Fall has arrived once again. The heat of summer is supplanted by crisp breezes, carrying a smoky aroma, and the trees lining Chapman Parkway shed their green cloaks and don technicolor wear. John Keats once wrote that autumn is the “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,” but at Stony Brook it is the season of Danielle Pappas’ dive, Don Litotine’s hit, Natalie Istrati’s spike, and Tyler Abrahamsen’s swing; of Kathy Kim’s stride, Nicole Antieri’s stroke, and Jon Wentling’s kick. The fall sports season is underway and here are the teams and players that will proudly be wearing the blue and white.

Boys Cross Country

• 2009 Season Review: The boys finished their dual meet season, 3-2, and were the runners-up in the County Championship. Additionally, four individuals qualified for the New York State Championship: James Jenden (17:57), Carlo Masakayan (18:59), Josh Kim (19:16) and Jeffery Zheng (19:38).
• Head Coach: Jake Morley (5th year)
• Captains: Will Tseng & Jeffrey Fung
• Key Returners: Will Tseng & Jeffrey Fung
• Promising Newcomers: Justin Thompson, Yisheng Cai, Darryl Baker & Terry Huang
• Meets Circled on the Calendar: Southold @ Indian Island (9/21 @ 4:30pm), Port Jeff @ Sunken Meadow (9/28 @ 4:30pm) & Mattituck @ Sunken Meadow (10/5 @ 4:30pm)
• 2010 Season Outlook: Due to Section XI’s age restrictions, Jeffrey Zheng and Raphael Alterman will be unable to compete this year, dropping the team’s number of experienced runners by two. However, Stony Brook’s only other competitor in Class D will be Southold. The team’s run at a County Championship will lean heavily on the newcomers, but Coach Morley seems optimistic that if the team can make a run at a 2nd place finish in League VIII and the first County Title since 2008.

Girls Cross Country

• 2009 Season Review: Under first year coach Heidi Nathan, the girls went 3-2 during their dual meet season and went on to capture our first girls’ cross country County Championship since 1981.
• Head Coach: Heidi Nathan (2nd year)
• Captains: Ayana Aaron, Aileen Catapano & Kathy Kim
• Key Returners: Ayana Aaron, Alex Damianos & Kathy Kim
• Promising Newcomers: Margot Rashba
• Meets Circled on the Calendar: Port Jeff @ Sunken Meadow (9/28 @ 4:30pm) & Section XI Championships @ Sunken Meadow (11/5)
• 2010 Season Outlook: Under the leadership of a strong group of veterans, the girls will have their sights on another County Title.

Football

• 2009 Season Review: After a thrilling win over rival McGann-Mercy in the season opener, the Bears struggled, finishing 1-7.
• Head Coach: Kris Ryan (1st year)
• Captains: Tank Ekokobe & Seth Gustafson
• Key Returners: Marco Masakayan, Donnie Liotine, Tank Ekokobe, Andrew White, Chris Davis, Jake Harrington, Jerome Washington & Will Adu-Krow
• Promising Newcomers: Seth Gustafson, Wyatt Piazza & Garrett Howard
• Games Circled on the Calendar: @ Wyandanch (9/11 @ 2pm), @ Port Jeff (10/2 @ 1:30pm) & McGann-Mercy (10/15 @ 7:30pm)
• 2010 Season Outlook: With new coach Kris Ryan taking the reins, the boys seem motivated and perhaps ready to surprise some teams in Division IV. They are currently ranked #11 in the division but will have an early chance to prove themselves in the season opener at #10 Wyandanch.

Golf

• 2009 Season Review: A youthful team went 1-14, but freshman Tyler Abrahamsen continued to impress.
• Head Coach: Mike Hickey (12th year)
• Captain: Tyler Abrahamsen
• Key Returners: Tyler Abrahamsen, Wylan McEvoy, David Biggers, Austin Sutton & Tim Zheng
• Promising Newcomers: Ben Pirro, Matias Ramos, Michael Worth & Cody Chen
• Matches Circled on the Calendar: @ Rocky Point (9/14 @ 3:30pm | Rolling Oaks), @ Longwood (9/30 @ 3:30pm | Tall Grass) & Port Jeff (10/5 @ 3:30pm | Stonebridge)
• 2010 Season Outlook: Youth defines the Stony Brook golf team this year. The oldest player in the starting lineup could potentially be Abrahamsen, a sophomore, who in his fourth year on varsity will be the catalyst on the team. Coach Hickey thinks this group has the potential to finish over .500 and make the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

