Top 100 Long Island high school boys athletes of the 2010s
Sayville quarterback Jack Coan passes against Lawrence in the Long Island Class III football final on Nov. 28, 2014. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
This story was reported by John Boell, Sal Cacciatore, Nick Fessenden, Jordan Lauterbach, Owen O'Brien, Mike Ruiz, Gregg Sarra and Andy Slawson. It was written by Gregg Sarra.
ZAIN ALI, Half Hollow Hills East boys tennis
The 2013 Newsday Player of the Year qualified for the state championships five straight years. In his junior year, Ali won the Suffolk individual singles championship and led Hills East at first singles to its fourth consecutive Suffolk title, its first Long Island title and an undefeated season. He attended Tufts University.
MIKE ALMONACY, Brentwood boys basketball
A three-time All-Long Island selection, he averaged 18.4 points and 8.2 assists as a senior, breaking the program’s varsity all-time scoring record. He is currently playing at Southern New Hampshire University.
GARY ANDERSON, Bellmore JFK boys volleyball
Anderson was the centerpiece for Bellmore JFK in 2012 as the Cougars won their first Division II state title behind his nine-kill, eight-dig MVP performance. He totaled 329 assists, 279 kills and 190 digs on the season. Anderson led Bellmore JFK back to the state championship match in 2013.
TYLER ANDERSON, Bellmore JFK boys volleyball
Anderson followed in the footsteps of his brother, Gary, leading the Cougars to two consecutive trips to the Division II state championship in 2017 and 2018. After losing in the first appearance, Anderson propelled Bellmore JFK to the state title in 2018 and earned Nassau Player of the Year honors with 395 kills, 145 digs and 39 aces.
MICHAEL ANTIPAS, Ward Melville boys fencing
Antipas is a three-time All-Long Island fencer, including the 2014 Newsday Fencer of the Year, and two-time county individual champion. He went undefeated in dual meets in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons.
GERARD ARCERI, Smithtown East boys lacrosse
He was one of the most intimidating faceoff men to come off Long Island. He dominated in the circle and was a three-time All-Long Island selection. He even scored 11 goals off the draw as a senior and played at Penn State.
XAVIER ARLINE, Shoreham-Wading River football
The Hansen Award finalist led the Wildcats to the Long Island Class IV title as a dual threat from the quarterback position in 2019. He rushed for 2,319 yards and 41 touchdowns on 229 carries for an average of 10 yards per carry. He also passed for 11 scores and 1,237 yards, completing 58 percent of his passes. Most teams did not dare throw his way – and when they did, he had three interceptions. His lacrosse career also is exceptional in that he is a two-time All-Long Island second team selection before his senior season. The unstoppable UNC commit totaled 110 goals and 109 assists in his sophomore and junior years.
VITO ARUJAU, Syosset wrestling
He had a career record of 216-1, with his only loss coming as an eighth grader in the 99-pound state final in triple overtime. He earned four state titles, five Nassau crowns and captured his last 174 consecutive matches. He currently wrestles for Cornell.
STACEY BEDELL, Floyd football
Floyd's Stacey Bedell (21) puts his shoulder into would be Connetqout tacklers in the first half on Oct. 23, 2010. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Bedell had what is arguably the greatest performance in Long Island Championship history. He punctuated a brilliant career with an LIC-record 412 yards rushing and four touchdowns in a 54-47 win over East Meadow for the Class I title in 2011. The two-time Newsday All-Long Island selection ran for scores of 80, 80, 59 and 51 yards – one thrilling run after another. He also had 12 1/2 tackles in the title game. He shared the Hansen Award and the Cipp Award as Suffolk’s top halfback with Sachem North’s Dalton Crossan. As a junior, he had 1,658 yards rushing and 18 TDs while making 105 tackles and scoring two defensive touchdowns. He ran for 5,059 yards and 72 touchdowns in his career.
JESSE BERARDI, Commack baseball
The slick fielding four-year starter took away as many runs as he scored. His agility, anticipation and instinctive play at shortstop earned him the respect of teammates and opponents. He hit .414 with 19 RBIs and 16 runs scored while sporting a .521 on base percentage as a junior. He was the Newsday Player of the Year in 2014 and earned the 47th Yastrzemski Award given to Suffolk's top player. He batted .423 with 25 runs, and 13 extra base hits, including four homers. He accepted a baseball scholarship to attend St. John's University and the two-time All Long Island selection now plays in the Cleveland Indians organization.
MIKE BRANNIGAN, Northport boys cross country
Before Brannigan won Paralympic gold in 2016, he was a star at Northport from 2010-2015. The distance runner won the Federation cross country championship in 2014. His 2015 outdoor state two-mile record 8:42.92 still stands, according to tullyrunners.com. He still holds indoor Suffolk County records in the 3,200 and 5,000 meters and outdoor records in the one mile,1600, 3,200 and two mile, and he was part of the 4 x one-mile relay team that ran 17:06.92 in 2014.
