Athletics News

Congratulations to our Varsity Flag Football team who won their first game 27-19 vs. Locust Valley at Alumni Field. These women are real pioneers as they become the first official competitive flag football team in school history!

Long Beach High School Host Girls Flag Football Jamboree

On Saturday, April 2nd, Long Beach Public School's Athletic Department hosted a Girl's Flag Football clinic at Veteran's Field. Pictured are all the teams from the nine high schools from around Nassau County who will be participating in the inaugural season of Varsity Girls Flag Football. Long Beach High School Varsity Girls Flag Football team is led by Coaches Rocky Butler and Lori DeVivio. We are proud of the Long Beach High School girls who are part of this season. The team begins its regular season on Monday, April 11th at home vs. Locust Valley at 5 p.m. at Long Beach High School Alumni Field.

Long Beach High School Host Girls Flag Football Jamboree

Congratulations to Gordon Gerstner on qualifying for the NYS Golf Championships at Cornell University June 2nd thru June 4th.

Golf

Long Beach HS Annual Steeple Fest

Congratulations Hockey Team - Nassau County Champs

The Long Beach Marines Hockey Team last night won the Nassau County Championship in a thrilling 2-0 shutout in a Game 3 deciding game over Bethpage HS. Sean Niland netted a pair of goals in the 10 minute mini-game to seal the deal for the Marines. The boys are now off to Jamestown NY for a shot at another NYS title March 2-4.

Boys Swim Wins County Championship

Pictured above are Boys Swim team members who won the Nassau County Swimming and Diving Championships at Nassau Aquatic Center. Highlights included: A County Title for the 200 Free Relay consisting of Ryan Aroesty, Aidan Kennedy, Griffen Schimmel and Troy Morris who qualified for the State Championships in this event. Aroesty broke three school records in the 200 Individual Medley, 100 Fly and 50 Free qualifying for State Championships in each event. In addition to qualifying in the Relay, Morris qualified in the 50 and 100 Free and Medley Relay and Schimmel qualified in the 500 Free. Other State qualifiers include Elias Richter (100 Breaststroke, Medley Relay), Dylan Harrington (Medley Relay), Ethan Bonney (500 Free).

County Champions
200 Freestyle Relay- Ryan Aroesty, Aidan Kennedy, Griffen Schimmel & Troy Morris - County Champs
Ryan Aroesty broke the school records in the 200IM, 100 Fly and the 50 Free.
Congratulations to State Qualifiers:
Senior Troy Morris- 50 free, 100 free, Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay
Junior Ryan Aroesty- 100 Fly, 200 IM, 50 Free,200 Free Relay, Medley Relay
Freshman Elias Richter- 100 Breast, Medley Relay
Senior Dylan Harrington - Medley Relay
Freshman Griffin Schimmel- 500 Free, 200 Free Relay
Senior Ethan Bonney- 500 Free
Junior Aidan Kennedy - 200 Free Relay

Rodriguez Places in Top Wrestling Tournament

Elijah Rodriguez placed 5th in The Beast of the East Wrestling Tournament at the University of Delaware. Elijah won 5 of 7 matches with 3 pins over some of the top wrestlers in the nation. Pictured are Coach Palacio, Elijah, Coach Rodriguez and Coach Adams.

Long Beach Honors Outstanding Physical Education Students

Ava de Bruin and Jesse Scott are shown above receiving the Long Beach High School Outstanding Physical Education Students of the Year from the Nassau Zone Chapter of the New York State Health, Physical Education and Dance. Ava and Jesse were honored along with other students from around Nassau County at a dinner at Crest Hollow Country Hollow Country Club.

Long Beach Wrestling hosted its annual "Battle at the Beach" tournament on on 12/1 and 12/2 where over 200 varsity wrestlers and 175 junior varsity wrestlers from 16 schools competed. One on the highlights of the weekend is the welcoming back of former Long Beach Wrestlers and Coaches which are picture below.

wrestling pic

2017 High School Physical Education Volleyball Team Champions

9th grade photo

9th Grade winners left to right: MORGAN POLETE, CHRISTINA KILLEN, GIA SIMBARI, JOHN FARINA, HUNTER BLOOMER, GRIFFEN SCHIMMEL, MICHAEL KOROTZ, VALENTINA ESCOBAR, HAYLEY FALLON

10th-12th photo

10-12th winners: BEN ALBERGO, BLAISE DERENZE, TROY MORRIS, EMMA PFAFF, CHRIS SCANDOLE, LIAM RADIN

Girls Varsity Volleyball Wins 2017 Nassau County Championship

Girls Varsity Volleyball won the Nassau County Championship beating Massapequa at SUNY-Old Westbury.

Congratulations Nassau County Finalist Boys Badminton team

badminton image

Boys Badminton team made it to the Nassau County finals for the first time ever. In individual play, the following team members earned:

All County Honors: Ryan Selkirk & Terence O’Neil: All County doubles
All Conference: Rob Dumitriu, Peter Miecszkowski, Terrance O'Neil Jesse Scott, Ryan Selkirk, Jared Starman, Billy Tighe, George Ventura

Girls Swimmers Qualify for NY State Championships

The Girls' Varsity Swim Team had an amazing Division Championships! The 400 yd. Freestyle Relay Team of Freshman Kaylee Low, Sophomore Isabella Defonte and Juniors Kaley Skarren and Emily McDonnell not only won the event, but qualified for the NYS Championships as well as being the fastest team in the County. Kaley Skarren won the 100 yd & 200 yd Freestyle, both with NYS Qualifying times, Isabella Defonte won the 100 yd Backstroke with a NYS Qualifying time in addition to her previous 100 yd.Butterfly Qualifying time. McDonnell is the Division Champion in the 200 IM. County Championships are Nov 3 & 4.

