Student activists and community members took to the streets of Port Jefferson Station on Saturday, June 11, to protest the recent proliferation of gun violence in schools nationwide.
Demonstrators held signs and organizers delivered impassioned speeches calling upon public officials to enact comprehensive gun reform policies. Local photojournalist Daniel Palumbo was on the ground during the event, capturing images of the demonstrators as the event unfolded.
— Photos by Daniel Palumbo
By Steven Zaitz
A pop-up lightning storm rumbled through James M. Shuart Stadium on the campus of Hofstra University on Saturday afternoon.
Nobody had predicted it.
For the Northport Tigers boys lacrosse team, it was not the most shocking thing to happen to them during their New York State Championship Class A game against upstate Baldwinsville.
Riding a 20-game winning streak, including two 13-9 post-season victories earlier in the week over Port Washington and Scarsdale, the Tigers were stunned by the Bees 10-7, losing for the first time since March, dashing their dreams of New York State supremacy.
Baldwinsville, a hamlet of about 8,000 that sits a few miles northwest of Syracuse, took a quick 2-0 lead midway through the first quarter as the unforeseen rain gained strength. A flash of lightning and a clap of thunder later, the officials were compelled to stop the game after only eight minutes of play.
An opportunity for the Tigers to wrest momentum? No.
Baldwinsville senior Midfielder Trey Ordway ripped one past Tiger Goalkeeper Luke Lamendola just moments after the 37-minute weather stoppage. Beekeeper Nicholas Cary then stopped Northport sniper Tim Kirchner from point-blank range with under a minute to go in the bifurcated first quarter. B’ville came down and scored again to beat the buzzer on a spectacular goal by junior Middie Carson Dyl. The Bees had a 4-0 lead, and Northport had officially been punched in the mouth.
“The quick start was huge for us and getting two more after the delay was even more important,” said Baldwinsville Head Coach Matthew Wilcox, B’ville class of 2004. “It continued the momentum that we had established. During the storm, I was about to go into the locker-room and remind everyone to stay focused, but it turns out I didn’t need to, because I heard a bunch of our leaders yelling this to the troops already. It’s a testament to the great leadership we have on this team.”
Across the way, the Tigers were merely looking to get their heads above water.
“We didn’t play our best game, that’s for sure,” said Northport Head Coach Larry Cerasi. “We had way too many turnovers, many of which were unforced, and against a team like that, you’re not going to win — plain and simple.”
But Northport, whose quick-strike transition game was hampered by not only the swarming Bee defense but also by the wet conditions, slowly gained its footing and crept back into the match. The Tigers’ championship D.N.A. wouldn’t have had it any other way — especially in a high-stakes game such as this.
Michael Meyer, the Tigers scoring leader and captain, had a long-pole defensemen, or a double team, marking him for most of the game. But he finally cracked the honeycomb with a beautiful dodge and dive that beat Cary from just outside the crease with seven minutes left in the half. It was Meyer’s only goal of the day on 10 shot attempts. Freshman Jack Deliberti scored two and a half minutes later to make it 4-2. The pendulum was creaking its way ever so slightly towards the Blue and Gold, but how far would it go and for how long?
Baldwinsville would provide the answers.
After gaining control of the ensuing faceoff, Wilcox called a timeout. Whatever he said in the huddle must have worked.
Bee Attacker Ryan Quinn hit a cutting Ryan Hollenbeck with a perfect pass from behind the net to make it 5-2 with 1:29 remaining before half. Another Bee faceoff win by Jacob Czyz, who all day long played all-world FOGO Tyler Kuprianchik to a virtual stalemate at the dot, led to Dyl marching down the middle of the field unmolested to fire it past Lamendola. It restored B’ville’s four-goal lead and served as a giant-sized exclamation point for a dominating half of lacrosse.
“We were just trying to push some transition before the end of the half,” said Dyl. “I made a cut, Tucker (Macknik) made a great pass to me in the middle, and I buried it. The feeling is indescribable. It’s like a dream come true!”
Not for Northport.
