CLOSE
Tags Posts tagged with "Rich Acritelli"

Rich Acritelli

by -
0 761
The Rocky Point High School cheerleading squad. Photo courtesy of Samantha Ferrara

By Rich Acritelli

Rocky Point High School won the New York State championship in varsity cheerleading on March 8 in Binghamton. Led by the big smile and the can-do attitude of their second-year coach Samantha Ferrara, the girls completed a memorable season. Ferrara is a 23-year-old graduate from this school district. During her first season, they won the nationals in Florida and in the previous year as a junior varsity coach the squad went undefeated.  Over the last three years, Ferrara has been a no-nonsense, motivated, drama-free and caring coach.

From 2014 to 2019, Ferrara was an extremely capable “flyer.” As a seventh grader on a national championship team, she was one of the finest cheerleaders in this state as she was recognized with all-division and county honors. In 2018, she was picked as Suffolk County Cheerleader of the Year for her excellence in this sport. Ferrara was recruited by the universities of South Florida and Rhode Island but chose to cheer at Hofstra. After an elbow injury and the pandemic, she decided to retire from cheerleading and transferred to St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue to major in teaching secondary mathematics. Ferrara has already gained a wealth of experience as a substitute teacher at Rocky Point High School and had leave replacements at Baldwin High School and Longwood Junior High School. 

This year, Ferrara led a combination of an experienced group of varsity girls and newer faces to replace six key graduates from last year’s team. Ferrara identified the will of this team, as keeping matters light and absorbing what they were taught, and quickly implemented it during practice and against opposing teams. Ferrara is thankful to be coaching at Rocky Point and feels that this position has been a “dream job” utilizing the lessons that were taught to her years ago that “nothing would be handed to you” and “we were taught to be the best.” And next to Ferrara is her trusted assistant Jessica Fleischer, a talented cheerleader and graduate of Sachem North. Both were on the 2018 All Long Island team and they cheered together at Hofstra University. Ferrara enjoys working with Fleischer and views her as an experienced coach.

Ava Almeida. Photo courtest Jonathan Rufa

Another feat accomplished during this year’s winter sports season was through junior Ava Almeida’s pole vaulting. Recently, this outstanding athlete earned a 10-foot height score and, for a second time, represented this school at the winter track and field state championship. Impressively, she tied the school winter record and scored first in Suffolk County and on Long Island. Starting this sport in the ninth grade, Almeida has constantly pushed herself to learn about this event and to follow an upper and lower body weightlifting regimen. Almeida looks back on this season and believes that her hardest competition was against Half Hollow Hills High School West and East Islip High School.  

Almeida has been training with Apex Vaulting, which she says has been a tremendous support system. She recognizes the important tutelage of Rocky Point varsity girls coach John Mattia, who ensured that Almeida participated in additional meets. Only in her third year of pole vaulting, Almeida started jumping 7 feet and quickly improved to 10 feet last season. Through her daily schedule of lifting weights for the upper and lower parts of the body and conditioning, there has been tremendous improvement over the last year. 

One of the strongest student athletes at Rocky Point High School, she is an honor student and has been placed on the principal’s list. Currently, she takes advanced physics, honors algebra and human anatomy; she plans to pursue a college degree that focuses on becoming a physician’s assistant. As she enters the spring season, Almeida is determined to pole vault 10 feet 6 inches for this outdoor track and field event. Almeida will surely return next season as one of the best pole vaulters on Long Island and perhaps in New York State.

Trevor Green. Photo courtesy the Green family

Trevor Green, a two-sport athlete, will return this fall as one of the best runners in all of Suffolk County. An impressive junior student-athlete, Green has already committed to the University of Minnesota for swimming.

Before the state tournament, Green was recognized as the most outstanding swimmer in Suffolk County and is highly regarded among his peers. Last week for two days, the best swimmers from Buffalo to Montauk traveled to Ithaca. During the first day, the boys swam in the time trials to determine if they would be swimming in the finals and for their lane placement. 

Hearing the massive support that Green received from his family, friends and fellow swimmers, for two days Green dominated the pool. It was an exciting event, where these swimmers completed many different events and distances in front of a highly charged crowd of fans. Green swam well, but he expected to do better in his final race event. 

Since he was nine years old, Green has emerged as a dominant backstroke and individual medley competitor (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle). Green placed second in the state in the individual medley and third in the state for the backstroke. In ninth grade, Green placed 14th in the 200-yard individual medley and second in the 500 freestyles. As a sophomore, Green took second and 14th in these same events. Next week, Green will be racing against some capable competition in the sectionals that are being held again at Ithaca College.

Heading toward his senior year, Green should be pleased with all his numerous achievements in both running and swimming. Looking at the state championships, Green believed, “I knew there was going to be good competition and would push me to good times. I wanted to rebound off my performance from last year and finish in the top three. I’ve been pushing myself hard in practice and it paid off.” 

Congratulations to the mighty athletic results of coach Ferrara and the varsity cheer team, Almeida and Green on their abilities to shine against the rest of the state.

by -
0 764
Mel Cohen in 1967. Photo courtesy Mel Cohen

By Richard Acritelli

Mel M. Cohen has lived a life of service that continues to this very day. He was born in Kew Gardens, Queens, in 1948 and moved to Levittown with his family several years later. Cohen enjoyed working around cars as a young man and considered himself a “motor-head.” Riding on his bike, Cohen delivered magazines and worked in the deli department at Waldbaum’s.Cohen had much in common with many of the other kids since this suburban area was mostly built by using the GI Bill for returning veterans of World War II.  Many of the fathers who saw each other at the stores, schools and baseball fields, were also veterans who fought for America within the European and Pacific theaters of operations.  One month after the June 6, 1944, landings, Cohen’s father Robert was a private first class in the 380th Construction Signal Battalion.  For the rest of that war, the senior Cohen ran communication wiring to support the aggressive strength of the army that pushed into German territory.

