By Benito Vila

Scoreboards can be painful at times, sort of like a gas pump gone awry, one set of numbers getting bigger and another set smaller. It’s no fun to keep looking up and see the minutes winding down and the other team’s total staying out ahead of yours.

That was the unfortunate experience for the Pierson varsity teams this week, the Lady Whalers losing 59-25 to undefeated Stony Brook there last Thursday and the Whalers finding themselves behind at the final buzzer 54-33 Friday at home against Stony Brook and 46-40 Monday at Smithtown Christian.

Those outcomes drop the girls to 6-5 on the season, a first-round playoff match-up with Stony Brook set for next Tuesday in Stony Brook at 5 p.m. The boys are now 2-11, their hard work and persistent play not finding its way into the win column.

Both teams were due to play their regular season finales last night but yesterday’s snowstorm has pushed those games to this afternoon. The Lady Whalers are set to host Port Jefferson at 4:30 p.m. in a “Coaches versus Cancer” fundraiser. The Whalers, meanwhile, are planning on making their way to Bridgehampton for a 5 p.m. start.

Popularity: 1% [?]

By Benito Vila

There’ll be no welcome mat for the Ross School varsity basketball team as they come into the Bridgehampton School tomorrow evening. Their hosts, the Killer Bees, are hoping to pack their cozy home court, commonly called “The Hive”, with black-and-yellow clad fans for a 5 p.m. tip-off.

At 6-5 in league play, the Killer Bees are just one win away from clinching a playoff showdown with Greenport on Saturday, February 20 in Longwood for the Suffolk Class D title. After the 4-7 Ravens, the Bridgehampton schedule has a date at 9-2 Stony Brook and a home finale against 2-9 Pierson.

The Whalers made their way back into the win column last Friday, protecting their home court in a 61-50 victory over Ross. That match-up was closely played until late in the third quarter when the Pierson boys Pierson went on a 10-2 run to take control of the contest.

Given the Ravens sharp outside shooting the outcome was still in question until Pierson’s Skyler Loesch hit a pair of free throws with 1:26 left to put his team up, 54-45. Another pair of Loesch free throws with 49 second remaining all but finished the affair, leaving the Ravens down eight, at 57-49.

The Ravens woes continued Tuesday, Stony Brook coming to Ross and stealing away with a 74-49 win. With only Bridgehampton, 11-0 Southold and 8-3 Greenport left on the schedule, the odds are against Ross increasing its win total, a 3-0 start now a bit like a dream.

A New Spark

The Killer Bees meanwhile have overcome an 0-2 start and played the top of the league tough while managing to outscore the bottom of the league by an average of 30 points. That success was nearly the team’s undoing on Shelter Island Tuesday, the Indians taking a 17-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.

It was at that point that Bridgehampton coach Carl Johnson adjusted his defense, newcomer Jason Hopson turning turnovers into points and leading the Killer Bees on a 37-15 run. “Once our guys realized Shelter Island was there to play, we got fired up. In the second quarter, we started hitting our shots and it all started clicking. Changing the defense on them and being able to execute when we had chances made the difference.”

Ainsley Wyche led the Killer Bees with 16 points. Cesar Banados added 15, with Nate Hochstedler tossing in nine, Evan Marzan eight and Hopson eight. Jamal Hires closed out the Bridgehamton scoring with six points and pulled down 12 rebounds.

Seven Whalers Score

The Pierson boys saw their win streak stopped at one in Greenport Tuesday, the Porters posting up a 66-29 lead before the Whalers closed on them late in a 68-38 final.

Using all of his reserves in the second half, Pierson coach Christian Johns saw players gain valuable on-court experience and learn on-the-go. Seven Whalers scored in all, led by Tyler Gilbride with 17 points. Seamus Doyle dropped in seven, Luke Kirrane five and Steven early three. Loesch and Sam Miller each had two.

Popularity: 1% [?]

By Benito Vila

The Pierson and Ross basketball programs matched-up for four games Friday, the Whalers winning all four: varsity girls, JV girls, JV boys and varsity boys.

The varsity boys’ game was the closest of them all, the outcome in doubt until late in the fourth quarter when Pierson’s Skyler Loesch hit a pair of free throws with 1:26 left to put his team up, 54-45.

