UA_LI_WIN_II_2014 by UA MEDIA

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Readers,

postseason.

The winter weather has hit Long Island hard over the past couple of months, and while it’s caused a few cancellations and postponed games, the high school sports carry on. Basketball season is in full swing as many teams are tuning up and preparing for the

Not every team has endured a successful year, but they’ve all been competitive and the leagues are shaping up to be close, which should create interesting matchups.

Ultimate athlete magazine PUBLISHER/CEO EXECUTIVE EDITOR ASSISTANT PUBLISHER

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR SENIOR MEDIA MANAGER GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

If you’re looking for some exciting high school sports action, stay tuned to the next few weeks of basketball, as there will be many intriguing matchups in an already jam-packed season.

N.J COMANZO KEVIN FREIHEIT

LOUIS H QUACH PONNUTHURAI JEYATHAS

nicole manzo

WIN-KYE CHEONG

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In this issue, we feature Northport, Haborfields, Huntington, Rocky Point and Kings Park basketball, just to name a few. With the regular seasons winding down, it means that the spring sports are not too far away, either. Before we touch on those, we’ve hit a couple of other teams for our Winter I issue as well. We have included some stories on hockey and wrestling teams on the Island, too.

PAUL CORACE

RICHARD BROOKS KEVIN FREHEIT JACKLYNKELLI KRONEMBERG BRIAN COLEMAN JUSTIN MACKIN DR. TOM FERRARO SANDY SARACONA MIKE MEJIA CSCS

mike repertorio

IN-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

KEVIN SPERANDEO KEVIN FREIHEIT

MORGAN HARRISON BILL KELLY

KEVIN SPERANDEO

Thank you for reading! Kevin Freiheit Sports Editor Ultimate Athlete Magazine

Ultimate Athlete Magazine (ISSN 1931-5295) is published 12 times a year by Ultimate Athlete, Inc., 24 Woodbine Ave, Northport, New York 11768. All contents copyright 2012 by Ultimate Athlete Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or part of the content without the prior written consent of Ultimate Athlete, Inc. is strictly prohibited. All logos and trademarks are properties of thier respective owners. Although the writers and the publishers have exhaustively researched all sources to ensure the accuracy and the completeness of the information contained in this publication we aassume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein. The opinions expressed in all materials are those of authors and do not neccesarily represent those of Ultimate Athlete, Inc or Long Island’s Ultimate Athlete Magazine.

CONTENT LONG ISLAND

WINTER_VOL. II_ 2014

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TS FEATURES

PG 10

BRENTWOOD

PG 16

CHAMINADE

PG 20

CONNETQUOT

PG 26

HARBORFIELDS

PG 28

HUNTINGTON

PG 32

KINGS PARK

PG 36

NORTHPORT

PG 40

ROCKY POINT

PG 46

SPORT PSYCHOLOGY

Girls’ Basketball Boys’ Hockey

Boys’ Basketball Girls’ Basketball Boys’ Wrestling

Boys’ Basketball Boys’ Basketball Boys’ Wrestling Ira Silverman

PG 48

SPORT NUTRITION

The Perils Of Running On Empty

PG 50

SPORT TRAINING

Multi-tasking Your Muscles

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PHOTO BY KEVIN SPERANDEO

SPE ED

SHUT TER

BRENTWOOD

EAGER TO MAKE DEEP PLAYOFF RUN STORY BY BRIAN COLEMAN

PHOTOS BY KEVIN FREIHEIT

atasha Almonacy is a different player than Douglas, and the combination of contrasting skill sets is what makes the Lady Indians backcourt so potent. Almonacy is a senior who coach Christopher Harrison says brings a passion and energy to the court which fuels the rest of her team. “I believe Natasha is really coming in to her own at the right time for us,” said Harrison. “She has worked hard to improve the consistence of her outside shot. Natasha has always been an aggressive player, but this season she has learned control and is developing into a very good offensive weapon and all around player for us.” Not only has Almonacy improved her offensive game and patched up holes in her game, but she is the defensive anchor on the perimeter, usually being assigned to the opponent’s top offensive weapon. “She is our top defender and usually draws the toughest defensive assignment,” said Harrison. “Natasha is the type of player that

has a great motor and can run for ever without getting tired.” Her aggressive style has been one of the key factors in the improved Brentwood defense, but the development of Douglas and Almonacy have created a lethal backcourt that has the Brentwood faithful excited for the playoffs. The Lady Indians are not just a two-player show, and have received contributions from a number of different players this year. KallieRae Jones has provided them with a very formidable third-scorer who can take some the heat away from Douglas and Almonacy. Brentwood is going to need its other players to step up in the remaining regular season games and especially when the playoffs roll around. The top teams will try and eliminate your first and second options, making the depth of a basketball team very important. A season removed from being eliminated by Sachem East in the second round of the Class AA playoffs, Brentwood finds itself atop its own standings and eager to make a deep playoff push. Coach Harrison knows the challenges that still lay ahead, and wants to make sure his team takes the remainder of the season one game at a time.

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“I think our team should be very proud that they have put themselves in position to finish first in League 1 with 3 games left,” said Harrison. “I think our willingness to except the challenge to finish first and attempting to get through the last 3 games against Sachem East, Commack and William Floyd shows maturity. I think every team wants to finish out the year on a winning streak against the best teams in your league, and go into the playoffs on a high note.” While the prospect of competing for a Suffolk County and even possibly a Long Island title is enticing, Coach Harrison wants his players to stay in the moment and embrace the opportunities. “As far as County and Long Island titles, I have too much respect for all the great teams in our league as well as our County to make any assumptions,” said Harrison. “I believe we have a solid team and I am very proud of how far we come, and anything is possible. We just want to take things one day at a time, have fun, and compete. It’s important that our girls live in the moment and appreciate the opportunities that we have.” Entering the season, the Brentwood girls’ basketball

team knew that it had the potential to be a special season. The Lady Indians came in with a group of girls that had played together for years and were ready to finally have a breakout season. “They have grown together, they have lost together, and they have experienced some good times together,” said third year head coach Christopher Harrison. “Unfortunately we live in a time where even in high school some players change schools and transfer at the drop of a hat. Luckily we have a core of players who believe in loyalty and working out their issues rather than running from them.” Harrison praised the loyalty and dedication of his players who went through the hardships of losing seasons to get to the point where they are at now. Brentwood currently leads the Suffolk League I conference, just barely ahead of Sachem East and Commack. Commack is the only team in conference to defeat Brentwood so far this season and presents a challenge to the Lady Indians. While the Lady Indians are atop the standings right now, they know there is still some work to be done in the remaining regular season games.

“Our first concern is finishing the season strong,” stressed Harrison. “We have games against Sachem East, who has dominated our league for a decade, and Commack, who has been the only team to defeat Sachem East in our league the last couple of years. No matter what the outcomes of these games are, both games will be playoff environments, and will definitely prepare us for the post season.” Brentwood has positioned themselves very nicely thus far, cruising to an overall record of 13-2 and 8-1 inside its conference, is led primarily by its backcourt which is made up of junior Alexia Douglas and senior Natasha Almonacy. Douglas and Almonacy have been the team’s two leading scorers in each of the last six games, and both bring qualities that orchestrate the offense to near perfection. In the team’s most recent victory on the road against Longwood, Douglas poured in 21 points and Almonacy was not far behind with her 20 points. The two combined to outscore the entire Longwood team as Brentwood cruised to a 62-40 victory. “Alexia Douglas and Natasha Almonacy are the driving force behind our basketball team this year,” said Harrison. “I really feel like Natasha and Alexia

are developing into one of the top back courts around. Their play has even created more opportunities for some of our other players and is helping us develop into a very well rounded offensive attack.” That trait is what makes Douglas and Almonacy such dynamic players. Their ability to involve everybody in the offense and allow other players to find their own offensive game has taken the Brentwood offense to the next level. Douglas has had two 12-assist games already this season, and the junior guard has been the floor general for the Lady Indians. Coach Harrison recognizes her ability to not only get points for herself, but create easy scoring opportunities for the rest of her team. “When Alexia is playing well she is the engine that makes our team go,” said Harrison. “She is a very good scorer who is very athletic and gets to the basket, as well as shoots the three. I think what sets Alexia apart from other players is her ability to find open players and create shots for them.” Douglas also possesses the ability to fill the points up as well, scoring 20 or more points in 10 of her team’s contests this season, including a 30-point performance a home against Patchogue-Medford back in mid-December. Designed by Win-Kye Cheong

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PHOTO BY KEVIN SPERANDEO

SPE ED

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CHAMINADE HOCKEY FALLS SHORT IN TOUGH PLAYOFF Story By Brian Coleman Photos By Kevin Speradeo

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fter a 2012-13 season that saw the Chaminade Men’s Hockey team reach the championship series of the Catholic High School Hockey League (CHSHL), expectations were high for the Flyers as it prepared for its 2013-14 season.

scoring the game-winning goal to secure a 3-2 victory for the Friars. It was the fourth consecutive CHSHL ‘A’ division championship for St. Anthony’s, and ended The school from Mineola, N.Y. boasted the Chaminade Season much a regular season record of 12-2-2 last earlier than the Flyers hopeful season, good enough for second place in would have anticipated. the ‘A’ division of the CHSHL. The Flyers Chaminade was expecting reeled off victories in six of its final seven to compete for a potential games, with the only loss coming at the state championship as it hands of St. Anthony’s, an opponent that boasted one of Chaminade and the rest of the ‘A’ division the most talented now know all too well. clubs on Long With the top four teams in the division Island. It had the reaching the playoffs, Chaminade had a Most Outstanding date with Iona Prep in a three-game series Forward and league scorer in the first round of the postseason. The leading in James Henry Gaels from Iona opened up the series by shocking the Flyers and capturing Game 1 as well as the Most Outstanding by a score of 4-3. Goaltender in Chaminade would rebound though, and Brendan Destasio. defeat Iona Prep in the next two meetings, Despite that, 2-1 and 4-1 respectively. The Flyers proved Chaminade fell to its dominance the CHSHL and advanced St. Anthony’s and to the ‘A’ division championship. The would have to look opponent there would be more familiar towards the 2013and formidable, as St. Anthony’s was there 14 season. waiting for Chaminade. With the way The Friars from St. Anthony’s were the 2012-13 ended, the reigning three-time ‘A’ division champions Chaminade Flyers and had its sights set on a fourth straight hockey team came title. Chaminade had the league’s Most into this season Valuable Forward (James Henry) and with sky-high expectations. The the Most Valuable Goaltender (Brendan year began in grand fashion, as DeStasio), but St. Anthony’s had a Chaminade took on St. Mary’s determination to capture its fourth straight in New Hyde Park. CHSHL title. From the opening puck It took out Chaminade 4-2 in Game drop the Flyers dominated the 1, scoring four times on the CHSHL ‘A’ contest. When it was all said Division most outstanding goaltender and done, Chaminade had Brendan DeStasio. The second game of buried 10 goals and began the the series was a thriller, as the two teams season with a 10-2 beat down traded goals during the regulation periods of St. Marys. It would be the and sent the contest to an overtime session. first of 12 straight victories for St. Anthony’s would capitalize early, Chaminade, as it continued to

seek revenge for the tough playoff loss from the season prior. All season long, Chaminade looked like the best team in all of Long Island, and coasted to a 140-2 regular season. The only non-victories during the regular season were ties, one to Holy Cross and one to St. Anthony’s. In both instances, Chaminade battled back in those contests and earned themselves a tie. After finishing the season undefeated and coasting relatively easily through the CHSHL ‘A’ division, the Flyers were ready to shake off last year’s disappointing playoff defeat and make a run at a state championship. Chaminade would meet one of its familiar and redundant opponents. The team that had stood in front of them for CHSHL dominance for the past few seasons, St. Anthony’s, was the matchup for the first series of the ‘A’ division playoffs.

and opened up the scoring. In the end, Chaminade would secure the victory 4-2 and take the first game of the three-game set. So with the record still undefeated, Chaminade headed to Syossett to play game 2 on February 14th. This is where the season would take a turn for the worse, and the defense would come up short. The Flyers allowed less than 30 goals during the regular season, with its defense and goaltending being one of the main strengths. However, in the second game of the series, the Friars found the back of the net six times. It had control of the game throughout, and took home the victory 6-3 to force the third and final game of the series. The third contest was potentially the game of the year in the CHSHL, as both teams traded goals throughout regulation. The game would remain tied and needed an overtime session to sort it out. Unfortunately for Chaminade, the Friars would find the net in overtime and win the third game 4-3. St. Anthony’s would take the come-from-behind series and advance to the finals of the ‘A’ division playoffs. For a team who dominated the CHSHL competition throughout the year, scoring the most goals and allowing the least, it was a disappointing way to end the 201314 season. St. Anthony’s seems to be Chaminade’s kryptonite in the past few seasons, and one of the humps it needs to get over. However, with one of the best programs in the state of New York, Chaminade Hockey should bounce back with another successful season next year.

The series opened up on February 9th, and from the beginning looked like Chaminade would take control. After trailing 1-0 early on in the contest, the Flyers showed its wings

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8.5x11 Framed Cover CONNETQUOT HIGH SCHOOL THUNDERBIRDS

CONNETQUOT HIGH SCHOOL THUNDERBIRDS

CONNETQUOT â&#x20AC;&#x153;

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Every year our goal is to win the Long Island Championship.

THUNDERBIRDS

*655,;8<6;

ThunderbirdS aspire for the

long island championship

Story By Jaclynkelli Kronemberg / Photos By Morgan Harrison

he Connetquot varsity football team enters the season ranked number three in Division one in Suffolk &RXQW\ /HDGLQJ WKH &RQQHWTXRW Thunderbirds is head coach Mike Hansen. Hansen is entering his WK VHDVRQ DV WKH KHDG FRDFK /DVW season, Connetquot ended the season with eight wins, two losses, and lost LQ WKH 6XIIRON &RXQW\ VHPLÂżQDOV â&#x20AC;&#x153;This year our goal is to try and win every game,â&#x20AC;? said Hansen, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every \HDU RXU JRDO LV WR ZLQ WKH /RQJ Island Championship.â&#x20AC;?

A few of the players from last season have since graduated, and the Thunderbirds have only three offensive returning starters, and three defensive returning starters. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a solid team this season,â&#x20AC;? Hansen said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have skilled players and a good defense.â&#x20AC;? There are a couple of players looking to make an impact this year, and help get the team to the championship game. Senior wide receiver Tyler Nason (5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;10â&#x20AC;? 185 lbs.) was one of the top receivers RQ /RQJ ,VODQG ODVW \HDU ZLWK

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are a lot of kids that have the potential to be real impact players this season for us,â&#x20AC;? said Hansen, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a great team and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pleasure to coach them.â&#x20AC;?