For a wet and weary Tiger Nation, the afternoon was turning into a major buzzkill — exacerbated by the fast-spreading news of the mighty Lady Tigers’ loss in their State Championship game earlier in the day — at the hands of Baldwinsville’s Lady Queen Bees.
Despite the gloom and doom vibe, there was still a half remaining for Cerasi’s bunch. They had seen rain before. They had been behind in at least a half-dozen games this season that they came back to win and a four-goal deficit in lacrosse is far from insurmountable.
“We’ve been in all different situations this year and it’s not the first time we’ve had to dig ourselves out of a hole,” Cerasi said. “We could have easily folded after the first half, but we have a team of guys that always battles to the end and that’s what we did.”
Dyl scored his third of the game in the first minute of the second half putting Northport five goals in arrears. The Tigers’ climb was getting steeper.
But senior Attacker Jacob Starcke sliced not one but two goals off the lead within the next three minutes. Then Kuprianchik wandered upfield after winning a draw, picked up a loose ball and bounced it past Cary and the comeback was on. It was 7-5 after three quarters of play.
“We had a lot of mental mistakes and turnovers, but we started to rev it up as the game progressed,” said Northport’s all-star long pole midfielder Andrew Miller.
But in the final quarter of their final game, the mistakes and turnovers would resurface. Baldwinsville had a lot to do with it, buzzing around passing lanes and quickly rotating double-teams on every Tiger attacker with the ball on his stick.
“Our defense and goaltending played a great game and a complete game,” said Wilcox. “Austin McClintic did a really good job on Meyer and our longstick Midfielder, Brayden Penafeather-Stevenson has been negating the opposition’s best middie all year. And of course, Nick Cary made some huge saves at big moments of the game and did a great job of clearing the ball.”
Cary made nine stops and forced many other Tiger shot attempts to be off target with solid positioning and footwork.
“I was seeing the ball really well,” Cary said. “Our coaches did a great job preparing us for this moment and our defense gave me the shots that I wanted to see.”
He would soon see his team go up by three with the clock now very much becoming a factor. After a great save by Cary, Bee attacker Colin Doyle streaked up the right sideline and got past defenseman Jack Breckling to score the first goal of the fourth quarter. It came with only six minutes to go and put the Bees up 8-5. It was the backbreaker for Northport.
Baldwinsvillle’s high-octane Attacker Keegan Lynch, who netted the very first goal of the game, closed the scoring with six seconds left to make it 10-7. Lynch, a junior, took a hard hit from Northport’s Will Flynn just as he released the shot and stayed down on the wet turf for several minutes. He walked off under his own power but sustained a concussion on the play.
“There is no better feeling than winning this championship,” said Lynch, whose last-second tally gave him exactly 40 goals and 100 points on the year. “I would take getting hit like that 100 times in exchange for this championship. After so many years of hard work with these guys that I’ve played with since I’m 8 years old — to win this title with my brothers is an amazing feeling.”
Lynch was able to run out and celebrate with his teammates as the field turned into a red sea of jubilant Bees, flying sticks, gloves and helmets in celebration of the school’s first-ever state title. Wilcox was happy to see that.
“Keegan is an amazing young man,” Wilcox said. “He’s one of the best offensive players in the state and as you can see, also one of the toughest. I’m so happy for Keegan and that he got a chance to run out there with his teammates. Nobody wanted the state championship more than he did.”
The Tigers also wanted it badly but unlike Wilcox, Lynch and the Bees, were not able to get it. But Cerasi and the boys are already looking forward to what comes next.
“After the game, I told the guys that this season is still a great success, and this team has a lot to be proud of,” said Cerasi, who always bubbles with positive energy. “The seniors on this team have a record of 35-5 and have succeeded in putting Northport Lacrosse back on the map. When I was up at the high school after the game, I was walking to my car, and I saw a bunch of the younger players with a bucket of balls, and they were already working on shooting and passing drills. These guys didn’t want it to end and are already trying to get better. Seeing that really lifted my spirits and it reminded me that the future is still very bright for Northport Lacrosse.”