That nine-point lead could have disappeared on the Whalers had the Ravens seen their three-pointers fall, but only one dropped through. Another pair of Loesch free throws with 49 second remaining all but finished the affair, leaving the Ravens down eight, at 57-49.

The 61-50 final pushed Pierson’s league mark to 2-8 and provided a bit of redemption to a team that may forever be known as the first Whaler basketball team ever to lose to the Ross. The Ravens, meanwhile, see their mark fall to 4-6, a 3-0 start now a bit like a dream.

Despite the schools’ records and their somewhat one-sided history, the game Friday was a good one to watch. The teams were nearly even at the half, the advantage there going to Pierson, 26-25.

With a minute left in the third, the Whaler lead was still one, 40-39, but then Pierson went on a 10-2 run to take control of the contest. There was an up-tempo, back-and-forth pace to the game until that decisive and uneven five-minute stretch, fans on both sides happily cheering the constant action until then.

Loesch came off the court leading all scorers with 23 points. Luke Kirrane and Seamus Doyle each added 11 for Pierson. Tyler Gilbride tossed in nine and Sam Miller seven.

Ross’ Liam Chaskey sunk in 17 to top the Ravens. Brendan Pettaway and Lorcan Jowers each scored ten; Hayden Aldredge added eight and Fuhito Yoshida five.

Lady Whalers Lock Up Playoffs

As action-packed as the boys’ varsity game proved to be, the girls’ varsity game had somewhat more significance, the Lady Whalers’ 53-21 win putting Pierson into the county post-season tournament for the fourth consecutive year.

The girls’ scoring was not quite as even as the boys’, the Lady Whalers jumping out to a 16-6 first quarter lead and going into the fourth up 41-16. The final buzzer set off a subdued Pierson celebration, a 53-21 final up on the scoreboard.

Leading the Lady Whalers in scoring was Sarah Barrett with 17 points. Sam James tallied 14, Emily Hinz eight, Amanda Busiello and Sam Kamper four each and Kaci Koehne and Bridget Canavan two apiece.

The Lady Whalers (6-3 in League VIII) host Mercy on Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. and travel to Stony Brook on Thursday. The Pierson girls close their season at home against Port Jefferson Wednesday, February 10.

The Lady Ravens are at Stony Brook Tuesday and come home to host Port Jefferson next Thursday at 6:15 p.m. The Ross season has two games the final week, the team heading to Southold February 8, and meeting Mercy at home February 10.

Look Out For the Killer Bees

On Tuesday, the Whalers travel to Greenport while the Ravens host 7-3 Stony Brook at 6:15 p.m. On Friday, the Whalers host Stony Brook at 6:15 p.m. and the Ravens go to “The Hive” to play Bridgehampton at 5 p.m.

The Killer Bees used their cozy home court to their advantage Friday, flying out to an early 22-7 lead over Smithtown Christian and going back to the locker room at the half up 42-13. The Bridgehampton boys sweetened their lead to 45 points at the end of the third, a 26-10 run making the score 68-23.

The Crusaders took the fourth period, 25-10, but that was barely enough to cut the final margin to 30, the Killer Bees evening up their league mark at 5-5 with the 78-48 final.

Tossing in 31 points to lead Bridgehampton was Canaan Campbell, who threw down five three-pointers, the long shots ringing up nearly half his total. Cesar Banados dropped in three three-pointers in scoring 13. Ainsley Wyche also added 13, while Jamal Hires and Jason Hopson had six each.

Next up for the Killer Bees are Shelter Island away Tuesday and Ross at home Friday. Wins in those two games will clinch a playoff spot for Bridgehampton. A loss in either one puts more pressure on the team to win away against Stony Brook February 8 or at home against Pierson February 10.

Young Whalers Pull Away

Both the Pierson girls’ and boys’ junior varsity came off the court having had everyone on the team play, the margins allowing the coaches to give the reserves some game day experience. The Whalers took their game by 30 and the Lady Whalers took theirs by 19.

