Max Rentsch evolved into a complete basketball player this past winter and the Huntington High School senior used his talents to help lead the Blue Devils to 12 wins, including one in the post-season for the first time in many years. For his heroics, he captured All-League and All-Conference honors.
Ken Parham is looking to win a championship. The Huntington High School varsity basketball team’s head coach is far from content with the recent 12 win season that saw the Blue Devils advance to post-season play and top Newfield in the opening round of the playoffs.
Kevin Drake delivered many great performances for the Huntington High School varsity boys’ basketball team this past winter. The senior played a key role in the team’s resurgence, helping the Blue Devils win 12 games, including a playoff contest against Newfield.
Emily Plachta scored 27 points and was voted the game’s Most Valuable Player as the Huntington High School senior led the Town of Huntington team over the Town of Smithtown, 79-40 in the Suffolk Police Athletic League’s All-Star Exceptional Senior Girls’ Basketball Challenge championship game at Patchogue-Medford on Sunday.
Huntington School Board members honored the Blue Devils’ 17 All-State winter season athletes during a public meeting at Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School earlier this week.
Dylan Coleman has always loved basketball. When he was just five years old and a kindergartener at Washington Primary School he would walk into the gym and ask the physical education teachers what was the activity for the day and if it wasn’t basketball, he was not a happy camper. Fast forward: The Huntington High School senior saved his best year for his final season in a Blue Devil uniform.
Huntington High School’s boys’ junior varsity basketball team focused less on the squad’s won-loss record and more on daily improvement.
Huntington High School’s boys’ winter track and field team wasn’t able to accomplish all of its pre-season goals, but the medals it did win and the stats it put on the board were impressive by any standards. Six Blue Devils captured All-State honors as the team continued its long record of excellence in the relays.
Boys’ basketball intramurals are underway in Huntington UFSD. Two nights are set aside for students in grades 9-12 and a second set of two nights are reserved for the J. Taylor Finley Middle School seventh and eighth graders.
There were so many exciting moments during the Huntington High School junior varsity girls’ basketball team’s recently completed season that players will remember them long into the off-season. The Blue Devils compiled a 9-9 record under first year head coach Katie Reilly, who thrived in the role of sideline mentor.
No one was prepared for it to end just yet and when it did, there were heartfelt hugs and plenty of tears shed before players and coaches gathered themselves and held their heads high in the belief that this winter’s Huntington boys’ basketball team breathed new life into the program and brought excitement back to the high school.
Huntington senior Sofia Marchetta is one of the Blue Devils who helped restart the high school bowling program this year. Previously a recreational bowler only, the teenager thrived in the competitive atmosphere against many of the county’s strongest squads.
After skating past most of its opponents in its previous 20 games, the Huntington girls’ basketball team was pushed to its limits by Sachem North before the Blue Devils rallied for a 41-38 victory and a berth in the Suffolk Class AA Final Four against Northport next week.
A large contingent of Huntington High School boys and girls track and field stars will be competing in the state indoor championships in March. The Blue Devils turned in many impressive performances at the Section XI state qualifying meet at Suffolk-West in Brentwood earlier this week.
Emily Plachta reached a milestone in Monday’s playoff game. The Huntington senior scored the 1,000th point of her Blue Devil career to lead her team over Centereach, 45-29. Third seeded Huntington will play No. 11 Sachem North on Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Section XI Class AA quarterfinals.
Max Rentsch carried the Huntington boys’ basketball in the first half and then it was the Kevin Drake Show the rest of the way as the Blue Devils toppled Newfield in a Suffolk Class AA playoff game, 50-38. Huntington plays at No. 1 Brentwood on Friday night at 6 p.m. in the county quarterfinals.
The Huntington wrestling program has always won its championships by doing a small number of things very well. Robbie Smith proved this philosophy still holds true when the Huntington High School senior used hand control, a bar arm and a pair of beautifully executed double leg takedowns to capture the Section XI heavyweight mat championship by topping Bellport’s Jaiden Green in overtime, 5-3.
