BIG 10: South Side's title defense starts well

MSG Varsity's Gregg Sarra ranks the Top 10 teams across all Long Island high school sports.

1) WARD MELVILLE FIELD HOCKEY The three-time defending Long Island Class A champs have yet to take the field this season, but they’ll open at Northport today. Ward Melville, led by All-American midfielder Abby Beltrani, is again the top seed in Suffolk and Northport reached the semifinals last season.

2) SOUTH SIDE GIRLS SOCCER The defending Class A state champion, began its title defense with a perfect week. Freshman Christina Klaum had a hat trick against Hewlett on Sept. 14 and South Side has yet to allow a goal, while scoring 13.

3) ST. ANTHONY’S BOYS SOCCER The Friars defeated Ward Melville, 4-1, and opened the CHSAA season with a 1-0 win over St. John the Baptist.

4) WARD MELVILLE GIRLS VOLLEYBALL They have dominated Suffolk League I thus far, cruising to three-game sweeps over Commack and Sachem East. The Patriots have won six of the last seven county titles.

5) SACHEM NORTH FOOTBALL The Flaming Arrows enjoyed a 33-7 blowout of Patchogue-Medford in a Suffolk Division I opener. The team is ranked 8th in the tri-state MSG Varsity poll and has a tough test against Lindenhurst tomorrow.

6) ST. ANTHONY’S FOOTBALL The Friars wiped out a 14-0 deficit against State College High School (Pa.) and came back for a 28-17 win. They opened their CHSFL season with a 28-14 win over Holy Cross.

7) HALF HOLLOW HILLS BOYS VOLLEYBALL The two-time defending Suffolk champs season-opening match against Sachem North will determine if this team is worthy of the top spot in the boys rankings.

8) GARDEN CITY FIELD HOCKEY The Trojans began their season last Thursday with a 5-0 win over Seaford, which was undefeated in Conference III last season. Alex Bruno had two goals and an assist to lead Garden City. The Trojans, Class B champs, will visit Class A runner-up East Meadow today.

9) FARMINGDALE BOYS GOLF Defending Long Island golf champion Farmingdale hasn’t lost a step this season. Led by Matt Lowe, the youngest county champ in Nassau history, and Kyle Brey, the Dalers are 3-0 in conference IV play this season, extending their conference win streak to 31 matches.

10) WEST ISLIP GIRLS SOCCER After a 3-0 win over Islip in which the defending LI champions honored their late former teammate Alexis Pilkington, the Lions and goalkeeper Samantha Whitney are yet to allow a goal through four games and are off to a 4-0 start.

On the outside looking in: North Shore girls cross country, Brentwood boys soccer, Chaminade boys soccer, Ward Melville girls swimming, and Garden City girls swimming.

Big 10 rankings

FOOTBALL LARGE SCHOOLS
1. Sachem North (2-0)
2. St. Anthony’s (2-0)
3. Garden City (2-0)
4. North Babylon (2-0)
5. Freeport (2-0)
6. East Islip (2-0)
7. Floyd (2-0)
8. Connetquot (2-0)
9. Oceanside (2-0)
10. Farmingdale (1-1)

FOOTBALL SMALL SCHOOLS
1. Sayville (2-0)
2. Lawrence (2-0)
3. Lynbrook (2-0)
4. Seaford (2-0)
5. Islip (2-0)
6. Glenn (2-0)
7. Hewlett (2-0)
8. Bayport-Blue Point (2-0)
9. Roosevelt (2-0)
10. Babylon (1-1)

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
1. Ward Melville (2-0)
2. St. Anthony’s (1-0)
3. Smithtown East (2-0)
4. Massapequa (1-0)
5. East Hampton (3-0)
6. Lindenhurst (3-0)
7. Long Beach (2-0)
8. Eastport-South Manor (2-0)
9. Connetquot (2-0)
10. Glenn (2-0)

BOYS VOLLEYBALL
1. Half Hollow Hills (0-0)
2. Smithtown East (2-0)
3. Sachem North (1-0)
4. Massapequa (2-0)
5. Northport (1-0)
6. Eastport-South Manor (2-0)
7. Plainview JFK (1-0)
8. Lindenhurst (1-0)
9. Ward Melville (0-1)
10. West Islip (2-0)

FIELD HOCKEY
1. Ward Melville (0-0)
2. Garden City (1-0)
3. Shoreham-Wading River (1-0)
4. Sachem East (1-0)
5. Smithtown East (2-0)
6. Northport (0-0)
7. Manhasset (2-0)
8. Miller Place (2-0)
9. Sayville (0-1)
10. Massapequa (0-1)

GIRLS SOCCER
1. South Side (2-0)
2. West Islip (4-0)
3. Massapequa (1-0-1)
4. Sachem East (2-1)
5. MacArthur (1-0)
6. St. Anthony’s (3-0)
7. Northport (0-0-1)
8. Connetquot (2-1)
9. East Meadow (0-1-1)
10. East Islip (1-2)

BOYS SOCCER
1. St. Anthony’s (3-0-1)
2. Brentwood (2-0)
3. Chaminade (3-0-1)
4. Farmingdale (1-0-1)
5. Half Hollow Hills West (4-0)
6. Hicksville (1-0)
7. Commack (2-0)
8. South Side (0-0-2)
9. Newfield (2-0)
10. Smithtown West (2-0)

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
1. Sachem East
2. Connetquot
3. St. Anthony's
4. Calhoun
5. Harborfields

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
1. North Shore
2. Ward Melville
3. Northport
4. Syosset
5. Harborfields

GIRLS SWIMMING
1. Ward Melville (0-0)
2. Garden City (1-0)
3. Connetquot (0-0)
4. Long Beach (0-0)
5. Sacred Heart (0-0)

Big 10 Players of the Week

ALYSSA MILANO

Rocky Point, field hockey: The sophomore scored the first five goals of her career in a 7-1 win over West Babylon in field hockey. Milano scored three goals in the first half.

RON DENIG

Newfield, football: The junior middle linebacker had 13 tackles and led the Wolverines to a 12-0 victory over Riverhead in Suffolk Division II.

CHRISTINA KLAUM

South Side, girls soccer: The sophomore had a hat trick in a 5-0 win over Hewlett.

JESSE SCANNA

Sachem North, football: Senior middle linebacker had 11 tackles, including three for a loss, and scored three touchdowns in a 34-15 win over Lindenhurst.

HECTOR GUERRERO

East Meadow, football: He nailed a 48-yard field goal as time expired to give the Jets a 21-20 win over Farmingdale.

CHARLIE RAFFA

St. Anthony's, football: Senior quarterback had a 15-yard touchdown run and added a 60-yard run that set up a Mike Schillizzi touchdown in a 28-14 win over Holy Cross.