Senior running back/ linebacker Marcus Gutierrez (5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;9â&#x20AC;? 180 lbs.) is another key player to watch for this season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marcus is a tough hard runner,â&#x20AC;? Hansen said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He will carry a lot of the load this year.â&#x20AC;? The offensive line features three seniors DJ Gallino (6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;2â&#x20AC;? 270 lbs.), Rob Dawson (6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;1â&#x20AC;? 270 lbs.) and Jimmy Oliver (5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;11â&#x20AC;? 250 lbs.). â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a solid offensive line,â&#x20AC;? Hansen said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;DJ, Rob and Jimmy are the anchors of the offensive line.â&#x20AC;? The defensive line features junior Sean Moore (6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;0â&#x20AC;? 250 lbs.), Gallino and Oliver. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our defensive line is physical and work hard.â&#x20AC;? Hansen said. Connetquot takes their ÂżUVW VWHS WRZDUG WKH /RQJ Island Championship on September 11, 2013, when they open the season against Patchogue Medford.

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ETQUOT BOYS BASKETBALL Story by Jaclynkelli Kronemberg /// Photos by Kevin Sperandeo

he Connetquot varsity boys basketball team finished up the season with a record of 10 wins and eight losses overall. They qualified for the playoffs this season despite just missing the playoffs last season. Connetquot finished the season in a hard fought battle against Kings Park with a 60-58 loss in the first round of the playoffs. “Our season was very intense,” said Connetquot boys’ varsity head coach Bob Drzal. “Most of the games we played this season were decided by six points or less.” Connetquot’s goal is the same every year and that is to be competitive in every single game they play. They accomplished that goal with most games being close and only losing two games by more than 10 points. Connetquot won five games by more than 10 points this season. “We were a better defensive team this year,” said Drzal. “They were competing in every game they played and they never gave up.” Drzal entered his 23rd year as the head coach this season. In his time as the head coach he has made the playoffs 11 times. Connetquot is in League two of Suffolk County and their biggest competition this season was Half Hollow Hills East. “Our league is exceptional, probably the most competitive in Suffolk County,” said Dzal. “All the teams are well prepared and coached. It is a highly competitive league.” Connetquot had a talented squad this year and played hard every game so they wouldn’t end their season in regular season play. The seniors led this team to the playoffs and worked hard to accomplish the goal to always compete. Senior captain small forward/power forward Terence Thomas is a three year starter that was named all-league, allconference and all-county this season. Thomas averaged 17.5 points and 12.2 rebounds a game. There were only four games he didn’t achieve a double double. Next season Thomas will be taking his talents to SUNY Brockport to play basketball. “Terence is an exceptional captain,” said Dzal. “He is a good shooter and rebounder.” Senior guard Mike Ansaldi was named all-league this season and averaged 10 points per game. “Mike is the perfect player,” said Drzal. “He plays exceptional defense and is a very intense player.”

Senior captain point guard Kristian Enriquez led the team in assists this season. “Kristian is an exceptional team leader,” said Drzal. Another player that made an impact on the team was sophomore forward Daniel Lewis. Lewis was named rookie of the year in League two in Suffolk County. Lewis averaged 7.9 rebounds per game this season. “Daniel is very competitive and team oriented,” said Drzal. Despite being in a tough league, the Connetquot varsity boys’ basketball team fought hard to come back this season and make the playoffs. This year Connetquot is graduating seven seniors after graduating four seniors last season. They are looking to rebuild their team and make it back to the playoffs next season. “I was very pleased with this team and our season,” said Drzal. “I had a great group of kids to work with. They were very team oriented. The seven seniors were young men. They were very mature and made great leaders for this team.” DESIGNED BY NICOLE MANZO

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HARBORFIELDS G B

tornadoes

irls

asketBall

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Harborfields’ Harborfields’ dominant dominant form form continues... continues...

he Harborfields girls basketball team (15-0, 100) hasn’t lost a game to another Long Island team since February 2012 in the Suffolk County championship game (to Glenn by two points). Other than that, they lost their final game of 2013 to MaineEndwell in the Class A state semifinals and also their first game that season, to a private school in Queens. This year, of course, they’re undefeated. Only three teams have even gotten within ten points. Some of the scores have had margins between 30 and 40. With that kind of dominance, you’d think head coach Russ Tietjan would be emptying his bench in the fourth quarter. Instead, he does so in the first half, so deep is his roster. Of his 14 girls, 10-12 typically see court time by the midway point, a remarkable stat for high school. After all, quarters are just eight minutes play; it doesn’t take the fittest player to last for most of the game. When you have talent, you’ve got to play it, even if they’re freshman – at least that’s how Tietijan sees it. Plus, five of his athletes are freshmen so it wouldn’t really make sense for all of them to play varsity (over the experience they could be gaining at the junior varsity level) if they didn’t at least sniff some court time. Those freshmen also benefit from practicing with some of the best players on Long Island. (Ten to twelve court-experienced players make for some quality sessions, according to Tietjan.) As deep as the Tornadoes are, their scoring is most divided between four players, junior guards Donasja Scott and Allie Turnick, and senior guards Toni Deren (whose younger sister, Angela, is also on the team) and Kristen Kelly. All four intend to play in college. Kelly’s path is already set. She has a full ride to NYIT next season.

“

When you have talent, you’ve got to play it. even if they’re freshman...

”

Tracing Harborfields’ box scores, it’s almost as if the four girls take turn having big games and the remaining 6 to 8 players take turns as the 5th leading scorer. In their second game of the year against Smithtown West (5-11, 5-8), for example, Kelly was out with an injury, and Scott missed the first quarter with her own physical issues. Down 31-23 at half, the girls rallied behind Scott’s return (20 points) and Turnick’s season high 20 points for a six point win. Two games later, Kelly had 20 points and Deren had 13 to pace the offense (Scott 11, Turnick 2 with 6 assists). No other player had more than three. Most consistent has been Scott (14.8 ppg) with Kelly (12.3 ppg) a close second. Just as Kelly had begun to re-establish herself as the go-to offensive weapon, leading the team in scoring in four straight wins over Islip, Eastport-Southport Manor, Sayville (46-36), and Rocky Point in January, Scott has gone for exactly 20 over the Tornadoes’ last three games, including their most recent win on Jan. 31 at Islip (10-6, 8-2), 66-43. Deren, meanwhile, might account for the most points overall, for she’s their best passer (and almost always leads them in assists) while also contributing 9.3 points per game. Undefeated and with such a lethal quartet of players, Harborfields has a chance to bring coach Tietjan his first state title. Otherwise, he’s won the league 7 times, the county championship four times, and the Long Island Championship twice. If they can’t do it this year, they’ll be contenders again next year with the return of Scott, Turnick, and a ton of hungry, experienced players ready to consume the extra minutes left by Kelly and Deren.

tornadoes

Photos by: Kevin F Story by: Scott Bickard

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Huntington Falls Short of Goals Story By Jaclynkelli Kronemberg /// Photos By Kevin Sperando

he Huntington varsity wrestling team finished 11th in the Suffolk County tournament and sent one wrestler to the State tournament. Last season they finished fourth in Suffolk County and sent two wrestlers to the State Tournament. “We fell short of accomplishing our goal to win the Suffolk County tournament,” said Huntington varsity wrestling assistant coach Kieran Mock. “The guys worked hard all season — We just had a tough tournament and had a few upsets.” Huntington finished with a conference record of five wins and three losses in league five of Suffolk County. League five consists of Kings Park, Islip, Eastport South Manor and Rocky point. “Our league is probably one of the toughest leagues in New York State,” said Mock. “The teams we come up against are among the best teams in New York State and that makes it very competitive.” Huntington participated in six tournaments this season and placed in first or second place in all the tournaments. “We placed in the top two in every tournament we entered this season,” said Mock. “The boys worked hard to be successful.” Coach Mock has been coaching for Huntington for the past 13 years and has taken the role of assistant coach to help Travis Smith, the head coach of the wrestling team. Mock wrestled for Huntington and was a State Champion in 1982. Last season Huntington graduated one senior and this year they only graduate two seniors. “This team is very similar to past teams,” said Mock. “They worked hard in the summer to prepare for the season. We only lost three seniors in two years so we have many returning wrestlers and are looking forward to next year.”

“ Everyone worked hard and we

are motivated for next season. ”

113-pound sophomore John Arceri is a two-time County Champion and is going to compete in the State Tournament this season. Arceri has been on the varsity wrestling team since seventh grade and already has 108 varsity wins. “John is looking to win the State Championship,” said Mock. “He is a good wrestler. He will have the most wins in Huntington history by the time he graduates.” The two seniors that were the leaders of this team were 126-pound Corey Jamison and 220-pound Anthony Puca. Jamison is a five-time varsity wrestler and he finished fifth in Suffolk County this season. Jamison has over 140 wins and he averaged 35 wins a season. Puca moved down from 285 pounds this season and has placed in Suffolk County the past three years. Puca has been on the varsity wrestling team since eighth grade. “Corey is a good performer,” said Mock. “You could always count on Corey to get 15-16 points every match. Anthony always came through for us. He was in the finals of every tournament the past four years. Anthony is a hard worker and should be a successful wrestler in college.” Huntington came up short of accomplishing their team goal of winning the Suffolk County tournament and even though it is disappointing they have shown they will be a team to watch out for in the next few years. The Huntington varsity wrestling team is looking to rebound next year with numerous returning wrestlers. There are four underclassmen that will contribute to Huntington’s success. 99-pound sophomore Kyle Mock, 152-pound sophomore JP Puca, 160-pound junior Brandon Nendez and 99-pound sophomore Ethan Dwyer will be the wrestlers to keep an eye on in the next couple of seasons. “We worked well as a team this season despite not reaching some of the goals we set,” said Mock. “Everyone worked hard and we are motivated for next season.” DESIGNED BY NICOLE MANZO

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toughness and T

he Kingsmen, “left it all on the floor and finished the season as a family” according to assistant coach Joey Adduci. The Kings Park Boys Basketball team were able to clinch the playoffs in the last regular season game against West Babylon, beating them 50-33. The undersized Kingsmen, proved to be worthy contenders with their physical and mental toughness. Joey Adduci played varsity basketball for four years (2006-2010) at Kings Park High School, winning a Long Island Championship as a freshman. Adduci started as a sophomore through his senior year when he was a team captain and received all-league awards. This year he returned to Kings Park as an assistant coach and team trainer. Adduci was responsible for the strength and conditioning of the team at practice throughout the season and offseason. He states, “My coaching strategy would have to be on the emphasis of toughness and discipline. Since our team got moved up a league this year, there was no question there would be more naturally athletic teams. I wanted to make sure our team would be without a doubt, the strongest and most well conditioned team. The importance of discipline and toughness are often overlooked in today’s basketball world. Thankfully I got to play for, and coach with a man like Dave Shouler where toughness and discipline are a engraved in his legacy.” In the first round of the playoffs, the Kingsmen played Connetqout in a close and hard fought game. Kings Park was down 6 points with 3-minutes left in the game. Not letting up, Senior Johnny Li scored 8 points in the last minutes of the game, taking a 60-58 victory in the final seconds. Senior, Johnny Li had the spotlight on him this year. The four-year varsity player, has been an all county since his sophomore year. According to Adduci, “Probably the most talented natural scorer I’ve ever seen out of Kings Park.” He also states that Johnny plans to play at the college level.

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discipline

STORY AND PHOTOS BY KEVIN SPERANDEO

“...left it all on the floor

and finished the season as a family.” - Joey Adduci Assistant Coach

Senior, Jordan Finzel was “the heart and soul of this team on game day” says Coach Aducci, “We called him the warrior because he was constantly fighting through injuries, grabbing clutch rebounds and constantly willing this team to victory. He has such a great basketball I.Q. He is the best passing post man that Coach Shouler and I have ever seen.” The Kingsmen had a lot of players step up this year. Adduci mentions, “Tom Bonelli and Roy Decker contributed with their senior leadership and love for their team. Coming up big in clutch situations. Freshman, Paul Cooper stepped up huge slicing into the lane constantly and helping open up the floor for our big men and 3-point shooters, Johnny Li and Dan Kelly. We also had big minutes out of seniors Matt Moser and Chris Diangelo.” Unfortunately, key players such as Johnny Li and Jordan Finzel battled injuries throughout the season. Adduci recalls, “Although this team has had its ups and downs. Coach Shouler always knows how to bring out the fight and will in a team. If one thing is to be said about this team, it’s leadership and toughness never failed in points of adversity.” The first year assistant coach reflects, “It was important for me to try and have a positive impact on the players. To make them understand the importance of hard work and strengthening the body and mind. More importantly, I wanted them to understand the importance of family. This years team will never compete together again. I would constantly preach that over and over in the locker room so they didn’t take it for granted.“ Kings Park lost a tough game to Brentwood, dominating in size, in the second round of the playoffs. The Kingsmen played hard until the last seconds, and finished in defeat but were still applauded by their teammates, coaches and fans. Kings Park finished the season 7-7 in league with an overall record of 11-9. Designed by Win-Kye Cheong

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NORTHPORT BOYS BASKETBALL LOOKS TO REGAIN MOMENTUM STORY BY SCOTT BICKARD PHOTOS BY KEVIN FREIHEIT

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fter avenging an early season loss to Central Islip (13-2, 10-1) on January 17, Northport (at the time 10-2, 6-2) looked to be finding something of a groove. Three games and three losses later, they’re suddenly third in the league at 10-5, 6-5 – and just a game out of 5th place. Head coach Andrew D’Eloia couldn’t have expected this year’s team to match last year’s Suffolk County Championship qualifying pace. That possibility looked slim following the departure of a host of seniors (only one player on the current roster actually saw minutes last year) and ended altogether following their second loss of the season on Jan. 7, an occurrence that didn’t happen last year until the loss to Amityville in the county championship game. Current senior point guard Austin Marchese was the only underclassmen allowed to participate in 2012-13’s magical amalgamation of elite senior players. Luckily for the 2013-14 edition, he played significant minutes and is the undisputed leader of this year’s squad. The left-handed point guard does what is necessary to win, or at least keep the game close. (And whatever’s necessary to get fouled; he draws calls like a European soccer player, or Manu Ginobili.) Lately, he’s been scoring. He’s contributed season highs of 24, 24, and 23 points (33 of them on free throws) over the last three games -- losses by 2, 1, and 4 points. It’s probably obvious to say the Tigers are at their best when Marchese takes a more distributive role than scoring. Yet, perhaps the last three games wouldn’t have been as close if it weren’t for Marchese’s heroics.

