Category Archives: Section XI News

Thousands from Section XI Named Scholar-Athletes

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) is proud to announce its fall 2017 Scholar-Athlete teams and there are more than 400 individual teams from Section XI who have earned this distinction.

The fall, NYSPHSAA recognized 3,373 Scholar-Athlete teams and 46,480 individuals. The figures represent a 14.65 percent (431 more teams) and 9.27 percent (3,945 individuals) increase compared to Fall 2016 in honoring teams and individuals who attain a 90.0 GPA or greater.

Starting in 2016, the NYSPHSAA adjusted its criteria to recognize individuals with a 90.0 GPA or greater whose athletic team did not qualify as a Scholar-Athlete team. Furthermore, the criteria was adjusted to allow for “small” teams to be recognized and 75 percent of a team’s roster be considered when determining a team’s average GPA.

“We would like to congratulate our student-athletes and member schools,” said Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA Executive Director. “We are extremely proud of this program which recognizes the student-athletes who excel in the classroom. Seeing such an increase in scholar-athlete teams and individuals this year, just shows how much NYSPHSAA student-athletes are committed to their education”

The full list of scholar athlete teams for the Fall 2017 season can be found HERE!

The full list of scholar athlete individuals for the Fall 2017 season can be found HERE!

Laube, Ruckert Take Home Top Honors

The top football players, coaches and team were honored at the annual Suffolk County Football Coaches Association dinner on Monday, December 4 at the Hyatt Regency.

Here is a run down of all the honors:

  • Rutger’s Trophy: Lindenhurst High School
  • Carl A. Hansen Award: Dylan Laube, Westhampton Beach and Jeremy Ruckert, Lindenhurst
  • Rob Burnett Defensive Player of the Year Award: Dan Carroll, Sachem East
  • Bob Zellner Lineman Award: Carroll
  • Bob Collotta Linebacker Award: Ernesto Mitchell, Half Hollow Hills East
  • Joe Cipp Jr. Running Back Award: Laube
  • Boomer Esiason Quarterback Award: Ryan Walsh, Northport
  • Tom Cassese Defensive Back Award: George Wichelns, Connetquot
  • Fred Fusaro Coach of the Year Award: Bill Parry, Westhampton Beach
  • 12th Man Award: Jack Donahue, Center Moriches and Teddy McLoughlin, Islip
  • Thomas Cutinella Award: Cole Cipp, Bellport
  • National Football Foundation Receiver: Ruckert
  • National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete: Sam Gozelski, Northport

IMAGES: Click the link to see images of each winner!

Westhampton Beach, Lindenhurst Win LIC

Suffolk and Nassau split the football Long Island championship bouts this past weekend.

Lindenhurst and Westhampton Beach rang supreme on Sunday, while Garden City beat North Babylon and Seaford narrowly edged Miller Place on Saturday.

Fans who attended Sunday’s games at Stony Brook were treated to some incredible football.

Westhampton’s Dylan Laube rushed for six touchdowns and netted 47 total touchdowns for the season, breaking a record held for 13 seasons by North Babylon’s Jason Gwaltney.  The Hurricanes beat Lawrence 54-26.

Laubed finished the game with 25 carries and 229 yards. He also finished his career with 2,682 yards, the third highest rushing total in Long Island history.

In Class I, Lindenhurst captured glory after bearing Oceanside, 40-23.

Jeremy Ruckert, who will play his next football game as a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes, was in prime form dominating in all areas of the game. He was a threat on offense, blocked a field goal and kicked a 30-yard field goal of his own as well.

The Hansen Winner – the honor given to the top football player in Suffolk County – will be crowned on Monday, December 4. Ruckert and Laube are the favorites, of course.

This was the first Long Island championship for both Suffolk schools.

Suffolk Alumni News: East Islip’s Melia Named MLS Goalie of the Year

East Islip native and  Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia has been named the 2017 Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

“Winning an award like this is one of the best compliments you can get as a goalkeeper,” Melia said in a statement. “It’s a huge individual accolade, and it’s one that is only possible because of the efforts of my teammates and my coaches. To gain this recognition is an incredible honor.”

CLICK to read more!

Class I Football LIC: Lindenhurst (11-0) vs. Oceanside (11-0)

One of these teams is walking away with their first Long Island championship. Suffolk County’s Lindenhurst will play Nassau County’s Oceanside in a battle of the unbeaten Class I juggernauts.

