PHOTOS! East Rockaway J.V. Hockey team wins championship

The Rockville Centre/East Rockaway/Hewlett Cyclones junior varsity ice hockey team clinched the New York Islanders High School Hockey League Championship following a season marked by intense competition and steady progress.

The team, made up of 13- to 15-year-old players, pulled off a dominant playoff run, defying expectations as underdogs.

Sponsored and organized by the New York Islanders, the competition showcases the top high school and middle school hockey talent on Long Island. The league is divided into junior varsity, middle school and varsity divisions, with the Cyclones fielding teams in each.

To secure the championship, the team needed to beat the Plainview/Old Bethpage Hawks, who boasted the league’s best regular-season record, 17-1.

The title match began slowly, however, the Cyclones managed to muster up some early pressure against the Hawks goaltender, forcing 13 saves early into the game.

Following a scoreless first period, it was the Hawks who would strike first, nabbing the go-ahead goal less than two minutes into the second period.

But the lead was short-lived as the Cyclones responded 27 seconds later with a goal by Chase Oliverio of Rockville Centre to tie the game.

Things soon took a surprising turn as the Cyclones scored six unanswered goals to establish a commanding 7-1 lead into the third period.

The Cyclones would extend their scoring streak to eight off a goal just 24 seconds into the third period.

Although the Hawks managed to rally back, scoring five more goals, including three off the power play, the Cyclones sealed their victory with a late unassisted goal by Gevin Cook, also of Rockville Centre, to win the championship, 9-6.

Five of the Cyclones players, all forwards, contributed to the victory. Nathan Sobel, led the team with a hat trick, Efraim Ilyaich, recorded two goals and two assists and George Chikvanaia, added a goal and three assists, tied for the team leader with four points each. Oliverio also scored two goals and Cook nabbed two points for a goal and an assist.

Ilyaich, 14, of Hewlett, credited his team's offensive surge to effective spacing, power play opportunities, and maintaining possession. He also highlighted the importance of winning faceoffs during opponents' power plays, which helped mitigate the man disadvantage.

“The Hawks had some of the best players in the league,” he said. “No one actually thought we were going to play like we did, and it worked in our favor.”

Despite the high-scoring nature of the game, the Cyclones' defense played a crucial role. Goalie Matthew Prezioso, of Rockville Centre, made 26 saves while playing all 45 minutes. Defenseman Ethan Epstein also played a significant part, contributing three assists.

“We all started moving the puck,” Ilyaich added. “We all started feeling each other towards the end, and that gave us our drive to win.”

The Cyclones finished the regular season with a record of 10-5-3 placing third in a competitive Western division. The team narrowly made the playoffs, edging out Bellmore/Merrick’s JV team by a single point.

Head coach Tim McManus, who has worked with all three Cyclones teams since 2018, emphasized the importance of turning the season around and making every game count.

“It was a very coachable group, which I believe always helps lead to improvement and eventual success,” McManus said.

He noted that the team’s attendance at practices improved as the season progressed, and the players became more receptive to coaching.

Lauren Sobel, a Hewlett parent, praised McManus and the coaching staff for maximizing each player's potential.

“When every line went out, they were working hard and making plays together,” Sobel said. “I think that made a huge difference, and that has a lot to do with the coaching.”

As the Cyclones look ahead to next season, they face the challenge of replacing players who will age out of the JV league.

McManus said that tryouts later this month will determine the extent of roster changes, with several players likely moving up to the varsity team. Ilyaich, who will be entering 10th grade, has already expressed his intention to join the varsity squad next season. Despite the potential hurdles, McManus remains optimistic about the team’s future.

“My goal is not just to win but to make sure that every player on my squad loves the game more and more each week,” he said. “I think we did a good job accomplishing that last year.”