Banner year for local sports

It was a banner season for many high school sports teams in the Herald’s coverage area and here are the Herald’s picks for the Top 10 team accomplishments, in date order. 

1. South Side boys’ soccer

A year after scoring the winning goal in the Nassau Class A boys’ soccer championship game, South Side’s Ben Tetelman set it up. Mark Romanowski’s picture-perfect header off Tetleman’s corner kick 11:14 into the first half gave the Cyclones a 1-0 victory over Wantagh and their second straight county title. “It’s a play we practiced hundreds of times,” South Side coach Fred Paul said. Goalkeeper Deven Kholsa, in posting his 11th shutout of the year, made four saves behind a defense led by Jeff Cohen, Mike Hayes, Will Nelson and Kyle Morrissey.

2. Kennedy boys volleyball

Two and half years, three seasons and three Nassau County Championships — that’s likely how seniors on the Kennedy boys’ volleyball team will remember their time as Cougars. Kennedy swept Floral Park 25-16, 25-17 and 26-24 in the Class B championship to take home crown No. 3. Having watched tape on Floral Park to prepare, first-year head coach Dennis Ringle said they had a set game plan coming in. Tournament MVP Ben Hirschler and Brian O’Gorman led the way for Kennedy, which lost a five-set heartbreaker to Eastport-South Manor for the L.I. Class B title.  

3. Lynbrook football

For the first time since 2003, the Long Island Class III football champions reside in Nassau. Trailing Sayville by a point early in the fourth quarter, Lynbrook’s defense forced a key turnover and its offense did the rest. Kendall Bruton’s interception set up Travis Lock’s go-ahead 2-yard touchdown run with 7:28 remaining and the Owls went on to beat the Golden Flashes, 42-27. “When you win a championship, it’s not about two or three players it’s about everyone wearing a uniform and everyone on the coaching staff,” Lynbrook head coach Steve LoCicero said. 

4. Long Beach wrestling