fishing and walking along the beach are top activities at East Islip Marina THE SCOOP Community pride is a hallmark of East Islip "It seems that an inordinately high amount of people that grew up in East Islip they come back to East Islip," said Town of Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter The hamlet is known for multiple popular sites The 1,600-acre Heckscher State Park has numerous trails access to the Great South Bay and now offers glamping South Shore Nature Center Preserve offers educational programs and walking trails and Brookwood Hall Park hosts concerts and outdoor movie nights Deer also find peace along the water at East Islip Marina Park "East Islip is very close to Fire Island It's conveniently located to everything," said Darren Sebor of Howard Hanna Coach Realtors "Definitely the waterfront community is a big draw." Several new developments for seniors in East Islip include the recently town-approved 106-unit Benchmark Senior Living assisted living community slated for the site of the former East Islip Lanes bowling alley the hamlet was known as "east of Islip," and was part of the original 51,000-acre parcel Islip founder William Nicoll purchased from the Secatogue tribe the area was sparsely settled with farmers fishermen and people working in boat building lumbering and shipping industries and town meetings were held at The Pavillion Formerly the Great South Bay estate of George C Heckscher State Park was named for philanthropist August Heckscher who donated $262,000 toward the 1908 purchase of the property president of the newly established Long Island State Park Commission but the park was eventually approved by Gov Homebuyers today will find a mix of mostly Colonials with prices ranging from $605,000 and going up to nearly $3 million Homes along Jefferson Street in East Islip there were 91 home sales with a median sale price of $647,500 there were 104 home sales with a median sale price of $630,000 Sources: 2023 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS via InfoSparks by ShowingTime; LIRR This $2.7 million East Islip home is 5,063 square feet Credit: Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty this 5,063-square-foot Colonial features five bedrooms and 4½ baths a large gourmet kitchen with walk-in pantry and a family room with a floor-to-ceiling fireplace The 1.1-acre property includes an outdoor kitchen Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty This $1.9 million East Islip home is on a canal that leads to the Great South Bay Credit: Zillow Media Experts/Brianna Malgioglio This 5,000-square-foot contemporary home has five bedrooms Located in the gated community The Moorings on a canal leading to the Great South Bay the 0.93-acre property includes 200 feet of bulkhead with a boat lift This $799,000 East Islip home has four bedrooms Credit: Prime Real Estate/Matthew Wasserman two-bath Colonial is 1,800 square feet and sits on a 0.25-acre property stainless steel appliances and built in bar and solar panels The fenced-in property features a heated saltwater pool with a waterfall covered patio and a detached one-car garage The Newsday app makes it easier to access content without having to log in Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months The East Islip High School’s Mock Trial team is on fire after beating rival Northport High School to take the crown in Region VIII The statewide Mock Trial program and tournament is sponsored by the New York State Bar Association and funded in part by a grant from The New York Bar Foundation It brings thousands of high school students together each year to learn about the law practice public speaking and develop life skills The state tournament with eight regional teams takes place in Albany each May East Islip team members say besting their cross-county rival Northport High School was especially sweet after that team beat them in the  playoff round three years ago “We were all very motivated,” said co-captain Olivia Stepanenko.“When they announced our team as the winner Over the course of a long season of late nights and loads of coffee cake the team came up with the nickname of the “Eager Beavers.” Co-captain Delaney Demasi gives a lot of credit for the team’s success to the hard work of the newest team members kept memorizing things and being motivated to win,” she said “We deserve it because we’ve just worked so hard and put in so much effort And we’ve gotten so many new members that has made the season even better.” Club officer Michael Collina credits the team’s faculty adviser for creating a close-knit family atmosphere “This wouldn’t be a family if it wasn’t for Mrs who teaches social studies and debate at East Islip says her work with the Mock Trial program brings her such joy “This has been the most important part of my career teaching them that they can be more than they thought they could be,” she said “Learning these incredible skills and gaining self-confidence is what I love to see in the students © 2025 New York State Bar Association marks the 60th anniversary of the famed Long Island parade the Grand Marshal for this year’s 2025 milestone anniversary parade is Great River resident John Davis John Davis retired in 2018 after 33 years with a large transportation company He comes from a family that was keen on celebrating its Irish heritage during his formative years up-to-date news and views from Irish America with one great-grandmother living in the large Irish community in Nova Scotia before finding her way to the Big Apple whose family roots are mostly in Clones in County Monaghan after 39 years as a Finance Executive with a globally prestigious beauty firm the proud grandparents look forward to taking on their new role as part-time caregivers John the Baptist High School in West Islip in 1981 and earned a B.A in Political Science in 1985 from Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus in The Bronx where he was an integral member of the lacrosse team and football teams he joined the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 7 – Our Lady of Knock making his major degree the following year For Division 7 John has run the Children’s Fund which holds an annual Christmas party for less fortunate children in the area He also has run the Children’s Fund golf outing for ten years For the last 16 years Davis has been an officer of the Ancient Order Land Corporation which runs the business side of Division 7 in the past he both ran and was the emcee of the Annual Grand Marshal’s Ball in addition to being a longtime member of the John P Because of his longstanding involvement in the Irish community it is small wonder that Davis has received past honors he was named the Hibernian of the Year by AOH Division 7 he was one of the individuals who received an Irish-American Award of Distinction for Suffolk County As for the honor of being named Grand Marshal for the 2025 parade The Long Island native views the longstanding success of the parade as a testament to the area’s vibrant Irish community He said: “I believe the parade has lasted so long because we enjoy celebrating our legacy together and there is a genuine spirit of community there are so many extended families of Irish descent We are there for each other and enjoy observing our heritage along with being proud Americans the parade signifies the unofficial start of spring season From his own family upbringing of keeping stories and recipes of Ireland passed on from the generations Patrick’s Day Parade as an important vehicle to keep younger generations connected to their heritage and to keep alive the memory of the Great Hunger this year’s parade is keeping the tradition of holding the parade on the first Sunday of March in honor of the parade’s founder and chairman who served as chairman of the event from its founding in 1966 until his passing in 2006 a distinguished teacher in the Brentwood School District for over 30 years was also the primary founding member of the AOH Division 7 The parade will begin at the East Islip Public Library and travel west along Main Street The 1.35 mile parade route will have various Irish pipe bands a practice which was first allowed in the 2023 parade Members of the AOH Division 7 are proud to be called “Our Lady of Knock” as this Marian shrine in County Mayo has become both a tourist attraction as well as a popular destination for Catholic pilgrims from all over the world The shrine’s website offers mass cards at very reasonable prices and for diverse intentions even a special mass card to wish a student well in their exams John Davis is greatly looking forward to his role as Grand Marshal in the 60th anniversary parade He says: “The Hibernian motto is ‘Friendship-Unity-Christian Charity.' The list of what we support and give back to the community is lengthy It is all about giving back to help others.” He emphasizes that Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations are fun events and he encourages people to come to East Islip to celebrate the fun occasion of the parade Galway 1-17; Mayo 1-15 Galway won the battle but only time will tell if they win the war they joined the great side of 1963-66 who won four C.. Leinster 34; Northampton 37 Leo Cullen put up a great defense of his Leinster side following this shock defeat on home soil - had his charges perfo.. Pic of Day: It was a good day for sailing out of Dun Laoghaire Harbor and into the waters of Dublin Bay Developed and maintained by Soundlining News 12 New YorkDownload the AppWhere to WatchTaxing Long IslandMister Softee to open store in East IslipThis will be the first Mister Softee store to open on Long Island.News 12 Staff For the diehards, this is peak dedication — braving one of the coldest days in weeks for a swirl of soft serve. For the rest of us, we’ll be counting down the days until spring, when the thought of a double-dipped cone doesn’t come with a side of frostbite. Mister Softee officially opened a brick-and-mortar location in East Islip this weekend, bringing year-round access to sprinkle-packed cones, thick milkshakes and their classic chocolate-dipped swirls. “Oooooh I have to go!” exclaimed ice cream lover Emily Plassmann on Facebook, reacting to the news. The new shop is located at 195 Carleton Ave., inside the former home of Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe, which closed in January. The Mister Softee’s sign went up last month, marking the company’s expansion into storefronts across the Tri-State area. Pamala Ernst-Annunziato, an East Islip native, ran Pam’s with her brother, John Ernst, since 1985, taking over what was originally their family’s Carvel franchise, opened in the early 1970s. After nearly four decades, the siblings decided to sell the business and retire. View this post on Instagram A post shared by GLI | Greater Long Island (@greaterlongisland) Tap here to see what’s happening The East Islip Spring Craft Fair will now be held on Sunday April 27th 10-4 Advertise With Us Festivals & Events emailed to your inbox every Friday There are no statistics available for this player Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Sayville and East Islip faced off in a Suffolk flag football matchup on Wednesday Sayville's Trinity Ricevuto (15) scores a touchdown in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Alex Yacono (21) runs the ball in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) runs between Sayville's Camryn Quinlan (11) and Kiera Lombardo (2) in the first quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) gets by East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) and