Thursday, October 1, 2026
It was a banner season for not only the New York Knicks but also for many high school athletic teams in the Herald’s coverage area. Listed are the top team accomplishments, in chronological order.
Seaford girls soccer
It was a full-circle moment for Kaylie Conklin and 11 other Seaford seniors. Conklin scored off a rebound in the 11th minute of the Nassau Class A girls’ soccer championship game Nov. 1 and that’s all the offense the Vikings needed to capture their second county title in four years, 1-0 over Plaindege. The lone goal originated from a corner kick off the foot of Meghan Stovall, and Grace Cullingford was credited with the assist. Goalkeeper Caden Calderaro had the shutout.
Oceanside girls soccer
Fresh off its first county title in 45 years, Oceanside’s girls soccer engineered another historic victory Nov. 2, fending off surging Syosset, 2-0, to repeat as Nassau Class AAA champions. The Sailors won it behind a lights-out performance from goalkeeper Ella Murray and goals from Ava Bowers and Gianna Visone. Bowers scored unassisted in the 9th minute and assisted on Visone’s insurance goal in the 51st minute. Oceanside also took its first Long Island title, defeating Northport 1-0 on Cathryn Evans’ overtime goal Nov. 8.
South Side girls soccer
South Side had to work overtime and beyond to capture its third county title in the past five seasons. For a second straight game, the Cyclones needed some penalty kick magic to emerge as Nassau Class AA girls’ soccer champions. After battling top-seeded Garden City to a 1-1 draw through 80 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of overtime in the final, they outscored the Trojans 4-3 in PKs Nov. 2. Molly Barry, South Side’s sixth shooter, delivered the golden PK goal and immediately jumped into the waiting arms of goalkeeper Abby Gruner, who not only made two dynamic PK saves but also scored.
South Side girls volleyball
South Side’s 32-year wait ended. The Cyclones won the New York State Class A girls’ volleyball championship Nov. 22, outlasting Williamsville South 25-22, 18-25, 25-18, 18-25, 15-12 in Glens Falls. It was their second state title in program history and first since 1993, when the program captured the Class B crown. The decisive fifth set embodied everything about the Cyclones’ resilience. They fell behind 5-1 before storming back with a 7-2 run sparked by two kills and a serving ace from Keira Mullaney. They led 8-7 at the side switch, and after Williamsville tied it at 11, the Cyclones seized control by scoring four of the final five points to claim the title.
Seaford football
To win a county championship, the Seaford football team needed to exorcise some demons. On Halloween, the Vikings suffered their lone loss of the season to a scary good Plainedge team at their intimidating home stadium. In a true team effort, Seaford put the memories of that defeat to bed by defeating the Red Devils, 21-7, to capture the Nassau Conference IV title Nov. 22. Seaford’s opening statement was a 12-play, 65-yard drive in which quarterback Michael Spinella (165 yards, two touchdowns) went 7-of-8, connecting with Mark Villeck and Peter Barone as well as Brian Falk, who capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to put the Vikings in front.
Wantagh football
Down 14 points to Bethpage early in the second quarter of the Nassau Conference III football championship game Nov. 22, Wantagh didn’t flinch. The fourth-seeded Warriors cut the margin to one by halftime and eventually built a 14-point lead of their own before holding on for a 28-21 victory over the Golden Eagles. Luke Martini had three offensive touchdowns and an interception on defense. It marked the first time in program history Wantagh has captured back-to-back county titles. It lost 19 players from last year’s Nassau Conference IV and Long Island Class IV championship team.
Massapequa football
Massapequa’s football team made history Nov. 28, defeating Ward Melville, 14-12, to win the Long Island Class I title. The Chiefs joined William Floyd as the only teams in the Long Island Championship’s 33-year history to win three consecutive Class I crowns. The Colonials did so from 2005-07. And Massapequa, which topped Oceanside for the Nassau Conference I crown, did it by going undefeated for the ninth time in program history and the second time in the last three years.