BEN BROWN, Ward Melville baseball
Pitched 45 2/3 innings, striking out 67 and allowing just six earned runs and 17 hits. He was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2017 MLB Amateur Draft by the Phillies.
ADAM BUSIELLO, Eastport-South Manor wrestling
He is Suffolk’s only five-time state champion, earning state titles from 2015-2019. He finished second in the state as a Long Island seventh-grader – something never done before. He currently is wrestling at Penn State.
TJ BUTZKE, St. Anthony’s boys soccer
St. Anthony's TJ Butzke redirects a ball downfield during the second half of the CHSAA boys soccer state championship against Fordham Prep at Adelphi on Nov. 9, 2014. Credit: James Escher/James Escher
He won the Newsday Player of the Year award in 2014 after helping the Friars win their second consecutive state title. The forward had nine goals and seven assists that year despite facing constant double teams.
GREG CAMPISI, St. Anthony’s football/boys lacrosse
He was a Newsday All-Long Island selection for the Friars in football and boys lacrosse. In lacrosse, he was a dominant two-way player and captain who was comfortable on either side of the field, pushing the ball in transition and shutting down opposing offenses. In football, the quarterback earned the Joe Riverso AAA Co-Offensive Player of the Year in the CHSFL for 2018, totaling 3,231 yards and 37 TDs as St. Anthony's won the regular-season title. He currently is playing lacrosse at Harvard.
CHRIS CAPPAS, Kellenberg baseball
As a junior, he batted .370 with 30 hits, two homers, 10 RBIs and 23 runs as the Firebirds rolled to the CHSAA title in 2016. He also went 6-0 with a 1.15 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings. As a senior, he led the Firebirds to their second consecutive league championship. He allowed only one earned run in 39.3 innings and struck out 53. He also batted .434 average with three home runs and 23 RBI. He went to the University of Pittsburgh.
JOE CAPOBIANCO, Lawrence football
The two-time Newsday All-Long Island selection finished his three-year career with 8,024 yards passing and 100 touchdown passes, leading Lawrence to two LI Class III titles in the process. Cap made a name for himself as a sophomore in the 2011 LIC when he passed for an LIC-record 541 yards and a Nassau-record seven touchdowns in the Golden Tornado's 78-61 loss to Sayville, the highest scoring game in New York State history. He also threw for a Nassau-record 38 TDs as a junior.
JAKE CARLOCK, Babylon football
He was the special teams’ player of the decade for a Babylon team that won 24 games in a row in his junior and senior seasons. The two-time Newsday All-Long Island selection returned two kickoffs, five punts and five interceptions for TDs, leading the Panthers to the LI Class IV title in consecutive years in 2012 and 2013. As a senior, he earned Newsday’s Rob Burnett Award and the Cassese Award as the top defensive back in Suffolk. In his career he caught 55 passes for 1,013 yards and 22 touchdowns. He was equally important on defense where he totaled 16 sacks and 18 interceptions. After playing at Stony Brook and LIU Post in college, he signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2019, splitting the season on the practice squads for the Giants and Dolphins.
PATRICK CARTER, West Islip diving
He won two state championships, five Suffolk titles and holds the county record in the 6 and 11-dive events. He dives at Navy.
NICK CARUANA, Sachem East boys bowling
Caruana was named Newsday’s All-Long Island Bowler of the year as a freshman in 2013 and as a sophomore in 2014. He also made Newsday’s All-Long Island team in both 2015 and 2016. As a freshman, he had the best average in Suffolk (232), highest-series (815) in the county and led the All-Stars to a state title with a tournament high 1,450 series. In 2014, he broke the Suffolk record with a 236.33 average and led his team to its first state tournament since 2010. In the Suffolk championship tournament, he averaged a 256.67, with a 300 in Game 1 and a 299 in Game 2.
STEVEN CASALI, Sachem East football
He's the only player to sweep the major postseason football awards. He earned Newsday’s Hansen Award, Newsday’s Rob Burnett Defensive Player of the Year, Joe Cipp Jr. running back award and Bob Collotta linebacker award in 2012. A devastating hitter, he had 104 tackles and rushed for 1,895 tards and 20 TDs.
JACK COAN, Sayville football
Coan was a three-time Newsday All-Long Island selection from 2014-2016. His resume improved every year. As a sophomore, he passed for 3,431 yards and 40 touchdowns, including a 315-yard performance in the LI Class III title game. As a junior, Coan passed for 2,499 yards and 36 TDs and rushed for 1,275 yards and 17 scores. He had an historic LI Class III championship game with 227 yards rushing and 294 passing in a 59-15 win over Plainedge. As a senior, he passed for 2,162 yards and 33 TDS to earn the coveted Hansen Award as Suffolk’s top player and the Esiason Award given to Suffolk’s top quarterback. His career numbers; 9,787 yards passing, 128 TD passes and 2,551 yards rushing and 23 scores. He was Wisconsin's starting quarterback in 2019, helping to lead the Badgers to a Rose Bowl appearance.