scores a touchdown in the second quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) runs in a touchdown in the second half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Elena Haakonson (6) runs the ball in the second half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Bianca Maitre (16) pulls in a pass for a touchdown in the second half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) throws a touchdown pass in the second quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Danika Tidridge (1) runs the ball I thinke second half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Ashley Alexander (10) prepares to snap the ball in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Danika Tidridge (1) goes between Sayville's Kyla Kastner (17) and Camryn Quinlan (11) in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Ella Trama (16) runs the ball in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) runs the ball and gets stopped by East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) in the first quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Trinity Ricevuto (15) makes a catch and gets stopped by East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) looks to pass in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Danika Tidridge (1) tries to get through Sayville's Kiera Lombardo (2) and Camryn Quinlan (11) in the first quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Trinity Ricevuto (15) stops East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday 2025 at 7:57 am ETLong Island's first Mister Softee shop opened on Saturday )Owner Jimmy Ilya opened the brick-and-mortar store after driving Mr NY—Long Islanders no longer have to wait to hear Mister Softee's jingle to know ice cream is around the corner They can now visit the franchise's first brick-and-mortar shop in East Islip Owner Jimmy Ilya opened Long Island's first Mister Softee shop over the weekend after owning and operating the nationwide franchise trucks since 2007 The new shop is located at 195 Carleton Ave. which housed Pam's Ice Cream Shoppe for over 40 years until owner Pamela Earnst-Annunziato closed its door for good in January Customers can choose from over 40 flavors of ice cream The menu also offers newbies like ice cream burgers was one of the first to get in line for a cone "There was a line outside and the customers were very happy," he told Patch Mister Softee in Islip is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m it's the largest franchiser of soft ice cream trucks in the United States with more than 625 trucks and over 350 franchise dealers operating in 18 states Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. The Irish flag is up at St. Mary’s in East Islip, a sure sign that the town’s beloved John P. Reilly St. Patrick’s Day Parade is now just days away. The 60th annual parade takes place on Sunday, March 2, stepping off at 2 p.m. in front of the East Islip Public Library. Parade participants will travel west along Main Street, passing by the grandstand at St. Mary’s RC Church, before concluding at Irish Lane. This year’s Grand Marshal, John Davis, will lead a procession filled with the sounds of bagpipe bands and emergency vehicles, along with marching community groups and colorful floats. Before being named Grand Marshal himself, Davis had helped plan the Grand Marshal Ball for 18 years. Below is some video from this year’s Grand Marshal Ball held earlier this month at Harp & Hound. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Harp and Hound (@theharpandhoundny) Well over 1,000 residents and visitors are expected to help create a sea of green along Main Street for the 90-minute parade A highlight of this year’s celebration will be a Food Truck Festival featuring favorite local vendors Food trucks will be stationed at both ends of the parade route parade-goers can enjoy offerings from Impractical Smokers The Big Black Food Truck and Charlie’s Hot Dogs Near the grandstand at the end of the route Caitlin Ropiak of East Islip winds up her pitch during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Freshman pitcher Caitlin Ropiak is exactly what East Islip softball needs her to be: Focused on the task at hand On Wednesday evening, Ropiak and her crew took a ride over to West Islip High School for a Suffolk League IV showdown with their crosstown rivals. Ropiak pitched a one-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts and also smacked a two-run home run to carry East Islip to a crucial 5-0 road win giving the team sole possession of second place in the league as it took her just 105 pitches (66 strikes) to complete the game She struck out each of her first six batters and retired each of the first 14 she struck out the side in order three times throughout the game Her only baserunner came with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning when West Islip sophomore first baseman Penelope Knoop lined a soft single into shallow right-center on the ninth pitch of the at-bat Ropiak was hardly disappointed after losing the potential perfect game as she did not even realize she was flirting with one to begin with “I don’t really think when I’m pitching,” Ropiak said and I know I have my teammates who are there to make all the plays so I could just pitch and try to strike the next batter out.” Though her pitching performance was almost spotless it was her bat that changed the entire complexity of the game after an RBI single by junior catcher Reagan O’Hara plated the game’s first run Ropiak stepped in and squared up the first pitch she saw roping a line drive through the wind and over the left-centerfield fence for a two-run shot to make it 3-0 After striking out in the first inning with the bases loaded I was a couple of seconds late,” Ropiak said I just stayed back and took advantage of the first strike I saw.” Sophomore second baseman Marisa Renganeschi was effective in setting the table for East Islip (5-1) The leadoff hitter finished 1-for-3 with a double She was one of three starters in East Islip’s lineup that did not even need to make a play in the field due to Ropiak’s gem “It’s a breeze playing behind her,” Renganeschi said junior pitcher Emily Bouros went the distance allowing just three earned runs on six hits while striking out 12 2025 at 7:09 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The body was found on Friday NY — A dead body was found on Long Island on Friday morning Police told Patch that homicide squad detectives are investigating a non-criminal death that occurred at Heckscher State Park on March 14 Sean Hannigan of East Islip makes his way to the net during a boys lacrosse game against Massapequa on Thursday Junior long-stick midfielder Grant Weiss stood in the middle of a pack of swarming bodies Suddenly he burst forward and intercepted a pass taking it downfield before dishing it to senior Ryan Parker who then flipped the ball back to senior Jack Kalinowski for the score A simple miscue gets turned into a play that gets spectators on their feet and there were plenty of examples in East Islip’s 13-6 home win on Sal Ciampi Field over Massapequa Thursday at Boomer Esiason Stadium The non-league game between the Nassau and Suffolk powerhouse programs marked the first time Massapequa (6-2) had allowed more than nine goals in a game all season despite the talents of star senior Michael Jannotte (15 saves) in the cage Midfielders Parker and Kalinowski were terrific on both sides of the field providing physical defense and while consistently contorting themselves to fire the perfect shot as each scored three goals Senior midfielder Brayden Black added four points while dictating the pace of the offense “Ryan is the engine that runs this entire school district,” coach Thomas Zummo said Jack is the happy guy and Brayden balances them out in between.” scoring six unanswered goals after Massapequa’s Matthew Pettis opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game responded with five unanswered goals and held at least a two-score lead for the rest of the afternoon Weiss added a goal of his own as a long pole scooping in a terrific feed from sophomore Sean Hannigan “It’s the best feeling in the world,” Weiss said Kalinowski and senior Vincent Fantauzzi all had two caused turnovers while senior defender Brendan McCaffrey and Brandon Rizzuto provided smothering defense all afternoon Senior Drew Walendowski made 13 saves in goal Hannigan led a first-line offense alongside two freshmen as senior captain Ethan Benardos sat due to injury three assists) supplied a wonderful goal through contact with 9:32 remaining in the game falling to the turf as spectators rose to applaud got by my guy and rolled inside,” Hannigan said It’s that toughness that makes East Islip such a tough opponent and it’s the trait that will matter the most come May and June for the reigning Suffolk Class B champions who look to earn a trip upstate “I think there’s not a team on Long Island that’s going to work harder than us put more time in the film room or put more time on the field,” Weiss said Michael Sicoli covers high school sports for Newsday He graduated from Quinnipiac in 2022 and left with a master’s degree in sports journalism in 2023 East Islip WR Danica Tidridge carries the ball up the sideline for a big gain against Kings Park in a Suffolk league II flag football game When East Islip coach Robert Sconone was recruiting players for the school's first flag football season he realized quickly there was one name he had to have on the roster "A bunch of the teachers told me about Danika and how great of an athlete she is," Sconone said of Tidridge "I actually didn't know who she was until February." Now she's the "hearbeat of our team," as Sconone describes her He said of East Islip's winter workouts "We were still trying to figure things out and all I see is Danika running by everybody Newsday's weekly newsletter takes you on the field and inside the high school sports scene across Long Island By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy "She loves the challenging parts of the game." When Tidridge saw the opportunity to play the sport she loves to watch with her family "I always loved watching football on the TV and my parents are big football fans," Tidridge said "I've been saying since eighth grade Tidridge has been making the most of the opportunity She had 175 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns to lead East Islip in a 24-6 victory against Eastport-South Manor handing them their first loss of the season in Suffolk II on Friday She also had 165 yards and the deciding TD on 15 carries in a comeback 7-6 victory against Kings Park on Monday Tidridge is Newsday's Athlete of the Week "She is helping this first group set the tone," Sconone said "She's happy to be at practice every day; she's laughing it makes it seem easy and worth it all." He added: "Danika's toughness and overall attitude is something I have rarely seen in an athlete We had a great lineman named Sebastian Regis play for us and she reminds me of that kind of greatness Tidridge loves playing in high-pressure moments "I do better when there is pressure on me," she said It encourages me to push harder to get those wins." But you won't just find Tidridge on the field pulling flags and scoring touchdowns She also scores goals for the school's soccer team in the fall The junior has committed to play Division I soccer at Boston College I've been working for this opportunity since I was 6-years-old," Tidridge said "The coaches are a big reason why I