Cheerleaders Attend Annual Camp

The Long Beach Cheerleaders participated in a camp put on by nationally renowned cheerleading organization UCA. The cheerleaders learned dance routines, cheers and sidelines throughout the two days. They also learned new jumps and raised their stunting ability and are excited to use what they learned in the upcoming seasons and competitions.

Teemer Qualifies for USA World Team

Long Beach High School junior JACORI TEEMER turned in an outstanding performance by winning the U.S.A. Wrestling Cadet World Team Trials in Akron, Ohio this weekend. Teemer won 7 matches on the weekend including a sweep of the best 2 of 3 series in the finals verses the #2 ranked wrestler in the nation at 138 lbs.Sammy Sasso of Pennsylvania. The scores were technical fall victories by the score of 12-2 and 12-1. For his efforts, Jacori was voted the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. He will now represent the United States at the World Championships at 63 KG./138 lbs. in Greece in September. This is the equivalent to making the Olympic team for his age group. Teemer was the first 4X New York State Champion in Nassau County history this past season. He followed that up by winning the National High School Wrestling Championships in Virginia Beach in March. Teemer has verbally committed to attend Arizona State University to further his academic and wrestling careers under former Olympic team coach Zeke Jones.

Teemer Qualifies for USA World Team

2017 County Badminton Championships Held At Long Beach High School

Pictured left to right above are Varsity Coach Andy Rossi, Ruany Soca (All-County Singles), Margaret O'Malley Rebovich (All-County Singles), Gabriela Solis and Jaime Alegria (All-County Doubles) and JV Coach Michael Santoro

Competitive Surf Team Beach Cleanup '17

LONG BEACH HOCKEY TEAM WINS COUNTY TITLE

After back-to-back years of losing in the Michelino Division finals, the Marines defeated Bellmore/Merrick, 6-2, to claim the county crown and sweep the series Wednesday night at the Town of Oyster Bay Rink.

Congratulations to Varsity Swimmers Matthew Cannon, Shane Morris, Ryan Aroesty and Troy Morris for winning the 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay and the 400 Free Relay at the LISCA Eastern States Championships held at the Nassau Aquatic Center on Saturday, January 21st. They qualified for the New York State Championship held later in the season in all three relays.

Congratulations to the 2016-17 Varsity Wrestling Team on Winning the U-E Duals New York State Championship for the second year in a row.

Swim

Maggie Aroesty wins News 12 Scholar-Athlete Award; Click this link for full story:

http://longisland.news12.com/sports/high-school/scholar-athlete/scholar-athlete-maggie-aroesty-1.12656516

Maggie

Congratulations to the Long Beach Wrestling team for winning the 2016 Nassau County Wrestling Championships. The Marines had 14 student-athletes earn All-County honors! Among them were Nassau County champions SHAWN BOURNE, JACORI TEEMER, TYRESE BYRON and TYREEK BROMLEY! Shawn Bourne was voted the tournaments OUTSTANDING WRESTLER by the coaches and voted the CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS by all of the champions. TYRESE BYRON won the MOST PINS AWARD! The team scored a record 322.5 points to outscore second place Massapequa by 129 points! It was a total team effort by the 26 young men that entered the tournament.

LB Football Coach Honored by the Jets

Scott Martin, head coach of the Long Beach High School Marines football team, earned the New York Jets High School Coach of the Week Award for the week of November 10. Through this honor, which is co-sponsored by Chase, the high school’s football program will receive a $2,000 donation and Mr. Martin has been invited to attend the Jets game against the Patriots in December.

The Coach of the Week distinction is presented to coaches in the tri-state area who, according to the Jets, “serve the best interests of the game through the teaching of sound football fundamentals, the motivation of young players to achieve, and the promotion of youth football by way of dedication to their communities, their schools and their student-athletes.”

Mr. Martin is in his sixth year with the Marines and has made five consecutive playoff appearances. He will lead the team to its first semi-finals competition in 25 years on Saturday, November 15, when Long Beach will take on the Carey High School Seahawks at 1:30 p.m. at Hofstra University.

Prior to his coaching days, Mr. Martin was on the roster as a linebacker at Clarke High School and was part of the team’s 1997 success as Nassau County Champions. He then played for C.W. Post during all four of his college years. Mr. Martin is currently in his twelfth-year working as a physical education teacher in the East Meadow School District.

“The award shows how hard the coaching staff and players have been working all season long,” Mr. Martin stated. “It is an personal honor and I would like to thank my team, coaches and the NY Jets for this recognition.”

Kaspar Coaches New Zealand Lacrosse Team

Long Beach High School boys lacrosse coach Jim Kaspar has been named the defensive coordinator for the New Zealand National Lacrosse team. The team is competing in the 2014 FIL World Lacrosse Championships, taking place at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Denver on July 10-19. This is the second year that he has worked with the New Zealand National lacrosse team. Kaspar, whose coaching career spans 47 years, joined Long Beach nine years ago.

Palacio Named Assistant Coach of the Year

Long Beach High School assistant varsity wrestling coach Leo Palacio was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year. During his 30 years with the program, the Long Beach wrestling team has earned 18 county titles and two state titles. Palacio, a graduate of Long Beach High School, earned a Nassau County championship title in wrestling in 1981. He went on to wrestle and play soccer for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

LBHS Pool Dedicated to Coach Davis

The Long Beach Board of Education hosted a special ceremony on June 23 to dedicate the Long Beach High School swimming pool to varsity swimming and diving coach Woody Davis, who marked his 50th anniversary as a swim coach this year. The ceremony was held at the Long Beach High School pool, where past and present team members, parents and fellow coaches gathered to pay tribute to a stellar career. They also paid tribute to Ginny Davis, his wife of 50 years, who was always by his side to lend support to him and his teams.

School Board President Patrick Gallagher, who swam for Long Beach in the early ’60s, said he graduated one year too early to have Davis as a coach, but still had many stories to tell of his positive influence on the Long Beach High School swim program.