During his senior year in high school, Cohen kept a watchful eye on the Vietnam War, as many of the young men from this sprawling suburb were drafted into the military.  His brother Gerald was a member of the 101st Airborne and he instructed Cohen not to wait for the draft.   Two days after graduating high school, Cohen enlisted into the United States Air Force.  Completing his basic and advanced individual training in Texas, this future police officer became a member of the security forces.

Mel Cohen

As a young man, Cohen was deployed to a secret military base in Taiwan to guard F-100 Super Sabres and F-4 Phantoms.  These military planes were loaded with nuclear weapons that could be flown in seven minutes to hit the Chinese mainland.   Cohen was sent as a member of the security forces to guard these powerful aircraft. During the height of the Vietnam War, the United States was concerned about the strength of the Chinese to possibly take over the island nation.

Over the span of two major wars, the Cohen family greatly sacrificed toward the defense of America.  First, with his father’s experience during World War II and then through the service of his older brother, Gerald.  Cohen looked up to this sibling who was a hardened platoon sergeant in Vietnam and specialized in handling light weapons infantry.  With two weeks left on his tour, Gerald, a member of the 101st Airborne Division’s 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, C Company was killed by a sniper in the field on April 21, 1968.  

For Cohen, it seemed like yesterday that his beloved brother was lost fighting for this nation in Vietnam. For the rest of his life, Cohen has helped others in honor of Gerald.

By 1953, Levittown had 70,000 residents, and it emerged as one of the largest suburban townships in America.  The president of the Suffolk County Vietnam Veterans Chapter 11, Richard Kitson, grew up in Levittown, and he attended MacArthur High School.  His father’s story was similar to Cohen’s, through their veterans affairs activities over the last several decades, they have become best friends.  They were both from Gold Star families, as Kitson served in the United States Marine Corps in Vietnam as a mortarman, and when he came home from this war, his brother John Francis entered the military.

Richard’s brother John Kitson was a machine gunner in a weapons platoon of the Marine Corps.  John was killed in combat in Vietnam in 1969.  Whereas Cohen and Kitson met several years later, at a Vietnam War memorial at a library in Levittown, their brothers’ names are two spaces away from each other.  Every day, both veterans speak to each other in the morning, on their way home from work, and they meet for breakfast on Saturdays.  

Kitson fondly looks at this relationship and states, “We are best friends, as we both lost a brother to this war, and we were Gold Star families who heavily suffered from this loss.  Cohen, for almost his entire life. has been a ‘Veteran’s Veteran,’ who always expects to help others.”  Both men, along with their good friend Clarence Simpson, wore their “green jackets” and flashed brilliant smiles as they were recognized by Rep. Nick LaLotta (R-NY1) for outstanding veteran achievement for this community and nation.

Grieving over the loss of his brother, Cohen served the rest of his air force time guarding B-52 Bombers at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) base in Plattsburg, New York.  Vividly recalling the brutal cold weather during guard duty, after four years of service, Cohen looked forward to leaving the military in 1970.  Using the GI Bill, Cohen attended Farmingdale State College for his associate degree, earned his bachelor’s degree in behavioral science at New York Institute of Technology and gained a master’s degree in criminal justice at C. W. Post.  Taking several police exams, Cohen was hired at Rochester as an officer for a year, gained experience, and quickly took a job closer to home as an Amityville town police officer.  By 1972, Cohen was hired by the Suffolk County Police Department, where he spent the bulk of his law enforcement career until his retirement in 2003.  For three decades, Cohen held a myriad of jobs that included working in Babylon for the 1st Squad and for the District Attorney’s Office.

A well-rounded law enforcement figure, Cohen liked dealing with crimes and incidents that dealt with automobiles.  He became a specialist within these matters and received training from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Quantico, Virginia.  He was also sent to the Ford Motor Company and Harley Davidson to learn about the construction of these vehicles and how to determine ownership from theft and fire.  For over 20 years, this respected detective was counted upon to solve many automotive dilemmas.  

Mike Conlon, a member of law enforcement and a longtime guidance counselor at Rocky Point High School, worked closely with Cohen.  Conlon said, “This seasoned detective was highly respected within this field and the tactics that he used to solve these crimes was extremely impressive.  Cohen was one of the most well-versed police officers to handle these types of unique situations.”

Since he retired, Cohen has been one of the most active advocates of veterans affairs on Long Island and New York State.  With Ralph Zanchelli, he helped establish a program for incarcerated veterans to help put them on the right path.  They counsel veterans who are suffering from alcohol and drug abuse and are still inflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder.  Cohen is pleased with this program’s important results over the last several years in trying to find jobs, housing and medical assistance for these veterans who have fallen on hard times.

Every Memorial Day at Bald Hill in Holtsville, Cohen along with Kitson and other members of the Suffolk County Chapter of Vietnam Veterans Chapter 11 hold a major ceremony.  After attending the program at Calverton National Cemetery, they read the 256 names of Suffolk County veterans who were killed during the Vietnam War.  This tradition has been done every year since 1991 by this local chapter of Vietnam veterans.  Cohen, Kitson, Clarence Simpson, the members of this special veterans organization all come from different ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds.   They are “Brothers in Arms” who demonstrate on a regular basis, that this melting pot of different origins has unitedly worked together for the betterment of the past, present and future veterans affairs needs.