Plainedge girls basketball
The No. 4 seed in the Nassau Class A girls’ basketball playoffs left no doubt who’s No. 1. Junior-led Plainedge capped a sensational county tournament run March 6 with a resounding 48-28 victory over Floral Park in the championship game. “It’s really amazing and unbelievable,” said Allison Younghans, who led all scorers with 17 points. It’s the second county title in five seasons and third all-time for the Red Devils, who beat Shoreham-Wading River for the L.I. title. Maddie Belz scored 10 points off the bench, and Peyton Wise and Michela Netto added 9 and 7 points, respectively.
South Side boys basketball
In a packed Farmingdale State College gymnasium March 7, South Side gave Roslyn a taste of its own medicine, dropping a season-high 82 points in capturing the Nassau Class AA boys basketball championship game by a 15-point margin. Roslyn averaged 75 points but was held to 20 in the opening half and 67 on the night as the Cyclones captured their second county title in four years. South Side went on a 22-2 run from the last bucket of the first quarter to the end of the opening half, to take a 32-20 halftime lead. Trevor Walsh recorded eight of his career-high 23 points during the surge, while Ryan Schmitt, John Pericolosi, Connor Erickson and Kieran Vetter combined for the other 14 points.
Baldwin boys basketball
It was a freak accident at a practice in early January when Rian Gittens heard the pop in his knee and immediately thought the worst. “I thought my season was over,” the senior forward said. It was another example of adversity in a season full of it for the Baldwin boys basketball team. So when the Bruins were slow coming out of the gate and trailed by 13 in the second quarter of the Nassau Class AAA championship game March 7, it was just the latest obstacle for Baldwin to hurdle. Enter Gittens, who in his first game back from a torn MCL provided the needed offensive spark to help top-seeded Baldwin defeat Port Washington, 47-40, to win a sixth consecutive county title.
Baldwin girls basketball
Baldwin’s once-comfortable 19-point lead over Walt Whitman in the Long Island Class AAA girls’ basketball title game whittled down to five with less than three minutes remaining when its lone returning starter from last season’s state championship team made sure it wouldn’t be her high school finale. Senior guard Alyssa Polonia’s long trey from the top of the key with 2:46 to go provided the dagger in Baldwin’s 54-46 victory March 11. Her four free throws in the final minute sealed the program’s eighth L.I. crown in head coach Tom Catapano’s 17 seasons at the helm. Polonia had a team-high 17 points, Malia Robinson added 11 and Ajeya Nicholas chipped in 8.
MacArthur flag football
Alexa Coppola caught a pass through the heavy rainfall from junior quarterback Gina Iannuzzi and toe-tapped in the back of the end zone to secure MacArthur’s first flag football county title May 23 at LIU Post over Plainedge, 13-9, in the Class B championship game. On fourth and goal from the 9-yard line, Iannuzzi rolled right and found a leaping Coppola, who got one foot down with just a few turf pellets between her toe and the white out-of-bounds line. The Generals went on to capture the L.I. Class B crown.
Massapequa girls lacrosse
Massapequa girls lacrosse ran away with the Nassau Class A championship May 27, defeating Syosset 13-5 to take the county title in convincing fashion. Savanna Appleton led the way with four goals and four assists. In a three-game playoff stretch that also included victories over East Meadow and Port Washington, Massapequa outscored opponents 43-10, a commanding run as the top seed. The Chiefs have won nine county championships in the last 11 years, including six straight since 2021.
South Side girls lacrosse
Tara Cody was unfazed when South Side’s girls lacrosse season hung in the balance in the final minute of the Nassau Class C final against Wantagh May 28. The senior goalie squared up for her second free position shot in a matter of minutes in a tie game, but unlike the first attempt Cody made a crucial low stick save. Cody’s clutch stop, one of her eight on the day, set the stage for more heroics at the other end of the field when freshman Juliet Diorio scored with just 2.3 seconds left to propel South Side to an 8-7 victory and a repeat county title.