Huntington High School Blue Devil fencing is back on the Suffolk map following a powerful performance at the Section XI championships last weekend. After several years of not having any qualifiers for the individual portion of the county meet, this year’s team had fencers in both the men’s and women’s sabre and foil competitions.
After winning 18-of-19 regular season games and the league championship, the Huntington varsity girls’ basketball team is ready to go as far as it can in the Suffolk Class AA playoffs.
It was the latest must win game and for the Huntington boys’ basketball team failure was simply not an option. You see, if the Blue Devils lost the season was over. That was an unacceptable notion for these players, who went out and defeated a very good Copiague team, 58-54 before a near capacity crowd at Walt Whitman’s South Gym.
Emily Plachta scored 30 points to help the Huntington girls’ basketball team cap off an incredible regular season with a 63-33 victory at Copiague. The Blue Devils won the Suffolk League III championship with a 15-1 record (18-1 overall).
The Huntington girls’ basketball team took a timeout from its great season to honor eight special players during a pre-game Senior Night ceremony. The Blue Devils later went out and topped Centereach in a league game.
The Huntington boys’ basketball team took the court last Saturday for the nineteenth time this winter and turned in its best performance of the season, toppling powerful Bellport in a must-win game, 69-62 and keeping their playoff hopes alive.
Julio Martinez captured the 300m dash in an upset and Jahmar Francis came out of nowhere to win the 600m run to lift the Huntington High School boys’ track and field team to a runner –up finish at the Suffolk Indoor Large Schools Championships at Suffolk-West in Brentwood.
Robbie Smith cruised to the Suffolk League III wrestling championship on Saturday, leading Huntington to a runner-up finish in the team standings among the seven schools in the competition. The Blue Devils will be sending 12 wrestlers to next weekend’s county tournament.
Huntington High School’s swimmers are celebrating after winning the Suffolk League I championship by a wide margin over runner-up Half Hollow Hills. The Blue Devils and their teammates on the combined squad from Walt Whitman and Harborfields were impressive in just about every event.
It was one of the strangest games in a long time and one of the lowest scoring in 60 years for the Huntington boys’ basketball team, which edged North Babylon on Friday night, 35-32 at Walt Whitman. It gave the Blue Devils back to back wins and was the team’s eighth victory of the winter.
Olivia Conte enjoyed a great day at the Suffolk League II Track & Field Championships at Suffolk-West in Brentwood. The Huntington High School senior won a pair of gold medals and also captured a silver medal.
Kiana Nosile has battled back from injury to shine in several meets with the Huntington High School winter track and field team. The senior is ranked No. 1 in the state in shot put after a stunning performance that helped her capture the league championship last Saturday at Suffolk-West in Brentwood.
Quincy Chery is a runner. The Huntington High School senior has been a mainstay of the Blue Devils’ cross country and track and field programs. The teenager is the reigning Suffolk outdoor 400m hurdles champ, but he has his eye on several other events and medals right now.
Not even playing its scheduled home games on the road at neutral sites can stop the Huntington High School girls’ basketball team, which at 14-0 is a juggernaut.
The Huntington boys’ and girls’ indoor track and field programs enjoyed several standout performances at the Molloy Stanner Games at the Armory in New York City. The results put the Blue Devils among the best in the county, state and even nation.
When a leak resulted in damage to the Huntington High School gym floor and lower level coaching offices, locker rooms and equipment areas the Blue Devils faced an immediate need to relocate 16 varsity and junior varsity boys’ and girls’ basketball games.
Liam Tucker is in the midst of a fabulous season with the Huntington High School fencing team. He is one of the top athletes in Suffolk and he is providing leadership and mentorship for his teammates, too.
Katie Reilly really didn’t know what to expect when she signed on as the Huntington High School girls’ junior varsity basketball coach. The Blue Devil alum was a star in the sport, but serving as the courtside mentor for a squad of relatively inexperienced players was more than challenging; it was downright daunting.
