Huntington Sports Flash
The Huntington varsity baseball team edged Centereach, 6-5 in a game played at Bethpage Ballpark in Central Islip, the home of the Long Island Ducks.
Luke Eidle hurled a seven inning complete game for the Blue Devils. Brian Mora went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Steven Napurano was 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs batted in. Brian Donnelly went 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and two runs scored. Tom Stock banged out two hits, including a triple, an RBI and a run scored. Luke Eidle had two hits and scored two runs.
Huntington’s three wins this season has already exceeded last season’s total, said first year head coach Billy Harris.
JV Girls’ Lax Compiles 14-1 Mark
The Huntington junior varsity girls’ lacrosse team defeated West Babylon in the final game of the season, 15-4. The Blue Devils finished the year with a 14-1 record.
Sydney Van den Valentyn notched three goals and two assists and Synclair Taylor had three goals. Abby Maichin scored twice and added two assists. Alyssa Sorensen had a goal and two assists and Marissa Stafford, Christina Varady and Jessica-Rose Greene each had a goal and an assist. Kay Rosselli, Maire Brown and Brooke Goldsmith all scored one goal. Goalie Maya Santa-Maria recorded nine saves.
The Huntington JV is coached by Kim Gilroy and Linda Costello-Roth. “This was the best group of girls ever,” gushed Costello-Roth.
Finley Edges Undefeated Commack in Girls’ Lax
The Finley Middle School girls’ lacrosse team turned back undefeated Commack on Tuesday afternoon, 8-6. The Falcons are now 4-0 this spring.
“The girls were extremely tough competitors today,” said Marissa Bergmann, Finley’s head coach. “They were outstanding on both ends of the field. Commack is a physical team and extremely tough. Our girls battled back the entire game and never gave up.”
Finley’s goals were scored by Sarah Giarraputo, Royyelle Sainvilus, Ainsely Lumpe, Sophia Severine, Caroline Hartough and Charlotte Maggio. Assists were recorded by Marina Durand, Brooke Biernacki, Lauren Loscalzo and Alexa Amorison.
Strong defensive efforts were turned in by Riva Bergman, Christana Macelunch, Julia Gorecki, Julia Steinberg, Timmeree Koepele, Bella Algieri, Bella DiBenedetto, Sarah Giarraputo, Brooke Sullivan and Karen Ulloa.
Finley goalies Emily Cheshire (five) and Lisa Martin (eight) combined for 13 saves.
“Our goalies played a huge role today,” Bergmann. “Emily and Lisa made a lot of outstanding saves that helped us gain momentum.”
Finley was up by one goal with less than two minutes remaining in the game. The Falcons tenacious defense forced Commack to turn the ball over. “We transitioned the ball quickly up the field allowing Ainsley to score, which put us up by two with under a minute left,” Bergmann said. “I am so proud of the girls! This was tough game with calls not always going in their favor and they didn’t let that get to them. They played with composure and true class today.”
Finley hopes to continue its sharp play over the next several weeks. “The improvements they are making in such a short amount of time are incredible,” Bergmann said. “They are all working extremely hard to improve their skills and get better as a team.”
Finley plays at home against Bay Shore next Tuesday.
Blue Devil Girls’ Track Wins League Title
The Huntington High School girls’ track and field team won its second consecutive spring league dual meet championship, defeating host Eastport-South Manor, 76-60.
“The weather did not cooperate with us, which seems to be the trend for this spring season, but the silver lining is always that the other team has to deal with the same weather, so I normally just remind the team to embrace the elements and do their best,” said Shawn Anderson, Huntington’s head coach. “While not everyone had a stellar day, the racing and toughness showed.”
Meet highlights included:
Shot put: Nina Cartwight took the top spot with throw of 28-05 feet while Nephar Durand tossed 27-09 for second place.
Discus: Cartwright pulled double duty and took the top spot again, tossing 82-06 feet while Jolena Smith took second with a solid throw of 76-05. Jasmine Davis realized a big personal best with a throw of 74-00.
High jump: Nicole Muszynski and Katie Seccafico took second and third, respectively, with both clearing 4-06 feet. For Seccafico, the height marked a personal best.
Triple jump: “Our boards were off and the wind was blowing in the girls faces, but we managed to take second and third, respectively, with Rebecca Caballero (31-03 feet) and Anna Gulizio (30-05).
Long jump: The same effects of wind and boards came into play, but Marina Ruzic managed to leap 14-07.25 feet to grab a team point.
100m hurdles: Running into the wind, Alexandra Koumas ended her season undefeated in the the event, finishing first in a time of 16.8 seconds.
1500m run: Nicole Abbondandelo and Alexis Pastorelli continued to pace the distance crew, taking second and third in 5:37 and 5:38, respectively. Huntington also captured fourth through sixth place in the event behind great performances by Louise Koepele, Niamh Condon and Sophie Dellecave.
400m dash: Huntington notched a clean sweep behind Latoya Shand (64.9 seconds), Anna Gulizio (65.2) and Lexi Mills (65.8).