BENNETT COHEN, Jericho boys fencing
Bennett Cohen of Jericho during a fencing meet on Jan. 19, 2017. Credit: Steven Ryan
Cohen was a three-time All-Long Island fencer and was the 2018 Newsday Fencer of the Year. He was a two-time individual county champion.
TREY COLE, Connetquot boys volleyball
Trey Cole finished 2019 with 198 kills, 119 digs 28 blocks and 19 aces for Connetquot, and was named Newsday Player of the Year. He will attend Pepperdine.
DALTON CROSSAN, Sachem North football
Crossan rushed for 2,216 yards, averaged more than 10 yards per carry, scored a school-record 38 touchdowns and led the Flaming Arrows into the Suffolk I championship game for a third straight season in 2011. Just as with the Hansen Award, he shared the Suffolk County Running Back Award with Floyd’s Stacey Bedell. Crossan played for University of New Hampshire and signed NFL contracts with the Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
ANDRE CURBELO, Long Island Lutheran boys basketball
He was last year’s Newsday Player of the Year as a junior, averaging 16.1 points, six rebounds, seven assists and four steals a game as LuHi won the Class AA Federation championship. He is a senior and looks to lead the Crusaders to another state title. He is committed to Illinois.
MATTEO DEVINCENZO, Port Jefferson wrestling
He was Long Island’s most dominant wrestler in the Division II state tournament. He was the first Division II state champ in 2014 and won again in 2016. He was a runner-up in 2015.
SHANE DEVINCENZO, Port Jefferson boys golf
After winning the Suffolk championship for the second year in a row in 2019, DeVincenzo placed second in the state tournament with a two-day total of 148. In his fourth straight state appearance, he marked a five-stroke improvement from 2018. DeVincenzo competes at Fairfield University.
ANTHONY D’ONOFRIO, Wantagh baseball
He was a two-time All Long Island selection, winning the Diamond Award presented to Nassau’s top player as a senior in 2018. The four-year starter batted .438 with 126 runs scored, 49 extra base hits, 73 RBI and stole 64 bases on 67 attempts. He led the Warriors to a state Class A title in 2017. In his senior season, he hit .512 with 41 runs, five home runs and 31 RBI. He is playing at Hofstra.
JACK DRISCOLL, Sachem North boys volleyball
Sachem North's Jack Driscoll plays the ball in the second game during the Suffolk Class A Volleyball final against Eastport-South Manor on Nov. 7, 2017, at Suffolk County Community College. Credit: Bob Sorensen
Driscoll provided the Flaming Arrows with elite play throughout his time at Sachem North. The senior setter was named Long Island Player of the Year in 2018 after compiling 368 kills, 54 aces and 47 blocks for the Division I state runner-up.
THOMAS DUTTON, Rocky Point wrestling
Suffolk’s first six-time league champion won two Suffolk titles and aa state title in 2015. He had 261 career victories.
BOBBY DUVNJAK, Manhasset boys lacrosse
The three-time All-Long Island selection was one of the toughest defenders to ever come from Long Island. He was the top-ranked recruit in the country as a senior and played at Harvard.
DEVIN DWYER, Garden City boys lacrosse
A two-time All-Long Island selection, including 2012 Newsday Player of the Year, the attack had 39 goals and 75 assists and led Long Island with 114 points that year in a state championship season. He had 34 goals and 61 assists as a junior. He played at Harvard.
DAKOTA EDWARDS, Sayville boys soccer
A two-time All-Long Island player anchored the Sayville defense that won the Class A state title in 2010. He earned the Newsday Player of the Year honors in 2011.
MARK FAELLO, Plainview Old Bethpage-JFK baseball
Mark Faello of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK delivers against Massapequa duringf the Nassau Class AA baseball finals on May 27, 2017. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
As a junior, he won the Diamond Award as Nassau's top pitcher after compiling a 7-0 record, 1.26 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings and hitting .372 with 23 RBIs and 22 runs scored. He struck out 19 batters in a no-hitter against Herricks. As a senior, he pitched to a 6-0 record with a 1.57 ERA, 82 strikeouts and a save in 53 2/3 innings. He added three homers with 22 runs scored and 13 RBIs at the plate, with a .916 OPS. He will play at Hofstra.
NICK FANTI, Hauppauge baseball
Fanti had one of the finest statistical seasons in Long Island history in 2015. As a pitcher he was nearly unhittable, and as a batter he was difficult to get out. He earned the Suffolk League V MVP award after he went 7-1 with an 0.67 ERA, struck out 87 in 52 innings and allowed only 14 hits. Fanti pitched back-to-back no-hitters against Glenn and Huntington, and his bid for a third straight no-hitter was broken up in the fifth inning against Bellport. He went 23 straight innings without allowing a run. He batted .541 with 40 hits, 27 RBIs and 35 runs scored for the Eagles, who the Suffolk League V title and finished with an 18-3 record. He was chosen by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 31st round of the major-league amateur draft and earned the Yastrzemski Award, given to Suffolk's top player.