School board trustee Roy Lester, who did swim for Davis, said, “There was no teacher in this school who has given my life more meaning than Woody. He changed my life and he changed this school. We were all there for one reason – for Woody.”

School Board trustee Dr. Dennis Ryan likened Davis to George Washington. “You have been the history of this place,” Dr. Ryan said. “I don’t know what we will do without you. And Ginny, Woody would not have been as successful as he was without you behind him.”

“How do you add an accolade to a legend,” said School Board trustee Stewart Mininsky. “You created an amazing bond between you and your swimmers. Thank you on behalf of my own son and all the others like him who you made into champions and gentlemen.”

One after the other, Davis’s past and present swimmers paid homage to him, saying that he made every swimmer feel important to the success of the team, producing great swimmers and great people in the process. John Skudin, a former team member who also coached beside him for many years, summed up Davis’s illustrious career with these words: “Like a master builder, you built this house with no instructions — just hard work and a lot of love.”

A slideshow titled, “Simply the Best” chronicled the past 50 years of Long Beach High School swimming excellence in photos. At the completion of the slideshow, the Davis’s were invited to unveil the plaque dedicating the pool in his honor. After the unveiling, students unfurled a blue and white banner that said, “The House that Woody Built.”

During his 50-year tenure, coaching generations of Long Beach High School swimmers, Woody Davis instilled a winning spirit in his swimmers with three simple letters, “WWW.” The three w’s, which stand for Win with Woody, were just one small example of the ability Davis had to inspire his student-athletes to develop the drive to be better athletes and better people.

Davis came to Long Beach in 1964. Over the years, he led his teams to 15 county championships and 54 division, league and conference championships. The team finished second in the state championships in 2008, and in 2009, the team was named the New York State Scholar-Athlete team. He has also coached many individual champions, including 14 High School NISCA All-American swimmers. Among his many coaching honors, Davis was the 1985 New York State Swim Coach of the Year and the 1986 National High School Athletic Coaches Association Region 1 Swim Coach of the Year. He was also named Long Island Coach of the Year six times.

Double All-State Basketball Honors

Long Beach High School seniors Mary McDonagh and Tyquan Scott have been named to the New York State Sportswriters Association All-State basketball team.

Mary, who was an All-County, All-Conference and two-time All-Class selection, was ranked by Newsday as one of the top three-point shooters on Long Island. She was also named an Academic All-State player this season. This is her fourth year on the varsity basketball team.

Tyquan has earned All-County and All-Conference honors and was named Conference III Player of the Year. Averaging 27 points per game, he was the leading scorer on Long Island this year. Tyquan earned the distinction of being named to Newsday’s All-Long Island team this year.

Spring Sports Awards

The Long Beach High School sports program finished strong again this spring, with varsity athletes coming together to celebrate their team and individual accomplishments on Spring Sports Awards Night. Special recognition awards were given to graduating seniors who have distinguished themselves not only in athletics, but also in academics, sportsmanship, leadership, citizenship and team spirit.

There was plenty of post-season action, as the girls badminton team won their fourth conference championship in five years, and the boys track team won their fourth consecutive division title. The softball team made it to the playoffs for the 21st consecutive year, while the baseball team made it to the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The boys golf team finished third in their conference. The boys lacrosse team lost to Lynbrook in the quarterfinals. The girls lacrosse team beat Massapequa for the first time this season, and made it to the second round of the playoffs. The boys tennis team finished third in their conference, beating the second-place team in the playoffs. The girls track team had a 9-4 season, breaking two school records along the way.

Many individual honors were also earned. Senior Joshua Ayzenberg was an All-American finalist in lacrosse. Senior Tyquan Scott, defending state champion in the high jump, once again was a state qualifier. Joining him at states was Joshua Linster, who qualified for the 100 meter. This was the second state appearance this year for Josh, who also qualified for states in the winter track season. Jessica Shreck was named the Nassau County Section 8 Singles Champion. In addition, there were 11 All-County, four All-County Honorable Mention, 21 All-Conference, one All-League and16 All-Division players named.

Equally hardworking in the classroom, the girls badminton, boys golf, girls golf, girls lacrosse, boys tennis, softball, boys track, and girls track teams were all named New York State Scholar/Athlete teams, with team averages of 90 or above.

“Spring is a big season of celebrations at the high school,” said Superintendent of Schools David Weiss. “As I look around me tonight, I see many of the same faces who were performing at our spring concerts, displaying artwork at the district art show and receiving academic awards. It is rewarding to see that we are cultivating well-rounded students.”

Special recognition was given to athletics department secretary Linda Murphy, who received two separate standing ovations in recognition of her 20 years of service to students and staff in the district’s athletics programs. Ms. Murphy will be retiring at the end of the school year.

LBHS Pool to Be Dedicated to Woody Davis June 23

The Long Beach Board of Education will be hosting a special ceremony on Monday, June 23 at 5 p.m. to dedicate the Long Beach High School swimming pool to varsity swimming and diving coach Woody Davis, who marked his 50th anniversary as a swim coach this year. The ceremony will be at the Long Beach High School pool. A reception will follow. All are welcome. As a special gift to Coach Davis, the district is gathering memories from those who have been lucky enough to know him and benefit from his positive influence. Please email your special recollections, stories and pictures to Woody@lbeach.org.

County Badminton Champ

Jessica Shreck defeated the three-time defending county champion, Elizabeth Kallenberg of Port Washington, 21-16, 21-16 to become the 2014 Nassau County Section VIII badminton singles champion. This is the first time a member of the Long Beach girls badminton team has won a singles championship title. Justine Smith and Mariza Navera finished in the top eight of the doubles championship, earning All-County honors. Long Beach High School hosted tournament on May 10.

As a team, Long Beach went 12-0 to win the Conference II title, advancing to the Nassau County team tournament on May 13.