100m dash: Ruzic picked up a point for Huntington, sprinting 13.9 seconds for third place.
1500m race walk: Erika Varaday pushed the whole way, going 8:17 for the win. Keily Rivas took third place in 8:53.
800m run: Abbondandelo took second in a time of 2:26. Seccafico achieved a best, as she moved up in distance to run a 2:44.
200m dash: The wind started to pick up even harder, but Shand took second, going 29.6 seconds while Ruzic was third in 29.7.
400m hurdles: Koumas cruised to victory in 69.4 seconds, making this her second event that she went undefeated in this spring.
3000m run: The final individual event of the meet saw another Huntington sweep with Hadley Clayton setting a personal best of 11:59. Abbondandelo and Pastorelli finished their triple by cruising across the final lines in times of 12:08 and 12:11, respectively.
4x400m relay: The team of Gulizio, Shand, Seccafico and Koumas won in a respectable time of 4:32.7.
“All in all it was a fitting way to cap the season,” Anderson said. “There is a full month to get prepared for the Division Championships this year and a few tweaks to do on everyone’s personal events. But, the journey along the way will make it all worth it, regardless of the outcome. The team was super amped up though and singing at the top of their lungs on the way back from ESM.”
Since it was the last dual meet of their high school careers, Blue Devil seniors found the moment to be bittersweet. “Alex Koumas started to tear up and she remarked how difficult it would be ‘to find a team like this.’ While we have a great group of seniors graduating, we also have them setting an example for the underclassmen coming up and keeping the bar set high.”
Hills East Tops H-ton Boys’ Lax
The Huntington boys’ lacrosse team fell at home to Half Hollow Hills East on Tuesday afternoon, 11-6.
The Blue Devils led 3-2 after the first period, but trailed at halftime, 4-3. Hills East went on to outscore Huntington in the second half, 7-3.
Garrett Moya had two goals and an assist and Austin Reda added two goals to lead the Blue Devils. Fred Amato and Matt Gelb also scored. Thomas Goldsmith and Jared Leake each had an assist. Goalie Sam Bergman stopped seven shots.
Huntington had plenty of opportunities to score. Hills East goalie Evan Stallone recorded 21 saves.
Fall Athletic Season Dates Announced
The Blue Devil fall athletic season will start a week earlier than usual so folks who intend to participate should note the dates and make any vacation plans accordingly.
Coaches are already quietly organizing equipment and practice plans and student-athletes are discussing their interests for the 2016/17 school year. There is a mandatory meeting of all high school football players on Thursday, August 11 at 7:30 a.m. Football practice will kick-off on Monday, August 15 at 7 a.m. All other high school fall sports will begin practicing on Monday, August 22 at 7:30 a.m.
An opportunity for high school athletes (grades 9-12) to obtain a physical exam from the school doctor will be provided on Thursday, August 11 at 8 a.m. Students must bring a completed and signed health history screening form to the physical exam.
No one will be allowed to participate without presenting an up-to-date physical exam report, signed parent/guardian permission/code of conduct slip and a current health screening form. These documents are available in the athletic office at Huntington High School during daytime hours or via downloading on the school district’s website at www.hufsd.edu – click on the Athletics link at the top of the page and then choose Forms & Files.
High school athletes must re-qualify for participation with the nurse. Football players can do this on Thursday, August 11 from 9-11 a.m. All other fall athletes can re-qualify on Monday, August 15 (9-11 a.m.), Monday, August 22 (7-11 a.m.) and Tuesday, August 23 (7-11 a.m.) Physical exam forms completed by private physicians and signed health screening forms should both be presented to the nurse when requalifying.
Physical exams will be provided by the school doctor for student-athletes (grades 7-8) at J. Taylor Finley Middle School on Tuesday, September 6 at 8 a.m. in the nurse’s office there.
Finley students can re-qualify for fall participation on Wednesday, August 31 and Thursday, September 1 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. and during lunch periods on Wednesday and Thursday, September 7-8. Physical exam forms completed by private physicians and signed health screening forms should both be presented to the nurse when requalifying.
Finley football practice will begin on Wednesday, September 7 and run from 3-5:30 p.m. All other Finley sports will start on Thursday, September 8 with tryouts being held from 3-5 p.m.
For more information call the athletic office at 673-2018.
Huntington Boys’ Soccer Alumni Game on June 18
The Huntington High School boys’ soccer program is planning an alumni game on Saturday, June 18 at 10 a.m. on the synthetic turf field at Blue Devils Stadium. Huntington soccer alumni of all ages are invited to participate.
Blue Devil varsity head coach John Pagano is spreading the word to former players about the game. The goal is to reach as many alumni as possible. The game is a way for former Huntington players to reconnect with old friends and teammates and maintain their involvement with the school’s program.
This will mark the ninth alumni game since Pagano initiated what has become a popular annual tradition. The coach believes a strong alumni group can be of benefit to the current program and Blue Devil players in many different ways
Former players have returned to the alma mater from points near and far. “All of our former players are welcome to play in the game,” Pagano said. “It’s always fun to get all of our alumni together. Those who plan to play in the game should come early so they can get in a good warm-up.”