MATTHEW FARBER, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK boys bowling
Farber was named to Newsday’s All-Long Island team in 2011 and was the Newsday Bowler of the Year in 2012. He had a Nassau-best 218.6 average in 2011, including a high game of 289. Farber rolled a high-series of 753 in Plainview JFK’s season finale in 2011 to help clinch the Conference III title. He set the Long Island record in 2012 with a 244 average and won the Nassau individual championship. He also bowled a 300 in that tournament – the 13th of his career. Farber capped his stellar high school tenure with a 1,244 series for the Section VIII team in the 2012 Sectional All-Star tournament.
STEVEN FERREIRA, Sayville football
He became Long Island’s all-time career leader for yards passing (6,411) and TDs (73) in 2011 and led the Golden Flashes to a 12-0 record, Long Island Class III championship and the Rutgers Trophy. In his senior season, he threw for 2,443 yards and 29 TDs with only five INTs.
JOE FLYNN, Ward Melville baseball
The two-time All-Long Island selection earned the Paul Gibson Award as Suffolk's top pitcher with a 6-0 record, 52 1/3 innings pitched, 73 strikeouts and a 1.07 ERA in 2015. He led Ward Melville to the League I title with a .509 average, 30 runs scored, 29 hits and five home runs. He walked 29 times and was hit by 11 pitches. He earned the Suffolk League I MVP. He currently is playing at Princeton.
JORDAN FREDERICKS, Lawrence football
The 2014 Thorp Award winner, given to Nassau’s top player, was a runaway for Fredericks in his senior year when he ran over and away from the competition. He rushed for 2,156 yards and scored 37 TDs as Lawrence beat Sayville, 40-35, in the LIC Class III final. In 2013, he gained 1,537 yards on the ground and scored an LI-best 34 TDs as Lawrence defeated Huntington in the LI Class III final, 41-32. The two-time Newsday All-Long Island choice finished his career with three LIC crowns, 7,500 all-purpose yards, 2,183 yards receiving and a Nassau-record 98 TDs.
MASON GATEWOOD, St. Anthony’s boys cross country
Almost no one challenged Gatewood during the fall of 2017. His senior year was capped off by a victory in the Federation cross country championships (15:52.4) and a 10th-place finish at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional (15:54.8), which qualified him for the Foot Locker National Championships in San Diego.
CHRIS GRAY, Shoreham-Wading River boys lacrosse
The two-time All-Long Island attack had 90 goals and 115 points as a senior for the Wildcats. He had 79 goals and 101 points as a junior and played at Boston University. He also rushed for 2,179 yards and 37 touchdowns as a senior on the gridiron.
DEVONTE GREEN, Long Island Lutheran boys basketball
Devonte Green of Long Island Lutheran dribbes against Gill St. Bernards at the 12th annual Big Apple Basketball Invitational at Baruch College on Jan. 19, 2015. Credit: Errol Anderson
A three-time All-Long Island selection and two-time Newsday Player of the Year, he averaged 20.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.7 steals per game as a senior. He played seven years of varsity basketball. He plays at Indiana University.
JONATHAN GOMEZ, Locust Valley wrestler
Nassau’s first two-time Division II state champion also was a three-time finalist who placed third as a freshman.
WILLIAM GORMAN, Mount Sinai cheerleader
A background in gymnastics provided Gorman with the foundation to become one of the most elite cheerleaders on Long Island in 2016. In his second year as a main base on varsity, Gorman, who coach Samantha Melella described as the "heartbeat" of the team, was at the center of Mount Sinai's county- and state-title winning routines and was Newsday's Cheerleader of the Year.
BEN HAMILTON, Center Moriches boys soccer
Hamilton was Newsday’s Player of the Year in 2017 after leading Long Island with 40 goals and adding 21 assists to lead Center Moriches to a 21-0 record and the state title. He also was an All-Long Island selection in 2016.
ADAM HEIDENFELDER, MacArthur baseball
As a junior, he posted a 6-1 record with a 0.92 ERA, 88 strikeouts and just 12 walks in 53 innings, leading MacArthur to the Nassau AA championship series with two scoreless outings in the playoffs and two 17-srikeout games in the regular season. He earned the Diamond Award, presented to Nassau’s best pitcher, in 2013 and 2014. The 6-5, 220-pound fireballer had a 6-1 record as a senior with 95 strikeouts in 50 innings and allowed only three earned runs for an 0.42 ERA.
JAKE HEMPE, Newfield boys fencing
Hempe was the Newsday Fencer of the Year in both 2017 and 2019 and was the Suffolk Fencer of the Year in 2018. He won an individual county title in all three of his varsity seasons and went 125-3 in dual meets over this span.
AIDAN IGIEHON, Lawrence-Woodmere Academy boys basketball
Lawrence-Woodmere's Aidan Igiehon prepares for slam during the NYSAIS High School Class B boys basketball final where Lawrence-Woodmere defeated Dalton School at Fieldston Schooll in Bronx, New York on Feb. 24, 2019. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
Currently playing at Louisville, he averaged 26 points, 18 rebounds and six blocks in the NYSAIS ‘B’ championship as a senior. The dominant 6-10 center from Ireland was one of Long Island’s top basketball recruits of the decade.