For 10 years, Cohen organized breakfast for local Gold Star families at the Marriott Hotel in Hauppauge.  Always next to him was Kitson, as both men use their sensitive experiences in how to assist other families who have lost members defending the United States.  After World War I, President Woodrow Wilson supported the recognition of families, especially mothers who lost loved ones in uniform.  Many people do not realize that living among our citizens are families that have suffered over the agonizing loss of members of the armed forces.  It has been estimated that since 9/11/01 more than 16,000 veterans have died in noncombat circumstances, this number far surpassed the 7,000 Americans who died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Cohen has played a vital role in providing counseling to these grieving families and advocating to ensure that they are not forgotten by our local, state and federal levels of government.

Cohen has been a key member with Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America.  This is one of the oldest veteran’s organizations in this country that was chartered by Congress in 1896 that was originally based out of Manhattan.  Cohen is currently the post commander for the Colonel Mickey Marcus Jewish War Veterans Post in Centereach. This year, Suffolk County Leg. Chad Lennon (R-Mount Sinai) recognized Cohen as the Man of the Year for the Jewish American Heritage Month.

Cohen ensures the mission of this organization to always help local veterans  and to oppose the rise of antisemitism. Cohen, as the New York State action officer, investigates hatred against Jewish people in this state and nation.

And through all these numerous endeavors, Cohen is also an important member of Rocky Point VFW Post 6249.  Always wanting to help with the many activities of this extremely busy veteran’s organization, its commander, Joseph A. Cognitore, is pleased to have the experience of this productive citizen.  Cognitore stated, “His determination to always help our local and national veterans never stops.  He is a true gentleman who has a wealth of knowledge that has been truly amazing to witness over the last several decades.  We are proud to have the presence of Cohen at Post 6249, where he is one of the finest patriots that I have ever worked with within Veterans Affairs.”

Cohen is on the committee for the Veterans Day program that is held at Calverton National Cemetery.  He meets once a month to help with the Wreaths Across America program, organizes speakers and the several groups of veterans organizations that will attend this important event. With Cognitore, Cohen is on the Advisory Board for the Long Island State Veterans Home in Stony Brook to oversee the care of veterans, the number of beds, services and the medical qualifications for this staff.   

Kitson said about his good friend, “Cohen is a special person who on a regular basis has made this area extremely proud of his devotion to demonstrate an unyielding presence to always extend a helping hand to a veteran.” 

by -
0 640
1 of 4
Trevor Green. Photo from Rich Acritelli
Trevor Green. Photo from Rich Acritelli
Trevor Green. Photo from Rich Acritelli
Trevor Green. Photo from Rich Acritelli

By Richard V. Acritelli

Halfway through the daunting 5K cross-country course at Bowdoin State Park at Wappingers Falls on Nov. 23, Rocky Point High School Junior Trevor Green was running one of his best career high school races.  Competing with the top ten best runners from Montauk to Buffalo, Trevor, in his final race of the season, had a special moment.  Running hard through the hills that overlooked the Hudson River, Trevor utilized the massive downhill to strengthen his position within the second half of this race.  At the very end of this course, there was no letup in the mindset of Trevor to solidify his spot as one of the premier cross-country competitors in New York state.  After a grueling finish that saw him utilize a mighty kick around the fields and straightaway of this park, Trevor placed ninth in this race, and second overall from a talented contingent of Long Island runners.

I have been his coach for the last three years. Trevor is truly a special young man who is armed with a big smile and a can-do attitude.  This dynamic student-athlete is one of the finest athletes that has been my privilege to coach and see as an educator over the last two and half decades.  Going about his business in a quiet manner, this unique young man has cemented his athletic legacy at Rocky Point.   Over the last several months, this outstanding runner and swimmer has exhaustively been training for both sports. Trevor maintains the ability to run and swim at a high level and to also establish himself as a serious honor roll student.  Always embracing his training regiment, there are many days that Trevor is coming from one sport or heading toward another practice.  After pushing himself through numerous swimming strokes across this pool, this tenacious swimmer has a heart of steel, as he runs through the trails, fields and the “camel” hills within the Rocky Point Conservation Area.  He utilizes his strength to quickly defeat the opposition at both Snake and Cardiac hills at the Sunken Meadow State Park 5K Race.  Always observing the competition and understanding the times that he needs to earn, Trevor never takes a race lightly, as he understands that any runner can win at any given time.

This running philosophy has been cultivated over the last several years.  As a freshman, Trevor stayed with the best runners in the county and finished among the top five individuals to represent Rocky Point in the New York State Cross Country Championship at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School.  During the second half of this race, this 14-year-old kid realized that he had to adjust and elevate his aggressiveness to ensure that he finished in a top spot.  Beating several runners in the final mile of this hard course, Trevor placed 17th overall.  This freshman flashed a brilliant smile, was praised with heavy cheers, as he was the second highest Suffolk County participant in this exciting contest.  A week later and opposing the best city, private-, and public-school runners in New York, Trevor gained his first taste of racing at the challenging Bowdoin State Park 5K course.

The following year as a sophomore, Trevor continued to excel, as he earned his second all-league and division honors.  During the state qualifiers race, he upset some of the finest runners in the state as he won his first Suffolk County B Championship.  Coaching girls cross-country and track for the last three decades, Rocky Point High School Guidance Facilitator Mathew Poole has watched many of Trevor’s races and he observes that he “always runs from the front and I have explained to him over the years, there will be a time when you’re challenged at a pivotal moment.  When he won the Suffolk County Championship in 2023, I believe he realized this was happening and he refused to relinquish his opportunity.  Trevor is truly a warrior.”   For a second time at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School, Trevor was near the front of the pack at a quick pace, but he had difficulties breathing, and this setback diminished his time and placement.  While it seems like this young man is always competing, Trevor expects to achieve his many athletic goals, where he places pressure on himself to do well.  Never one to forget about a rough outing, Trevor greatly learns from all contests and has become one of the most experienced and successful athletes on Long Island.