Alums playing in the game are asked to make a $10 donation to the program. To participate, former players should contact Pagano at jpagano@hufsd.edu as soon as possible. A post-game get-together for players and coaches is planned.
Last year’s alumni game drew several dozen players to the field. The grads were separated onto “blue” and “white” teams and gave the contest their full effort. Pagano and Blue Devil assistant coach Jason Suarez were among the game’s participants.
Register Now for Booster Club Summer Camps
The Huntington Booster Club has announced its summer sports camp line-up. Registration is now underway on the organization’s website. There will be 12 separate camps. All camps (except tennis) are priced at $185. There is an early bird discount of $10 for those registering by May 1. Anyone that registers for three or more camps will receive a $25 discount.
“We strive to create a healthy, safe and competitive environment where our campers will work to improve individual and team skills, learn sportsmanship and self-confidence and appreciate the physical benefits of athletics,” according to the summer camp program brochure.
The camp brochure is posted on the Huntington School District’s website at www.hufsd.edu. To access the brochure click on the Athletics link and then on the Summer Programs tab on the left side of the screen.
Visit the Huntington Booster Club’s website at www.huntingtonboosterclub.com to register for the summer camp program. (While mail registration is also available the online option is the preferred method.)
The camp line-up includes:
Boys’ Lacrosse
June 27-30: Open to all boys in grades 3-8; $185 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Directed by second year varsity head coach Kevin Travis, this camp will focus on teaching winning techniques and skills in an incredibly popular sport! The camp will be held on the Huntington High School turf field. Full equipment is required.
Girls’ Basketball
June 27-30 Open to all girls in grades 3-12; $185 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Directed by varsity coach Mike Kaplan and assistant coach Marissa Bergmann Kaplan, this camp aims to improve participant’s fundamentals and knowledge of basketball. It will be held in Huntington High School’s Louis D. Giani Gymnasium.
Boys’ Soccer
July 5-8 Open to all boys in grades 3-8; $185 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Directed by varsity coaches John Pagano and Jason Suarez, the camp will focus on improving each camper’s skill level through competitive drills and fundamentals while having fun! It will be held on Huntington High School’s turf field.
Girls’ Lacrosse
July 5-8 Open to all girls in grades 3-7; $185 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Directed by junior varsity girls’ lacrosse coaches Kim Gilroy and Linda Costello Roth, this camp will focus on fostering a love for the game by concentrating on skill improvement while at the same time having tons of fun! The camp will be held on the Huntington High School grass fields.
Wrestling
July 11-14 Open to all boys in grades 2-8; $185 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Directed by Huntington varsity head coach Travis Smith, the camp will teach participants the fundamentals and strategies of the sport, including how to train and peak for the “big match.” This camp is for anyone interested in reaching their full potential on the mat. It will be held in the Huntington High School wrestling rom. Space is limited.
Baseball
July 11-14 Open to all boys in grades 2-8; $185 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Directed by Huntington varsity head coach Billy Harris, the camp will teach and enhance hitting, fielding and base running skills in the great game of baseball. The camp will be held on the Huntington High School baseball field.
Co-Ed Track and Field
July 11-14 Open to all boys and girls in grades 4-12; $185 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Led by Huntington track and cross country coach Shawn Anderson, the camp will include various running, jumping and throwing events. The conclusion of the camp will include time trials and a real track meet. The camp will be held on the high school track.
Girls’ Field Hockey
July 11-14 Open to all girls in grades 3-9; $185 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Directed by varsity coach Kathy Wright, the camp will strive to improve each player’s skill level and knowledge of the concepts of field hockey while they enjoy every minute of this fun sport! It will be held on Huntington High School’s turf field.
Co-Ed Tennis
July 11-14 Open to all boys and girls in grades 7-12; $185 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Directed by varsity coach Jamie Fishlow, the camp offers each player personal attention and coaching. The camp strives to improve participant’s skill level and provide a fun environment while learning techniques on Huntington High School’s Coach Cuppernull court complex.
Girls’ Softball
July 18-21 Open to all girls in grades 4-11; $185 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Directed by Huntington varsity assistant coach Jim Byrnes, the camp will teach the fundamentals that will improve each camper’s skill level and confidence in the great game of softball. It will be held on the Huntington High School softball field.
Boys’ Basketball
July 18-21 Open to all boys in grades 3-7; $185 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Directed by Huntington boys’ basketball coaching staff member Tim Madden, the camp will cultivate each player’s skill, knowledge and love for the game of basketball. It will be held in Huntington High School’s Louis D. Giani Gymnasium.
Girls’ Soccer
August 8-11 Open to all girls in grades 4-8; $185 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Directed by varsity head coach John Walsh and assistant coach Vincent Tannazzo, each camper will improve their current skill level. The camp will focus on competitive drills and fundamentals while having loads of fun! It will be held on the Huntington High School turf field.
Contact summer program coordinator Timothy Madden (tmadden@hufsd.edu) or Huntington Booster Club President Timothy Pillion (tpillion@optonline.net) for more information about any of the camp programs.