by Tucker Terranova
Bryan Bonin Grand Slam Classic MVP John Franco (Farmingdale, Molloy) discusses his experience playing in the All-Star Game, the level of competition, and any bragging rights that may have been at stake for Nassau County. pic.twitter.com/q3Gie3aLrX
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 24, 2025
In a contest featuring the top talent from Long Island, a player playing right in his backyard stole the show.
John Franco, who took off his Farmingdale uniform just weeks ago following a loss to Massapequa in the Class AAA finals, got one final chance to represent his school and he made it count.
On Monday night, Franco and 49 of Long Island’s best seniors suited up for one final high school game in the 18th annual Bryan Bonin Grand Slam Challenge at Farmingdale State College. Nassau, which had lost the past two matchups, struck early and never looked back, defeating Suffolk 7–3.
“I knew I had to show up for my town,” said Franco, an infielder headed to Molloy and recipient of Nassau’s Don Lang Diamond Award. “It was a great feeling being able to play like that and represent my town.”
The annual exhibition pits the top senior players from Nassau County against their Suffolk counterparts. In recent years, the game has taken on added meaning in honor of Bryan Bonin, the former Commack head coach who passed away from melanoma in 2022 at age 33.
“Coach Bonin was a really good family friend of mine,” said Shaun Manning, one of the key organizers who helped revive the game following a COVID-related hiatus. “I knew him since he was 10 years old. Watching him play in college and later coach with me at Next Level — he was a tremendous person and a tremendous baseball mind.”
This year’s event also featured the inaugural Home Run Derby, headlined by Jayden Stroman (Patchogue-Medford, Virginia), Kyle Coppola (Deer Park, Bridgeport), Mike Oliveto (Hauppauge, Yale), Andrew Law (Sayville), Nick Albert (MacArthur), and Evan Cabral (Garden City, Stony Brook). Law took home the title, defeating Albert in the final round.
“I was just trying to have as much fun as I could,” said Law. “It’s not every day you get to play with a group this talented. I was tired by the end, but reminded myself how special this opportunity was.”
Final: Nassau 7, Suffolk 3
The Nassau County All-Stars captured the 18th Bryan Bonin Grand Slam Classic, thanks in large part to a decisive four-run first inning. pic.twitter.com/UY9hjwskn4
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 24, 2025
While Suffolk claimed the derby, the game itself belonged to Nassau.
After opening with three straight walks in the first inning, Cabral drove a two-run double off the right-field fence to put Nassau on the board. Collin Anderson (Chaminade, Bucknell) then scored on a wild pitch, and Cabral came home on a sacrifice fly from Franco’s Farmingdale teammate Angel Cartagena (Iona), narrowly beating a strong throw from Stroman in center.
Nassau extended its lead in the third, when Eli Lowenstein (Bellmore JFK) — robbed of extra bases in the first on a deep fly to left — came through with a two-run single to left, making it 6–0.
From there, Nassau’s pitching took control. Behind a strong two-inning outing from Jacob Daddino (Carey, Queens College), Nassau held a potent Suffolk lineup to just three hits and no runs through the first seven innings.
Anderson added an RBI groundout in the fifth, scoring Franco to make it 7–0.
Bottom 8: Frank Kentoffio (Patchogue Medford) makes things interesting with a 2-RBI double down the left field line.
Nassau 7, Suffolk 3 pic.twitter.com/hsozcnQSZx
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 24, 2025
Suffolk finally broke through in the eighth. Joe Perri (Comsewogue, Albany) drew a four-pitch walk and scored on a wild pitch. With two in scoring position, Frank Kentoffio (Patchogue-Medford) lined a two-run double down the left field line to cut it to 7–3, Nassau shut the door in the ninth to secure the win.
Though technically an exhibition, the game had a competitive edge that mirrored that of a championship game in the later innings.
“In the last inning, it got pretty intense with both dugouts jawing back and forth,” said Franco. “Personally, I knew I had to try harder knowing how talented everyone was out there.”