STEPHEN JAHELKA, Garden City lacrosse
A hard-nosed defender, he was the anchor of a defense that only allowed 35 goals in seven playoff games when he was named Newsday Nassau Player of the Year in 2011. He was also an All-Long Island football player and played lacrosse at Harvard.
ANTHONY KAY, Ward Melville baseball
The senior lefty, who won the Gibson Award in 2012, led Ward Melville to its best season in program history. Kay went 7-2 with 87 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings and threw Ward Melville's first no-hitter since 1991. Kay was drafted by the Mets in the 26th round in the 2013 MLB Draft, then again by the Mets with the 31st overall pick in 2016, and made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays in 2019.
RYAN KEENAN, Smithtown West boys lacrosse
The two-time All-Long Island selection had 46 goals and 55 assists as a senior in 2014 to earn Newsday Player of the Year. He had 97 points (53 assists) as a junior and played at Penn State.
DAVIEN KUINLAN, Plainedge football
He earned the 2015 Thorp Award after setting the single-season and career Nassau rushing and scoring records. He scored 40 TDs to set the Nassau mark, and he showcased his running ability with a record-breaking 485-yard rushing performance against Glen Cove in a 56-34 win to capture the Nassau Conference III title. The two-time Newsday All-Long Island pick finished his senior season with 2,781 yards rushing, moving his career total to 6,894 total yards. Kuinlan also threw for 1,355 yards and 12 more scores. Expectations were high after a junior year in which he had 2,304 yards rushing and 31 TDs and another 1,200 yards passing and 11 TDs.
DYLAN LAUBE, Westhampton football
Laube rushed for a school-record 2,152 yards and 40 touchdowns as a junior in 2016. He also returned four kicks for touchdowns and led the Hurricanes to the Suffolk III semifinal. Laube had 11 TD runs of more than 45 yards and became only the third player in LI history to score 40 TDs in one season. His senior year was a heck of an encore. He set the Long Island record for TDs in a season with 47 and had 2,680 yards rushing as the Hurricanes went undefeated and earned the Long Island Class III championship with a 54-26 win over Lawrence in 2017. The two-time Newsday All-Long Island selection finished his career with 6,495 yards rushing, 1,234 receiving yards and 120 touchdowns.
IAN LAVIANO, Cold Spring Harbor boys lacrosse
The 2017 Newsday Player of the Year led Nassau in points (107) and goals (68) as a senior and was a part of three straight state championship teams. The two-time All-Long Island selection plays at Virginia.
JOSH LEVINE, Cold Spring Harbor boys tennis
Cold Spring Harbor's Josh Levine competes in the NYSPHSAA tennis tournament on June 4, 2010. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
Levine captured back-to-back state titles in 2011 and 2012, and his five individual championships were a big part of Nassau tennis's domination of the state scene in the last decade. Levine also was named Newsday’s Player of the Year three times from 2010-2012.
CHAVAUGHN LEWIS, St. Mary’s boys basketball
He was the top scorer in Nassau in 2011 at 24.8 points per game and led the Gaels to a 29-1 record and their first state CHSAA title since 2002. The 6-5 guard also averaged nine rebounds and posted five 30-point games during his senior year, including in the CHSAA final and the Federation semifinal. A two-time All-LI selection, Lewis also led St. Mary's to a CHSAA league title as a junior. He attended Marist.
SAVION LEWIS, Half Hollow Hills East boys basketball
Half Hollow Hills East's Savion Lewis puts up a shot against Deer Park during the Suffolk Class AA boys basketball final at Farmingdale State College on, Feb. 27, 2018. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Lewis was a two-time All-Long Island selection, including 2018 Newsday Player of the Year, and New York State Mr. Basketball in Class AA. He averaged 34 points as a senior and made 54 three-pointers. He scored at least 40 points in seven games his senior season, including 50 against Chaminade. He is playing at Quinnipiac.
JASON LOUSER, Shoreham-Wading River boys swimming
He won five state championships, winning the 100-yard breaststroke three times and 200 IM twice. He set the state record in the 200 IM (1:46.00) and 100 breast (53.94). He swims at the University of California.
KYLE MARTIN, Oceanside baseball
The 2016 Diamond Award winner and Nassau Player of the Year was the ace of the Sailors staff. He had a 7-1 record with 76 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings and a 0.99 ERA. He also hit .340 with six home runs and 22 RBI. He currently is playing at Fordham University.
JEFF MEDINA, Brentwood boys soccer
Jeff Medina of Brentwood. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Medina was named Newsday Player of the Year in 2012 after leading a Brentwood defense that only conceded eight goals in 23 games. He also earned All-Long Island honors in 2011.
MICHAEL MIRANDA, Middle Country boys golf
He was the only golfer to win three consecutive Suffolk titles. He shot a 149 after two days at Rock Hill Country Club in 2014 to complete the three-peat.
