, improving to 1-2. A-State enjoyed a big advantage on the ground, holding a 345-90 advantage in the rushing game.

Redshirt freshman Anthony Johnson had a big day in the receiving game, catching nine passes for 127 yards. Graduate student Rahmon Hart Jr. hauled in two catches for 23 yards and a score. Quarterback Casey Case passed for 221 yards, while completing 21-of-33 (63.6%) passes with the touchdown to Hart. Stony Brook finished with a 221-140 advantage in receiving yards.

Redshirt sophomore Shakhi Carson and redshirt junior Ross Tallarico split the majority of the carries, with Carson gaining 45 yards on 12 carries while Tallarico gained 42 on six attempts on the ground.

On defense, graduate student Aidan Kaler finished with 10 tackles, seven of them solo, adding 1.0 sack. Redshirt junior Brandon Higgs added seven tackles, four of them solo. On special teams, Clayton Taylor hit five punts for 223 yards, averaging 44.6 yards per kick and putting one punt inside the 20.

For Arkansas State, Ja’Quez Cross rushed for 164 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 66-yard score. Jeff Foreman led the Red Wolves in receiving with 42 yards, all on one reception. The quarterback tandem of Jaxon Dailey and Jalen Raynor combined for 140 yards, with Raynor adding a passing touchdown.

“After we struggled to execute on the first couple drives, we punched back from the end of the first quarter through the end of the quarter and could have cut into the lead or even tied the game, we’ve just got to figure out how to capitalize. I think we figured out the speed of the game defensively and executed some of the things we practiced in that stretch, credit to the kids there,” said Stony Brook head coach Chuck Priore.

Stony Brook returns home and to CAA play, taking on Richmond at LaValle Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 3:30 p.m. Streaming for the Week 4 matchup returns to FloSports.

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