The game will take place at Stony Brook on Sunday, November 26 at 4:30 p.m.

Things you should know:

  • Not to be taken lightly, this is the last game for Lindenhurst star and Ohio State recruit Jeremy Ruckert.
  • This is Lindenhurst’s second appearance in a Long Island championship game. They lost to Syosset in 2014.
  • The best thing for Jeremy Ruckert has been teammates Nick Anzalone and Ricky Conway who create a potent three-headed monster. It does not matter if Ruckert is double and triple covered because they have weapons across the entire field.
  • In the Nassau final, Oceanside limited Freeport, a normally potent offense, to just 70 offensive yards.
  • This is Oceanside’s first Long Island championship appearance after knocking off Freeport, 17-0, in the Conference I Nassau final.
  • Oceanside has scored more than 40 points in six of 11 games this season, and the Sailors have allowed less than 10 points in five of 11 games.
  • Oceanside’s Thomas Heuer is two touchdowns shy of the Nassau County touchdown passing record of 38 set by Lawrence’s Joe Capobiano in 2012; he also has thrown for 2,661 yards.
  • Quotable: “It’s the best defense in the county and on Long Island,” Oceanside defensive lineman Mike Scibelli told Newsday after their county championship win. “We’re fast. We get after it. You can’t underestimate us. I think we’ve been underestimated a lot this year, but we showed today we an keep up with our own offense.”
  • Quotable: “I have so much confidence in my guys, and when they double- and triple-teamed me, I knew we’d get the job done,” Ruckert told Newsday after their county final win. “We’re loaded with talent and we play as a team.”

How they got here?

  • Lindenhurst beat Commack, 38-0, Connetquot, 35-14, and William Floyd, 35-12.
  • Oceanside beat Baldwin, 14-7, Farmingdale, 42-6, and Freeport, 17-0.

Catch updates and follow the action via Section XI on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, @SectXISuffolk, and SectionXI.org.

Class II Football LIC: Garden City (11-0) vs. North Babylon (10-1)

Class II: Garden City (11-0) vs. North Babylon (10-1)

The Class II championship between North Babylon from Suffolk and Garden City from Nassau is a classic match-up of two glorified dynasties. Both schools have had a long history of winning and playing against one another, so this battle should be entertaining.

The game will be at Hofstra on Friday, November 24 at 4:30 p.m.

Things you should know:

  • North Babylon is playing in its first Long Island championship since 2009, a 9-6 victory for Garden City.
  • The last time North Babylon won a Long Island crown was in 2004, a 43-14 victory over Garden City.
  • The Trojans are the defending Class II champs having beaten Hills West, 13-6, in 2016 and have won 23 straight games. They also won the 2016 Rutgers Cup as the top team in Nassau County.
  • In the Conference II title game against Mepham, a 33-0 victory for the Trojans, Trevor Yeboah-Kodie was in perfect form, rushing 14 times for 203 yards and touchdowns of 30, 37 and 91 yards. He also has 1,167 yards and 26 touchdowns this season.
  • Garden City has not allowed more than 14 points in a game, and have allowed fewer than seven points in nine of 11 games this season. In total, they have only allowed 64 points this season.
  • North Babylon’s David Estrella had 22 carries, 204 yards and three touchdowns for the Bulldogs in a 30-6 victory over West Islip in the Suffolk Division II final. He has 1,938 yards and 26 touchdowns this season.
  • Quotable: “David is our star player and he works his magic and makes great things happen,” North Babylon center Nick Sokol told Newsday. “But without us, there would be nothing. The mindset is that we ground and pound, and you grow up in North Babylon hearing about it all the time. It’s the tradition.”
  • Quotable: Yeboah-Kodie on his run game to Newsday after winning the Nassau title: “When I get into the open field, I just for my life. I want to get into the end zone as quickly as I can.”

How they got here?

  • Garden City beat Bellmore JFK, 31-0, Calhoun, 35-14, and Mepham, 33-0.
  • North Babylon beat Smithtown West, 33-24, Centereach, 14-7, and West Islip, 30-6.

Catch updates and follow the action via Section XI on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, @SectXISuffolk, and SectionXI.org.