Members of the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce (PJCC) joined The Whiskey Barrel for a one year anniversary ribbon cutting celebration on May 26.
Located at 138 Main Street in Port Jefferson Village, the restaurant/whiskey bar offers whiskey, wine, tap beer and other spirits, and also feature a full menu. Now also open for brunch, the menu includes Bourbon Peach Cobbler French Toast, Croque Monsieur and Dirty Potatoes. Additionally they won 1st place in last year’s chowder contest during the 2021 Port Jefferson Village Harvest Festival.
The Whiskey Barrel is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. with brunch on weekends starting at 9:30 a.m. Takeout and delivery is also available. For more information, call 631-743-9418 or visit www.thewhiskeybarrelpj.com.
This past weekend, the Port Jefferson-based Chapter 319 of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, also known as AHEPA, held its inaugural car show fundraiser in the parking lot of the Greek Orthodox Church of Assumption on Saturday, June 4.
George Kallas, vice president of Chapter 319, discussed the history of the organization. “Back in the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan was persecuting Greeks in [the state of] Georgia,” he said. “They were intimidating the citizens not to go to the Greek diners and they were burning crosses on Greek lawns. A couple of Greeks got together, they went to Washington, D.C., they petitioned the president, they formed AHEPA, they were authorized to carry arms, they went back to Georgia and they pushed back against the Ku Klux Klan.” He added, “The whole idea was to help the Greeks assimilate into American culture and become American citizens.”
Michael Iasilli, a Greek Orthodox resident of Brookhaven whose father helped put this event together, spoke of the important contributions the chapter has made in bringing the community together and raising funds for people in need.
“AHEPA is a believer in Hellenism, and there are a lot of social justice aspects that are a part of their mission,” he said.
Since its inception, AHEPA has stood for volunteering, community engagement, furthering education and philanthropy. In the Port Jefferson community, AHEPA hosts several regular events, including a fishing trip, New Year’s dinners at Pax Christi Hospitality Center and now a car show.
“The proceeds from this event will go to the church and will go to Ukraine,” Kallas said. Describing the car show, he added, “This is the first time we’re doing it. We want to do it on a regular basis, but we’re just feeling it out right now. It seems to be a success so far.”
— Photos by Raymond Janis
By Daniel Dunaief
Kelp, and other seaweed, may prove to be an oyster’s best friend. And, no, this isn’t a script for a new episode of SpongeBob SquarePants.
A thick, heavy leafy seaweed, kelp provides an environmentally friendly solution to several problems. Amid higher levels of carbon dioxide, the air has become warmer and oceans, including coastal regions, are more acidic. That’s because carbon dioxide mixes with water, producing negative hydrogen ions that lower the pH of the water.
Enter kelp.
A rapidly growing seaweed, kelp, which is endemic to the area, uses that carbon dioxide in the same way trees do, as a part of photosynthesis. By removing carbon dioxide, kelp raises the pH, which is helpful for the area’s shellfish.
That’s the conclusion of a recent study published in Frontiers in Marine Science by Stony Brook University Professor Christopher Gobler, Endowed Chair of Coastal Ecology and Conservation at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, and Mike Doall, Associate Director of Shellfish Restoration and Aquaculture at Stony Brook University.
In a series of five laboratory experiments and a field study, Gobler and Doall showed that kelp lowered acidification, enabling better growth for shellfish like oysters. “There was better oyster growth inside the kelp than 50 meters away” Doall said, in what he and Gobler describe as the “halo” effect.
Gobler was especially pleased with the implications of the field experiment.“While showing that [result] in the lab was exciting, being able to improve the growth of oysters on an oyster farm experiencing coastal acidification proves this approach can have very broad implications,” Gobler said in a statement.
Doall estimates that kelp farmers can grow 72,000 pounds per acre of kelp in just six months, during the prime growing season from December through May.
