Blue Devil Sports News
There are 29 Huntington High School boys’ lacrosse program alumni currently playing in the college ranks. The group includes Steve Mock (HHS ’09-Cornell), Kevin Bilzi (HHS ’09-Hamilton), Brian Ruggiero (HHS ’09, Tufts), Paul Aramanda (HHS ’10-St. Leo’s), Jack Dever (HHS ’10, Rollins), Andrew Sheerin (HHS ’10-Rollins), Ryan Greenhill (HHS ’10-Lynchburg), Nicholas Schoen (HHS ’10-Haverford), John McGrath (HHS ’11-Adelphi), Nick Saputo (HHS ’11-Drexel), Patrick O’Brien (HHS ’11-Geneseo), William Coffey (HHS ’11-Navy Prep), Calvin Bollar (HHS ’11-Nassau), Ryan Mulligan (HHS ’11-Merchant Marine Academy), Michael Marchetta (HHS ’12-Lafayette), Jack Cutrone (HHS ’12-Albany), P.J. Beach (HHS ’12-Ohio Wesleyan), James Neary (HHS ’12-Washington College), Conor Reilly (HHS ’12-Canisius College), Sean Brady (HHS ’07-Stony Brook University), PJ White (HHS ’11-New York Institute of Technology), Jack Castelli (HHS ’11-Trinity College), Frank Caravetto (HHS ’12-Nassau Community College), Jim Roselle (HHS ’11-Nassau Community College), Peter Kingston (HHS ’11-St. Leo’s), Nicholas Wolber (HHS ’10-Widener), Chris McArdle (HHS ’10-Rollins), Connor Knox (HHS ’10-Elizabethtown) and Daniel Plant (HHS ’12-Rutgers).
Wild Scoring Swings
It was a game of wild scoring swings, but in the end, the Huntington High School boys’ basketball team walked away with a satisfying 83-72 victory over visiting Comsewogue in Suffolk League IV play.
The Blue Devils jumped out to an 18-3 lead before the Warriors staged a furious rally, scoring 18 of the next 20 points to grab a 21-20 advantage early in the second quarter. A three-point basket put Comsewogue on top, 40-31 with 1:10 remaining in the half and a lay-up gave the Warriors their biggest lead of the night at ten points with 25 seconds left in the second frame.
Huntington head coach Brian Carey regrouped his troops during halftime and the Blue Devils responded by going on a 28-14 run to regain control of the game. Senior Patrick Reilly hit a three-point jumper from the left side with 1:05 remaining in the third quarter to put the Blue Devils back in front at 56-55. Another long three-pointer by Reilly less than a minute later extended Huntington’s lead to 62-55.
The game played out before a crowd of about 250 in Louis D. Giani Gymnasium and at times took on a playoff atmosphere, with each team’s fans chanting and cheering across the court to one another. The Huntington Booster Club was on hand selling snacks and refreshments and the Highsteppers dance team performed at halftime.
Reilly and Kiernan McGovern both had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Devon Nelson and Kenny McCarthy contributed 14 points each, respectively. Connor Birchard added eight points and Lee Reiver had six. Kevin Montefusco, Alex Castillo and Scott Gulizio combined for another seven points.
HHS Downs Manhasset
The Huntington High School wrestling team downed host Manhasset, 50-27. The Blue Devils received pins from Kyle Mock, Michael Bast, Brandon Mendez, John Mallouk, Nick Lupi and Anthony Puca. John Arceri won by technical fall. Tyshon Parker, Corey Jamison and Carlos Pereira earned decisions.
Manhasset is coached by Stef Sair, a 2002 Huntington state champion and one of the greatest Blue Devil wrestlers ever.
Ray-Ray and Forster with Double-Doubles
Heather Forster (18 points and 10 rebounds) and Raynisha Witherspoon (12 points, 11 rebounds and six steals) had double-doubles to lead the Huntington High School girls’ basketball past host Comsewogue, 49-33.
The Blue Devils jumped out to a 23-14 first half lead and never looked back. Katie Nugent had 10 points and eight assists. Joellen Ceide pulled down nine rebounds and added three points. Tara Byrnes (four points) and Caitlin Knowles (two points) also scored for Huntington.