DYLAN MISSRY, Sachem North boys volleyball
Missry was a force at outside hitter and helped lead the 18-0 Flaming Arrows to a Class A state title in 2014. He recorded 305 kills and was named Newsday Player of the Year. He went on to play for UCLA.
BRIAN MORRELL, Shoreham-Wading River baseball
The five-year varsity starter became only the second two-time winner in the 50 years of the Carl Yastrzemski Award, given to the top player in Suffolk. He led the Wildcats to the League VII title and the county Class A crown. Morrell finished his career with a school-record 27 home runs, 162 hits and 124 RBI. He also won a school-record 29 games, struck out 303 hitters and fired six no-hitters. As a senior, he was 10-1 with a 1.23 ERA and 93 strikeouts and batted .500 with 44 hits, seven home runs and 39 RBI. He accepted a baseball scholarship to attend Notre Dame and also picked by the Phillies in the 35th round of Major League Baseball's amateur draft.
CHRISTIAN MULE, Half Hollow Hills West boys lacrosse
Finished with over 100 points for two straight seasons, tallying 56 goals and 46 assists as a senior. Scored six goals vs. Huntington and Bellport in his senior year. A crafty scorer, he was able to dodge defenders with ease and find the open man on the field. He currently is playing for Lehigh.
BROCK MURTHA, Sayville baseball
He dominated at the plate as a junior in 2019 with a .403 average, three doubles, 10 home runs, 27 RBIs and on the mound with a 7-2 record, 1.06 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings). The righthander, a Notre Dame commit, relished the big-time moments such as the Class A Long Island championship, when he tossed a no-hitter in a 1-0 victory over Clarke. He’s a two-time All-Long Island pick (2017, 2019) and the first freshman to earn All-LI honors.
LOGAN O’HOPPE, St. John the Baptist baseball
The Catholic League Player of the Year in 2018 was a three-year starting catcher who hit .434 with five homers, 43 RBIs and 42 runs scored for his career. He had 28 hits in 21 games as a senior and hit .467 with three home runs, 22 RBIs and 25 runs scored and a .621 on-base percentage for the CHSAA champions. O'Hoppe was drafted in the 23rd round by the Phillies.
BRENNAN O’NEILL, St. Anthony’s boys lacrosse
A two-time All-Long Island selection who still has his senior season to play, the attack had 56 goals and 16 assists last year as Newsday’s Player of the Year. He had 64 goals and 34 assists as a sophomore and is committed to Duke.
MIKE O'REILLY, Shoreham-Wading River baseball
O’Reilly won the 45th Yastrzemski Award, which goes to the best player in Suffolk, in 2012. He batted .467 with a school-record 17 doubles, 21 runs, four home runs, 23 RBIs and a .789 slugging percentage while striking out just six times in 90 at-bats. He also went 8-3 with a 1.24 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in 84 2/3 innings, allowing 46 hits and 19 walks while striking out 141. He allowed six hits, walked three and struck out a program-record 19 in a 3-1 loss to Plainedge in the Long Island Class A championship game. O’Reilly also hit two walk-off homers in the postseason and helped SWR win its second consecutive Suffolk Class A championship.
DYLAN PALLONETTI, Ward Melville boys lacrosse
The attackman was the leader of the Patriots offense and a multi-year varsity starter who scored 46 goals with 13 assists in his senior season of 2019. He was a talented dodger with a quick release and scored eight goals against Whitman and six goals against Floyd. The Suffolk Player of the Year currently is playing for Maryland.
ALEX PARK, Half Hollow Hills boys swimming
Half Hollow Hills' Alex Park swims the last leg of the 200 freestyle relay against Ward Melville on Jan. 21, 2016. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
He won three straight 200 IM state championships. As a senior, he also was a part of the state championship 200 free relay and 200 medley relay teams. He swims at Brown University.
MIKE PELLEGRINO, Connetquot football/boys lacrosse
Pellegrino was a two-sport star for the Thunderbirds, earning All-Long Island first-team honors in both football and boys lacrosse in each of his junior and senior seasons. He won the Hansen Award in 2010 after rushing for 1,363 yards and 18 touchdowns and recording 111 tackles (including 84 solos, 18 for loss, and nine sacks) and three forced fumbles at linebacker in nine games. He also led Connetquot to the Division I playoffs for three straight years. On the lacrosse field, he was a shut-down long-stick defender who drew the opponent’s top attack every game. He currently is the New England Patriots' cornerbacks coach.
NICK PICCININNI, Ward Melville wrestler
He was a five-time Suffolk champion and a five-time state placewinner, including four state championships. He had 226 career victories. He wrestles for Oklahoma State.
JUSTIN PLASCHKA, Hauppauge boys swimming
When he graduated in 2014, he had the state record in the 200 IM (1:47.83), 50 free (20.08) and 100 free (43.70). He won the 200 IM and 100 free state titles as a senior.
SHAKUR (COREY) RASHEED, Longwood wrestling
The two-time state champion also was a three-time Suffolk champ and a six-time Suffolk League I champion. He was a five-time placewinner in the New York state tournament and had a career record of 192-15. He went on to become an All-American at Penn State.