At the start of this past season, near West Point, Trevor ran in the Bear Mountain Invitational. As he was still getting into shape, he ran well and placed second on a new course that featured a major hill.  Quickly, he pushed himself to train in the distance, hills and track workouts that enabled him to place high in all his invitationals and gained a second undefeated dual-meet season.   Trevor was also a key motivator of his teammates, as this squad placed second in the league, and missed an undefeated season by three points.  Whereas he has won many races, Trevor is an approachable young man who is easy to coach and like.  Senior Matteo Gravinese is a two-time all-league runner and the captain of this team.  Running numerous miles with Trevor, he believed that his friend, “is not only an exceptional athlete but also an excellent teammate.  While others with his level of skill may have gloated or bragged, Trevor was always kind to those of all running abilities on our team.  I think this sportsmanship is what makes him the best athlete I ever met.”  Kristian Hald is also a senior captain and an all-league runner, who like Gravinese, has enjoyed running with Trevor.  He has observed the attributes of Trevor in being “absolutely the best teammate you could ever ask for.  His incredible talent is not all that he brings to the team, as he always expresses an important sense of comradery to his fellow teammates.  Trevor is a modest athlete, where he has taken first many times, but quickly, he will always enquire about how his teammates finished in our races.”

Just finishing this season several weeks ago, Trevor defeated an extremely tough opponent in Hartley Semmes from Harborfields to be crowned his second County B Suffolk County Champion.  While Trevor is always pleased with his running, he quickly starts looking ahead toward the next approaching contests.  For the second time in three years, he was an all-state runner who competed at Queensbury High School outside of Saratoga and Lake George.   Trevor did not finish as he expected, but he made all-state honors and was picked as one of the top runners to represent Suffolk County for the Federation’s/Nike Regional Race.  Although he was exhausted from this race and his swimming schedule, he prepared for the harsh course at Bowdoin State Park.  With a brisk chill in the air and the winds coming off the Hudson River, Trevor finished the season on a high note showing his dominance on a course that he only ran once before.  Long time Mount Sinai Track and Field and Cross-Country Coach Bill Dwyer watched this race, and he believed, “that Trevor is a great athletic competitor, who is strong and powerful, and even tougher within the hills of Bowdoin.  Adversity from the previous week at Queensbury High School made this talented runner that much more difficult to beat at the Federation/Nike Regional Race.” 

Constantly showing an outpouring of love and support toward Trevor are his parents, who make every race, where they enjoy not only seeing their son do well, but the other boys from this team as well.  Trevor’s mother Toby is an educator, who coached her boy when he was 5 years old in running.  On a regular basis, she drives Trevor to and from practice from these two busy sports.  Always looking at a calendar of meets and practice times, she drives her car with the license plate Team Green.  His father Anthony was a talented football player and runner at New Field High School, where he mentors his son, and helps him navigate the difficult waters of highly competitive sporting contests.  Looking at his son’s strenuous daily schedule, Anthony believes that, “it has not been an easy road.  Competing in swimming all year and finding time to run cross-country in the Conservation Area.  There are moments that my son finds himself exhausted from these two highly disciplined sports.”

Whereas it has been my chance to coach this fine young man in cross-country and to see him strive for greatness, to watch him swim is a special experience.  Since his earliest years, Trevor’s first love has always been swimming, where he has established himself as one of the best swimmers in the state.  Like in cross-country, in swimming, Trevor has many friends, where they speak about the different times that are needed through the events of this demanding sport.  Recently, it was my opportunity to chaperone his first race at Sachem East and to listen to these boys speak about this unique sport.  Quickly, you notice the bond of these young men and it did not take long for Trevor to establish his presence, as he quickly qualified for the New York State Swimming Championships.  After Trevor defeated his opponent, he quickly exclaimed that he had plenty of work to do to bring down his times.

It was a big family moment for the Greens, when Trevor learned that he would be accepted onto the University of Minnesota Division I swim team.  It has been the dream of this exceptional student-athlete to swim at this college level and to major in engineering. 

These skills have not gone unnoticed, as Trevor was selected for the USA Swimming National Select Camp.  During 2023-2024, Trevor, along with five other male swimmers, had the highest individual IMX Power Point scores.  For several years, as in running, Trevor constantly improved his times against the opposition in the pool.  As a seventh grader, Trevor made the Suffolk County Qualifier in 100 Butterfly and 200 Individual Medley.  As a freshman, he took third place in the county in the 100 Butterfly and Backstroke events.  A year later, Trevor was the Suffolk County Champion in the 500 Freestyle and 100 Backstroke.By six seconds, he broke the 26-year record that was held at the Stony Brook University pool for the 400 Medley.  In a message by Swimming Managing Director of Sport Development Joel Shinofield stated, “as these athletes set their sights on LA 2028, we look forward to seeing them follow in the footsteps of Olympians who attended this camp, including Bobby Finke, Carson Foster, Lilly King, Katie Ledecky and Gretchen Walsh.”  Shinofield certainly hopes that this younger crop of swimmers in which he includes Trevor are possibly the future to represent the United States against foreign competition.  