chose Boston College They see a lot in me and how I can help the team grow and improve." she is focused on making a deep postseason run for her hometown "This is where I grew up my whole life It holds a place in my heart," Tidridge said "We're one of the first flag football teams in Long Island I want to put on a show and make East Islip proud." East Islip WR Danika Tidridge takes the ball downfield against Kings Park in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday at Kings Park Pressure doesn't faze East Islip junior running back Danika Tidridge Tidridge had the game-deciding touchdown in a 7-6 victory against Kings Park Monday night in a Suffolk II flag football matchup She finished the game with 163 yards rushing and a touchdown on 15 carries She added 67 punt return yards in the victory but they're blocking on the outside,' but I saw a corner made a cut and got into the end zone," Tidridge said "It always comes down to the last minutes of the game and I just have to keep calm and make those big plays." "She's one of the best athletes I've ever seen; she's hard-working and tough," said East Islip coach Robert Sconone I just knew I had to get her the ball." Kings Park's Megan Kearney made an interception at the goal line looking to preserve a 6-0 lead and put East Islip's hopes away midway through the second half She found a gap in Kings Park's defense to make a 35-yard play and senior quarterback Lauren Glynn found Bianca Maitre for the extra point conversion to put East Islip (7-1) ahead "We were under pressure," Timbridge said "I got the ball and was looking to get into the end zone to get my team in the lead." I'm just looking to get in the end zone and I'm going to go get as far down the field as possible." Tidridge and Glynn led the team in flag pulls with nine Gianna Zawol found Kearney for a 20-yard touchdown at the two-minute mark of the first half to open up scoring for Kings Park (7-3) East Islip clinched a playoff berth in its first year of the program establishing itself as one of the better teams in the league "I couldn't be more proud of them and they learned all the formations and coverages," said Sconone It's their first one ever; I told them before the season they will have their picture on the wall because they are the first group." And a strong one at that East Islip WR Payten Tidridge carries the ball through midfield for a big gain against Kings Park in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday Kings Park WR Ava Kalberer's flag is pulled by East Islip DB Danica Tidridge in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday East Islip WR Danika Tidridge returns the kickoff through midfield for a big gain against Kings Park in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday East Islip WR Danika Tidridge weaves her way into the end zone for the touchdown late in the fourth quarter against Kings Park in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday reacts after catching the game-winning extra point against Kings Park in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday Kings Park QB Gianna Zawol gets the pass off against East Islip in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday East Islip QB Lauren Glynn completes the pass against Kings Park in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday Kings Park QB Gianna Zawol tries to avoid getting her flag pulled by East Islip DB Danika Tidridge in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday Kings Park QB Gianna Zawol gets the pass off under pressure from East Islip DB Sophia Aurrecoechea in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday East Islip WR Danika Tidridge carries the ball through midfield for a big gain against Kings Park in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday East Islip WR Sophia Aurrecoechea goes up to grab the pass against Kings Park in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday Kings Park WR Sopha Reyes takes the pass upfield against East Islip in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday East Islip WR Danika Tidridge carries the ball up the sideline for a big gain against Kings Park in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday Kings Park WR Megan Kearney takes the pass in for the touchdown against East Islip in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday East Islip WR Danika Tidridge takes the ball downfield against Kings Park in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday East Islip defeated West Islip in a Suffolk softball game on Wednesday Caitlin Ropiak of East Islip reacts after closing out the top of the inning during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Marisa Renganeschi of East Islip doubles at the top of the fourth during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Emma Taliercio-McNamara of West Islip grabs the ground ball for the out at first but Marisa Renganeschi of East Islip is safe at third during a Suffolk softball game on Wednesday Marisa Renganeschi of East Islip heads home off of the single of Reagan O'Hara of East Islip during a Suffolk softball game on Wednesday Kate Vessalico of East Islip drives a single during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Isabella Treanor of West Islip comes up to bat during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Alexa Ficalora of West Islip watches the pitch during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Alexandria Gangloff of West Islip dives for the catch and the out during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Christine Lombardi of West Islip comes up to bat during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Christine Lombardi of West Islip makes the catch in the outfield during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Reagan O'Hara of East Islip fouls the ball during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Alyssa Corso of East Islip drives a fly to the outfield during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Emily Bouros of West Islip throws to the plate during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Emily Bouros of West Islip grabs the ball as Emma Taliercio-McNamara of West Islip comes in for the play as well during a Suffolk softball game on Wednesday Reagan O'Hara of East Islip reacts after a single during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Alexa Ficalora of West Islip catches the pop up of Caitlin Ropiak of East Islip during a Suffolk softball game on Wednesday Juliet Aguanno of West Islip watches the high pitch during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Marisa Renganeschi of East Islip singles during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday East Islip defeated Massapequa in a Nassau boys lacrosse matchup on Thursday Luke Garguilo of Massapequa and Grant Weiss East Islip look to take control of the ball during a boys lacrosse game on Thursday Grant Weiss of East Islip celebrates with Ryan Parker of East Islip who just scored during a boys lacrosse game against Massapequa on Thursday Luke Garguilo of Massapequa is surrounded by the East Islip defense during a boys lacrosse game on Thursday Ryan Parker of East Islip shoots and scores during a boys lacrosse game against Massapequa on Thursday Ryan Parker of East Islip reacts after scoring during a boys lacrosse game against Massapequa on Thursday Braden Tucker of Massapequa winds up his shot during a boys lacrosse game against East Islip on Thursday Harrison Heckman of Massapequa shoots on goal during a boys lacrosse game against East Islip on Thursday Tyler Byrnes of Massapequa is defended by Brandon Rizzuto East Islip during a boys lacrosse game on Thursday East Islip celebrates its 13-6 win over Massapequa during a boys lacrosse game on Thursday Jack Kalinowski of East Islip charges down the field during a boys lacrosse game against Massapequa on Thursday Brayden Black of East Islip readies his shot during a boys lacrosse game against Massapequa on Thursday Grant Weiss of East Islip moves down field during a boys lacrosse game against East Islip on Thursday Goalie Michael Jannotte of Massapequa guards the net during a boys lacrosse game against East Islip on Thursday Goalie Drew Walendowski of East Islip reaches for the ball after making a save during a boys lacrosse game against Massapequa on Thursday Nolan Wieczorek of Massapequa is defended by Jake Berlin of East Islip during a boys lacrosse game on Thursday Goalie Drew Walendowski of East Islip stands in the net during a boys lacrosse game against Massapequa on Thursday Grant Weiss of East Islip grabs the ball as he is defended by Matthew Pettis of Massapequa during a boys lacrosse game on Thursday Brady Gilchrist of Massapequa during a boys lacrosse game against East Islip on Thursday Scenes from a Suffolk softball game between East Islip and host West Babylon on Wednesday to give coach Jason McGowan his 300th  careerwin East Islip head coach Jason McGowan coaches from the sidelines during a Suffolk softball game against West Babylon on Wednesday Sarah Caltabiano of West Babylon makes contact during a Suffolk softball game against East Islip on Wednesday Alyssa Corso of East Islip reacts after hitting an RBI double during a Suffolk softball game against West Babylon on Wednesday Alyssa Corso of East Islip crosses home for her team's seventh run of the game against West Babylon on Wednesday Marisa Renganeschi of East Islip takes a lead off of second during a Suffolk softball game against West Babylon on Wednesday Alyssa Corso of East Islip singles during a Suffolk softball game against West Babylon on Wednesday Delaney Crowe of East Islip crosses home plate to put her team up by five in the top of the second inning of a Suffolk softball game against West Babylon on Wednesday Sarah Caltabiano of West Babylon throws from the mound during a Suffolk softball game against East Islip on Wednesday Sophia Corso of East Islip bats during a Suffolk softball game against West Babylon on Wednesday Alexa Leonard of East Islip drives home a run to put her team in the lead during a Suffolk softball game against West Babylon on Wednesday Lauren Giudice of West Babylon takes a lead off of second during a Suffolk softball game against East Islip on Wednesday Caitlin Ropiak of East Islip pitches during a Suffolksoftball game against West Babylon on Wednesday celebrates his 300th win with his team after defeating West Babylon in a Suffolk softball game on Wednesday Remember that New Year’s resolution you just made Mister Softee is building a brick-and-mortar location in East Islip double-dipped swirls and milkshakes will be at your fingertips all-year long only to see the Mister Softee truck make a right The Mister Softee sign — marking a brick-and-mortar foray the company is embarking on across the Tri-State — just went up at the former Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe at 195 Carleton Ave. The place is all painted and decked out in neon Check back with Greater Long Island after we get in touch with the local purveyor This is believed to be the first Long Island brick-and-mortar location Although the beloved Pam’s shop was sold last month Mister Softee’s arrival will guarantee ice cream will continue to be dished out from this nondescript location moving forward And the space is going back to a franchise as it was first a Carvel location that the Ernst family opened in the early 1970s before later pivoting to Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe in 1985 That was when Pamala Ernst-Annunziato and her brother took over the family