J. Taylor Finley Middle School has a boys’ volleyball team this winter for the first time in many years. The team was re-established with the support and encouragement of Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky.
The team is bused immediately after school to Woodhull Intermediate School, where it practices in the gym there. Games will be played in the Finley gym. A Hudl camera has been installed in the gym so games can be livestreamed and viewed on Huntington UFSD’s YouTube channel.
The team is coached by Washington Primary School physical education teacher Eric Mininni. It consists of seventh graders Lucas Biancardo, Nikolay Caldwell, Eric Heinz, Zachary Matthews, Dylan Michaelson and Charlie Stanforth and eighth graders Eoin Charles, Kevin Dominguez, Joseph Gilhuley, Spencer James, Jeremyah Leiva, Alvin Luna, Caleb Palermo, Markis Ponce and John Reyes.
Mininni has been a Huntington physical education teacher since September 1998. A graduate of Oceanside High School, he obtained an undergraduate degree at Towson State University in athletic training and physical education and a master’s degree at Adelphi University in health.
Mr. Minnini has coached high school softball, middle school, junior varsity and varsity boys’ and girls’ volleyball, middle school boys’ track and field, junior varsity girls’ tennis and middle school boys’ tennis.
Finley will play a 10 game schedule this winter. There are home games with West Islip-Udall, Stimson, Candlewood, Great Hollow and West Islip-Beach. Away games are scheduled with East Northport, Lindenhurst, Central Islip, Northport and West Hollow.
The first game is set for February 7. The season wraps up on March 14.