Boys Soccer

• 2009 Season Review: The boys competed well but had trouble finishing games, ending the year with a 4-12 record. One bright spot occurred when senior Charlie Kwak buried a goal from an impossible angle in a double-overtime win at Mattituck on 9/15.
• Head Coach: Johnny Whallon (4th year)
• Captains: Jon Wentling & Tyler Anderson
• Key Returners: A strong senior group comprised of Jon Wentling, Tyler Anderson, Anuraag Sah, Wes Woodley, PK Thorstenn, Khoren Lawson & Sean Barker
• Promising Newcomers: Pablo Celis & Lukas Alijosius
• Games Circled on the Calendar: @ Ward Melville (9/11 @ 2pm), Half Hollow Hills West (9/13 @ 4pm) & West Babylon (9/18 @ 7pm)
• 2010 Season Outlook: The Bears’ non-league slate may be the toughest in Suffolk County, certainly among small schools. They will take on the top three teams and four of the top 8 in Newsday’s pre-season rankings as well as seven Class AA schools. Coach Whallon hopes these challenges, and the leadership given by a bevy of seniors, will enable his squad to make a run at our first League Title in boys soccer since 2004.

Girls Soccer

• 2009 Season Review: It was nothing short of a magical year for our girls soccer team. They went 9-5-2 in a very difficult league that saw three teams go to the State Final Four. From there, the girls ran roughshod over their opponents on the way to the Final Four, outscoring their opponents 11-2 in the three playoff games. Against Seton Catholic in the State Semifinal, Kelsey Wentling buried a shot in the 97th minute to put the Bears in the State Final. Saquoit Valley awaited in the Championship and their reputation preceded them. 22-0. The #1 ranked team in the State. Our girls fell behind early but did not capitulate and won the school’s first State Title, 2-1, allowing only 1 goal in their final four playoff games. Donna Liotine was named the New York State Player of the Year, Coach Maningo was named the New York State Coach of the Year, while Michelle Hennessy and Danielle Pappas joined Donna on the All-State team.
• Head Coach: Mark Maningo (2nd year)
• Captains: Danielle Pappas & Donna Liotine
• Key Returners: Michelle Hennessy, Danielle Pappas, Donna Liotine, Brianna Stiklickas, Kierran Petersen & Kelsey Wentling
• Promising Newcomers: Brannon Burke is back after taking a year off from soccer.
• Games Circled on the Calendar: Both games against Southold (H – 9/23 @ 4:30pm & A – 10/13 @ 4:30pm) & Smithtown Christian (H – 9/25 @ 10am & A – 10/15 @ 3:30pm) will determine the League VIII Title.
• 2010 Season Outlook: The Bears graduated only one senior from the State Champion squad. With Liotine and Hennessy creating one of the most potent 1-2 punches on Long Island and a staunch defense shored up by Pappas, Stiklickas, and Petersen, the girls hope to make a run at League, County, Long Island, and State Titles this year.

Girls Tennis

• 2009 Season Review: Our girls, playing in a league with schools many times our size, finished 4-8.
• Head Coach: Franny Pistell (3rd year)
• Captains: Not yet named.
• Key Returners: Nicole Antieri, Alexa Augustine, Michelle Avrutin, Julie Lee, Arial Huang, Carlyn Augustine & Alissa Antieri
• Promising Newcomers: Tylah Gantt, Ece Eryavuz, Alyssa Gocinski & Alice Chung
• Matches Circled on the Calendar: Port Jeff (A – 9/15 @ 4pm & H – 10/1 @ 4pm), Middle Country (H – 9/16 @ 4pm & A – 10/4 @ 4:30pm) & Sachem East (A – 9/20 @ 4:30pm & H – 10/6 @ 4pm)
• 2010 Season Outlook: With a solid crop of veterans and the addition of Tylah Gantt, who in Coach Pistell’s words is “really on top of her game,” this team looks to make some noise in Division III.

Volleyball

• 2009 Season Review: Our girls engineered perhaps the most successful volleyball season in school history. The team went 11-3 with ten shutouts, finished 2nd in League VIII, and were the runners-up in the County Final.
• Head Coach: Leslie Paige (1st year)
• Captains: Jess Winston & Natalie Istrati
• Key Returners: Jess Winston, Natalie Istrati, Emily Stone, Christine Boss & Emma Moley
• Promising Newcomers: Sydney Braat, Rocio Larraguibel, Desiree Istrati, Keara Vancol, Sophie Svoboda & Samiat Awosonya
• Matches Circled on the Calendar: Both games against Pierson (H – 9/20 @ 4:30pm & A – 10/19 @ 4:30pm) & Shelter Island (A – 9/27 @ 4:30pm & H – 10/14 @ 4:30pm) will determine the League Championship.
• 2010 Season Outlook: Led by a solid core of seniors, the girls hope to make another run at the County Title. Coach Paige’s experience as a Division II volleyball player will prove invaluable in guiding the squad this year.

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