Katie Browne scored 16 points and added five steals in Monday night’s basketball game, helping to lift the Blue Devils to 59-29 victory over visiting Copiague and giving head coach Mike Kaplan the 149th win of his career at Huntington. It’s the most ever for a Blue Devil girls’ basketball coach.
The Huntington wrestling team is coming off a great performance at the 29th annual New Year’s Tournament at Herricks. The Blue Devils won seven separate weight class championships at last weekend’s competition that included two teams from Suffolk and six Nassau squads.
Clayton Ward scored 16 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out three assists to power the Huntington varsity boys’ basketball team to a 57-35 victory over visiting league foe Centereach in Louis D. Giani Gymnasium. The win improved the Blue Devils’ overall record to 6-5.
The reconstituted Huntington High School varsity bowling team and a new Unified Bowling program are both proving to be very popular with participating students. While the varsity Blue Devil squad has struggled to win against some very powerful opponents, the team has been surprisingly competitive.
Blue Devil boys’ swimmers are on a proverbial high after helping to topple powerful Half Hollow Hills for the first time in 16 years, 98-85. The Huntington/Walt Whitman/Haborfields squad is undefeated and in first place in the Section XI League I standings.
Trailing by six points in the third quarter, the Huntington varsity girls’ basketball team staged a furious second half rally to take the lead and go on to topple West Islip, 39-32 and remain undefeated at 8-0.
Kevin Drake enjoyed a career night, pouring in 22 points and adding six rebounds and an assist to pace the Huntington varsity boys’ basketball team to a 62-36 victory over West Islip in Louis D. Giani Gymnasium. The Blue Devils play at powerful Bellport tonight at 5:15 p.m.
Blue Devil boys’ and girls’ basketball players went to work on Sunday afternoon to brighten the holidays of 25 local children from financially challenged families, teaming up with Huntington High School alum Michael Brown on a shopping spree.
Huntington High School’s swimmers and their teammates from Walt Whitman and Harborfields are off to their best start in memory. The squad is undefeated and has already met county and state championship cut times.
Huntington junior Haileigh Smith and senior Ally Kustera captured medals in the sabre competition at the Brentwood Holiday Tournament, an invitation-only affair that drew hundreds of the top Long Island fencers representing teams from across the metro New York area.
Huntington High School wrestlers won all five of their dual meets to capture the championship at the Locust Valley tournament last Saturday.
Emily Plachta scored 25 points and added 12 rebounds and four steals to lead the Huntington girls’ basketball team over visiting Hauppauge in a non-league game last Friday, 70-33.
Wasting little time, Huntington High School boys’ swimming team members are off to a strong start to the winter season. The Blue Devils, who are joined by teammates from Walt Whitman and Harborfields, raced past Connetquot/East Islip, 97-81.
The Blue Devils are on a roll under a new head coach. Clayton Ward scored 16 points and Max Rentsch added 14 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, four steals and a block to pace the Huntington boys’ basketball team to a 60-53 non-league victory at Walt Whitman last Friday night before a crowd of 500 fans.
Senior Kiana Nosile set new meet and school records as the Blue Devil winter girls’ track and field team turned in a string of strong performances on Friday night at the North Shore Season Opener at the Armory Track & Field Center in Manhattan.
The Huntington High School boys’ and girls’ fencing teams are off to a great start to the season, winning home and away meets against Half Hollow Hills and also topping Brentwood. The twin 3-0 records are the best start for the Blue Devils in many years.
The Huntington High School wrestling team will hit the mats for the start of the competitive season on Sunday. The Blue Devils are hosting a six-team round robin tournament with the first matches going off at 9 a.m. The action is expected to continue until about 4 p.m.
Clayton Ward scored a game high 18 points and grabbed six rebounds to pace the Huntington High School boys’ basketball team to a 58-41 season opening victory over Newfield in Louis D. Giani gymnasium.
