The Huntington High School golf program has been one of Suffolk’s best over the past decade, but with several of its stars graduating last June the Blue Devils are sending a young team onto the course this fall.
Huntington saw state tournament qualifiers Tyler Gerbavsits and Matt Giamo move on to college. The duo left behind an 11-man squad that features only one senior.
Huntington golf coach Michael Marinello.
Coached by high school physical education teacher Michael Marinello, the team’s roster also includes a seventh grader, three freshmen, two sophomores and four juniors.
The Blue Devil squad consists of Kyle Colleluori, Robert Eriksen, Jack Giamo, Matthew Girimonti, John Lourenso, Anthony Marti, Jack Monahan, Carl Pulizzotto, Joseph Sclafani, Nicholas Sclafani and Patrick Sclafani.
The Blue Devils’ home course is the Huntington Crescent Club. Huntington competes in a league that includes Commack, Half Hollow Hills East, Half Hollow Hills West, John H. Glenn and Walt Whitman.
Through the first half of the schedule, Huntington’s top golfers based on their average score for nine holes have been Pat Sclafani (40.5), Jack Giamo (41.1), John Lourenso (43.6), Kyle Collelouri (43.9), Joe Sclafani (47.0), Jack Monahan (52.3) and Nick Sclafani (52.6).
Marinello believes that several of Huntington’s golfers are skilled enough right now to do well in the post-season if they have a good day and get hot on the course. The coach said his team is striving for consistency as are all golfers worldwide.
Marinello has been a Huntington physical education teacher since September 1995. He earlier taught at Western Suffolk BOCES for five years. A graduate of Sachem High School, he earned an undergraduate degree at Springfield College in physical education and a master’s degree at Stony Brook University in liberal studies with a concentration in health science. He has coached high school golf, high school and middle school wrestling, JV tennis and middle school baseball and boys’ track and field. He is a CPR and First Aid trainer. He has also been a volunteer emergency medical technician.