Garden City, Ward Melville strong again
Ward Melville's Vanessa Pryor (7) battles Smithtown defender Meghan Rooney (26) for possession in the first half. (Sept. 25, 2010) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Guess what? Garden City and Ward Melville are still good. No matter how many great players they lose, it seems those field hockey juggernauts find a way to wind up in a familiar position: as champions.
Ward Melville won its fourth straight Long Island Class A title and Garden City earned its sixth in a row in Class B (that followed a 16th straight county championship). Teams like those -- that hoard plaques like cans in a pantry -- don't let a little thing like graduation stand in the way. And this season, most likely, will be no different.
And there's Massapequa.For years in Nassau Class A, it seemed the instructions when it came to championships were "Take one; pass it around." But in a class known for parity, the Chiefs are separating themselves. Massapequa won a second consecutive county title with a relatively young group and could be even better going forward.
In Suffolk, Southampton brings intrigue and a unique challenge for opponents -- and not just because the Class C finalist is now in "B." The Mariners have a boy on the team: Keeling Pilaro. Southampton received approval last month as Section XI determined the eighth-grader's size (4-6, 82 pounds) wouldn't pose an unfair physical advantage against girls.
"He's got incredible passion for the game," Mariners coach Kim Hannigan said of Pilaro, who played junior varsity last year after moving from Ireland. "Our girls certainly embrace him and other players respect him."