Katherine Matthers led the girls’ JV with 13 points. Kasey Gilbride dropped in six while Maricarmen Chavez and Sol Varela lifted in four apiece.

Popularity: 1% [?]

By Benito Vila

Friday was a day to forget on the scoreboard for the Bridgehampton, Ross, and Pierson boys’ varsity basketball teams. All three schools lost games by margins that no player wants to see, the Killer Bees losing by seven to Greenport, 54-47, the Ravens by seven to Shelter Island, 68-61 and the Whalers by 52 to Southold, 80-28.

The slim margin against the Porters turns missed shots and missed stops into chances given away, the Killer Bees allowing a W to become an L. The loss to the Indians leaves the Ravens that much farther removed from their 3-0 start, the Ross boys now 4-5 on the season, with Pierson up next eager out to avenge an early season loss and the top of the league coming after that.

The Whalers, meanwhile, at 1-8, must be wondering what has gone so wrong for them, an athletic hard-working team struggling to get the ball up-court and into the net. It’s a tough game to win without experienced ball handlers and proven shooters, the mostly underclassmen team learning as-they-go.

But there’s no way the Pierson boys are giving into making excuses for their shortcomings or even suggesting that a won-loss record is more an indication of the quality of your opponent than it is the quality of your own team; these boys want to win, and with Ross, Greenport, Stony Brook, Bridgehampton and Smithtown Christian coming up, the Whalers are sure to surprise someone before the season is out.

Raven Re-Match

High school mid-terms pushed off all competition on the court this week, every local team going back to the basics in practice with players hopefully banging the books in school and at home.

Ross comes into Pierson Friday for a 6:15 p.m. start, looking to sweep the season series and add to the Whalers woes. The Whalers are hoping to be less generous as hosts than they were as visitors.

In their first match-up, Pierson turnovers and traveling calls left Ross with extra possessions that the Raven shooters, Liam Chaskey, Brendan Pettaway and Fuhito Yoshiba turned into quick points, both from the floor and from the line.

Never before had a Ross boys basketball team ever beaten a Pierson one and the bedlam on the Ross court afterwards was something Ravens fans will remember for a long time to come.

Crusaders, Indians and Ravens

Now having lost to the three top teams in the league by a collective 23 points, the Bridgehampton boys are out to win their next three to clinch a playoff spot.

There’s not a sport in the world where wins are automatic, but the Killer Bees cruised past their next three opponents, Smithtown Christian, Shelter Island and Ross, the first time around by a margin of 204-104. Those three are currently a collective 8-19, the common expectation being that Bridgehampton will come through those three games unscathed and playoff-bound.

Nothing Comes Easy

The Ravens saw their game against the Indians get away late, a one-point, 45-44 lead turning into a long lost dream, when Shelter Island came back to defend their home court with a 25-point fourth quarter. Despite the foul shooting of Pettaway, who was 18-for-25 at the line in totaling 33 points, the Ravens couldn’t keep pace and ended up with the long ride back on the ferry.

Whalers, Bees, Ravens

After hosting Ross Friday, the Pierson boys go to Greenport next Tuesday before coming back to play Stony Brook at home next Friday at 6:15 p.m. The Whalers finish their schedule on the road against Smithtown Christian February 8 and Bridgehampton February 10.

Bridgehampton has Smithtown Christian in Friday at 5 p.m. and goes to Shelter Island next Tuesday, with Ross in “the Hive” next Friday at 5 p.m. An away game at Stony Brook, February 8, and a home game against Pierson, February 10, ends the Killer Bees regular season.

Ross has Stony Brook in next Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. and heads to Bridgehampton next Friday. Southold comes in February 8 and Greenport awaits on February 10.

Discipline Works

In describing the difference in his team’s 46-26 win over Southold on Friday, Whaler JV coach Jonathan Tortorella said, “We played four quarters of disciplined basketball. We moved the ball around on offense, worked for good shots and valued every offensive possession. On the defensive end, we were very consistent all game. It was one of our better defensive efforts of the season.”

 “Patrick Sloane was matched up on their best scorer and did a very solid job. Jake Bennett, Joe Butts and Michael Heller shot very well and gave us a lift offensively. Hunter Leyser and Jackson Marienfeld did a tremendous job running the offense and making smart decisions.”