AARON RICE, East Islip boys bowling
He was named Newsday’s All-Long Island Bowler of the Year in 2018 and 2019, lead Long Island in average in both seasons (233.3 in 2018, 237.15 in 2019. Rice helped propel East Islip to a county title in 2018, bowled the second highest series of the year in Suffolk (797) and tied for the third highest game in the county (289). Rice capped off his senior season with another county team title and had the best six-game total of 1,436 (239 average) at the state championships in Syracuse.
ELIJAH RILEY, Newfield football
The 2015 Hansen Award winner was equally important to the Wolverines on offense, defense and special teams – he never came off the field. His three touchdowns led the Wolverines to the school’s second Long Island Class II title in five years with a 40-33 win over MacArthur. He had 1,089 yards rushing, averaged 11 yards per carry, and scored 19 touchdowns while catching 26 passes for 715 yards and 12 more scores. He earned the Cassese Award as Suffolk’s top defenseive back with 66 tackles and three interceptions. He is an NFL prospect as a four-year starter at defensive back for Army.
JACK ROSENCRANS, North Shore cross country
Rosencrans was a dominant force in Nassau in the final half of the decade. He won three Nassau county championships and was the fastest Long Islander at the 2018 state public school championships, finishing fifth in Class B and 15th overall (16:20.3).
TIM ROTANZ, Shoreham-Wading River boys lacrosse
The attack graduated with 450 points (245 goals) over five years, which was the third-best in Long Island history when he graduated. He led Long Island with 141 points and was named Newsday’s Player of the Year as a senior in 2013. He was a three-time All-Long Island selection and played at Harvard.
JEREMY RUCKERT, Lindenhurst football
The three-time Newsday All-Long Island selection was unstoppable on both sides of the ball. His impact was felt from the defensive end position, wide receiver and as the Bulldogs kicker. His career numbers over four years: 178 receptions, 2,718 yards receiving and 21 TDs. He also had 144 tackles, 11 sacks and kicked 101 of 110 extra points and 10 field goals. He was a co-winner of the Hansen Award in 2017, the same year he led the Bulldogs to the school’s first Long Island Class I title. He currently is one of two starting tight ends at Ohio State.
MATT SLUKA, Kellenberg football
Sluka led the Firebirds to two straight CHSFL AA titles and finished with a 22-0 record as a starting quarterback. He finished the season rushing for 1,131 yards and 22 TDs while also completing 69 percent of his passes for 14 TDs with only one interception. He was the CHSFL's AA Offensive Player of the Year in 2018.
BRANDON SOEDARMASTO, Division boys bowling
Soedarmasto was named to Newsday’s All-Long Island team in 2014, 2015 and 2016. He led Nassau in average each of those three seasons, with his highest average coming in 2016 (239.10). He was the Nassau Bowler of the Year in 2014 and won the county title with a six-game series of 1,389. He rolled a county-best 1,258 series during the 2015 postseason.
YUVAL SOLOMON, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK, boys tennis
Yuval Solomon of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
Solomon was a three-time Newsday Player of the Year and won back-to-back state championships in 2016 and 2017. He was a three-time Nassau champion, was the Nassau runner-up in 2014 and reached the state tournament with doubles partner Josh Young as an eighth-grader in 2013.
JOE SAVINO, Connetquot baseball
As a junior, the righty pitched three shutouts and was the key to the Thunderbirds' postseason run into the Suffolk Class AA semifinals. He had complete-game wins over Newfield and Bay Shore, allowing no earned runs with 15 strikeouts. He was 6-1 with 55 strikeouts in 49 innings and an 0.67 ERA. As a senior in 2019, he helped propel the Thunderbirds to the Suffolk title. Savino was 8-1 with six shutouts and a 0.74 ERA, including 3-0 in the postseason, and struck out 79 and walked two over 57 innings. The Gibson Award winner and two-time All Long Island selection currently is pitching for Elon.
A.J. SZILAGYI, Cold Spring Harbor boys fencing
Szilagyi is a five-time individual Nassau champion and was an All-Long Island fencer from 2009 to 2013. The 2013 Newsday Fencer of the Year went 168-12 in five varsity seasons
CHRISTIAN SZTOLCMAN, Chaminade boys swimming
He won the 200 free (1:37.21) and 100 free (44.62) at the 2018 state championships. He swims at Auburn.
JACORI TEEMER, Long Beach wrestling
Long Beach's Jacori Teemer celebrates his win over Fox Lane's Matt Grippi in the final of the Division I 152-pound weight class during the NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y., on Feb. 24, 2018. Credit: Hans Pennink
He was Nassau’s only five-time state champion and won five county crowns between 2014-2018. He had an unbelievable career record of 208-5. He currently wrestles for Arizona State.
EVER TORRES, Brentwood boys soccer
Torres was a four-time All-Long Island player from 2010-2014. He won a state title (2010), three county titles and two Long Island championships during that span.
