It could be said that Center Moriches stole the Suffolk County Class B boys basketball championship.
Not that the Red Devils didn’t earn every bit of their 88-66 defeat of Mattituck Saturday, from every single one of Micah Snowden’s 34 points to every one of the 19 steals Center Moriches made to every one of the 28 turnovers it forced Mattituck into committing.
It was pilfery at its best. READ
The colors are striking: Bridgehampton’s black and yellow against Greenport’s purple and gold. The Killer Bees and the Porters.
For years the boys basketball teams of the two high schools have been linked in an historic rivalry. Sometimes Bridgehampton has the stronger team; sometimes Greenport has the advantage.
In comparing the two teams, there is one glaring difference. READ
Reckless abandon.
Those were the words Mattituck High School girls basketball coach Steve Van Dood chose to describe Jaden Thompson’s playing style.
“She throws herself on the floor,” he said. “She’s got that toughness.” READ
The Mattituck High School boys basketball team might have known what it had in Luke Woods, but on Valentine’s Day 2019, the Tuckers and their fans fell in love with the precocious freshman.
Once again, Woods showed the moment wasn’t too big for him. A playoff game can be a nerve-racking experience for a veteran player, never mind a freshman, but there was Woods, thrust off the bench and facing Southampton’s high-pressure defense in a tight Suffolk County Class B semifinal on the road.
That’s pressure. READ
The odds were stacked high against Southold. Real high.
Given what the First Settlers were up against, it was hard to imagine a scenario in which Southold would upset Greenport in Wednesday night’s Suffolk County Class C boys basketball final. Just look at what Southold was up against:
League VII champion Greenport, ranked second in the state in Class C by the New York State Sportswriters Association, had won 18 straight games. The Porters, defending Southeast Region champions, have won 22 consecutive league games dating back to last season and are 36-1 in league play over the last three seasons.
Oh, and Southold was up against something else: Ahkee Anderson’s considerable talent. READ
Emily Russell might have been the only girl who had to hustle back and forth between the high jump and shot put areas Monday night. That didn’t prevent the Southold/Greenport senior from setting a personal record in the shot put, though. READ
Finishing as a county runner-up in wrestling is a nice achievement and something to be proud of, especially in Suffolk County, widely regarded as the top wrestling section in New York State.
And yet, at the same time, it’s awfully bittersweet coming so close to that top step on the podium.
Ethan Schmidt and Colby Suglia know the feeling well. Last year the Mattituck/Greenport/Southold wrestlers were both county runner-up finishers.
Now they know what it feels like to be county champions. READ
The similarity was sickening to Steve Van Dood.
Once again, the Mattituck High School girls basketball team played Pierson/Bridgehampton/Shelter Island. Once again, Pierson prevailed, 38-32, Thursday night. And, once again, dismal shooting by Mattituck enabled the Whalers to sink the Tuckers. READ
The Mattituck High School girls basketball players have a way of getting pumped up for games. They huddle up and chant.
“It’s called, ‘Sink Your Teeth, Draw Blood,’ ” senior forward Julie Seifert said. “It’s a little aggressive, but we all chant it.”
Not that the Tuckers really needed added motivation Thursday night in their final regular-season game. A share of the Suffolk County League VI championship was at stake — not to mention a chance for a bite of revenge in their biggest game of the season to this point. READ
At the end of Tuesday night’s practice, Mattituck High School boys basketball coach Paul Ellwood had some final business to attend to. He gave the Tuckers’ scorekeeper, senior Dez Whitehurst, a jersey to wear for the team’s final regular-season game the following night.
“I said, ‘This falls in the category of better late than never,’ ” said Ellwood. READ