Bennett had twelve points and Heller ten to lead the young Whalers.

Popularity: 2% [?]

By Benito Vila

Anticipation is something endearing songs can be written about; elimination is not. Both the Pierson Whalers and the Ross Ravens are coming to terms with the fact that losses are leaving them out of the playoff mix with just six games left to go.

The Whalers are in the weaker position, a 1-7 mark making the post-season a long shot and one more loss making it mathematically impossible. The Ravens meanwhile, at 4-4, are certainly closer, but unless there’s a victory against the league’s top four teams, the end will come early.

Bridgehampton, at 4-4, is in a better position to play on, mostly the bottom of the league left to play after going to Greenport Friday. The Killer Bees have been competing on par with the league leaders, losing to undefeated Southold, 68-65, Tuesday and to second-place Stony Brook, 64-51, last Wednesday.

In the loss to the Bears last week, the Bees saw a 44-43 lead late in the third quarter turn into a long lost moment, Stony Brook finishing the game on a 21-7 run. Tuesday’s outcome was also tough, a 56-53 fourth quarter lead over the visiting Settlers slipping away on missed opportunities.

After Tuesday’s loss, Bridgehampton coach Carl Johnson said, “A break here and there and it’s a different story. We keep preaching execution, but tonight we failed to execute. We had our chance but we didn’t capitalize.”

 “I thought we could get one against the big guys [Southold, Stony Brook and Greenport] but we haven’t yet. That makes Friday [at Greenport] even bigger for us.”

Ravens vs. Bees II

The chances of either the Bees or the Ravens playing in the post-season will likely come down to their re-match in “the Hive” in Bridgehampton, February 5. Bridgehampton won the first meeting at Ross, 83-37, ten days ago.

The Ravens have seen a 3-0 start turned around, victories over Smithtown Christian, Shelter Island and Pierson being followed by one-sided losses to the Bees and Coach Johnson’s “big three.”

Despite that, the Ross boys evened their mark Tuesday, besting the Crusaders for the second time, 69-56, at home. Brendan Pettaway, 24 points, and Liam Chaskey, 22 points, paced the Ravens, who used a 25-14 fourth quarter to put the game away. A road match-up with the Indians on Shelter Island awaits Ross tomorrow.

The Crusaders also had a tough time out this way last Wednesday, Pierson going on a 15-5 run in the fourth quarter to earn its first win of the season, 51-41. Tyler Gilbride led the Whalers with 14 points, Skyler Loesch lofting in 11. Gilbride capped the go-ahead run with a steal and lay-up to put Pierson up 10 with a minute left.

Back to Reality

The Whalers came into last Friday’s contest still pumped up, playing the Bees at Pierson, bragging rights and pride at stake. What started as a close game eventually went Bridgehampton’s way, the outside shooting of Canaan Campbell and Cesar Banados sinking the home team, 67-48.

Pierson fell behind 19 early in the third but battled back to make it a six-point game to start the fourth. But then Campbell and Banados settled back in, the pair combining for 17 points as the Bees went on a 20-10 run.

By the time the final buzzer sounded, Campbell walked off with six three-pointers and 24 points to leave his former classmates wondering what could have been if he hadn’t changed schools.

Afterwards, Campbell said, “Going against my old school was great. I found out Pierson put in new rims from friends on Facebook and I wanted to break them in right.” Citing the difference in the game, Campbell was modest, describing his team’s ability to switch up their defense and upset the Whalers’ timing as being the key to the win.

The Bees ability to change tempo and disguise defenses was almost enough to knock off the Settlers in the Hive Tuesday, but missed buckets and dropped passes underneath let the visitors leave with their win-streak in tact.

Bridgehampton’s Ainsley Wyche led all scorers with 32 points. Losing rebounder Jamal Hires to a fifth foul with four minutes remaining made the upset that much harder, the Settlers scoring 13 to the Bees’ 9 after Hires fouled out.

The Indians Get Away

The Whalers were ready to get back to winning Tuesday, holding a one-point 20-19 lead over the visiting Indians at halftime. But the second half didn’t stick to that script, Shelter Island taking a 37-32 lead after the third quarter and walking off up 51-42 at the buzzer.