High School Dance Recital

The Long Beach High School auditorium became a stage for world dance as students in Long Beach High School dance classes presented their spring recital on May 2. The recital consisted of dance numbers reflecting folk dances, traditional ballet and modern dance movements that students have been learning throughout the year. In addition to numbers by historical choreographers, the program also featured choreography, costume design and staging by students in the International Baccalaureate dance classes and by dance teacher Christianne Donohue. Through their choreography, students were challenged to create movement that enhanced the rhythms, tempos and accents of the music. Each of the student choreographers wrote an artist’s statement, which was included in the program. Members of the Sound and Recording Club designed the dramatic lighting for the show.

High School students participate in dance fitness, modern dance and IB dance courses offered through the athletics, physical education and health department. The IB dance course integrates the study of dance performance, composition and analysis. During the course of the year, students explored dance styles from cultures throughout the world. In addition to gaining performance skills, they studied master choreographers from past centuries and learned to compose their own dances through a variety of improvisational techniques and creative projects. By exploring a wide variety of dance forms, from ballet to modern to folk dance, they acquired a well-rounded understanding of the significance of dance in every culture and the pattern of its development throughout the world.

“I am so pleased to be presenting our third annual dance recital,” said Ms. Donohue. “My goal, as always, is to share dance as a true performing art to students, faculty and community members. The seniors of the IB dance program have created meaningful choreography. I invite you to watch as their visions become reality in a theatrical setting.”

“The high school dance program brings varied groups of students together through a broad variety of dance genres,” said Arnold Epstein, director of athletics, physical education and health. “This program gives us a way to creatively celebrate the diversity of our high school. I look forward to seeing many more students benefit from Ms. Donohue’s talent and expertise as the program grows.”

Seniors Sign National Letters of Intent

Long Beach High School seniors Josh Ayzenberg, Kellie Cannon and Liam Rafferty signed National Letters of Intent to play Division I sports next year.
Josh will be playing volleyball at Sacred Heart University. A four-year varsity starter, Josh has earned All-Conference, All-County honorable mention and All-County honors. He qualified for the All-Nassau tournament in his junior year and made the First All-Long Island team as a senior. He also qualified for the Top 10 U.S.A. Volleyball 17 and Under Team. Josh holds school records for career aces, single season aces and career digs. An honor roll student, Josh is a four-time scholar-athlete.

Kellie will be swimming for Fairfield University. She is a two-time state qualifier and a three-time All-County swimmer, who earned All-Long Island honors this year. Kellie has competed in the Eastern Zone Swimming Championships ten times and has qualified for the Senior Metropolitan swim meet for seven consecutive years. She has also competed in the Junior Olympics every year since she was 10. An honor roll student, Kellie is a scholar-athlete and a member of the National Honor Society.

Liam will be playing lacrosse at UMass Lowell. With 31 points on 23 goals and eight assists, Liam helped guide his team to the playoffs this year. This year’s team captain, Liam was chosen by the coaching staff to wear the number 5, in honor of Corey Lovrich, a former Long Beach High School lacrosse star who died in 2012 at the age of 21 after battling cancer. Liam is a scholar-athlete and a member of the National Honor Society.

Students Receive CPR and AED Training

A select group of Long Beach High School student-athletes received training through the Anyone Can Save a Life program, learning how to administer an action plan for medical emergencies that occur during afterschool practices and events. Under the guidance of high school nurse Carol Henck and physical education teacher William Muirhead, students learned to assess a patient in a medical emergency, inform an adult supervisor, call 911, administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation and operate an automated external defibrillator.
Funding for this program, which included CPR and AED training equipment, was provided through a grant from the Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation and the Dominic A. Murray 21 Foundation, which were founded to ensure that sudden cardiac arrest tragedies are prevented. These two organizations work together to make basic life support training and access to life-saving defibrillators available in schools and youth athletic organizations throughout the state. The grant was secured by Arnold Epstein through the high school department of athletics, physical education and health.

Girls Lacrosse Team Hosts Game

The Long Beach High School girls varsity Lacrosse team hosted a game on April 14 against the Victor Central High School girls varsity team from Ontario County, N.Y. After the game, the Long Beach team hosted a luncheon for both teams. The Victor team brought T-shirts for everyone, inscribed with the words “Live, Love, LAX,” to serve as a memento of the event.

College Soccer Commitment

Long Beach High School senior Jessica Shreck has committed to play Division I soccer at Boston University. An All-County athlete, Jessica has been a varsity player for four years, and has served as team captain for two years. This year she scored four goals and had nine assists, making her tied for third place in Nassau County. The team’s record this season was 5-5-2, making them eligible for the playoffs for the first time in close to 20 years. Equally as successful in the classroom, Jessica is also a high honor roll student.

“Jessica was an integral part of a team that won their first-ever playoff game,” said coach Tara Wesselhoft.

Seniors Sign Lacrosse Letters of Intent

Long Beach High School seniors Elizabeth Rourke and Melissa Rubin recently signed National Letters of Intent to play Division I lacrosse next year.

Elizabeth will be attending San Diego State University. A high honor roll student, she is a five-year varsity starter and three-year team captain. She is a two-time All-Conference player, who also earned All-County and Unsung Hero honors.

Melissa will be attending University of California, Berkeley. She is a two-year team captain, who has played varsity lacrosse for four years. Melissa earned All-Conference honors from 2011-2013. She is also an All-Conference and All-Class soccer player. Melissa is a high honor roll student and a senior Scholar-Athlete.

Ironically, after being teammates for four years, the girls will be playing on rival teams next year.

State Honors for Three Athletes

Three Long Beach High School varsity athletes earned state honors in the winter season.

