The Northport boys lacrosse team emerged the winners of the Long Island Boys Lacrosse Class A final.
The team beat Port Washington, 13-9, on Saturday, June 4 at Hofstra University.
Northport boys lacrosse team wins Long Island Class A Championship
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Sound Beach Civic Association hosts Memorial Day service
The Sound Beach Civic Association hosted its annual Memorial Day service at Veterans Memorial Park May 31.
Attendees of the event included New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead), Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point), musicians from Rocky Point High School and veterans representing each branch of the armed services.
Deacon Bob Mullane, of St. Louis de Montfort R.C. Church, delivered the invocation for the event. “We have gathered here today to remember those who have died in service to this country,” he said. “We commend them for their courage in the face of great odds. As citizens of this great nation, we remember the sacrifices, and those of their families and friends, with deep gratitude.”
Jimmy Henke, a longtime resident of Sound Beach and war hero, raised the American flag during the ceremony. While serving in Vietnam on a reconnaissance mission, his company came under intense enemy fire. After exposing himself to the gunfire, Henke carried a wounded comrade to a medical site. For his valiance in the face of tremendous danger, Henke was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.
Following him, veterans from each of the armed services raised the flags representing their respective branch of services. Girl Scouts Julianna Gabrielsen and Anna Polyanksi laid the memorial wreaths.
Performances were delivered by students from the music department of Rocky Point school district under the direction of Amy Schecher. Tessa Cunningham, Alexandra Kelly and Brenna Kiernan sang both the national anthem and “God Bless America.” Daniel Curley and Shaun Sander performed “Taps.”
The event was concluded by a wind rendition of “America the Beautiful,” performed by Shane McDonald, Ryan McDonald, Jasmine Pickenburg, Matthew Liselli, Hannah Gundel, Brayden D’Ambrosio, Piper Rinn, Aneesh Deshpande, Vivian Dorr and Justin Pititto with Curley and Sander.
To learn more about the Sound Beach Civic Association, visit www.soundbeachcivic.org.
— Photos by Raymond Janis
Bellone, Kornreich visit veterans home for Memorial Day service
Public officials gathered before a room of vets at the Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook University for a Memorial Day service Friday, May 27.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) gave the keynote address for the event. He continued the theme raised during his State of the County address a week earlier, invoking the example of the Greatest Generation as a model for Americans today.
“I can’t help but think that it’s just at the moment when we see our World War II veterans unfortunately slowly, but inevitably, fade into history, that 80 years later we now see war raging in Europe,” he said. “It’s so important that we never forget what they did.”
For Bellone, American veterans should be honored not only for their service abroad but for the work they perform for communities after they return from the battlefield.
“It’s what veterans always do — they come home after fighting for our country and they build and they strengthen our community,” the county executive said, adding, “To all our veterans who have served, you all have picked up the baton of service. From the Revolutionary War right up to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, American veterans have served and have sacrificed.”
Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) was also in attendance. Saying that he was inspired by Bellone’s address, the councilmember commented on the need for policymakers to temper their power to wage war and monitor their decisions that threaten peace.
Without memory of the great global conflicts of the 20th century, leaders today may be less cautious in their use of force.
“Maybe people now who are making decisions, who didn’t live through it, maybe they don’t have the same reluctance to engage in war and the same urgency to avoid it,” Kornreich said. “Especially right now, with all of the conflicts that are going on, that’s a very good lesson. I can’t think of a better way to honor the memory of those who have died in war than to try to fight for peace.”
— Photos courtesy of Long Island State Veterans Home
Northport boys lacrosse moves on to Long Island championship
By Steven Zaitz
Northport defeated Smithtown East, 16-13, in the Suffolk County Class A Boys Lacrosse Championship game in a game that took place over the course of two days.
After a flash lightning storm struck at East Islip on June 1, the game was delayed for 30 minutes with Northport leading, 6-5. After the officials restarted the game, Northport would outscore the Bulls, 7-2, but the weather would force yet another stoppage. The game resumed June 2 with seven and a half minutes remaining, and despite a furious flurry of goals by the Red Bulls, Northport would hang on to win their second consecutive Suffolk County title.
Marcus Wertheim scored four goals and Brandon Marz three goals for Smithtown East. Michael Meyer and Jacob Starcke scored four each for the Tigers, and Jack Deliberti would net three. The Tigers take on Port Washington for the Class A title on Saturday at Hofstra.
Comsewogue Warriors corral Bulls in Suffolk Class B title game
It took the Comsewogue Warriors four minutes into the fourth quarter to take the first lead of the game only to have the Bulls of Smithtown West retie the game at 6-6 on the ensuing possession.
With 4 minutes, 5 seconds left on the clock, James Krieg stretched the net to edge ahead by one when Michael Katz on a defensive take away scored the insurance goal a minute later to win the Suffolk Class B boy’s lacrosse final, 8-6, at East Islip High School June 1.