Poor shooting and turnovers put Pierson at a disadvantage again, the Whalers’ hustle and hard work undone by an inability to put the ball in the hole. Gilbride led the Whalers with 18, Loesch adding 14, Sam Miller six.

Pierson travels to Southold this Friday and hosts Ross next Friday at 6:15 p.m.

Popularity: 1% [?]

By Benito Vila

The Pierson gym was frenetic Friday night, the bleachers filled to near capacity with nearly half the crowd donning the yellow and black of the visiting Bridgehampton Killer Bees.

In the end, the gym became a neighborly gab-fest, fans on both sides staying on and catching up after the Killer Bees won 67-48. Bridgehampton’s Canaan Campbell led all scorers with 24 points, his teammate Cesar Banados sinking in 20. Skyler Loesch led the Whalers with 13 points, Tyler Gilbride and Luke Kirrane adding 10 apiece.

The difference in the game was Bridgehampton’s outside shooting. With Campbell and Banados both able to shoot accurately from the beyond the arc, it seemed that each time the Whalers tallied two, the visitors would put up three.

That sharp shooting came into play in the third quarter when the Whalers turned a 16-point halftime deficit to a six-point one, the score 42-36 Bridgehampton with a minute remaining. A missed lay-up by Pierson left the Killer Bees with ball, and a foul and a pair of free throws by Jamal Hires, stopped a 16-3 Whaler run.

The fourth quarter opened with Pierson’s Seamus Doyle scoring underneath to make the margin six again at 44-38 but then the Killer Bees went on a 6-0 run to put the game away. The run was started by a banked two-point shot by Campbell and two lay-ups by Banados, who went to his left-hand twice after drawing the defense to his right.

That 6-0 Bridgehampton run was part of a longer 14-5 spurt and a 23-10 sequence that closed the game. Banados and Campbell both hit threes in the last four minutes to make sure their was no question about the outcome.

Afterwards Campbell, who attended Pierson through seventh grade said, “Going against my old school was great. I found out Pierson put in new rims from friends on Facebook and I wanted to break them in right.” Citing the difference in the game, Campbell was modest, describing his team’s ability to switch up their defense and upset the Whalers’ timing as being the key to the win.

Popularity: 2% [?]

By Benito Vila

Won-loss records are often more an indication of the competition than they are the team.

After an 0-2 start, that came against league-leading Southold and Greenport, the Bridgehampton Killer Bees are on a 4-0 run, topping Smithtown Christian and Pierson last week and Shelter Island and Ross this week.

Ross, meanwhile, opened an impressive 3-0, outscoring Smithtown Christian, Shelter Island and Pierson, who are a collective 1-14. Since then they have faced undefeated Stony Brook and the swarming Killer Bees to fall 3-2.

Bridgehampton’s team play proved to be the difference in the Killer Bees’ 83-47 win over Ross Monday. Ainsley Wyche and Nate Hochstedler put pressure on the Raven ball handlers, creating turnovers and extra possessions. Meanwhile, forwards Canaan Campbell, Evan Marzan and Cesar Banados used their size to cut off the passing lanes and control the boards.

Campbell and Banados showed a fine shooting touch from the outside, the big men making six three-pointers and opening up the lane to Wyche, who has the speed to get to the basket. All that solid shooting and impressive quickness helped the Killer Bees build a 14-8 lead in the first frame and a 39-19 margin at the half.

The third quarter scoring was even until the three-minute mark when the Bees went on a 15-4 run to make the score 66-34 and put the game away. Bridgehampton continued to pull away in the fourth quarter after both coaches cleared their benches, a 17-3 spurt closing out the scoring.

Leading all scorers in the game was Wyche, who finished with 28. Banados dropped in 23 and Campbell 18. Hochstedler had nine. Liam Chaskey led the Ravens with 13, Brendan Pettaway adding eight and Lorcan Jowens netting six.

Coaches’ Corner

Killer Bees coach Carl Johnson said afterwards, “Our defense was pretty stellar. We did a great job the better part of the game. We came out aggressive and I hope we do that the rest of the year.”

