Basketball 12-13-2012

DECEMBER 13 , 2012

2012-13 H I G H S C H O O L

P R E V I E W

Prospects For the ‘12-13 Season

Coverage of Boys & Girls

Featuring22 Schools

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Basketball PreviewA special advertising supplement to the HERALD Community Newspapers

DECEMBER 13, 2012

PublishersCLIFFORD RICHNERSTUART RICHNERExecutive Editor

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Oceanside High School

THE COURT: A challenging road ahead

CONTRIBUTING SPORTSWRITERSTony Bellissimo, Andrew McClure, Steve Siniski, Tom Jordan

L ong Island high school foot-ball, soccer, and cross-country participants weren’t exempt from the impact of Super-

storm Sandy. Football and soccer playoff games were postponed, while the meet to determine Nassau County cross-country supremacy was out-right cancelled. Despite problems with student-ath-letes being displaced from condemned homes, widespread power outages, and families in utter turmoil, football and soccer champions were crowned, and the county's top runners com-peted in the state championship meet. For a couple of districts on the south shore, bas-ketball season will be unlike any other. Long Beach and East Rockaway, two areas that were hammered by the storm, have no place to call home for the 2012-13 season. The gymnasiums in each high school were destroyed, leaving the teams to scramble to find practice sites. "We have six schools with gyms is the district, but the only one that survived the storm was Lindell Elementary," Long Beach boys’ varsity coach T.J. Burke said. "It certainly isn't ideal, but it is what it is. Thankfully, we have a lot of kids who are veteran players. They've been terrific. With all of the teams, girls and boys, needing practice time, we haven't had a lot of opportunities to go full court. We're making the best of it." The Marines and Lady Marines are fortunate to have Lindell to call home for practice, but working out on a smaller court, with wooden backboards and imperfect rims, is far from what a team looking to compete for a league title is accustomed to. Some assistance has come from other districts, as schools such as Bethpage, Oceanside, MacArthur and Holy Trinity have opened their doors to accommodate Long Beach.

East Rockaway’s boys are coming off a season that saw it advance to the Southeast Regional championship game. With just one starter returning, expectations weren't particularly high for the Rocks. Things got incredibly dicey when the gyms at the high school and at Rhame Avenue Elementary were decimated. The Rocks have practiced at a mid-dle school in West Hempstead, Malverne, the Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Center, and a pair of elemen-tary schools in Baldwin. The Lady Rocks have been practic-ing and will play home games at Lynbrook.

East Rockaway boys’ varsity coach Joe Lores sees the scheduling and traveling as the biggest challenge. "We have a liquid schedule," he said. "The practice location more or less changes from day to day. Rather than just show up and play after school, the guys need to know where and when practice is going to be, and where the bus is going to be picking them up. Once we're on the court, things are pretty much back to normal." There will be no home court advantage for the Rocks and Marines, this season, and each program is contacting neighboring school districts to try to get a few neutral site games, but there aren't many complaints. "These kids have had a lot of adversity to over-come, and they've handled it real well," Burke said. "The toughest part will be all the travel. Every game is a challenge to begin with; this makes it tougher. When we go and practice at a nice gym, the guys get excited. We had a real nice place. I guess you don't truly appreciate what you have until you lose it."

High School Sports

ANDREW McCLURE

Basketball Preview is an advertising supplement to the HERALD Community Newspapers. Copyright © 2012 Richner Communications, Inc.

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Baldwin Bruins ..................................... 3Calhoun Colts (Bellmore-Merrick) ........ 4Carey Seahawks (Franklin Square) ...... 5Clarke Rams (Westbury) ..................... 6East Meadow Jets ............................... 7East Rockaway Rocks .......................... 8Elmont Spartans ................................. 9Freeport Red Devils ........................... 10 Hewlett Bulldogs ............................... 11Kennedy Cougars (Bellmore-Merrick) ............................ 12Lawrence Golden Tornadoes .............. 13Long Beach Marines .......................... 16

Lynbrook Owls ................................... 17Malverne Mules ................................. 18Mepham Pirates (Bellmore-Merrick) ............................ 19Oceanside Sailors ............................. 20Sewanhaka Indians (Floral Park)........ 21South Side Cyclones (Rockville Centre) .............................. 22Valley Stream Central Eagles ............. 23Valley Stream North Spartans ........... 24Valley Stream South Falcons ............. 25West Hempstead Rams ..................... 26

By STEVE SINISKI

T he defending Nassau County and Long Island Class AA champions have done some shuffling, but even

with just six returnees, Baldwin’s eyes remain fixed on capturing another county prize. The Bruins have made six consecu-tive trips to the Nassau finals, won 34 con-secutive conference games and finished as undefeated Conference AA-II champions in each of the last two seasons. “We’re excited,” coach Darius Burton said. “One thing that’s happened through-out [the years] is that one group does well and passes the torch on to the next group.” Junior Jordan Williams, an All-Con-ference returnee up front, is a strong low post player and at 6-foot-4, an intimidat-ing presence on the defensive side of the floor. Senior Eric Mack, a first-year varsity player, is a hair shorter than Williams but offers another shot-blocking presence. The big frontline also includes 6-4 senior Eli-jah MacMillan and classmates Mike Abra-hams, a jack-of-all-trades swingman, and Mike Doyle and junior Elijah Tucker The backcourt, always an area of strength under Burton, whose next vic-tory will be the 200th of his career, returns senior Travais Hylton, a three-year varsity player, and a number of new faces set to make an impact. Senior transfer Oluwa Dembury is in the backcourt mix, along with Miking Richardson, a junior capable of slashing to the basket or stepping back and hitting a trey, seniors Jovaun Tom-linson and Mike Butler and junior Sidney Tigott. “We may have to do a point guard by committee and ride the hot hand,” Bur-ton said. Talented depth is rarely an issue for Burton, director of an up-tempo style that often wears down opponents. Junior Brian Robins can get to the rim, while juniors Matt Lyle and DeMarco Barnes are long-range sharpshooters capable of spread-ing the floor and giving the bigs space to operate. Junior Jared Bradford and Dan Nwalor are also expected to contribute up front. “This [Baldwin] team is unique,” Burton said. “We don’t have star players

but we have a very deep team with talent.”

Lady Bruins eye third title defense

B aldwin proved last season that good things come in threes. The Lady Bru-ins captured their third consecutive

Nassau Class AA title, a feat accomplished by only two other girls’ basketball pro-grams — ever. Moving forward, there are some new faces in the lineup, but several returnees in key places eager to make a run at a fourth consecutive crown. “The girls want to put in the work to be success-ful and are willing to do that,” coach Tom Catapano said. “It’s a new year and a new group.” Junior Mariah Butler slides over from off-guard to run the offense at the point and remains the team’s top on-the-ball defender. “She’s a very intelligent player,” Catapano said. “She can shoot, score, drive to the rim and she’s very physical for her size.” Moving into Butler’s off-guard spot is sophomore Jade Aponte, who logged key minutes in last season’s title run, and junior Tyra Harrison, a two-year member of the varsity. Sophomore Taylor Howell, a game-changer who can push a break-neck pace, is also in the backcourt mix. Sophomore Tiara Place is perhaps the biggest matchup problem for opposing defenses. At 5-foot-10, she’s quick enough to guard smaller players and has the size to get physical in the paint. Senior center Chelsea May is emerging as one of the best shot-blockers to ever step on the floor for the Lady Bruins and is a key component in the transition game. Join-ing May up front is senior Ashley McAd-ams, a tireless worker, who’s overcome a pair of ACL injuries and remains a physical presence down low. “We are going to run some more high/low [plays] and work to get the ball down into the post,” Catapano said. As talented as it is deep, Bald-win’s frontcourt will also get a boost from freshman Lames El Gam-

mal, a strong finisher around the hoop and an equally good free-throw shooter. “She’s improved more than any other player [on the team] from one year to the next,” Cata-pano said.

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BRUINS Baldwin ready to defend crown

Photos by Janette Pellegrini

2012 - 13 HERALD High School Basketball Preview

MARIAH BUTLER

JORDAN WILLIAMS

ScheduleBOYS

December14 Port Washington 7:00 p.m.18 @ East Meadow 6:30 p.m.21 @ Hicksville 7:00 p.m.

January4 V.S. Central 7:00 p.m.8 @ Plainview-JFK 7:00 p.m.15 MacArthur 7:00 p.m.18 @ Port Washington 7:00 p.m.25 East Meadow 7:00 p.m.29 Hicksville 7:00 p.m.

February1 @ V.S. Central 7:00 p.m.5 Plainview-JFK 7:00 p.m.11 @ MacArthur 6:15 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 @ Port Washington 7:00 p.m.18 East Meadow 7:00 p.m.21 Hicksville 7:00 p.m.

January4 @ V.S. Central 7:00 p.m.8 Plainview-JFK 7:00 p.m.15 @ MacArthur 7:00 p.m.18 Port Washington 7:00 p.m.25 @ East Meadow 7:00 p.m.29 @ Hicksville 7:00 p.m.

February1 V.S. Central 7:00 p.m.5 @ Plainview-JFK 7:00 p.m.11 MacArthur 6:15 p.m.

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December 13, 2012 — Herald Com

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C alhoun hit the court running thanks to the return of four starters and several key contributors off the

bench, and the Colts hope the veterans can cause problems on both sides of the floor for opponents. “We’re versatile and that should give us mismatches,” coach Jay Kreutzberger said. Junior Kyle McGinley had some on-the-job training as the backup point guard last season and has been elevated into the starter’s role. Equally efficient at scoring and distributing, McGinley teams with Calhoun’s leading scorer last season, senior shooting guard Tommy Murphy, to form a potent starting backcourt. Already a solid jump-shooter, Murphy used the off-season to improve his ability to get to the basket off the dribble. Seniors Dan Ches-ley and Mike Sternberg provide additional veteran experience at the point and off-guard, respectively. Juniors Eric Ohlen-dorf, Nick Skarren and Lucas Levin, all in their first-year of varsity play, add to the backcourt depth. “We’re always going to look to push the ball on the break,” Kreutzberger said. “But in the halfcourt [offense] I think we’ll be extremely balanced. It won’t necessarily be the same scoring leaders every night.” Senior Tom Joannou, who enters his third year on varsity, brings toughness and scor-ing punch to the low post area, and just as importantly, a strong defensive presence. He’ll also be assigned with covering an opponent’s top offensive forward. Small forward Chris Melito, a junior, has a strong all-around game, while classmate Brian Downey, a returning starter, has a strong handle and even stronger jumper from the perimeter. When it comes to block-ing shots, Calhoun turns to junior center Muneeb Babar in the low blocks. “We have a nice blend of juniors and seniors and we’re really counting on the

senior leadership and the junior that are coming back who have a lot of experi-ence,” Kreutzberger said. “There’s a famil-iarity with the system and the expecta-tions which definitely allowed us to the ground running from tryouts. We’re hop-ing for a quicker start.”

Defense is key for Lady Colts

P lenty of new faces are on the floor for the Lady Colts, but rather than fit the players into the system, coach Dave

Radtke is tailoring his system to the talents of the team. Just one starter — junior point guard Nora Charidah — returns to the lineup, but she is the critical piece to Calhoun’s for-tunes. A strong distributor with out-standing court vision, Charidah will also be called on to fill the nets on a team whose returning players combined for just six of last season’s 56-points-per-game average. “She sees things before they happen,” Radtke said. “As she goes, we go. She has instincts that you can’t teach.” Loaded with athleticism from Charidah right on down to the last player on the varsity roster, Calhoun’s rolling out an up-tempo, aggressive defense. “This crew is definitely more athletic [than years’ past],” Radtke said. “From one-through 16, they’re all very athletic. We are going to mix and match [lineups].” Two players that are settled into roles are senior returnees Annemarie White, a center, and Maggie Kavanagh, who can play in the backcourt or down low. White’s non-stop motor and shot-blocking ability can create opportuni-ties on the defensive side of the floor, while Kavanagh, a fourth-year varsi-ty player, is expected to provide consistent scoring. The senior class returnees also include Caitlyn Wigand, Ariana Long and

Kim White, as Radtke adjusts the lineup based more on matchups and situations. “When the situation permits we’re going to play them and I think that helps,” Radtke said. “We want to concentrate on what they do well.” One of the things the overhauled roster does well as a whole is play defense, and that’s an area where opponents in Con-ference AA-III are going to have the big-gest problems with the Lady Colts. “We’re going to play much better defense,” Radtke said, noting that a deep bench will allow him to keep Calhoun’s players fresh.

“We’re going to press more than ever and have to create easy bas-

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COLTS Calhoun boosted by returning veterans

Photos by Jeff Wilson


THOMAS MURPHY

ANNEMARIE WHITE

ScheduleBOYS

December14 Herricks 7:00 p.m.18 @ Elmont 4:30 p.m.21 @ Mepham 6:15 p.m.

January4 Kennedy 7:00 p.m.8 @ Long Beach 4:30 p.m.11 Carey 6:30 p.m.15 Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.18 @ Herricks 7:00 p.m.25 Elmont 6:30 p.m.29 Mepham 6:30 p.m.

February1 @ Kennedy 7:00 p.m.5 Long Beach 6:30 p.m.8 @ Carey 4:30 p.m.11 @ Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 @ Herricks 6:30 p.m.19 Elmont 6:30 p.m.21 Mepham 6:30 p.m.

January4 @ Kennedy 6:30 p.m.8 Long Beach 6:30 p.m.11 @ Carey 4:30 p.m.15 @ Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.18 Herricks 6:45 p.m.25 @ Elmont 4:30 p.m.29 @ Mepham 6:15 p.m.

