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Kevin Finnerty

By Steven Zaitz

Undefeated seasons, long winning streaks and milestones? Check, check, and check.

Suffolk County crowns, Long Island championships, New York State supremacy and dominating dynasties? Yes, we’ve got those too.

It has been an unprecedented, exhilarating and ultra-successful fall season for the entire Ward Melville Patriot athletic program in 2024 — and the green and gold are not even close to being done.

In what stands as one of the most impressive athletic dynasties in New York State history, the Ward Melville Lady Patriot girls soccer program won its third straight New York State Championship on Nov. 17. The team traveled to SUNY Cortland and defeated upstate Arlington 1-0 in the tournament’s final match. Senior goalkeeper Kate Ronzoni made a lunging save on a penalty kick in the dying moments of regulation to preserve the win while Adriana Victoriano scored the game’s only goal in the 62nd minute. The Lady Patriots now boast a 63-game unbeaten streak and finished 2024 with a sparkling 20-0-1 record.

Both the boys and girls volleyball teams will compete in their respective State Championship tournaments after winning Long Island titles.

The boys secured their second consecutive Long Island Championship by defeating Massapequa in a five-set marathon in East Meadow on Nov. 15. They were led by senior Kyle Fagan, who earlier this fall recorded the 1,000th kill of his high school career. Now, the team heads to Albany to face upstate powers such as Penfield and Shenendehowa. After falling in the round-robin stage last year, the boys hope for a different result in 2024 bolstered by the valuable experience gained in 2023.

Fagan, who will attend Penn State next year, appreciates being part of Ward Melville’s winning tradition.

“It’s really cool being a part of a program that is so successful across the board. By being part of this program, it sets the expectation of excellence which I believe pushes its athletes and teams to work harder and do better. And so far, most teams have lived up to or exceeded these expectations,” he said.

The girls volleyball team will compete for a state title in Glens Falls this weekend against yet-to-be-determined opponents. Senior Emma Bradshaw, a Gettysburg College commit, led the team to victory over Plainview-Old Bethpage last week in Wantagh with 22 kills. The Lady Patriots dropped the first set, 22-25, but rallied to sweep the next three, 25-18, 25-23 and 25-20, earning a trip upstate. They remain flawless at 20-0 this season.

The football team advanced to the county final after two playoff wins. The Patriots will take a short trip to LaValle Stadium at Stony Brook University to face the William Floyd Colonials. The Colonials, talented and determined, are still smarting from a 21-20 loss to Ward Melville earlier this season. In that game, Floyd coach Paul Longo opted to go for a two-point conversion with no time left, but Ward Melville’s defense forced an incompletion, handing Floyd its only loss of the year and setting off joyous bedlam at Ward Melville stadium.

The Patriots reached the county final by defeating Longwood 14-7 last Friday, despite being dominated by the Lions in the regular season matchup 35-7. Sophomore quarterback Hudson Philbrick has been a key contributor this season, throwing 14 touchdown passes against seven interceptions. Excluding the loss to Longwood, the Patriots’ defense has held opponents to 14 points or fewer in seven of nine games this season.

While on the subject of football and game days, the cheer squad traveled to Hudson Valley Community College in Troy earlier this month and won a New York State Class A title in the Game Day Cheer competition, improving on its second-place finish in 2023. They earned the Suffolk County Championship in Game Day the previous week, outperforming local competition at Sachem North High School. Chalk up another county and state title for Patriot Nation.

The boys cross-country team also made history, capturing the Suffolk County Championship at Sunken Meadow for the first time in 51 years. Seven runners advanced to the state finals in Queensbury, just south of Lake George. Senior Jon Seyfert led the way, finishing 12th in the 5K race with a time of 15:41.70 while teammate Anthony Anatol placed 22nd with a time of 15:51.20. Andrew Senf, Matteo Ritieni, Tim Brown and Matt Fumai also represented the green and gold. Elizabeth Wright qualified on the girls’ side, finishing 45th overall in 19:13.80.

The Patriot field hockey team, a perennial powerhouse, made headlines by defeating the dynastic Northport Lady Tigers in the Suffolk semi-finals 1-0. Peyton Phillips scored the game-winning penalty stroke in the final minute, marking the first time in five years Ward Melville eliminated Northport in the playoffs. The Lady Patriots ultimately fell to Sachem East 1-0 in the county final. But they have made it to the Suffolk County finals for five consecutive years.

If you’re keeping score, that’s two state championships with two more pending, five Suffolk County championships and the football team aiming for a sixth. Add a program-wide winning percentage exceeding 90% and Ward Melville High School has firmly established itself as Long Island’s premier athletic powerhouse this fall.

“There has definitely been a buzz around the school and the community,“ said Ward Melville Athletic Director Kevin Finnerty. “We’ve been very successful over the years and many of our teams succeed year after year, but this year has been exceptional. We have great support from the community and the school district but most importantly our coaching staff. We have a very passionate and experienced coaching staff and they take a lot of pride in what they do.”

So far in 2024, Patriot Nation has countless reasons to be proud.

