Top 10 cheerleading teams on Long Island
Mount Sinai's Tori Napolitano cheering with teammates during the Division II Large School section of the 2020 NYSPHSAA Cheerleading Championships at RIT in Rochester, N.Y. on March 7, 2020. Credit: Mike Heath
THE TOP TEN
MOUNT SINAI
Mount Sinai is one of the most decorated high school teams not only on Long Island, but in the country. Currently, Mount Sinai is the only team to be crowned back-to-back New York State champions in Large Varsity D2. The Mustangs have claimed four state championships, the most titles held by a single team in the state and six consecutive Suffolk titles. In addition, the Mustangs recently won their ninth Regional Championship on Dec. 12. Being no stranger to the top spot, Mount Sinai is one of the few programs on the island that has also claimed three national championship titles in program history. Senior Sophia Castilletti (main base), senior Tori Napolitano (flyer) and senior Brianna Rode (side base) continue to add to the success for the Mustangs.
ROCKY POINT
The Eagles are the most tenured championship cheerleading team on Long Island. For nearly two decades, Rocky Point has been one of the top teams on Long Island. The four-time UCA National Champions (2014, 2012, 2014, 2020), the most for any team on Long Island are also four-time Section XI (Suffolk) champions (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019). They earned the 2019 state title. They were undefeated in five straight regular seasons from 2016-2020. Seniors Marisa Coniglione, Giovana Improta, Cassidy Gerace and Amber Sanchez lead the Eagles this season.
SEAFORD
This program has been unstoppable for years, winning multiple Nassau titles. Seaford has won every competition including UCA’s Empire Regional scoring a 91.8, the second highest of the day against 113 schools. Seaford has always implemented and executed super elite stunts and pyramids. The Vikings were second in the state a year ago.
They are led by senior captain Megan Gilbert considered the best flyer in Nassau County. The five-year flyer has been a part of this team since she was an 8th grader and can execute any super elite stunt.
"Megan looks like she is floating," said Seaford coach Lisa Ferrari. "She can often keep a stunt in the air standing on a couple of fingers! She is a role model and an example of what a cheerleader should strive to be."
Senior captain Ava Albanese, a four-year varsity performer, is the main base and senior captain Alysia LoVerde rounds out the top of the team as a back spot.
SACHEM NORTH
The program has been a consistent powerhouse in Suffolk over the past five years. They took home first place in three events in December, including two local competitions and one UCA Regional competition. This year, Sachem North is putting out some of the hardest skills all around in stunting, tumbling and pyramids. Senior Grace Calabria, who is a five-year varsity member, has been a major part in the team’s success. She competes in some of the hardest tumbling skills, one including an Arabian through to full, and has been a reliable side base, bracer in pyramids and leader on the team. Senior Alyssa-Kate DiGiantomasso is also a five-year varsity member and has been key in the program.
MACARTHUR
A powerhouse in cheer, the Generals have been a county finalist in the small varsity-large school division since New York State sanctioned cheerleading as a sport. An overwhelming number of athletes tried out for the program this season, prompting school officials to move the team into the large varsity-large school division to challenge the athletes.
The defending Nassau champions return 10 seniors led by Kylie Zanelli in her fifth year on varsity. Her versatility and excellence at multiple positions makes her so valuable to the Generals. MacArthur earned the title of Northeast Regional Champions at UCA’s Empire State competition, beating out highly recognized teams like Rocky Point and Connetquot.
PLAINEDGE
The Red Devils have been at the top of the Small D2 in Nassau for the past three years.
They earned the Nassau title in 2020 and were the runner-up at the state championship event.
The Red Devils earned the school’s first state championship at the East Invitational Game Day Class C. Senior main base and captain Victoria Cannata performs all of the super elite stunting skills to perfection. She has been competing with a full twisting layout which enhances the team tumbling. Junior back spot Julia Zarra is a three-year athlete who also performs all super elite stunting skills and competes with a full.
HAUPPAUGE
Three members of the Small Varsity D1 State champions remain, and they have the Eagles at the top of the pack. The three captains are junior flyer Natalee Manteiga, junior main base Stella Manikas and sophomore flyer Nicole Sahaidachny. A sophomore-laden team looks to keep the Eagles in contention for another Suffolk crown.
FREEPORT
The Red Devils won the first two Small Varsity Division-1 titles this season. The team also won the Game Day competition at MacArthur HS. The team is performing super elite stunts, elite tumbling and their energy-packed H.E.A.T cheer is one of their best ever. Senior main base Makhenzie Jinks is a four-year varsity member and a part of the 2020 Nassau championship team that placed third in the state.
CONNETQUOT
The Thunderbirds placed second at the UCA Empire Regionals this season, scoring the highest of any Suffolk school in a combined division of D1 and D2 schools. Connetquot placed first in the Large Varsity Division combined at the last competition. They are led by senior back spot Abigail Molter, junior flyer Kayla Unterweiser and junior back spot Payton Rhodes.
SMITHTOWN EAST
There has been a steady climb for this cheer team. In 2019 they won the Suffolk title in Small D1. In 2020, the team competed in the large division for the first time in program history and placed third in Suffolk. Captain and senior flyer Aliza Campanile, senior back spot Geneva LaCorte and senior flyer Makenna Pitcoff lead the squad.
OTHER NOTABLES
DIVISION – A co-ed team that has placed well in Small Varsity D2 behind talented captains, junior main base Sofia Rella and junior flyer Danielle Kennedy.
EAST MEADOW - The Jets earned Nassau titles from 2017-2019. They’re young but talented.
MASSAPEQUA – A veteran stunt group led by seniors Lexi Goodman (back spot), Olivia Guido (flyer), and twins Kelly and Caroline Arent, who are both bases and elite tumblers will keep them in every competition.
OCEANSIDE – In the Sailors' first year of co-ed competition they’ve experienced big wins with senior main base Matthew Guglielmo and senior backspot Minzi Hong in the Small Varsity Non-Tumbling Game Day at UCA Empire Regional and three straight first-place finishes in Section VIII competition.
WANTAGH — Team captains and four-year team members Sophia Tsakos and Jessica Balkunas are leading a large group of underclassmen.
WEST BABYLON – The Eagles compete in the co-ed division and have won their first two competitions behind three senior captains, Olivia Barany (main base), Alyssa Barbaro (flyer), and Josh Wildermuth (back spot).
WHITMAN – The Wildcats perform in Small Varsity D-1 and are led by senior captain Carly McEntee. She is an athletic secondary base who allows her stunt group to hit elite stunts.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
