This one hits house.
The Massapequa Chiefs (18-8) and the Connetquot Thunderbirds (23-4) face off in a winner-takes-all recreation for the Lengthy Island baseball championship Saturday night time — an exhilarating rematch of the 2019 title recreation, which Pequa gained 8-7.
“I remember being at that game vividly,” Thunderbirds senior pitcher Dylan Wilkinson, who will get the beginning Saturday at Farmingdale State Faculty, instructed The Submit. “It was bases loaded, two outs … someone hit a ball to right field, and Massapequa made a diving catch.”
Now, Wilkinson and senior heart fielder Andrew Amarando, who additionally noticed the heartbreak in particular person, need to rewrite historical past.
“It was cool just watching it and wishing I could be on that stage, and now it’s time,” stated Amarando, a terror on the basepaths this season with 23 stolen bases.
“We know they’re good, but we’re also really good.”
Simply reaching the LIC — and being introduced into Center Nation Athletic Advanced on an entire city escort and parade — was the joys of the 12 months for the Suffolk squad.
The staff had six walk-off wins within the common season however misplaced a recreation to Sachem North in its double-elimination playoff format, solely to earn a rematch and win within the finals, 3-2.
“Nothing fazes this team,” stated Robert Burger, Connetquot’s supervisor since 2019.
“They’ve been through this before, and now we’re ready to make the jump,” he added of the “rivalry of respect.”
The boys within the different dugout aren’t any pushovers, although, and have proven their true grit all through the season.
Massapequa, which performed in a number of best-of-three collection all through the playoffs somewhat than double elimination, had its again towards the wall within the Nassau title towards archrival Farmingdale after shedding the primary recreation 1-0 on an extra-inning balk.
“We didn’t let it get in our heads,” stated junior pitcher Jack Scannapieco, who obtained the win the subsequent day within the Chiefs’ 10-4 Sport 2 win.
Massapequa then shut out the Dalers, 12-0, to safe the championship, which solely provides to the squad’s mettle forward of its subsequent all-or-nothing contest, stated junior shortstop John Neary.
“We’ve had four elimination games recently, so I think we’re ready,” stated Neary, who began the season batting ninth and labored into the leadoff spot.
And supervisor Tom Sheedy desires to maintain issues right down to earth on the faculty just lately visited by Secretary of Training Linda McMahon, who’s preventing to let Massapequa hold utilizing its Chiefs identify towards a state ruling.
“It’s one game, it’s already big enough, you don’t need to build it up,” he stated.
“The kids know what’s at stake, I don’t have to tell them that. They’re proud to represent the school, and they’re proud to represent the community.”
Lax titles on line
The Wantagh Warriors (15-4) tackle Somers (16-3) of Westchester for the Class C boys lacrosse southeast ultimate at Yorktown Excessive College at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Backyard Metropolis (17-2) faces Chappaqua’s Horace Greely Excessive College (16-3) at Yorktown at 5:30 p.m. for the boys Class B southeast ultimate.
