Category Archives: Section XI News

Section XI ‘s First Sanctioned Girls Wrestling Dual Meet

Bellport beat Bay Shore, 35-22, in the first sanctioned Long Island girls wrestling dual meet.

This is the first year that girls wrestling is a New York State Public High School Athletic Association sanctioned varsity championship sport. The state girls’ wrestling invitational held in Syracuse the last two years, as well as any girls’ wrestling events held on Long Island, were unofficial tournaments.

At the end of this season, the first official state tournament will be held on Feb. 27 at MVP Arena in Albany — the same week and location of the boy’s wrestling state tournament. The girls will also compete in a county tournament to qualify for the state championship. The girls will wrestle freestyle, as opposed to boys wrestling’s folkstyle.

Read more about the historic event via Newsday.

Joe Filardi Wins Prestigious Carl A. Hansen Award

Congratulations to Hills West’s Joe Filardi was named this year’s Carl A. Hansen Award honoree.

The 65th recipient of the honor turned in another historic season, completing 136 of 208 passes for 3,102 yards and 43 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,204 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Filardi, who will enroll in Syracuse University in January, had one of the most prolific careers in Long Island football history. He recorded 14,483 all-purpose yards and 151 touchdowns, both records on Long Island.

His 9,267 passing yards and 123 touchdown passes both rank second in Long Island history behind Sayville’s Jack Coan.

Support Marty Lyons Foundation with Disney Raffle

Section XI loves the work that the Marty Lyons Foundation does to help children.

Check out their latest fundraiser …

WIN A 3 Night/4 Day stay at a Walt Disney World Resort for 4 Guests with 4 Day Theme Park Tickets…all courtesy of our friends at ACADEMY TRAVEL!

– Tickets are $20 each or 6 for $100
– ALL proceeds will help us grant wishes to children with critical illnesses
– 
Drawing will be held on December 23, 2024, on Facebook & Instagram LIVE so be sure you’re following us
– Winner need not be present to claim prize
– 
Travel must be booked by January 15, 2025, with travel completed by June 15, 2026. Vacation certificate is void after that date!

Purchase raffle tickets here!

Suffolk Official Honored by LIHCC

Congratulations to longtime Section XI football official Carl Superina on being honored by the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (LIHCC) at their annual “Fiesta Navideña” event as Community Advocate of the Year.

Superina retired from a major investment banking firm, Credit Suisse, after 39 years of service in IT Technology.  In 2019, he joined QnA Technologies, a Cybersecurity and IT Reseller, as their Project Manager.

During the last two years, he led the QnA Team to work closely with LIHCC in transitioning their IT environment to Northwell Health and help LIHCC reach their short-term and plan their strategic goals. He is extremely supportive of the LIHCC and provided a cybersecurity presentation to its members.

He has been a Suffolk County Football Officials Association member for 28 years and officiated many Suffolk County and Long Island Championship games.

In 2024, he was inducted into the College Hall of Fame as the 2023 Suffolk Official of the Year. In 2023, the New York Giants and Nike named Carl as a member of their October HS Officiating Crews for New York State.

In 2022, the NYSACFO awarded him their Merit Award for dedicated, outstanding, community, and meritorious service in New York State.  Carl is a Smithtown Sunrise Rotary Club member and volunteers his services on projects relating to health, hunger, environmental concerns, literacy and vocational assistance, drug abuse, and assisting senior citizens and young people.

In June, Carl introduced Shyla Silva to the Rotary Club and Senator Mario Materr, who presented Shyla with an NYS Proclamation for her continuous community service.

Carl was instrumental in the Rotary Club’s purchase of 25 school backpacks for Shyla’s project for children in need. In addition, Carl coordinated with the Smithtown Library to have a drop box for Shyla’s Halloween Costume donations.  Just recently, Carl introduced the LIHCC to the Literacy Suffolk.

The organization works with adults who need to improve their English speaking, reading, and writing skills to find employment or a better job, help their children in school, and build better communities.