Still, the 10-2 version of Northport had a much more evenly distributed offense. (They also won a ton of close games.) The big win over Central Islip was a prime example. Behind five three pointers, senior Aaron Pulver was the leading scorer with 17 points. Marchese had 14 points and 7 assists (by Newsday’s count). Junior Gerard Brady (6 points) hit some big three pointers; sophomore guard Brennan Whalen (10 points) protected the ball nicely and hit most of the open looks he was given.

basketball system. Though their players aren’t overly athletic (or very big this year), they’re all rather polished. Only Marchese is truly transcendent, but both Whalen and Brady have a steady skill set, and could emerge next year when the fiery senior leaves. Pulver’s three point shot is smooth and high enough to succeed in limited space (a little JJ Reddick in it). Complimenting those four are senior center Evan Tsouralas, sophomore Lukas Jarret (intriguing prospect), and junior Phil Volpe.

After watching them just once, it’s evident Northport has a strong

Three games remain for the Tigers, the toughest of which is their next one on

Jan. 31 against Half Hollow Hills East -one of the best teams in Suffolk County. On Northport’s side will be their home court, which was a noted advantage against a West Islip team that lost out on at least 6-8 points from crowd noise and general discomfort. Following that is a rematch at home against Sachem North (4-11, 3-8; Northport won the first game by 8), notable if you want to watch one of Long Island’s best running backs, Sachem North’s Malik Pierre, play basketball. The finale is at Bay Shore (a 15 point Northport win on Jan. 14).

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THUNDERBIRDS

CONNETQUOT “

“

Every year our goal is to win the Long Island Championship.

THUNDERBIRDS CONNETQUOT

ThunderbirdS aspire for the

long island championship

Story By Jaclynkelli Kronemberg / Photos By Morgan Harrison

he Connetquot varsity football team enters the season ranked number three in Division one in Suffolk County. Leading the Connetquot Thunderbirds is head coach Mike Hansen. Hansen is entering his 11th season as the head coach. Last season, Connetquot ended the season with eight wins, two losses, and lost in the Suffolk County semifinals. “This year our goal is to try and win every game,” said Hansen, “Every year our goal is to win the Long Island Championship.”

A few of the players from last season have since graduated, and the Thunderbirds have only three offensive returning starters, and three defensive returning starters. “We have a solid team this season,” Hansen said, “We have skilled players and a good defense.” There are a couple of players looking to make an impact this year, and help get the team to the championship game. Senior wide receiver Tyler Nason (5’10” 185 lbs.) was one of the top receivers on Long Island last year with 38

receptions. “Tyler is athletic, has nice hands and runs great routes,” Hansen said, “I’m looking forward to him being a big impact player this season.”

“There are a lot of kids that have the potential to be real impact players this season for us,” said Hansen, “This is a great team and it’s a pleasure to coach them.”

Senior running back/ linebacker Marcus Gutierrez (5’9” 180 lbs.) is another key player to watch for this season. “Marcus is a tough hard runner,” Hansen said, “He will carry a lot of the load this year.” The offensive line features three seniors DJ Gallino (6’2” 270 lbs.), Rob Dawson (6’1” 270 lbs.) and Jimmy Oliver (5’11” 250 lbs.). “We have a solid offensive line,” Hansen said, “DJ, Rob and Jimmy are the anchors of the offensive line.” The defensive line features junior Sean Moore (6’0” 250 lbs.), Gallino and Oliver. “Our defensive line is physical and work hard.” Hansen said. Connetquot takes their first step toward the Long Island Championship on September 11, 2013, when they open the season against Patchogue Medford.

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CONNETQUOT HIGH SCHOOL

Rocky Point

Boys Wrestling

Team Remains

Young, But Seasoned

STORY BY SCOTT BICKARD PHOTOS BY MORGAN HARRISON

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Rocky Point High School 41

he Rocky Point boys wrestling team has a rich history, which feeds their year-round system, which feeds their history, which, well, is a positive feedback loop head coach Darren Goldstein continues to maintain after returning nearly ten years ago to the school for which he once competed. That loop reached its zenith in 2010 with a state team title and three individual state champions, all of whom have moved on to division I wrestling. The 2013-14 squad (4-1, 4-0 in dual meets) has continued the program’s winning ways (every year since Goldstein has been head coach). Given their relative youth, however, they could be more of an earlier version of the system’s final product at this point. Of their four best wrestlers, one is a freshman, two are juniors, and the last is a senior. Even as Goldstein admits his team’s youth, he doesn’t discount their prospects. “Young does not mean inexperienced however, and that is our strength,” he said. What he means relates back to that system and the way wrestlers are groomed in Rocky Point. According to Goldstein, his athletes train all year round. They’ve “bought into preparing to be the best they can be,” and have a rich “family network” to support their efforts. That’s why freshmen like Anthony Cirillo (106 lbs) are capable of winning the county championship – because some of them have been competing at the varsity level since 7th grade. Cirillo already has 50 wins, which is still only around 25 percent of the total of junior Thomas Dutton (145 lbs), the team’s best wrestler and owner of 195 career wins (as of 1/24/14). If Dutton continues his pace, he’ll set the Suffolk County record. Last year, he won the county championship at his weight and finished fourth in New York State. He’s earned All-County honors since 7th grade and is undefeated this year in dual meets. The Eagles scored an important win against Islip (4-1 in league) on Jan. 24 towards meeting one “goal”: winning the regular season conference title. A win versus Kings Park (5-1) in their upcoming meeting would complete that task. Only Hauppauge (4-0) has beaten Rocky Point in a dual meet this season. But that one was close, 3729, and Hauppague has dominated every other team they’ve faced (and are ranked among the tops in the county).

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All of Goldstein’s best four wrestlers won (as they have in nearly every dual meet of the season): Cirillo, Dutton, junior James Matias (138 lbs) and senior Joe Russo (170 lbs). Only Matias has lost this year, and he’s done so just once. All four wish to compete in college. Rocky Point’s other impressive win was a dual meet victory over Minisink Valley, then the number three ranked team in the state. No matter how far Rocky Point goes this year, that won’t necessarily be the bench mark of their season, for Goldstein’s goals are less quantitative than they are qualitative. They’re also specific to each individual, which makes sense in a sport where the parts can be more evident than the whole. “As it is every year, to be the best version of ourselves individually so that it transfers into a collective focus and improvement,” Goldstein said of the team’s mission this year. “I try to put our student athletes in the best situation to be successful and reach their goals.” That means one, two, or more of his athletes will have to improve enough to beat wrestlers from teams like Hauppauge and compete for the team county championship. They have all the necessary tools, support, and training; the question is, are they good enough this year? If not, perhaps the young roster will continue to improve and repeat 2010 form next season. Designed by Win-Kye Cheong

“

Young does not mean inexperienced however, and that is our strength.

”

- Coach Darren Goldstein 43

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LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY POST PIONEERS DOWLING COLLEGE golden lions

return, LIU can really start expecting more victories. Even with that, the Pioneers have some areas to improve upon, and Collins has already been making adjustments. “Going into the year, we felt solid in certain areas, but we had certain question marks in other areas,” Collins said, “We have to stop giving up the big play.”

Story by Kevin Freiheit Photos by Morgan Harrison

The defense has had a rough time, especially over the past two games, giving up 86 combined points. It was a major difference as the defense allowed just 28 in the first pair of games. Collins is confident that the Pioneers can recover from the losses and put together a winning season.

DOWLING Men’s Soccer A Stands Tall

“This team is sticking more together,” Collins said, “Adversity causes some to break, and others to break records. We’re always working hard, and we have excellent recruiting class that is showing.” A big piece of the Pioneers’ puzzle is how the younger players perform. “It’s a huge role from younger players,” Collins said, “We’re very happy with the freshmen class. We want to

he Dowling College men’s soccer team was unsatisfied with their

“

We have a tremendous roster and This season, the Pioneers got off to a start again, winning the opening pair we have already won hot more games of games and scoring 71 points. However, this year than all ofLIUlast year. took a step backwards as they dropped the next two games, falling back to .500

maintain a winning attitude, and make sure the freshmen are seeing it.” The confidence level for LIU is still high, and the Pioneers believe that they are a talented enough team to put together a successful season. The coaches believe in the players, and they are willing to work to make them even better. “I really do believe this is a special group of players,” Collins said, “They’re preparing very hard to play these games. Everything is in place for them to succeed, and we’re hoping for big things from the Pioneers this season.”

declining, and they have lost that winning touch they held onto for so long.

results from a year ago. After DiRico noted that the team lost eight posting a 2-15-1 record, the Golden Lions games by only one-goal last year, but knew that change was necessary. With regardless, it was still a disappointing Dowling has season. The Golden Eagles have played fter a disappointing finish to only last 13 onreturning the year. players, The Pioneers are facing alreadyancollected moresituation wins than all of season, the Long Island University eerily similar to the one in four one-goal games this year, but have bythey winning the firstbut fiveare been on the winning side more frequently. Post Pioneers are looking to last get year that were three in lastofseason, games looking this season. back where they belong. Following two for a completely opposite With an experienced coach like successful winning football seasons, theHead outcome. Despite the two coach John DiRico is game in hislosing DiRico, Dowling already has a starting Pioneers finished with a 3-7 record 22nd last year streak, head Coach Bryan Collins is of coaching and understands point to get back on track. “We have a year, falling short of their ultimate goal. team can getLions back on the what itconfident takes to that win.hisThe Golden completely different team than last year,” right track. were National champions in 2006 and DiRico said, “We have a tremendous Despite winning the first two games would consistently post season 10 roster and we have already won more of the year by a combined 91-36 score, “I fully expect us to of compete,” or more wins.said, However, overis the last9-2, games this year than all of last year.” LIU was unable to keep the momentum Collins “Our goal to go two years, their up performance has been one week and one week down. going. Bloomsburg University halted the energy and the Pioneers started an Attack the next opponent.” The unfortunate string of defeats. Throughout Pioneers have been battling injuries the rest of the season LIU would only during both this season, and the winKevin one other game, a 20-15 victory over last one. While many coaches will Story by Freiheit Millersville University on homecoming never use injuries as an excuse, Photos by Morgan Harrison weekend. A losing season can be looked they certainly hurt the overall at in more ways than one. While it wasn’t quality of the team. the anticipated or wanted outcome, the “Our starting running back Pioneers used the year to learn, rebuild has battled an ankle injury, but and improve. he’s playing through it,” Collins

“

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said, “We’ve been struggling with injuries. If we can get back healthy, we’ll continue to get better each week.” Once a few of the injured players begin to

Freshman infielder Alex Hailes is one of the new players on the team and is looking to get his collegiate career off to a good start. “This team has gelled together really quickly and I have high expectations,” Hailes said. Hailes, who is from England, didn’t hesitate to say that he is more concerned than how the team is doing than personal statistics. At the same time, he knows that he is going to have to step and contribute when called upon. “Hopefully I can make a big impact, stay off the bench and make a difference,” Hailes said.

team become that successful once again, but he’ll have to do it with a completely new set of players, a lot of whom are new. “This team has the makeup, the talent and the chemistry to get back to where we are used to being,” DiRico said. “I have a good sense of where this team can go.”

Returning striker Kariym Balthazer knows what it’s like to play for Dowling, as he did last year, but wants to see the team be successful. “The sky is the limit”, Balthazer said. “We have a lot of work to do, but we’re responding well. I’m happy with how we already beat our record from last year.”

DiRico’s determination to win translates to his players and he aims to recruit players that have the same mentality that he does. “I recruit players from winning programs and my players hate to lose more than they love to win,” DiRico said.

Improving a record from a season ago, but that’s just the first step for Dowling soccer. The Golden Lions made a name for themselves and were a strong force, and an intimidating team to play against.

Head coach John DiRico

DiRico has plans of seeing his

DiRico has set high standards for the Golden Lions and he has every season, regardless of past records or performances. “The coach has high expectations of you and doesn’t settle for mediocracy,” Balthazer said, “I respect him as a coach.”

The Golden Lions are off to a good start, but the season has just begun. Dowling will try to make a deep run for the first time in three years.

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SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE sharks NAS SAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE

LIONS

“I believe that hard work beats talent, every time talent does not work hard,” says Kim Simpson, head coach of the Suffolk County Community College Girls Volleyball team. In Coach Simpsons past five seasons with the �harks, the team has made it to the regional semifinals four times. Last season, the Sharks had a record of 22-1 and went to nationals after winning their region. The team included an all-American nomination, as well as multiple all-regional players.

about the game, I must also exhibit it. I work my girls hard and expect a lot out of them.” She says, “No matter how talented, I expect my teams to work, work, work until we hit our final goal of winning the region.”

volleyball, you always know when she is on the court.” Brittney led the team in kills last season. “She works extremely hard and is passionate about the game. She loves to have fun at practice with her teammates and loves to push them. She is a true leader ”, according to Simpson. With a bright future ahead, on and off the court, Brittney is pursuing a future career in nursing. Simpson says, “She is going to do amazing things on the next level when she leaves Suffolk.”

NASSAU LIONS OFF TO A STRONG SEASON Kim Simpson’s volleyball career began at NYIT, where she was a scholarship player for four years. Since then, she has worked with multiple volleyball programs such as the Longwood PAL and the Long Island United travel 18 year old volleyball team. Coach Simpson’s enthusiastic coaching and hard work by the players has lead to indisputable success for the Suffolk Volleyball program. Simpson believes in leading by example, “I think if I want them to have desire and passion

SUFFOLK SHARKS

Team captains for the 2013 season include returning sophomores Amanda Dill and Brittney Olazagasti.

Amanda Dill, from Patchogue, was nominated to the all tournament team at the regional playoffs in 2012, where the team took first place. �impson says, “I am very lucky to have someone like Amanda on the team who pushes others to be the best they can be.” This dedicated student athlete is described as a , “consistent, strong, and a mentally tough player.” Amanda hopes to continue playing at a four year school after graduating from SCCC. Fellow team captain and extremely talented player, Brittney Olazagasti, from Selden, NY is a first team all regional player. Coach Simpson says, “Brittney loves

Sophomore Katie Shannon from Selden, controls the court for the Sharks, and is the team’s setter. “The team depends on her and she has done such an amazing job setting up all of our hitters so far this season. She loves the game and wants to continue playing at the next level. Katie is willing to work on anything or try anything you ask her to. Sometimes as a coach you know you push people, and sometimes you must stop before you break them, but there is no breaking Katie. She wants to be the best player she can be!” says Coach Simpson. Simpson describes her as, “a caring, dedicated and hardworking

Story By Kevin Freiheit // Photos By Kevin Sperandeo

look forward to successful year Story and Photos By Kevin Sperandeo

Suffolk Girls Volleyball

NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL

In their six wins this season, Nassau has put up 240 points, an average of 40 points per game. Those numbers increased after the Lions defeated Hudson Valley Community College 68-20 in a game that got out of hand quickly.

young lady.” Fighting her way to a starting spot with very talented group, freshman, Carly Lombardo from Stony Brook has been able to find her role on the team. Coach Simpson says, “She is volleyballminded. She has been around the game for so many years and is driven to be successful.” Carly came to the team from High School coming off not only a Division 1 Suffolk Championship, but also a Long Island Championship. Described as a player that always brings one hundred percent, Simpson says, “She is a versatile player, I can ask her to play any position on the court, and she will gladly do so.”