Doall, whose primary role in the study was to grow the kelp and set up the field experiment, said he grew kelp at the Great Gun oyster farm in Moriches Bay that were up to 12 feet long. Over the last four years, he has grown kelp in 16 locations around Long Island, from the East River to Fishers Island.
This year, the team conducted kelp studies in nine locations. The best growth occurred in the East River and in Moriches Bay, Doall said. He harvested about 2,000 pounds each from those two sites this year and is primarily using the kelp in a host of fertilizer studies.
Gobler explained that using seaweed like kelp could enhance aquaculture.
“The intensification of ocean acidification now threatens bivalve aquaculture and has necessitated a solution,” Gobler said in a statement. “We believe our work is foundational to a solution.”
One of the challenges of using kelp to improve the local conditions for shellfish is that it grows during the winter through May, while the growing season for shellfish occurs during the summer.
“That is why we are now working on summer seaweeds,” Gobler explained in an email.
Gobler and Doall are looking for similar potential localized benefits from Ulva, a green sea lettuce, and Gracilaria, which is a red, branchy seaweed.
“Most water quality issues occur during summer, so it’s important to grow seaweed year round,” Doall said.
The Stony Brook scientists, who have worked together since the early 1990s when they were graduate students, are also exploring varieties of kelp that might be more heat tolerant and will try to use some of those on Long Island.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is leading a project to hybridize these heartier strains of kelp, Doall said. GreenWave, which supports regenerative ocean farming, is also participating in that effort.
Gobler explained that they also plan to start earlier, which will extend the growing season.
While the different growing seasons for kelp and oysters may make kelp only part of the solution for reducing ocean acidification for shellfish, the different growing seasons makes the seaweed a complementary companion crop for commercial shellfish diggers.
Summer laborers who work on oysters can transition to kelp harvesting in the fall and winter.
A resident of Rocky Point, Doall lives with his wife Nancy, who teaches at North Coleman Road Elementary School in the Middle Country School District.
The Doall’s 23-year old daughter Deanna, who is a graduate of the University of Tampa, is currently traveling in Guatemala, while their 20-year old daughter Annie is attending Florida Gulf Coast University.
Doall grew up in Massapequa Park. As a 12-year old, he pooled his lawn mowing money with a friend’s paper route funds to buy a small boat with a 1967 10-horsepower Evinrude engine. The pair went out on bays to fish and, periodically, to clam.
Doall, who loves gardening and being in the ocean, described the two of them as being “notorious” for needing tows back to the shore regularly when their engine died.
The former owner of an oyster farm, Doall also enjoys eating them. He particularly enjoys eating oysters in the winter and early spring, when they are plump. His favorite way to eat them is raw on the half shell, but he also appreciates his wife’s “killer Oysters Rockefeller,” as he described it.
As for kelp, the current supply in the area exceeds the demand. The excess kelp, which farmers harvest to prevent the release of carbon dioxide and nitrogen that the seaweed removed from the water, can be composted or used for fertilizer, explained Gobler.
By Bill Landon
The Royals got rolling in the bottom of the second inning with bases loaded and no outs when Frank Andriani was hit by a pitch, forcing Nathaniel Mullen home to take a 2-0 lead in the Long Island Class C Championship against Carle Place June 3.
The youngest roster member for the Royals let his bat do the talking in the bottom of the 3rd when Evan Raymond the 8th grader drove in two runs to put Port Jeff out front 4-0. The Frogs avoided a shutout in the top of the 4th, scoring a run but struggling against senior Luke Filippi’s heat from the mound, who notched eight strike outs in the win.
The Nassau County champs threatened in the top of the 5th, loading the bases with one out, but Filippi, no stranger to pressure, pitched his way out of a jam as Carle Place stranded three. Again, with bases loaded in the bottom of the 5th, freshman Joe Aronica ate a pitch, plating the runner on 3rd for a 5-1 lead. Mullen hit one deep to right in the bottom of the 6th, driving home Daniel Owens the junior for a 6-1 lead. With three outs of life left in the top of the 7th, Filippi fanned the Frogs in order to clinch the LIC title game.
