For the second straight year Levittown had three players who played on the Empire Games Baseball Team. This year it was Jesse Darcy of Levittown Division, and Dan Horvatt and Tom Orban of MacArthur. What is even more amazing is that for the second straight year all three Levittown pitchers each won a game. Last year it was Dan Weingart, and Josh Flinn of Division, and Jason McCorry of MacArthur.

This year's team made it to the gold medal game for the third straight year, only to drop a thrilling 4-1 game to a very tough western team from the Buffalo area.

The Islanders got off to a good start with a very lopsided 21-10 victory over New York City. Brian Johnson (E. Islip) was the winning pitcher, with some relief help from Paul Rockfield (also of E. Islip). A very odd footnote is that Brian Johnson's dad is a graduate of Levittown Memorial, and Brian is the cousin of Andrew Johnson of MacArthur who was the starting rightfielder for the gold medal winning team from 2000. Big hitters for Long Island were Drew Adler (Sachem) 2 hits, and 2 runs scored, Ryan Rizzo (Commack), 2 hits, and 2 runs scored, Estee Harris (Central Islip) 2 hits, and 5 runs scored, Brian Cippolla (Plainview) with three hits, 3 runs scored and 2 RBI's, Mike Mongello (St. John the Baptist) 2 hits, and shortstop Dennis Donovan (East Moriches) who belted 2 homers, and had 5 RBIs.

In game two LI played the west team, and got beat 9-3, with the lone bright spot being a three homer by Ryan McArdle who blasted a three run homer.

The Islanders bounced right back in game three behind the pitching of Dan Horvatt of MacArthur. LI beat Hudson Valley the eventual bronze medal winner by a score 9-5. What made this game so special was that the team came from behind on two separate occasions to win the game. Dan pitched a very strong game going the distance, and was supported by offense supplied by Drew Adler, 2 hits, Brian Cippolla, 3 hits, and Dennis Donovan, three hits.

In game four Long Island beat the Adirondack region as Division's Jesse Darcy beat them 7-6. Jesse took a shutout into the 6th inning when some shoddy defense (5 errors in two innings) allowed Adirondack back into the game. Matt Lyons (Farmingdale) came in, in the 7th inning getting both hitters he faced out to preserve the victory.

The big hitters this game were Ryan McArdle, Brian Cippolla, and Massapequa's sophomore catcher Tom Caltabiano who had several key hits, and three RBIs, Kraig Binnick (Chaminade) and Drew Adler.

Saturday morning Long Island beat Central New York as MacArthur's Tom Orbon pitched the gem of the tournament for LI. Tom went the distance going 9 tough innings winning 3-2. Tom pitched fantastic, and he was supported by two big homers; one from Estee Harris, and a game winning ninth inning homer by Brian Mongello.

This win put Long Island in the gold medal game against the West, that they lost 4-1, in front of a crowd estimated at 1,500, the largest crowd ever at an Empire State Baseball game.

Once again the Islanders showed that they are one of the top regions in the state for baseball. Players who really displayed tremendous talent against top flight competition were freshman catcher from Sachem Bill Aquillar who displayed tremendous defensive skills, and some very tough hits, Dennis Donovan, Brian Cippolla who was a base hit machine throughout the entire tournament. Another player, Estee Harris, showed that he is one of the top players, in the northeast, but during the tryout, and practice period Estee displayed the most awesome power of any player from Long Island for years.

This team not only starred on the field but they were model citizens off the field drawing positive complimentary comments wherever they went.