High school central

Dominique Soto didn't have much of a choice but to go behind the plate for the Miller Place softball team prior to its League VI game against Eastport-South Manor on May 1.

Soto, who is the Panthers’ regular third baseman, was tapped to play catcher by coach Danielle Hazen not only because she was capable, but because there was no one else to help fill the void.

“We knew she could do...

Savanna Juengerkes helped her sister Vanessa in a big way during Islip’s League V/VI crossover softball game against Sayville on Monday at Wing Elementary School.

Already leading 2-0, courtesy of Leslie Aubel’s two-run base hit in the bottom of the second inning, Savanna delivered a grand slam in the third off junior lefthander Julia Simpson to break the game open.

A six-run lead at...

Ok, it wasn't that much of an upset, considering we're dealing with the Suffolk Class B champs, here. But you have to admit ESM's prospects weren't looking good after this past month. Want proof?

March 22: Sayville beats Class A powerhouse Ward Melville. The entire girls lacrosse collective goes, 'oh, snap.'

April 13: Sayville manhandles Class C state champion Shoreham-Wading River,...

Well, that was fun.

This week, I got to see the human streak, Sydney Pirreca, in action, and spent half that game being afraid to jot anything down in my notebook, because every time I did, she'd zipped to the other side of the field. Mount Sinai = legitimate, opponents take note. Shoutout to their goalie, Julia Michaels, who's the best quote I've had in awhile (hey, it's the little things)....

High school hockey fans, the rumors are true.

For the first time in nearly 30 years, Long Island public high school hockey will have a true No. 1 team.

On March 23, the recently crowned Suffolk champs Connetquot-Sayville will cross the county boarder westward to take on Nassau’s Michelino champs East Williston-Jericho for a Long Island championship game hosted by the Town of Oyster Bay...

For Connetquot-Sayville, the third time was the charm.

Having finished second in the Suffolk County High School Hockey League in each of the last two seasons, the T-Birds finally came through in the championship series and earned a league title, shutting out Smithtown-Hauppauge at the Rinx in Hauppauge, 3-0, on Wednesday to sweep the best-of-three series.

“For three years we’ve been...

In a rematch of last season's Suffolk County High School Hockey League finals, No. 1 Connetquot-Sayville took the first step toward avenging last year's defeat, beating No. 2 Smithtown-Hauppauge, 5-2, in Game 1 of the best-of-three championship series, Monday at the RInx in Hauppauge.

Brandon Gennarelli scored two goals as the T-Birds never trailed. Connetquot-Sayville led 2-0 after the first...

Connetquot-Sayville and Smithtown-Hauppauge are usually rivals on the ice, but Monday some of their best players joined forces to help lead the Suffolk all-stars over the Hudson Valley all-stars in a come-from-behind 3-1 victory in Newburgh.

With the game tied at one early in the third period, Connetquot-Sayville’s P.J. Dimartino scored off assists from Smithtown-Hauppauge’s Daniel Nelson...

And just like that, the Bulls rushed to the top.

Smithtown-Hauppauge hockey, which is near the end of a grueling stretch of six games in 11 days to open the second half of the season, jumped from fourth place to first in Suffolk by winning the first five of those games—including four victories over the three teams that were ahead of them in the standings.

The Bulls (28 points) beat then...

Smithtown-Hauppauge hockey doesn't have much time to ease into the New Year as it tries to repeat as league champion, but the Bulls are poised to make a midseason charge.

Smithtown-Hauppauge, which sits fourth in the Suffolk standings, opens the second half of the season with six games in the next 11 days, beginning Sunday night against first-place Half Hollow Hills. After that, the Bulls...