Thank you to Trevor Green for always giving his very best in being a tremendous student-athlete to represent Rocky Point High School in cross-country and swimming.  The future is bright for this old-fashioned athlete, who after a major running race, will ride his bike to school or walk home after practice.  As he is still a junior, the University of Minnesota will gain a “winner” within every sense of this word through the work ethic, drive and character of this devoted competitor.

by -
0 1565
From left, unidentified man, Tony Musso, Tom Hespos and Mike Denimarck. Courtesy of family

By Rich Acritelli

As a long-time educator, I had the opportunity to meet recently with my former teachers and coaches and hear their interesting sports stories.

Mike Denimarck

Mike Denimarck

Sound Beach resident Mike Denimarck was a talented offensive guard and middle linebacker at Newfield High School, chosen for the Daily News All-League team. He decided to enroll at Kansas State Teachers College, but the Vietnam War disrupted his plans as he did not receive a draft deferment. His father was a Marine who witnessed the World War II flag raising at Iwo Jima, and wanted his son to gain an education and play football.

Denimarck solidified his defensive presence, earning All-District and later All-American football honors at the Teachers College. He played for former Dallas Cowboys coach Barry Switzer in the East-West College All-Star game and was the only player from Long Island and his college to participate. In 1974, Denimarck was drafted in the eighth round by the Detroit Lions. While he had a good training camp, he was placed on waivers. He then signed with the World Football League’s Southern California Sun, but during practice he severely injured his knee and needed surgery.

The next season, he had offers from the New York Giants but signed a three-year contract with Detroit. He was later traded to the Green Bay Packers, where he was briefly coached by iconic Super Bowl quarterback Bart Starr, who advised Denimarck to gain experience in the Canadian Football League. In 1976, the New Orleans Saints invited him to their training camp, where he was with quarterback Archie Manning under coach Hank Stram.

Again, Stram advised him to play in Canada. Instead, Denimarck returned home and was hired by Comsewogue school district in October 1976. For 43 years, he was a dean of students, gym and special education teacher, and taught fifth and sixth grade. He was the defensive coordinator who helped make the football team one of the most successful in Suffolk County. His teams kept rivals scoreless, won numerous league and county titles, and captured the Rutgers Trophy as the best on Long Island in 1990 and 1996. A warm educator, Denimarck also coached junior high wrestling and track, always positively guiding his players.

Tom Hespos

Tom Hespos

Tom Hespos, a Wading River resident, grew up in northern New Jersey and excelled in football, basketball and baseball. Descending from a sports family, he had a “major league” curveball in high school but wanted to play football in college. At C.W. Post, Hespos was a 6-foot 2-inch, 205-pound quarterback known for passing over 2,000 yards in his career and, in one game, throwing for four touchdowns and 400 yards. Alongside some of his teammates, he sang at the 1965 World’s Fair in Queens.

Hespos was C.W. Post’s most valuable player in 1963-64 and was selected to the Little All-America team. After graduating with a business degree, he learned that the Green Bay Packers sent him a free agent contract. He recalled head coach Vince Lombardi’s “agile” mind, expecting his players to be punctual and productive.

Hespos attended meetings with legendary players Starr and Paul Hornung, who took him out for some fun in Green Bay. Lombardi’s first coaching job was at St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, New Jersey, in the 1940s, and he knew that Hespos had defeated his former team 7-6 to win the Tri-County championship in 1961. Competing against veteran quarterbacks, Hespos had an impressive camp and still sees himself on the sidelines through film documentaries, but was cut by Lombardi. That season, Hespos played semi-professional football for the Jersey City Jets and won a championship. After injuring his shoulder, he began his teaching career at Comsewogue in 1969.

Hespos guided winning teams at Comsewogue, North Shore and Hampton Bays school districts. He lives now in Florida, enjoys playing golf, and is pleased that his grandson Zach recently scored 24 points in a summer league basketball game.

Tony Musso

Tony Musso

A soft-spoken Wading River resident, Tony Musso grew up playing soccer and basketball and was an All-County baseball player for Bellport High School. He was a center fielder and third baseman scouted by the New York Yankees. Though his parents did not expect him to attend college, Musso was accepted into Northwestern Oklahoma State University, where he earned an education degree. While he enjoyed playing baseball and was a teammate of former Cleveland Indians manager Mike Hargrove, Musso felt discrimination from the coaching staff for being an Italian from Long Island.

After graduating in 1972, Musso was hired by Comsewogue school district as a physical education teacher. By 1980, his teaching schedule allowed him to coach, and he became involved with the dominant sports of football, basketball and baseball. In the mid-1980s, he coached softball, won a state championship in 1985, and over four years his teams earned a 70-8 record. He assisted Bob Davis with the girls basketball team, which emerged as one of the finest in the county and state.

At St. Joseph’s College, Musso coached softball for several years, had many fine teams and was inducted into their Sports Hall of Fame. He played on several notable travel softball teams, always excelling as a pitcher, fielder and hitter, and was later inducted into three halls of fame for the sport.

Years after retiring, these educators are still remembered fondly by their former students for being special teachers and coaches.

Author Rich Acritelli is a history teacher at Rocky Point High School and adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College.

 

by -
0 739
1 of 2
Photo from Rich Acritelli
Photo from Rich Acritelli

By Rich Acritelli

As Rocky Point High School special education teachers Jessica Gentile and Kristina Muratore sought new ways to enhance their life skills classes, Rocky Perk was started on March 17, 2023.The program offers students an opportunity to shop for needed items to make different types of coffee, refreshments and snacks. Started by using donations from staff members, Rocky Perk has seen substantial growth over the last year.

Muratore has been pleased with the progress of her students as “over the last few years our 12:1:1 program [for students with intellectual disabilities] has evolved into this outstanding experience that our students, staff and community has enjoyed. It warms my heart that everyone is able to see the daily talents of our students.”