February1 Kennedy 6:30 p.m.5 @ Long Beach 4:30 p.m.8 Carey 6:30 p.m.11 Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.

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By ANDREW McCLURE

C arey coach Marty Kelly returns All-County swingman Adrian Denner and brings up the nucleus of a

JV team that went 15-1 in 2011-12. When February rolls around, expect Carey to be competing for one of Conference AA-III’s four playoff slots. Elmont, Long Beach and Herricks, figure to be among the confer-ence’s toughest opponents after reaching the postseason a year ago. Kelly likes the makeup of his team. “We’ve been waiting for this group for quite some time,” he said. “They’re young, athletic, and versatile. We can do a lot of different things with this team. I’m excited to see how they perform on the court.” Denner is a player who has all the tools. The 6-foot-4 junior captain, a player Kelly calls the hardest worker he has ever coached, can slash, shoot, handle the ball, and play anywhere on the floor. He’s also an outstanding shot blocker. In a game against Mepham as a sophomore, Denner had a triple-double where he registered 11 blocked shots. Junior Dylan DeMeo takes over at the point. DeMeo handles the ball well and can bury shots from the perimeter and keep defenses from packing into a zone. Ray Catapano is as good a defender as Kelly has ever had. The 6-1 junior explodes to the basket and finishes well. Senior guard James Harrison is an athletic player whose game has improved over the past year. Senior Venicius Moura can light it up from the field when he gets hot. Harrison and Moura are both team captains. Kelly will need talented 6-4 sophomore Kieran Murchie to establish himself in the paint. Murchie is a big part of the present and future on the court at Carey. Tommy Gallant and Matt Saladino will both be key players in the frontcourt, while Matt Robi-son gives the Seahawks depth at guard and small forward. The injury bug has Andrew

Ris and Nick Spillane on the shelf, though Kelly hopes to have both players back at some point.

Young Lady Seahawks aim for playoffs

T he Lady Seahawks finished 7-7 in con-ference play, just a win shy of a playoff berth in 2011-12. A young, aggressive

team will take the floor for coach Theresa Schmidt with the postseason on its mind. Schmidt hopes they’ll be among the four teams that advance to the playoffs in a league comprising Elmont, Bellmore-JFK, Long Beach, Herricks, Mepham, Calhoun, and Great Neck South. “We’re young, but we bring back a good amount of players with varsity experi-ence,” Schmidt said. “I think we’ll make up for our youth with scrappy, aggressive play. One of the things we’ve worked on a lot is being more verbal. We need to communicate and play as a unit. I think making the playoffs is definitely a reason-able goal.” Sophomore Victoria Porcasi, an All-County honoree as a fresh-man, is the go-to girl for Carey. Por-casi, who averaged 14 points per contest as an eighth-grader, sees the floor well and has improved her perimeter game. She has the ability to take defenders off the dribble and take it to the rack, or score from the outside. Freshman Brett Robison backs up Porcasi and provides scoring ability. Sophomore Keva Moore is a versatile guard whose shooting has improved con-siderably. Moore is an aggressive defender who gets a ton of steals. Senior Erin Gil-roy, an All-Conference recipient, goes hard to the hole, and is a pest on the defensive end. Sophomore Alyssa Jacobs and fresh-man Mackenzie Nyitray will contribute at guard. Losing Liz Osowiecki to graduation leaves a void in the frontcourt for the Lady Seahawks, who still have potential

in the paint. Senior forward Han-nah Mutum is a hard-worker who

provides size and leadership. Kelly Flana-gan, a 6-foot sophomore, is a presence in the middle and rebounds well. Sophomore Kasey Ilardi can play multiple positions. Schmidt believes Ilardi will give Carey another scoring threat. Junior Kellian Randazzo and sopho-more Dana Susse will contribute at forward. Freshman Samantha Romanello is an aggres-sive player who can play multiple posi-tions.

SEAHAWKS Talented Carey should be in the hunt

Photos by Victoria Lodi


VICTORIA PORCASI ADRIAN DENNER

ScheduleBOYS

December14 Great Neck South 4:30 p.m.18 @ Kennedy 7:00 p.m.21 Herricks 4:30 p.m.

January4 @ Long Beach 4:45 p.m.8 Elmont 4:30 p.m.11 @ Calhoun 6:30 p.m.15 Mepham 4:30 p.m.18 @ Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.25 Kennedy 4:30 p.m.29 @ Herricks 7:00 p.m.

February1 Long Beach 4:30 p.m.5 @ Elmont 4:45 p.m.8 Calhoun 4:30 p.m.11 @ Mepham 6:30 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 @ Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.18 Kennedy 4:30 p.m.21 @ Herricks 6:30 p.m.

January4 Long Beach 4:30 p.m.8 @ Elmont 4:30 p.m.11 Calhoun 4:30 p.m.15 @ Mepham 6:30 p.m.18 Great Neck South 4:30 p.m.25 @ Kennedy 7:00 p.m.29 Herricks 4:30 p.m.

February1 @ Long Beach 4:30 p.m.5 Elmont 4:30 p.m.8 @ Calhoun 6:30 p.m.11 Mepham 4:30 p.m.

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By TOM JORDAN

S enior Joe Fusco scored 13 points and dished out seven assists, senior Matt Seelinger added 12 points and

senior Tommy Pogamitus grabbed seven rebounds as Clarke defeated Division 51-43 in the Rams opener. It was the kind of start coach Matt Weinman was looking for from his team, which finished 1-15 last year, Weinman’s first at the helm. “We were competitive in a lot of games,” Weinman said of his team’s effort from a year ago. “We’d play well and play together for most of the game, and then we’d have a three- or four-minute spell that would hurt us. We’ve really worked on managing late game situations.” So far, so good. The Rams trailed 10-4 after the first quarter but then outscored Division 47-33 the rest of the way. The Rams lone win last season came on Jan. 10, a 49-47 decision over Island Trees. Among their losses were heartbreakers by three and four points (twice.) They were winless in their previous two seasons, so an opening-day win was quite a different beginning for the Rams. Weinman believes more success will follow. Fusco, a four-year starter at point guard, is the key. The coach expects him to average between 10 and 15 points and about seven assists per game. In any case, the Rams will put the ball in his hands whenever possible. “He is a leader on and off the court for us,” Weinman said. Seelinger, a co-captain along with Fusco, is another key. He’s got a good shooting stroke and doesn’t make mis-takes. Pogamitus is one of two seniors in the frontcourt, along with John Hess. Senior Justin Gonzalez, who started the opener and added five points, will continue to contribute. Juniors Kevin Lada, Nestor Haddo and Auston Ceris will also see a lot of action. Sophomore Tom Valente, a for-ward, will be counted on to contribute. With an early win under their belts, the

Rams will see how much noise they can make in Conference A-IV.

Lady Rams have reason for optimism

T he Lady Rams lost their season-opener, 35-29 to Plainview-JFK on Nov. 29, but they put up quite a fight. After finish-

ing the first quarter trailing by six points, they used a 12-10 second quarter to get themselves back to within four at the half. They were outscored just 16-14 in the sec-ond half. That’s how coach Jessica Dlabola is going to have to approach each game, and in fact the entire season, with her young team: in short measures. “It’s good to have a lot of the kids back, but we also have some newcomers and are a young team overall,” Dlabola said. “There’s a good vibe and everyone is excit-ed.” Freshman Hannah Zirkel scored 13 points, junior Amanda Gardiulo added eight, and five other players cracked the scoring column in the opening game. Juniors Angelica Gardiulo, Danielle Ragu-sa and Charissa Perfect each chipped in a few points, and that’s the kind of balance the coach will be looking for throughout the campaign. Among that group, only the Gardiulos and Perfect scored in a game last season. Zirkel, a forward, has already proven in practice and the first game that she does a lot of good things. “She’s a shooter who can really help our offense,” Dlabola said. Senior Maryam Khan, a 5-foot-11 cen-ter who didn’t play last winter, has strong moves in the low post and is being counted on to contribute as a scorer and rebounder. Amanda Gardiulo is a versatile forward with a nice mid-range jumper. “Both of them can be a difficult matchup for oppo-nents,” Dlabola said. Ragusa was handed the keys of the offense and will steer the ship from the point guard spot after doing the same at the JV level last season. “She’s quick, and she’s fitting in well,” said Dlabola, who

plans to use Angelica Gardiulo, Perfect and Natalie Morano at shooting guard. If the offense does its part, Clarke, despite its youth, will be heard from in Conference A-IV.

RAMS Clarke shouldn’t be taken lightly



AMANDA GARDIULO

ScheduleBOYS

December14 @ West Hempstead 4:30 p.m.21 V.S. North 7:30 p.m.

January4 @ Island Trees 6:30 p.m.8 Roosevelt 7:00 p.m.11 @ Mineola 8:00 p.m.15 @ Seaford 7:00 p.m.17 West Hempstead 7:30 p.m.29 @ V.S. North 6:30 p.m.

February1 Island Trees 7:00 p.m.5 @ Roosevelt 6:30 p.m.8 Mineola 7:30 p.m.11 Seaford 7:30 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 West Hempstead 7:30 p.m.21 @ V.S. North 6:30 p.m.

January4 Island Trees 7:30 p.m.8 @ Roosevelt 6:30 p.m.11 @ Mineola 6:00 p.m.15 Seaford 7:30 p.m.18 @ West Hempstead 6:30 p.m.29 V.S. North 7:30 p.m.

February1 @ Island Trees 6:30 p.m.5 Roosevelt 7:30 p.m.8 Mineola 7:00 p.m.11 @ Seaford 7:00 p.m.

JOE FUSCO

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By STEVE SINISKI

A strong finish last winter coupled with strong commitment to offsea-son preparation have helped give

East Meadow a confidence boost as it gets set to take the court in Conference AA-II. The Jets, fueled by the return of senior for-ward Joe Campay and junior guard Cody Zafrin, have a strong nucleus of veterans and promise to push the tempo and create matchup problems with their versatility. It all starts in the paint with Cam-pay, the Conference AA-II Player of the Year, who averaged 17.5 points and eight rebounds per game, even in the face of consistent double teams. Campay has developed into the complete package and a nightmare to defend, because he can step back and drain a three just as easily as he puts back a layup. Joining him in the blocks is sophomore Joe Forrler, a strong rebounder with a smooth jumper inside the elbow. Sophomore Adam Arbuse also figures into the frontcourt mix. Zafrin is expected to push the tempo at point guard, where he’ll be able to create opportunities in transition or simply take it to the hoop himself, and tack some free throws on to his point total. “His strength is getting to the hoop,” coach Barry Dick-son said. “He shoots a lot of free throws and is a good free-throw shooter. He played in the Nassau County Top 40 game and people are aware of him now.” Junior Damian Sanders is back after starting in the backcourt over the second half of last season, and the lightning-quick guard remains a key component in both the transition game and pressure-orient-ed defensive scheme. Sophomore guards Brandan Callaghan and Ryan Bergmann, junior guard Ian Arschad and senior swingman Kyle Aberasturi are also expect-ed to contribute. “We think we’re going to be good but we have to go out and prove it,” said Dickson, whose team will battle Baldwin, Hicks-

ville, Port Washington, Valley Stream Cen-tral, MacArthur and Plainview-JFK twice apiece. “They’re very unselfish and they share the ball well.”

Lady Jets eager to start rolling

A small group of returning players, including four-year varsity member Jen Gundrum, and an influx of new

talent has East Meadow ready to battle on the hardwood. “I’m looking forward to the season,” coach Bethany LeSueur said. “I’m excited about this group, and I think the older girls are setting a good example.” The Lady Jets continue to look to Gundrum for scoring and rebound-ing punch, but the senior has also stepped into a leadership role and helped some of her younger teammates make the transition to the varsity level. A volleyball player during the fall, Gun-drum’s talents translate well on the bas-ketball court, where she displays strong leaping ability and quickness on her feet. Junior Christine Sanicola also returns and provides athleticism on a team that’s going to switch up its schemes depending on its opponent. “Some teams we can look to press and [against] some others we may want to pack it in [down low],” LeSueur said. She’ll have plenty of options when look-ing in the paint, as junior Mary Hosey and sophomore Rebecca Alvfan, both new-comers to the varsity team, are effective rebounders with a soft touch around the basket. Junior point guard Marrol Cajoles can start trouble on the defensive side with her quickness and finish it in transition with a bucket or an assist. She’ll get help in the backcourt from returning junior Nicole Moniello, a strong distributor, and senior Brittany Pickett, who’s among the team’s top jump-shooters. Freshman Gabby Heim, one of two ninth-graders to make the team,

is also going to see time at the point. “Our freshmen both have a good sense of the game,” LeSueur said. Like Sanicola, freshman Crista San Antonio, and her sister, Marissa, a junior, can contribute on the wing. “There were a couple of games last year where we were right in the mix and couldn’t get enough scores,” LeSueur said. “We’re hoping we can steal a couple more of those close games.”

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JETSPieces in place for East Meadow



JEN GUNDRUM

CORY ZAFRIN

ScheduleBOYS

December14 Plainview-JFK 6:30 p.m.18 Baldwin 6:30 p.m.21 @ MacArthur 6:15 p.m.

January4 Port Washington 6:45 p.m.11 @ Hicksville 4:45 p.m.15 V.S. Central 6:30 p.m.18 @ Plainview-JFK 6:30 p.m.25 @ Baldwin 7:00 p.m.29 MacArthur 6:30 p.m.

February1 @ Port Washington 6:45 p.m.8 Hicksville 6:30 p.m.11 @ V.S. Central 6:45 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 @ Plainview-JFK 7 p.m.18 @ Baldwin 7 p.m.21 MacArthur 6:30 p.m.