“We changed up defenses on them and gave them different looks and that helped disrupt their rhythm. On offense, we saw their zone, stayed outside and hit our shots. They started to come out and that opened things up. We passed the ball well and then got some easy buckets underneath.”

Raven coach Kelly McKee praised the Bees, noting, “They executed and played the way we want to. We had trouble with their defenses and didn’t match up well.”

Tomorrow’s games

It was the second one-sided loss for Ross in four days, Stony Brook storming to a 78-16 win there last Thursday. Coach McKee summarized that loss simply, saying, “We played terrible. We didn’t seem ready to play; we’re young, we’re learning and now we have better sense of how we want to play.”

Ross closes out its first go-round through the league tomorrow hosting Greenport at 6:15 p.m. Bridgehampton, meanwhile, heads to Pierson for a game that occasionally pits one-time teammates against each other, the two schools playing together in football, soccer and baseball.

The match-up at Pierson is typically for more than local bragging rights, playoff eligibility often at stake for both teams. This year though, the Killer Bees are looking to stay safely among the league leaders while the Whalers are looking to distance themselves from a winless start that’s left them out of contention.

Popularity: 2% [?]

By Benito Vila

Sometimes it just seems like there’s nothing you can do. Balls bounce the other way, calls go there, too, and the next thing you know, you’re down again.

That’s how losing streaks work, the worst part not coming in preparing or in packing up but in that sinking feeling that comes when the game first starts to get away. It feels unfair and unreal, as if the other team is playing by other rules.

What it comes down to most often is that the other team is getting extra chances, chances that come from your own mistakes and lapses. It makes you practice harder and want to get better faster.

That’s what the Pierson varsity boys’ basketball team has been through of late, struggling through a pair of one-sided losses this week and seeing its League VIII mark fall to 0-5 and its overall record go to 0-9.

The totals have been tough to take on paper, Greenport leaving Pierson with a 60-27 win Friday and the Whalers coming home from Stony Brook with a 68-42 loss Wednesday.

The Whalers hosted the similarly winless Smithtown Christian Crusaders last night looking to change their fortunes. The suddenly resurgent Bridgehampton Bees are on their schedule for tomorrow at 4:30 p.m., with Shelter Island due in Tuesday at 6:15 p.m.

Inside the Numbers

While the most recent outcomes have been one-sided, the Whalers have shown their grit in hustling to the final buzzer and winning both fourth quarters.

Many have wondered what has kept the Whalers from their first win. There is remarkable hustle and the athleticism on the team, but all that has not been enough to overcome ineffective ball handling and inconsistent outside shooting. Pierson’s push for points has often been cut short by turnovers of one sort or another and single-shot possessions.

The Whalers have also found themselves having poor third quarters their last two times out, the Porters pounding them 14-3 and the Bears 16-2. Those point totals have turned halftime holes into big-time blowouts, Pierson down 30 going into the final frames.

Emerging from all the effort is an improving rapport between the Whalers getting the most minutes, a seven-man rotation led by guard Tyler Gilbride and forward Skyler Loesch. Those two have seen the most touches on the ball, with Luke Kirrane, Seamus Doyle and Sean Hartnett improving underneath and Nolan O’Brien and Dylan Hmielenski often joining Gilbride up top.

Coach John Tortorella, who coached the varsity boys at home last Friday in the wake of Coach Christian Johns’ suspension, said afterwards, “You can’t question their effort; they fight; they put in the work. Things are going to turn around for them.”

The Milk Man Delivers

Coach Tortorella has led the Whaler JV to a 4-1 league mark, the sole loss coming last Friday as the Greenport JV turned a 16-5 second-quarter run into the difference in the game, the final score 46-35 at the buzzer.

The Porters took a 36-20 lead in the third before the Whalers re-grouped, coming within ten twice, but not able to come any closer as the size, speed and shooting of the visitors left them humbled at home.

The outcome was a bit different on Monday, Coach Tortorella’s team making an improbable comeback in the last minute to overtake the Stony Brook JV, 31-30.

The game started off with the Bears building a 10-2 lead in the first quarter. With three minutes left in the fourth, the Whalers were still down five but that was not enough to keep them from giving in, the team stepping up to make big plays.

