Runners Invited to Pre-Long Island Marathon Runsmart Clinic

Everyone who is planning to participate in the Long Island Marathon, Half Marathon or 10 Kilometer Run on Sunday, May 6 is invited to attend the “Pre-Long Island Marathon RunSmart Clinic” on Thursday evening, April 26. Admission is free.

The clinic will be held in the auditorium of the Bethpage Public Library, 47 Powell Avenue in Bethpage, starting promptly at 7 p.m.

Winter 2011-2012 Portledge School Athletic Recap

It was the winter of the hardwood as the Portledge Varsity Basketball teams dominated the winter athletic scene. Varsity Girls Basketball led the way by winning a third consecutive IPPSAL Championship, reaching the semifinals of the prestigious NYSAISAA Class C Girls Basketball Tournament and establishing an overall record of 26-2.

This record and the .930 winning percentage that goes along with it are among the finest overall marks in school history. Congratulations to seniors Lisa Dourmashkin ’12 (Locust Valley) and Alexa Lodenquai ’12 (Westbury) who graduate with three consecutive IPPSAL Championships, coaches Skip Amadio, John Greene and Francesca Maiello, and the rest of the Lady Panthers squad. Watch out for this team next winter as sophomore sensation Tamara Simpson ’14 (North Babylon), who is arguably one of the top ten players in the state, returns, along with dominating defensive center Ceci Mulry ’13 (Glen Cove) and lightning quick guard Kristie Kelly ’13 (Oyster Bay).

SHS Hosts Annual Sports Night

More than 200 juniors and seniors participated in a spirited competition of scooter races, a shuttle run, volleyball and tug of war at Syosset High School’s Sports Night on Friday, March 2. For more than 15 years, this annual event continues to foster school spirit and reinforce the importance of teamwork, unity and trust.

Local Athletes Score Big in 50 and 25K Runs

With 400 registrants and 335 finishers, this year’s Merrell of Huntington Village Caumsett State Park 50 and 25 K Runs shattered all previous totals, as this event continues to grow and grow. The Run was held on the traditional 5K loop course once again this year, with 112 athletes successfully completing the 50K and 233 finishing the 25K.

Among the top finishers in the 50 K Run were Kim Solomine of Syosset, who was the 11th woman overall with a time of 4:36:28 and Patrick Riccardi of Plainview (4:48:47).  Among the top finishers in the 25K were Aaron Lewis of Jercho (1:57:14), Jessica Petrina of Plainview (2:00:38), Steven Girardi of Syosset (2:12:51)Keith Kleiman of Syosset (2:28:07), Guy Klarfeld of Plainview (2:42:54), and Larry Kurtzman of Plainview (3:01:57).

SHS Football Team Visit Robbins Lane Students

To share their love of reading and literacy, 45 Syosset High School football players recently visited the elementary students at Robbins Lane School.  The athletes spoke about the importance of strong reading skills, maintaining good grades, and how PRIDE (patience, respect, integrity, dignity and empathy) has helped guide them in school.

Islanders Playing First NHL Game at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center

Game to be held October 2 against the New Jersey Devils

The New York Islanders will play the first-ever NHL game at Barclays Center on Tuesday, Oct. 2, when they take on the New Jersey Devils at 7:30 p.m. The preseason game will mark the first hockey event at Barclays Center, the new major sports and entertainment venue, which will officially open on Sept. 28 with the first of multiple Jay-Z concerts. The game will also mark the first NHL game to be played in Brooklyn.

“We’re extremely excited to play the first NHL game in the new, state-of-the-art Barclays Center,” Islanders General Manager Garth Snow said.  “We already have some of the most passionate fans in the league supporting our young team, and we are looking forward to expanding our base into Brooklyn.”

Check Presented to “The Opening Word”

Among the highlights of the Feb. 21, 2012 General Open Meeting of the Greater Long Island Running Club was a presentation of a check in the amount of $2500 to the Opening Word Program.

Giants Captain Visits Long Island for Pizza Friday

Justin Tuck awarded keys to county, presented with $10,000 charity donation

Football season may be officially over but that did not stop New York Giants captain and Super Bowl XLVI champion Justin Tuck from indulging in the team’s traditional pizza Friday during a visit to Umberto’s Pizzeria  & Restaurant of New Hyde Park on Friday, Feb. 9.

As packs of fans gathered to catch a glimpse of their hero outside the popular neighborhood restaurant, inside Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and other county officials presented Tuck with the keys to the county and a citation for his work promoting children’s literacy through his R.U.S.H. for Literacy foundation.

An excited Mangano thanked Nassau County football fans for their enthusiasm and emphasized the positive economic impact the Giants’ Super Bowl XLVI win had on the local economy. He equally praised Tuck’s accomplishments on and off the football field. “He is a charitable man, he gives back,” Mangano said. “It’s such a breath of fresh air when you see someone succeed and they pause to give back to those who would otherwise not have opportunity. He really is a symbol of the American dream,” Mangano added.

Woodbury, Plainview Residents Lead The Way in Run Nassau Series

Three hundred ninety-eight hardy soles braved the inclement weather on Saturday morning, February 11 at the Old Bethpage Restoration Village, and when the snowflakes had settled 22 year old Bradley Raxenberg of Woodbury and 31 year old Shari Klarfeld on Plainview emerged as the top male and female finishers overall.  The OBVR 5 Kilometer Run was the kickoff event of the new RunNassau Series of races leading up to the Long island Marathon in May.

Raxenberg crossed the finish line of this not-so-easy course in 17 minutes, 30 seconds, nearly a full minute in front of runner-up John Theissen of Seaford.  Klarfeld scored first among the women (beating all but the first three men in the process!) in 19:17.

SHS Student Breaks High School Dive Record

Qualifies for Diving Nationals for second year in a row

With every step, hop and dive off the board, he zones in on the task at hand. With each ladder climbed and dive finished, he awaits the score. Some scores mean more than others, but one hit home with ninth-grade Syosset High School diver Nicholas Woska.

His nickname growing up was “Tigger” because like his bounce off the diving board, Woska never stopped bouncing off of anything.

Woska broke the long-standing high school 11-dive record by scoring a 366 in this year’s Nassau County High School Championship. SHS Alum Richard Gorle previously held the record but, tragically, passed away in a traffic accident last year.