Huntington High School varsity athletic teams will be led by an exceptional group of captains this winter. The ten separate Blue Devil squads are all hungry for success. Each has been practicing since November 15 and several have already started their competitive schedules.
A large turnout of swimmers and divers has raised hopes for a great winter in the pool for the Blue Devil boys’ squad.
Huntington High School’s reinstated varsity bowling team is off the ground. The balls started rolling down the alleys at Larkfield Lanes in East Northport this week.
It’s a new era for the Huntington High School boys’ basketball program. Tryouts were held this week and varsity and junior varsity teams have been selected.
Sam Nicotra is ready to step out of his brother’s shadow and claim his place among the Huntington High School wrestling stars. The Blue Devil sophomore has been training for the past year in anticipation of a full season on the mat so he can show just how good he is.
When Max Casiano steps onto a wrestling mat he’s all business. The Huntington High School sophomore has two varsity seasons under his belt and he’s poised to make a run at All-County honors this winter.
A Huntington High School bowling team will step onto the lanes for the first time in three decades after the sport was brought back to life by Superintendent James W. Polansky.
The Huntington girls’ basketball program is expecting this to be a very good year. The Blue Devils have many returning players and a new coach on the junior varsity level. The staff is hoping to generate new interest in the sport and is rolling out the welcome mat for anyone interested in playing.
The winter sports season is on the horizon at Huntington High School as athletes and coaches begin preparations for the start of tryouts/practices on Monday, November 15.
Through the years, the Huntington interscholastic athletics program has played an important role in the lives of students and community members. An integral part of the Department of Physical Education, organized athletics in the Huntington School District date back more than one hundred years. Since the inception of sports teams here, Blue Devil competitors have won every possible honor bestowed on high school athletes.
Students who choose to participate will learn lessons in the value of hard work, teamwork, personal sacrifice and commitment, time management, respect for authority and rules, as well as how to lead and follow. A myriad of sports are offered during fall, winter and spring seasons. Students can choose to compete on one team each season. Parents of athletes, alumni, and community members who want to support and become involved in the athletic program have an opportunity to join the Huntington Booster Club. This organization sponsors many activities and promotes and enhances the operation of the athletic program.
Schedules for all teams and directions to away contests are available from the athletic office or by logging onto the Section XI website at www.sectionxi.org.
Coaches are also available to discuss any aspect of their specific program with prospective athletes and/or parents. For further information, including tryout dates and sports offered by season, please call the athletic office at 631-673-2018.
James M. Hoops assumed the position of district director of health, physical education and athletics on July 1, 2021. He previously served for three years as coordinator of physical education, athletics and special projects. He has worked full-time in the district since April 1984 and has been a physical education teacher since September 1990. He is also certified as a social studies teacher.
A graduate of John H. Glenn High School, Mr. Hoops obtained undergraduate and graduate degrees at Stony Brook University, through which he also obtained his school administrator certification. He has coached wrestling on the high school level and boys’ and girls’ tennis and girls’ soccer on both the middle school and high school levels. He has also coached middle school boys’ and girls’ soccer and baseball.
While serving as assistant coach to iconic Hall of Fame head coach Lou Giani, the Blue Devil wrestling team won several Suffolk and state team championships along with 17 individual county and eight state champions.
Mr. Hoops has also served as the district’s public information coordinator since July 2001. He maintains Huntington UFSD’s website content and also prepares items for the district’s various social media platforms.
Michael Marinello has been the district’s coordinator of physical education, athletics and driver education since July 1, 2021. He has been a Huntington physical education teacher since September 1995. He earlier taught at Western Suffolk BOCES for five years.
A graduate of Sachem High School, Mr. Marinello earned an undergraduate degree at Springfield College in physical education and a master’s degree at Stony Brook University in liberal studies with a concentration in health science. He has coached high school golf, high school and middle school wrestling, JV tennis and middle school baseball and boys’ track and field.
