Graduating seniors walk to the front of the high school as the band plays “Pomp and Circumstance” at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Andrea Paldy.
Graduating seniors walk to the front of the high school as the band plays “Pomp and Circumstance” at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Andrea Paldy.
Students return to the bleachers after receiving their diplomas at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Andrea Paldy.
Graduating senior Jack Tanzi sings “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Andrea Paldy.
Valedictorian Eric Wang mentions classmates and their many talents by name as he outlines what makes the class of 2015 an outstanding group at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Andrea Paldy.
Student government president George Zenzerovich presents the school with the class gift — banners —which he says will “show who we are and what we stand for” at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Andrea Paldy.
Soon-to-be graduates watch their friends receive their diplomas at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Andrea Paldy.
Soon-to-be graduates watch their friends receive their diplomas at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Andrea Paldy.
Proud soon-to-be graduate is all smiles as she holds her diploma at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Andrea Paldy.
Excited senior returns to the bleachers with his diploma at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Andrea Paldy.
A graduating senior receives her diploma from Principal Baum at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Andrea Paldy.
Salutatorian Jayne Green tells women in the audience they are not alone and that together “Nothing can stop us” at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Three Village Central School District
Salutatorian Jayne Green tells women in the audience they are not alone and that together “Nothing can stop us” at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Three Village Central School District
Graduates celebrate by tossing their caps at the Ward Melville High School graduation on June 28, 2015. Photo by Andrea Paldy.
Umbrellas, usually necessary to ward off blazing sun, protected spectators from light drizzle as Ward Melville High School honored around 600 graduates Sunday.
Graduating seniors took their places in bleachers set up alongside the high school’s entrance, which still featured the “Journey to Neverland” backdrop from Thursday night’s prom.
Salutatorian Jayne Green told the women in the audience to remember they were not alone and that as half of the population, women should unite and work together. If they did, she said, “Nothing can stop us.”
Valedictorian Eric Wang shared his moment at the podium with his classmates by mentioning many of them and their contributions by name.
From state athletic champions to talented performers, innovators, “extraordinary leaders,” “patriots serving the country” and those always ready to offer a lending hand, “Each and every one of us is exceptional,” Wang said.
He then urged his classmates to “pay it forward” and channel their energies into their future endeavors.
Following student government president George Zenzerovich’s presentation of the class gift were words from Principal Alan Baum and school board president William Connors. The rain subsided in time for Baum and assistant principal Rosanne DiBella to hand diplomas to the members of the Class of 2015.
Ward Melville senior shortstop Brianna Dade tosses the ball during practice Monday. Photo by Bill Landon
With just two seniors on the Ward Melville softball roster, first year head coach Joseph Burger will lean on the under classman to make a significant contribution, as the Patriots field two juniors, four freshman and three eighth graders, to help make some noise in League I this season.
Burger, who coached at McGann-Mercy last season, knows he’s got his work cut out for him as he looks to build a program with a very young squad in a preseason where all of his practices have been indoors.
“We haven’t been outside yet, so we’ve only been able to hit in the net — you don’t get the same kind of grounders that you get outside,” senior shortstop Brianna Dade said. “It’s not the same feel and it’s a lot harder; you’re in a closed area you’ve got the [overhead] lights so it’s totally different.”
Burger said that his team will fundraise in the off-season to travel to Disney for spring training, which will become part of the Patriots preseason preparation.
“We’ve made changes already,” Burger said. “We have new dugouts, new uniforms, new helmets; which is all part of our new direction [we’re headed in]. I coached a travel team for 10 years where I took my team to Disney several years and it’s a way to show the team how this is a year-round program. It adds value and it’s a good way to recruit players.”
Although Burger said softball isn’t as big at Ward Melville as other sports, his girls put in a lot of effort and are ready to win.
“That doesn’t mean we can’t be successful with softball,” Burger said of the sports lower popularity. “These girls work hard, they’re fast, they aim to please, they don’t take anything personal and they listen to direction and act on it.”
Ward Melville senior left fielder Mary Garr winds up to throw the ball across the gym during practice Monday. Photo by Bill Landon
Dade said that although there are a lot of younger girls on the team, she thinks its small stature and speed will be an advantage as the Patriots play a lot of small ball.
Kristina Maggiacomo, an eighth-grader, will be tested right from the season opener as a starting pitcher and infielder. Despite starting two eighth graders, senior left fielder Mary Garr was optimistic about her teams’ chances of success this season.
“Every team we’ll face this year will be a challenge, but our pitching is definitely better and we try our hardest,” Garr said. “You have to play at 100 percent with every pitch, with every catch and with every throw if you want to win.”
According to Burger, the team’s leaders are Garr, junior first baseman Natalie Rodgers and junior pitcher Lauren Vivenzio, who will also be counted on to anchor a young pitching staff.