Among the most impressive individual accomplishments was eighth-grader Jacori Teemer’s state championship win in the 99-pound weight class in the New York State Division I Championships. He was the first eighth-grader to win a state championship title in Nassau County history. To view a video of his winning round, visit www.msgvarsity.com/long-island/final-jacori-teemer-over-adam-busiello-1.1580383

Max Willard was a state qualifier in swimming for the third consecutive year. He finished fourth in the 500-meter freestyle in the New York State Public Schools meet with a time of 4:38.96, breaking his own school record in that event. He went on to finish sixth in Federation 1 in that event. Max also qualified for the 200-meter freestyle, finishing eighth in the public school division and 13th in the Federation meet. Max set a new school record in the 200-meter at the counties with a time of 143.00, besting a record set by Cliff Skudin in 2000.

Josh Linster was a state qualifier in the 55-meter sprint, posting a qualifying time of 6.53, which was also a new school record. Josh made it through the first round of the state championship meet, but then had to pull out of the competition when he injured his hamstring in the second round. A veteran spring track runner, this is Josh’s first year running winter track. He also made first team All-County and second team All-Conference.

Winter Sports Achievements

As Long Beach High School athletic teams celebrated Winter Sports Awards Night on March 13, the focus of the evening was on the importance of persevering and working together to reach a common goal.

Among the many accomplishments of the season, the hockey club team club won the Nassau County Championship, pulling up just short of winning another state championship on their home ice.

The boys swim team won the division championship, which was a fitting present for coach Woody Davis, who celebrated his 50th year of coaching boys swimming this year.

The girls basketball team finished second in their conference with a 12-5 season record. The boys basketball team had a .500 season and finished third in their conference.

Members of the girls track team broke five school records this year, and the boys track team was named the scholar-athlete team of the year.
The wrestling team finished 5-0 in the regular season and took home the league championship title, as well as three tournament titles. Twenty-four team members qualified for the counties.

The gymnastics team hosted the team championships, finishing seventh in the county, almost reaching their highest score at that meet.

Even those teams who fell short of their dreams this year took pride in knowing they had done their best for themselves and their teams.

There were also many individual accomplishments to celebrate. Among the most impressive was Jacori Teemer, who won the New York State wrestling championship at 99 pounds, becoming the first eighth-grader to win a state championship title in Nassau County history. Jacori is the 11th state champion that Long Beach wrestling has produced. Max Willard was a state qualifier in swimming for the third consecutive year. Josh Linster was a state qualifier in track. Girls basketball players Mary McDonagh and Perri Steiner earned Academic All-State honors. There were also 14 All-County, 11 All-Conference, one All-Class and 24 All-League players named.

Winter teams also scored big in the classroom. The girls basketball, gymnastics, boys swim, boys track and girls track teams were all named scholar-athlete teams by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, with team averages of 90 or above.

Tariq Cole Signs Rutgers Letter of Intent

With his parents at his side on Feb. 5, Long Beach High School senior Tariq Cole signed a letter of intent to play college football at Rutgers University in the fall. A four-year varsity player, the 6-foot-6, 375-pound offensive lineman was named the Marine’s senior captain in the 2013 season. Among his many accomplishments, Tariq was named to the All-State football team in the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Tariq has attended two summer camps in Piscataway and had already met and worked with the entire Rutgers football staff, so he had no hesitation about officially becoming a Scarlet Knight.

“Tariq is simply the best offensive lineman this school has produced in the last 20 years,” said head coach Scott Martin.

Long Beach Cheerleaders Learn from the Best

Fresh from their first-place finish at the College Nationals, four members of the College of New Jersey cheerleading squad traveled to Long Beach High School to conduct a stunt clinic for the high school’s varsity and JV cheerleaders on Saturday, Feb. 1. Tori Breese, Erin McGowan, Kristin Mele and Amanda Nicol demonstrated proper technique for lifts before giving the younger girls a chance to practice and perfect their skills. Working under the watchful eye of their mentors, the Long Beach cheerleaders worked on their stunts, jumps and pyramids. The clinic was an extension of the work they had done with some of the same college cheerleaders while attending a three-day private camp workshop over the summer. Varsity and JV cheerleaders work under the leadership of coaches Nora Bellsey and Lindsay VanSickle.

50th Anniversary for Coach Woody Davis

The Long Beach High School swim meet on the evening of Jan. 24 became a cause for special celebration, as the district honored varsity swimming coach Woody Davis, who started his storied career as a swim coach 50 years ago. At the conclusion of the meet against South Side, Port Washington and Roslyn, the team surprised Coach Davis with a blanket highlighting his 50 years of service. Assistant Coach John Skudin awarded him with a plaque recognizing him for his devoted service to generations of student-athletes. His wife, Ginny, who has been by his side throughout his career, was presented with flowers. The festivities ended with two cakes, aptly shaped to form the number 50.

“Not every swimmer won in the water, but swimming for Woody made you a winner," said Coach Skudin, who has worked side by side with Coach Davis for many years.

Physical Education Students of the Year

The New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance recently recognized seniors Anthony Cabasino and Juliana Zaharias (right) as Outstanding Long Beach High School Physical Education Students of the Year. This award is given to students who exemplify and demonstrate an understanding for the New York State Learning Standards for Health and Physical Education by: exhibiting a physically active and healthy lifestyle; demonstrating sportsmanship, character, civility and citizenship; demonstrating leadership and a positive influence on their peers; demonstrating value of a healthy lifestyle and lifelong learning; exhibiting exceptional achievement in physical education class; and achieving a high level of fitness on an approved fitness test. They were recognized at a reception for all the Nassau County award winners on Dec. 16 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. They are pictured with physical education teacher Lynn Tenaglia.

Shannon Horgan Commits to Play College Soccer

Long Beach High School senior Shannon Horgan (seated, center) has committed to play soccer at Clemson University in the fall. Shannon, who has earned All-State, All-Long Island and All-County honors, was named this year to Newsday’s All-Long Island team. This season, Shannon scored 20 goals, helping to propel her team to its first playoff game in 20 years.

Fall Varsity Sports Awards

There were many impressive firsts to celebrate at the Long Beach High School Fall Varsity Awards Night. This was the school’s most successful varsity season in decades, with all nine teams participating in postseason play for the first time in 30 years.

