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Girls Basketball

Ward Melville Patriots pummel T-Birds

by Bill Landon - December 15, 2021

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It was all Julia Greek for the Patriots in a League II matchup at home against Connetquot where the junior point guard hit four out of five three-pointers in the first eight minutes of play to put Ward Melville up 21 points. With a 30-point lead to open the fourth quarter, Ward Melville head coach Jamie Edson spelled his starters and flushed the Patriot bench, where 12 different plays scored in the 61-22 rout.

Greek tallied six treys, four field goals and a free throw for a team high 27 points in the Patriots’ league opener Dec 13. Ward Melville junior Gianna Hogan netted seven points, and seniore Siena Hart and freshman Emma Bradshaw banked four points apiece. The win lifts the Patriots to 1-0 in league 4-1 overall in this early season.

Ward Melville retakes the court with a road game against Lindenhurst Dec. 17 with a 5 p.m. start.

Idir drains 7 triples

by Bill Landon - December 11, 2021

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Port-Jefferson-Miller-Place-basketball-121021-Abigail-Rolfe-Landon-9997 — Port Jeff senior forward Abigail Rolfe gets mugged down low in a non-league home game against Miller Place Dec 10. Photo by Bill Landon

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Port Jefferson’s girls’ basketball squad, although short on roster depth with only seven players suited, are long on talent when the Royals made short work of Miller Place in a non-league home game with a 67-34 victory Dec. 10.

Junior point guard Lola Idir led the way for the Royals seeming to score three pointers at will, nailing seven treys a field goal and three from the free throw line for a team high of 28 points.

Senior teammates Annie Maier hit two triples and six field goals for 18 points, and Abigail Rolfe banked 9. Miller Place seniors Emma LaMountain scored 14 and Lauren Molinaro netted 13.

The win lifts the Royals to 3-1 while Miller Place searches for that elusive first win in this early season.

— All photos by Bill Landon

Patriots win season opener

by Bill Landon - November 24, 2021

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The Ward Melville girls 2021-22 basketball season is back to a full slate of games unlike last “year” which featured all of five games in the COVID-abbreviated schedule.

The Patriots opened at home Nov. 23 with a non-league matchup against the West Hampton Beach Hurricanes where junior guard Julia Greek led the way in scoring for the 47-26 win. The Patriots retake the court with a scrimmage and three more non-league matchups before league play begins on Dec. 13, where they’ll host Connetquot. Tipoff is at 5 p.m.

SWR beats Wyandanch Warriors

by Bill Landon - February 26, 2021

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Shoreham-Wading River sophomore GraceAnn Leonard drives the lane against Wyandanch in a League VII matchup Feb. 24. Photo by Bill Landon

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Shoreham-Wading River punched their playoff ticket with a 67-49 victory against Wyandanch at home led by Sophomore GraceAnn Leonard who topped the scoring chart for the Wildcats in the League VII matchup Feb. 24.

The win lifts the Wildcats to 3-0 to conclude regular season play in the age of COVID-19, where Leonard had 13 field goals three triples and a free throw for a team high 36 points.

Colleen Ohrtman followed with 14 points with Annie Sheehan and Mia Rosati netting 8 and 5 points respectively.

Photos by Bill Landon

Ward Melville Patriots fall to Longwood

by Bill Landon - February 26, 2021

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It was a must win for the Patriots girls basketball team (3-0) in a home game against League I rival Longwood (3-0) for sole possession of first place to secure the top seed and a home game for the playoffs. Ward Melville stayed with the Lions through 16 minutes of play trailing by 1 to open the second half but Longwood stretched their legs, outscoring the Patriots by 20 points to win the game, 57-38.

Angelene Bailey led the Longwood leaderboard with 21 points followed by Taydra Simpson who added 14.

Ward Melville sophomore Julia Greek topped the scoring chart for the Patriots with five field goals, three triples and a free throw for 20 points. Teammate Summer Agostino, the lone senior for the Patriots, netted 11. Courtney Quinn added five and Grace Mulham banked two.

Ward Melville’s loss dropped the Patriots to third place Feb. 25, and they will travel to Northport for the first round of post season play Saturday Feb. 27. Tipoff is at noon.

Northport Tigers girls basketball team takes two

by TBR Staff - February 23, 2021

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By Steven Zaitz

Have a nice weekend!

That is exactly what the Northport Lady Tigers basketball team did, as they swept two games this past Saturday and Sunday in this breakneck sprint of a season.