business and reopened it with my parents,” Ernst-Annunziato told us last month The two sold the business and retired to spend more time with family Top: The Mister Softee sign is up at 195 Carleton Ave East Islip places third at the NYSPHSAA Division I Bowling Championships at AMF Strike 'N' Spare Lanes in Syracuse Niko Stavropoulos ended his high school bowling career with a bang The senior bowled a 1,511 six-game series to help East Islip placed third in the state Division I boys bowling championships on Friday at AMF Strike ‘N Spare Lanes in Syracuse Arlington won the title with a total of 6,751 Stavropoulos rolled the third-highest series finishing nine pins short of Arlington’s Braden Cassidy who led the tournament with a 1,520 series but I didn’t expect that,” Stavropoulos said but the whole team put in so much work and we weren’t even expected to win counties this year averaged 251.83 on Friday and had a high game of 269 “His score would’ve been first place last year that’s how well he bowled,” East Islip assistant coach Mike D’Ambrosio said Greggory Stephens had a 1,282 series and averaged 213.67 Andrew Jacobsen and Brenden Muller each had a 1,235 series for a 205.83 average Jacobsen had a 223.71 average and Muller averaged 217.83 during the season “Niko was out of this world,” East Islip coach Judy Fischer said We’re just used to them bowling 700s in a three-game series but it didn’t matter because they never let it impact them It wasn’t a super day for them as far as their scores was led by Lucas Lam (1,314 series) and Chris Mann (1,277) who only started bowling when he was a sophomore “It was definitely a rough first game,” Mann said I couldn’t get in my own head and I just had to make the adjustments on the fly especially getting to do it in my last year.” Mann is joined by Anthony Francolini and Jake Piazza as graduating seniors coach Joe Bianca will have three returning starters next year Eighth-grader Riley Kolinsky had a high game of 248 Owen Yeung had a 214.60 average and Josh Sat had a high game of 225 Taking sixth in the state is a pretty good accomplishment for the team,” Bianca said.” We’ve got three starters coming back and they’re all in eighth or ninth grade 2025 at 10:03 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The drive is being held in the name of James Amoroso a longtime member of the Islip community who passed away from Acute Myeloid Leukemia NY —The New York Blood Center has announced an "urgent call" for blood donations after blood supply nationwide hit a "dangerously low" level with collections nearly 20 percent below hospital demand The NYBC is urging people to donate, especially those with types O+ and O- blood. According to the organization, O- is the universal blood type used in emergencies and the current supply has dropped to a critically low two-day level. In a press release the NYBC said it expects to collect only about 6,500 donations this week falling about 1,600 donations short of what is needed to maintain a safe and stable blood supply in New York school breaks and packed calendars have kept regular donors away—leaving donation levels dangerously low at a time when they should be ramping up More than 56,000 traumas are reported in New York State annually most occurring between May and September when accidents car crashes and violent injuries rise dramatically The Islip community is rallying to help and St Mary's Church Knights of Columbus #5252 are hosting a blood drive at 20 Harrison Ave The drive is being held in the name of James Amoroso Appointments are recommended, but not required, and can be scheduled here Eligible donors must have an ID with a signature or photo have gotten no tattoos in the past year and be 16 to 75 years of age (16-year-old donors require parental consent.) 2025 at 5:18 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Applebee's East Islip location has been revamped (Courtesy of Doherty Enterprises)EAST ISLIP NY — Applebee's has revamped a Long Island location and put new offerings on the menu Applebee’s in East Islip on Sunrise Highway revealed its fresh new look to the community in late February The Doherty-owned franchise also added new "Bourbon Street Favorites" on a "Big Easy Menu," including Cajun-style pasta dishes a Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp Skillet and the Bourbon Street Mushroom Swiss Burger The restaurant didn’t close for renovations which took place at night and in the early morning hours for several weeks as they occurred at night and in the early morning hours over the past few weeks Doherty will continue to renovate a "few other locations" later this year East Islip’s Dakota Collins rolled a 1,312 in six games the second best series of the state tournament on Friday East Islip wasn’t satisfied with a second-place finish at the state championship a year ago and worked all year to give themselves another opportunity to compete East Islip finished in fifth place with 5,706 pins at the state Division I girls bowling championship at Strike ‘N Spare Lanes in Syracuse on Friday North Rockland (Section I) placed first with 5,915 pins but it was difficult to get back here,” Dakota Collins said “We managed to come together and do it one more time.” Collins had the second highest series of the competition The senior’s 263 in Game 3 was the third highest “I walked in here with a lot of confidence after Thursday's practice,” Collins said but most importantly I wanted to help my team.” sophomore Meeya Leaderman rolled a 1,064 and junior Brooke Andresen had a 1,062 Andresen (213.166) and Collins (206.833) finished with the top three averages in Suffolk Leaderman raised her average by 45 pins from last season allowing East Islip to repeat as county champions “They didn’t like the results at states last year and worked as hard as they could all year to get back,” East Islip coach Rob Sconone said “They gave their best effort today and unfortunately we didn’t get the breaks we needed.” the Generals participation in the competition felt like a success “Last year we finished in second at the county tournament and over the past 10 years four times,” MacArthur coach Chris Leahy said “This was the group that finally got us over the top “We know what it’s like to get so close to the finish line and not be able to pull it off,” Buenaventura said “It felt amazing to break the cycle of coming up short in counties and have the opportunity to come up here as a team.” Buenaventura and Boder will represent Nassau in the composite championship on Saturday Collins and Leaderman will represent Suffolk “It was helpful to get a sense of the lanes today,” Buenaventura said In honor of community member Jim Kavanagh who is currently hospitalized and receiving blood transfusions the East Islip Fire Department is hosting a blood drive at 30 East Main St and be 16-75 years of age (16-year-old donors require parental consent.) 2025 at 9:15 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The vapes were seize on Sunday (Suffolk County Police Department)EAST ISLIP NY — A Long Island smoke shop employee was arrested on Sunday after selling tobacco products to a minor In response to numerous community complaints police conducted an investigation into the sale of alcohol and vape products to underage people at multiple businesses and found one establishment was found to not be in compliance an employee at City of Smoke on Carleton Avenue sold a vape atomizer to an underage person around 7:10 p.m. was charged with sale of restricted E-cigarettes to a person less than 21 the business was also found to be in possession of flavored vape products Over 1500 flavored vapes were seized from the location He was issued an appearance ticket and is slated to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on March 28 James Mendoza of East Islip react as his team closes in on a 55-42 win over Smithtown West in a Suffolk League IV boys' basketball game at East Islip on Wednesday Some sounds in the sporting world can be a real mood-killer much like the thud a rim makes after a missed free throw East Islip senior James Mendoza heard that thud twice on Jan To avoid hearing that frustrating sound moving forward Mendoza has shot 100 free throws every night since that day and Wednesday night offered him a chance at silencing that sound Mendoza posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds while going 7-for-8 from the free-throw line to lead his team to a 55-42 win He also blocked two shots in the win for East Islip (9-3) which leapfrogged Smithtown West (9-3) for third place in the Suffolk League IV standings “I feel like I let my team down in that Deer Park game so I’ve been in the gym working on my foul shot because I knew that one day it would come down to that again and today it did,” Mendoza said When paired with his physicality and finesse in the paint Mendoza’s success from the free-throw line makes him one of the league’s most dominant centers as East Islip’s first bucket of the night was a tough put-back layup through a foul by Mendoza four minutes into the game Mendoza made a nifty move in the low post and finished through another hack before yet again converting the free throw to give his team its first lead of the game The game saw eight lead changes and three ties through the first three quarters Mendoza twice gave his team a two-possession lead he put up a hook shot that touched every part of the rim before flushing in to make it 39-34 “James has a great knack for the ball inside he’s having a great day,” East Islip head coach Rob Schwender said senior guard John Talt found Mendoza open for the layup to go up 43-39 senior guard Justin Adames dumped it down to Mendoza in the post who banked it in to give his team a 10-point cushion — its largest of the night Talt was instrumental in the win as well with 16 points We lost a couple games early in the season and we’ve always known we were better than how we’d played Senior guard Kenshin Brown added 10 points in the win Smithtown West junior forward Casey Burton scored 13 points while junior guard Michael Cascione and senior center John Giotis added 10 points apiece 2024 at 3:35 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A unidentified woman entered East Islip Middle School via a locked door on September 5 NY — An unidentified woman trespassed during school hours at East Islip Middle School on September 5 An unidentified female entered East Islip Middle School through a door that was locked but had loose screws Security found the woman in the school hallway and escorted her out The woman remains unidentified and the Suffolk County Police Department was notified on September 6 In a letter obtained by Patch dated September 6 Superintendent of Schools Paul Manzo notified parents of the incident "We would like to inform you about a security incident that took place at the middle school on September 5th during school hours An unidentified person entered the building through an unsecured side door without authorization due to the vigilance of our staff and security team the individual was immediately intercepted and escorted out of the building without incident all staff members have been reminded to ensure that all entrances are properly secured throughout the day a thorough investigation was conducted by our District Securit Personnel in collaboration with a Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) School Resource Officer." The letter closed with Manzo voicing the district's commitment to student safety Manzo was not immediately available for comment Third Precinct Crime Section