Among the most impressive firsts, the girls varsity volleyball team won its first-ever county championship, beating South Side by a score of 3-2. With a 13-1 regular season, the team also won its first conference title in 19 years, and Kerri Rehnback was named the Class A Coach of the Year.

The girls swim team had its best season in more than 10 years, finishing 13th overall at the state meet. Maggie Aroesty won the state championship in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:04.10, which also qualified her for All-American consideration. Maggie is the first female swimmer in school history to win an individual state championship title. State qualifiers Kellie Cannon, Caroline Farrell, Morgan Harrington and Emma Harris all had impressive finishes at states as well. In the process, the team broke six out of 12 school records this season.

The boys badminton team had three seeds qualify for the county tournament, and all three won the championship in their respective seeds. Justin Barry won at second singles, Andrew Klang won at third singles, and Ross Inselberg and Josh Ehrlich won at first doubles. Long Beach won three of the possible seven seeds, giving them more wins than any other team in the county. This was the third consecutive year that Long Beach has won the championship at first doubles.

This was the fourth consecutive year the football team made it to the playoffs and the first time in the team’s history that they hosted a playoff game at home.

The boys soccer team made the playoffs for the second consecutive year, and the girls soccer team made their first playoff game in 20 years. With 20 goals this season, senior Shannon Horgan earned All-State honors.

The boys volleyball team finished second in their conference, losing the county final to Kennedy. Going into the season with a No. 6 seed, they beat the No. 2 seed three times in the regular season. In tournament play, they beat two teams that made it to the state playoffs.

Throughout the season, all teams worked hard, played consistently, played with respect for their teammates and for their opponents, and fought to the end. In addition to the team successes that this winning formula produced, a total of 48 fall athletes earned individual awards, including one State Champion, one All-State, seven All-Long Island, four County Champions, 10 All-County, two All-County Honorable Mention, 15 All-Conference, three All-Class, four All-Division players and one Senior Scholar-Athlete. In addition, two players made Newsday’s First All-Long Island teams, and five players made Newsday’s Second All-Long Island teams.

Fall teams also scored big in the classroom. The boys badminton, girls cross-country, girls swim, girls tennis, boys volleyball and girls volleyball teams were all named scholar-athlete teams by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, with team averages of 90 or above.

Girls Swim Team Finishes 13th at States

The Long Beach High School girls swim team had their best season in more than 10 years, finishing 13th overall at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s State Swimming and Diving Championship, held at Ithaca College on Nov. 22-23. Winning the state championship in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:04.10, Maggie Aroesty also placed fourth in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:05.4. Maggie and teammates Kellie Cannon, Caroline Farrell and Morgan Harrington finished 16th in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:38.45 and 19th in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:51.65 Teammate Emma Harris finished fifth in the diving competition with 434 points. The team trained under the leadership of coach John Skudin, assistant coach Lynn Tenaglia and diving coach Woody Davis.

Aroesty Wins State Swimming Championship

Long Beach High School freshman Maggie Aroesty won the state championship title in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:04.10. She competed against the top swimmers in the state at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s State Swimming and Diving Championship, held at Ithaca College on Nov. 22-23. Maggie is the first female swimmer in Long Beach High School history to win an individual state championship title. In addition to this win, Maggie also placed fourth in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:05.4. With teammates Kellie Cannon, Caroline Farrell and Morgan Harrington, she placed 16th in the 400-yard freestyle relay and 19th in the 200-yard medley relay, helping to propel her team to finish 13th in the state – the highest team finish in at least 10 years. Maggie trained under the leadership of coach John Skudin and assistant coach Lynn Tenaglia.

Girls Volleyball Team Wins County Championship

The Long Beach High School girls varsity volleyball team won the Class A County Championship title by a score of 3-2 in a matchup against South Side High School on Nov. 7. With seven seniors on the roster, the team, which went into the match with a 13-1 regular season and 4-1 playoff record, was in a great position to win the school’s first-every county championship title in this sport.

Boys Badminton Players Win Three County Titles

On Nov. 5, a little over a year after Sandy devastated the City of Long Beach and damaged much of Long Beach High School, the school was proud to host the Nassau County Individual Tournament for boys varsity badminton. The Marines had three seeds qualify for the tournament, and all three won the championship in their respective seeds. Justin Barry won at second singles, Andrew Klang won at third singles, and Ross Inselberg and Josh Ehrlich won at first doubles. Long Beach won three of the possible seven seeds, giving them more wins than any other team in the county. This was the third consecutive year that Long Beach has won the championship at first doubles.

Players qualified for this tournament based on their regular season records. The best players in the conference competed against each other in their respective seeds. A county championship and a runner-up are awarded for each of the seven seeds.

“Superstorm Sandy had a devastating effect on our city and our school,” said Coach Andrew Rossi as he welcomed players and spectators to the tournament. “We are proud to be part of a city and a school district that is coming back stronger than ever.”

Resurf Project Helps Surf Team

The Long Beach High School Surf Club and Surf Team have been working with the Resurf Foundation to collect old surfboards, fix them, paint them, and store them so that members of the surf team can experiment with different shapes or styles of boards to further their knowledge of surfing and surfboards. The project will also afford more students with an opportunity to become involved with the club and team. In the first phase of the project, Resurf Project representatives helped team members collect old boards and learn the basics of ding repair to restore old boards to working order. In October, students set to work painting and decorating the donated boards to turn them into real works of art. Surf team members worked side by side with high school art students and professional artists from the community to explore different ways to express their ideas through art. Students whose interests leaned more toward construction helped to build a freestanding surfboard rack to store the newly restored boards. The Resurf Project is a local organization that uses surfing programs as an educational and esteem-building tool. Long Beach High School will help Resurf collect old surfboards, board shorts, hats, leashes and other surfing necessities that will be used to launch a Resurf project for underprivileged students in Jamaica in the West Indies. “We have found that surfing is a wonderful tool to build positivity and community,” said Resurf Project cofounder Oran Bendelstein.

