Your 2024 Section XI Doubles Championship Team of Emilia Romano and Evangelina Romano from Bayport Blue Point HS!
Section XI 2024 Singles Champion Anya Konopka from Smithtown East!
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Northport’s Aija Gipp Earns Career Win 200
Congratulations to Northport girls soccer coach Aija Gipp on earning her 200th career victory!
WM Field Hockey Shannon Sioss Earns Career Win 300
Congratulations to Ward Melville varsity field hockey coach Shannon Sioss for earning her 300th career win!
Orlin & Cohen Sports Medicine Tips
Section XI Fall Championship Information
We’re approaching a very busy time of the year for Section XI sports … fall playoffs!
Use the Section XI Championship Tracker and our playoff bracket pages to stay ahead of important dates, times, and locations.
*Section XI Fall Championship Information
Enjoy the action and have fun! Be respectful of our referees. And let’s support all teams, players, and coaches in their quest to make history and memories!
Section XI Mourns Loss of Port Jeff COach R
Longtime Port Jeff track and cross country coach Rod Cawley passed away recently. Section XI is sad about the loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with Rod’s family and friends.
Cawley coached from 1981 through 2021 in various capacities: Port Jefferson Boys Cross Country (1994-2020), Port Jefferson Girls Winter Track (1987-1989), Boys Winter Track (1990-2021), and Port Jefferson Boys Spring Track (1987-2021).
In his 30-plus years of coaching, Cawley had successfully kept the long tradition of Port Jefferson excellence alive on both the track and the cross-country fields.
As a cross-country coach, Cawley’s teams were 142-18, resulting in 18 League championship titles, 6 Division/Conference titles, and 16 County Class titles.
While coaching at Port Jefferson, Cawley’s individual runners also experienced success. In 1999, Eric Fleckstein was an overall County Champion; in 2001, Brendan Sullivan was a Footlocker National finalist. Winter track teams recorded seven league titles and three Small School County Championships. James Burke was a standout runner for Cawley, setting county records in the 1000m (2:26.75) and the mile (4:08.48) in his senior year (2015).
Spring Track teams under Coach Cawley were 195- 34- 1 in dual meet competition and earned 19 League titles. They also won five County/Division titles during this time. In 2001, “small school” Port Jefferson was crowned Long Island Team Champions by winning an end-of-the-year meeting consisting of the top five schools from Nassau County and the top five schools from Suffolk County. Quality prevailed over quantity there.
Cawley was named League Coach of the Year 44 times and County Coach of the Year 24 times. For his Long Island Championship in 2001, he was named Overall County Coach of the Year for his efforts.
While Cawley was busy running his own team, he found time to help promote track and field overall in Suffolk County. As head coach, Port Jefferson High School was the site of the Section XI State Qualifier Meet for 17 years. Being in charge of running a 1,000-plus-athlete meet for two days while coaching your own team is an overwhelming task. Cawley did it successfully and was always a great host to all participants, coaches, and spectators.
For many people, the marinated steak sandwiches prepared by PJ Track Parents were an annual delight to purchase after their events or while watching the meet on Friday evenings.
The memories of the meetings at Port Jefferson were very special and will live on for all those who attended.
One athlete who returned year after year to the State Qual Meet said it was like going to a game at Yankee Stadium and being in that atmosphere was special in itself.
So, just in case we did not say it enough over the years, thank you, Coach Cawley, for hosting all those great meets.
Sayville Goes Gold for Childhood Cancer
The Sayville Golden Flashes Go Gold for Childhood Cancer.
One of many cancer awareness fundraisers happening across Section XI this season.
There are so many community service events. We are proud of the student leaders, coaches, and ADs who organize these meaningful events.
Port Jefferson Sophomore Organizes Unique 5K
Earl L. Vandermeulen High School proudly celebrates the success of 10th grader Sean Grossman, who organized and launched the first annual Culper Spy Day 5K on September 8, 2024.
Sean’s passion for history and running came together in this special event, which drew over 300 participants to a scenic 5K course highlighting several historic sites connected to the Culper Ring, a Revolutionary War spy network active during the British occupation of New York City.
The event was a resounding success, raising close to $10,000 for the Three Village Historical Society education programs. Sean’s efforts not only spotlighted the area’s rich historical heritage but also showcased the power of youth leadership in significantly impacting the community.
John Glenn Wins NYSPHSAA Community Service Challenge
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association Inc. (NYSPHSAA) announces Elwood/John Glenn High School (Section XI) as the Spring 2024 Community Service Challenge winner. This is the first award for Elwood/John Glenn High School in the 12 years NYSPHSAA has conducted the Community Service Challenge, which partner NYCM Insurance presents.
Seeing the need for more opportunities for classmates with disabilities, Elwood/John Glenn High School students raised $5,000 to expand their district’s Unified Sports programs. With a vision beyond the high school, the goal to add more athletic programming trickled down to the middle and elementary schools in the district with the ‘Blooming Buddies’ program.
“By bringing these programs down to the elementary and middle school levels, we open up opportunities for students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities to connect at an earlier age,” said Elwood/John Glenn rising senior Joey Mammolito. “These connections help break barriers and remove stigmas. I am happy to see more and more of my teammates and other athletes getting involved each year.”
Mammolito has been credited with much of the work done to strengthen additional programming for students across the Elwood/John Glenn district.
“[Mammolito’s] dedication to the Unified Basketball and Bowling Program is commendable. Joey played a key role in establishing the Blooming Buddies Program and has been active in the Athletes for All program,” said Elwood/John Glenn Athletic Director David Shanahan. “Joey is a young man who certainly has made a difference in the lives of students involved in our Unified Programs.”
This spring, 6,712 student-athletes participated in 181 community service projects. The 51,900 hours served by student-athletes resulted in a value of $438,551 in time served and raised $201,934 in charitable donations.
“NYSPHSAA is proud of the student-athletes who commit to their district Unified Sports opportunities, and Elwood/John Glenn High School is the ultimate example of what can happen when student-athletes chip in,” said NYSPHSAA Executive Director Dr. Robert Zayas. “We are proud to have student-athletes like Mammolito and his classmates representing NYSPHSAA.”
Pre-Register for Thomas Cutinella Patriot Run
Last day for PRE-registration for the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Patriot Run (performance shirt guaranteed).
Registration will continue, and walk-ups will be welcome on race day!
The race is October 20 at 10 a.m.