Eyes on the ball

Miller Place's Nick Avecedo concentrates on the ball, but was unable to execute the catch in a game versus Deer Park

Ward Melville football defeats Brentwood

Ward Melville defeated Brentwood football with a stingy defense plus an offense that came alive in a game played in front of a large homecoming crowd. The Patriots hammered out a 24-7 win over a team usually having a better football team. This was the PAtriot's turn at victory, bringing their record to 3-3.

Scoring in every period, the defense played an excellent game, making one mistake in the third period that led to Brentwood's lone TD.

Quarterback Patrick O'Hea was 2 for 3 in the passing game for 25 yards. Reflecting Melville's plan to run, he racked up 70 yards in 8 attempts and scored a TD. Frank Lucatourto ran for 110 yards on 20 attempts and had two TD's. Zach Zanone ran 80 yards in 15 runs, scoring a single TD. On defense, Michael Corie had 10 tackles and Mike Paul had five, three causing losses.

First football scrimmage of the new season

North Shore Football got underway today as many teams held their first scrimmages of the new season. At Mt Sinai High School, the Mustangs hosted Ward Melville, Port Jefferson, Comsewogue and Centereach. Using the artificial turf, four teams scrimmaged for each of four half hour periods. They were able to run first and second string team offenses and defenses. One team rested for each of the four period and the full scrimmage was complete by 7:30 PM. At the same time JV teams scrimmaged on adjacent fields. This was the first opportunity to scrimmage since practices started August 16th and many teams throught the county took full advantage Saturday.

Photographs are from WM vs Mt Sinai and WM vs Comsewogue.

New viewpoint for athletes

With the high school playoffs completed after a nearly three week run, I think I will display a track photo taken from a different perspective. I covered the Suffolk County Boys and Girls track Qualification Meet held at Port Jefferson High School. It is thru this meet that athletes qualified to represent Suffolk at the State level track championships the following week. The format of the meet matches the state meet, so athletes get used to the routine. On the first day, most of the running events are qualifiers for the second day finals, while the field events are finals.

One such event was the girls discus, an event dominated over the last few years by North Babylon's Vanessa Stewart. Her best throw was 131' 10", which beat her next opponent by nearly 15 feet.

Photographing the discus can be dangerous, generally requiring the camera to be positioned beyond the longest throw possible. In this case it meant being about 160 feet away from the throwing circle. I decided to place a remotely controlled camera at the edge of the circle, inside the screened enclosure, and fire the camera during all aspects of the throw. The accompanying shot was my reward.

SBU wins NCAA Lacrosse playoff

This past weekend saw action at Stony Brook where the Seawolves defeated Denver 9-7. With the score tied at 6, in the fourth period, SBU's Kevin Crowley came around from behind the goal and appeared to be stopped by Denver's defender. As Crowley was fouled on the play, he shot the ball over his shoulder, (the first photo) and scored the go-ahead goal. It was so quick and stealthy that it was almost missed until the referee held up his arms signifying a score.

In addition to Crowley scoring three times, Tom Compitello also scored three goals, including the one in the second photo to make the score 8-6. Stony Brook will play top ranked Virginia next week in the quarter final round to be played at Stony Brook's LaValle Stadium. Check back for photos then.

Three Village plays Massapequa

A sixth grade team from Massapequa played a shortened game against a Three Village lacrosse team on April 23 under the lights at Ward Melville HS. After playing several periods of regulation rules, the teams practiced man down on defense. Both teams alternated defense and offense to allow good practice at playing this part of the game.

There are about 30 photographs on my web page at http://www.islefoto.com/ui/3V_Lax/100423-6th-3v-lax/index.html. Or go to islefoto.com and click on SPORTS

Three Village Lacrosse downs Roslyn

The Three Village Lacrosse 3rd Grade team defeated Roslyn this morning on the WMHS Turf field. Photos from the game are available in one of three ways. See my web site at http://www.islefoto.com/ui/laxindex.htm; e-mail me at rorourk@islefoto.com for prints, or order a CD with printable game photos by emailng me as well.

Patriots Down Yorktown

April 10 Ward Melville High School defeated 9-4 Yorktown High School in lacrosse. The game continued a tradition dating back to the early 1980's. Will Mazzone scroed three times and also assisted on three others. Joe Bellavia had 14 saves to spearhead the defense. Melville goes to 5-0 on the season.

Melville lacrosse goalie has a good day

Joe Bellavia, Ward Melville High School's lacrosse goalie, had a fine day against Emmaus HS of Pennsylvania. The statistics showed 8 saves for the record, but several of them were exceptional!

Look for more good games as Joe is the last stopper for a vaunted defense that might be under heavy fire this season.

Patriots Lacrosse defeats Emmaus

Despite the cold weather ,Ward Melville notched their second win of the new season against visiting Emmaus HS of Pennsylvania, 10-5. A brilliant sunny afternoon balanced some of the breeze driven cold as the Patriots started slowly, down 2-0, before scoring five unanswered goals to take a 5-2 lead into the half. In the second half both teams had numerous scoring opportunities, with Melville scoring another five goals to complete their scoring.

In the first photo, Will Mazzone powers to the Emmaus' goal despite heavy defensive pressure. He scored twice and had one assist.

In the second photo, Nick Giampaolo looks for an opening to take his shot. He scored 3 goals in the game to add to his team leadership in goals.

In photo 3, James Cashin applies pressure to an Emmaus attackman in the first half.

Photo 4, Jimmy Ryan, a midfielder on defense. He also scored twice.

Well the snow continues to fall and fortunately I have no assignment today. At mid morning, my wife noticed some movement in a tree in a neighbors yard. To my surprise it was a hawk, most likely a Sharp-shinned Hawk. It sat in a tree overlooking the recharge basin behind our property, waiting out the snow like the rest of us. Or perhaps waiting for lunch to pass by in the form of another bird or a mouse. Based on its drab colors, designed I think to provide natural camaflage, it blended in with the bare trees quite well. Later, after my lunch, I looked again and it was gone. I felt happy to have been able to get a few pictures while it was still there. But I would have enjoyed it taking to flight so we might have seen its large wingspan, which is easily over 2 feet normally. Perhaps the bird will return to its newfound perch for further opportunities to feed on the local denizens which populate the recharge basin, a home to many.