East End Athletes Soared To New Heights This Spring

Some area athletes saw stages they’d never been on before. Others also reached milestones that hadn’t been achieved in decades.

“Overall our student-athletes had a positive experience this spring,” Southampton Athletic Director Darren Phillips said.

Mariners senior Billy Malone placed third in Division II in the 800-meter run at the state championships. His time of 1 minute, 56.17 seconds, just a second off his personal best and school-record time of 1:55 — which was also good for eighth overall — earned him All-State and All-Federation honors. The senior placed first in the Suffolk County championships a week prior.

Malone also ran the anchor leg for the 4x400 relay team at states, which was led by classmate Harrison Gavalas. The pair, along with senior Saintino Arnold and junior Evan Simioni, won the county title this season. The girls quartet of seniors Carli Cameron and Gabriella Arnold, sophomore Kyla Cerullo and freshman Sophia Oliveri also won the Suffolk crown for blasting through the 4x100, crossing the finish line in 51.92 seconds.

Senior Ryan Smith, who ranked second in the county in the high jump, cleared 6 feet, a personal best for him, and matched that upstate, which was good for fifth.

Also earning All-County honors were Gavalas, who placed second in the 400 run by crossing the finish line in 52.83 seconds; senior Taylor Zukosky who took second with a personal-best leap of 16-10.5 — an improvement of more than a foot from her previous best jump — and freshman Amanda Koszalka, who also earned a personal best time by shaving off more than 15 seconds in the 1,500-meter racewalk, clocking in at 8:45.

Mariners girls golf standouts Ella Coady and Caroline Wilutis also made it to the state level.

Coady, a junior, tied for 33rd, while Wilutis, a senior, finished tied for 61st out of the field of more than 100 golfers. The pair finished in the top four at the county championships. Coady shot a 79 on the first day and Wilutis an 83 on the par 71 course.

The Southampton girls lacrosse program also saw a monumental success this season, as the Mariners won their first varsity game in 16 years. It was in dominating fashion, too — a 15-1 nonleague decision over Copiague on May 4. Senior Autumn Wilson led her team with four goals and two assists, while classmates Victoria Bennett and Isabelle Palumbo and junior Hailey Cameron added two goals apiece. What made it even more impressive is that Southampton hadn’t fielded a varsity squad since 2008.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association also recognized six Southampton High School spring athletic teams — the boys and girls spring track teams, baseball team, lacrosse team, golf team and boys tennis team — as Scholar-Athlete teams.

To earn the recognition, 75 percent of each team is required to hold a GPA above 90 percent.

East Hampton’s combined girls lacrosse, which was also honored as a Scholar-Athlete team, had some standout players awarded this postseason. East Hampton sophomore Melina Sarlo received All-County honorable mention, classmate Emma McGrory was tabbed All-Division, freshman Ava Tintle All-Conference and Pierson freshman Bella Eldridge was named to the All-Rookie team.

The Bonackers combined track team also boasted some top talent this season.

Earning All-County in the 100 dash was Bridgehampton junior Leslie Samuel, who finished third in 13.36, after posting a personal-best time of 13.16 seconds in the qualifying race to make it to finals. She was also third in the long jump, with a personal-best leap of 16-10.

East Hampton junior Max Astilean also broke out as the top Division IV singles player, becoming the first Bonacker to take the top spot in the tennis tournament since 2004. Astilean powered back to beat Shoreham-Wading River eighth-grader Ray Hidaka, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. He also made it to the quarterfinals of the county tournament, and all of his teammates also earned All-County honors.

Freshman Kiefer Mitchell, a Ross School transfer, bested Elwood-John Glenn senior Alon Alkelai, 6-4, 7-5, to take third place, and Mitchell’s older brother Cameron, a sophomore, along with East Hampton classmate Miguel Garcia, bested teammates Armando Rangel, an East Hampton junior, and Dane Schwalb, a Pierson freshman, for the third spot in the doubles draw.

The East Hampton baseball team also clinched its first postseason berth in 11 years. The Bonackers defeated Amityville, 15-2, to earn their chance to compete. Senior starting pitcher Colin Ruddy was perfect through five innings and struck out 11 before exiting the contest.

Three East Hampton sophomores who are members of the South Fork boys lacrosse team also earned postseason recognition, handed out by the Suffolk County Lacrosse Coaches’ Association. Jack Cooper and Luke Castillo were tabbed All-County and All-Division, and Charles Corwin earned All-County honorable mention and was named All-Division.

Hampton Bays senior Stephen Sutton, Southampton junior Ryan McDonnell and East Hampton junior J.P. Amaden also grabbed All-Division recognition.

Head coach Matt Babb and assistant coach Mark Carlson were tabbed coach and assistant coach of the year by the association.

Pierson’s baseball team also made it back to the Suffolk County championship, where the Whalers battled back to force a series-deciding game three. The Whalers lost to Port Jefferson in a close 7-6 contest. Senior starter Reed Kelsey tossed four strikeouts, and classmate Dan Labrozzi, a shortstop, had a hit, two steals and a run scored in his final appearance in the red and white. A hit by senior Vinny Cavaniola pulled the Whalers within one, 4-3, and his RBI-double to deep left field with two outs and a steal of third propelled Pierson a 6-5 lead.

Competing opposite Pierson this season was Bridgehampton, which, combined with students from the Ross School, fielded its first varsity team in 43 years.

Bridgehampton junior co-captains and twin brothers Kris and Scott Vinski earned All-League honors, along with sophomore co-captain Milo Tompkins of the Ross School. Bridgehampton eighth-grader E.J. McAuliffe was named to the All-League Academic team.

“Our spring season was one to remember,” Bridgehampton Athletic Director Michael DeRosa said. “Varsity baseball coach Lou Liberatore and our players have reenergized the spirit of the school this spring by not only fielding a team, but being able to compete with the best in Class C and D. I am very proud of all of our athletes and coaches and what they’ve accomplished this spring, as well as all of our coaches and athletes throughout the school year. I think I speak for the masses when I say we cannot wait to see what each team and individuals are able to achieve next school year.”