Photos by Bill Landon
On May 25, in the newly refreshed courtyard of The Atelier at Flowerfield in St. James, Paul Lamb, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Atelier thanked board members, staff, artist instructors and loyal students for helping The Atelier survive Covid. “We wouldn’t be here without their support,“ he said.
Board and Staff members in attendance included Dr. Stephen Vlay -Trustee and VP, Barbara Beltrami —Trustee and VP, Ellen Olsen—Trustee and Treasurer, Diane Moffet—Trustee and Secretary, David Madigan—Trustee, and Joan Rockwell—Trustee, Gaby Field-Rahman, Administrator, Donna Howard, Asst. Administrator, Aneta Dworak, Business Manager, Cand arol D’ Amato, Librarian/Teaching Assistant, Kimberley Bernhardt, Media Coordinator.
In January of 2020, The Atelier had to restructure to bring operating expenses in line with operating income. Four individuals were singled out as deserving of Special Thanks. Gaby Field-Rahman, Barbara Beltrami, and Joan Rockwell rolled up their sleeves and did just that. Bill Graf resident artist/instructor extraordinaire helped maintain the instructional staff. Without their devotion to The Atelier in its time of need, and their very hard work, The Atelier wouldn’t be here today.
Shortly thereafter the Pandemic hit, how would The Atelier continue operating without in person art classes? Bill Graf once again came to the rescue. He developed online art classes for The Atelier. We never missed a beat. Our student body remained constant during the height of the Pandemic, and today it continues to grow. Mr. Lamb concluded that without Bill, there is no Atelier and again offered his thanks.
The Atelier had to grow, even in times of Covid, to survive. Briana Sheridan, former Media Coordinator for The Atelier, stepped up and developed twice monthly free online art talks and lectures. Linda Catucci, another extraordinary resident art instructor, stepped up and expanded Youth Programming and developed the new Atelier website.
Mr. Lamb continued by thanking Aneta Dworak, Business Manager for The Atelier, for shepherding the refreshment of this Courtyard and the installation of new HVAC systems in The Atelier; Carol D’Amato for her work in re-organizing the 6,000-volume Fine Arts library; and Kimberley Bernhardt, the new Media Coordinator, who is now in the process of opening a new online art store for The Atelier.
Artists in attendance for this event included William Graf, Randall DiGiuseppe, Jane McGraw-Teubner, Linda Catucci, Christian White, Antonio Masi & Liz Jorg Masi, Ross Barbera, Krys Lipinski, Joan Rockwell, and Neill Slaughter.
The Atelier hopes to celebrate each continuing year of success in the same fashion! For more information or to register for a class, workshop or lecture go to www.atelierflowerfield.org or call 631-250-9009.
By Heidi Sutton
What’s your favorite color? If the answer is pink, then you should run, not walk, to the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport to catch a truly wonderful production of Pinkalicious the Musical.
Based on the popular children’s book by Elizabeth and Victoria Kann, the show tells the story of a little girl named Pinkalicious Pinkerton who loves the color pink (“It’s a color like no other!”) and is obsessed with pink cupcakes.
Despite her parent’s warnings, Pinkalicious overindulges on the sugary delights and wakes up the next day pink from head to toe. The doctor diagnoses her with pinkititis and in order to keep it from becoming worse she has to eat healthy green foods. But Pinkalicious just can’t stop eating those cupcakes, and when she wakes up the second morning, she’s turned red. She realizes the only way out of this predicament is to follow doctor’s orders. But is it too late? Will she be red forever?
Directed by Danny Meglio with choreography by Jillian Sharpe, the show is an instant hit thanks to a talented cast of five who tackle this fast-paced script with ease.
Perfectly cast in the role of Pinkalicious, Emilie Goodrich embraces her inner child to bring this colorful, energetic character to life and sparkles on stage. The other members of the family, the organized Mrs. Pinkerton (the delightful Kassie Kueffne), the busy Mr. Pinkerton (an incredible Justin Autz), and overlooked brother Peter (the multi-talented Jae Hughes) along with best friend Alison (the amazing Kara Vito), play multiple roles throughout the show with unbounded enthusiasm.