As part of the program, the students work in a hands-on classroom that has a stove, sink, refrigerator, washer and dryer to handle the rigors of Rocky Perk, which has strengthened independent living skills. The students have also created a menu for the cafe and will be expanding their repertoire with an exciting new vanilla raspberry spritzer, which will be offered to its customers sometime soon. 

Gentile glowingly identified the remarkable growth of her students as “they thrive on serving others through Rocky Perk and are independently functioning to ensure that different types of orders are properly fulfilled and delivered.”

But the life skills program does not end in the kitchen. Continuing to follow the best interests of her students, Gentile also spearheaded the implementation of the Unified Eagles basketball team led by the life skills students. The team is made up of players who have intellectual disabilities paired with mainstream student-athletes. Gentile credits the district’s athletic director, Jonathon Rufa, in being a driving force in establishing this new initiative. 

As the Unified Eagles, the team has played two games. Gentile firmly believes “there is a growth of confidence in her players, who have an iron sense of pride who have also forged unique friendships. I am grateful to be part of this amazing group.”

High school students Brett Condos, Sydney Woods, Sarah May and Ella Rau have assisted the Unified Eagles on the court. A talented athlete, Woods said, “I love guiding members of this team and watching them try their very best.” 

When asked about the future of this Eagles squad, it is the goal of Gentile to garner more school and public support to rally this wonderful group of players. When asked if she would again lead this team next year, Gentile said, “Heck yeah!”

by -
0 1045
Matt LoNigro

By  Rich Acritelli

“Matt would give you the shirt off his back and you always had his support.”

These were the words of Paul LoNigro on the positive qualities of his older brother Matt, who passed away May 10, 2023, at 51 years old. Paul and Matt LoNigro, only two years apart, were inseparable. 

Through the support of former neighbor Jeanine Ross and the Daleo, Peck, McFarland, Bach and Kortbus families, the neighbors asked the Town of Brookhaven to add Matt’s name to Biscayne Drive and Comet Road in Selden to honor Matt and the legacy of the neighborhood kids. 

Matt LoNigro. Photo courtesy of Rich Acritelli

Paul recalled his father Richie bringing home from their family business, Port Jefferson Sporting Goods, a priceless gift for the LoNigro kids and the local children — they were given defective sports jerseys with “Bombers” imprinted on them. 

From that moment, these active kids were known as the Biscayne Bombers as they played numerous hours of kickball and football on this street. This community represented the simpler times of small-town America through the constant activity of these kids on the street. 

Decades ago, Richie LoNigro often drove to work from Boyle Road in Selden, over Old Town Road, and onto Terryville Road, when these areas still had farm fields and woods. As Long Island’s housing population grew, Port Jefferson Sporting Goods increased in size to meet the sporting needs of children from Montauk to Manhattan. 

Matt spent 22 years working at this store and in the sporting industry along with many of the 11 children of the LoNigro family. He was proud of his Selden roots, was loyal to his friends and at Newfield High School he played soccer, basketball, lacrosse and was the class president. Matt later attended college and played lacrosse at Salisbury University in Maryland, where he met his wife, Julie. 

For years, Matt presented unyielding support toward the needs of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson and was a president for the Miller Place lacrosse and booster clubs. At his family’s sporting goods business and later at BSN Sports, Matt thoroughly loved all aspects of lacrosse. He handled the retail and sales of lacrosse items for local, travel, high school and college teams. 

Retired St. Anthony’s High School athletic director, Donal F. Buckley, recalled “Matt was an incredibly warm person, who created smiles when working with the staff of this school. He was a master salesman who fully understood all sporting equipment and was an approachable figure who loved talking about all aspects of sports with our staff.” 

Over the years, Matt continually learned about lacrosse equipment, uniforms, coaching and the promotion of this sport that he truly loved. Matt advocated for lacrosse through the Police Athletic League and coached numerous Miller Place teams over the last several years to help further this sport. 

Town of Brookhaven honor

On April 4, Town of Brookhaven Councilman Neil Manzella (R-Selden) sponsored the request with the support of Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) for the authorization for the addition of “Matthew G. LoNigro” as an honorary street name between Biscayne Drive and Comet Road in Selden. Bonner believed that “Matt’s impact transcended the playing field, as he instilled invaluable life lessons through sports, cheered on every child with boundless enthusiasm and exemplified the epitome of goodness for our children to emulate. His legacy is etched in the hearts of those he inspired.” The resolution was unanimously adopted.

Matt learned two important lessons from his father: hard work and supporting his community. As a driving force at Hope House, this local organization helped troubled children and it recently named one of its buildings Matt’s House. This special person quietly supported others through the vital programs of Christmas Magic, that provided gifts for underprivileged children during the holidays in different areas of Long Island. In the near future, Matt would eventually take over this large Christmas initiative. When students returned to school, the Backpack Pirates initiative provided supplies to children to donate much-needed items toward their education.

The LoNigro family has a long and proud history of giving back to the community. While Matt passed away far too early, he cemented his legacy of giving back through a myriad of humanitarian efforts to make Long Island a better place. 

The Biscayne Bombers will always remember their youthful moments decades ago. As a former member, Matt’s older brother Craig marveled at “all the street sports, break dancing and shoveling driveways of older neighbors.” He added, “Matt brought out the best in all of us in making this into a special place to grow up. Matt was the heartbeat of Biscayne Drive and now his name will forever be linked to a place where so much love and happiness cultivated a unique generation of kids.” 

by -
0 883
Richard Angelo LoNigro Sr.