Katz scored three goals in the victory, Dylan Rocchio had two goals and an assist and teammates Brayden Arias, Thomas Kennedy and James Krieg each scored. Adam Wachholder had back-to-back saves in the closing minute for seven stops on the day.
The win propels the Warriors to the Long Island Championship round where they’ll face Garden City at Hofstra University June 4 with a 3 p.m. start.
Theater Review: ‘Kinky Boots’ struts its stuff at the Engeman
By Barbara Anne Kirshner
SHOES! Cobbled into laced high-top boots, stilettos or platforms, they transport the wearer to another place, another time, even another attitude. As Cyndi Lauper’s lyrics put it, “The most beautiful thing in the world — SHOES!”
Kinky Boots isn’t just about shoes; there’s a much deeper message of acceptance that resonates in this musical with book by Broadway icon, Harvey Fierstein (Torch Song Trilogy and La Cage aux Folles), and music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper who already was the beacon for diversity with such anthems as True Colors. Together they crafted this poignant, funny musical that radiates so much heart.
The show is based on the 2005 British film, Kinky Boots, which was inspired by a true story, the topic of a 1999 episode of the BBC2 documentary television series Trouble at the Top.
This musical centers around a young man, Charlie Price, who is struggling to save his family’s five-generations-long shoe factory in the small town of Northampton, England that he inherited from his father. He forms an unlikely alliance with a drag queen, Lola, and they produce a line of high-heeled alternative footwear for men and take their kinky boots to the runways of the international shoe show in Milan. Along the way, Charlie and Lola realize they are not that different.
Kinky Boots premiered at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on April 4, 2013. It received 13 nominations and 6 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Actor for Billy Porter and Best Score for Cyndi Lauper giving her the distinction of being the first woman to win alone in that category. It closed on April 7, 2019.
Now the musical heads to the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport which enjoys a tradition of breathtaking professionalism and Kinky Boots only adds to its repertoire of fabulous theatre.
Musical direction by Jeff Cox keeps festivities energized with the band conducted by Ben Kiley, on the night of this review, brilliantly taking on Lauper’s high-spirited score and driving it home.
The dynamic cast is intense and multi-talented, injecting passion and energy into the show. In the lead role of Charlie Price, Zach Hess is compelling, making us feel his dilemma, torn between trying to keep his father’s legacy alive or giving in to his fiancée Nicola’s insistence that they start a new life in London. Hess’ vocals are rich and powerful in such numbers as Step One, Take What You Got and blows the roof off the house with the impassioned Soul of a Man. Sofie Flores’ Nicola is a steam-roller, prickly and conniving; she selfishly conjures up a plan to get Charlie out of the factory.
Omari Collins dazzles in the role of flamboyant drag queen Lola whom Charlie met after a chance encounter. Collins glamorously struts his stuff in such numbers as Land of Lola, Sex Is In The Heels and sends chills with his showstopper Hold Me In Your Heart. He is riveting when he confides how he didn’t live up to his father’s desire that he become a proper boxer.
We are thoroughly immersed in the duo of Charlie and Lola who come together to create all those kinky boots and along the way realize that above all else they must accept themselves, a revelation that resounds in I’m Not My Father’s Son.
In the role of factory worker Lauren, who comes up with the idea of footwear for a diversified market, Lily Kaufmann is so much fun especially when she regrets her poor choices in men with The History of Wrong Guys and is deliciously animated lusting after Charlie. As factory worker Don, Demetrio Alomar exudes the right flavor of gruff and macho especially when he rebuffs Lola leading to a pivotal confrontation.
The ensemble is incredibly limitless, bouncing through the kinetic choreography of Natalie Malotke. The factory workers are appropriately gritty in contrast to the sizzling Angels. How the Angels are able to perform all those gymnastic dance routines in sky high heels is incomprehensible!
Under the direction of Igor Goldin, this production soars with vitality and feeling. The ingenious set designed by Kyle Dixon emulates the industrial feel of this small town factory with its steel scaffolding that glides into various positions as each scene requires and features a slide conveyor belt for spitting out shoes. Jose Santiago’s lighting design with well-placed spots that add pathos causes shivers and excitement just at the right moments. Sound design by Joanna Lynne Staub is crisp with all levels expertly set.
The shining stars are the thigh-high kinky boots in a rainbow of colors and bedazzled in jewels compliments of prop designer Kristie Moschetta. Kurt Alger must have had such fun designing costumes and wigs for this show. Every time Lola and her Angels appear we are awed by form-fitting confections in red, leather and animal prints with coiffeurs piled high or exploding in curls.
The finale, Raise You Up/Just Be, splashes joy over the audience and ejects them from their seats into an enthusiastic standing ovation. One can’t help but leave the theatre exhilarated. The Engeman has hit a home run with this mesmerizing production of Kinky Boots. Don’t miss it.