January4 @ Port Washington 6:45 p.m.11 Hicksville 6:30 p.m.15 @ V.S. Central 6:45 p.m.18 Plainview-JFK 6:30 p.m.25 Baldwin 6:30 p.m.29 @ MacArthur 6:45 p.m.

February1 Port Washington 6:45 p.m.8 @ Hicksville 4:45 p.m.11 V.S. Central 6:30 p.m.

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E ast Rockaway is faced with many more challenges than an average basketball season would present. In

addition to stepping up to Nassau Class B after capturing their first Class C champi-onship in six years, the Rocks will hit the road for every game after the gym at the high school suffered irreparable damage from Hurricane Sandy. “When it came time to hand out jerseys, I only gave the kids orange,” said coach Joe Lores, referring to the colored threads the Rocks wear for road games. “We may wear white for the games that were sup-posed to be at home, but that’s the least of our concerns. “We’ve got five kids still not living at home because of storm damage,” he added. “Everyone is rallying around one another and working hard in practice.” The Rocks, who graduated six key con-tributors and will rely on senior David McClure and junior Kevin Blessington to lead the way, are sure to lead the county in miles traveled with two bus trips to Oyster Bay, Friends Academy, Cold Spring Har-bor, Wheatley and Locust Valley, as well as shorter treks to Malverne and Carle Place. The top four Class B teams will advance to the playoffs. McClure, a four-year starting guard with a smooth outside jumper and the ability to get to the rim, was among the Rocks leading scorers last season at 11.5 points per game. It’s important for Bless-ington, a 6-foot-5 center, to avoid foul trou-ble and provides the team with consistent rebounding and scoring from inside the paint. “We’ll go as they go,” Lores said. “They need to lead us, and the role players must believe in themselves and do what it takes to get the job done.” Seniors Jack Drevynak, Dylan Delury, Billy Humes and Eddie Carneglia will con-tribute up front, while freshman Daniel

Fusco, who can push the tempo or work in the half-court, is slated to take over at point guard where he’s backed by senior Ben Giliberti.

Many obstacles for Lady Rocks

U nlike the boys’ team, the Lady Rocks have settled into a routine after being displaced this season. They’ll play

each of their Conference B-C home games at Lynbrook, which is also serving as their practice gym. “Lynbrook’s been great to us,” coach Karin Leary said. “We started to get com-fortable during the second week of prac-tice, and we’re excited about the sea-son. Moving to Class B is just another obstacle.” The Lady Rocks, who lost a tightly contested Nassau Class C final to Friends Academy last win-ter, return seven seniors to a ros-ter bolstered by an influx of tal-ented youngsters. “We’ve got good depth at guard and we’re going to try to press more and get points off steals,” Leary explained. “We need to be more consistent on offense after struggling last season.” The coach is expecting big things from senior Taylor Cussen, a versatile player who brings good size (5-foot-8) and the ability to score a variety of ways. “Taylor’s a captain and someone we’ll use at guard and forward,” Leary said. “She’s also going to help our young-er guards come along.” Running the show from the point will be freshman Caitlin O’Mara, who sees the floor well and can make things happen. “It’s going to be a big learning year for her, but she can develop into a playmaker,” Leary said. “She’s knowledgeable, dedi-cated and really loves the sport.” Another freshman, Erica Acampora, will contrib-ute in the backcourt and help turn up the

defensive pressure, and senior guard Anais Marmol is an aggressive

guard expected to lend an offensive spark off the bench. Senior Gianna Cilluffo returns as the starting center and is a solid post player. She chipped in about six points per game last season and is being counted on to do the same. Another presence in the paint

will be sophomore Kim McCann, last year’s leading scorer

on JV. Senior for-wards Jessica Dep-tulski and Jessica Cerasoli can rip

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ROCKS Tough road ahead for East Rockaway

Photos by Kathy Leistner


DAVID MCCLURE

TAYLOR CUSSEN

ScheduleBOYS

December13 @ Friends Aca. 6:30 p.m.18 @ Carle Place 7:15 p.m.20 @ Wheatley 7:30 p.m.

January2 @ C.S. Harbor 7:45 p.m.8 @ Oyster Bay 7:00 p.m.10 @ Malverne 7:00 p.m.15 @ Locust Valley 6:30 p.m.17 @ Friends Aca. 7:15 p.m.25 @ Carle Place 7:15 p.m.29 @ Wheatley 6:15 p.m.

February1 @ C.S. Harbor 7:30 p.m.6 @ Oyster Bay 7:00 p.m.8 @ Malverne 7:00 p.m.11 @ Locust Valley 6:30 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 Friends Aca. 7:15 p.m.18 Carle Place 7:15 p.m.21 @ Wheatley 6:15 p.m.

January4 @ C.S. Harbor 7:00 p.m.9 Oyster Bay 7:30 p.m.11 @ Malverne 5:30 p.m.16 Locust Valley 7:30 p.m.18 @ Friends Aca. 6:30 p.m.25 @ Carle Place 7:15 p.m.30 Wheatley 7:30 p.m.

February2 C.S. Harbor 12:00 p.m.5 @ Oyster Bay 7:00 p.m.9 Malverne 12:00 p.m.11 @ Locust Valley 4:30 p.m.

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By ANDREW McCLURE

Elmont comes off a season where it won the Nassau Conference AA-III title and advanced to the Class AA

semifinals before falling to county cham-pion Baldwin. Without a go-to scorer, the Spartans counted on solid defense and a balanced scoring. In 2012-13, it will be more of the same for Elmont, which will be the tar-get of Carey, Great Neck South, Calhoun, Mepham, Herricks, Bellmore JFK, and Long Beach in conference play. Coach George Holub has a multitude of moving parts, it's just a question of which part will drive the machine. "It's really going to be about who has the hot hand that night," said Holub, who always focuses on defense. "Right now, we have tremen-dous potential. We're going to try to push it up the floor, share the ball, and score by committee. We don't have one real consis-tent perimeter shooter, so it will probably be a different guy most nights." Junior point guard Tristan Brown returns for his third season with the var-sity. The lightning-quick Brown wreaks havoc on defenders and is difficult for opponents to check. As a sophomore, he scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Spartans to an opening- round playoff vic-tory. The Spartans have a slew of experi-enced guards to complement Brown. Senior Timothy Lewis has the ability to find the bottom of the net as displayed when he scored 27 points in a win over Herricks last season. Seniors Marc Camp-bell and Reggie Pierre, and junior Brett Walker are all capable scorers who can lead the team on a given night. Junior Greg Rhone is an athletic guard who should be primed to contribute, especially in the transition game. Holub has youth and size to utilize in the frontcourt. Emmanuel Toluhi and Ste-ven Desvareux are a pair of 6-foot-4 juniors

who can bang the boards and pull down rebounds. Center Dominique Senat, a 6-6 sophomore, worked hard during the off-season and has been a pleasant surprise in camp.

Lady Spartans will grow as year unfolds

T hings will be a bit different for the Lady Spartans on the court this sea-son. Graduation was tough on a team

that is typically looked upon as one of the elite in Nassau. A relatively inexperienced starting five will take the floor in what promises to be a difficult road as far as the conference schedule goes. The Lady Spartans will battle for one of the conference's four playoff slots with Herricks, Great Neck South, Carey, Mepham, Bellmore-JFK, Calhoun, and Long Beach. Elmont finished third in the conference in 2011-12 and lost to Farmingdale in the opening round of the Class AA playoffs. Tom Magno, in his sixth season as coach, believes his young team will improve as the season goes on. "We're making little strides," Magno said. "We have a lot of points to make up from last year. With the size we have in the frontcourt, we're going to do things a little different from the way we have in the past. Hopefully, we'll get bet-ter as the season progresses." Senior guard Cassandra Cherry will be one of the players that Magno will lean on heavily. Cherry, a two-time All-Conference honoree, is a double threat. She can take it to the rack and finish, or bury jumpers from long range. Cherry led the team with 25 three-point baskets as a junior. Sophomore Arielle Pierre and junior Sahadia Cadet provide versatility at the guard position, as both can play multiple positions including the point. Pierre is a scoring threat with excellent court sense, while Cadet is more of a defensive-minded player. Junior forwards Onome Ogbovoh and Osunya Minott will both contribute in the

frontcourt. Minott should provide Elmont with some needed offensive punch. At cen-ter, the Lady Spartans are happy to have Noelle Dixon. The 6-foot-1 sophomore is in just her second year playing basketball. Dixon's shot-blocking ability should have opponents altering their shots in the paint. Sophomore Jocelyn Rodriguez and defen-sive-specialist Tatiana Laroche will both see time.

SPARTANS Bevy of guards to lead Elmont



TRISTAN BROWN

ScheduleBOYS

December14 Long Beach 4:30 p.m.18 Calhoun 4:30 p.m.21 @ Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.

January4 Herricks 4:45 p.m.8 @ Carey 4:30 p.m.11 @ Mepham 6:15 p.m.15 Kennedy 5:00 p.m.18 @ Long Beach 4:30 p.m.25 @ Calhoun 6:30 p.m.29 Great Neck South 4:30 p.m.

February1 @ Herricks 7:00 p.m.5 Carey 4:45 p.m.8 Mepham 4:30 p.m.11 @ Kennedy 7:00 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 @ Long Beach 4:30 p.m.19 @ Calhoun 6:30 p.m.21 Great Neck South 4:30 p.m.

January4 @ Herricks 6:30 p.m.8 Carey 4:45 p.m.11 Mepham 4:30 p.m.15 @ Kennedy 6:30 p.m.18 Long Beach 4:30 p.m.25 Calhoun 4:30 p.m.29 @ Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.

February1 Herricks 4:45 p.m.5 @ Carey 4:30 p.m.8 @ Mepham 6:15 p.m.11 Kennedy 5:00 p.m.

SAHADIA CADET

By ANDREW McCLURE

F reeport is coming off an impres-sive 13-win campaign which ended with a 76-63 loss to Uniondale in the

quarterfinal round of the Nassau Class AA playoffs. With a conference composed of Uniondale, Massapequa, Farmingdale, Oceanside, Hempstead and Syosset, there will be no easy nights for the Red Devils. Coach Bob DeBonis knows that being among the top four teams in Conference AA-I that advance to the playoffs will be no easy feat. “We’re going to need guys to buy into our philosophy, and play their role,” DeBonis said. “As usual, we’re going to look to play tough defense, grind it out, and play games in the 50s. There will be no easy games in this league. The goal, as always, is to be in the mix when the play-offs come around.” The Red Devils lose the outstanding backcourt tandem of Leondre Simmon and Jere Brown, but return senior captain Kyhiem Chaplin, who was second on the team in scoring in 2011-12 at 13.7 points per game. Chaplin shoots very well from the perimeter, and is an extremely heady play-er. Look for the Red Devils to run much of their offense through him. Junior Shawnee Barrett will run the point. Barrett, a first-year varsity player, is a pass-first point guard who handles the ball well and has strong court awareness. Junior Nino Rodriguez is a versatile guard who can play both the point and two-guard. Senior Marcus Vailes brings tremendous energy and shutdown defense to the floor. Look for both Rodriguez and Vailes to con-tribute in the Red Devils’ backcourt. If Freeport is to be successful, it will need consistency from Jovanni Moreno. The senior captain is a physical forward who rebounds and finishes well. He had a career-high 12 points and 14 rebounds in a win over Hempstead. Junior Te’kory Smith is as physical as anyone. Smith is tough on the boards, and has the ability to bury jumpers from the perimeter.

Defense the key for Lady Devils

F reeport comes off a season that saw it advance to the second round of the Nassau Class AA playoffs after finish-

ing 8-4 in Conference AA-1. The Lady Dev-ils pulled off impressive regular-season wins over Farmingdale and perennial-pow-er Massapequa. Graduation left Freeport with a rela-tively inexperienced roster; however, the Lady Devils should have the athleticism to stick with teams with more seasoned lineups. They’ll again compete with Mass-apequa, Farmingdale, Oceanside, Union-dale, Hempstead and Syosset for confer-ence supremacy, with the top four finishers earning playoff berths. Coach Meredith Jones is excited about her Lady Devils. “We had a good summer, and have a good understanding of what it’s going to take to succeed,” Jones said. “Defense will be the key. We’re going to rely on defense to force turnovers and cre-ate offense. “We don’t have the scoring we had a year ago, but we should be strong defen-sively,” she added. “The girls need to rise above their inexperience, and grow into their roles.” Senior captain Aysha Harris, a three-year varsity player, is solid from the perimeter and excellent on the defen-sive end. With the ability to play both guard positions, Harris gives the Lady Devils versatility in the back-court. Junior captain Taylor Mill-er handles the ball well and is a tenacious defender. Freshman Sarah Edmond is a big part of the present and future of Free-port basketball. Sydney Harris returns in the frontcourt. The senior captain is likely to be one of the smaller inside players in the con-ference, but her

excellent basketball intelligence enables her to play taller than her 5-foot-10 frame. Junior Deja Hooks, a 6-2 junior is coming into her own. Hooks defends, blocks shots, rebounds, and runs the floor very well. A.J. Smith, a 5-11 sophomore, has improved her inside game, and is developing into a solid perimeter scorer. Athletic senior Brianna Kuar, a three-year varsity player, and fleet-footed sopho-more Janique Lewis, a shutdown defender, will both contribute at guard for the Lady Devils.

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RED DEVILS Challenging schedule awaits Freeport

Photos by Ron Manfredi


SYDNEY HARRIS

KYHEIM CHAPLIN

ScheduleBOYS

December14 Uniondale 4:30 p.m.18 Syosset 6:15 p.m.21 @ Hempstead 4:30 p.m.