Prepared by Rich Acritelli

On Feb. 1, Port Jefferson resident and longtime business leader Richard Angelo LoNigro Sr. passed away. LoNigro was born in Brooklyn on April 22, 1942. As a young man, LoNigro flourished on the baseball diamond as a catcher at Carey High School in Franklin Square. After graduating in 1960, LoNigro enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served on the USS Tanner. The following year, LoNigro married his sweetheart Priscilla, beginning their long life together.

LoNigro had an impressive tryout at Yankee Stadium, where he hit two home runs into the outfield bullpen. After playing at spring training for the New York Yankees in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, LoNigro ended his baseball career and headed back to Long Island. However, for years, he was a baseball scout for the New York Mets. At first, he supported his growing family of three children as a delivery driver for Tip-Top Bread in Garden City.

In 1966, the LoNigro family of 12 children became longtime residents of Selden. Five years later, LoNigro started what became Port Jefferson Sporting Goods. LoNigro eventually was meeting the diverse sporting needs of individuals, teams, and schools from Montauk to New York City. His store had a thriving front end that stocked Nike and Adidas merchandise, college and professional team hats, sporting equipment, and a full wall of sneakers for every type of sport. 

Through the support of his children LoNigro built this store into one of the top-10 sporting goods organizations in the United States. Tirelessly working almost seven days a week, he was recognized for his success by companies like Rawlings with the Silver Glove award that was bestowed on a limited number of sporting businesses. 

LoNigro was a citizen who gave back to his community by helping the earliest functions of St. Gerard Majella R.C. Church in Port Jefferson Station. 

Longtime St. Anthony’s High School athletic director, Donal Buckley, marveled at the energy that LoNigro presented in running his business and helping others. Buckley recalled the presence of LoNigro “to be a key contributor in moving a religious grotto from Smithtown to Huntington Station. He supported numerous fundraiser events for this school and was beyond fair when purchasing team uniforms.”

The LoNigros also supported the efforts of Father Frank Pizzarelli at Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson. He worked on its board to help the vital efforts of caring for children who faced hard times through its mission statement that “Every life is Sacred.” 

LoNigro was a legendary local figure who had an unyielding ability to help others through a multitude of various charities. The Suffolk County Police Athletic League presented LoNigro as their Man of the Year in 2000. Moreover, in 2016, the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame thanked him as one of the original board members to recognize the finest athletes from this area and the contributions that they made to their own communities. LoNigro was an avid golfer who loved the sport and enjoyed playing with his friends. LoNigro and Priscilla liked their time at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and attending the multiple events and accomplishments of their 26 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. 

Long Island has lost an iconic person who was an American success story that worked his way up from humble beginnings and became a notable business leader. LoNigro’s store represented a simpler time years ago that saw an owner know his customers who spent decades shopping at this special establishment. He set an important bar of excellence to stand behind numerous causes that made Long Island a better place. Thank you to Richard A. LoNigro and his family for their decades of humanity toward the vital needs of their fellow citizens.

by -
0 1508
Community members gaze upon the military wall of honor during the grand opening of the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum in Rocky Point on Thursday, Dec. 7. Photos by Raymond Janis

The Rocky Point community ushered in history Thursday, Dec. 7, welcoming hundreds to the hamlet to launch the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum at the former Rocky Point train station.

In a grand opening ceremony featuring speeches from Rocky Point VFW Post 6249 members, musical performances by local students and even a military flyover, the event formally opened the highly anticipated regional veterans museum to the public.

Attending the event included various public officials, such as Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point), Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa (C-Selden) and a representative of Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY1).

The museum showcases various exhibits spotlighting the stories of local veterans. Uniforms, combat gear and memorabilia are out on display. The centerpiece, situated just outside the complex, is a military wall of honor with hundreds of names of local vets.

Joe Cognitore, commander of VFW Post 6249, declared that Thursday’s event was the realization of years of planning. “This is a vision we had many, many years ago, and this vision finally came true today,” he said.

1 of 11
Community members celebrate the grand opening of the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum in Rocky Point on Thursday, Dec. 7. Photo by Raymond Janis
Community members celebrate the grand opening of the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum in Rocky Point on Thursday, Dec. 7. Photo by Raymond Janis
Community members celebrate the grand opening of the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum in Rocky Point on Thursday, Dec. 7. Photo by Raymond Janis
Community members celebrate the grand opening of the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum in Rocky Point on Thursday, Dec. 7. Photo by Raymond Janis
Community members celebrate the grand opening of the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum in Rocky Point on Thursday, Dec. 7. Photo by Raymond Janis
Community members celebrate the grand opening of the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum in Rocky Point on Thursday, Dec. 7. Photo by Raymond Janis
Community members celebrate the grand opening of the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum in Rocky Point on Thursday, Dec. 7. Photo by Raymond Janis
Community members celebrate the grand opening of the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum in Rocky Point on Thursday, Dec. 7. Photo by Raymond Janis
Community members celebrate the grand opening of the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum in Rocky Point on Thursday, Dec. 7. Photo by Raymond Janis

Cognitore thanked the museum’s curator, post member and history teacher Rich Acritelli, for his considerable effort in preparing the museum for launch. “This museum is unbelievable,” the post commander explained. “It’s amazing what he did inside with such little time and little space.”

In his remarks, Acritelli outlined the objectives of the museum. “This story represents the countless Long Island people that have had numerous family members that have served within the Armed Forces and supported America within every military conflict,” he said.

Chronicling the vast contributions that went into the museum’s rollout, the curator added how the facility represents a moment of community building for Greater Rocky Point and beyond. “While there is a small percentage of the population who actually enter the military, the Armed Forces are embedded within every American family,” he noted. “Working on this veterans project, you watch how almost every person said they had a cousin, brother, father, aunt, close friend, mom, who was in uniform and wanted to recognize them for their patriotic efforts and sacrifices.”