officers are investigating Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. East Islip’s Christopher Coleman defeats Hauppauge’s Andrew Solomon in the 170-pound weight class during a Suffolk wrestling dual meet on Wednesday at East Islip It was a moment Christopher Coleman will cherish for a lifetime The East Islip senior captain jogged to the center of the wrestling mat with first place and the Suffolk League IV dual meet title on the line It trailed by three and Coleman was the last man standing Coleman wasted little time in helping East Islip capture its third straight dual meet crown when he pinned Hauppauge’s Andrew Solomon in 1:46 The fall helped East Islip secure a 33-30 victory in Islip Terrace a four-year starter and the linchpin of a loaded East Islip wrestling team “He’s the right guy in that spot,” East Islip coach Mike Longobardi said a leader and the guy our team knows will come through in the clutch.” Coleman took Solomon down midway through the first period and worked his way into a headlock as the East Islip bench stood in anticipation of the win When he finally turned Solomon to his back all that was left was for the referee to punctuate the win with an emphatic slap of the mat The packed house exploded in cheer as Coleman’s hand was raised “We needed a major [decision] or a pin to win the league title,” said Coleman “I didn’t want to force a move and make a mistake and get caught It felt great when I hit the headlock and turned him.” East Islip won the first three bouts and led 12-0 before Hauppauge won the next six and took a 30-12 lead It went exactly how Hauppauge coach Chris Messina laid it out before the match “We have a powerful lineup from 101 to 138 and we needed to win all of those weight classes to be in this one,” Messina said “The strength of the East Islip team is in the middleweights through the heavyweights The much-anticipated bout between the top two seeds in the county came at 116 pounds where Hauppauge’s top-seeded Connor Sheridan and East Islip's second-seeded Rocco DeStefano squared off Sheridan gained the first takedown at 1:32 of the first period for the 3-0 lead and scored a reversal midway through the second period to open a 5-1 lead cutting the deficit to 5-4 with 31 seconds left But Sheridan got in deep on a single leg takedown attempt and ran out the clock for the one-point win East Islip answered Hauppauge's stretch by winning the final five bouts to earn the comeback trailed 9-2 against Hauppauge's Elijah Infante “I felt weak from cutting weight this week and I made a few mistakes early in the match,” he said “The blood timeout gave me a chance to catch my breath and figure it out The coaches were supportive and I went out and hit my move.” Alfalla worked his way back into the match with a takedown and trailed 9-8 with 1:33 left He hit a cradle and locked up Infante for the pin at 4:56 “He knows how to win and can hit that cradle at any time,” Longobardi said 2024 at 1:19 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}East Islip's Sachin Kamath is the 114th Eagle Scout in the history of Troop 205 of Great River NY — An East Islip Boy Scout recently earned scouting’s highest honor and will be recognized a ceremony in November completed his Eagle Board of Review on June 12,officially making him the 114th Eagle Scout in the history of Troop 205 of Great River Eagle Scout is the highest rank or achievement in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America approximately four percent of scouts have earned this rank after a rigorous review process of which 13 are specifically Eagle required progress through six rank advancements and plan and implement a major service project for the community "Becoming an Eagle Scout has been a significant part of my life My Scouting journey has been a time of self-discovery I have learned about who I am and what I stand for." Sachin has earned 41 Merit Badges and developed robotic clubs at JFK Elementary School and RCK Elementary School in the East Islip School District as his Service Project to earn his Eagle Scout status scoutmaster of Troop 205 which is sponsored by the Great River Fire Department On his "Road to Eagle," Sachin also served Troop 205 as an assistant patrol leader and troop guide assisting younger Scouts in their rank advancements Sachin spent 37 camping nights with his troop Some of his favorite experiences include camping at Baiting Hollow Scout Camp and Onteora Scout Reservation biking and hiking weekend at Indian Island County Park and ziplining at Camp Somers in New Jersey Sachin has also earned awards and achievements including the Webelos Arrow of Light as well as receiving the NOA Award for Camping Sachin is currently in ninth grade at East Islip High School where he's maintained High Honor Roll since sixth grade and was a member of the National Junior Honor Society demonstrating overall academic excellence in all four major subject areas and played first chair in band in sixth and eight grade He also earned a superior rating in 'Music in the Parks" and participated in jazz band and NYSSMA qualified for the Long Island Championships two years in a row and earned multiple awards for Robotics Team achievements He has logged 45 hours of community service hours through the troop in addition to Eagle Service Project including numerous community service events such as Keep Islip Clean and compiling stockings for the local hospital "My Scouting journey has taught me to approach each day with a purpose and enthusiasm knowing that every adventure and act of service brings me one step closer to make a positive difference in the world." who serves as a member of the Troop 205 Committee His Eagle Court of Honor ceremony is slated for Tuesday 2025 at 9:38 am ETThe fire broke out Monday around 6 p.m (Courtesy Anthony Frevola)(Courtesy Anthony Frevola)(Courtesy Anthony Frevola)(Courtesy Anthony Frevola)ISLIP NY — A fire devastated a business on Long Island Monday evening The Islip Fire Department responded to numerous reports of a fire at Pathway Cleaners on Islip Avenue around 6 p.m they received a report of occupants possibly trapped on the second floor along with Central Islip Chief Plotino "immediately entered the second floor through a window to search for the possible occupants" but the search "proved negative" for victims Islip Fire Department officials said the fire extended from the first floor to the second floor and was "extremely manpower taxing." Officials said the fire took about and hour and a half to bring under control and was "ultimately upgraded to a fourth alarm mutual aid plan." One firefighter was transported to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries two others were treated and released at the scene and no civilian injuries were reported According to a report by News12 other business owners said a couple in their 70s have owned the business since 1968 and it is one of the oldest stores on the block Central Islip and West Islip fire departments Exchange Ambulance of the Islips Islip officials said the MTA also assisted on the scene and "placed a slow down on train traffic." The Town of Islip Hazmat team was also requested to assist due to the contents of the building Suffolk County Police Arson Section detectives are investigating but police told Patch they believe it was non-criminal Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Members of IUEC Local One Elevator Constructors Pipes and Drums perform at the St Patrick's Day parade in East Islip on Sunday Irish dance students spun and soared beneath a crisp blue sky filled the air with rousing marching tunes strode down Montauk Highway with a steely gaze and unwavering posture They were among the thousands of participants and spectators who turned out for East Islip’s 60th annual St one of the earliest celebrations of the Irish Catholic holiday on Long Island Members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 7 an Irish Catholic fraternal organization that has organized the parade since 1966 led the procession in top hats and Irish tricolor sashes Other members followed in leprechaun and shamrock-bedazzled golf carts More than a half-dozen pipe and marching bands came next — including the Roisin Dubh Pipe Band Anthony’s High School Pipe Band from South Huntington Patrick’s Day parade was organized in 1966 by John P The parade has grown into one of the hamlet’s major cultural events supported by its large Irish American community “East Islip has a tremendous Irish American community There were a lot of Irish immigrants who came over and worked in the Central Islip Psychiatric Center — as nurses and doctors — and that's kind of been the genesis of the community,” he told Newsday politics and crime stories in Suffolk County The local branch of the Hibernians is named for Our Lady of Knock Ireland that is a Catholic pilgrimage site The East Islip-based group selects a grand marshal to organize the parade held each year on the first Sunday in March it’s our community parade,” said John Davis The Hibernians carry out a variety of charitable work throughout the year including a Christmas party for less fortunate kids in the community Several founding members of the local chapter marched or rode in vehicles in the parade Sunday There’s no two ways about that,” said Charlie Fagan a charter member of the Hibernians chapter adding the parade has been blessed with mostly good weather over the years Sunday’s parade featured a commingling of cultures Color guards carried the Irish and American flags side by side while a group of karate students from Shaolin of East Islip in black dogis punched and blocked their way down the street Young and old community members thronged the sidewalks for over a mile ales and nonalcoholic drinks as well as noshing on snacks — both Irish and not-so-Irish: takeout from the Irish Coffee Pub pretzels sold from street vendors and wraps from Shrimpy’s Burrito Bar Local residents John and Jackie Diaz said they have attended the parade for decades which holds a special resonance for them as Irish Americans “Our son actually had a genealogy thing done and we found a relative who's still in Ireland,” Jackie said Connolly said he is reminded of the sacrifices made by his own father Get more on these and other NewsdayTV stories Copyright ©2025 Newsday. All rights reserved. The Ernst family has been dishing ice cream from this nondescript strip mall at 195 Carleton Ave. in East Islip for 54 years. But Pamala Ernst-Annunziato, an East Islip native, says it’s time to hang up the ice cream scooper. Her last day behind the counter at Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe will be Tuesday, Jan. 14. The business has been sold, and the new owners will continue to operate the space as an ice cream shop, she told Greater Long Island. But maybe not under the name Pam’s. “They’ve been going back and forth on that,” she said. Ernst-Annunziato said her body was telling her it was time to retire. “My knees are shot,” she said with a laugh. But letting go is hard, especially after some 54 years. Her parents first opened in the same location as a Carvel franchisee in the 70s before Pamala and her brother, John Ernst, took over the family business and reopened as Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe in 1985. “We grew up in this store, with my parents,” Ernst-Annunziato said. “And [John’s] been here with me.” She’s since moved to Patchogue, and plans to stick around Long Island after retirement, with her children and grandchildren nearby. The Pam of Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe has just one thing to say to the community that’s kept the family in business for 54 years, the community in which she grew up, where she attended grade school, eventually graduating from East Islip High: Among those customers, count Jen Pegollo and her family. “We literally ran down here when we heard” the news that they were closing, she said. They took a selfie together to remember Pam’s: Top: Pamala Ernst-Annunziato, an East Islip native, says it’s time to hang up the ice cream scooper. (Michael White photos) See the warm, heartfelt comments that have been pouring in since Pam announced her retirement: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pam's Ice Cream Shoppe (@pamsicecream) 2024 at 11:03 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Police say the pair stole liquor (Suffolk County Police Department)EAST ISLIP NY — The Suffolk County Police Department is asking for the public's public's help identifying man and woman who stole from an East Islip liquor store in October The duo stole around $417 worth of liquor from Carleton Spirits at 215 Carleton Ave Anyone with information may contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS text messages and emails will be kept confidential 2025 at 10:18 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}East Islip High School’s varsity cheer team recently earned two bids to compete at the Universal Cheerleaders Association’s National High School Cheerleading Championship in Florida in February (Courtesy of East Islip School District)ISLIP NY — East Islip High School’s varsity cheer team is going to the happiest place on earth the team recently earned two bids to compete at the Universal Cheerleaders Association’s National High School Cheerleading Championship from Feb 6 to 10 at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida 2024 at 11:34 am ETThe fire broke out Friday afternoon (Courtesy of Ken Bradbury)East Islip Fire Department and Suffolk County police responded to the call (Courtesy of Ken Bradbury)Mutual aid was provided by Bay Shore Central Islip and West Sayville fire departments (Courtesy of Ken Bradbury)Crews worked together to extinguish the fire NY — Suffolk County Police Arson Squad detectives are investigating a blaze that broke out in an East Islip apartment complex on Friday afternoon The East Islip Fire Department was notified of a structure fire at an apartment complex on Laurel Avenue on Friday around 1:50 p.m. According to Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services Each fire department provided a ladder while Islip Terrance had an engine and Central Islip provided a Rapid Intervention Team the West Sayville Fire Department provided district coverage from East Islip’s headquarters and Exchange Ambulance supplemented East Islip’s EMS Police told Patch that no injuries were reported and the cause is still undetermined East Islip wins the Suffolk girls bowling team championship on Saturday at Sayville Bowlero Brenden Muller and his fellow East Islip seniors had been chasing the feeling of winning the Suffolk team boys bowling title for four seasons they realized what it feels like to be a champion Muller had a 667 series in the morning and a 712 series in the afternoon session at the county championships to lead East Islip to its first Suffolk crown since 2021 East Islip finished first with a six-game total of 6,465 “We worked really hard to show everyone our depth as a squad,” Muller said “We knew what we were capable of coming in and nothing was going to get in our way of finishing strong Longwood led after the morning three-game session as Isaiah Jackson bowled a 634 series But Muller and Greggory Stephens shot a 246 and 252 in Game 4 to put East Islip ahead for good Longwood (6,182) finished second and Commack (6,154) placed third East Islip seniors Niko Stavropoulos and Andrew Jacobsen had six-game series of 1,349 and 1,257 but we lost one of our best bowlers to an injury early in the season,” Jacobsen said “We really had to come together and build each other up and work hard to get here.” East Islip (14-2) never appeared to miss a step this season We had two freshman that bowled for most of the season,” East Islip coach Judith Fischer added “The entire team did their part to accomplish this.” “It brought our team closer together in the end,” assistant coach Michael D’Ambrosio added Freshman Lucas Lawlor rolled a 1,031 series and Lucas Brelsford added a 1,150 series Stephens also had three-game series of 582 and 681 for East Islip Islip’s Gavin Connell had the high game of the championship with a 290 in Game 1 East Islip will compete for a state title at Strike ‘N Spare Lanes in Syracuse on March 14 “We’re all really great friends and we work well together,” Jacobsen said “We’ve grown together as a team and I’m looking forward to competing together as a team.” Whitman’s Chris Rinaldi and Harborfields’ Sean McNally will join Longwood’s Tyler Uss — the county singles champion from Jan 16 — on the Suffolk All-Star team that will vie for a state championship on March 15 The East Islip girls bowling team (11-0) also was perfect in the regular season en route to clinching its second consecutive county championship on Saturday Senior Dakota Collins rolled a high series of 675 in the afternoon session as East Islip totaled 5,981 pins in six games to earn the Suffolk title but we knew if we made spares and stayed clean “I was just bowling to get strikes and spares and it worked.” Junior Brooke Andresen had series of 624 and 680 and sophomore Meeya Leaderman shot series of 590 and 595 “We just kept with that energy and we bowled really well.” Kaylee Dwyer bowled a high game of 268 in the afternoon for Longwood The East Islip girls also will compete in the state championship in Syracuse on March 14 “I think I feel more pressure than they do because I get nervous for them,” said East Islip coach Rob Sconone “They know that they’re capable of and they just go out there and have fun.” and Smithtown’s Trishna Desai will make up the Suffolk All-Star team that will compete for a state title in Syracuse on March 15 Said Mazella: “While our team struggled a little bit today it feels great knowing it’s not over yet and we’ll be able to represent Longwood and the county at the highest level.” East Islip RB Ryan Parker takes the handoff up the sideline for a big gain against North Babylon in the Suffolk Division II football semifinals It was all about Ryan Parker Friday night in Islip Terrace The senior was a force on both sides of the ball and scored three touchdowns in a Suffolk Division II football semifinal “I was a water boy for the East Islip varsity when I was 5 years old and always dreamed of playing on this field in this red uniform,” Parker said “This is my last game on this field in red and I couldn’t have played better I’m excited that I’m headed to Stony Brook with all my teammates to play for another title.” East Islip (10-0) will play the winner of the Half Hollow Hills East-Smithtown West semifinal at Stony Brook University at 4 p.m “I’ve coached him and this group since they were 7 years old in the Police Athletic League,” Ciampi said “Parker has been a two-way starter for us for three years he’s one of the toughest kids I’ve coached.” North Babylon’s Tristan Wojt recovered a fumble on East Islip’s first play from scrimmage The Bulldogs took over at the East Islip 36 and six plays later Logan Baptist threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Jason Mack The extra-point kick was blocked by Dylan Bayer East Islip then drove 57 yards in six plays capped by a 23-yard touchdown pass from Thomas Costarelli to Jack Kalinowski Anthony Mariani’s extra-point kick gave East Islip a 7-6 lead North Babylon halfback Jawara Keahey ripped off a 65-yard run before being knocked out of bounds at the East Islip 10-yard line Bayer recovered a North Babylon fumble to set up a 12-play Costarelli hit Kalinowski with five passes for 64 yards on the drive before finding Parker for a 5-yard scoring pass and a 13-6 lead with 9:54 left in the half East Islip extended the lead when Parker jumped a short pass in the flat and returned it 10 yards for the pick-6 and a 19-6 lead with 4:42 left “He jumped the route,” East Islip assistant coach Joe Taormina said Parker made his third interception of the half in the end zone with three seconds left who completed 9 of 11 passes for 161 yards and three scores opened the third quarter by hitting Kalinowski in stride for a 68-yard TD and a 25-6 lead Kalinowski had seven catches for 155 yards and two scores who had 143 yards on 14 rushes in the first half was held to 38 yards on 11 rushes in the second half a Rutgers University commit to play lacrosse said he was concerned about his best friend and teammate who exited the game with a hamstring injury “We need all of our guys back,” Parker said “This is a total team effort around here.” CORRECTION: The East Islip football team nickname was incorrect in an earlier version of this story Scenes from a Suffolk wrestling dual meet between East Islip and host Sayville on Wednesday Gryffin Alffalla of East Islip looks to finish a double leg takedown against Andrew Jacobs of Sayville in their 152-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Christian Horeis of East Islip finishes a takedown against Alex Labella of Sayville in their 215-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Christian Horeis of East Islip has his hand raised after a major decision against Alex Labella of Sayville in their 215-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Christian Horeis of East Islip has his hand raised after a major decision (10-0) against Alex Labella of Sayville in the 215 pound bout during a non League Wrestling duel match at Sayville High School on Wednesday Christopher Coleman of East Islip has his hand raised after a pin against Sean Casey of Sayville in their 190-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Christopher Coleman of East Islip looks to put Sean Casey of Sayville on his back in their 190-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Matt D’Amico of East Islip has his hand raised after he pins Brady Dolan of Sayville in their 170-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Matt D’Amico of East Islip pins Brady Dolan of Sayville in their 170-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Vasilios Dimou of East Islip has his hand raised after a major decision against Sayville's Ryan Wood in their 160-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Gryffin Alffalla of East Islip has his hand raised after a pin against Andrew Jacobs of Sayville in their 152-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Vasilios Dimou of East Islip looks for a takedown against Ryan Wood of Sayville in their 160-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Leo Mongiello of Sayville looks for an arm bar against Noah Hodge of East Islip in their 145-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Brayden Foster of Sayville has his hand raised after a major decision against Anthony Liedtke-Merida of East Islip in their 131-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Leo Mongiello of Sayville pins Noah Hodge of East Islip in their 145-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Brayden Foster of Sayville celebrates after a major decision against Anthony Liedtke-Merida of East Islip in their 131-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday AJ Labella of Sayville looks to finish a takedown against Ty Strychalski of East Islip in their 