Another key player for the team is Kiersten Kissinger from Islip. This is �iersten’s first year with the �harks. According to Coach Simpson, “She is a humble player; she works hard at practice, and truly loves the game.” Kiersten is a sophomore transfer student from SUNY Oneonta. Coach Simpson says, “We are lucky to have Kiersten transfer back home to join the Suffolk volleyball team.” Having a presence on the court, Simpson describes Kiersten as a, “strong, loud and aggressive player. She is great to watch when she gets more excited for a teammates accomplishments then her own.” With great teamwork, dedication,

respect and passion, Coach Simpson believes the team will go far. The goal is always to win the region and make it to nationals, “That is always what the girls are working to”, says Simpson. This year’s team looks promising, and they are set for another successful year. Simpson says, “They have many talents on the court, strong hitters, big blockers, tough defense, but I love that these girls know the true meaning of being a team and what a teammate really is.” The �harks played their first match on September 3rd. They beat Hostos Community College with a score of three games to none.

The Lions defense has allowed more than seven points in a game just twice this season and have yielded 60 points overall, through the first six games. By scoring four times more than the opponent, Nassau isn’t going to have a problem winning games. They haven’t been relying on star senior players, either. Nassau has been able to spread the wealth and possesses numerous ways to score.

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�ophomore quarterback Troy �ones has led the Lions to victory at every chance he has had this season. �ones has completed 56 of 97 attempts this season, along with 10 touchdowns. His longest play of the year went for 82 yards and he is averaging just over 1�0 per game. �ones has plenty of talented wide outs to throw the ball to, but if there’s a favorite target he has, that very well may be sophomore Antwane Grant. Grant has found the end zone six times this season, including three in the win against Hudson Valley. Grant has three 100-yard receiving games and has made at least a reception during every game, except one. When they’re not throwing the ball, the Lions have a great option in sophomore running back Travis Lock, who has been a big part of the offense this year and has made some big runs all season long. Lock has gained �23 yards and three touchdowns on 93 carries. His longest run of the season was 56 yards.

“I believe that hard work beats talent, every time talent does not work hard” Kim Simpson, head coach

Suffolk Girls Volleyball

With these offensive options, the Lions can be an unpredictable group, and can win games in different ways. Grant and �ones have created problems for their opponents so far because they are both so dynamic.

f there’s one word to describe the Nassau Community College football team, it’s “dominant”. The Lions are plain and simple destroying their opponents this season and have shown no signs of slowing down. The Girls Lions are off to a 6-1 start and have Suffolk Volleyball proven, time after time, that they will be a team to beat going forward. Nassau has been on a roll and is building more momentum and confidence with every win, making it that much more difficult for another team to stop them.

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The Lions will look to both of these players to keep doing what they have been as they continue. The Lions had their toughest game of the season recently, and the results were different this time. Nassau suffered its lone loss of the season, which snapped a six game winning streak. The Lions fell to Georgia Military College, the �1 ranked school, by a �5-22 score. Playing the top seeded school is always tough, but Nassau has the talent and mentality to bounce back. The Lions have a few games remaining on their schedule. They will take on Louisburg College, Globe Tech and ASA College to close out the regular season.

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SPOrT PSYCHOlOGY Ira Silverman: The Jerry Maguire of Long Island

Ira SIlverman LIFE OF A SPORT AGENT

early every elite high school athlete harbors a fantasy of continuing on and becoming a pro. After all, who wouldn’t want a life of glamour, fame, travel and wealth? All the while, doing the thing you love the most. Not a bad gig but as every young athlete knows, the chances of making it to the pros is fairly remote. One must be better than the best in the nation and also avoid injury. What typically occurs, after a stellar high school or college career one must unfortunately and reluctantly say good-bye the glorious Friday Night Lights in the arena and move on. But wait a minute, not so fast. Maybe there is a way to stay connected to the wonderful world of sports.

psychologist. It would be a great job and I’d stay in sports. Although, sport psychology is not the only field that connects with sports. Remember the Oscar winning film with Tom Cruise called Jerry Maguire. That film was inspired by and based upon the life of sports agent and attorney Leigh Steinberg. He represented Troy Aikman, John Starks, Dusty Baker and more.

To find out more about the life of a sports agent I called upon Ira Silverman who is one Long Island’s best. Ira has worked with and represented athlete’s like Freeman McNeil and Doug Flutie (football), Nancy Kerrigan and Nicole Bobek (figure skating), Brandi Chastain (soccer) and Hakeem ‘The Dream’ Olajuwon I was a pretty good college golfer but I (basketball), and my good friend, Ann Ligouri realized early on that I would never make it to (media personality). He is currently working the tour. I decided to peruse a career as a sport with the former Yankee star Fritz Peterson. WWW.ULTIMATEATHLETEMAGAZINE.COM

Soccer star Brandi Chastain or “Hollywood” is one of the super stars Ira has helped.

During our wide ranging interview I discovered that like the real Jerry Maguire, Ira Silverman is very well educated with a degree in journalism from Syracuse University and a Masters from Washington University. He described his job was to “publicize, promote and market sports figures, corporations, companies and foundations.” As the interview proceeded I asked him what the essential qualities of a great sports agent were. Here is a list of what he told me:

Hakeem ‘The Dream’ Olajuwon of basketball stardom is one of Ira’s clients.

the business opportunities for my clients.” 5) Writing Skills: “My job is all about communication. I need to write well and also to speak well face to face.” 6) Legal Background: “Make sure you take classes in law and contracts because these skills are always used in my business.” 7) Intelligence: “You always need a good fund of information in order to converse with many types of people.”

1) Honesty: “One must always 8) Negotiation skills: “You need build trust and that happens when to be able to look the other guy in the yon are honest.” 2) Perseverance: “I do not use the eye and not blink. I always know the word ‘can’t ‘. One must always be parameters of the deal before I enter the room.” tenacious and positive. “ 3) Contacts: “Contacts are the backbone of my business. I have met many people over the years including athletes, lawyers, promoters and media professionals. And I try to maintain contact with them all.”

9) Love of the Game: “I love sport, I love my job and I love people.”

I have worked with Ira for many years now. When I need help with negotiations and to make a contact he is the guy I call. Over the years 4) Creativity: “My job is to he has introduced me to athletes think outside the box and to expand like John McEnroe, Joe Namath and Freeman McNeil. I appreciate what

The great running back Freeman McNeil has also been helped by Ira.

he does for others, including me! As we left the interview I asked him if he had had anything to add to the interview. He reminded me to say that if the high school athlete is really interested in sports management he ought to major in sports management in college and that they could reach out to him for guidance at smmgsports@aol.com. He then said that a career in sports management is more fun than you could ever imagine. So if your dreams of becoming a pro do not come to fruition, think of sports management and do not be afraid to contact Ira. n example of Ira’s current work is SigTape. He works with someone on the West Coast who realized that every football player on earth uses tape every game and that in fact 65% of all athletes use athletic tape during play. So why not personalize it with the team or school logo. Good idea. The photo you see is from Penn State and shows how they personalized their tape.

Story by Sandy Sarcona

oo tired to grab something to eat before your morning practice? Too rushed to eat before your afternoon game? Not fueling your body before workouts can result in a sluggish performance! In the mor ning your body is in a fasting state. Your liver glycogen (storage of carbohydrate that regulates your blood sugar) is in very low supply. Low blood sugar can make you feel dizzy and faintnot a great recipe for peak performance. By afternoon our liver glycogen is usually filled up with our morning meals, so now you need to worry about your supply of glycogen stored i n you r muscles. Muscle glycogen supplies energy throughout exercise and can become depleted after exercising continuously for more than 90 minutes. Most high school and college athletes have at least 2-hour

practices. Working out on a quarter tank of glycogen or lower may lead to an empty tank of energy, just when the practice drills start getting intense! Your muscles will not have the energy it needs to perform and you will feel weak and slow- not something you want to feel or what your coach expects from you. Fueling up for practice or competition requires eating some form of carbohydrate about a half an hour before starting time.

Pre-performance snacks include: •

•

Pretzels, crackers, or dry cereal with raisins; pre-pack in

a snack bag.

•

Plain bagel (can add a small

•

Sports drink (Gatorade®, Powerade®, or Vitamin Water®).

amount of butter, cream cheese or peanut butter, but not too much as this slows digestion) or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (again go light on the p.b.).

Pack these snacks ahead or keep a supply

Cereal bar – choose one with in your backpack so you will always be mostly carbohydrate, lower in fiber, with just a small amount of protein; save the high protein bar for after practice. Too much protein and fat before exercise can be harder to digest.

energized to perform your best in practice and competition.

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TRAINING

MULTI-TASKING YOUR M

Do more work in less time with hy Story by Mike Mejia CSCS

t is tougher than ever to be a student athlete these days. As if trying to maintain good grades, keep up with your teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practice schedule and have at least some form of a social life were not enough, you are also expected to stay in decent shape. Trouble is, who has got time to put in long, arduous workouts in the gym when you are being pulled in so many different directions? If only there was a way to work more muscle, in less time and address all of the areas you need to strengthen to become a better athlete. Luckily, there is! Enter hybrid exercises â&#x20AC;&#x201C; lifts that incorporate multiple movement patterns to provide the ultimate athletic training stimulus! Unlike more traditional exercises that focus on specific body segments, often through a single plane of motion, hybrid lifts pose a much greater challenge to bio-motor skills such as balance, coordination and spatial awareness, meaning that they require you to develop a greater sense of the way your body moves through space. This is a key skill to improve regardless of what sport you play. They are also incredibly time efficient and offer a terrific way to increase workout intensity. About the only downside when training with hybrids is that you will be limited to using only as much weight as you can handle for the weakest part of the lift. For example, if you are doing a combination squat and overhead press, you can only use as much as you can safely push up overhead with good form. Needless to say, this may not be enough load to completely fatigue your legs. However, despite not being an effective tool for increasing maximal strength, hybrids still have plenty to offer the busy student athlete who is looking to improve their game. Try the following exercises as either paired super-sets (where you perform one exercise after the other with no rest until both are completed, then rest for 60-90 seconds), or as a grueling circuit, by doing all six in a row and then resting for 90-120 seconds before going around for a second time. Either way, you are bound to get a great workout that will give you a whole new understanding for the way your body was designed to move.

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MUSCLES

ybrid training

SQUAT TO ROW Areas trained: Lower body, with an emphasis on the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings and spinal erectors working together), upper back and arms. Execution: Stand facing a low cable pulley with your feet spread about shoulderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s width apart, holding on to a rope handle with your arms extended towards the pulley. Begin by sitting your hips back as you descend into a squat, keeping your arms extended out in front of you. Once your thighs are parallel to the ground, push back up with your legs as you simultaneously use your upper back and arms to pull the weight towards your torso. In the top position your legs should be completely extended, with your arms bent about 90 degrees and your elbows just past your torso. Hold for a second then lower back down and repeat until you have done 10-12 repetitions.

SIDE PLANK WITH BAND PRESS

EXERCISES

Areas Trained: Core and lateral hips, along with chest, shoulders and triceps. Execution: Secure a resistance band to a sturdy object and position your body several feet in front of it. Begin by grabbing the band with your right hand and then turning away from the anchoring point. Next, set up in a side plank position, using your left arm as the support. Bridge up off the ground and with the right hand held just in front of your chest, hold the side plank position and press the band out in front of you until your arm is fully extended. Hold that position for a second before returning your arm to the start position and repeating until youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve completed 8-10 reps, making sure to stay up in the plank position the entire time.

UNILATERAL ROMANIAN DEADLIFT & REVERSE FLY Areas Trained: Posterior Chain and upper back. Also helps develop balance and coordination. Execution: Stand balancing on one leg with your knee slightly bent, holding a pair of light dumbbells at your sides. Keeping your torso upright and core engaged, hinge at the hips by driving your glutes back and leaning forward at the waist, without bending your support knee any more. As you are doing so, slowly work the dumbbells up in a wide, arcing motion out to the sides of your body by pinching your shoulder blades together. In the finish position your entire torso, along with the non-working leg, should be parallel to the ground with your arms held out perpendicular to your body with just a slight bend in your elbows. Hold for a second, then lower and repeat the sequence with the opposite leg. Continue until you have done a total of 10-12 repetitions.

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PRINT OUT AN Abraham Lincoln High School

RAILSPITTERS Brooklyn Tech High School engineERS MASSAPEQUA HIGH SCHOOL LINCOLN FOOTBALL

CHIEFS

Becoming a THE ENGINEERS MASSAPEQUA HIGH SCHOOL

Powerhouse SEEK CITY

CHAMPIONSHIP E Story by Kevin Freiheit Photos by Kevin Sperandeo very football team starts the season with an ultimate goal.

been living up to their expectations, and have no intention of letting up. The

Story by Ryan McNamee // Photos by Anthony Hughes Most teams aim to go as far as Railsplitters are off to a perfect 6-0 they can and win the Championship. You can ask coaches before the season starts, and even during the year, and their goal will probably be to win every game.

They will give you the usual coach quotes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have to take it one game at a time,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to win every single game,â&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our focus is winning one week at a time.â&#x20AC;? For most teams, they fail to achieve their goal. All it takes is one loss, one bad game, or even one simple mistake, to end a season. But the boys at Lincoln High have

start, and they have been merciless on WKH ÂżHOG DQG RQ WKH VFRUHERDUG

MASSAPEQUA Chiefs Ranked First at Pre-season Conference 1 Story by Jaclynkelli Kronemberg Photos by Kevin Freiheit

SACHEM NORTH MASSAPEQUA FOOTBALL PREVIEW

In its six games this season, Lincoln has allowed a mere 39 points and more than 10 in a game just once. Lincoln has many players that can step up and bring down the opponent. Junior Alejandro Oregon, who has 31 tackles, and leads the Railsplittersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; defense. Senior Leroy Hancle has recorded 30 tackles, as well.

he Massapequa varsity football team enters the season with a number one preseason ranking during Conference 1 in Nassau County. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our expectations are the same every year,â&#x20AC;? said Massapequa varsity football coach Kevin Shippos, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to win the Nassau County Championship and the Long Island Championship.â&#x20AC;?

