As crisp autumn leaves become chilly winter snowflakes, LHS’s sports teams have their seasonal transition as well. Ten winter sports have already begun their seasons with success and are set for even more as the months progress.
Girls’ JV and Varsity Basketball: Girls’ basketball continues to rise to the top in athletics year after year, often making it to conference semifinals at Farmingdale State College. Senior forward Catherine Jennings is gearing up for her final season: “Some events we are looking forward to are making [it to] playoffs and hopefully a championship. We have been working so hard and plan to work even harder to get it.” Jennings’s senior season is valuable to her for two reasons, but both involve her teammates. She added, “As a senior, it really is important to show leadership and really boost the team up when we need it. I plan to give it my all [this season], but I’m mostly looking forward to playing the sport I love with my friends.”
Boys’ JV and Varsity Basketball: The girls’ male counterparts have no shortage of drive and integrity, especially under the leadership of coaches Brian Donaldson and James Wolf and their upperclassmen. In addition to regular-season games, the boys’ varsity team also hosted its first-ever tournament at LHS during the weekend of Dec. 6. Power forward and senior Andrew Malinka has lots to look forward to this season: “I hope that we can win our conference as well as go far in the playoffs. I also love playing with my brother Aaron, who is a junior.” As for what he wants everyone to know, “I bring the boom,” Malinka shared.
Wrestling: Varsity wrestling consistently makes a name for itself across the island. The team has already taken first place at the Knights Classic at Uniondale High School, and junior Dani Zhanay took first place herself in the Saturday, Nov. 30 tournament. “That’s actually a pretty cool thing; they’ve created a lot more female-only wrestling competitions. That’s just great for Dani because she really gets to showcase her skills,” Athletic Director Joseph Martillotti explained.
Competitive Cheer: After attending nationals at Disney World last year, the cheer team is ready for another comeback after receiving a bid at regionals on Saturday, Dec. 7. Senior and captain Bobbie Applebaum is ecstatic to return: “That was truly one of the best memories I have in my entire life.”
Boys’ and Girls’ Bowling: Under the leadership of Coach Michael Dieguez, the bowling team is ready to strike another successful season. Going against their main rivals of Hewlett, Lawrence, and Valley Stream, Dieguez has just one goal in mind: “Hopefully making it back to the Country Playoffs like we did in 2022 and 2023.” In addition to the team’s overall success, certain players stand out. “Tyler Tjaden has the potential to be our next All-County bowler. We haven’t had one in quite some time,” Dieguez explained. While the bowlers are certainly set on winning, Dieguez just wants his team to enjoy themselves in a stress-free environment.
Boys’ and Girls’ Winter Track: As cross country season comes to an end, many top runners continue their need for speed indoors. Senior and distance captain Tyler Paige is gearing up for the team’s many meets this winter. “Winter track has a lot of really fun meets, particularly invitationals such as The Armory in NYC. Meets and the bus rides to them are a really good way for the team to bond, tell jokes, and have fun,” he shared. Although Paige still has spring track as well, his final winter season is bittersweet. “Given that this is my last season, I’d just like to thank all my teammates past and present as well as our amazing coaches for helping me become the runner I am today,” he commented.
Boys’ Swimming and Diving: Following suit of the stellar girls’ team, Southbrook Swim and Dive is going headfirst into the winter season. “Boys’ swim is always fun to watch over at the Aquatic Center,” Martillotti added. They have already taken their first win of the season on Thursday, Dec. 5 at Hempstead High School’s meet.
Gymnastics: Heading into their second-ever season, the gymnasts are ready to take home the gold. The team has spent the last four weeks practicing new skills, tumbling, and team building at All-American Gym.