What’s special about this show is that each actor has a chance to shine with a solo, from Goodrich’s lovely “When Dreams Come True,” to Kueffne’s lullaby “You Get Just What You Get,” Vito’s “Pinkititis,” Jae Hughes’ heartfelt “I Got the Pink Blues,” and Autz in the “Finale.”
There are also so many wonderful moments in the show. At one point the family goes to the doctor’s office on a pink four seat bicycle. On the way back home, they take a detour through the aisles of the theater to go to a park with a real slide. While at the park Pinkalicious is surrounded by a bee, a bird and two butterflies who are attracted to her pink color in the cute number “Buzz Off.” Another time, Pinkalicious has a dream about pink cupcakes who all of a sudden walk out of the refrigerator and start singing and dancing. Great stuff.
Pinkalicious is more than a story about eating your vegetables. It is about the power of communication, the love of family and the affirmation that a little pink goes a long way. Don’t miss this one.
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Pinkalicious The Musical through July 3. All seats are $20. For more information or to order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
By Steven Zaitz
L.I.C. is not supposed to stand for Long Island Cakewalk, is it?
That’s exactly what it looked like in the first few moments of the Long Island Boys High School Lacrosse Championship game June 4, as the Northport Tigers raced out to a 3-0 lead in the opening 79 seconds against Nassau champ Port Washington.
With three easy wins at the dot by face-off specialist extraordinaire Tyler Kuprianchik, Tigers Jack Deliberti, Tim Kirchner and Will Murphy were able to slice through and plunder the Viking defense and score three quick ones on beleaguered Port Washington goalie Bradley Hamroff, not two minutes after the singing of the National Anthem.
With a start like this, it appeared that it was safe for the Tigers to start packing up the team bus for the drive up to Albany for the New York State Championship semi-final.
Not so fast.
“We knew coming in it was going to be a whistle-to-whistle kind of game,” said Head Coach Larry Cerasi, now the proud owner of two consecutive Long Island Championships in his first two years as head man at Northport. “We got off to a fast start, but they are an extremely well-coached team, and we knew it was going to be an all-day battle.”
The Vikings did battle. But the strong opening, a dominating 4th quarter, and unlikely heroes stepping into the breach secured a 13-9 win for Cerasi’s men.
Hamroff would settle down and make several good saves in the first quarter including a straight-on rip from Tiger Midfielder Dylan McNaughton. When Henry Haberman, the Viking’s most lethal attacker, scored his second goal with less than a minute to go in the opening quarter, it was suddenly 4-3.
Put that cake back in the display case.
“We played from behind all season and came back to win a bunch of games, so we never panicked,” said Hamroff, who totaled 18 saves on this hot afternoon in Uniondale. “We knew that we were going to give up goals because the had a big advantage at the faceoff X, but we never once thought we were out of it.”
All year, that faceoff X has been where dreams go to die, and momentum snuffed for Tiger opponents. Kuprianchik won an incredible 80% of his previous faceoffs and would dominate Viking draw-man Alex Papagalis 21-4, good for 87.5%. What makes Kuprianchik’s feat of strength even more wondrous was the fact that he was playing on a sprained foot; an injury that forced him to miss a portion of the Suffolk County final game against Smithtown East.
“I love this team so much. I would do anything for this team, so I went out there and gave the best performance that I could,” said Kuprianchik, who will be attending Penn State in the fall. “I was really feeling it today and was able to win a lot of them (faceoffs) clean.”
For his efforts, Kuprianchik was awarded the James C. Metzger award for the second year in a row. This goes to the Most Valuable Player of the Long Island Championship game. Kuprianchik had a similar performance last year in the Tiger’s heart-pounding, 11-10 win over Syosset.
“It’s such an honor to win this award,” said Kuprianchik. “But we won this game as a team.”
The Tigers did get contributions from all positions, all over the field. Kirchner led the Tigers with three goals and an assist and fellow midfielder Jack Helrigel had two goals, including one of the most important tallies of the afternoon.