At home on Feb. 20, they toyed with a short-handed Connequot squad, beating them at home by a score of 74-14. On Sunday, they traveled to Sachem North and doused the Flaming Arrows, 72-54. The Lady Tigers are now 4-1 and have two games this week against league powers Walt Whitman and Commack.

As they have for most of this year, Juniors Sophia Bica and Sophia Yearwood led the way. Bica had 27 points against the Arrows and Yearwood added 20, including four 3-pointers.

The game was close for three quarters. With Northport up by six with five minutes to go in the game, Yearwood hit freshman sensation Kennedy Radziul with a beautiful dribble penetration pass. Yearwood then canned two 3-pointers in a row from opposite elbows. The Tiger lead had now ballooned to 12 with only 3 1/2 minutes to go. It was flame-out for the Arrows.

“It is a great feeling to know that we can all have these moments where we can help seal the win,” said the team-first junior Yearwood. “As a team we were moving the ball well which helped us get open shots. During practices we really focus on trusting one another and playing as a team helps us play with confidence during games.”

Radziul, who comes from royal Northport basketball bloodlines, had a combined 12 points over the weekend after being sideline in COVID protocol. Coach Richard Castellano was excited to see her finally hit the floor. Against Sachem North, she had five assists, six rebounds and three steals to go along with her six points and showed a great deal of poise and all around court awareness – especially for a freshmen.

“She dominated Junior Varsity last year,” said Castellano. “I coached her mother and her aunt and between those two, they have three Suffolk County Player of the Year trophies, so yeah, I’m happy and excited to have her out there.”

Kim Ruck, Kennedy’s mother and Cami Ruck, her aunt were superstar players in the early 1990s and played in an era when Northport won six straight county championships.

“It’s cool to know that I’m playing in the same gym as my mom and aunt,” Radziul said. “Against Sachem North, I was nervous but really excited and it helped to know that my teammates have been in close games before and I’m glad we were able to step up for the win.”

Two other players who have had a hand in many wins, Emma Blanco and Hannah Morawski were honored before Saturday’s game, as graduating seniors and exemplary leaders.

“Emma and Hannah have had to step up as our team captains during this very unusual season,” said Yearwood. “I am impressed with their level of commitment to the team. They have both worked hard to motivate and encourage us.”

“Through the years, I have been blessed with great leaders and role models,” Castellano said proudly. “Whenever we go to youth basketball camps, these girls are so loved in the community and are revered by the elementary school kids, who all want to become Lady Tigers one day. Emma and Hannah are perfect examples of this.”

In the 60-point win on Saturday, Connequot only had seven players available. The Tigers led 20-2 after the first quarter and the remaining three quarters were the same type of story. Yearwood had 17 points and Bica 12. Freshman guard Brooke Kershow came off the bench to score 10 and Junior forward Alexa Vassallo had nine in the rout.

Section XI has installed an abbreviated playoff system for this season that will crown bi-league champions only. As of press time, the Lady Tigers are battling with Walt Whitman, Sachem North and Commack for one of two playoff spots that are granted to League II. They will combine with the top two teams in League I. Longwood, who the Tigers beat in the Suffolk County Championship last year, Sachem East and Ward Melville are the leading contenders in that group.

Northport girls basketball was dealt a blow to their playoff chances when they lost to Walt Whitman Feb. 23 by a score of 45-32. They were outscored 16-4 in the fourth quarter. They will play Commack Thursday, Feb. 25, which will likely be a ‘do or die’ game with respect to gaining a playoff berth.

Lady Mustangs seal the deal in the last 11 seconds

by Bill Landon - February 20, 2021

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Mount Sinai protecting a two-point lead over Islip with 11 seconds left in regulation went to Mount Sinai junior Kylie Budke who drained a three pointer from the corner to ice the game giving the Mustangs a 50-45 win in a League VI matchup at home Feb. 19.

Mount Sinai junior Casey Campo topped the scoring chart for the Mustangs with 8 field goals a triple and 4 from the line for a team high 23 points. Budke followed with 2 treys and 5 from the floor for 16 and Brielle Williams and senior Makayla Hartcom banked 4 points apiece.

The win lifts the Mustangs to 2-2 dealing Islip their first loss of the season falls to 4-1. Mount Sinai has two games remaining in this Covid shortened season before playoffs begin Feb. 26. Photos by Bill Landon

Smithtown East Bulls outlast Centereach Cougars

by Bill Landon - February 16, 2021

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Trailing the Bulls of Smithtown East, 15-2, late in the opening quarter the Cougars of Centereach clawed their way back to draw within 6 at the halftime break Feb. 14. The Cougars found their rhythm in the third quarter and closed the gap to a single point in the last three minutes of play, but the Bulls were able to hold off the late game surge and win the non-league matchup, 35-28.