Blue Devils 3rd at PJ
The Huntington High School wrestling team went 4-1 in the Port Jervis dual meet tournament to claim third place. The Blue Devils topped Goshen (69-18), Middletown (38-36), Port Jervis (45-36) and Mahopac (46-30). Huntington’s lone loss came to tournament champion Valley Central, 45-34.
Puca Ranked Nationally
Former Huntington High School wrestling great Louis Puca, who is now a sophomore at SUNY Cortland, was chosen at the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference’s Wrestler of the Week for the week ending December 2. The Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference consists of Brockport, Cortland, Ithaca, Lycoming, Messiah, Oneonta, Oswego and Rochester Institute of Technology.
Puca, who is ranked No. 10 in NCAA Division III, won the 174-pound weight class at the Messiah College Petrofes Invitational. Ranked 10th nationally and seeded second, Puca went 4-0 with a pin and a technical fall. He defeated the top-seeded and nationally third-ranked wrestler from Gettysburg, Zach Thomson, in the championship match. For the season, Puca is 13-3 with five pins, a technical fall and four major decisions. He owns a lifetime college mark of 34-13.
With the Blue Devils, Puca placed second in the county and state tournaments as a junior. He was upset in the Section XI semi-finals as a senior and denied a return trip to state finals after finishing third in Suffolk.
Cortland is ranked sixth in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III poll.
HHS Boys’ BB Falls in Tournament
The Huntington High School boys’ basketball team was in a real battle with visiting Kings Park last week in the consolation round of the Bob Grant Invitational Tournament in Louis D. Giani Gymnasium, until the Kingsmen went on a 23-8 third quarter run to gain control of the game and go on to a 68-55 victory.
The two teams fought to a 13-13 first quarter stalemate before the Blue Devils fell behind by halftime, 29-25. Huntington did rally in the final frame, but it was too late.
Kiernan McGovern led Huntington with 12 points. Patrick Reilly added 11 points and hit on three three-point baskets. Connor Blanchard and Kevin Montefusco scored eight points apiece. Devon Nelson had seven points. Alex Castillo, Kenny McCarthy and Lee Reiver combined to score nine points off the bench.
In the tournament’s semi-final round, Huntington fell to Smithtown West, 88-67. The Blue Devils trailed early, 17-7 and were behind at halftime, 40-26. Smithtown West then put the game away with a 31-14 third quarter run to push its lead past 30 points.
Kiernan McGovern scored 15 points to pace Huntington. Devon Nelson pumped in 13 points and Kevin Montefusco scored nine points. Patrick Reilly and Kenny Charles each had eight points. Kenny McCarthy, Connor Birchard and Lee Reiver scored four points each. Alex Castillo had three points. Scott Gulizio had one point.
Blue Devil Fencing Rolls
The Huntington High School boys’ fencing team topped host Half Hollow Hills, 17-10. Nick Freiman and Joe Rizzi each compiled 3-0 records in foil to help lift the Blue Devils to victory.
Huntington’s boys’ fencers bested host Newfield, 20-7 as Brent Filippini went 3-0 in saber action and James Montefusco and Richard Hermer-Fried were 3-0 in epee.
The Blue Devils were not as fortunate against Commack as Huntington lost, 17-10.
The Huntington girls’ fencing team defeated Half Hollow Hills, 18-9 as Maggie Askerberg went 3-0 in foil. The Blue Devils earlier topped Newfield, 17-10. Mary Sheehan was 3-0 in epee.
The Commack girls’ team proved to be too much for Huntington to handle as the Blue Devils fell, 19-8.
Scott Leads Blue Devil Swimmers
Defending state champion Gunther Cassell won the 50-yard freestyle in 22.41 seconds and the 100-yard butterfly in 56.63 to help the Huntington High School boys’ swimming team glide past Central Islip, 91-80.
Tom Scott captured the 200-yard individual medley in 2:08 and the 200-yard freestyle in 2:01.94. Dan McCartney grabbed the 100-yard freestyle in 53.75 and the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:12.59.