After withstanding Northport’s initial blitzkrieg, Port Washington scratched and clawed their way into tying it at 7-7 with three straight goals towards the end of the third quarter. Port Washington Attacker Gavin Jacobsen would rifle one past Tiger Goalkeeper Luke Lamendola with 45 seconds left in the period to get the game even for the first time the since the opening whistle.
It wouldn’t stay even for long.
Helrigel would drive to the net, take a brilliant, lightning-quick centering feed from Murphy, and fling the ball past Hamroff from five feet away with 8.8 seconds to go in the third. It was now 8-7 and the Tigers would never again relinquish the lead.
“That goal gave us the final push that we needed,” said the senior Helrigel. It gave us the lead back and also the confidence and momentum to put the game away.”
The Tigers won the fourth quarter 5-2 to do just that. Quinn Reynolds, who plays defense, midfield and attack, opened the final quarter by streaking up the center seam and firing it past Hamroff only 12 seconds in. It was 9-7 and Northport would trade a few goals with Port Washington and whittle down the clock to another championship.
“I’m so proud of guys, our coaches and everyone that supports us,” said Cerasi. “We pride ourselves on being well-balanced and today we got contributions from our attack, and we got contributions from our midfielders in the transition game. Also, our defense and goaltender played extremely well. Port Washington double-teamed Mike (Meyer) for much of the game, so our other guys, like Kirchner, Murphy and Helrigel stepped up.”
Meyer, who was second in Suffolk to Mt. Sinai’s Joey Spallina in total points and a shoo-in for All American, had a goal and 3 assists on the day. It was up to guys like Kirchner, who is also a cross-country star, to find the twine. He was a marauder, with and without the ball, for the entire game; and perhaps the stamina he has honed as a long-distance runner paid dividends in the Hofstra Heat.
“I made good use of my endurance advantage to use today,” said Kirchner. “I love to run up on offense and back on defense and I’ve been playing with a lot of confidence as the season has gone along.”
Goalkeeper Lamendola has also played with confidence as the competition has gotten stiffer.
Port Washington launched assault after assault in a desperate attempt to slice off pieces of the Tiger lead. He made six saves in total and was effective in cutting down angles and standing tall in the face of the pressurized heat in the front of his net. Lamendola, who also starred on the Tiger football team and will study film and animation at The Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, was very animated when the final horn sounded, as he was at the epicenter of a hugging, jumping, glove-throwing and victorious pack of Tigers.
“We have a lot of talent on this team,” said Lamendola. “I couldn’t do it without my teammates and my coaches and of course my dad. It’s more of a mental game more than a physical in the net and Coach (Dean) Spadaro has taught every aspect of being a goalie since I was 8 years old.”
Coach Spadaro, whose son Kieran registered an assist in the game, has been coaching many of these boys since kindergarten. He knew Lamendola, who follows in the footsteps of goaltending legend Andrew Tittmann, has what it takes to succeed at this level.
“Nobody will ever outwork Luke”, said Spadaro. “Ninety percent of goaltending is between the ears and Luke is smart goalie with great instincts and I’m so happy for him and this team.”
The Tigers, who have now won 19 straight games after an opening day loss to non-conference foe Mt. Sinai, can now move on and think about their semi-final game at SUNY Albany vs. the Scarsdale Raiders who have a record of 14-7 on the year. After last summer’s L.I.C., they did not get a chance to play for a New York State title, as that tournament was not played because of the pandemic.
“Last year was phenomenal, but after the Long Island Championship game against Syosset, we had sort of an empty feeling and we wanted more,” said Cerasi. “As a group we are extremely happy to get an opportunity to play for a state championship this year.”
Cerasi and the Tigers will get it and it is now safe to pack up that bus.
Vendors lined up along Smithtown’s Main Street while attendees filled the street to check out all they had to offer, including music, arts and craft, raffles and food on June 5.
Smithtown Festival Day was presented by the Greater Smithtown Chamber of Commerce Smithtown.
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