Burger said that if his team plays strong defense, and doesn’t hurt itself with errors, the Patriots can expect to win every time they take the field. Rodgers agreed, adding that she sees every girl giving each practice 100 percent.
“I think we have a lot of potential,” she said, although concerned about the lack of outdoor practice. “The ball’s slower on the dirt, but in here [on the gym floor] it really rolls, so it’s faster and it’s hard on the outfielders. You really can’t practice catching fly balls because of the ceiling.”
The young squad will be tested in its home opener on Thursday, when the patriots host Commack at 4:15 p.m.
Jimmy Kickel looks up the field to make a play. File photo by Kevin Freiheit
With 17 seniors returning to this year’s Ward Melville boys’ lacrosse squad, the team said it is confident that it can once again achieve the state championship-like caliber it had in the 2012-13 season, when the Patriots went 21-0-1 and won the school’s first state title since 2000.
“We have a ton of senior leadership, which is important and what all of the great teams have,” senior midfielder Jake McCulloch said. “Our chemistry is something that really stands out.”
A significant amount of this season’s returning players were also on that state championship-winning team, which should be a boost even despite 13 seniors graduating at the end of last season. Despite the small hiccup last season, the Patriots still said they are ready, and hungry.
“I think we underachieved a little bit last season, quite honestly, but we also had a significant amount of injuries,” head coach Jay Negus said. “In terms of looking forward, I’m very optimistic with this group. We have a great group of senior leaders and the initiatives that this group has taken thus far, in terms of shoveling the field by themselves, the way they warm up, the way that they’re practicing; they’re all business.”
The Patriots finished last season with a 13-6 overall record and 10-4 mark in League I play, losing in the quarterfinals of the Suffolk County Class A playoffs to West Islip, 7-5.
The boys said they are using the disappointment as motivation this season, and Negus said he has taken notice.
Jake McCulloch maintains possession in a game last season. File photo by Desirée Keegan
“They look really good, they’re whipping the ball around, they’re focused and they’re really absorbing all the stuff we’re throwing at them this early on,” he said. “Right now we’re hitting the ground running and we’re very excited about the season.”
Senior attack Danny Bucaro said the team has been going over the offensive plays and positioning in practice, and working on the simple things like ground balls, endurance, catching, throwing and shooting. The team only has two weeks to prepare for the start of the season, because of the weather, which Bucaro said differs from years past, where the team normally had three weeks to practice.
“We have to work hard all the time and give 110 percent effort,” he said. “The only thing that will bring you success is working hard. The young guys have a lot of talent and it’s really nice that we click in all aspects both on and off the field.”
As a result of this, McCulloch said he thinks the offense is going to improve because of the depth, which leads to more options to score.
Negus said Bucaro and McCulloch would be leading the way on that front.
“They are the two focal points of the offense that also lead by experience and get the rest of the guys on board,” he said, also noting other strong senior returners like midfielders Jimmy Kickel, Mike Cusmano and John Burgdoerfer, who he’s hoping will also contribute on offense.
On the other side of the field, senior Tommy Reilly is returning from back surgery, according to the coach, and will join forces with senior Michael Cirrone, junior John Day and sophomore Andrew McKenna to solidify the defensive end.
John Burgdoerfer makes a pass. File photo by Desirée Keegan
“We’re really focusing on the conditioning aspect, especially early on, to get the guys ready so that they’re in shape and that the injuries don’t happen,” Negus said. “The athleticism and the speed that this group has from offense to defense is something that is really going to help us separate from the competition.”What will also distinguish the team is the stiff competition the boys will be up against. Negus said he is following his pattern from last season and scheduled nonleague games against top teams Chaminade, West Islip, Ridgefield and Yorktown.”It’ll allow it to be the sort of litmus test for us to see what our strengths and weaknesses are,” he said. “When you go against a powerhouse like Chaminade, those things stand out right from the start.”After a scrimmage against Miller Place, the team’s first test will come in the form of Chaminade, on March 21 on the Patriots’ home turf.
Negus also kept these scheduled games as a result of the league realignment, which removed games against some top teams like Suffolk County champion Smithtown East.
“We scheduled a really difficult nonleague schedule to prepare us for that playoff push against some of the teams we’re not going to see during the year,” Negus said.
McCulloch said he is excited for the challenges ahead and is looking forward to going against high caliber teams that will show the Patriots what they need to do in order to achieve their goal.
“Even if we do come out ahead, they expose our weaknesses, and it’s better to get them out against good teams like that, and then we can work on them in practice, but playing the best competition brings out the best in us,” he said. “I think just playing as a team and the friendships that we build this year will be important, but a state championship is obviously the biggest goal.”
Prev
