Hockey on Long Island, sports longest season is coming to a close. Tryouts were in June, training camp in September. The season started in October, and the rewards are coming in February and March. It has been a long season for the New York Bobcats Bantam Major Team (14 year olds). Coach Andy Cozzi of Newbridge Arena in Bellmore trained this group of first time teammates. This hard working dedicated group of athletes hail from all over Long Island with one boy coming from The Czech Republic. A great story about an underdog team came to a happy ending this past weekend when the Bobcats clinched a spot in the Long Island Amateur Hockey League Playoffs, solidifying an invitation to the New York State Amateur Hockey Association Tournament outside Syracuse March 14-16.

Many "experts" doubted Coach Cozzi when he stated back in Training Camp that "this group would turn some heads in the LI Hockey world." In an early season team meeting, Coach Cozzi informed his new group that he expected to return to The State Tournament for his sixth consecutive year. The parents and the boys were skeptical since these Bobcats had never been to "States." Coach Cozzi was lured to the N.Y. Bobcats Tier I organization after a successful stretch with the Green Machine Tier II organization. Coach Cozzi led his Green Machine Teams to five straight trips to the State Championships.

Coach's first order of business was to convince elite players to join forces with the Bobcats, a hard chore since the Cats had never been an organization that was known for winning. One of the first to sign on was a Cozzi disciple, Farmingdale's Mickey Venezia. Mickey, a defenseman played for Cozzi the past two seasons. Being a former Bobcat, he knew the Coach and his very demanding approach to the game of hockey had his work cut out for him. Former Cozzi player Jeremy Deutsch from Lloyd Harbor quickly seized the opportunity. Jules Sinkovic who last season was playing in the Czech Republic was brought in to produce on offense. Chris Lloyd from Lindenhurst and Zach Josepher from Wantagh were brought in from outside the Bobcat organization to add strength, talent and size. Cozzi had a few of the pieces it would take to make a sixth trip to "States." Tryouts were hectic as the Coach tried to fit together the puzzle. Veteran Bobcat players Zach Ajzenman from Woodbury, Patrick McAuley from Mt. Sinai, Andrew Tully from Laurel Hollow, Bobby Werner from Babylon and Huntington's Kenny Walsh and Jon Weintraub provided a talented core. Danny Cassano from Deer Park and Michael Marcou added the speed. Goaltenders Michael Blach from Levittown and Chris Schulman from Smithtown made the final cut and the NY Bobcats Bantam Major team was formed. These "Cats" got off to a fine start but still added a quality player in Danny Markowitz from Jericho and finally adding Chris Gardner to round out the roster.

Jules Sinkovic, clearly one of the top players in the league, paced the offense with deft passing and a great shot. Ajzenman, Cassano, Walsh, and McAuley collected points with smart passing and timely goals. Tully, Werner and Gardner provided depth and talent. Two-way players Deutsch, Markowitz and Josepher played both offense and defense giving Coach Cozzi various options. Defense is always needed to win and this Bobcat team played team defense, a staple for a winning organization. The defense zone coverage and the hustle it takes to achieve is a great credit to the entire team. The backliners Mickey Venezia, Chris Lloyd, Michael Marcou and Jon Weintraub played unselfish "D" all season long. Goaltenders Blach and Schulman shared the duties of a successful season.

A long season it has been, there still is work to be done, first the Atlantic Leauge Playoffs next the LI Hockey Playoffs, then off to 'States."

Regardless of the outcome it has been a successful season of hockey and most of all every kid has had some fun.