INFINITE TUCKER, Huntington boys track
Tucker is the most dominant sprinter of the decade. As a senior, he won an outdoor national championship in the 400-meter hurdles and was a big part of both Huntington's indoor and outdoor 4x400 meter relay national championship team. Tucker still holds the Suffolk indoor record in the 600 meters and is part of the teams that hold county marks in the 4x400 meter relay and 1,600 sprint medley relay, according to suffolkxctf.com. He starred from 2012-2016.
DAN VILLARI, Plainedge football
The Thorp Award winner, presented to Nassau's top player, rushed for 1,505 yards and scored 25 touchdowns in 2019. He passed for 1,358 yards and 13 touchdowns and led the Red Devils to the Long Island Class III title with a 12-0 record. He also earned the Snyder Award given to Nassau's top quarterback.
MATT VOGEL, Patchogue-Medford baseball
The three-time Newsday All-Long Island selection from 2011-2013 finished his senior season with a 4-1 record, an 0.97 ERA, 64 striekouts and an 9.84 WHIP in 29 innings. The highlight of that year came when he threw a no-hitter and struck out 20 against Brentwood. Vogel was drafted in the 36th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks but chose to play college ball at South Carolina.
MATT VOWINKEL, Chaminade boys soccer
Vowinker was the Newsday Player of the Year in 2016. He scored 26 goals as a junior and 24 as a senior, helping the Flyers win the state CHSAA title both seasons.
MATT WEISS, Longwood football
A two-way force up front, Weiss helped plow the way for Lions to gain a record 555 yards rushing in the 2015 LIC. On defense, he made 27 tackles for loss, including eight sacks. He's the only two-time winner of the Bob Zellner Award given to Suffolk's top lineman.
JARRELL WHITE, Bellport boys basketball
The two-time All-Long Island selection averaged more than 20 points per game since his sophomore year, including 33 points and 15 rebounds a game as a senior. White had four games of more than 40 points and four games with more than 20 rebounds.
ETHAN WIEDERKEHR, Shoreham-Wading River football
He was the main cog on both sides of the line that led the Wildcats to three straight Long Island Class IV championships from 2014-2016. The three successive titles also included a 24-game win streak. The two-time Newsday All-Long Island pick was a force off the edge, where he disrupted passing lanes and recorded 19 pass deflections over three years. The 6-5, 290-pounder also totaled 202 tackles, including 44 tackles for a loss and 15 sacks. He earned the Zellner Award as Suffolk's best lineman and was a co-winner of the Rob Burnett Award presented to Suffolk's top defensive player in 2017. He is a starting offensive tackle at Northwestern.
BRIAN WILLETTS, Smithtown East boys lacrosse
Led Suffolk with 111 points (74 goals) as a senior, including the winning goal in the second OT to lift the Bulls to an 11-10 victory over Ward Melville in the Suffolk Class A final. A two-time All-Long Island selection, he finished his career with a school-record 314 points.
LUCAS WOODHOUSE, Harborfields boys basketball
Woodhouse was the floor general for Harborfields' state title team in 2012, averaging 16 points and 13 assists while double-doubling in 21 of 26 games. He was a two-time All-Long Island selection ('11 and '12) and was named Newsday's player of the year as a senior. He led the Tornadoes to three straight Suffolk Class A championships and two Long Island championships. Woodhouse played college ball at Stony Brook.
ADAM XIAO, Manhasset boys golf
Adam Xiao of Manhasset swings during the Nassau boys golf individual championships at Eisenhower Park on May 22, 2019. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Xiao is the only Long Island golfer to win four Nassau championships (2016-19). He won the state championship in 2018, the first winner from Long Island since 1996 (Jesse Fitzgerald).
TREVOR YEBOAH-KODIE, Garden City football
The two-time Newsday All-Long Island selection was the leader of a Trojans team that captured three straight Long Island Class II championships from 2016-2018. He never experienced a loss, winning 36 games in a row. Yeboah-Kodie was the catalyst for the Trojans' offense, rushing for 1,532 yards on 129 carries and 22 touchdowns as a senior. He also had a pair of returns for touchdowns and a receiving score. In his junior year, he had 1,264 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns. He also was a terrific lockdown cornerback and open-field tackler.
KYLE YOUNG, St. Dominic baseball
The CHSAA Player of the Year in 2016 and hard-throwing 6-11 lefty allowed only four earned runs in 46 1/3 innings with 71 strikeouts and 16 walks on his way to a 7-0 record as a senior. The Hofstra commit was drafted by the Phillies and chose to play professionally.
ADAM ZIMMERMAN, Deer Park boys bowling
Zimmerman was Newsday’s Bowler of the Year in both 2015 and 2016. He bowled a 300 in Game 1 of a 738 series in the first match of his junior season in 2015, his first 300 game at the varsity level and the 42nd of his career. Zimmerman then capped the regular season with a Suffolk-record 237.42 average, breaking the mark held by Nick Caruana of Sachem East (236.33). In 2016, he broke his own record by finishing the season with a 241.83 average. The Deer Park senior rolled a 263 in Game 2 of a 1,415 six-game series to win the high series award at the 2016 state sectional championship tournament.