Currently the head coach of the Huntington High School varsity golf team, Mr. Marinello is also an assistant varsity wrestling coach. He has been a well-known and well-liked faculty member and athletic coach who also lives in the community and has sent his own children through Huntington High School.
Mr. Marinello is a CPR and First Aid trainer. He has also been a volunteer emergency medical technician. He has taught driver education for many years and he leads the district’s program.
All students are expected to pass all subjects. Passing physical education is a requirement for participation in interscholastic sports. Failure to maintain a passing average in all other subjects may result in being placed on probation from the activity, until improvement is displayed, as judged by the Athletic Director. Students on probation will be required to attend study sessions to concentrate on the subject failed. Participation may or may not continue during the probation. Continued academic failure may result in being suspended from the activity.
As an athlete, you are responsible for the care and the return of all athletic equipment that is issued to you. Any equipment that you do not return must be paid for. Failure to return or pay for equipment issued to you will result in your not being permitted to try out for the next sport season. In addition, if you have in your possession any athletic equipment that has not been issued to you, it could result in the immediate suspension from the team you are participating on. Such items should be turned into the Athletic Office immediately. These rules will be enforced to protect the community’s investment in the athletic program.
No athletic equipment is to be worn without the consent of the coach. Athletic uniforms are NOT to be worn during physical education class. If the student-athlete fails to return or pay for uniforms at the end of a season, he/she may not be eligible to try out for the next sport season.
The school district is not responsible for personal property. It is recommended that all valuables be left at home. Students must provide their own lock to store items in team locker rooms.
The district requires that a Transportation Release Form be completed, signed by a parent/guardian and returned to the athletic office at least 24 hours prior to the contest each time the release of a student-athlete is sought from the return transportation provided by the district.
It is important for athletes to remember that participation is a privilege that is not to be abused by unsportsmanlike conduct. The District athlete is to demonstrate self-control and respect for other students, teammates, other athletes, officials, and spectators at all times. District athletes are expected to treat opponents with respect before, during and after competitions. Congratulations, shaking hands and other acts of good sportsmanship are expected.
Students are expected to display good citizenship during the school day, on the athletic field, and in the community. You are representing the school district, so you are expected to act accordingly. Behavior that is less than acceptable will lead to temporary or permanent suspension from the team.
Links: www.sectionxi.org and www.nysphsaa.org
All student athletes must comply with the District’s Code of Conduct in addition to the Athlete’s Code of Conduct.
Hazing, defined as any activity directed against another for the purpose of initiation into any school district sponsored activity, organization, club or team, is a form of harassment whether it is physical or verbal. It is prohibited and should not be condoned by a victim, coach, staff, school administration, fellow students and especially team members. Any student found to have committed an act of harassment against any student in the District, including team members, will be faced with disciplinary action which may include suspension from their athletic team and suspension from school. Team members are fully expected to notify a coach and other school officials if any such behavior is observed.
An athlete may not use or be in possession of alcohol, tobacco or illegal substances such as illicit drugs or steroids at any time. An athlete may not use prescription drugs that have been prescribed for another person. Any student found to use alcohol, tobacco, or any illegal drug on or off school property at any time, including weekends, during the sport season will be suspended from participating in that sport. You have a commitment to your team not only during and after school, but also in the evening and on weekends. If a student-athlete discloses and informs a coach or other school official about his/her substance abuse problem, suspension may be waived if the athlete is willing to take active steps to remedy the problem.
Foul language and insulting remarks are not permissible. Students will not be permitted to fight or strike teammates and opponents unless in the context of a contact sport where such physical conduct is required or permitted. Athletes are expected to obey a coach’s directions. Disobedience, unwarranted comments, and other insubordinate behavior may interfere with the coach’s ability to conduct a practice and may distract from the time a coach should spend for the purpose of the team. Athletes are expected to communicate with coaches before or after practice to avoid distracting team practices and team goals. Athletes are expected to follow the rules and protocol of their sport and should not intentionally violate the rules of the sport that they are playing during practice or competition.
