It was a banner year for Hampton Bays boys and girls track, and it sent a total of nine athletes to the New York State Track and Field Championships this past June who all have the postseason accolades to show for it.
Matthew Papajohn, Joffre Proano and Liam Sutton all earned All-Sectional honors, with Papajohn and Sutton also earning All-County and All-League honors. Eli Amos, Eddy Benenaula and Charlie Garcia were All-County and All-League, while Michael Poremba, Ben Spellman and Matt Zheng were All-League. For the girls, Emma Halsey, Asha Pensa-Johnson and Maizie Poulakis were All-County and All-League while Sofia Galvan and Leah Fassino were All-League.
The South Fork boys lacrosse team, which includes student-athletes from Bridgehampton, East Hampton, Hampton Bays, Pierson and Southampton, finished a respectable 8-6 in Division, (9-7 overall) with 111.48 power points, just mere points away from the 10th and final playoff spot. Jack Cooper was the team’s All-County selection, while Isaiah Lattanzio and Charlie Corwin were both All-County Honorable Mentions. J.P. Amaden, Luke Castillo, Luca Lattanzio, Ryan McDonnell and Noah Thompson were each All-Division selections.
Shea Egan led the Hampton Bays softball team this spring and earned All-Division honors for her efforts. Julia Brandis was named All-League.
Seamus Smith was the Baymen baseball team’s All-League selection this past season. C.J. Peterson was given both the Leader of the Game Award and the Brian Tucker Scholarship Award. Patrick Donahue was named the team’s MVP and Cole Wilson was given the Hustle Award.
Both Eden Brown and Taylor Meyers were All-County Honorable Mentions while playing for the Hampton Bays girls lacrosse team. Lauren Capone was named All-Division and Sophia Corridor was the recipient of the Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Foundation’s Girls Lacrosse Diversity Scholarship.
Israel Pulla and Christopher Clinton earned All-League honors while playing for the Hampton Bays boys tennis team. Dylan Foley was given the team’s Hustle Award and Kael Schoerlin received the Division IV Team Sportsmanship Award.
At the conclusion of the school year, Hampton Bays handed out its annual end of the year awards. They were as follows:
The John J. Pizzarelli All Around Award, given to a young man and woman who, over their entire career in the high school, have demonstrated athletic prowess in several sports resulting in postseason honors in those sports. They have also represented the school and community in the highest fashion.
Kazmin Pensa-Johnson and Sophia Corridor
Scholar-Athlete Award, presented to a young woman and a young man who have attained a high cumulative grade point average during their four years. These students must participate in at least two sports and have received postseason honors in the sports in which they participate.
Liam Sutton and Lily Patek
The Doc Fallot Memorial Scholarship Fund Athletic Award, given to a graduating senior who has demonstrated sportsmanship, dedication, hard work, and teamwork on the athletic fields and in the classroom while competing in at least two sports. Their presence as positive role models helps to make the people around them better.
Zach Bahamondes and Mia Camey
Baymen Pride Award, given to a graduating senior who demonstrated the characteristics of perseverance and determination both on the sports field and in the classroom while competing in at least two sports.
Eli Amos and Maizie Poulakis
Hampton Bays Athletic Spirit Scholarship Award, presented to a young man and woman who wrote an essay to describe what Hampton Bays Spirit and pride mean to them.
Israel Pulla and Jamie Moore
Westhampton Beach
It was another strong season for the Hurricane boys tennis team as it was runner ups to East Hampton in League IV play with a 10-1 record (12-3 overall) and reaching the quarterfinals of the Section XI Team Tournament. Bobby Stabile and Giancarlo Volpe created what ended up being a solid doubles pair in the postseason, reaching the quarterfinals of the New York State Championships to earn All-State honors. Teammates Gavin Vander Schaaf, Theo Grellet-Aumont, Bryce Groth and Zach Berger earned All-County honors while Emmanuel Gomez, Ashton Lundborg, Matt Moran, Alessandro Imundi and Liam Greiner earned All-League honors.
The Westhampton Beach girls lacrosse team came into this past spring season with high expectations after reaching the New York State Championships the year prior, and it kept up with them for much of the year. The Hurricanes finished with a 10-4 Division II record (10-6 overall with 180.35 power points) to earn Super Six honors and the No. 3 seed in the Suffolk County Class B postseason where they fell in the first round to Mount Sinai. Reilly Mahon, Maya Farnan and Reese King were each named All-County, Ava Derby and Lily Graves were All-County Honorable Mentions and Chloe Mosher, Hailey Donahoe and Kenzie Schindler were named All-Division.
The Westhampton Beach boys lacrosse team had a solid season in which it went 8-6 in Division II play, 9-7 overall with 119.05 power points, but it was one of the first teams that missed out on the Suffolk County Class B playoffs. Chance Brindle, Morgan McEntee and Heath Sumwalt were each named All-County players while Charlie Beasley, Will Drake and Nolan Michalowski were All-Division. Beasley was also named Rookie of the Year.
The Hurricanes softball team went 13-6 (13-7 overall) in a competitive League VII to qualify once again for the Suffolk County Class A playoffs where it had the tough pull of playing eventual county champion Bayport-Blue Point in the opening round. Katie Baker and Addison Celi were both All-County selections while Ashley Erbis was named All-League.
Ryan Knieriemen was named All-League after playing for the Westhampton Beach baseball team this past spring. Kevin Smith was All-Academic.
Emily Tully, Madison Phillips and Lily Strebel were All-County and All-League track athletes this past spring with both Phillips and Strebel each qualifying for the New York State Track and Field Championships. Halle Geller, Kylah Avery, Oona Murphy, Mia Valenzuela, Diana Elliott, Hollie McAllister and Evangeline Wasser were All-League and Anabel Velloso was All-Academic.
Max Haynia finished his highly successful running career for Westhampton Beach at the New York State Track and Field Championships where he finished fourth for All-Federation and All-State honors to go along with All-County. All-League and All-Academic accolades. Trevor Hayes also qualified for states and was an All-County and All-League runner. Jack Hendrickson was also All-League.
Westhampton Beach was recognized by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association as a Scholar-Athlete School of Excellence for the 2022-23 school year. To earn this recognition, 75 percent of the school’s varsity athletic teams were required to hold a GPA above 90 percent. To that point, all of the school’s spring varsity teams earned NYSPHSAA Scholar Team Awards for having an average 90 percent or better. Girls track and field held the highest GPA with a 96.54 mark, followed by girls lacrosse (96.06), softball (95.79), boys tennis (95.28), boys track and field (93.1), baseball (92.78) and boys lacrosse (90.74). The spring athletic teams held a combined GPA of 94.33.