On the pass rush, senior Thomas +ROOH\ OHDGV WKH WHDP ZLWK ÂżYH VDFNV When the Railsplitters donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get to the quarterback, they have found ways to

Shippos is entering his third year as the head coach of the Massapequa varsity football team, The Chiefs. Last year, Massapequa lost to Farmingdale in the Nassau County semifinals, but they are looking to come back this year and go even farther. Nassau Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Conference one is always tough, and there are a number of teams that can claim the title. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are a lot of good teams in our conference,â&#x20AC;? Shippos said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;There isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t one stand out team and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what makes our Conference exciting to watch and coach in.â&#x20AC;?

BROOKLYN TECH HIGH SCHOOL

he Brooklyn Tech High School football team is FRPLQJ RII RI D FLW\ TXDUWHUÂżQDOV ÂżQLVK DQG WKH Engineers are looking to improve upon that win with a city championship. As always, they have to go through a JDXQWOHW RI D VFKHGXOH DV WKH\ QHHG WR IDFH RII DJDLQVW ELJ ULYDOV LQ )RUW +DPLOWRQ 7KRPDV -HIIHUVRQ &DPSXV DQG %R\V DQG *LUOV +LJK 6FKRRO 7KH (QJLQHHUV DUH JRLQJ WR KDYH WR EH VKDUS WKURXJKRXW WKH VHDVRQ WR FRPSHWH DQG DUH JRLQJ WR EH UHO\LQJ RQ D VOHZ RI QHZ VWDUWHUV RQ ERWK VLGHV RI WKH EDOO 7KLV KDVQÂśW GHWRXUHG &RDFK 0F.HQQDÂśV FRQÂżGHQFH LQ KLV WHDP DV KH VWDWHV Âł:H PDGH TXDUWHUÂżQDOV ODVW \HDU DQG (I) hope the experience will help us in close games. We expect to be competitive.â&#x20AC;?

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Farmingdale, Oceanside, Freeport, East Meadow and Baldwin are all looking to make it hard for Massapequa to claim the title. Massapequa has a few three year starters returning this season that will look to make an impact and get them back to the semifinals.

$V D WHDP /LQFROQ KDV IRUFHG ÂżYH interceptions and seven fumbles. While their defense has been rock solid, their offense PD\ EH HYHQ EHWWHU )RUFLQJ WXUQRYHUV KDV allowed more opportunities to get points on the board, and they have done just that, thanks to the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stellar offense. 7KH 5DLOVSOLWWHUV KDYH VFRUHG SRLQWV RQ WKH VHDVRQ WR WKHLU RSSRQHQWVÂś Lincolnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lowest point total in one game this season was 26, which they did twice. Other than that, they have put up at least 36 points a game. Senior quarterback Javon Moore has FRPSOHWHG RI SDVV DWWHPSWV WKLV season, piling up over 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns. Moore has thrown as least two touchdowns in every game this season, with the exception of the one, against Tottenville. Senior runningback Antoine Holloman Jr. has played a big part in the offense as well. Holloman Jr. has rushed for 654 yards RQ DWWHPSWV DQG DQ DYHUDJH RI RYHU VHYHQ yards per carry. He has also found the end ]RQH WLPHV LQFOXGLQJ RQFH RQ D \DUG run.

MASSAPEQUA HIGH SCHOOL

The Engineers are going to be relying on key players WKLV VHDVRQ VXFK DV MXQLRU TXDUWHUEDFN (OLMDK 5XHGD VHQLRU :5 '( 'HRQ 0DVK DQG VHQLRU /% 2/ &KDZLW %XQGLWZRQJ 7KHLU SOD\ ZLOO EH FUXFLDO WRZDUGV WKH VXFFHVV RI %URRNO\Q Tech this season. The Engineers will have inexperience at some positions with the entrance of 17 new starters, %URRNO\Q 7HFK UHWXUQV ÂżYH VWDUWHUV DOO WRJHWKHU WKUHH FRPELQHG ZLWK ERWK VLGHV RI WKH EDOO 7KH WHDP ZLOO QHHG RQ GHIHQVH DQG WZR RQ RIIHQVH 7KLV ORVV RI SOD\HUV WR WKH VHQLRU OHDGHUVKLS RI FDSWDLQV &KDZLW %XQGLWZRQJ 3- JUDGXDWLRQ LV XQIRUWXQDWHO\ WKH QDWXUH RI KLJK VFKRRO IRRWEDOO /DQGHUV 2/ '/ DQG 7ULVWDQ %URZQ 5% 66 $FFRUGLQJ WR EXW QRQHWKHOHVV OHDYHV WKH (QJLQHHUV ZLWK D ORW RI KROHV WR ÂżOO &RDFK 0F.HQQD WKHVH SOD\HUV ZHUH FKRVHQ DV FDSWDLQV ÂłGXH

Senior Khendell Puryear has two interceptions and senior Jahsi Meade has an interception and two fumble recoveries.

Holloman Jr. does more than just run with the ball, he is part of a deeply talented receiving core, and has chipped in 10 catches for 165 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Senior receiver Malik Andrews has been the biggest target for Moore, though. Andrews has gained over 500 yards on 25 catches, and has scored ÂżYH WRXFKGRZQV LQFOXGLQJ D \DUG UHFHSWLRQ These are just a few of the biggest players on the Railsplittersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; roster that have been putting up big numbers, but Lincoln has many others that have stepped up as well. This is an experienced team that is loaded with talent throughout the lineup, and they clearly have what it takes to win. In recent years, the Railsplitters have posted UHFRUGV RI DQG /LQFROQ KDV UHFRUGHG ZLQV RYHU WKH SDVW IRXU VHDVRQV FRPELQHG )URP WKURXJK WKH\ ZRQ MXVW WLPHV VR WKH\ are doing something right. Their program has made adjustments, and is now heading in the right direction and in full swing. The Railsplitters are a team to keep an eye on, as they possess depth, experience, determination and intimidation. Lincoln is aiming to go far this year, and they have what they need to accomplish that.

FLAMING

Football in At 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;0â&#x20AC;? and 185 lbs., senior wide receiver/linebacker Nick Balzone is a three year starter for Massapequa. Balzone is a captain for the Chiefs, and was awarded all county last year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nick is humble and a hard worker,â&#x20AC;? Shippos said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is an irreplaceable great player for us.â&#x20AC;?

Brianrunning Coleman Another three year returning Story starter,bysenior by Kevin back/safety Jack Korber is 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;6â&#x20AC;? 165Photos lbs. In addition, he Sperandeo also returns punts and kickoffs. Despite getting hurt last season, Sachem North Korber still made second team, All-Longhe Island. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jack is anFlaming Arrows football team enters theand 2013 campaign with high exciting player,â&#x20AC;? Shippos said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is a highbred player a tough loss in the can play either wide receiver orexpectations. running back.The He team makessuffered a 6XIIRON &RXQW\ &ODVV , VHPLÂżQDOV LQ IDOOLQJ lot of big plays for us.â&#x20AC;?

eventually to Long Island champion Floyd. The Flaming Arrows actually held a 7-0 lead in WKDW JDPH EHIRUH )OR\G UDWWOHG RII VWUDLJKW SRLQWV on its way to another Long Island title. With many players from last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team still in the ORFNHU URRP IRU 6DFKHP KHDG FRDFK 'DYLG )DOFR KDV high goals and expectations for 2013. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our expectations are always to win a county and /RQJ ,VODQG &KDPSLRQVKLS Â´ VDLG )DOFR ZKR LV HQWHULQJ KLV WK \HDU DV WKH )ODPLQJ $UURZV KHDG FRDFK â&#x20AC;&#x153;Leadership is always important and we have created many leaders on our team over the past year and look forward to ZDWFKLQJ WKHP OHDG RXU WHDP Â´

to leadership by example.â&#x20AC;?

able to make the correct calls to help guide the younger players The offense consists of many talented players. Junior on the defense. Meanwhile, PJ Landers will give Bunditwong quarterback, Elijah Rueda, at 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;1â&#x20AC;? 200 lbs, has the size and the ability to rush free up the middle while taking double teams DWKOHWLFLVP WR VOLQJ WKH EDOO HIIHFWLYHO\ DURXQG WKH ÂżHOG 7KH DQG SHUVRQDOO\ FDXVLQJ KDYRF LQ WKH EDFNÂżHOG question will be how well he will be able to go through his reads The bottom line is that the Brooklyn Tech Engineers will be as a junior at the helm of the offense. If his pre-snap reads are replacing a lot of players, and will need some of their successful correct, the sky is the limit for this kid on the high school level. younger players to step up. They can rely on the leadership Tristan Brown will be carrying a good portion of the load at of their seniors, and the guidance of Coach McKenna to get running back. At 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;10 180 lbs. of defensive back speed, Brown WKURXJK WKH VHDVRQ +RZHYHU WKHUH LV QR VKRUWDJH RI FRQÂżGHQFH has the ability to run both inside and outside of the tackles. or belief in the Engineer locker room. McKenna emphasizes has all the weapons to end up as Massapequa Senior receiver/defensive back Craig is as their team philosophy. During the At wide receiver, Deon Mash will give the wide Engineers size and skill, will, andBerge teamwork champions. They have veteran players that know andand weighs in over at 175 Berge is the kicker,had his team climb a mountain together physicality to run the ball to the6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;1â&#x20AC;?, outside to pass thelbs. off-season, McKenna how to win games. The Chiefs will start their punter blanket and a for three yearwho starter.to challenge â&#x20AC;&#x153;Craig ishis a teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great overall determination middle. He will also work as a security Rueda, and bring them season ongoal September 12 against Freeport. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This athlete,â&#x20AC;? is an will be able to throw jump balls to Mash. Shippos said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has reliable togetherhands as a and team. He suggests, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe that no or outstanding receiver. On the defensive side, he hasif ayou have great will.â&#x20AC;? yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team task is impossible Brooklyn Techisisexperienced,â&#x20AC;? Shippos said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The The defense, like the offense will of cover corner.â&#x20AC;? nose forbe thereplacing ball and isa alotgood FRQÂżGHQW seniors cameDQG up with me from junior varsity as roster spots, but will have size and speed on the edge with \RXQJ DW VRPH SRVLWLRQV EXW LV DOVR DWKOHWLF well-coached. from their level At 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;10â&#x20AC;? andhave 175 steady lbs., three year starterDonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Nickexpect them to step back sophomores. If we can stay healthy and continue Deon Mash at the defensive end. They will also of playback, fromdefensive last year. They will be in the running for a PSAL Capuana seniorBunditwong that plays running leadership, and central control on defenseis from to work hard I expect big things from this team.â&#x20AC;? City Championship. back, andBunditwong returns punts Last year, at linebacker. Because of his experience, will and be kickoffs. Capuana had two interceptions that he returned for touchdowns. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nick has a low center of gravity making LW GLIÂżFXOW IRU GHIHQGHUV WR WDFNOH KLP Â´ 6KLSSRV VDLG Âł+H LV JUHDW LQ WKH RSHQ ÂżHOG DQG KDV WKH DELOLW\ WR change direction in a split second.â&#x20AC;? Captain Jake Fitzsimmons is a 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;11â&#x20AC;? and 220 lbs. three year returning starter. Fitzsimmons plays offensive tackle and linebacker. He was asked to ÂżOO LQ DV D PLGGOH OLQHEDFNHU WRZDUGV WKH HQG RI WKH season last year, and will be continuing to play that position this season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jake is a leader by example,â&#x20AC;? said Shippos, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is smart and always knows where he has to be.â&#x20AC;? $QG ÂżQDOO\ WKHUH LV VHQLRU FDSWDLQ 5LFN /D5RFFR at 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;3â&#x20AC;? and 235 lbs. He is an offensive tackle and GHIHQVLYH HQG 7KLV LV /D5RFFRÂśV VHFRQG \HDU DV D VWDUWHU Âł5LFN KDV EHFRPH RQH RI WKH EHVW GHIHQVLYH players on the team and is a great offensive lineman,â&#x20AC;? Shippos said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He put on 25 lbs. of muscle in the offseason, and we are expecting big things from him this year.â&#x20AC;?

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NY ARTICLE! MASSAPEQUA HIGH SCHOOL

MAS SAPEQUA HIGH SCHOOL FARMINGDALE HIGH SCHOOL CHIEFS MASSAPEQUA Chiefs Ranked First at CONNETQUOT HIGH dalers SCHOOL Pre-season Conference 1 THUNDERBIRDS THE FARMINGDALE DALERS Story by Jaclynkelli Kronemberg Photos by Kevin Freiheit

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

CONNETQUOT

H HIGH SCHOOL ARROWS

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Floyd is at the top of the mountain and we are trying to get there,â&#x20AC;? said Falco, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will not give up in our pursuit of a championship. That pursuit is taking all of our thoughts and energy.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;As he goes, we go,â&#x20AC;? said Falco, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He looks good right now and we will have to keep an eye on his progress.â&#x20AC;? Sachem North is one of the favorites to

*655,;8<6;

ThunderbirdS aspire for the

long island championship

Story By Jaclynkelli Kronemberg / Photos By Morgan Harrison

receptions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tyler is athletic, has nice hands and runs great routes,â&#x20AC;? Hansen said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m looking forward to him being a big impact player this season.â&#x20AC;? Senior running back/ linebacker Marcus Gutierrez (5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;9â&#x20AC;? 180 lbs.) is another key player to watch for this season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marcus is a tough hard runner,â&#x20AC;? Hansen said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He will carry a lot of the load this year.â&#x20AC;? The offensive line features three seniors DJ Gallino (6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;2â&#x20AC;? 270 lbs.), Rob Dawson (6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;1â&#x20AC;? 270 lbs.) and Jimmy Oliver (5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;11â&#x20AC;? 250 lbs.). â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a solid offensive line,â&#x20AC;? Hansen said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;DJ, Rob and Jimmy are the anchors of the offensive line.â&#x20AC;? The defensive line features junior Sean Moore (6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;0â&#x20AC;? 250 lbs.), Gallino and Oliver. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our defensive line is physical and work hard.â&#x20AC;? Hansen said.

MASSAPEQUA HIGH SCHOOL

THUNDERBIRDS

Crossan rushed 10 times for 162 yards with three touchdowns in the season opening 35-6 victory over Sachem East, displaying the kind of talent that will be the catalyst for Sachem North in 2013.