Coach reflects on the road to the state championship

By John Diehl

Head Coach Ward Melville Girls Soccer

Last weekend, the Ward Melville girls soccer team won its first state championship in program history. After defeating perennial powerhouse Massapequa in the Long Island Championship, Ward Melville traveled to Dryden, NY, to compete in the Class AA State semifinal against Monroe-Woodbury High School, a program use to success, winning back-to-back state titles in 2018 and 2019. 

This year’s state championship semifinal showdown would be played in rainy conditions. After a 0-0 draw at the end of regulation, the game went into “sudden victory” overtime. 

Midway through the first overtime period, senior Grace Justiniano crossed a ball into the top of the penalty area. Sophomore Adri Victoriano pressured the Monroe-Woodbury goalkeeper as she tried to catch the ball, but the ball bounced out to the feet of Mia Pirozzi, who scored the game winning goal. 

Following the thrilling victory, Mia those defining moments of play. 

“Right place, right time,” she said. “I just happened to be there.” 

The next day, the Patriots played Clarence High School in the final, where weather would once again be a significant factor, with snow, clouds, and sun taking turns sporadically throughout the game. 

From the beginning, we established control and played a great game.  We put three goals in the net during regulation, but they were all called back for either offsides or fouls. Once again the score was tied 0-0 in at the end of regulation, meaning yet another sudden victory-overtime. 

At the coin toss before OT, captain Elyse Munoz learned that if the game was still 0-0 at the end of both OT periods, then both teams would be declared co-champs.  This had happened to us in 2020, when Sachem East and Ward Melville were declared co-county champs, and the team was not going to let history repeat itself. 

“I refuse to lose,” Elyse said. “I refuse to tie. I won’t let that happen again.” 

We came out on fire in OT, and in just under four minutes of the first period, Maddy Costello passed a through ball to Adri Victoriano, who drove down towards the goal, passed the ball to Mia Pirozzi, just missing the hands of the diving Clarence goalkeeper. For the second consecutive game, Mia guided the ball into the net for the game winning goal. 

En route to our state championship, we had an undefeated season with a 17-0-3 record.  Along with winning the states, we also were crowned Long Island and Suffolk County Champions.  

Our team gave up only eight goals on the season, earned 12 shutouts, and shut out  both teams we faced in the state tournament. 

Our players of the games at states were Mia Pirozzi in the semifinal and Peyton Costello in the final. Our captains are Elyse Munoz, Elian Hamou, Emma Ward, and Peyton Costello. 

All season long, we reinforced to the girls that they continue to rise to every challenge that comes their way. 

“It was an absolute pleasure being on the sideline watching such a talented group of players and coaches come together to make history for Ward Melville Athletics and our Girls Soccer program. It was a magical weekend, where so many family members, community members, alumni, and former coaches came out to support the team. … Congratulations to our NY State Class AA 2022 Girls Soccer Champions!” said Kevin Finnerty, Athletic Director.

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Kevin Finnerty is the new executive director of health, physical education, recreation and athletics in the Three Village school district. Photo from Three Village Central School District

Before the new academic year begins, the Three Village Central School District is switching up the roster.

In a July 22 letter to parents, Cheryl Pedisich, superintendent of schools, announced that Kevin Finnerty has been appointed executive director of health, physical education, recreation and athletics. Finnerty replaces Peter Melore who accepted a position in another school district, according to the letter.

Finnerty, a Bay Shore resident, has worked in the school district since 2010. He started his career in Three Village as a physical education teacher and department chairperson for physical education and health at R.C. Murphy Junior High School. Through his near-decade career in the district, he has also served as assistant principal at Murphy and, most recently, as an assistant principal at Ward Melville High School.

“While a strong building leader, Mr. Finnerty’s passion has long been within the area of physical education, health education and athletics,” Pedisich said in the letter.

Recently, Finnerty, a husband and father of three, answered a few questions for The Village Times Herald.

How did you feel when you heard the news that you were chosen?

I was very excited and enthusiastic about the new role. I have always had a passion for educating children in health, physical education and athletics. My career goal was to be an athletic director one day. Over the years, I have had the pleasure and privilege of interning and working with numerous teachers, coaches, athletic directors and other administrators. The knowledge that I have garnered from each of these individuals has been invaluable, and I hope to make them and the district proud as the new executive director of health, physical education, recreation and athletics in the Three Village Central School District.

What would you like to accomplish as director?

As the new executive director of HPERA, I want to continue promoting and highlighting our outstanding programs and teams. We have many dedicated student-athletes, teachers, coaches and community members. I want to support our flourishing programs, while helping all of our teams and programs reach the highest level of play and competition and success. I have met with myriad stakeholders to include teachers, coaches, facility directors, grounds crews, custodians, central office, BOE, security, etc. During this time, I have gathered important information pertaining to the strengths of our programs and the areas where we need improvement. This is a pivotal point in my career, and I plan on making Three Village my home for a long time. I will work tirelessly in the hope of leaving an indelible mark on our district and community.

How does it feel to work in the physical education area again?

I started my career as a physical education teacher and coach, and it feels great to get back to my “roots.” It has been an honor to work for Three Village as a teacher, chairperson and assistant principal over the years. Our students, parents, teachers and coaches know I hold physical and health education to a high standard. I believe in educating our students as a “whole” individual. Under my leadership, I will do my best to promote student academics, achievement on and off the field, and encourage a healthy life physically, mentally and socially.