As Coach Tortorella explained it, “Our half-court defense was great, maybe the best we have played yet. We were bumping cutters off their line, we were disciplined in our help positioning and we really did a good job of denying the post. On top of that, we drew three or four charges tonight. It was a tremendous effort.”

Looking at the key moments in the comeback, Coach Tortorella said, “Raleigh Gordley’s basket with less than two minutes left was huge; it gave us a chance. Without that bucket, the game was over.”

 “With 10 seconds left and no timeouts, we had the ball down two points. The boys were patient and did not rush anything. Jackson Marienfeld did a great job of staying poised and not forcing a shot. He got it to Liam Doyle who took one dribble to the corner and pulled up to bury a three at the buzzer for the win.”

That set the boys into a celebration that even the coach enjoyed, noting, “No matter how you play and what you need to work on, it’s great for the team to experience a game like this. The emotion and energy was great and we fought hard until the end.”

The thrill of the win carried over to the varsity players, who were able to set aside their difficulties and high-five and carry on with the JV. The bus ride home heard the last shot described over and over, with the nickname “Milk Man” becoming Doyle’s new moniker.

The JV plays next on Tuesday, hosting Shelter Island at 4:30 p.m. before going to Southold on Friday.

Popularity: 1% [?]

By Benito Vila

There’s a certain awkwardness all creatures encounter in taking their first steps. So it is with sports teams at times, the scoreboard, crowd, referees and uniforms making something practiced seem unfamiliar.

Luckily for the Pierson Lady Whalers on Monday, that sort of nervousness overcame their East Hampton counterparts as well as each team scrimmaged for the first time. While the two teams combined for just 11 points in the first quarter, Pierson putting in nine, the pace picked up later, the Lady Whalers running up 21 points on their own in the third quarter.

Pierson coach Dennis Case was unfazed by the slow start, saying, “This time of year the kids are somewhat mechanical. They’re determined to go through the offense without looking at all their options. They look to pass instead of going to the basket. It’s what they’ve been working on in practice. Once we start playing, there’ll be a big difference.”

Some of that “difference” was evident to Coach Case in the third quarter. “We were much more confident than the way we came out. We were no longer forcing things and we had some excellent passing.”

Sparking the Lady Whaler attack were guards Sariah Cafiero and Amanda Busiello, who had Kaci Koehne, Sam James, Annie Osiecki and Bridget Canavan helping them out underneath. Sarah Barrett and Emily Hinz also saw time at the top of the key in the period, giving Coach Case a solid eight-deep rotation to work with.

The Lady Whalers also have Sam Kamper, Meggy Freund and Brittney Scala coming off the bench, with Catherine O’Brien still on the mend from a prolonged flu.

Evaluating his team and the league, Coach Case said, “We have no superstars, but we’re solid all the way around. We can run with anybody; still it’s going to be very competitive in our league. Stony Brook’s going to be the team to beat, but it depends on if the whole team does well if we’re going to win on any given day.”

On Friday, the girls make their home court debut, hosting non-league Southampton at 5:45 p.m. The team heads to Mattituck Monday and Rocky Point Thursday for two more non-league contests before opening up league play against Shelter Island December 15. That match-up is set to start at 5:45 p.m. at Pierson.

In describing the keys to his team’s season Coach Case surmised, “If we work on rebounding and are patient and consistent on offense, we’ll have an interesting and exciting season.”

JV Deep, Too

The Lady Whaler JV also impressed its coach, Kevin Barron, with its effort Monday in East Hampton. Coach Barron said, “The girls played excellent defense all around. They put tremendous pressure on the ball that created numerous turnovers and fast break points. They had good ball movement, however, they had difficulty putting the ball in the basket.”

“Finishing plays and shooting will be our focus before our upcoming games. I was very pleased with the hustle and excitement from what is really a young team; we have four eighth graders and eight ninth graders.”

May Evjen, Kasey Gilbride, Katherine Matthers and Sol Varela are the middle school four with Jenna Chase, Maricarmen Chavez, Alissa Clermont, Sydnee McKie-Senior, Abigail Ruiz, Rachel Saidman, Julia Schiavoni and Holly Zappola all representing the ninth grade.