Story and Photos by Kevin Sperandeo

â&#x20AC;&#x153; capture the Suffolk County Class I crown this season, with the other favorite being longtime foe Floyd. If Sachem North hopes to capture a county title, Falco knows that his team will most likely have to go through Floyd.

Every year our goal is to win the Long Island Championship.

Sachem North will be very reliant on its strong rushing attack led by Quarterback Trent Crossan. Crossan, who missed much of 2012 with a leg injury, is part RI ZKDW LV D WKUHH KHDGHG EDFNÂżHOG DORQJ with Malik Pierre and Kevin Bragglia.

MASSAPEQUA FOOTBALL PREVIEW

he Farmingdale High School Football team continues their tradition of excellence, UHPDLQLQJ XQGHIHDWHG LQ WKH ÂżUVW KDOI RI WKH 2013 season. The Dalers tradition for excellence UHĂ&#x20AC;HFWV WKHLU SDVW VXFFHVV )DUPLQJGDOH IRRWEDOO ZULWHV XS %LJ )RXU &KDPSLRQ \HDUV IRU WKH SDVW VHDVRQV DQG FRQIHUHQFH FKDPSLRQVKLSV VLQFH 7KH WHDP ZRQ D /RQJ ,VODQG &KDPSLRQVKLS

At 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;0â&#x20AC;? and 185 lbs., senior wide receiver/linebacker Nick Balzone is a three year starter for Massapequa. Balzone is a captain for the Chiefs, and was awarded all county last year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nick is humble and a hard worker,â&#x20AC;? Shippos said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is an irreplaceable great player for us.â&#x20AC;? Another three year returning starter, senior running back/safety Jack Korber is 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;6â&#x20AC;? 165 lbs. In addition, he also returns punts and kickoffs. Despite getting hurt last season, Korber still made second team, All-Long Island. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jack is an exciting player,â&#x20AC;? Shippos said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is a highbred player and can play either wide receiver or running back. He makes a lot of big plays for us.â&#x20AC;?

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/DVW VHDVRQ )DUPLQJGDOH ZHQW DQG ZRQ WKH 1DVVDX &RXQW\ &RQIHUHQFH , &KDPSLRQVKLS DJDLQVW %DOGZLQ 7KH 'DOHUV ORVW WR :LOOLDP )OR\G IRU WKH /RQJ ,VODQG &KDPSLRQVKLS

+HDG &RDFK %XGG\ .UXPHQDFNHU KDV EHHQ OHDGLQJ WKH 'DOHUV WR YLFWRU\ VLQFH +H KDV EHHQ FRDFKLQJ IRU RYHU \HDUV KROGV RYHU ZLQV DQG LV RQH RI WKH PRVW UHFRJQL]HG KLJK VFKRRO IRRWEDOO FRDFKHV â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are a lot of RQ kids /RQJ ,VODQG .UXPHQDFNHU LV NQRZQ that have the potential to D FRDFK ZKR WHDFKHV IXQGDPHQWDO IRU EHLQJ be real impact players this IRRWEDOO DQG SXVKHV KLV SOD\HUV WR DFKLHYH WKH season for us,â&#x20AC;? said Hansen, PRVW WKDW WKH\ FDQ :LWK D JRRG VWDUW IRU WKH â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a great team and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VHDVRQV WKH 'DOHUV DUH ZRUNLQJ WRZDUGV a pleasure to coach them.â&#x20AC;? DQRWKHU VXFFHVVIXO VHDVRQ $ VWURQJ UXQQLQJ DQG SDVVLQJ RIIHQVH KDV DFFRXQWHG IRU WRXFKGRZQV LQ WKUHH JDPHV 6HQLRU UXQQLQJ EDFN &XUWLV -HQNLQV DYHUDJHV \DUGV SHU FDUU\ VR IDU WKLV VHDVRQ +H UXVKHG IRU \DUGV DQG WRXFKGRZQV LQ

6HQLRU OLQHEDFNHU -RH /HH OHDGV WKH 'DOHUVÂś GHIHQVH LQ WDFNOHV ZLWK VROR WDFNOHV DQG DVVLVWHG 2Q WKH GHIHQVLYH OLQH 7KRPDV $PPLUDWL 6HQLRU GHIHQVLYH HQG KDV PDGH VROR WDFNOHV DQG DVVLVWHG ;DYLHU 6DQDEULD D VHQLRU FRUQHUEDFN PDGH VROR WDFNOHV DQG DVVLVWHG -XQLRU VDIHW\ 1LFN %XWOHU KDV UHFRUGHG LQWHUFHSWLRQV DQG WDFNOHV 7KH 'DOHUVÂś GHIHQVH KDV RQO\ OHW XS SRLQWV WR WKHLU RSSRQHQWV WKXV IDU LQ WKH VHDVRQ Senior wide receiver/defensive back Craig Berge is $IWHU D FRQIHUHQFH FKDPSLRQVKLS \HDU WKH SUHVVXUH 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;1â&#x20AC;?, and weighs in at 175 lbs. Berge is the kicker, LV RQ IRU WKH 'DOHUV )DUPLQJGDOH ZLOO EH SXW WR WKH punter and a three year starter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Craig is a great WHVW GXULQJ WKHLU QH[W JDPH SOD\LQJ FRQIHUHQFH ULYDOU\ athlete,â&#x20AC;? Shippos said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has reliable hands and is an 0DVVDSHTXD RQ 2FWREHU UG %RWK WHDPV DUH FXUUHQWO\ outstanding receiver. On the defensive side, he has a XQGHIHDWHG DW nose for the ball and is a good cover corner.â&#x20AC;?

At 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;10â&#x20AC;? and 175 lbs., three year starter Nick Capuana is senior that plays running back, defensive back, and returns punts and kickoffs. Last year, Capuana had two interceptions that he returned for touchdowns. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nick has a low center of gravity making LW GLIÂżFXOW IRU GHIHQGHUV WR WDFNOH KLP Â´ 6KLSSRV VDLG Âł+H LV JUHDW LQ WKH RSHQ ÂżHOG DQG KDV WKH DELOLW\ WR change direction in a split second.â&#x20AC;?

Massapequa has all the weapons to end up as champions. They have veteran players that know how to win games. The Chiefs will start their season on September 12 against Freeport. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team is experienced,â&#x20AC;? Shippos said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The seniors came up with me from junior varsity as sophomores. If we can stay healthy and continue to work hard I expect big things from this team.â&#x20AC;?

Captain Jake Fitzsimmons is a 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;11â&#x20AC;? and 220 lbs. three year returning starter. Fitzsimmons plays offensive tackle and linebacker. He was asked to ÂżOO LQ DV D PLGGOH OLQHEDFNHU WRZDUGV WKH HQG RI WKH season last year, and will be continuing to play that position this season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jake is a leader by example,â&#x20AC;? said Shippos, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is smart and always knows where he has to be.â&#x20AC;? $QG ÂżQDOO\ WKHUH LV VHQLRU FDSWDLQ 5LFN /D5RFFR at 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;3â&#x20AC;? and 235 lbs. He is an offensive tackle and GHIHQVLYH HQG 7KLV LV /D5RFFRÂśV VHFRQG \HDU DV D VWDUWHU Âł5LFN KDV EHFRPH RQH RI WKH EHVW GHIHQVLYH players on the team and is a great offensive lineman,â&#x20AC;? Shippos said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He put on 25 lbs. of muscle in the offseason, and we are expecting big things from him this year.â&#x20AC;?

Connetquot takes their ÂżUVW VWHS WRZDUG WKH /RQJ Island Championship on September 11, 2013, when they open the season against Patchogue Medford.

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GARDEN CITY

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GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

GARDEN CITY'S YOUNG TEAM HAS HIGH ASPIRATIONS Story by Jaclynkelli Kronemberg | Photos by Adil Borluca

he defending Nassau County Class A-I champions are anxious to get back to where they finished T off last season in the Long Island Championship game. The Garden City girls’ varsity basketball team is ready to take their team back to the LIC and hopefully further. The Trojans have a great chance of accomplishing that goal because they have the team from last year back only a year older and more experienced. “We were so young last year, we had seven freshmen and this year we are still a young team,” said the Garden City girls’ varsity head coach Anthony Sparacia. “We want to make it back to the county finals this year. With what we accomplished last year the expectations are high for this season.” The Trojans are already off to a good start. They have five wins and one loss overall and have two wins and one loss in their league play. “Everybody is back and we are doing well,” said Sparacia. “We have the same team two years in a row so we are expected to win.” Sparacia is in his 11th year as the head coach of the Garden City girls’ varsity basketball team. Under Sparacia Garden City has two Nassau County titles and one Long Island Championship. In the last five years they have averaged 16 wins a year. The Trojans have been to the Nassau County Championship four years in a row winning twice and have made it to the semifinals six years in a row. Surrounding Sparacia is a team of excellent athletes. Most of the players are three sport athletes and are used to being successful. This team knows what it is like to succeed and is looking to continue to be successful this season.

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The starting five have the talent and experience to help this team get back to the championship game. Junior shooting guard Samantha Auricchio has been on the varsity team since she was in eighth grade. Auricchio was ranked 15th in New York State last year as a sophomore and was honored all-county and all state last season. As a freshman and a sophomore Auricchio led Long Island public schools in three point shooting. So far this season she is averaging 17 points per game and for her career she has averaged 16.5 points per game. “Samantha is our leader,” said Sparacia. “She is a complete player and is continuing to get better.” This year this team has their work cut out for them. Teams are gunning for them since they are the defending Nassau County Champions. “We always have a target on our backs,” said Sparacia. “We thrive off of that. We just have to match everyone’s intensity and we will be fine.”

his year they are in a conference that is T good from top to bottom. Anyone can win the Class A-I conference. “This is the best group in Class A-I from top to bottom since I can remember,” said Sparacia. “This is the most competitive it has been. Seven or eight teams can win the conference.” Garden City will face some tough competition this season but unlike the other teams they have all their players back and know what it is like to win the County title. They are vying to get back to the Long Island Championship but this year they are determined to have a different outcome. “This team is experienced and know how to win,” said Sparacia. “Coaching here is great, I have tremendous athletes and they make my job fun. I really enjoy what I do because they are great kids. I feel we have the best athletes on the floor in games and if you’re more athletic you are going to win. I think we can get back to the County finals. We expect to be there at Designed by the end.” Win-Kye Cheong

KINGS PARK H

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he Kings Park boys basketball (7-3, 4-2) team is built around Johnny Li, their senior, six-foot (or so) guard averaging nearly 25 points per game this season. Lucky for the rest of the team, Li’s nearly as gifted at passing as he is scoring. Within coach Dave Scholer’s organized offense, the ball moves rather well, with probably a few more turnovers than the coach would prefer. At least against Huntington (0-9) on Jan. 7 that was the case. A relatively even first half wasn’t necessarily dominated by Li, even if he probably had over half his team’s points and scored pretty much whenever he wanted to, whether by an easy going three-point shot, a quick dribble drive, or a pull up jump shot (he shoots his midrange jumpers near the top of his leap) over the defense. Rare is the high school player with all three of those qualities, in addition to a fabulous passing touch. He would finish with 24 points, which felt more like 18 and probably could have been 34, and 7 assists in the 5835 win. It’s difficult to tell if the contained Li and the fiery Scholer are the perfect compliments or a mismatched pair. Li might be so good that it doesn’t matter. Their relationship seemed less Greg Poppovich-Tony Parker (in the early days, when Pop would ride Parker mercilessly) and more Mike Woodson-Carmelo Anthony, based on my one game snapshot. On the few occasions Li was careless with the ball or didn’t hustle for a rebound, the

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BUILDING AROUND STAR PLAYER

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coach expressed only mild frustration, if any at all; when another player committed a similar offense, he’d turn to his bench and explain – whether for his own peace of mind or simply to instruct – the nature of the offending’s player’s error and occasionally call for a sub. Li played every minute until the game was out of reach with little time left. How Scholer will coax the very best out of his supporting cast while ceding much of the offensive playmaking to Li, who scored a career high 36 points against Hauppauge earlier in the year, is a challenge faced by many starcentric teams. From the Huntington game, center Matt Mosner (14 points, 12 rebounds) appeared most sure of his role. Mosner, though not overwhelmingly athletic, has a decent set shot from three and a fair sense of how to use his heft inside. The more talented big man, however, is lanky power forward Jordan Finzel. Against bigger and better teams, his pretty 10-15 foot jump shot might come in handy. Another X-factor is the team’s backup point guard, who hasn’t yet earned the coach’s trust (based on his quick pull after an early turnover), but showed more playmaking abilities

than the starter at the position. Based on their division, the Kingsmen are in a pretty good place to make the playoffs. Only Deer Park (7-1, 6-0), to whom they lost on Jan. 9, 55-51, is ahead of them and Only Half Hollow Hills West (4-3, 4-2) beat them by more than four points (a 7656 loss). (Strangely, Deer Park blew out West, 75-49.) Kings Park will get another shot at both teams before the regular season ends, though they’ll have to do it away from home. However the season turns out for Kings Park, they’ll always be fun to watch. It was odd – and even refreshing – to watch a star player operate so seamlessly within the team’s offensive scheme. Scholer seems to know that’s not the purest pathway to success. This isn’t the type of team to run isolation plays. For that, the head coach has probably made it further than most would have with such an outright star. To do something special in the playoffs, however, Scholer must continue to manage the delicate balance between Li and the supporting cast.

MACARTHUR

GENE

MacArthur High School

GENERALS IN SEARCH OF AN IDENTITY STORY BY KEVIN FREIHEIT || PHOTOS BY ADIL BORLUCA

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he season has just begun, but the MacArthur boys’ basketball team has already been having a roller coaster year. The consistency hasn’t been there, but the Generals have put together a mediocre 2-2 record. MacArthur opened the season with a 59-41 win over Division, but they followed that up with a 30 point loss to Massapequa.

the team with an average of 12 points per game. McAndrew has been MacArthur’s top player on the offensive end as he has grabbed nine rebounds (six on defense) as well as 11 assists. Tom Melendez has been a force in the paint and has grabbed 16 rebounds (nine on offense). He has also been scoring an average of five points per game.

The Generals were able to bounce back the next game. They defeated Herricks 64-24 and once again had a winning record, but they weren’t able to keep it going.

Greg Baumstein and Ryan Cunningham have also been go-to players for the Generals. They both have stepped up and contributed this season, and they may become even better as the season continues.

Just like the previous time, MacArthur followed up a win with another loss. This time it came against Kennedy by a 53-47 score, but the Generals were in the game almost the entire time.

The Generals are not content with their 2-2 start and have a lot of work to do. However, there is plenty of time to pick up the pace and start stringing together some wins.