January4 Farmingdale 6:15 p.m.11 @ Massapequa 7:00 p.m.15 Oceanside 6:15 p.m.18 @ Uniondale 4:30 p.m.25 @ Syosset 6:30 p.m.29 Hempstead 4:30 p.m.

February1 @ Farmingdale 5:00 p.m.8 Massapequa 6:15 p.m.11 @ Oceanside 7:00 p.m.

GIRLSDecemberDecember14 @ Uniondale 4:30 p.m.18 @ Syosset 6:30 p.m.21 Hempstead 4:30 p.m.

January4 @ Farmingdale 4:30 p.m.11 Massapequa 6:15 p.m.15 @ Oceanside 7:00 p.m.18 Uniondale 4:15 p.m.25 Syosset 6:15 p.m.29 @ Hempstead 6:30 p.m.

February1 Farmingdale 6:15 p.m.8 @ Massapequa 7:00 p.m.11 Oceanside 6:15 p.m.

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By TONY BELLISSIMO

W ith three appearances in the Nassau Class A semifinals over the past four seasons, Hewlett

has become one of the more consistent-ly successful teams in the county under coach Bill Dubin. “The semis should be within our reach again,” said Dubin, who will be counting on an experienced frontcourt to lead the way against Conference A-II rivals Great Neck North, Glen Cove, Sewanhaka, Plainedge, Bethpage and Division. “We’ll be similar to last year’s team,” Dubin added. “We want to get the ball inside offensively, and on defense we want hold teams to under 60 [points].” Senior Weldon Irvine, an All-County selection, and juniors Avery Feldman and Bryan Eckerle provide the Bulldogs with a trio of players capable of putting up a double-double on any given night. “I’m not sure who’s going to play underneath or outside, but it’ll depend on how teams try to defend us,” Dubin said. “We could see a lot of zone. All three can play with their backs to the basket, all three can score, and all three can rebound.” The 6-foot-3 Irvine led the offense last season, averaging 17 points per game, and pulled down 12 rebounds per contest. “Wel-don jumps out of the gym and can shoot, drive and rebound,” Dubin said. “He’s got a long reach and is a tough defender.” Feldman, who has twice earned All-Conference honors, is lighter and quicker, Dubin said, and a strong candidate to take his game to the next level and gain All-County status. Eckerle is the best outside shooter of the group and slated to start at center, while juniors Richard Lyons and David Perkins provide depth up front. Senior Nico Leguillow, who Dubin described as “pound for pound the tough-est player on the team,” and junior speed-ster Dimitri Baptiste will get the bulk of minutes at point guard and shooting guard, respectively. Senior Nick Almonte

will be a factor from the perimeter after an injury cost him the majority of last season.

Lady Bulldogs to fight for playoffs

B ack for a second stint as Lady Bull-dogs coach after running the dis-trict’s middle school program for

three seasons, Frank Viggiano was encour-aged by the team’s performance in its first scrimmage and believe the talent is in place to make a playoff run. “Except for the seniors, I coached these girls before at another level and it’s great to see how their games developed,” Vig-giano said. “I know last season, they won some games and were a few plays away from winning a few more, so I don’t see why we can’t make the playoffs. “We’re not a big team, but everyone can handle the ball and has good fundamen-tals,” he added. “We’re going to try to run a little bit and turn up the pressure defen-sively.” When it comes to putting the ball in the basket, Hewlett’s first option is junior forward Samantha DiSalvo. Against Law-rence last winter, she established a new school single-game scoring record with 49 points. “Sam’s a special player who gets to the basket and the free-throw line, and also defends well,” Viggiano said. “She can get hot quick, but she doesn’t force shots. She’s unselfish.” Senior Gabby Casanova serves as the team’s top outside shooting threat can play either guard spot. “She takes what the defense gives her,” Viggiano said. “She sees the floor well and can pass or shoot.” The backcourt also includes juniors Emily Rodriguez and Emily Cohen. They’re both solid possessing the ball, as well as capable scorers. Up front with DiSalvo, senior Val DeNapoli is a tenacious athlete likely to draw the toughest defensive assignment. “I call her Miss Hustle,” Viggiano said. “She’s a high-intensity player who’s going to battle for every rebound and dive for

every loose ball.” There is plenty of depth at forward with junior Amy Vitha, senior Nicole Rizzo and sophomore Melissa Rogoff in the fold. Though Viggiano isn’t too familiar with the competition, he said he’s bracing for plenty of close games.is-

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BULLDOGS Frontcourt key to Hewlett’s success


SAMANTHA DISALVO

AVERY FELDMAN

Schedule

BOYSDecember14 @ Plainedge 5:30 p.m.18 Division 7:30 p.m.21 @ Glen Cove 6:30 p.m.

January8 Sewanhaka 7:00 p.m.11 @ Bethpage 6:30 p.m.15 Great Neck North 7:00 p.m.18 Plainedge 7:00 p.m.25 @ Division 6:30 p.m.29 Glen Cove 7:00 p.m.

February5 @ Sewanhaka 4:30 p.m.8 Bethpage 7:30 p.m.11 @ Great Neck North 7:30 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 Plainedge 6:30 p.m.18 @ Division 7:30 p.m.21 Glen Cove 7:30 p.m.

January8 @ Sewanhaka 4:30 p.m.11 Bethpage 7:30 p.m.15 @ Great Neck North 7:30 p.m.18 @ Plainedge 7:30 p.m.25 Division 7:30 p.m.29 @ Glen Cove 6:30 p.m.

February5 Sewanhaka 7:00 p.m.8 @ Bethpage 6:30 p.m.11 Great Neck North 7:30 p.m.


11



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K ennedy hit the floor in training camp with five returning seniors, led by senior forward Chris Rac-

albuto, an All-Conference honoree who averaged 7.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. The power forward, who will also log time at center, will be joined in the blocks by senior Ralph Faiella, like Racal-buto a model of consistency who averaged a healthy 8.5 points and pulled down six boards a game. What the Cougars lack in height they hope to make up for in quickness and ath-leticism as they hit the court running with a deep group of guards. Senior Tyler Mer-ron, perhaps the top perimeter shooter, is back at shooting guard alongside senior point guard Ethan Jones. Given Jones’ ability, there are times he could slide over to the off-guard slot, allowing first-year senior Michael McCormick, a combo guard who can play both spots in the back-court, to get on the floor. “We’re small so we’re going to have to push the ball and press a little bit,” coach Rory Block said. With aggression now becoming the name of the game on both sides of the floor, athletic sophomore Eric Pauly, becomes a key component. “We’re going to have to get after it a little,” Block said. “We’re going to play some man, trap a little and hope to cause some turnovers.” Once the defense creates possessions, Racalbuto, Faiella and Merron are the likely offensive targets in the transition game. Junior Jake Berger, a lefty point guard, also figures into the playmaking mix along with classmates Evan Teich and Mike Kaplan, both of whom are off guards. If Kennedy looks to spread the floor with a jump-shooting lineup, Block can call on junior small forward Nick Bandini, a strong perimeter threat. John and Louis Cuttitta, both juniors are also expected to log time in the frontcourt.

Still battling in Conference AA-III, the Cougars welcome back Calhoun to the schedule, meaning all three district teams will match up on the hardwood this winter.

Lady Cougars getting up to speed

C hange is in the air for the Lady Cou-gars with just one starter and three seniors returning to the hardwood. But

while they were using their training camp to get everyone on the same page, they do have a key piece to the lineup ready to steady the ship on the floor. Senior Kerri Baum is back at point guard and ready to help generate scoring opportunities. “We’ll go as she goes,” coach John Dell’Olio said. “She’s so fast and sees the floor so well. She plays so hard and doesn’t miss a whistle.” Senior Paige Nowicki is set to return to the lineup alongside Baum at the two-guard with senior Nicole Hoffman and freshman Hannah Ferry also in the mix. Hoffman can play both positions in the backcourt, while Ferry has already shown the potential to be a dynamic talent. “She understands the game really well,” Dell’Olio said of Ferry. “She’s tough, com-petes hard and has a good handle on the ball.” Samantha Milazzo is back at center and on top of providing some scoring punch, the junior also creates mismatches for opponents because of her ability to fill the nets from the low post or out on the perim-eter. In fact, here experience playing with Baum gives Kennedy a solid inside-out combination on offense. Junior Carly Klein, Kennedy’s best pure shooter, will log time at forward along with sophomore Sarah Coluccio, a small for-ward, and sophomore power forward Taylor Haiduk, both of whom are in their

first varsity season. Defensively, the Lady Cougars are hop-ing a little pressure can go a long way in sparking the offense against a challenging group of Conference AA-III rivals. “We would like to create a little pressure to get some easy layups,” Dell’Olio said, noting that the scheme isn’t set in stone and will remain fluid throughout the season. “We’d like to play man-to-man to create [oppor-tunities]. But if a team is knocking down [shots] we’ll play some zone.”

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COUGARS Tempo of game changing for Kennedy



CHRIS RACALBUTO

ScheduleBOYS

December14 @ Mepham 6:15 p.m.18 Carey 7:00 p.m.21 Long Beach 7:00 p.m.

January4 @ Calhoun 7:00 p.m.8 Great Neck South 7:00 p.m.11 @ Herricks 7:00 p.m.15 @ Elmont 5:00 p.m.18 Mepham 7:00 p.m.25 @ Carey 7:00 p.m.29 @ Long Beach 7:00 p.m.

February1 Calhoun 7:00 p.m.5 @ Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.8 Herricks 7:00 p.m.11 Elmont 7:00 p.m.

GIRLSDecember13 Mepham 7:00 p.m.18 @ Carey 6:30 p.m.21 @ Long Beach 6:30 p.m.

January4 Calhoun 6:30 p.m.8 @ Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.11 Herricks 6:45 p.m.15 Elmont 6:30 p.m.18 @ Mepham 6:15 p.m.25 Carey 6:30 p.m.29 Long Beach 6:30 p.m.

February1 @ Calhoun 6:30 p.m.5 Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.8 @ Herricks 6:30 p.m.11 @ Elmont 5:00 p.m.

KERRI BAUM

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By TONY BELLISSIMO

T he Golden Tornadoes had a memo-rable 2011-12 campaign, winning 18 games and a conference title, but it

ended prematurely with an upset loss to Great Neck North in the quarterfinals of the Nassau Class A playoffs. With three All-County players return-ing and last season’s early exit serving as extra motivation, Lawrence figures to be among the top contenders to bring home a championship. “We’ll continue to push the tempo as much as we can and make things happen in transition, but we’re striving to be better defensively and in the half-court offense,” coach Joe Supple said. “Our goal is to make it to the finals and see what hap-pens.” Two seasons ago, the Golden Tornadoes made a run to the title game and lost to Manhasset. Eddie Robinson and Clifton Lyerly were sophomores then, and Dwayne Daniel was a freshman. Now they com-prise arguably the most explosive trio in the county. Robinson led the team in scoring a year ago, averaging 22.6 points per game, and his ability to rebound (9.2 per game) often leads to fast-break baskets. “Eddie’s dynamic and physical, and creates mis-matches against smaller guards,” Supple said. Daniel is one of the most complete play-ers in the county, Supple said, and has ver-bally committed to Iona. The point guard averaged 20.4 points and 5.5 assists per game last season, and brings a combina-tion of skills and quickness that makes him difficult to stop. “He can shoot from the outside, and he can drive,” Supple said. “And his on-ball defense is tremendous.” The versatility of Lyerly, who can play and defend any position, gives the coach a lot of options with the rotation. Lyerly will spend most of his time at forward after averaging 16 points and 8.5 rebounds a year ago. Seniors Michael Fragner and Randy

Wallace return to the frontcourt. Both are strong defenders and rebounders, and they’ll also chip in offensively. Juniors Hamed Shamseldin and Jymeek Jenkins lead a solid group of reserves.

Challenging start for Lady Golden Tornadoes

S hould adversity hit during the Con-ference A-III schedule, chances are the Lady Golden Tornadoes will be

prepared to handle it. They’ve been com-promised since practice began and were forced to cancel every December scrim-mage and one non-league game due to a lack of practice related to Hurricane Sandy. “The storm took a toll on us for the first two weeks,” coach George Klein said. “It’s a good thing we didn’t have any conference games scheduled until January. It’s going take a little longer than usual to get into a rhythm and develop chemistry.” After holding its own last season and making a playoff run, Lawrence has a new set of conference rivals to battle including defending Nassau Class A champion North Shore. “I think we’ll be competitive like we were last season,” Klein said. “We put up a lot of points. This year we need to be more consistent defensively and do our best to stay out of foul trouble.” Four-year starter Nicole Robinson will lead the Lady Golden Tornadoes against the likes of Lynbrook, Manhasset, Floral Park and Valley Stream South. The senior All-Class forward/center averaged 12 points, seven rebounds and three blocks per game last season and is a factor at both ends of the floor. “Nicole is a major presence in the paint, and she starts our offense with defensive rebounds,” Klein said. Junior point guard Dina Goldstein will make the offense tick, Klein said, and fig-ures to benefit greatly from a full season of varsity ball under her belt. “She’s a

competitor,” he said. “She’s very unself-ish and had some really solid games as a sophomore.” Freshman Kaela Kinder will bolster the offense from a forward spot and brings great knowledge of the game and tremen-dous athleticism to the court. Whether senior Olivia Delgrosso starts at guard or forward, Klein said she’ll provide con-sistency, and the team’s depth appears improved with senior Michelle Canales returning and the addition of sophomores Sarah Watson and Kaleah Norwood.

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Lawrence possesses all the tools



NICOLE ROBINSON

CLIFTON LYERLY

ScheduleBOYS

December13 McArthur 7:15 p.m.18 Holy Trinity 7:00 p.m.

