Varsity Football Clinches a Playoff Berth
Heading into the final game of the season, the Owls were desperate for a win to launch themselves into the playoffs. Despite coming off three consecutive losses, Lynbrook dominated both sides of the ball against the Roslyn High School Bulldogs. The ground game was particularly effective for the Owls, with senior quarterback Joey Castillo and running backs Steven Hendrickson and Dylan Shapiro all rushing for scores. On the defensive side, the Owls held Roslyn scoreless through three quarters thanks to the efforts of defensive ends and seniors Jerrol Watt and Gerard D’Agostino; the two combined for two sacks and two fumble recoveries. In addition to the victory, the game saw a moment bigger than football when Lynbrook allowed a Rosyln player with a developmental disability to score a 75-yard touchdown. Sophomore Kyle Serro loved what the Owls did: “That was a really special moment; despite it being a score for our opponent, it was a moment our team was proud to be a part of.”

Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity Basketball Win for a Cause
The boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball teams partook in a charity event, where both teams played games to raise awareness for the Jimmy V Foundation, an organization that searches for a cure to cancer on Jan. 20. The first game of the day belonged to the boys and was truly an exciting contest throughout. The Owls dominated in the early going, scoring the game’s’ first nine points and taking a 12-point lead into the second half. The Owls were pressed heavily in the third and fourth quarters, which helped Lawrence High School make the game close in the final minutes. In the end, Lynbrook was able to hold on thanks to a three-pointer from junior and co-captain Rylan Blondo with less than 90 seconds remaining. This was an especially big win for the Owls because it earned them a playoff berth. “It was a great win for our team, and it was definitely much more special because of the cause we were playing for,” commented sophomore and team member John Malinka.

The girls’ team had a lot riding on its game. With a 7-6 record, the girls could not afford to lose if they wanted to make the playoffs. The Lady Owls came flying out of the gate, outscoring their opponent by a whopping 27-2 in the first quarter and never looking back. Leading the way for the team was senior captain Sophia LoCicero who scored 15 points and dished out four. Later in the season, LoCicero would score her 1,000th career point, just the second Lady Owl to do so this decade (Kerrin Montgomery also did so last year as a senior). Sophomore Sara Bahri poured in 12 points, and her sister, freshman Camilla Bahri, added eight more; sophomore Kayleigh Stalter collected six rebounds. “A lot of people contributed, and we got off to a great start; it was a really good win,” said sophomore Kate Foley. Overall, both teams played impressive basketball and did so for a great cause.

Lynbrook Boys’ Swim Team Dazzles at County Meet
The Lynbrook-South Side combined swim team set a Nassau County record for the fastest 200-yard relay time on Feb. 1. With a time of 1:35:09, Lynbrook swimmers Kyle Bergin, Tim Marski, and Dan Dalrymple, along with South Side swimmer Ryan Davidoff, swam fast enough to make the cutoff for an All-American time. For Marski, who will continue to swim at the University of Florida, it was one of many dominate performances of the day. In the 100-yard butterfly relay, he came in first place with a time just over 48 seconds. Marski also was able to place in second for the 50-yard butterfly. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Lynbrook impressed again, placing second behind only Garden City. “It was really great to put everything together and have a great race,” said Bergin. Lynbrook truly put its name on the map with strong performances overall, including that record-breaking performance.