The Generals have been getting help from their key players this season. One of them being Tom McAndrew, who leads

With 14 games remaining on the schedule, the Generals are neither concerned nor disappointed with where

they stand. While they know things could be better, the season has just started, and their opportunities are ahead of them. The Generals are coming off of a 1-10 season, so they have already improved on last year’s win total. MacArthur has had success in the past, but have struggled the past couple of seasons. The Generals have posted five seasons of eight or more wins in the past decade, two of which they hit win totals of 10 and 15 wins. In order to get back to win totals like they’ve had in the past, they are going to need to make adjustments and find a way to be more consistent. They have experience and talent going for them, but it is a matter of how quickly they can come together as a team. Keep an eye on the Generals moving forward, as they could quickly go on a hot streak. Designed by Win-Kye Cheong

MASSAPEQUA H

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Story and Photos by Kevin Sperandeo

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artin Voigt is finishing his twentieth season as head coach of the Massapequa High School Boy’s Varsity Basketball team. Voigt was born and raised in Massapequa where he played on the 1977 Conference, South shore and Nassau County Basketball team. He served as head coach of the junior varsity team for seven seasons until he took up his varsity position. In Voigt’s past nineteen seasons as varsity head coach, he has been awarded coach of the year eight times. Voigt has captured over 225 wins with sixteen playoff seasons and four conference championships. Voigt’s offensive strategy is to have a continuously moving structure while maintaining a defensively sound mano-man approach. Last year, Voigt led the Chiefs to a 10-7 season, making it to the playoffs but losing in the first round. Voigt’s ultimate goal as head coach, besides winning games, is to teach his student athletes the game of basketball and the value of athletics with the numerous life lessons it provides. He states, “I would like our players to strive for excellence each year and have

pride and class in everything they do. To value hard work, unselfish play and respect their teammates.”

Three team captains and leaders for the chiefs include Dylan Balducci, Alex Cosenza and Griffin Sullivan.

Through a season of highs and lows, Massapequa currently has a record of 8-5, putting the Chiefs in position for a playoff run. At practice, Voigt has focused on offensive execution and pressure defense, stressing the importance of rebounding, communication and team play.

Dylan Balducci, the 5’10 guard averages 20 points per game, and 2 rebounds. Balducci has great ability to shoot and score for the Chiefs.

Voigt explains, “We set very high expectations each year in a very difficult conference. Our expectation to play hard, play smart and give relentless effort each practice and game has been outstanding. At times our ability to make shots and value each possession has been inconsistent.” The head coach noted that the team needs to improve their communication during transition defense and more consistently get rebounds. With hopes to finish strong, the Chiefs will need to improve these efforts while executing the offense and getting valued shot attempts. Voigt praises his players naming them, “hard working, unselfish, intelligent, high character student athletes.

“He is the player all opposing teams will try and stop. He works extremely hard within the offense to get good quality shots,” according to Coach Voigt. “He tirelessly works on this skill development”. Balducci was first team All-County last year, averaging 21 points a game. He was also in the top-three for 3-pointers made last year. Voigt expects the same from Balducci this season. The team captain and point scorer is looking to play at the college level. Alex Cosenza, a 6’1 guard averages 13 points, five rebounds and three assists per game for the Chiefs. Voigt describes Consenza as, “a leader on this team who brings an outstanding work ethic and desire at all our practices and games.” The team relies on Cosenza to score, defend and rebound every night. He is a returning All-Conference player that looks forward to playing baseball next year at Hofstra University. Designed by Nicole Manzo

SACHEM NORTH FLAMING

STORY BY BRIAN COLEMAN || PHOTOS BY MORGAN HARRISON

he Sachem North Girls’ Basketball team entered this season with a sort of mixed expectations. After winning just two games last season and a whole bunch of new girls on the team this season, head coach James Mellor did not know what to expect. “With so many new girls, it was tough to establish expectations for this group,” said Mellor, who has coached at Sachem North for the past seven seasons. “Any coach would say that playoffs are the goal every season, but we were unsure of what we would get from the young girls and first time varsity players. Merely getting them acclimated to the intensity of the varsity level would have been enough for many of these girls.” The majority of the girls on the current varsity roster were playing junior varsity last season, which posed a challenge to Mellor. The girls have made a smooth transition, and along with the upperclassmen, have established a competitive team in Suffolk County. “Many people underestimate the jump in intensity and speed from the junior varsity level to the varsity level,” said Mellor. “Many junior varsity players struggle adapting to varsity play.” The Flaming Arrows have played outstanding basketball thus far, and has itself in a position that many people did not anticipate before the season started. Winning

seven of its first 11 games overall, Sachem North has a record, and 4-3 in conference. At this point in the season, that is good enough for fourth place in the Suffolk League II Conference. Now, the girls from Sachem North have playoffs on their minds. “Girls are helping each other out on the court and those girls who are not on the court are strongly supporting their teammates,” praises Mellor. “With the way we started the season, the expectation now is clearly to be a playoff team.” A major reason for the success is the play of one of those young girls, Annie Keenan. An eighth-grader, Keenan has made a major impact on the team despite not even being in high school yet. Mellor wanted Kennan to get acclimated to the varsity level and contribute a little bit to the team, but the eighth-year head coach knew it would be more than that when he saw her play in preseason. “Annie has been able to make the tremendous jump from middle school ball to the varsity level with ease. We expected her to play a small role this year, but that quickly changed in pre-season practices,” recalls Mellor. “She not only showed she belonged at this level, but also showed that she could be a major contributor.”

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Kennan has scored in double figures on multiple occasions, and has provided a spark on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. Mellor describes her as an eager and hungry player who brings a ton of positive energy every time she steps out on the court. “She is still a young player with much to learn and makes mistakes as any young player would,” said Mellor. “But, she also has a knack for finding herself in the right spots on the court throughout the game. Whether it be a rebound, a put back, loose ball, steal or assist, she has found a way to impact each and every game. The coaching staff is excited to see what she can become in a few years.” Keenan’s best game came back in early-December when the Flaming Arrows hosted Bay Shore. She poured in 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as she led her team to a 50-36 victory. Showing her aggressiveness, Keenan got to the free-throw line often, getting seven of her points from the charity stripe. While Keenan has been a welcome addition to the varsity club, Sachem North is led by a dynamic trio. Shay Cosgrove, Kassidy Hallum and Eve Calabria are the unquestioned leaders of the girls on and off the court. Cosgrove is the team’s leading scorer, but the three have all lead the team in scoring in individual games throughout the season. Head coach James Mellor has recognized and embraced the impact the trio has had on the early success of this team. “These three girls are clearly the three leaders on the team. Having this trio has made it very easy to incorporate the younger girls,” said Mellor. “They have taken much of the load of the offense this year and it allows for the younger players to adjust to the speed of the game.” Having veteran leadership makes the transition for younger players much smoother, and allows them to let the game come to them as opposed to trying to do too much. While providing the majority of the offensive scoring, the girls also bring a composed leadership that helps all of their teammates. “They all possess the ability to be intense on the court, and yet instruct others in areas they are lacking without yelling or belittling their teammates,” said Mellor. “In the flow of the game it is difficult to accomplish this, yet these girls have done a great job so far. “All three have matured immensely as players and individuals since last season.” That maturity will be a major factor in the playoff push that Sachem North plans to go on. A year after winning only two games all season, Mellor sees his team in a prime position to reach the playoffs. “We have built positive energy through the first half of the year that hopefully carries us into the playoffs.” Designed by Win-Kye Cheong

SYOSSET HIG

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Syosset seeking season of redemption Story by Scott Bickard /// Photos by Morgan Harrison

oing into my first ever high school hockey game, I was expecting a rowdy, physical scene based off the reputation the sport had while I was still in the 15 to 18 year range. Yet, the Syosset-Bethpage game on Dec. 22 began anything but, so much so that I wondered if checking was even allowed at the high school level until an un-penalized hit about halfway through the first period brought me up to speed.

It didn’t necessarily predict the uptick in physical play, though a big lead and high school hockey isn’t usually the friendliest of mixes. Both teams exchanged penalty minutes (Syosset somewhat more so) for a good portion of the second and third periods before tensions eventually dissipated and the 10-2 game played its course. It was the highest scoring game for Syosset all season. (They’d scored nine and seven goals on two previous occasions).

The goals, however, came fast for the Syosset Braves (8-2), a little quicker than their four goal average would have projected.

Eight wins in 10 games was more than those entrenched in the Long Island hockey scene would have predicted for the Braves at this point, according to head coach Jason DePierro (Syosset ’91), a former Hofstra club team member and now in his sixth season with the program, first as head coach of the varsity.

Eventually, Syosset would increase the complexity of their offense for more pleasing goals while tightening their defense enough to force Bethpage into a level of creativity they didn’t have that night. A 4-0 first period lead, in combination with how each team was actually playing, foreshadowed the blowout that was to come.

That could partially be due to a few young standouts in key positions, including slick sticking freshman David Tell (part of a strong group of fellow first years) and junior captains Jake Zimmerman and Matthew Tabakin.

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Still, the Braves have a solid enough group of seniors, such as goalies Danny Desilvia and Johnny Persichilli, alternative captain Tommy Lynch, and captain Joe Keenan, that their failure to finish in the top four last season (necessary to qualify for the club playoffs) was probably the biggest reason they entered this season perceived as a less than elite squad. Perhaps the pundits shouldn’t have forgotten the seniors’ sophomore years, which ended in first place, a loss in the county final, and an appearance in the state tournament. Evaluating Syosset’s qualifications based solely on the Bethpage game is difficult, given the obvious mismatch. (To be fair to Bethpage, they were without their starting goaltender and lost 4-2 to Syosset just the game before.) How they fare in closer contests might be a better indicator; in those, they’re 3-1 in one goal games and 2-0 in two goal games. DePierro judges his team most favorably from a 2-1 loss to Bellmore/Merrick on Dec. 9. Credit for that one goes to the entire team for their puck movement, Tommy Lynch for a “beautiful goal,” and Desilvia for an excellent day in net. “The puck just didn’t bounce our way,” DePierro said. The Braves get a chance for redemption when the two teams rematch in the last game of the season. Perhaps the puck bounced their way in those other close games, perhaps it didn’t. Whatever the case, DePierro believes his team has yet to play their best hockey, always a good sign at this point in the season for an 8-2 team. They’ll have to improve if they want to compete with undefeated Long Beach, who gave Syosset their other loss, a 5-0 blowout the opposite way on Nov. 24. The two play again on Jan. 19. Designed by Nicole Manzo

They have had numerous dominant victories, but had a couple of close games as well. In their biggest offensive game of the year, Hills East clobbered Bay Shore by a 92-47 score, including a 24-4 lead after the opening former.

Hills East has become a dominant team, and it hasn’t let up against any opponents. The Thunderbirds began the season with a 10-0 run, putting them atop the standings.

he Half Hollow Hills East boys’ basketball team has had success in the past, and their story has been no different this season. The Thunderbirds have been on a roll and have kept the momentum rolling.

STORY BY KEVIN FREIHEIT PHOTOS BY KEVIN SPERANDEO

HILLS EAST Enjoys Record-Setting Year

THUNDERBIRDS

HALF HOLLOW HILLS EAST HIGH SCHOOL

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Look for them to be a legitimate factor down the stretch.

In each of the past four seasons, Hills East has been unable to post a winning record. With such a sudden and surprise jump to the top, the Thunderbirds have quickly become a dangerous team with many potential weapons.

The expectations for Hills East werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t very high when the season began, but that has changed since they have been winning. The Thunderbirds havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had a successful season like this one since they went 14-7 in 2005-06.

The Thunderbirdsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; offense has been electric this season and is one of the reasons they have become a legitimate threat. They are averaging just over 64 points per game, which has been a huge help. They have also held their opponent to under 40 points on three separate occasions this season.

Jordan McRae and Justin Fackler are also averaging over 10 points per game.

Mike Simon has been a rock for the Thunderbirds this year as he leads the team with 13.3 points per game. He has also connected on a team high 18 three pointers.

The Thunderbirds still have a handful of games remaining, one of them a rematch against Central Islip. They have set themselves up for success, and have done it behind some quality athletes.

Hills East have always endured a tough challenge against Central Islip. Over the past four years, the Thunderbirds have dropped all seven contests to them, including a pair of games decided by five points or less.

While it was a close game throughout, a five point second quarter came back to haunt Hills East in a game where it would eventually lose 68-64. It was their first loss of the season and a Conference game at that.

After enjoying 10 straight wins to open the season, the Thunderbirds played a hard-fough game against another top rated team. Central Islip was 7-0 at the time, so it was a game of two undefeated teams.

It was the first win for the Thunderbirds against Bay Shore in four years. They had dropped the previous six meetings, but were finally able to come out on top.

In a high scoring game like that, usually the winning team has a big game from one player specifically, but not one athlete scored more than 20 points for the Thunderbirds. In fact, Chris Adames scored 27 for Bay Shore.

Story By Brian Coleman | Photos By Adil Borluca

LAWRENCE LAWRENCE BOYS BOYS BASKETBALL BASKETBALL

UNFINISHED UNFINISHEDBUSINESS BUSINESSFOR FOR

WWW.ULTIMATEATHLETEMAGAZINE.COM Joe Supple, a former Lawrence player himself, is in his third season as the head coach of the Tornados and has his team prepared. The premature losses that have ended the last two seasons earlier than it would have liked have Lawrence ready for more.

Lawrence has been nearly perfect in 2013-14, currently 14-1 overall and 12-0 inside Nassau Conference A-II, good for a comfortable first place lead among the rest of the members of the conference.

he Lawrence boys basketball entered this season with some unfinished business that it needed to take care of. After two straight years exiting the Nassau County playoffs in the quarterfinal rounds, the Tornadoes have been one of the best teams in the county this year and look poised to get over that hump and make a deep playoff run.

“We have a number of players that have been through the playoff grind,” said Supple. “We are hopeful that experience will help us make a longer run in this year’s postseason. Going into the playoffs, we use those two losses as motivation to

South Side took an 11-point lead into halftime, and despite a good showing in the third quarter by Lawrence, it was never able to surpass South Side and take the lead. Two late free-throws sealed the victory, and Lawrence was

Lawrence then met South Side in the quarterfinals in what was a very entertaining contest. Unfortunately for the Tornados, a slow first half turned out to be too large of a deficit to overcome.

Lawrence has been one of the better teams in Nassau County over the last couple of seasons, but has failed to make it farther than the quarterfinals in each of the last two. Last year, the Tornados went 15-3 and earned the number one seed in the playoffs. After blowing out Glen Cove by 37 points in the opening round, it looked like it was on its way to potentially a county title.

improve each and every day.”

