The Zallen Classic Memorial Tournament, held on Saturday, July 12, at Oceanside Park, honored the memory of Zachary “Zallen” Allen, an OHS graduate and baseball player. On June 15, 2022, Allen tragically died in a vehicular accident.
Allen had a vibrant and genuine personality that emulated a light to his family and friends. His love for baseball was channeled through the tournament as 12 teams and about 150 players came together to participate in what Zach loved.
This year’s tournament raised roughly $9,000 for the “Zallen” Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded to two Oceanside High School students with GPAs of 90 or above who show outstanding character and plan on attending a four-year SUNY college like Allen did.
The two scholarship recipients this year were Jake Ducorsky and Cassidy Cuccio. Jake is Alex Ducorsky’s younger brother of eight years. Alex, a close friend of Zach’s, started the Zachary Allen Memorial Tournament in 2023 to honor Zachary’s life and bring the community together to celebrate his memory through softball, something Allen loved to do. Jake was friends with Zach despite their age difference.
“Even though he was very young, Jake was very close to Zach,” said Ducorsky. “It’s really special that he was chosen by his teachers for the scholarship in Zach’s honor.”
The scholarship allows these students to carry on Zach’s legacy through their ambition in academics and their college journey.
The color theme of this year’s tournament was navy blue and gold, the same colors as the Oceanside Mariners travel baseball team. Allen, alongside Ducorsky and his other teammates, played for the Mariners together for years.
Ducorsky, and most of their friends from the team, participated in this year’s tournament. In past years, they had done other themes such as blue and orange for the Mets, a favorite team of Zach’s, as well as blue and red for the Rangers.
Since the first “Zallen” Classic Memorial Tournament, it has grown exponentially, now including food trucks and 26 raffles offering items from Mets tickets to a PS5 to various gift cards.
This year, WBAB 102.3 radio station joined the tournament events, where they played music, handed out prizes, and engaged with the community. Zach and his friend group were frequent listeners of WBAB’s music, which includes tunes like classic rock. Therefore, this year’s tournament was a particular treat for friends and family of Zachary.
Each of the 12 teams that played were connected to him or his family, including friends he grew up with or met in college. Additionally, there was a team especially composed of the fathers of Zach’s friends.
The winning team of this year’s tournament was Team Of Squad, made up of Zachary’s closest friends—including Alex himself.
The team delivered a storybook ending by defeating Team Mariners in a thrilling semifinal game, 9–8, and then edging Team Steimel in a dramatic 7–6 championship win.
Both victories were come-from-behind efforts that many attendees described as the two best games in the tournament’s three-year history.
The players on the winning team were: Zachary Camileri, Jake Ducorsky, Johnny Fitzsimmons, Alex Ducorsky, Thomas Goetz, Jake Manyin, Rob Barnett, Sean Regan, Jake Lombardo, Justin Fitzsimmons, Aidan Barry, and Anthony Difede.
“It’s a great day for the community to come out and support him,” said Alex. “At the end of the day, it’s to honor Zach.”
Zach’s father, Bob, delivered a touching speech at the end of the tournament, remembering Zach and all of his wonderful qualities whilst thanking the attendees for their participation in the events that showcased Zach and his memory.
“Even if you don’t know him, being at the tournament shows you who he was.”
To view full results and the tournament bracket, visit: https://thezallenclassic.com/pages/bracket.