Now, their stories are on display for the public. The museum is located at 7 Prince Road, Rocky Point.

by -
0 636
The USS Shaw explodes during the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. Public domain photo

By Rich Acritelli

“We thought they were U.S. planes until we saw the big red sun on the wings, and they began to bomb and strafe, and there was that big red sun on their wings, and it was war.”

 — William Harvey, USS Sacramento, 1941

Eighty-two years ago on Dec. 7, the Empire of Japan struck the United States Armed Forces stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

In the early morning hours, a massive Japanese naval and air presence was just 200 miles off the coast of these islands as military personnel and civilians awaited a leisurely Sunday. In an attack that lasted a little over two hours, an American population was thrust into a global conflict.

The surprise attack stunned government and military officials alike. Many Americans were shocked by this news, deluded by the inaccurate perception that the Japanese were not capable of hitting Hawaii with any robust force.

Instead, airmen, army forces and naval ships were reeling from continual aerial assaults by the Japanese Zero fighter aircraft that openly strafed American targets. From Japanese aircraft carriers, 40 torpedo planes, 103 level bombers, 131 dive bombers and 79 fighters opened up the war against American targets.

Once the smoke cleared, 2,403 American service members were killed, more than 1,000 injured and 19 American ships were crippled or destroyed.

The United States was fortunate that its three aircraft carriers were at sea. Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto initially stressed caution against this attack. He openly believed that if the American carriers were not hit, he could “run wild” for a year before the “sleeping giant awoke.”

Yamamoto, who traveled extensively around the United States, fully understood America’s economic and military potential, worrying that Japan would lose any long war against this country. The next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) rallied a shaken nation, announcing that a “state of war” existed between the U.S. and Japan.

Americans from all walks of life entered the U.S. Armed Forces to avenge this national tragedy and oppose the rise of fascism. The Japanese and Germans faced limited military achievements, but they underestimated the American resolve to mobilize every facet of its government, economy and population. 

By 1945, America and its allies had achieved “complete” and “utter” victory first against Germany and then Japan.

A way to remember

Dec. 7, 1941, is a national day of remembrance of service for many past, present and future veterans. Recently, Thomas Semkow, a lifetime member of Rocky Point VFW Post 6249, died of cancer on Nov. 13, at 78. A soft-spoken man who was born in Manhattan and enjoyed every aspect of the Rocky Point VFW, Thomas was a Vietnam veteran. He was sent to Vietnam during the height of the fighting. Thomas had the unique experience of being a member of the Green Berets as a medic who worked closely with American and South Vietnamese forces who directly fought the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese Army.

Never one to speak about his experiences during the war, Thomas’ military achievements are on display at the VFW 6249 Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum, opening Thursday, Dec. 7.

His death is a continual reminder of the older World War II, Korean and Vietnam war veterans who are dying on a daily basis. They sacrificed greatly to defend this nation. Let us remember now their valor during the Japanese attack.

Rich Acritelli is a history teacher at Rocky Point High School, adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College and curator of the VFW 6249 Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum.

by -
0 1262
Rocky Point VFW Post 6249 Cmdr. Joe Cognitore, left, and Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum curator Rich Acritelli stand alongside the museum’s planned wall of honor. Photo by Raymond Janis

Long Island’s veterans will soon take center stage as organizers of a regional veterans museum put the finishing touches on the new complex.

Located at the former Rocky Point train station and across the street from the Rocky Point VFW Post 6249 on King Road, the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum will open its doors to the public on Dec. 7. Museum organizers seek to tell the stories of local veterans across Long Island, putting their uniforms, combat equipment and records on public display.

Buildout of this museum commenced earlier this year and is now entering its final stretch. Nearing the finish line, organizers are calling upon the community for support. In readying the complex for its public launch, museum curator and post member Rich Acritelli said the post is still seeking donations of military memorabilia and equipment.

“If anybody has any equipment, web gear, old shovels, knives, canteens, helmets, binoculars, bayonets, rifles, any cold weather stuff or any older hats,” the museum will accept and display that memorabilia, he said.

Along with artifacts, the museum is also accepting display cases, shelves and mannequins to enhance its displays.

A centerpiece for the museum will be its military wall of honor, located along the exterior of the premises. Acritelli said that he hopes to display 250 names of local veterans by the museum’s grand opening ceremonies in December.

“We want people to scratch their heads, and that’s what they’re doing,” he said. “They’re scratching their heads and saying, ‘I have a cousin, an uncle, grandparents’” who served in the U.S. armed forces, “and we’re getting a multitude of families” submitting names.

Joe Cognitore, commander of Post 6249, emphasized the museum as an extension of the VFW’s operations, designed as an education and outreach center to bring the region’s vets together.

“Learning is a never-ending process,” he said, adding that the envisioned complex prevents veteran combat experiences from “falling by the wayside.”

For local Scouts and students seeking community service hours, Cognitore added that the museum is welcoming assistance in its buildout, adding that this form of community service also fulfills the post’s mission of educating Long Island’s youth on the wartime experiences of local veterans. “We want them to dig in, look at the history and know some of the battles,” he added.

Throughout the process of creating the museum, both Cognitore and Acritelli agreed that the project has given rise to a burgeoning homegrown veterans network, connecting former service members around a new common cause. “We’re very busy, but it’s a good thing,” Acritelli noted.

To leverage this newfound connection, Cognitore said the post aims to become “a one-stop shopping VFW.”

“We’re going to get all walks of life through here,” the post commander added.

To donate to the museum or submit a name for the military wall of honor, email Acritelli at [email protected].

123...7Next Page 1 of 7
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©