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Most times, the common dominator on all dominant high school teams is one or two outstanding players, Lawrence is led by an experienced and extremely balanced offensive attack.

consecutive season undefeated in league play, and has a couple of games left to do so. It received a strong test at the end of January when it hosted second place Hewlett.

“When we walk in the gym, we want to get better both physically, mentally, emotionally,” said Supple. “We will play as hard as we can until we leave the gym. That is our players (Dwayne Daniel, Hamed only focus.” Shamseldin, Sam Robinson, Marcus The chemistry and goals on the Saint-Furcy and Jymeek Jenkins) Lawrence basketball team this year have been the leading scorer and has been evident in its play. In its scored 20 or more points in a game first seven games, the Tornados beat this season, illustrating the plethora its respective opponent by double of options that exist in the Tornados digits each time, and put up a ton of offense. points while doing so. Lawrence is seeking its second

Turn the page to this season and the team has undoubtedly come into this season with a bit of a chip on its shoulder and a determination to make it a special year. Supple says he has noticed an intense focus among his players that has contributed to the success.

forced to go home earlier than it wanted for the second year in a row.

different

“It’s nice to have so many options,” said Supple. “Forcing teams to make a choice on who they decide they want to focus on is a major advantage.”

Five

Hewlett came out firing and jumped out to an early first quarter lead. Avery Feldman was beating them up inside, and finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Hewlett carried a 12-point lead into halftime and looked like it was on its way to completing a huge road upset.

“The balance on our team goes deeper than just the box score. This is the closest group of players I have had,” said Supple. “They truly

He nailed a three-pointer to give Lawrence a 61-60 advantage that would prove to be enough. Lawrence held on in the final minute and secured the win 69-66. Saint-Furcy finished with 21 points, followed closely by his teammate Dwayne Daniel who poured in 20 points.

Lawrence wasn’t going down with a fight, and battled back in the third quarter to trim the lead down four heading into the final session. Trailing by two with just minutes Lawrence remaining, Lawrence turned to Marcus Saint-Furcy to hit the big shot.

The years of experience of being a competitive team wile enduring tough losses has prepared this group for success. Playing through one another and sharing the scoring load has been a result of the undivided attention to detail and the idea of getting better.

Lawrence plays to its potential it can play with anybody in the county.

“We don’t make predictions but we expect to take the court each game and compete,“ explained Supple. “If we bring our ‘A’ game we believe that we can play with anybody. There are a bunch of great teams in the county, and we just want to challenge While Supple recognizes the tough ourselves to play a Lawrence ‘A’ team can achieve when no one cares competition that lies ahead, he says if game. who gets the credit.’

That credit goes from one guy to love playing together and are always together. If there is a gym open, they another as the season as come along. are there. If there is a game they can It has been a dominant one with just a few games remaining in the regular watch, they are watching.” That is the dedication that has season. While the team is proud of Lawrence on the verge of clinching what it has accomplished and is eager the number one seed in the playoffs. for the playoffs, it has learned from Supple says his team lives by the experience than winning playoff mantra: ‘It’s amazing how much a games is no easy task.

With teams like Central Islip, who plays an aggressive zone defense, and Walt Whitman, with many returning seniors and one of the better defenses in the league, along with Connetquot and Half Hollow Hills East, who both have some of the most talented players in the league, the Bulldogs will have to compete every night.

And despite playing in an extremely tough and competitive league, the outlook is bright. “The goal each year is the same, compete at a high level and make the playoffs [...] I believe this team is capable of winning games in our league and playing at a high level.” But one term that has continued to pop up is “compete”.

However, the kickoff of a new season and a chance to turn it around will start on November 20, when the team holds their first practice.

njuries and inconsistencies can make for a long season. Last year was a tough one for Coach Bret Kearney and the Lindenhurst boys basketball team. “Last season was a struggle, we battled injuries and inconsistent play” said Kearney when looking back on their 3-15 season.

STORY BY MIKE REPERTORIO PHOTOS BY KEVIN FREIHEIT

BOYS LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK

LINDENHURST BASKETBALL:

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- Coach Kearney

team prepared, working hard, and ready to compete at a high level.”

“The plan is to have our

Coach Kearney takes pride in the team’s focus on defense. “We are predominantly a man to man defensive team, who tries to limit easy opportunities for our opponents. We teach a team defense approach, play physical and stress

However, having the right players in place is only part of the equation. An strong staff and an effective strategy is also crucial.

Other players to keep an eye on include Nick Soriano, Rahul Bathija and the aforementioned Arthur Brzozka.

Brzozka, whose younger brother, Arthur, is a freshman this season, is a returning all-league and all-conference player with the potential to be one of the best in the league this season. Mitchell is a versatile player who, along with Gino Bonaguro are the team’s toughest on the ball defenders.

But the strength of the opposition in this league aside, Lindenhurst is no pushover. After only losing five seniors to graduation, the Bulldogs are returning seven starters from last season. Of which includes, 6-foot-5 senior shooting guard Dan Brzozka and senior standout, Cody Mitchell.

“The plan is to have our team prepared, working hard, and ready to compete at a high level.”

There is no easy wins in this league, but with the pieces in place, Coach Kearney and company are excited to hit the ground running. The teams first taste of actual play will be in opening round of the Colonial Classic at William Floyd High School.

He believes that if his team can play their game defensively and offensively, while limiting turnovers they should be poised for a bounce back season.

However, the staff believes that the team’s offensive will also be effective and crucial for their success this season. Describing the system as playing loose and moving freely, Coach Kearney adds, “The teams greatest strengths going into this season is their ability to score in a variety of ways, every kid on the floor has the ability to shoot the basketball…”

the intangibles of taking charges and diving for loose balls.”

Story By Brian Coleman /// Photos By Adil Borluca

BOYS BASKETBALL

PLAINEDGE

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In Buckley’s second season, Plainedge

“Little did I know Roslyn would be moved into our conference this year,” said Buckley. “Coaching against such a close friend is bizarre to say the least.”

Now in his second season, Buckley and the Red Devils of Plainedge are looking to make their mark in Nassau A-II Conference. Ironically, Roslyn entered that same conference just a year after Craig Murphy took the job there.

“I coached the JV team for four years,” recalls Buckley. “When the varsity coach, one of my best friends and colleague, took the head coaching position in Roslyn, I put in for the varsity job.”

Buckley, an English teacher at Plainedge Middle School, coached the Junior Varsity team for four years and always had a desire to eventually coach the varsity team. When his colleague and very close friend Murphy went to Roslyn, Buckley pounced on the opportunity.

hen Craig Murphy left Plainedge to take the head coaching job at Roslyn before the start of last season, a void was left at the head coaching position for the Plainedge Boys Basketball team. Right away, Brian Buckley knew that he wanted to take the reins of the basketball team at Plainedge.

One of the tougher losses of the season came at home to a familiar foe, Roslyn. After playing well all game long, a late surge by Roslyn allowed them to pull away and capture

“We came out of the gate strong, but have lost our confidence a bit, “said Buckley. “Going forward we need to stop thinking so much and just play. Winning makes anything fun.”

The 2013-14 season looked extremely promising in the onset, as the Red Devils won four of its first five contests to start the year. However, since the strong start, Plainedge has lost four straight and dropped in the conference. Buckley says the struggles have been caused by a lack of confidence, which can often happen to a team after losing a few games in a row.

“I've seen coaches in the stands scouting that I've never seen before,” said Buckley, referring to the increasing exposure his program is getting. “I think teams have started to understand they can't simply overlook Plainedge anymore. It's a football and baseball town. My goal is to get basketball on the map as well.”

basketball is looking to make its mark on the Nassau County basketball scene. While many regard it as a baseball and football school, Buckley said one of his main goals is to bring light to the improving basketball program at Plainedge High School.

“I could go on for days about this young man,” praised Buckley. “He never complained

While doctors mulled over the possibility that cancer could be a possibility, Danielo continued to fight and battle. Thankfully, the senior leader was able to overcome his condition, and coach Buckley says that is just the type of fighter he is.

Danielo, a three-sport athlete, had his toughest competition off the court. Because of a serious medical condition, he was unable to participate in the great playoff run the Plainedge football team had in the fall.

Despite the struggles of late, there is still plenty to be excited about if you are in Plainedges corner. One of the more inspirational stories of the year is its top player, John Danielo.

“We lost an extremely tough game to Roslyn on our home floor. The loss was even harder on me since it was against one of my best friends,” said Buckley. “We outplayed them, but simply couldn't close the game out. I think this also ties into overall intensity, especially on the defensive end. We've lost our confidence, especially our guards. Being in the conference we are in, it is hard to be competitive without strong guard play.”

the victory. The strong guard play for Roslyn was the difference, and made the difference between a win and a loss.

boys basketball making its mark

PLAINEDGE

Danielo will no doubt be a major factor and contributor as Plainedge heads into the homestretch. If the Red Devils are to make a run at the playoffs and climb up the Nassau Conference A-II standings, the senior will have to make his impact felt

“He's playing out of his position on both ends of the floor, but has taken every challenge head on,” said Buckley. “He's averaging over a double-double, while maintaining a 98 GPA as well. He's simply an outstanding young man, and will be successful in whatever he decides to do.”

A natural forward, the young man has been forced to play out of position for the majority of the season, doing an excellent job both offensively and defensively.

Danielo is not just a leader because of his determination and his prior medical problems, but his play on the court speaks for itself. He is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, and has scored 16+ points in six of the team’s contests so far this season.

at all. He took everything life threw at him, and simply used it to grow stronger. He's a leader by example. His intensity seems infinite.”

“I just want the team to get back to the basics and have fun. At the end of the day, I don't care if we win by 15 or lose by 40; I just want the team to play up to its potential. Going forward, I see this team getting better each practice and each game.”

With the Plainedge basketball program on the rise, Brian Buckley has just one goal for his team going forward:

“I enjoy the kids here in Plainedge. Having taught, known, or coached them in the Middle School before, I have the chance to literally watch these kids grow up,” Buckley stated. “We have such an amazing group of kids this year. They make the stressful job as enjoyable as it is. The overall support of the parents is amazing as well.”

Regardless of how the season turns out, second year head coach Brian Buckley is extremely proud of the way his team has played, and the direction in which the program is headed.

by both scoring and rebounding the basketball.

WWW.ULTIMATEATHLETEMAGAZINE.COM Rini is a 6’2” senior co-captain that plays center. In the first five games Rini averaged 21 points a game. Rini is in her fourth year on the team. She was named conference player of the year last season and honored with all-county two years in a row.

“It’s been a strange season so far,” said Vachris. “We have been playing without our best player and found a way to continue to win. All the kids improved while Jessica was out so I’m excited to see what happens and what we can do when Jessica comes back.”

Vachris is in his seventh season as the head coach. Last season he coached the team to a 12 win no loss record in their conference. They were the conference champions and lost in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. Seaford lost six players to graduation and had seven players return this year. This season they were faced with a difficult challenge of learning how to win without their key player Jessica Rini. Rini suffered a broken bone in her foot on December 20. Without Rini in the lineup Seaford lost the first two games but then figured out what to do and won the next three games. Rini is set to return to the lineup on January 18, 2014.

“We hope to win the conference championship again,” said Seaford varsity girls’ basketball head coach Bob Vachris. “We want to get back to the playoffs and hopefully get further then we did last season.”

he Seaford girls’ varsity basketball team is on a mission to do better than they did last season. They have started the season aggressive climbing to the top of the Nassau Conference A-IV. They are the only undefeated team in conference play with a record of seven wins and overall they have eight wins and three losses.

Story by Jaclynkelli Kronemberg Photos by Morgan Harrison

VIKINGS

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“Karly has stepped up for us this season,” said Vachris. “She has a good outside shot and is a terrific defender.”

Senior guard Karly Brandimarte is in her second year with the team.

“Julia has an uncanny ability to see the game while out on the court,” said Vachris. “Jenna has unlimited potential. Jenna still has to work on her scoring but once she does there will be no stopping her.”

Kathryn has two younger sisters on the team with her this season twins Julia and Jenna. Julia and Jenna are in the eighth grade. Julia plays guard and Jenna plays forward.

“Kathryn is our floor general,” said Vachris. “She is a terrific outside shooter and a good defender.”

What makes Seaford unique is that they have three sisters on the team. Kathryn Siler is a junior guard. Last year Siler was awarded all-county.

“Desire carried us when Jessica was out,” said Vachris. “She is a solid leader and a terrific ball player.”

The other co-captain is senior forward Desire Fowlkes. Fowlkes is also a four year player and was honored all-class last year. Fowlkes is averaging 16 points a game.

“Jessica is our leader,” said Vachris, “She has a lot of experience and she is a big difference out on the court.”

Seaford’s

biggest

competition

“The younger kids have come in and given everyone a push,” said Vachris. “They are making the veterans better and making them work harder. The younger kids are the future of this team.”

This team is full of veteran players that know what it is like to win the conference and make it to the playoffs. Seaford started out the season strong and hopes to keep it going.

Finishing out the lineup are junior forward Shannon Duncan, senior Shannon Digney, senior center Dee Schnider, junior center Brittney Lazar and junior forward Virginia Pagan.

“Vikki is one of the better shooters on the team,” said Vachris. “She comes through when we need her too.”

Senior guard Vikki Prodan is one of the top shooters for Seaford.

“When Ally gets in the game everything speeds up,” said Vachris. “She is a very aggressive defender and is extremely fast.”

Freshman guard Ally Palermo changes the speed of the game because she is quick.

“Kirsten is a fast improving player,” said Vachris. “She has a good floor presence and has been stepping up this season.”

Junior guard Kirsten Higgins is a good defensive player.

Nicole Manzo

“Hopefully we can keep improving in the playoffs and get further than we did last year,” said Vachris. “I’m happy to be coaching at Seaford. It is a lot of fun. The girls are all close and have a good time. I love going to practice because they are all good players. I expect good things to come from this team.” Designed By

Seaford is in a position to win the Conference and make it back to the playoffs. The girls’ started the season strong and are looking to finish the same way. They have overcome adversity and were able to stay undefeated in league without their best player. If they continue to play the way they have been they will make some noise in the playoffs.

“Sharon is a big help with the girls because she played and can relate to them,” said Vachris, “She does a terrific job.”

Vachris doesn’t do this alone he has help from his assistant coach Sharon Curley. Curley helps out with the girls’ team and the boys’ team because her son is on the team. Curley knows basketball because she played in college at Fordham University.

“Cold Spring Harbor is our biggest competition,” said Vachris. “The rematch with Cold Spring Harbor will determine where we will be ranked in the playoffs.”

Conference A-IV is Cold Spring Harbor. They met once already on December 20 and Seaford was able to pull out a 46-45 victory.

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