The JV tips off at home for the first time on Friday, meeting Southampton at 4 p.m.

Popularity: 1% [?]

By Benito Vila

The sound is unmistakable, a hustling age-old cadence coming out of the gym. Boys’ basketball is back, balls banging out a heavy bass line, sneakers running up a mid-court melody, squeaking at every stop and turn.

The year’s Whalers come in twelve strong, Steve Early, Luke Kirrane and Jeff Schimmer representing the seniors and Seamus Doyle, Skyler Loesch, Dylan Hmielenski, Jake Weingartner, Brook Hartnett and Tyler Gilbride, the juniors. Sophomores Nolan O’Brien and Sean Hartnett have their work cut out for them in finding time in the rotation.

Even though a shoulder injury to Early provided a setback last week, coach Christian Johns likes what he’s seen of the varsity in its first conditioning go-round. Already looking ahead, Coach Johns acknowledged, “Our most important expectation for the season is to play hard-nosed and smart team basketball on both ends of the floor, and to improve each and every day we walk into practice.”

Last year’s team saw a tremendous amount of turmoil on and off the court but came on late in the season to finish 7-7 and play for the county title. While a loss to Port Jefferson ended the careers of guards Casey Crowley and Ryan Miller, it provided Kirrane, Doyle Loesch, Hmielenski, Weingartner and Gilbride a sense of play at another level.

It has been 15 years since a Pierson boys’ team has taken a county hoops title, the banner in the gym watching every move these boys make, hoping that streak comes to an end. While League VIII has seen Ryan Creighton graduate, Greenport remains strong as does Stony Brook, Southold and Mercy.

With Bridgehampton, Shelter Island and Ross on the schedule, the Whalers will have plenty to play for locally, with a trip to Smithtown Christian being no picnic in any sport.

Whaler Games

A scrimmage in Center Moriches on Monday opens the pre-season, with tournament games in Islip Wednesday and Friday providing an even tougher proving ground. A non-league contest in East Hampton December 8 is the final tune-up before the league opener on Shelter Island December 15.

The Whalers home debut is set for December 18, Southold coming in for a 6:15 p.m. start.

Bridgehampton Killer Bees

The black and gold banners in Bridgehampton are hopeful, too, the Class D title making its way elsewhere the last nine years after a dominating run dating back to the late 1970’s

Bridgehampton coach Carl Johnson is happy with what his team has brought into the Hive, the school’s one-of-a-kind gym. “We have some length, four guys are 6’-3” or taller. We’re also athletic, so defense and rebounding should be our strong suits.”

Another plus for Coach Johnson is the experience on his team, all his starters returning, led by top scorers Ainsley Wyche and Cesar Banados. Jamal Hines, Nathan Hochstedler and Evan Marzan have all returned in top form, with the team seeing a major improvement from sophomore Canaan Campbell, who Coach Johnson described as “our X factor.”

Coming off the bench will be Spencer Cannon and Brandon Jenkins, two over six-foot, two-hundred-pounds-plus forwards that will provide some size underneath. The team’s most vocal leader has once again proven to be Brendan Hemby who Coach Johnson claims “brings a special element to everything we do.”

Looking at the league, Coach Johnson predicts a competitive and intense level of play. “There’s not going to be a day off.” Already acknowledging the Killer Bees’ top Class D rival, he added, “We’re getting ready for Greenport [the home opener, December 22]. We have to beat them two out of three,” referencing the county title.

The Killer Bees begin scrimmaging next week and tip-off their season at Southold December 15. A tournament at Southampton the weekend of December 18-19 leads them into their home debut against the Porters.

Ladies On the Court

The Pierson Lady Whalers make their season debut Monday, heading to East Hampton for a 5:15 p.m. scrimmage. Next Friday the girls open play at home, Southampton here for a non-league match-up at 5:45 p.m. Away games at Mattituck December 7 and Rocky Point December 12 close out the preseason.

The Lady Whalers open league play in the Pierson gym December 15, Shelter Island in for a 5:45 p.m. tip-off.

Popularity: 1% [?]