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Massapequa Rolls Over Connetquot, Wins Second Straight Long Island Championship

by Trevor Dugan

There was a strong sense of déjà vu in the air Saturday afternoon at Middle Country Park. For the second straight season, Massapequa High School and Connetquot High School met in the Class AAA Long Island Championship. And for the second straight season, Massapequa came out on top. 

The Chiefs rolled to an 11-6 win for their second consecutive Long Island Championship victory over the two-time reigning Suffolk County champion T-Birds.

Eight of nine starters recorded a hit for Massapequa in Saturday’s high scoring title bout. Stony Brook-commit Chris Sultana and Queens College-commit Anthony Conza each drove in three runs apiece. Oswego commit-Anthony DiNello finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored. 

“We have a very deep lineup, top to bottom,” Conza said. “There’s never a doubt with our guys, they can always get it done.”

Massapequa used six different pitchers to defend their Long Island title Saturday. Senior right-hander Jack Corrigan pitched the bulk of the game after entering with one out in the first, allowing no runs across 4.1 innings of work while striking out six to earn the win.

“We were going to throw 12 guys today,” Massapequa assistant coach Chris Cafiero said. “That was kind of the plan, but once Corrigan started rolling, there was no reason to take him out. We had four other guys we could have brought in; this team is just loaded with arms.”

Mercy-commit DJ Filippone got the start for Connetquot and found himself in an early hole. Massapequa tagged the junior right-hander for three runs in the top of the first, scoring their first on an RBI single by Mount Saint Mary-commit Ryan Moore. Conza capped the inning off with his first RBI single of the day to give the Chiefs a 3-0 lead. 

Connetquot was able to answer in their half of the first, tying the game at 3-3. WestConn-commit Michael Mallon gave the T-Birds their first run with a sacrifice fly, before UMass Dartmouth-commit Chris Steeneck tied the game with an RBI double to deep center field. 

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Momentum did not stay with Connetquot for long however, as Massapequa took the lead right back in the top of the second. With two outs in the inning, Sultana smashed a single off the right field wall to score Brady Love and Caiden Erker, giving the Chiefs a 5-3 advantage.             

St. Joseph’s-commit Jack Doucet took the mound for Connetquot in the top of the third and pitched a much-needed scoreless frame. The senior RHP would pitch the remainder of the game for Connetquot. Massapequa seemed to figure him out in the top of the fourth. 

The Chiefs extended their lead with a barrage of base hits in the fourth. Sultana got things started with another RBI single, then Moore picked up his second RBI of the day on a fielder’s choice. Back-to-back RBI singles by junior first baseman Joseph Genova and Assumption-commit John Neary pushed the Massapequa lead to 9-3 before Doucet managed to escape the inning. 

Conza added to his RBI total, and the Massapequa lead, in the top of the sixth by ripping a two-run double to push the score to 11-3. Connetquot got those runs back in the bottom of the inning, when sophomore second baseman Tyler Cope ripped a two-run double of his own to cut the lead to 11-5. 

Connetquot scored one more run in the seventh inning, scoring on an RBI double by LIU-commit Jagger Adamo, but that was all they could muster. Senior RHP James Alonso entered to record the final out, securing Massapequa’s second straight Class AAA Long Island Championship. 

The Chiefs celebrated like madmen following their title defense, giving their coaches a Gatorade shower and dogpiling into a chaotic heap in front of the mound. However, they remain focused on reaching the ultimate goal: a state championship.

“We want it bad this year, we’ve been working all year and it’s finally paying off, we’re ready to go,” GameChanger player of the game Sultana said after the win. 

“As a senior, winning a state championship would be the cherry on top,” Conza added. “That’s been my goal since I first stepped foot in Massapequa High School. Haven’t won since 2018, and I really think that this is the year to do it.” 

“They were really disappointed last year when we left Binghamton, we lost a game we felt we should have won,” coach Cafiero explained. “Coming into this year, this was the goal. Get back to this game, and get another opportunity to go upstate.” 

“Once we get there, these guys have been there before,” Cafiero continued. “They’re more experienced now, and they understand what to expect up there, so really it’s just another day for us.” 

Massapequa is now heading to the NYSPHSAA Baseball Championships, beginning Friday, June 12, in Binghamton, New York.