As a representative of the Department of Athletics and the Huntington Union Free School District, you are always in the public eye. Please keep the following in mind as you participate on social networking web sites:
Spectators are an important aspect of the District’s Athletic program and enhance the accomplishments of the individual athletes. Spectators are expected to conform to the accepted standards of sportsmanship and may never distract from the accomplishments of the District’s athletes. Spectators are capable of creating a negative impression of the District’s athletic program and embarrassing District athletes. The following rules of conduct must be followed by all spectators:
These rules and regulations will be enforced. They have been devised to help maintain the integrity of the athletic program here in Huntington and to help each and every student athlete have a safe, successful and enjoyable athletic experience.
Beginning in the seventh grade, in order to remain eligible to participate in co-curricular activities, a student who fails two or more subjects on the informals, quarterly grade reports and/or June final grades shall be required to attend extra help before, during or after the school day. Extra help is defined as attending a set number of minutes per week per subject of tutorial assistance. A teacher certified in the required subject area must administer extra help. If no such teacher can be scheduled, the building administration will arrange for alternative tutoring. Extra help shall continue until the student is failing less than two courses. A student failing physical education, even if it is the only course failed, shall not participate in extracurricular sports.
Students, teachers, advisors and coaches will be notified in writing of the failures. Upon notification, tutorial support will be put in place for the students as will the use of daily/weekly student progress reports. The written student notification will state the effective date of ineligibility. The student has the opportunity to appeal before the Eligibility Committee. Such a committee will be selected from administrators, counselors, teachers, advisors, coaches, and will closely review student progress to determine terms of eligibility or ineligibility for each student reviewed.
A school-sponsored student organization has the right to establish criteria for membership provided such criteria are relevant to the purpose and activities of that group.
Last Name | First | Position | Contact |
Parham | Ken | Head Basketball, Varsity Boys' | 631-673-2018 |
Ioviero | Jordan | Asst. Basketball, Varsity Boys' | 631-673-2018 |
Johnson | Daryl | Head Basketball, JV Boys' | 631-673-2018 |
Kaplan | Michael | Head Basketball, Varsity Girls' | 631-673-2018 |
Bergmann | Marissa | Asst. Basketball, Varsity Girls' | 631-673-2018 |
Reilly | Katie | Head Basketball, JV Girls' | 631-673-2018 |
Taylor | Chris | Bowling | 631-673-2018 |
Roth | Linda | Unified Bowling | 631-673-2018 |
O’Brien | Michelle | Head Fencing, Boys' & Girls' | 631-673-2018 |
Tomaselli | Burke | Asst. Fencing, Boys' & Girls' | 631-673-2018 |
McConnell | Margaret | Head Swimming/Diving, Boys' | 631-673-2018 |
Wilson | Ronald | Head Indoor Track, Boys' | 631-673-2018 |
Acosta | Eli | Asst. Indoor Track, Boys' | 631-673-2018 |
Gantz-Bonhurst | Haidee | JV Indoor Track, Boys' | 631-673-2018 |
Salva | Onix | Head, Indoor Track, Girls' | 631-673-2018 |
Jackson, Jr. | Mark | Asst. Indoor Track, Girls' | 631-673-2018 |
Hall | Sarah | JV Indoor Track, Girls' | 631-673-2018 |
Smith | Travis | Head Wrestling, Varsity | 631-673-2018 |
Marinello | Michael | Asst. Wrestling, Varsity | 631-673-2018 |
St. John | Jamie | Asst. Wrestling, Varsity | 631-673-2018 |
February 6, 2020 vs. Northport. Credits: Darin Reed
Grades: 9-12
Mascot: Blue Devils
Facilities: Louis D. Giani Gymnasium
Director: James M. Hoops
Coordinator: Michael Marinello
Ath Secretary: Nicole Haas
Ath Secretary: Rosemary Fleming
1-631-673-2017 Athletic Director
1-631-673-2018 Athletic Office
1-631-425-4725 FAX
School Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 2:20 p.m.