108-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Leo Mongiello of Sayville celebrates after a pin against Noah Hodge of East Islip in their 145-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Brett Lennihan of Sayville has his hand raised after he pins Rayan Shehu of East Islip in their 138-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Brett Lennihan of Sayville pins Rayan Shehu of East Islip in their 138-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday AJ Labella of Sayville Celebrates after victory by technical fall against Ty Strychalski of East Islip in their 108-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Rocco DeStefano of East Islip returns Chris Costa of Sayville to the mat in their 124-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Brayden Foster of Sayville tries to get behind Anthony Liedtke-Merida of East Islip in their 131-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Rocco DeStefano of East Islip finishes a takedown Chris Costa of Sayville in their 124-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Rocco DeStefano of East Islip has his hand raised after a victory by technical fall against Chris Costa of Sayville in their 124-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Brady Spreckels of Sayville looks to finish a fireman's carry against Marcos Quinones of East Islip in their 116-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Sayville's Brady Spreckels has his hand raised after a major decision against East Islip's Marcos Quinones in their 116-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Javen Taff of Sayville smiles after a victory by technical fall against Brian Goban of East Islip in their 285-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Carmine Catapano of Sayville has his arm raised after a pin against Liam Gleeson of East Islip in their 101-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Javen Taff of Sayville looks to finish a single leg takedown against Brian Goban of East Islip in their 285-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Carmine Catapano of Sayville rolls Liam Gleeson of East Islip onto his back for a pin in their 101-pound bout during a non-league wrestling dual meet at Sayville on Wednesday Things are still moving forward within the Town of Islip with respect to transforming a bowling alley in East Islip According to a representative for Benchmark East Islip Senior Living Community which is looking to house 90 seniors at the 4.3-acre property at East Main Street and Greenwood Road heads to the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals with hopes for approvals The town in January approved a zone change that allowed the application to move forward And here is a rendering of the proposed community Yet the plans have not moved forward without controversy Along with community opposition in Town Hall, there’s still an active petition circulating on change.org calling on residents to Protect the East Islip Lanes Location “We as taxpayers and local Islip Town residents were dismayed to learn we’re losing our beloved East Islip bowling alley to potentially be replaced by an assisted living facility,” writes Krissy Dworkin She says the two-story building “offers no benefit to our community and only adds noise and traffic to our already crowded Main Street.” So far the online petition has garnered 1,740 signatures with a goal of 2,500. The entire hamlet has a population of about 13,600, according to DATA USA East Islip chamber officials have also complained that the planned costs per unit reportedly expected to range between $8,000 and $10,000 per month “Our planned community in East Islip – to be located at 117 East Main Street – will be an important resource to area seniors and families seeking our high-quality services close to their families,” the website reads No date has been set for a Zoning Board of Appeals hearing Top: East Islip Lanes has reportedly been operation at 117 E 2024 at 11:09 am ETUshin House is now open in East Islip (Town of Islip/Gary Licker)The extensive menu offers a wide array of seafood along with surf n' turf (Town of Islip/Gary Licker)Owner Eric Lin celebrates the grand opening with Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter (Town of Islip/Gary Licker)The menu includes Japanese cuisine staples like sushi and noodles with a modern twist NY — A new eatery offering "modern Japanese cuisine" has opened in East Islip located at 166 West Main Street in East Islip opened for business with a grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony in late June Owner Eric Lin celebrated with Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter local business owners and community leaders While Ushin House calls its menu "modern Japanese cuisine," it also offers staples like miso soup and an array of salads like a classic house salad guests can expect Japanese classics like edamame and gyoza The sushi menu is abundant with a wide range of traditional and unique sushi rolls and sashimi options Seafood is also offered on the entree menu The menu is rounded with hot Japanese dishes including tempura Ushin House is open Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m Lin was not immediately available for comment NY —Democrat Garrett Petersen is seeking election to the 7th Assembly District on Nov Patch has been reaching out to the candidates to find out why they are running this November Occupation: Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Clinician Does anyone in your family work in politics or government absolutely not; my wife and I are both active in our local Democratic Party organization I want to more strongly advocate for the needs of the OPWDD and mental health communities There is a terrible crisis of funding in these sectors which are charged with caring for the most vulnerable New Yorkers What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?The difference between my opponent and I is fundamentally the differences between our two parties to enshrine reproductive rights in the New York State Constitution The Republican party’s ideology is focused on the 19th century — at best turning the country back to an idealized past that never actually existed; I’m looking to the 21st What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?As previously mentioned we have a dire crisis in the OPWDD and mental health worlds The agencies responsible for caring for our most vulnerable New Yorkers have been dealing with severe staffing shortages even before Covid-19 and if we don’t do something about this then it’s just a matter of time until tragedy strikes increasing funding for social services and mental health services would decrease crime and help those on the margins of our society What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?I have a long career of helping the most vulnerable in our society My entire career has been public service in its rawest Serving our community would merely be the next evolution of that work What problems facing your district would you look to solve if you are elected/re-elected?To my opponent’s credit he has been working on several of the problems facing AD7 — namely and untangling the snarl of the Oakdale merge I would be more effective at advocating for the funds to accomplish all these tasks we have a real housing crisis not only in the district but across Long Island that requires stakeholders at all levels of government to work together to solve Cancer is a prominent health issue for Long Islanders and is a leading cause of death for children What measures would you take to help lower cancer rates and bolster research in the field?Over time clearing up groundwater contamination and expanding renewables will remove many of the environmental factors contributing to higher cancer rates It’s unfortunately not an issue that can be resolved overnight It’s important to hold the companies responsible for groundwater contamination legally liable for the cleanup.We have a world-class research institution in Suffolk County in Stony Brook University aggressively pushing for Long Island’s fair share of the pie to fund new research programs be far easier as part of the governing supermajority than if a member of the minority party tried What would you do to help small businesses struggling with inflation and the cost of goods needed to manufacture their products?Ultimately a lot of these problems are beyond the scope of state government The global supply chain might arguably be beyond anyone’ scope to handle what we can do is ensure state and local government is responsive and flexible to the needs of the community investing in infrastructure improvements can help bring down costs Rail and road transport are both part of the equation; bringing down energy costs is another Expanding sewers so some of our downtowns can support local businesses like restaurants more easily is another thing we can assist with on the state level While not applicable for every type of small business I do think it’s worth looking at occupational licensing for certain professions and see about streamlining the acquisition of licenses and permits for folks like barbers to be more in line with how it’s done in states like Colorado What plans do you have to help improve water quality and keep it safe for generations?Sewer expansion has been a bipartisan solution to part of this problem for well over a decade now Certain types of pesticides have already been banned but we have to cut down on pollution from as many sources as possible less heating oil and natural gas burned; the former a rebate-based program to have the remaining underground tanks grandfathered in and replaced with above-ground systems can help eliminate one potential source of contamination How can the immigration crisis be addressed at the federal and local level Can federal and local officials work together “Solving” immigration ultimately is a federal issue; it’s worth noting that twice the Republican party has walked away from a bipartisan solution to it both in 2013 (the so-called “Gang of Eight” plan) and then again this year immigrants are a net positive to our economy Long Island is already dealing with a declining population; bluntly we need to accommodate these folks with housing and services and the state and the federal government should both be contributing to make that happen but we should look at this as an opportunity instead of a burden in the long term I think a good deal of the feeling of crisis stems from not having enough resources made available from higher levels of government to make folks feel welcome coupled with local folks more worried there’s not enough of the pie left for them instead of realizing with new blood we can grow the pie which some say can be attributed to price gouging?According to most economic measures This isn’t to minimize any pain at the pump or the cash register folks have experienced in the past couple of years you can’t run back the clock on prices-deflation tends to cause even larger economic problems and I’ll address that more deeply in the next question The median cost of renting on Long Island falls between $2,000 and $3,100 How can more affordable housing options be created?The reality is we’ve gotta build housing I understand concerns about changing the character of our neighborhoods with development We can either build housing-using creative and flexible solutions like multi-family zoning and sacrifice a little but keep the essential character of our communities intact or we can watch our young people continue to leave Long Island because of affordability