January4 Manhasset 6:30 p.m.8 @ Floral Park 6:15 p.m.10 @ North Shore 6:30 p.m.15 Lynbrook 7:00 p.m.18 V.S. South 6:15 p.m.25 @ Manhasset 6:30 p.m.29 Floral Park 6:30 p.m.

February1 North Shore 6:30 p.m.5 @ Lynbrook 7:00 p.m.8 @ V.S. South 7:00 p.m.

GIRLSDecember10 Division 5:00 p.m.11 V.S. North 4:30 p.m.

January4 @ Manhasset 6:30 p.m.8 Floral Park 6:15 p.m.10 North Shore 6:30 p.m.15 @ Lynbrook 7:00 p.m.18 @ V.S. South 7:00 p.m.25 Manhasset 6:30 p.m.29 Floral Park 6:15 p.m.

February1 @ North Shore 6:30 p.m.5 Lynbrook 7:00 p.m.8 V.S. South 6:15 p.m.

GOLDEN TORNADOES 13



3 BARNEYS & TOOTSIES: 20-30 months

Good Luck To All Our Teams!

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CROWNING MOMENTS

2011-12 NASSAU COUNTY2012 - 13 HERALD High School Basketball Preview

BALDWIN BRUINSClass AA Champions

SOUTH SIDE CYCLONESClass A Champions

EAST ROCKAWAY ROCKSClass C Champions

Photos by - Jeff Wilson, Kathy Leistner, Ron ManfrediPh b J ff Wil

BALDWIN LADY BRUINSClass AA Champions

BOYSClass AA Championship GameBaldwin 57, Uniondale 53

Class A Championship GameSouth Side 64, Jericho 51

Class B Championship GameC.S. Harbor 53, Wheatley 52

Class C Championship GameEast Rockaway 42, Friends Aca. 39

GIRLSClass AA Championship GameBaldwin 62, Massapequa 41

Class A Championship GameNorth Shore 74, Garden City 64

Class B Championship GameC.S. Harbor 45, Locust Valley 31

Class C Championship GameFriends Aca. 46, East Rockaway 42

15



CONFERENCE AA-I 1. Farmingdale Dalers2. Freeport Red Devils3. Hempstead Tigers4. Massapequa Chiefs5. Oceanside Sailors6. Syosset Braves7. Uniondale Knights

CONFERENCE AA-II1. Baldwin Bruins2. East Meadow Jets3. Hicksville Comets4. MacArthur Generals5. Plainview Hawks6. Port Washington Vikings7. V.S. Central Eagles

CONFERENCE AA-III1. Calhoun Colts2. Carey Seahakws3. Elmont Spartans4. G.N. South Rebels5. Herricks Highlanders6. Kennedy Cougars7. Long Beach Marines8. Mepham Pirates

CONFERENCE A-I1. Garden City Trojans2. Jericho Jayhawks3. New Hyde Park Gladiators4. Roslyn Bulldogs5. South Side Cyclones6. Wantagh Warriors7. Westbury Green Dragons

CONFERENCE A-II1. Bethpage Golden Eagles2. Division Dragons3. Glen Cove Big Red4. Great Neck North Blazers5. Hewlett Bulldogs6. Plainedge Red Devils7. Sewanhaka Indians

CONFERENCE A-III1. Floral Park Knights2. Lawrence Golden Tornadoes3. Lynbrook Owls4. Manhasset Indians5. North Shore Vikings6. V.S. South Falcons

CONFERENCE A-IV1. Clarke Rams2. Island Trees Bulldogs3. Mineola Mustangs4. Roosevelt Rough Riders5. Seaford Vikings6. V.S. North Spartans7. West Hempstead Rams

CONFERENCE B-C1. Carle Place Frogs2. C.S. Harbor Seahawks3. East Rockaway Rocks4. Friends Academy Quakers5. Locust Valley Falcons6. Malverne Mules7. Oyster Bay Baymen8. Wheatley Wildcats

BASKETBALLALIGNMENT

2012-13 Nassau County2012 - 13 HERALD High School Basketball Preview

JOE CAMPAYEast MeadowPhoto by - Jeff Wilson

By TONY BELLISSIMO

L ong Beach’s leadership off the bas-ketball court was tested before prac-tice began, with those less impacted

by Hurricane Sandy helping displaced teammates on the road to recovery. Coach T.J. Burke, who guided the Marines to the Nassau Class AA playoffs last season, wasn’t surprised how his players rallied around adversity. “Everyone has gone through a lot,” Burke said. “They’re taking it one day at a time. We have eight returning players, and I’ve been impressed by the leadership a bunch of kids have shown.” With the gym at the high school being replaced after suffering considerable dam-age, the Marines are using the facilities at Lindell Elementary School to conduct practice. However, Burke said that gym isn’t suitable to host games so it’s going to be a scramble to secure a place to host Conference AA-III rivals Elmont, Calhoun, Carey, Great Neck South, Kennedy and Mepham. “I don’t know what we’re capable of, but for now we’re keeping things ABC simple,” Burke said. “It’s a tough conference, but we have enough experience to make a run.” Junior 6-foot-5 forward Tyquan Scott took his game to another level last season and earned All-Conference honors after averaging 9.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and three blocks per game. “He’s got incredible leaping ability and runs the floor extreme-ly well,” Burke said. “Not many kids can match up to him athletically.” Junir center Tariq Cole is a 6-7 pres-ence in the paint. He has potential to post double digits in points and rebounds any given night, Burke said, thanks to a solid post game. Also up front is senior Eric Wie-ner, a pure shooter who can also contribute on the boards, and junior Liam Rafferty, a three-sport athlete with all the intangibles. Junior Stefan Pitts is a tenacious defender who can play guard or forward. The quickness of Pitts and senior guard Thomas Patrick will be a key when Burke

calls for full-court pressure. Senior point guard Desmond Moore will get everyone involved.

Lady Marines have playoff promise

L ady Marines interim coach Kristin Ciccone, who played four varsity cam-paigns under coach Lori DeVivio, likes

the returning talent and most of what she saw in the first two non-league games against Syosset and Garden City. “We’re getting the chemistry going,” said Ciccone, who played four years at Cortland and also spent two years at the college as an assistant coach. “I coached a lot of these girls at camps when they were younger. I intend for this team to make the playoffs. There’s too much talent not to get there.” Last season was somewhat of a roller coaster ride for Long Beach, which fell short of finishing among the top four teams in Conference AA-III to meet the playoff criteria. But with a strong front-court and some capable perimeter shooters back in the fold, Ciccone believes the team has what it takes to make noise. Junior Mary McDonagh returns at point guard and has all the tools. “She’s got great court vision and an improved jump shot,” Ciccone said. “She anticipates things before they happen. She’s tough defensively and beats opponents to spots.” McDonagh has plenty of passing options. Senior Molly Martin is a consis-tent double-digit scorer who can slash to the basket or drain an outside shot. “Her versatility gives us a lot of options,” Cicco-ne said. “Molly can play almost anywhere and be a difference-maker.” Junior Shauna Spruell is a pure shoot-ing guard who compliments McDonagh and Martin well, Ciccone said. Opponents may have a difficult time matching the Lady Marines’ ability and experience factor in the frontcourt. Senior Sam Angst, and juniors Perry Steiner and Liz Rourke all return and combine to bring a little bit of everything to both ends of the floor. “They all hustle, rebound and

defend,” Ciccone said. Adding to the talent up front is eighth-grade center/forward Aislinn Flynn, who enjoyed a strong varsity debut with 11 points and 10 rebounds against Syos-set. She’s already worked her way into the starting five.

MARINES Veteran leaders pace Long Beach



TYQUAN SCOTT

MARY MCDONAGH

ScheduleBOYS

December14 @ Elmont 4:30 p.m.18 Mepham 4:30 p.m.21 @ Kennedy 7:00 p.m.

January4 Carey 4:45 p.m.8 Calhoun 4:30 p.m.10 @ Great Neck South 7:00 p.m.15 Herricks 7:00 p.m.18 Elmont 4:30 p.m.25 @ Mepham 6:15 p.m.29 Kennedy 7:00 p.m.

February1 @ Carey 4:30 p.m.5 @ Calhoun 6:30 p.m.8 Great Neck South 4:30 p.m.11 @ Herricks 7:00 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 Elmont 4:30 p.m.18 @ Mepham 6:15 p.m.21 Kennedy 6:30 p.m.

January4 @ Carey 4:30 p.m.8 @ Calhoun 6:30 p.m.11 Great Neck South 4:30 p.m.15 @ Herricks 6:30 p.m.18 @ Elmont 4:30 p.m.25 Mepham 4:30 p.m.29 @ Kennedy 6:30 p.m.

February1 Carey 4:45 p.m.5 Calhoun 4:30 p.m.8 @ Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.11 Herricks 6:30 p.m.

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By TONY BELLISSIMO

A fter falling short of the playoffs in consecutive seasons, Lynbrook will attempt to dial up the defen-

sive heat and pull out enough close games to qualify for the Nassau Class A tourna-ment. “What we lack in height we’re look-ing to make up for with hard work and scrappiness,” Owls coach Chris Rube said. “We’re going to focus on defense and try to score more in transition. “This group of kids is the hardest work-ing team I’ve had in five years,” he added. “Our goal is to make the playoffs.” Lynbrook must again navigate its way through a challenging Conference A-III schedule and finish .500 or better to become postseason-eligible. Facing Law-rence, Floral Park, Manhasset, Glen Cove, North Shore and Valley Stream South twice apiece could make for some bumps in the road. “It’s all going to start and end with defense,” Rube said. The Owls have some proven scores, however, and won’t be one-dimensional. Senior guard Matt Murphy, an All-Con-ference selection last season, and junior guard Michael McVeigh can put the ball in the basket. Both are captains and left-handed shooters. “They’ve stepped to the forefront as leaders,” Rube said. “Matt’s a great finisher around the hoop with a good pull-up jumper, and Mike is one of the best outside shooters in the county. We’ll need them both to score consistently.” Senior Zach Weiss, another captain, is a hard-nosed forward who rebounds and does all the little things well. “Zach’s going to take charges and work the boards,” said Rube, who is counting on seniors Connor Dorney and Brennan Gordon to push for a starting job and contribute up front. Rube has no shortage of options at the point with Murphy, senior John Boni and junior Anthony Mackie. Boni and Mackie can both do damage from the perimeter, and the latter is a tough on-the-ball defend-

er. Senior John Carollo is another with a good handle, and the coach said senior Matt Campbell was the biggest surprise of camp.

Lady Owls to share scoring burden

I t’s a new era at Lynbrook, which comes off a third straight trip to at least the Nassau Class A semifinals but gradu-

ated six contributors from last season including all-time leading scorer Brooke Gerstman. “We’re going to be difference after los-ing the best player to ever walk the hall-ways here,” Lady Owls coach Heather Manikas said. “You can’t replace a special player like Brooke. We’re going to have to share the scoring and focus hard on defense. We’re young and trying to estab-lish a new identity.” Senior forward Joelle Church is the team’s lone returning full-time starter and someone the coach is counting on to pro-duce double digits in points and rebounds every game. “She’s a great post player,” Manikas said. “She’s got some range and also rebounds well.” Junior Meghan Montine takes over as the starting point guard and will have plenty of responsibility. “She’s a little bull-dog on the court,” Manikas said. “She’s going to be a feeder and scorer, and at the top of our defensive press.” Senior Olivia Cohn, a guard who battled injuries last season, is a captain along with Church and does whatever it takes to help the team. “She’s a determined athlete and leader,” Manikas said. Additional weapons in the backcourt will be juniors Hannah Carlson and Gabby LoCicero. Both can provide an offensive spark and stretch the defense with their outside shooting ability. Up front, sophomore Ciara Gordon, the lone freshman on last year’s varsity ros-ter, is a well-rounded player with scoring touch and solid defensive skills. “Last sea-son will benefit her greatly,” Manikas said. “I can already see she’s more confident and comfortable.”

Junior Nicole O’Doherty brings inten-sity to the frontcourt, and freshman Shan-non Wren, who played varsity volleyball and is 5-foot-10, could make an immedi-ate impact. Sophomore Gabi Patrick, and freshmen Kacie Curran and Amanda DiGiorgio will also contribute. “I think the conference is going to be a free-for-all,” Manikas said. “We want our defense to keep us close in every game.”

OWLS Defense to spark Lynbrook’s success



MATT MURPHY

ScheduleBOYS

December11 @ Mineola 6:45 p.m.15 @ Seaford 3:00 p.m.

January4 V.S. South 7:00 p.m.8 North Shore 7:00 p.m.11 @ Manhasset 7:00 p.m.15 @ Lawrence 7:00 p.m.18 Floral Park 7:00 p.m.25 @ V.S. South 7:00 p.m.29 @ North Shore 7:00 p.m.

February1 Manhasset 7:00 p.m.5 Lawrence 7:00 p.m.8 @ Floral Park 7:00 p.m.

GIRLSDecember15 East Rockaway 1:45 p.m.

January4 @ V.S. South 7:00 p.m.8 @ North Shore 7:00 p.m.11 Manhasset 7:00 p.m.15 Lawrence 7:00 p.m.18 @ Floral Park 7:00 p.m.25 V.S. South 7:00 p.m.29 North Shore 7:00 p.m.

February1 @ Manhasset 7:00 p.m.5 @ Lawrence 7:00 p.m.8 Floral Park 7:00 p.m.

