The “early” winter season is now underway at J. Taylor Finley Middle School with two boys’ basketball teams and a girls’ volleyball squad. All three teams has 10 game schedules filled with Suffolk opponents.
The turnouts for basketball and volleyball were both staggering. Interest in the athletic program has been running very high at Finley as the fall season was equally popular.
The boys’ basketball squad coached by Finley physical education teacher Timothy Madden includes seventh graders Gavin Deegan, William Fallon, Chase Gadaire, Tyler Hotine, Thomas Kline, Colin Lennon, Brian Lynch, Timothy McDonald, Christian Mugno, Nicholas Plachta, Ryan Scanlon, James Taylor, Jordan Thorbourne and James Vohs and eighth graders John Genova, Thomas Girimonti, Christopher Grover, Roberto Rodriquez Bolanos and Eli Soric.
Madden has been a Huntington physical education teacher since September 2002. A graduate of Hauppauge High School, he obtained an undergraduate degree at SUNY Cortland and a master’s degree at Stony Brook University. He has coached football, basketball, baseball, track, lacrosse and softball at various levels.
The boys’ basketball team coached by Huntington High School physical education Alex Nelson is comprised of seventh graders Lucas DeDora, Justin D’Eloia, Aaron Idise, George Mueger, Dominic Parides, Sean Posillico, Jamaar Spratley, Harrison Uvena and Adrian White and eighth graders Harrison Baliber, Luke Calabria, Theodore Dannhauser, Jasper Elgart, Peter Leavy, Christian Normoyle, Nicholas Sclafani and Joseph Fink.
Nelson has been a Huntington physical education teacher since September 2017. A graduate of Smithtown High School East, he obtained his undergraduate degree at Adelphi University, where he dual majored in physical education and accounting. He is currently working towards his master’s degree in health education.
Licensed by Eastern New York Youth Soccer as a professional soccer trainer working for Long Island Professional Soccer, Mr. Nelson has coached middle school and JV soccer and middle school basketball. He trains travel soccer teams for the Long Island Junior Soccer League.
Finley Girls’ Volleyball
There is incredible interest in the Finley girls’ volleyball program. The team is coached by Woodhull Intermediate School physical education teacher Carrie Postel.
Finley’s roster includes seventh graders Brianna Borenstein, Sophie Carlson, Alexandra Centrone, Charlotte Curtin, Lauren Donaghy, Alyssa Evans, Jenna Italiano, Kaylee Smalling and Devon St. John and eighth graders Kathryn Barba, Tess Calabria, Zaida Correal, Chloe Hunt, Joanna Lee, Jessica Maixner, Andrea Martinez-Posantes, Isabella McCarthy, Neurdia Osias, Aylana Powell and Reese Rinaldi.
Postel has been a Huntington physical education teacher since September 2001. A graduate of Sachem North High School, she obtained undergraduate and graduate degrees from Long Island University-C.W. Post and Touro College, respectively. Before coming to the district, she was a part-time health and physical education teacher in the neighboring Elwood School District. She also previously worked as a permanent substitute teacher in Sachem.
Postel has coached varsity, junior varsity and middle school girls’ volleyball and middle school girl’s track and field.