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Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

No. 3 seed Ward Melville came calling on No. 2 seed, Longwood Lions, in Friday night’s Suffolk Division I football semifinals. It was a ground-and-pound battle where the Patriots nipped the Lions 14-7, punching their ticket to Saturday night’s championship final at Stony Brook University.

Longwood opened the scoring in the second quarter with a 29-yard breakaway run by Kalen Percer, but the Patriots answered in the closing seconds of the half when Joey Karpowicz plowed into the end zone on short yardage to knot the game at 7-7. Six minutes into the fourth quarter, Ward Melville running back Joey Benedetto, who piled up 186 rushing yards, punched one in on a four-yard run, and Ethan Jargo’s kick split the uprights for the 14-7 final.

Ward Melville (9-1) will square off against William Floyd (9-1) in the Suffolk Division I championship game at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased here: gofan.co/app/school/NYSPHSAAXI

By Bill Landon

The 2nd annual Holiday Craft Fair at Wading River Elementary School took place Saturday, Nov. 16. The event was hosted by Wildcats Helping the Arts and Music (WHAM), a fundraising event featuring local vendors, crafts, food items, snacks and raffles for a day of family fun.

WHAM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit booster club supporting fine and performing arts in the Shoreham-Wading River Central School District. The organization, comprising parents and students, in collaboration with teachers and administrators, is dedicated to fostering and enhancing music, as well as visual and performing arts programs for students in grades K-12.

“This is a true community event with our PTA’s involvement. We have community members coming to shop from local, neighborhood vendors,” said event organizer Colette Grosso. “It brings people together and it helps support our booster club.”

For more information on WHAM, visit swrwham.org.

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

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

By Bill Landon

Newfield was thirsty for a win on senior recognition day when the team hosted West Babylon, but the Wolverines would go unquenched, falling 21-12 in their season finale Saturday, Nov. 2.

After a four-minute sustained drive by the Eagles that yielded no points, Newfield’s Matthew Evers threw deep to Gavin Smith on a 50-yard pass play that went the distance for the touchdown. Newfield’s two point-conversion failed.

West Babylon scored two unanswered touchdowns before Evers found Smith again, and a 42-yard strike was good enough for the score. With another failed conversion, the Wolverines trailed the Eagles 14-12 at the half.

West Babylon struck again in the third quarter but Newfield was unable to answer as their offense struggled to gain traction the rest of the way.

Newfield concluded their 2024 campaign with a 5-3 record in Division II.

— Photos by Bill Landon 

By Bill Landon

It was a twist of fate that the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Field was selected as the venue for the girls soccer finals before the season began. As a result, the Shoreham-Wading River girls soccer team had a home field advantage in the Suffolk County Class A soccer final Tuesday night, Nov. 5. 

Mia Mangano had a shot on goal that just missed eight minutes into the second half, but the Shoreham-Wading River junior capitalized on the rebound courtesy of an assist from sophomore Stamatia Almiroudis to put the Wildcats ahead 1-0 against Sayville.

It would be all the Wildcats needed to punch their ticket to the Long Island championship round Sunday, Nov. 10, at Farmingdale State College.

It was the Wildcats third straight county championship and their goal is to return to the New York State finals. 

Shoreham-Wading River will face the Nassau winner of the North Shore vs. Wantagh final. 

— Photos by Bill Landon 

By Bill Landon

The Port Jefferson girls volleyball team began their 2024 campaign back on Sept. 4 with a 3-0 shutout over Mattituck and never looked back, finishing their regular season at 16-0-0 in League VII. But the Royals record doesn’t tell the whole story. Not only did they go undefeated, but in all 16 of those victories they did so by sweeping their opponents 3-0, not having lost a single set all season.

The Lady Royals would square off again against Mattituck in the Suffolk County Class C championship game Tuesday, Nov. 4, in what would be their third meeting of the season.

The Royals did what they’ve done all season beating the Tuckers convincingly in the opening set 25-10, putting the second set away 25-12 seemingly not having broken a sweat. The third set would be different when Mattituck gave the Royals a run for their money and tied the score at 23-23 forcing a timeout. With the perfect season in jeopardy Port Jeff won the next point and Mattituck miscued on the following volley to give the Royals another 3-0 sweep.

Port Jefferson’s Ava Reilly, a sophomore, reached a career milestone notching her 1,000th assist, recording 36 on the day. McKayla Pollard, a junior, was in top form at the net with 22 kill shots. 

The win propels the Lady Royals to the Long Island championship game Wednesday, Nov. 13, at Hauppauge High School, where they take on either Evergreen Charter or Carle Place. First service is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

— Photos by Bill Landon 

By Bill Landon

No. 6 seed Walt Whitman High School’s field hockey team had their hands full in the opening round of the playoffs Tuesday, Oct. 29, with a road game against No. 3 Ward Melville when they were blanked by the Patriots 6-0 in the Class A bracket matchup. 

Ward Melville senior forward Peyton Phillips rocked the box with a pair of goals along with an assist and Reese Scali, the sophomore, scored twice. Isabella Parente and Maddie Larsen found the back of the box to round out the scoring for the Patriots.

Walt Whitman concluded their 2024 campaign with an 8-7 record.

The Patriots advance to the semifinal round with a road game against Northport (No. 2) Saturday, Nov. 2. Game time is slated for 2 p.m.

— Photos by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

Under brilliant blue skies and mild temperatures, it was another edition of the annual Trunk-Or-Treat event presented by the North Shore Youth Council along with the Rocky Point PTA in the parking lot of Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School on Route 25A in Rocky Point Sunday afternoon, Oct. 27.

The North Shore Youth Council prides itself with providing local communities with comprehensive family programs and services in child care, enrichment, education counseling and recreation. 

Hundreds of costumed trick-or-treaters visited the spooky decorated cars and coffins that lined the parking lot where free candy, treats, popcorn and face-painting crafts with photo props were in abundance.

For more information about the North Shore Youth Council visit www.nsyc.com.

On Oct. 26, visiting Kings Park, searching for that elusive first win of the season, struck first and often against Rocky Point with a pair of pass plays from Brandon Shapiro to wide receiver Nick Paliotta for touchdowns before Kevin Vasquez sauntered 25 yards to make it a three-score lead midway through the second quarter at 21-0.

Rocky Point wide receiver Grayson Marmol hauled in a 25-yard touchdown catch from quarterback John Nadeau for the Eagles to trail 21-7 to take the goose egg off the board.

Kings Park marched down the field in the closing minutes of the half and the Rocky Point defense made a stop, forcing Kings Park to settle for a field goal at 24-7. Rocky Point threatened in the third quarter when Cristian Romero found the end zone on short yardage but Shapiro countered in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, scoring on a keeper from 13 yards. Nadeau would answer with a keeper of his own, but it was too little too late as Kings Park won the game 31-21 to notch up their first win of the season in the Division III matchup.

Rocky Point drops to 2-5 and will play Harborfields on the road in their season finale Saturday, Nov. 2, at 2 p.m.     

— Photos by Bill Landon