Athletes Invited to Annual Nationwide 10K Run for Aspire

Runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes of all ages and levels of ability are invited to join in on Sunday, April 1 at the H.B. Mattlin Middle School in Plainview for the 35th annual running of the Nationwide 10 kilometer Run for ASPIRE.

The run will once again be utilizing the traditional challenging but fair course through the roads of Plainview and Old Bethpage, starting and finishing at the H.B. Mattlin Middle School on Washington Avenue in Plainview. New Race Director Karen Schackner is putting together an event that promises to be the biggest and best ASPIRE Run ever!

The host Greater Long Island Running Club is pleased to have the continuing support of Anthony Wiszowaty of Nationwide, with his agency and many of the other Nationwide agents on Long Island stepping up to honor the memory of GLIRC’s and Nationwide’s own Stanley Kramberg, with the entire net proceeds of the event once again being turned over to the ASPIRE Program for the rehabilitation of young amputees, and ASPIRE’s Stanley Kramberg Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Islanders Host Successful Lighthouse International Tournament

Fifth-annual event showcases talent from across the world

For the fifth consecutive year, pee-wee hockey players from across the globe descended upon Long Island to compete in the New York Islanders annual Lighthouse International Youth Hockey Tournament. Charles B. Wang’s Project Hope charity and the Islanders Children’s Foundation funded this unique international tournament with the goal of creating opportunities for cultural exchange through youth hockey events.

After three days full of games, Finland’s Ilves Islanders skated away with the gold and silver medals in a thrilling back and forth final. They showcased a group of talented young players with the ability and hockey sense of much older teams.

Japan, which traveled the furthest to attend the tournament, showed their European friends and North American hosts that the under-represented hockey nation is growing a crop of young, smooth skaters.

Massapequa Girls Basketball Dominating Conference AA-I Play

This year, the Massapequa High School girls’ basketball squad is jumping out of the gate quickly. Not only are they undefeated in Conference AA-I play, they are doing so by grabbing big first quarter leads and then sailing on to victory. Their current record is 11-0 overall and 7-0 in Conference AA-I play.

Back from a successful first half of the season, the Lady Chiefs remain in top form, defeating Hempstead, Syosset, and Oceanside all by lopsided margins.

As usual, the Massapequa scoring attack has been balanced. In the 67-29 win over Hempstead, Sarah Grzybowski scored 12 points, but the Lady Chiefs also had 11 other players scoring points, including Rachel Sieber with nine points and Sabrini Fregosi and Michelle Lupoli with eight points.

Diemicke Stars For FSC at Meet

The Farmingdale State men’s and women’s indoor track team competed in the Long Island Indoor Championship at St. Anthony’s High School on Friday, January 20, hosted by St. John’s University. The men’s team was highlighted by a new school record in the Weight Throw, while the women improved two ECAC qualifying marks.

Among those competing was Marjorie Diemicke of North Massapequa. The 4x400 meter relay team of Ms. Diemicke, Druscilla Dickson, Akimmie Parker and junior Kathleen Clermont moved to sixth All-Time with a fifth place finish in a time of 4:25.24.   

Banner Season for Ralph Caccavale

After a stellar football career at Plainedge High School, defensive back Ralph Caccavale has reaped several honors for his top-notch play.

Caccavale was selected as both a member of Newsday’s 2011 All-Long Island football team and as a second team member of the 2011 NYSSWA All-State football squad.

The senior and Thorp Award finalist made 45 tackles with six interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. Caccavale also rushed for 1,388 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Massapequa Girls Basketball Wins KSA Holiday Classic

Lady Chiefs tied for first in conference play

With the second half of the 2011-2012 season underway, the Massapequa High School girls basketball team is off to another great start. Massapequa is tied for first in Conference AA-I play with a 4-0 record and an 8-1 tally overall. Added on to this, in December, the Lady Chiefs traveled to Orlando, FL, where the team won the KSA Holiday Classic.

And as action picked up on Jan. 6, the Lady Chiefs could look back at a sterling first half. After losing their opener to Sacred Heart on Dec. 10, Massapequa reeled off six straight victories, capped by a close 51-48 triumph over Kellenberg on Dec. 30.

Jenny Perucca Named to MAC Academic Honor Roll

Former Massapequa High School standout Jenny Perucca has been named to the MAC Academic Honor Roll for Misericordia University’s field hockey team.

Perucca, a sophomore Speech Pathology major, started one game and played in eight games for the Cougars.

Championship Plaque for the Amazing Ruth Maller

The Dec. 20 Open General Meeting of the Greater Long Island Running Club served as the Club’s Awards Night for 2011 and Ruth Maller of Massapequa Park was among the award winners.

 The Meeting was held in the auditorium of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library before an audience of nearly 300.

Jillian Lasota, Teammates Named ECAC Metro All-Stars

The Eastern College Athletic Conference announced the 2011 ECAC Division III Metro Women’s Soccer All-Stars. Farmingdale State had a Skyline Conference leading four players named All-Stars as junior defender Jillian Lasota of Massapequa, plus junior forward Corine Magee, junior midfielder Jamie Smith, Ronkonkoma and senior defender Katrina Cerverizzo, Center Moriches each earned Second Team honors.

Ms. Lasota started every game and anchored a defense that held an impressive 0.57 goals against average. The Rams finished tied for first in the Skyline after allowing only 13 goals this season.

Honors For A Legendary Coach

MHS Wrestling Room Named for Al Bevilacqua

The Massapequa School District recently decided to name the Massapequa High School wrestling room after former legendary coach, educator and mentor: Al Bevilacqua.

In connection with the naming of the wrestling room in honor of Coach Bevilacqua, the Friends of Massapequa Wrestling, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to fostering the sport of wrestling in Massapequa, pledged to pay for the renovation of the high school’s wrestling room.