Ava Mueller topped the scoring charts for Smithtown East with two field goals, a triple and 4 from the charity stripe for 11 points. Teammate Paige Doherty netted 8 and Josie Lent banked 6.

Two sophomores led the way for Centereach with Juliana Speziale netting 9 for the Cougars, and Ashlynne Gangji tacked on 7.

In this COVID shortened season, Centereach has three games left as Smithtown East has four before post season play begins on Feb. 26.

Northport Lady Tigers basketball team, new stars open season with huge win

by TBR Staff - February 16, 2021

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By Steven Zaitz

The Power Triangle may be gone, but success roars on for the Lady Tigers.

The Northport girls basketball team picked up right where they left off pre-pandemic, as they opened the short season last Friday with an 80-32 dismantling of the Lindenhurst Bulldogs.

Daniella Pavinelli, Kelly McLaughlin and Kerry Dennin, highly decorated players that led the Lady Tigers to the Suffolk County championship in 2020, are now freshmen
in college.

However, Coach Richard Castellano has seen this movie. He has been putting together championship caliber teams for four decades and is fully aware that each player’s tenure with the team, no matter how talented they are, is so very finite.

“Yeah, we lost a few players,” said the affable Castellano in a fit of understatement. “But every team does. We try to put five girls on the floor who can score and five girls who can play defense. If we share the wealth and share the basketball, we are successful. And today we were.”

The players have obviously bought in to this style of ball as ten different Tigers registered points in this opening day rout that took place at Lindenhurst.

Juniors Sophia Bica and Sophia Yearwood led the way, combining for 40 points and 15 rebounds. As the first half lead ballooned to 20, it was Sophia and Sophia slicing and dicing through Lindenhurst’s defense, which seemed to be in no mood to guard anyone. Bica had 21 points to lead Northport with Yearwood booking 19. They both rested the entire 4th quarter.

Junior forward Allison Soule was a terror around the rim with 10 rebounds and 4 blocks, and team captain Emma Blanco had 10 points. Natalia Donofrio and Rachel Mincone added a thick layer of icing on the cake combining for 12 points in the 4th quarter, with Donofrio canning two 3-pointers, and Mincone injecting her signature brand of energy despite the lopsided score.

Lindenhurst forward Kelly Griffin, who led all scorers with 23, scored 18 of those in the first half, as the Tiger defense clamped down on her as the game wore on. The rest of Griffin’s teammates combined for only 9 points for the entire game and the Bulldogs failed to score even a single point in the 4th quarter.

“She (Griffin) was second in Suffolk County in 3-point goals last year, and we knew we had to key on her,” Castellano said. “We didn’t defend as well as I know we can in the first half.”

That might seem a little bit of a harsh critique for a team that pitched a shutout for an entire quarter of basketball, but Castellano has built both a reputation and a program that constantly strives for excellence. He and his Lady Tigers are never satisfied.

“I’m blessed to have girls who buy into the design of sharing the ball and finding the open person,” he said. “It’s something that we as a program always take pride in.”

To punctuate this resounding victory, the next day, Bica and Yearwood were listed in Newsday’s Top 100 girls basketball players on Long Island for 2021. Lindenhurst’s Griffin is also on the list.

“It is an honor to be mentioned along with these talented female athletes,” Bica said. “It is very encouraging to see that with hard work and dedication, you can achieve anything you put your mind to. I have been fortunate enough to work with great coaches and trainers who helped me develop into the player I am today.”

As has been the protocol, there were no fans in the stands as Section XI is doing everything in its power to allow high school athletics to continue uninterrupted. They have provided livestreams to many high school events that can be found on the Section XI website, www.sectionxi.org.

The Lady Tigers have a grueling schedule in the next 10 days, playing seven games.

“It doesn’t make for a lot of practice time,” Castellano said. “But these are crazy times for everyone, and we have to make the best of it.”

Comsewogue Warriors go against Tbirds

by Bill Landon - February 15, 2021

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Comsewogue had the measure of the Connetquot Thunderbirds in a non-league contest at home where the Warriors coasted to a 37-10 victory Feb. 14, their first win of this early season.

Comsewogue senior Kayli Gregory topped the scoring chart for the Warriors with 10 points and 9 rebounds with teammate Jaidyn Donley a junior, netting 6.

In a COVID-19 abbreviated season, Comsewogue at 1-1 will play their remaining 5 games over the next 8 days before post season play begins on Feb. 26.

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