and have our towns slowly hollow out like similar communities in the Midwest it’ll all be bought out and redeveloped anyway but given our location and natural population pressures Long Island will actually become an extension of New York City in terms of population density and development Long Island was our country’s first suburb; if we want it to remain one we need to define what that means in the 21st century What is your stance on SALT (State and Local Tax Relief) perhaps with some sort of top-end restrictions (middle-class families should qualify; multi-millionaires shouldn’t) The DWI/DWAI rate is escalating island wide to address the escalating addiction crisis?As I’ve mentioned previously my career is oriented around the OPWDD and mental health services world What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?I’m not sure it’s something that could be attributed to any single person but one of the things I’ve learned about leadership is to never ask a subordinate to do something you wouldn’t be willing to do yourself That’s at the core of leading by example and I think it’s foundational to the entire concept of leadership Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?The reality of politics in New York State is that the majority party dictates policy and has a far easier time securing resources for their districts Long Island is New York’s forgotten stepchild precisely because our elected officials are not part of the governing majority There’s a worthwhile discussion to be had about how fair that is and for what it’s worth I agree that it’s unfair but in the interim we have to do business in the world that we live in now while working to make it better I will be able to more forcefully argue for the resources Long Island needs as part of the governing majority than the entire LI minority party caucus and a pragmatic voter should consider that East Islip's Thomas Costarelli (5) throws a pass in the second quarter during the Suffolk Division II football game between East Islip and West Islip on Friday Sept 13 The East Islip-West Islip football rivalry has had some thrilling games over the years but it had been a while since the teams battled it out on the gridiron The showdown between the crosstown programs took a nine-year hiatus after East Islip moved down into Suffolk’s Division III but the excitement was back on Friday night the defending Long Island Class III champion moved back into Division II this fall and hosted West Islip on opening night in Islip Terrace reigniting what once was considered Suffolk’s hottest rivalry East Islip scored on all six of its first-half possessions in a 38-7 win over West Islip was presented the Islip Cup after the game Ciampi became East Islip’s all-time winningest football coach with his 166th win in 24 years “Our defense set the tone early and gave the offense tremendous field position throughout the first half,” Ciampi said “After watching all 11 game films from last season I thought there were a couple of things we could do and be successful The first half offered some striking numbers East Islip scored on three of its first four plays and took a 21-0 lead with 5:18 left in the first quarter Every East Islip drive in the first half started in West Islip territory — at the 32 “It all starts with great defense,” East Islip’s Jack Kalinowski said “They couldn’t move the ball at all on our line.” Senior quarterback Thomas Costarelli took advantage of the good field position and opened the season with touchdown passes on his first two throws He hit Kalinowski with a laser over the middle for a 22-yard score with 9:23 left in the first quarter and found halfback Ryan Parker for a 26-yard touchdown 1:37 later for a 14-0 lead “We couldn’t wait to get the season started and opening against West Islip is special,” Costarelli said “I was happy we went on defense first because I knew our guys would shut them down and we would get to work on a short field “We have great chemistry on offense and that first pass was right on the money.” “I attacked the outside shoulder of the defensive back,” he said completed 4 of 7 passes for 67 yards and added a 1-yard scoring run on the second play of the second quarter for a 28-0 lead kicked a 25-yard field goal with six seconds left in the first half for a 38-0 lead The East Islip defense forced five three-and-outs and held the Lions to one first down and minus-2 yards on 20 plays in the first half defensive end Niko Meyers and Parker at linebacker continually stuffed the Lions’ running game “They are a very physical team,” West Islip coach Steve Mileti said “And I was very impressed with the quarterback.” Glendon Kinnear and Thomas Costarelli pose duting  Suffolk football media day on Friday at Ward Melville East Islip’s Thomas Costarelli raved about his offensive line and discussed the challenge of replacing Sebastian Regis last year’s Hansen Award winner as Suffolk’s top player He talked about the pressure and the expectations of winning another Long Island championship and the challenge of moving into a different classification It was the inaugural all-inclusive media day for Suffolk high school football teams hosted by the Suffolk County chapter of the National Football Foundation at Ward Melville High School in East Setauket Players from every high school in Suffolk had the opportunity to meet and greet their peers Friday and listen as coaches introduced the top players in their programs and spoke about the expectations for 2024 Costarelli was one of 210 players who traveled to the event The gritty quarterback totaled 2,649 all-purpose yards and 28 touchdowns last season including the winning 22-yard TD pass in the Long Island Class III final Costarelli discussed the championship-or-bust culture at East Islip which has gone to 14 title games in 20 years “We moved from Class III to Class II and that’s a whole different challenge,” he said and we must work to win back-to-back titles I boosted my confidence in the championship and now I really want more — one more championship.” committed to play baseball for the University of Central Florida put his focus on football during the summer “I took everything very serious this summer,” he said We relied on and won off Sebastian’s leadership last year I feel very comfortable being that leader this year.” East Islip moved into Suffolk Division II and grabbed the preseason No North Babylon earned the top spot with the return of junior halfback Jawara Keahey the state’s leading rusher in 2023 with 2,614 yards and 37 touchdowns whatever division it is,” East Islip coach Sal J “We’re bumping up this year and the division is definitely a different style of football — more physical who participated in media day with coach John Rowland expects North Babylon to continue to win and support that top seeding “Everyone looks good this year,” Keahey said making sure we’re eating healthy and just having each other’s back.” Rowland called the Division II schedule a week-to-week grind Our goal is to finish that unfinished business make it to the Long Island championship and win the whole thing.” Northport and Bellport also will have a say in the title chase Floyd coach Paul Longo thinks the first seven teams in the parity-driven division can win the title a lot of good players on all teams,’’ he said “Sachem East is loaded with a lot of talent and an excellent quarterback in AJ Vurchio and either team could have won that game if the ball bounced the right way.” Sachem North coach Dave Caputo is fired up about his season opener against Ward Melville “It’s the second seed against the four to open,” Caputo said “And Longwood plays Floyd the same week — that’s how you start the season.” The focus is on the high-powered offenses at Sayville and Hills West The Golden Flashes have senior halfback Kyle Messina and the Colts rely on record-breaking senior quarterback Joseph Filardi and senior wide receiver Anthony Raio if I won the Hansen but we didn’t win the championship that wouldn’t be a successful season,” Messina said and I never cared about individual awards.” the best of friends since playing lacrosse in kindergarten “I like to look at one game at a time each week,” said Filardi who totaled 4,420 yards and 57 touchdowns as a junior And just keep building off each week and getting better.” The special connection between the two grew stronger in fourth grade when Filardi invited Raio to play football “We need to push ourselves to that championship,” said Raio who had a Long Island single-season record of 84 catches last year Everybody realized that and kept working this offseason.” Bayport-Blue Point has rolled to two consecutive Long Island Class IV championships and owns a 24-game winning streak Newsday sat down with Bayport’s All-Long Island lineman and Miller Place junior quarterback Shane Kiernan “We know that Bayport is a great team and it’ll be a challenge,” Kiernan said “It’s an opportunity for us early in the season.” “We have a phenomenal bond with each other at Bayport — it’s different,” Bachmore said We respect everyone and I think teams must wait until they play us to find out.” The teams will open against each other on Sept Blinking is unwise when Sayville’s Leo Mongiello is on the mat Any of the senior’s matches can be over in a golden flash Mongiello pinned Noah Hodge in 21 seconds at 145 pounds in host Sayville’s 36-31 non-league win over East Islip on Wednesday The pin gave the Golden Flashes a 36-5 lead to clinch the dual meet with five matches remaining The Franklin & Marshall commit has been wrestling on Sayville’s varsity team since he was in seventh grade and has evolved into the program’s leader “He was all over the place as a seventh-grader and the seniors loved him because he was this fun He’s been a staple of this program for a long time When you don’t have a kid like him to look up to it’s a lot harder for the younger kids to strive to be at that level.” Mongiello has accomplished a lot in his six years at Sayville and recently earned his 100th career pin But he still has two goals he wants to accomplish: win a county title and a state championship “The weight is a lot heavier… The fact that it’s the last time I’m going to be wrestling in high school Tomorrow is my last dual meet at Sayville High School,” Mongiello said but the urgency and the want is a lot greater.” Mongiello was last year’s Suffolk runner-up at 138 pounds suffering an 8-4 loss to Bellport’s Camryn Howard in the final Mongiello took a 7-5 decision over Howard in the quarterfinals of the state tournament He took third in the county at 132 pounds as a sophomore “Now that I’m a senior and I’ve looked back I’ve learned to take every match the same way and not to make big matches bigger than they are,” Mongiello said “I try to pass that mentality down to some of my teammates Some of those younger teammates stepped up in a big way on Wednesday Sophomore Javen Taff and junior AJ LaBella each picked up a 17-1 technical fall at 285 and 108 pounds Eighth-grader Carmine Catapano pinned Liam Gleeson in 1:27 at 101 pounds Brady Spreckels won a 15-1 major decision over Marcos Quinones at 116 pounds to give Sayville (18-2) a 20-0 lead Spreckels is a junior who entered the season on the bench but has worked his way into the starting lineup “He wrestled well and that’s the first time I’ve seen him wrestle that well for the entire match,” Pesko said Sayville assistant coach Frank Esposito exchanged playful words with his brother is an eighth-grader on Sayville’s wrestling team Said Frank Esposito: “I get bragging rights at Thanksgiving this year.”