JOELLE CHURCH

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By TONY BELLISSIMO

F or the first time in seven years, Mal-verne isn’t defending the Nassau Class B championship after suffer-

ing an early exit from the playoffs last sea-son courtesy of Cold Spring Harbor. The Mules had won six county titles in a row, and seven of the previous eight. Getting back to prominence, assistant coach Walter Askinoff said, will be a chal-lenge because despite not winning it all last season the Mules still have a target on their back. “Teams get fired up to play us,” Askinoff said. “We’re still wearing orange and blue, and whether or not we get to Glens Falls that’s still our goal. We have some jelling to do.” Malverne usually has its share of star-power returning to the roster, but that isn’t the case with the current version. All five starters graduated, and only a handful of reserves are back in the fold. Balanced scoring is a must, Askinoff said. “We don’t have a lot of size, but we’re fast,” he noted. “We’re not slowing down, but we have to play a controlled game and not turn the ball over.” Senior Chris Vitucci steps into a start-ing role after giving the Mules quality minutes off the bench. He’s an accurate shooting guard who can hurt opponents employing a zone. Junior James Wheeler is the projected starter at the point. He brings a tremendous basketball IQ and can rebound and trigger the transition game. Sophomore Maxon Jean has a quick first step to the basket and an intense defender, and junior Jarmell Richardson can do a lot of good things. Leading the way up front is sophomore Kevin Young. “It’s the most inexperienced team we’ve had in a long time, but it’s going to be fun seeing the kids develop,” Askinoff said. Malverne’s annual tournament, held in the memory of longtime coach Hank Williams, takes place Dec. 27 and 29 and

includes West Hempstead and Port Wash-ington. “It’s always a great event and mea-suring stick,” Askinoff said.

Lady Mules undergo youth movement

Y outh is the theme for the Lady Mules, who boast only one senior and 10 soph-omores on a roster that runs 15-deep.

They were on the cusp of qualifying for the Nassau Class B playoffs last season — falling just one win short — and could do some knocking on the door again this winter. “We’re very young, but I still think we’ll be able to fight for that fourth playoff spot,” coach Mike Phelan said. “All of our young players have something to offer. It’ll be exciting to see how things come togeth-er.” Senior guard Rachel Meachem is the veteran of the squad, a four-year mem-ber of the varsity who last season served as the top reserve. Pelan isn’t sure if Meachem will remain a spark off the bench or be part of the starting five. “She changes the dynamics of a game with her energy level and defense,” he said. “She’s going to play a lot of min-utes whether she starts or not. I just need to figure out how we’ll utilize her.” The starting backcourt fea-tures a pair of sophomores with a lot of varsity experience under their belts. Shooting guard Alexis Lopez is evolving as a complete offensive player, creating her own shots in addition to popping from the outside. She’s scored as many as 26 points in a game. “Alexis is probably going to be the focal point of how teams defend us, so others have to chip in and take pressure off her,” Pelan said. Stephanie Gee, the team’s strongest ball-handler, will mostly run the point and is coming along nicely as the offensive quarterback. Junior Racquelle Findlayter

has a similar skill set to Meachem and will contribute in the backcourt.

Junior Richelle Cardoza steps into a starting forward role and is solid offensive-ly. Sophomore Sydney Witkowski is a hard-working three-sport athlete who brings toughness to the low post, and sophomore center Jaelyn Chinchilla has good size and can run the floor, rebound and score.

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MULES Malverne welcomes new faces



JAMES WHEELER

ALEXIS LOPEZ

ScheduleBOYS

December14 @ Wheatley 7:00 p.m.18 C.S. Harbor 7:00 p.m.21 @ Oyster Bay 7:00 p.m.

January4 Friends Aca. 7:00 p.m.8 Locust Valley 7:00 p.m.11 East Rockaway 7:00 p.m.15 Carle Place 7:00 p.m.18 Wheatley 7:00 p.m.25 @ C.S. Harbor 7:45 p.m.29 Oyster Bay 7:00 p.m.

February1 @ Friends Aca. 7:00 p.m.5 @ Locust Valley 7:00 p.m.8 East Rockaway 7:00 p.m.11 @ Carle Place 7:00 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 Wheatley 7:00 p.m.18 @ C.S. Harbor 7:00 p.m.21 Oyster Bay 7:00 p.m.

January4 @ Friends Aca. 6:30 p.m.8 @ Locust Valley 6:30 p.m.11 East Rockaway 7:00 p.m.15 @ Carle Place 7:15 p.m.18 @ Wheatley 6:30 p.m.25 C.S. Harbor 7:00 p.m.29 @ Oyster Bay 7:00 p.m.

February1 Friends Aca. 7:00 p.m.5 Locust Valley 7:00 p.m.8 @ East Rockaway 7:30 p.m.11 Carle Place 7:00 p.m.

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By STEVE SINISKI

O n the outside looking in — and not by much — when it came to earning a Nassau Class AA play-

off bid, Mepham is hoping the return of a half-dozen players, including a pair of three-year varsity members give the team a leg up this winter. “The practices have been the most intense since I’ve been the coach,” Rich Wojcieski said. “They know what we have to do to win this season and they don’t take off for a second.” Moving into a starting role in his third varsity campaign after logging time previ-ously as the backup point guard, senior Cameron Brennick has the tools necessary to make an impact. A strong outside shoot-er, Brennick’s decision-making is also an asset. “He knows the game,” Wojcieski said. “When we’re in a press situation, I feel comfortable with him bringing the ball up.” Senior Nick Martinez, also entering his third year, will see time at shooting guard and small forward. When the Pirates look to stretch the floor, odds are junior Danny Kapps, the leading scorer for last year’s JV, and sophomore Bill Bogomaz will be part of the equation. The two, along with junior Stephen Goldsmith, are good perim-eter shooters, and the return of junior Brian Keohane from injury would give the Pirates a 6-foot-2 guard that can play either backcourt position. “We would like to push it up, but we’re going to mix [the offense] up during the season and make adjustments based on who we play,” Wojcieski said. Backed by a deep group of versatile forwards, Mepham, in Conference AA-III with Elmont, Long Beach, Calhoun, Ken-nedy, Herricks and Great Neck South, can hit defenses with a number of looks in the paint and on the perimeter. David Gilroy is an athletic 6-4 junior, and a volleyball player with excellent leaping ability. He’s joined by energetic senior Kareem Sul-

tan, junior C.J. Meyer and juniors Jimmy Cavuto and John Alfano. Senior Sam Feld-man is expected back after being sidelined by injury during camp.

Lady Pirates have strength in numbers

W ith four consecutive trips to the Nas-sau Class AA playoffs and at least a share of its conference title in three

of the last four seasons, the Lady Pirates hope a strong core of returning players will extend that success. Two-time All-County forward Nicole Castaldo is one of five seniors back on the floor, along with All-Conference returnee Samantha Hishmeh, All-Class honoree Mary Galgano, Christina Riebl and Alexis Lemanski. “It’s nice to have the senior leadership, because [most] have been together a long time,” coach Jim Mulvey said. The name of the game has always been to pushing the action on offense, but now Mepham’s angling to create havoc on both ends of the floor. “Now it’s total-ly defense first for us and doing the little things right,” Mulvey said. Castaldo, an undersized center at 5-7, still managed to average a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds), and makes life tough on the offensive side of the floor because she’s also capable of stepping behind the arc to shoot three-pointers. Brigid McNeal will also log time up front in a unique alignment of four guards, along with junior Erica Miller, and soph-omore Nicole Moccio, who can play at shooting guard, small forward or power forward. Freshman point guard Ally Murphy got her varsity career off to a fast start last season by earning Most Valuable Player honors in an early tournament, but the truth is, she hasn’t slowed down since. Mepham’s best on-the-ball defender is also the quickest player to ever come through the program under

Mulvey. “She can control a game with defense without even scoring a point,” he said. “She also knows how to handle things [on offense] and find the open player.” Backing up Murphy is sophomore Alexa Morris, a strong outside shooter, with freshman Taylor O’Brien, and soph-omore Megan Anderson, a sharp-shoot-ing All-Conference honoree who’s made strides on defense, also contributing. “These girls are so coachable and willing

to do anything,” Mulvey said. “It’s a special group.”

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PIRATES Mepham keyed by versatility, work ethic


NICOLE CASTALDOCAMERON BRENNICK

ScheduleBOYS

December14 Kennedy 6:15 p.m.18 @ Long Beach 4:30 p.m.21 Calhoun 6:15 p.m.

January4 @ Great Neck South 6:30 p.m.8 @ Herricks 7:00 p.m.11 Elmont 7:15 p.m.15 @ Carey 4:30 p.m.18 @ Kennedy 7:00 p.m.25 Long Beach 6:15 p.m.29 @ Calhoun 6:30 p.m.

February1 Great Neck South 6:15 p.m.5 Herricks 7:00 p.m.8 @ Elmont 4:45 p.m.11 Carey 6:15 p.m.

GIRLSDecember13 @ Kennedy 7:00 p.m.18 Long Beach 6:15 p.m.21 @ Calhoun 6:30 p.m.

January4 Great Neck South 6:15 p.m.8 Herricks 6:30 p.m.11 @ Elmont 4:30 p.m.15 Carey 6:15 p.m.18 Kennedy 6:15 p.m.25 @ Long Beach 4:30 p.m.29 Calhoun 6:15 p.m.

February1 @ Great Neck South 6:45 p.m.5 @ Herricks 6:30 p.m.8 Elmont 6:15 p.m.11 @ Carey 4:30 p.m.

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By STEVE SINISKI

C oach Dan Keegan expects last sea-son’s experience to bode well for a team he expects to not only chal-

lenge for a playoff spot, but to earn one, after falling short in each of the past two campaigns. “We bring back a really experienced and cohesive group,” Keegan said. “I’m confident we’ll benefit from all the tough games we played last season. I think we’re a playoff team, but nothing comes easy when Uniondale, Freeport, Hempstead, Farmingdale, Massapequa and Syosset make up your conference.” The Sailors will be tested every time they step on the floor, Keegan said, but with one of the top big men in Nassau County and a point guard ready to take his game to the next level, they could prove a handful. It all starts with senior 6-foot-8 cen-ter Hunter Sabety, an All-County selec-tion after averaging 18 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks per game. “As good as a player Hunter’s been the past two seasons, he’s infinitely better,” Keegan said. “He’s extremely tough in the paint at both ends of the floor, and he’s going to give us a matchup advantage.” Seniors Jonah Kaplan and Brian Lau also return to the frontcourt. Kaplan, who can hit a mid-range jumper and attack the basket, averaged 10 points and nearly six rebounds on the way to earning All-Conference honors. Lau is a gritty forward with an energy level that’s infectious, and he can score in the half-court offense or in transition. Running the show from the point guard spot is junior Casey Kelly, who has taken on a leadership role after holding his own as a varsity rookie. “The growth of his game has been astounding,” said Keegan, who is looking for junior guard Tim Nolan to make noise after leading the JV in scor-ing last season.

Depth, which is crucial to success in Conference AA-I, comes in the form of senior Connor Pisetti, and juniors Ryan Hertling and Patrick Broder.

Lady Sailors aim for better results

A strong senior class combined with some promising underclassmen, and a fine showing in the Freeport Summer

League has Lady Sailors coach Jason Man-ning optimistic about securing a playoff berth come February. “Getting back in the gym has been a nice outlet for everyone,” Manning said. “Some of the girls were greatly impacted by the storm. They’re anxious to start the season.” With Massapequa, Uniondale and Farmingdale usually battling for con-ference supremacy and the Nassau Class AA championship, gaining one of four playoff spots in AA-I is no easy task, Manning said. “We’ve been right there in so many games,” he said. “We need to be able to pull out the close ones.” Oceanside’s hopes are led by senior Woodlyn Daniel, who appears well on her way to becoming a four-time All-County selection. She averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds last season and is a defensive presence in the pain. “She’s an amazing player and student,” Manning said. “She has all the tools and is in the process of figuring out her col-lege situation.” Even the perennial contenders will have a tough time matching up with the duo of Daniel and senior Maggie O’Keefe inside. Daniel is 5-foot-11, and O’Keefe stands an inch taller. “Maggie improved in all areas, and she and Woodlyn are going to feed off each other,” Manning explained. Senior Emily Doherty, who missed last season due to injury, and junior Veronica Miller bolster the forward spot.

Taking over full-time at point guard is sophomore Claire McNamara, who got her feet wet at the varsity level last season. “It’s a challenge to beat the pressure other teams throw at us,” said Manning, “but Claire has a good handle on the ball. She can get the offense going and get everyone involved.” Having junior Jeanne Callalan at her natural position at shooting guard is a plus, Manning said, while seniors Danielle

D’Angelo and Ashley Engelhard can help the Lady Sailors up the tempo with their quick-ness.

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SAILORSOceanside seeks trip to playoffs



JONAH KAPLAN MAGGIE O'KEEFE

ScheduleBOYS

December14 @ Massapequa 7:00 p.m.21 Uniondale 7:00 p.m.

January3 @ Syosset 6:30 p.m.8 Hempstead 7:00 p.m.11 @ Farmingdale 5:00 p.m.15 @ Freeport 6:15 p.m.18 Massapequa 7:00 p.m.29 @ Uniondale 4:30 p.m.

February1 Syosset 7:00 p.m.5 @ Hempstead 4:30 p.m.8 Farmingdale 7:00 p.m.11 Freeport 7:00 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 Massapequa 7:00 p.m.21 @ Uniondale 4:30 p.m.

January4 Syosset 7:00 p.m.8 @ Hempstead 4:30 p.m.11 Farmingdale 7:00 p.m.15 Freeport 7:00 p.m.18 @ Massapequa 7:00 p.m.29 Uniondale 7:00 p.m.

February1 @ Syosset 7:00 p.m.5 Hempstead 7:00 p.m.8 @ Farmingdale 4:30 p.m.11 @ Freeport 6:15 p.m.