LBHS Wall of Fame Celebration Commemorates 100th Anniversary of District

With the Long Beach School District celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding, it was fitting that this year’s four inductees to the Long Beach High School Wall of Fame spanned the history of Long Beach from its inception in the early 1900s to the present. Represented in the 2013 group of honorees were Long Beach developer and State Senator William Reynolds, educational visionary Dr. David G. Salten, 1954 graduate John Radin Sr. and 2000 graduate Cliff Skudin. Over the span of more than a century, these four exceptional leaders showed their love and dedication to the people of Long Beach in unique and lasting ways, personifying so poignantly what makes Long Beach such a special place to live, learn and belong. Sen. Reynolds was nominated by the Long Beach Public Schools 100 Year Anniversary Committee for his contribution as an early developer of the “city by the sea.” He was responsible for dredging the channel, named in his honor, and credited for his vision in developing a boardwalk, homes and hotels on what was previously just a large sandbar. But perhaps his most important contribution to the successful development of the city was the establishment of the first public school in Long Beach. “I am so delighted that we have recognized this unsung hero, who in 15 years acted on a vision that turned a sandbar into a self-governing city,” said Long Beach historian Roberta Fiore. Reynolds’ great-grandson Marc Futoran was present to accept the award on behalf of his family. Dr. Salten, who was also nominated by the 100 Year Anniversary Committee, served as the superintendent of the Long Beach City School District from 1950-1961. A champion of equal education for all, he was an active proponent of desegregation in public schools. After leaving Long Beach, he served as the superintendent of the New Rochelle School District, the executive director of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies and the provost of New York Institute of Technology. “He was an educational architect who possessed the superior intellect and leadership to think the unthinkable,” said NYIT professor Dr. Maryse Prezeau. “He was an educator, a father and a friend to all humanity, giving nobility to the humblest of tasks.” Proudly accepting his award in his memory was his daughter Phoebe Salten. During his days as a student at Long Beach High School, Radin was an accomplished member of the baseball and football teams. After serving in the Army, he returned home to Long Beach where his love of hockey inspired him to help the high school to form a hockey club team, which he went on to coach in the early ’70s. But perhaps he is best known for his work to highlight the service of local veterans. He founded the Walk of Honor at the Long Beach Recreation Center and led the return of the local Blue Star Banner campaign, giving recognition to families whose loved ones are serving in the military. He also created an essay contest for Long Beach Middle School students, titled, “What Does the American Flag Mean to Me?” Sadly, he passed away last year. “He was passionate about his love for his country and the flag that represents it,” said his daughter Jeanne Radin, who accepted the award on behalf of her father. Skudin, this year’s youngest and only living inductee, found inspiration for his life’s work from the sea that surrounds us and the spirit of giving that defines us as residents of Long Beach. A day of volunteering at a surf outing for disabled children turned into a life-altering experience that gave him the strength and determination to go back to school to pursue a master’s degree in education. With his brother Will, he launched Skudin Surf, sharing his love of surfing with young and old alike. They went on to create Surf for All, a nonprofit organization that provides surfing opportunities for children with special needs. In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, he organized volunteers to raise more than $100,000 to help rebuild the community. In addition, he still holds the high school record for the 200-yard freestyle and is ranked 40th in the Big Wave Tour of Surfing. “As I watched him grow up, he turned into an example of what Long Beach is all about,” said master of ceremonies Steve Kohut. “He came back to contribute to the youth of the community.” A time-honored homecoming tradition that began in 1996, the Wall of Fame is presented each year by the Long Beach Booster Club in cooperation with Long Beach Public Schools to serve as an inspiration to the youth of Long Beach. The Wall of Fame was conceived to honor present and former members of the Long Beach community who have made substantial contributions either locally or to the world at large, including contributors in the area of athletics. This year, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the district, the Wall of Fame was expanded to include historical figures, living and deceased, who have played a critical role in local politics, cultural affairs, business and education.

Homecoming Victory

With the Long Beach Marines already posting a win against MacArthur in their season opener on Sept. 12, spirits were high as fans filled the stands at Veterans Memorial Field to cheer their team on to a 48-0 homecoming victory over Herricks on the evening of Sept. 20. Quarterback Liam Rafferty completed 12 passes for 173 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Chris Parler caught a touchdown pass and also ran for 70 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Wide receiver Marke Sutton caught a 54-yard pass for another touchdown.

Their strong start this season was especially impressive after the hardships the team endured last year in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, which destroyed the team’s uniforms and equipment and left many players homeless right before their quarterfinal game against Carey last November. After working hard in the preseason, the Marines have their sights set for the county playoff spot that eluded them last year.

The homecoming carnival, sponsored by the High School Student Government Organization, attracted crowds of young and old alike. Volunteers from many Long Beach High School clubs provided homemade food and desserts, as well as entertainment including a pie toss, a wedding booth and other carnival games.

Long Beach High School senior Alexandra Brodsky belted out a heartfelt performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” bringing the fans to their feet before the start of the game. The cheerleading squad entertained the crowd and inspired the athletes.

At the start of the halftime festivities, homecoming king Sam Rabiner escorted his queen Hannah Piazza around the track, waving regally to the cheering crowd. Then the marching band took to the field to wow the fans with their fancy footwork and precision playing in a routine aptly titled “We Built This City.” Band members, whose uniforms were also ruined in the storm, were sporting dazzling new uniforms through the combined efforts of the Board of Education and the Friends of the Arts Sponsor a Marching Marine campaign. The band will be showing off those new uniforms this year at the Columbus Day Parade in Manhattan, and again at the Newsday Marching Band Festival at Hofstra University. In a longstanding homecoming halftime tradition, members of the Long Beach Bulldogs youth football program charged across the field at lightning speed in the annual Bulldog Dash before the football team returned to the field for the second half.