Massapequa softball
Dropping three straight games to Oceanside didn’t faze defending Nassau and Long Island Class AAA softball champ Massapequa. The Chiefs, who fell twice to the Sailors during the regular season and dropped the best-of-three county championship series opener, stayed alive with a wild come-from-behind victory in Game 2 and kept the momentum going in the third and deciding game for a repeat. Samantha Dolan went 3-for-4 with five RBIs, Sienna Erker scored three runs and pitcher Alexa O’Mallon scattered five hits as Massapequa squeaked past Oceanside, 7-6, May 29 for its fifth county title in six years.
Wantagh boys lacrosse
Wantagh captured its third straight Nassau Class C boys lacrosse championship June 1, rolling to a 15-7 victory over South Side. Warriors goalie Gianni Passaro came up huge, making 15 saves. Martini, Matt Giacobello and Sean Stachlik each had three goals and one assist, Joe Nicholson and Carter Loughman had two goals and two assists apiece, and Devin Paccione had two goals to lead Wantagh’s high-octane offense. The Warriors advanced to beat Sayville, 12-11, for their second straight Long Island title but fell short of their ultimate goal of capturing a state crown.
Wantagh softball
It was fitting the Long Island Class A softball championship game ended with a strikeout delivery from Wantagh’s Lucy Olore. The junior pitcher fanned 12 and provided all the offensive support she’d need with a two-run single in the top of the first inning of the Warriors’ 3-0 victory over two-time defending champion Miller Place June 6. It was Wantagh’s third L.I. title and first since 1990 — also won on the same date that year.
Calhoun softball
Five days after capturing their first Nassau County title, the Colts added another chapter to the history books. Calhoun had never played for a Long Island softball title before June 6, but the Colts proved more than worthy of sharing the same stage with defending Class AA champion East Islip. Featuring a wicked curveball, sophomore pitcher Sophia Nicastro was dialed in. She struck out 14 and allowed only six baserunners in a dominant performance to lead a 7-1 victory.
Kennedy baseball
It was a dream season for Bellmore JFK baseball. After dramatically winning their first county championship, the Cougars claimed their first Long Island crown, defeating Hauppauge, 9-3, to win the Class AA title June 6. Ryan Yormack set the tone with a leadoff double in the first inning and scored on an error. A sacrifice fly by Matt Toliplano gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead. Dylan Babek got the win on the mound and Derek Yormack retired all six batters he faced for the save.
Plainedge baseball
With Plainedge’s Taylor Nitsch and Kings Park’s Everett Zarzicki on the mound, it wasn’t going to take many runs to come away with the Long Island Class A baseball championship June 6. And it was the bat of an unlikely source, Dylan Loccisano, who provided all the offense the Red Devils needed to capture their first L.I. title since 2012. The backup catcher’s two-run, bases-loaded single to right with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning was all Plainedge needed to secure a 2-0 victory.
Massapequa baseball
Massapequa ace Jack Scannapieco was back and made sure the Chiefs were back on top of the mountain, defeating Liverpool, 7-1, to capture the New York State Class AAA baseball championship at Binghamton University June 13. Scannapieco earned the win, allowing one earned run on five hits, while striking out five with one walk in five innings. Joe Genova went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored for Massapequa, which defeated Port Washington for the Nassau County title and Connetquot for the Long Island crown.
Massapequa boys lacrosse
The freight train known as Massapequa’s boys lacrosse team made one final stop in Geneva. The Chiefs’ offense hummed like a locomotive once again, producing at least four goals in every quarter of their 19-9 victory over West Genessee in the New York State Class A championship game June 14. Rocco Spallina had four goals to lead a balanced attack. Jake Byrnes and Nolan Wieczorek added hat tricks, and Tyler Byrnes and Dylan Milio chipped in two goals apiece as the Chiefs netted 19 for a third consecutive championship game. They beat Syosset, 19-5, June 2 for the Nassau Class A crown and took down Sachem North, 19-6, June 6 for the Long Island title.