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By ANDREW McCLURE

I t was an up and down year for Sewan-haka in coach Jay Allen’s first year at the helm. The Indians got off to a slow

start, but, after working through some growing pains, showed signs of improve-ment midway through the season. With a nucleus of players returning, Sewanhaka should be very competitive in Conference A-II. Allen believes his team will be bet-ter prepared in his second season. “Last year was a little difficult, and I take all the responsibility for it,” he said. “We all share the same goal and understand one another a lot better. The players are more familiar with my philosophy, and I have a better feel for the players. We’re definitely more cohe-sive.” Junior guard Jabryl Chin, who had a pair of 16-point efforts as a sophomore, has improved considerably, and figures to be a top performer. Chin moves to shooting guard after spending most of last season at the point. Senior Sean Rust takes over point guard duties. Rust is a good playmak-er who should flourish in Sewanhaka’s new up-tempo style of play. Junior Phil Repelone is a solid shooter who can take his man off the dribble and get to the bas-ket. Junior forward Dominic Roberge is an excellent defender and solid rebounder. Roberge should be tough in the paint. Mar-cus King, a 6-foot-4 senior, has a good post-up game and will pull down his share of boards. Senior captain Matt Lugo’s ability to play multiple guard positions gives Sewan-haka flexibility. Sophomore Carlos Bodden is a versatile forward who can get to the rack and finish. Allen thinks he has the athletes to play a fast-paced style. “We really need to run the floor if we’re going to be successful,” Allen said. “The strength will be in our guard play. We’re going to look to create offense off our defensive intensity. We’ll

press the floor, and then get out on the break. We’re going to push the ball.”

Lady Indians back on the warpath

S ewanhaka entered the 2011-12 season looking to take a few more steps for-ward. It ended up taking a giant leap.

The Lady Indians won the Conference A-II championship and advanced to the sec-ond round of the playoffs. With a slew of returnees, expect Sewanhaka to be back in the hunt for the conference title in a league composed of Great Neck North, Hewlett, Bethpage, Plainedge, Glen Cove and Divi-sion. Coach Alex Soupios would like to see his program take it to another level. “Each year, we want to get a little better,” Soupios said. “We’d like to get to the Final Four this year. The girls know the expectations. It’s all about how hard they work. The atmosphere at practice has been a little more intense. There’s a lot of competition for playing time.” While Sewanhaka should have a balanced scoring attack, Shan-tell McCall, who averaged 10 points per game as a junior, will be looked upon as the go-to girl. McCall, a four-year varsity performer, has a knack for creating her own shot, and is handful for defenses when she goes to the hole. Senior Rachel Wisniewski, anoth-er four-year player, is a three-point spe-cialist. Soupios is impressed Wisniewski’s improvement on defense. Senior Katlyn Dempsey is the ulti-mate team player. Her ability to play mul-tiple positions gives the coach flexibility. Senior Danielle Georges is an outstanding rebounder who has improved her touch from the perimeter. Big things are expected from Mimi Niles. The hard-working sopho-more is a consistent shooter with excellent court sense. Sophomore Daniella Ford is the proto-typical point guard. Ford knows when to push the ball up the floor and when to pull

it out, and has the ability to make everyone around her better. Ford is backed up by junior Jenny Pechacek. Junior Lianna Sor-rentino provides depth in the backcourt. Casey Hayes, a 5-foot-10 freshman is strong on the boards and has a soft touch around the basket. Juniors Renee Daley and Myeishay Brooks, and freshman Dani-ella Weinschreider will all contribute.

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SHANTELL MCCALL

SEAN RUST

ScheduleBOYS

December14 Great Neck North 4:30 p.m.18 @ Plainedge 4:30 p.m.21 @ Division 6:30 p.m.

January4 Glen Cove 4:30 p.m.8 @ Hewlett 7:00 p.m.15 Bethpage 4:30 p.m.18 @ Great Neck North 6:45 p.m.25 Plainedge 4:30 p.m.29 Division 4:30 p.m.

February1 @ Glen Cove 6:30 p.m.5 Hewlett 4:30 p.m.11 @ Bethpage 6:30 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 @ Great Neck North 7:45 p.m.18 Plainedge 4:30 p.m.21 Division 4:30 p.m.

January4 @ Glen Cove 6:30 p.m.8 Hewlett 4:30 p.m.15 @ Bethpage 6:30 p.m.18 Great Neck North 4:30 p.m.25 @ Plainedge 4:30 p.m.29 @ Division 6:30 p.m.

February1 Glen Cove 4:30 p.m.5 @ Hewlett 7:00 p.m.11 Bethpage 5:00 p.m.

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By TONY BELLISSIMO

A t this time last season, South Side was on a mission to make a champi-onship run after a first-round play-

off upset made for a disappointing end to the 2010-11 campaign. The Cyclones, led by a talented and cohesive senior class, brought home the Nassau Class A title and finished with a record of 19-3. The loss of all but three players from last year’s roster make repeating a daunt-ing task, but coach Jerry D’Angelo expects his young team to benefit from a rugged non-conference schedule and improve every day. “We’ve got a very young team after graduating 11 players, and nobody’s giv-ing us a chance,” D’Angelo said. “But until someone knocks us off, we’re the defending champions. “A lot of teams, including Jericho, Ros-lyn and Wantagh, bring back most of their roster, so we have our work cut out,” he added. “We’re going to rely on condition-ing, hustle and chemistry.” D’Angelo built as tough a non-confer-ence and scrimmage schedule as he could, booking the likes of Baldwin, Uniondale, St. Mary’s, Amityville, and Kellenberg, and others, to challenge the Cyclones out of the gate. “The goal isn’t to be undefeated going into conference play,” he said. “It’s to get us working towards playing our best at the end of the season.” Seniors Dane Flaherty, Gerald Mitch-ell and Brendan McDerby all contributed during the championship march and will be asked to lead the way this winter. Fla-herty, due back in January after breaking a foot in the Nassau Class A soccer final, does all the little things well and can play multiple positions. The coach expects big things from Mitchell, who assumes a start-ing guard spot after providing an offensive spark off the bench in the past. McDerby is a hard-nosed defender with a high motor.

Junior Keith Ruiz, who can be explosive to the basket, is slated to run the point. Juniors Matt Pandolfi and Paul Pandolfi are key components up front, where fresh-man Alex Sorensen is bound to contribute.

Lady Cyclones upping the tempo

V ersatility and quick-ness are two things the Lady Cyclones

have going for them a sea-son after qualifying for the Nassau Class A playoffs, and coach Katelyn Dunn has high hopes bigger things can be accom-plished. “We’ve got a really tough schedule, but the goal is to win the conference,” Dunn said. “I feel like it can be a big year for us. We’re guard heavy, but everyone has something to contribute.” South Side, part of Conference A-I along with Garden City, Jericho, New Hyde Park, Roslyn, Wantagh and Westbury, will be playing at a quicker tempo compared to recent seasons and trying to make more things happen in transition. “We can run and press,” Dunn said. Though more players fit into the back-court plans, the team’s most experienced on the varsity court will work in the paint. Senior center Bridget Kiernan, who helped the volleyball team win a county champi-onship in the fall, can rebound, block shots and put the ball in the basket. “Bridget can put up double figures in points and rebounds every game,” Dunn said. The defensive pressure will be ignited by the backcourt with junior Juliana Hadjiyane and senior Charnae Jenkins serving as the sparkplugs. “We can put Juliana face-to-face on some-one and ask her to shut them down,” Dunn said. Jenkins, who will see time at the

point, takes pride in defense as well and brings a high level of intensity. Junior Jes-sica Hawley, a key member of South Side’s state championship soccer team, came on strong late last season and possesses an outside shot that must be respected.In addition to Jenkins, the coach expects senior Kristen Henschel and junior Julian-na Pellegrini to bring the ball up the floor

and run the point. Henschel, a transfer, has developed chemistry with Kier-nan, Dunn said. Leading rebounder Hannah Mer-rifield, a junior, returns at forward and is pushing for a starting role

along with junior Bridget McFadden, who can also play guard, and

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freshman Maria Karanosas.

CYCLONES South Side sure to be tested



GERALD MITCHELL

BRIDGET KIERNAN

ScheduleBOYS

December14 @ New Hyde Park 4:30 p.m.21 Wantagh 6:30 p.m.

January4 @ Jericho 7:00 p.m.8 Roslyn 6:30 p.m.11 @ Garden City 7:00 p.m.15 @ Westbury 6:15 p.m.18 New Hyde Park 6:30 p.m.29 @ Wantagh 7:00 p.m.

February1 Jericho 6:30 p.m.5 @ Roslyn 7:00 p.m.8 Garden City 6:30 p.m.11 Westbury 6:30 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 New Hyde Park 7:00 p.m.21 @ Wantagh 7:00 p.m.

January4 Jericho 7:00 p.m.8 @ Roslyn 7:00 p.m.11 Garden City 7:00 p.m.15 Westbury 7:00 p.m.18 @ New Hyde Park 4:30 p.m.29 Wantagh 7:00 p.m.

February1 @ Jericho 7:00 p.m.5 Roslyn 7:00 p.m.8 @ Garden City 6:15 p.m.11 @ Westbury 7:00 p.m.

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CYCLONES

By TOM JORDAN

I t doesn’t take long to figure out what kind of virtues Valley Stream Central coach Hayward Alfred values on the

basketball court. Ask him about the great-est strength of his team and he answers that they always play hard. Ask him about a specific player and he’ll tell you the kid hustles and plays strong defense. Ask him about his goals for the season and he says, “For all of us to get better as people and as basketball players.” There is no pretense to Alfred – no false bravado – and there can be no cutting cor-ners on a basketball court. To play the game right you have to hustle, you have to play defense and you have to work to get better every day. That kind of no-non-sense attitude will serve the Eagles well as they contend in a rugged conference that includes defending Nassau Class AA cham-pion Baldwin, East Meadow, Hicksville, and MacArthur. Last season the Eagles went through the ups and downs of a typical season, hung in there for a 6-6 finish and missed out on the playoffs due to a tiebreaker. Alfred’s plan to improve on that result? Hard work, of course. “We’re in a competitive conference,” Alfred said. “But if we guard and rebound, we’ll be in every game. “ The Eagles have a lot of returning tal-ent, including Lwimba Mulkuka, Jonathan Grimsley, Xavier Grier, Eriq Williams, Brandon Richburg. Alfred also expects 6-foot-3 sophomore shooting guard Winston Jones to be a contributor. Mulkuka is the key. He’s a 5-11 point guard, a good shooter, a distributor and a leader. Grimsley, 6-2, is an explosive senior guard that Alfred hopes to get out on the break. Grier, a 6-2 power forward, grinds it out on defense and hits the boards. Williams is a 6-5 for-ward who rebounds well and has range. Richburg, Alfred said, sets the tone for the defense and has a lot of upside. “Brandon

has grown up a lot and we’re depending on him,” Alfred said.

Lady Eagles hit the ground running

L ady Eagles coach Mary Parisi feels a need for speed. With much of her start-ing lineup from last season’s 9-5 team

gone, Parisi has little time to acclimate a group of new players to the rigors of var-sity basketball. She looked at her roster and decided one of its strengths was its ability to run – good team speed. So she immedi-ately began cultivating that skill; the Lady Eagles worked on their transition game in early practices, and then their first scrim-mage was against the same Herricks team that knocked them out of the Class AA playoffs last season. “That was a good challenge for us early on,” Parisi said. She understood that it was a lot to ask of her young team to share a court with Herricks, but she also under-stands something else. “We still have talent,” Parisi said. “We lost a lot of starters and so we have to regroup, but we do still have talent. We have no big star, but I’m confident that if we get contributions from all five play-ers on the floor, we’ll be competitive.” Parisi’s plan includes getting out on the break and having a team that is “an all-around threat.” The nucleus of the team includes Brianna Hen-drick, Katie Dascher, Nia-Maya Outlaw and Kallie Demas. Hendrick, a junior, is the only starter returning from last year’s squad. She is a strong rebounder with a diverse offensive game; she can shoot from outside or drive to the hoop. Dascher, a senior, is a sharpshooter. Outlaw, a junior forward, is a strong defender. Demas, also a junior, will be a strong contributor at guard. The rest of the team is comprised mostly of freshmen and sophomores, so the experienced players will have to set the tone.

Either way, there’s no time to waste. They’ll have to hit the ground running. The schedule could be a grind with three-time defending Nassau Class AA champion Baldwin leading the list of con-ference foes.

EAGLES Defense leads way for V.S. Central



JONATHAN GRIMSLEY

ScheduleBOYS

December14 @ Hicksville 4:30 p.m.21 Plainview 6:30 p.m.

January4 @ Baldwin 7:00 p.m.8 MacArthur 6:30 p.m.11 @ Port Washington 6:30 p.m.15 @ East Meadow 6:30 p.m.18 Hicksville 6:30 p.m.29 @ Plainview 7:00 p.m.

February1 Baldwin 4:30 p.m.5 @ MacArthur 6:15 p.m.8 Port Washington 6:45 p.m.11 East Meadow 6:45 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 Hicksville 6:15 p.m.21 @ Plainview 7:00 p.m.

January4 Baldwin 7:00 p.m.8 @ MacArthur 6:30 p.m.11 Port Washington 6:45 p.m.15 East Meadow 6:45 p.m.18 @ Hicksville 5:15 p.m.29 Plainview 6:30 p.m.

February1 @ Baldwin 7:00 p.m.5 MacArthur 6:30 p.m.8 @ Port Washington 6:30 p.m.11 @ East Meadow 6:30 p.m.