Three other varsity teams also scored homecoming victories. The boys badminton team posted a 4-3 victory over Bellmore JFK, the girls tennis team won 4-3 against Calhoun, and the girls volleyball team bested Bellmore JFK in three games.

Homecoming weekend was capped off with a ceremony on Saturday morning to induct four new members into the Long Beach High School Wall of Fame. This year’s honorees were Long Beach developer and State Senator William Reynolds, educational visionary David G. Salten, 1954 graduate John Radin Sr. and 2000 graduate Cliff Skudin.

Academic All-American

Jillian Piazza, a 2013 graduate of Long Beach High School, was named an Academic All-American by the U.S. Lacrosse Association. This award recognizes lacrosse achievements, sportsmanship and academic excellence. An All-County, All-County Honorable Mention and All-Conference player, Jillian was recognized as the 2013 Long Beach lacrosse team MVP. She also received the Corey Lovrich Award for lacrosse achievement, leadership and community service, as well as the U.S. Army National Scholar-Athlete award. A high honor roll student, Jillian was named a member of the National Honor Society and the Foreign Language Honor Society. She was also named an AP Scholar with Honor. Jillian is currently a freshman at Colgate University.

USMMA Youth Soccer Clinic

The United States Merchant Marine Academy Mariners soccer team took time out of their preseason preparations on Aug. 17 to serve as instructors at the Long Beach Soccer Club Skills Clinic. The clinic was hosted by the Long Beach Public Schools Department of Athletics at Veterans Memorial Field at Long Beach Middle School.

The Mariners players and coaches organized drills and competitions for children ranging in age from 6 to 12 while teaching the fundamentals of soccer and sportsmanship. Approximately 30 Long Beach youths attended the clinic.

“It was a great experience for everyone involved,” said Mike Smolens, head soccer coach at USMMA. “The participants learned some soccer and had fun, and our players had a great time giving back to the community.”

“The USMMA athletes did a wonderful job of interacting with the Long Beach students,” said Arnold Epstein, Long Beach director of athletics, physical education and health. “The warmth and enthusiasm they showed made the clinic a great experience for all. I am sure our youngsters will remember this special event for some time.”

The Long Beach Soccer Club strives to provide developmental and competitive soccer for community children ages 4-19 in a safe and nurturing environment.

World Maccabiah Games

Long Beach High School incoming freshman Maggie Aroesty, incoming senior Jessica Shreck and 2013 graduates Justin Charschan and Russell Goetz competed at the 19th World Maccabiah Games in Israel on July 17-30. Maggie, who competed on the Team USA swimming team, won a gold medal in the 200 IM. She also placed 4th in the 100 Breast. Maggie, who has competed on the Long Beach High School varsity swim team since seventh grade, currently holds the school record in the 200 yd. individual medley. A 2012 state qualifier, Maggie placed 10th overall in the 200 IM at the state meet. She is also a two-time All-County and one-time All-Conference swimmer who has medaled at county and division championship meets. Jessica was the only Long Islander on the USA girls junior soccer team. Competing against teams from Canada, Sweden, Australia, South Africa, Israel and Brazil, the USA team took the gold medal, beating Israel 1-0 in the gold medal game. All the games were USA shutouts. For her part, Jessica, who was a center midfielder, scored four goals and had 10 assists. A member of the Long Beach High School varsity soccer team since freshman year, Jessica was an All-Conference player in 2011 and 2012. Justin and Russell both played on the USA junior badminton team. The boys held their own, but finished out of the medals. They competed against many top juniors from the Junior National teams from England, the Ukraine and Israel in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Justin played mixed doubles with Amanda Friedman from Miller Place High School and Russell paired with Lauren Livingston from Port Washington. Russell, a two-time county championship winner, was co-captain of the Long Beach High School varsity team in his senior year. Justin, who also won a county championship title, finished up his high school career as an All-Conference player. “Participating and winning gold in Israel as part of Team Maccabi USA was the best experience of my life,” said Jessica. "My experience competing in the 19th World Maccabiah Games is one that I will never forget,” added Russell. “What could be more fulfilling than playing a sport that I love, competing in and visiting a country that I am passionate about, and representing the United States of which I am so proud to be a citizen?" Maccabi USA Sports for Israel, which sponsored the USA teams, provides unique cultural opportunities through its sports programs. The World Maccabiah Games is the world’s third largest international sporting competition, bringing together more than 7,000 athletes from approximately 60 countries to compete in more than 35 different sports.

High School Cheer Camp

Long Beach High School cheerleaders attended a three-day cheer camp at the high school gymnasium to prepare for the fall season. The program was organized by varsity coach Nora Bellsey, with the assistance of J.V. coach Lindsay Van Sickle. In addition to learning various skills such as stunting, the cheerleaders were also given an opportunity to bond with their teammates.

“Cheer camp was three days of fun and hard work,” said coach Bellsey. “The girls are excited about the upcoming season.”

LBHS Athletes Commit to Play College Sports

A number of Long Beach High School graduates of the Class of 2013 have committed to participate in Division I or II intercollegiate athletics in college. Emily Agudelo will be playing soccer at Hofstra University. Ethan Bogard will play tennis at Lehigh University. Jake Brown, who is heading to West Point, will be playing on the Army lacrosse team. Matthew Firpo has committed to play football at Wagner College. His teammate Adam Salvadori will be playing football at American International College. James Forkin has committed to play on Syracuse University’s lacrosse team. The LIU Post softball team will be welcoming Ashley Martin. Fellow graduate Molly Martin is heading to Bryant College to play lacrosse. William Kane, who will be attending Boston University, has committed to play on their lacrosse team. Nicholas Stoski will be swimming for the University of Tampa. Hayli Weitz will be joining the Diving team at the University of Maine.