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Kinky Boots through July 3. The 2021-2022 season closes out with the musical On Your Feet The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan from July 14 to Aug. 28. Tickets range from $75 to 80 with free valet parking. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
Port Jeff Royals win Class C Championship
By Bill Landon
After trailing by two runs, the Royals of Port Jefferson rallied back to retie the game six all to start the 7th inning. Still deadlocked in the bottom of the inning, Frank Andriani sprinted home from third on a wild pitch to score the go-ahead run to win the game 7-6 against Pierson for the Suffolk County Class C Championship title at home May 27.
Port Jeff senior Luke Filippi pitched the last two innings for the win along with three hits. Teammate Ruairi Rago the sophomore had four at bats with three hits.
The win lifts the Royals to 20-3 and advanced them to the conference V championship.
Photos by Bill Landon
Rocky Point Eagles edge Mount Sinai Mustangs
By Bill Landon
It took extra innings to decide game one of the Suffolk A championship series between Rocky Point, the No. 1 seed, and visiting Mt. Sinai, the No. 3 seed May 28.
With bases loaded in the bottom of the 8th inning, Rocky Point junior Dominick Carbone was hit by a pitch forcing in the winning run for the 5-4 final.
Photos by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai wins over SWR in the Suffolk Class C final
By Bill Landon
It was all Mt. Sinai in the Suffolk Class C final where the No. 1 seeded Mustangs led by eight goals at the half over No. 2 seed Shoreham-Wading River and never let up to capture the County title 16-5.
Joey Spallina reached a milestone in the win, scoring a goal to eclipse the Long Island high school record of 501 points, a combination of goals and assists, in the victory May 31 at East Islip High School.
Sophomore attack Lucas Laforge topped the scoring chart for the Mustangs with six goals and one assist and Joey Spallina had five assists and three goals for eight points. Brayden Wilcken had 11 saves in net.
The win sends the Mustangs to the Long Island Championship round at Hofstra University Saturday June 4th. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
Photos by Bill Landon
Kenneth Roberts honored for 36 years as Mather Hospital president
Kenneth Roberts, whose 40-year career at Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson include 36 years as president, was honored at a special ceremony at the hospital on May 24.
One of the longest serving hospital presidents in New York State and only the third chief executive in Mather Hospital’s more than 92-year history, Roberts retired at the end of May, according to a press release.
“Detailing all of Ken’s accomplishments over four decades at Mather Hospital is an enormous task,” said Mather Board Chairman Leo Sternlicht. “Ken oversaw the growth of a community hospital into one of the most respected and highly ranked healthcare institutions on Long Island.”
Under his leadership, the community hospital grew into one of the most respected and highly ranked hospitals on Long Island. Roberts oversaw multiple hospital expansions, including the Frey Family Foundation Medical Arts Building which houses the Infusion Center and the Bariatric Center of Excellence; the Calace Pavilion, which houses the newest patient care unit 3 North, offices for the Internal Medicine Residency Program and the LIAP Conference Center; and the Cody Surgical Pavilion where surgical teams perform procedures in neurosurgery.
During Roberts’ tenure, Mather was designated and redesignated as a Magnet® hospital for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice and was reaccredited in 2018; a teaching hospital with a growing Graduate Medical Education residency program; and multiple top “A” grades for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group; and earned top ratings for patient safety, to name just a few.
When changes in the healthcare industry made the hospital’s independent status increasingly untenable, he headed the search for a healthcare partner that led to the affiliation with Northwell Health.
“When I sought the job of Executive Director at Mather Hospital, it was with the full knowledge that I would be following in the footsteps of a man who is so highly regarded and who has successfully guided this institution for decades,” said Executive Director Kevin McGeachy. “Ken made it a very easy transition for me by creating a culture where employees enjoy working and are encouraged to share their ideas and observations on how to do better every day.’
It was also Roberts’ leadership and vision that has guided the hospital to its largest, most transformational building project in its history, a 38,000-square-foot addition that will include a new 25,000-square-foot Emergency Department and an expanded surgical center. This new building, expected to open in 2024, will be located next to the Cody Surgical Pavilion.
“Mr. Roberts lasting impact was about more than bricks and mortar,” read the press release. “More than a dozen year’s ago, when patient satisfaction scores were not what he thought they should be, he undertook a cultural transformation program — our Voyage to Excellence — that engaged our employees and resulted in dramatically improved scores. His tenure also was marked by his management style. Whether sitting down with employees in the cafeteria or stopping them in the hallways to chat, Mr. Roberts had a very personal style that encouraged employees to think of themselves as a family. It is a culture under which it is not uncommon for employees to work at Mather for 30 or 40 years or more, and to encourage their family members join them here as employees.”
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