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Good Luck VS Central Eagles

By TONY BELLISSIMO

A After falling short of the playoffs last season, Valley Stream North got practice off to a slow start but

for good reason. “We had six players for the first 10 days of practice because the football team went to the championship,” Spartans coach Fabian Jara said. “It’s a win-win for us, even if we don’t get off to the best start we’ll improve as we go. I’m looking for their confidence to carry over to basketball. “We’ll have size and toughness,” he added. “I think we’ve got enough talent to be a playoff team, but the addition of West Hempstead to our conference ups the ante.” In addition to the incoming Rams, North’s rivals in Conference IV are Roos-evelt, Seaford, Mineola, Clarke and Island Trees. Junior point guard Aaron Bonitto, who took over a starting role midway through last season, will steer the Spartans’ offen-sive ship. He can break the press and score, and has improved by leaps and bounds defensively, Jara said. “He put on some muscle and can jump through the roof,” the coach noted. Senior Anthony Martelli, who quarter-backed the football team to its first title game appearance in 31 years, is a four-year starter on the hardwood and an All-Con-ference winner. “We need to get Anthony the ball in spots where he can be success-ful,” Jara said. “He’s a strong shooter, and teams can’t really double him like they have in the past.” Curtis Mensah, a senior forward, can put the ball in the basket and finish fast breaks. He can play the point if necessary, Jara said. Also up front, senior twins Pat-rick Dinko and Chris Dinko will lead the effort on the boards and defensively in the paint. Junior Ricardo Richardson is pro-jected to start at center and brings a combi-nation of strength and athleticism.

Seniors Anthony DiClemente and Frank Trotta, as well as junior Chris Case, are three reasons why North should pos-sess more depth than a year ago.

Lady Spartans to rely on defense

O n the rise for quite some time, the Lady Spartans have become some-what of a fixture in the Nassau Class

A playoffs with three trips in four years. They threatened to go beyond the first round last season but suffered a hard-fought defeat at Sewanhaka. “We played a strong playoff game,” coach Geoff O’Connell said. “We just came up a few points short each quarter.” After graduating 1,000-point scorer Madeline Nelson and high-energy point guard Elyse Zappia, Valley Stream North will have a different look and approach this winter. “We want to continue being a postseason team, but we have to create a new identity,” O’Connell said. “We want our defense to dictate our offense, and use our athletic ability and spread the scoring around.” The Lady Spartans return a good deal of experience in seniors Dana Morgante, Alexis Contreras and Lauren Collura. Mor-gante enters her fifth varsity campaign, while Contreras and Collura are four-year performers. “They’re expecting to do well,” O’Connell said. Morgante, a guard with the abil-ity to play power forward, is a hard-working athlete who does whatever it takes to help the team, O’Connell said. “Dana’s not afraid to get physical, take a charge or dive for a loose ball,” he noted. “She’s a gamer who brings up every-one’s intensity level.” Big things are expected of Con-treras, a center/forward who is tough under the boards and can handle the ball and score.

O’Connell said 10-plus points and rebounds from her could be the norm. Collura is an accurate spot-up shoot-ing guard with good all-around skills and court vision. Junior TinaMarie Cassiano, who brings varsity experience, or junior Allanna McDougall, the top scorer on the JV squad last season, will both contribute at point guard. Junior Danielle Evangelista returns at forward and is a strong defender and rebounder who can chip in some points. Junior Chelsea Alexander-Taylor will be another presence in the paint. “We’re going to have a deep bench, and a conditioned and fit team,” O’Connell said.

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AARON BONITTO DANA MORGANTE

ScheduleBOYS

December14 @ Seaford 7:00 p.m.18 West Hempstead 6:30 p.m.21 @ Clarke 7:30 p.m.

January8 Island Trees 6:30 p.m.11 @ Roosevelt 6:30 p.m.15 Mineola 7:00 p.m.25 @ West Hempstead 4:30 p.m.29 Clarke 6:30 p.m.

February1 @ Island Trees 6:30 p.m.5 Roosevelt 6:30 p.m.11 @ Mineola 4:30 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 Seaford 7:00 p.m.18 @ West Hempstead 6:30 p.m.21 Clarke 6:30 p.m.

January8 @ Island Trees 6:30 p.m.11 Roosevelt 6:30 p.m.15 @ Mineola 4:30 p.m.25 West Hempstead 6:30 p.m.29 @ Clarke 7:30 p.m.

February1 Island Trees 6:30 p.m.5 @ Roosevelt 6:30 p.m.11 Mineola 6:30 p.m.

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By TONY BELLISSIMO

E ager to forget about last winter when his team struggled to just a pair of wins against Conference

A-III rivals, Valley Stream South coach Matt Johnsen put an emphasis on rebound-ing, defense and sharing the ball during camp and wants to see the concepts trans-late to games. “Last season was a huge disappoint-ment, and we need to get back to playing together,” Johnsen said. “We’re dedicating 20 minutes extra practice time to rebound-ing because we don’t have a lot of size, and we’re working on being more patient with the ball on offense.” The Falcons boast a talented backcourt with senior sharpshooter Diego Maldona-do and freshman point guard Dana King, as well as a promising supporting cast. Maldonado has NBA range from the out-side and can also drive his way to the bas-ket, and King’s speed will force opponents to play at a high pace. “Diego’s one of the best shooters in the county, and Dana’s got a great motor,” Johnsen said. “They’re interchangeable and will lead our press-break.” Junior William Knight, a key mem-ber of a JV squad that lost only once last season, is a quality shooter and passer in line for minutes at the point, while senior guard Jajuan Hernandez serves as the team’s shutdown defender. The frontcourt is led by senior power forward Nnamdi Nwaigwe, a three-year varsity performer who thrives doing all the dirty work. “He’s a strong athlete who can play with his face or back to the basket and brings all the intangibles,” said John-sen, who will use junior Demetri Badette and senior David Strickland at center, and senior Javon Grant at a forward spot. The conference has a different flavor after West Hempstead and Glen Cove departed, and Lawrence and North Shore joined the Falcons, Floral Park, Lynbrook

and Manhasset. Finishing no worse than fourth and making the playoffs, Johnsen said, is the No. 1 goal. “We’ve missed play-offs the past two seasons,” Johnson noted. “We have to get in.”

Lady Falcons leaning on work ethic

L imiting opponents to one shot per trip, and mixing zone and pressure defense is what Lady Falcons coach Danny

Drumm is hoping will keep the team com-petitive against a challenging conference schedule that got tougher with the addition of defending Nassau Class A champion North Shore. “However we do, it won’t be because of a lack of effort,” Drumm said. “We’ve got a group of hard-working athletes, and we could go 10 or 11 deep in most games. “The girls played in a summer league, and we’ll have seven non-league games under our belt before the conference starts, so those two things will help us,” he added. South, which won four conference games last season, features a mix of seniors and underclassmen. Senior cap-tains Erin Meaney, Jennifer Pace and Tri-cia Gulian bring varsity experience and leadership skills to the court, and they’re all reliable, Drumm said. Meaney is a returning starting forward who hustles all over the place and contributes as a rebounder and scorer. Pace, who filled a reserve role last season, will play starter minutes in the backcourt and give the team a defensive spark and secondary scoring. Gulian’s shooting ability gives the offense some range from the guard spot. “Everyone needs to chip in offensively,” Drumm said. Junior Janise Hernandez, a returning starter at forward with a quick first step to the basket who can run the floor, hit for 16 points in a season-opening non-conference loss to Valley Stream North. The offensive production was a positive sign, Drumm

said, as Hernandez also defends well and blocks shots. Up from JV, junior Daela Fra-ser shoots well and rebounds. Freshman Uju Nwaigwe has a bright future and will see lots of playing time as the starting center or power forward. She’s already hit the 6-foot mark, has good hands and a soft touch around the basket. Junior point guard Kayla Ward is a stu-dent of the game and makes smart deci-sions with the ball.

FALCONS V.S. South sets playoffs as goal



TRICIA GULIAN DIEGO MALDONADO

ScheduleBOYS

December14 Holy Trinity 7:15 p.m.18 @ Glen Cove 6:30 p.m.

January4 @ Lynbrook 7:00 p.m.8 @ Manhasset 6:15 p.m.11 Floral Park 7:00 p.m.15 @ North Shore 6:30 p.m.18 @ Lawrence 7:00 p.m.25 Lynbrook 7:00 p.m.29 Manhasset 7:00 p.m.

February1 @ Floral Park 4:30 p.m.5 North Shore 7:00 p.m.8 Lawrence 7:00 p.m.

GIRLSDecember10 @ Mineola 5:00 p.m.

January2 @ Hewlett 7:00 p.m.4 Lynbrook 7:00 p.m.8 Manhasset 7:00 p.m.11 @ Floral Park 4:45 p.m.15 North Shore 7:00 p.m.18 Lawrence 7:00 p.m.25 @ Lynbrook 7:00 p.m.29 @ Manhasset 6:15 p.m

February1 Floral Park 7:00 p.m.5 @ North Shore 6:30 p.m.8 @ Lawrence 6:15 p.m.

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By ANDREW McCLURE

W est Hempstead capped off the 2011-12 regular season with four consecutive wins to earn a Nas-

sau Class A playoff berth before getting knocked out by Great Neck North in the opening round. The Rams return their leading scorer and a slew of athletic players who should enable them to compete for the Confer-ence A-IV title. They face Roosevelt, Island Trees, Clarke, Mineola, Seaford, and Valley Stream North in conference play. Coach Ed Cosgrove believes the team’s best basketball will come later in the sea-son. “We’re a little bit behind where we would normally be at this point,” Cosgrove said. “We need to jell, but it’s not going to happen overnight. We’re going to play an aggressive style, and look to build our offense off of our defense. We’re pretty deep and very athletic. If we can stay healthy, we should be able to compete for the league title.” Senior Tyree Glascoe, an All-County honoree, returns at point guard. Glascoe, who averaged 20 points per game as a junior, has improved his shooting abil-ity. With opposing defenses looking to shut him down, Glascoe will look to set up senior Anthony Sookiasian and junior James Valerio, a pair of players who can score from the perimeter. If Sookiasian and Valerio shoot well, West Hempstead will be tough to beat. When the Rams look to play at a more rapid pace, senior guard Tayvon Hall brings incredible athleticism and quick-ness. Juniors Akil Phillip and Rasheen Johnson are athletic players who can make things happen on defense. Junior Darren Davy and senior Vinny DiLorenzo both like to bang in the paint and control the boards. Davy and DiLoren-zo each picked up All-Conference recogni-tion in 2011-12. Sophomore Anthony Beau-

brun is a big part of the present and future for the Rams. The 6-foot-2 slasher has been impressive in the preseason. West Hemp-stead will also get help in the frontcourt from seniors Michael Petrizzo and Devin Rockensies, and 6-5 junior Donovan Steele.

Defense to propel Lady Rams

W est Hempstead returns much of the nucleus of a team that went 4-6 in conference play in 2011-12 in what

was a very tough conference. With another year of experience, and a more favorable schedule, the Rams figure to be in the mix for a playoff berth when February rolls around. West Hempstead will compete with Roosevelt, Island Trees, Clarke, Mine-ola, Seaford, and Valley Stream North. Coach Chris Van Kovics believes his team will be competitive. “It all starts and ends with what we do on defense,” Van Kovics said. “We have to play solid on-ball defense, limit the second chances, and get after it. On offense, the girls just have to follow the blueprint; take care of the ball, move the ball around the perimeter, and put themselves in position to do something positive. It’s not how good you are; it’s how bad you want it.” Juniors Nicole and Jackie Christenson, a pair of All-Conference honorees, return to lead the Lady Rams. Jackie has the ver-satility to play in the paint or bring the ball up the court against the press. She’s also the team’s top outside shooting threat. Nicole is a presence in the post, shoots well from the wing, and, like her twin sister, has the ability to play multiple positions. Both have excellent court sense. Junior Kara Lynch is a prototypical, pass-first point guard. Lynch handles the ball well, and is strong on the drive and dish. She’s backed up by senior Miranda St. Hilaire, who is team’s quickest player. Senior Jackie Tartaglia is another versa-tile player who can play three positions. Tartaglia is an excellent rebounder who

welcomes contact. Senior Ashley Some-ria is a threat from the perimeter for the Rams. Junior Jamie Rodriguez is an excellent defender who makes life difficult for oppos-ing guards. Junior forward Taylor Freier-muth gives the Lady Rams size and tough-ness. Sophomore forward/center Jamie McSpedon is a tireless worker who does a little of everything.

RAMS West Hempstead in mix for top spot



TYREE GLASCOEJACKIE TARTAGLIA

ScheduleBOYS

December14 Clarke 4:30 p.m.18 @ V.S. North 6:30 p.m.21 Island Trees 4:30 p.m.

January4 @ Roosevelt 6:30 p.m.8 @ Mineola 4:30 p.m.11 Seaford 5:00 p.m.17 @ Clarke 7:30 p.m.25 V.S. North 4:30 p.m.29 @ Island Trees 6:30 p.m.

February1 Roosevelt 4:30 p.m.5 Mineola 4:30 p.m.8 @ Seaford 7:00 p.m.

GIRLSDecember14 @ Clarke 7:30 p.m.18 V.S. North 6:30 p.m.21 @ Island Trees 6:30 p.m.

January4 Roosevelt 6:30 p.m.8 Mineola 6:30 p.m.10 @ Seaford 7:00 p.m.18 Clarke 6:30 p.m.25 @ V.S. North 6:30 p.m.29 Island Trees 6:30 p.m.

February1 @ Roosevelt 6:30 p.m.5 @ Mineola 4:30 p.m.8 Seaford 6:30 p.m.

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Documents

Basketball 12-13-2012