Here is the All-State girls basketball team as picked by the state sportswriters. Newsday does not have a vote.

Check out who the state Class AA Coach of the Year is. It's been awarded to Gregg Petrocelli, the gifted Elmont coach who died on the bench during a playoff game. You can argue with a lot of the picks on this team, but recognizing Petrocelli is classy -- and warranted.

Here's the teams, from Perry Novak:

2006-07 NYSSCOGS/NYSSWA
All-State Girls Basketball
Editor: Perry L. Novak
nysscogs@yahoo.com
Official as of March 26.
Do not release until March 27 editions!

Class AA
Player of the Year: Erica Morrow (Murry Bergtraum) Coach of the Year: Gregg Petrocelli (Elmont-8)*
* - posthumously awarded
1st team
C 12 G Lorin Dixon (Christ The King)
P 12 G Erica Morrow (Murry Bergtraum)
P 11 C Shakeya Leary (Murry Bergtraum)
C 12 G Anjale Barrett (St. Michael's)
05 11 F Shenise Johnson (Rush-Henrietta)
2nd team
05 12 G Jori Davis (Greece Athena)
11 12 F Chanel Chisholm (North Babylon)
C 11 F Shennika Smith (St. Michael's)
C 10 C Christine Huber (St. John Baptist)
11 11 G Samantha Prahalis (Commack)
3rd team
05 12 G Megan Shoniker (Greece Arcadia)
08 12 G Suzanne Fregosi (Massapequa)
08 12 F Kirsten Jeter (Elmont)
11 10 G Eugeneia McPherson (North Babylon)
C 11 G Daniella Iervolino (St. John Baptist)
4th team
01 12 G Kim Adams (White Plains)
01 12 G Liz Flooks (White Plains)
06 10 G Erinne Cunningham (Jamestown)
09 12 G Lyndsey Timbrouck (Kingston)
11 12 F Tesia Harris (Half Hollow Hills West)
5th team
02 12 G Stephanie McBride (Troy Catholic)
02 11 F/C Brittany Stahura (Amsterdam)
04 12 G Michelle Kirk (Corning West)
06 12 F Ashley Dupler (Jamestown)
08 11 G Michelle Kurowski (Hicksville)
6th team
01 12 F Jackie Alemany (Scarsdale)
02 12 G/F Logan Pintka (Colonie)
05 12 F Betsy Jacobson (Mercy)
08 10 G Megan Vasquez (Calhoun)
09 12 G Deonna Gould (Minisink Valley)
7th team
05 12 G Bria Jackson (Rush-Henrietta)
08 12 F Ashley Caiafa (Massapequa)
08 12 F Janine Aldridge (Massapequa)
C 12 G Casey Shevlin (Mary Louis)
P 12 G Tatiyiana McMorris (Bronx JFK)
8th team
01 12 C Brianna Peterson (North Rockland)
02 12 G Bre O'Dell (Shenendehowa)
05 12 C Eva Riddick (Rush-Henrietta)
08 11 G Courtney Breen (Hicksville)
P 12 F Ashley Cox (Manhattan Center)
9th team
01 11 G Angelei Aguirre (White Plains)
05 11 G/F Brittany Wilson (Fairport)
06 12 F Bridget Burke (Lockport)
06 12 G Barb Kiliszek (Lancaster)
11 10 G Ieasia Walker (Copiague)
10th team
03 11 G Tyler Ash (Liverpool)
08 12 G Christina Gugliero (Farmingdale)
11 10 G Gabrielle Gibson (Copiague)
11 12 F Lauren Caggiano (Sachem East)
C 12 G Tasha Harris (St. Michael's)
11th team
01 11 G/F Nadia Duncan (Mount Vernon)
01 11 G Jacinda Williams (Lourdes)
02 11 G Megan Gaugler (Amsterdam)
11 12 G Kiera Schiavetta (Northport)
P 10 G China Crosby (Manhattan Center)
12th team
03 11 F Katie Hart (Central Square)
05 11 G Erica Yohannes (Penfield)
09 09 G Rachel Coffey (Kingston)
11 09 G Kristen Doherty (Sachem East)
C 12 G Amanda Burakoski (Mary Louis)

Class A
Player of the Year: Megan Mahoney (St. Peter's-CHSAA) Coach of the Year: Steve Fallo (Lakeland-1) 1st team
C 12 G Megan Mahoney (St. Peter's)
C 12 G Candice Bellocchio (St. Peter's)
C 12 G Janae Aiken (St. Dominic's)
01 12 F Amy Voelkel (Lakeland)
05 10 G Alyssa Fenyn (Newark)
2nd team
C 12 F Ashley Olsen (SI Notre Dame)
01 12 G Kaitlyn O'Keefe (Pearl River)
05 12 G Marshay White (School of the Arts)
05 12 F/C Emma Cannon (School of the Arts)
10 12 C Beth Wiggins (Malone).
3rd team
03 12 G Amanda Billy (Syracuse CBA)
03 11 G Sarah Paulus (Syracuse CBA)
05 12 G Jackie Ward (Pittsford Mendon)
06 11 F Joelle Connelly (Pioneer)
11 11 F Kelly Cavallo (Westhampton)
4th team
01 12 C Jaki Goldner (Somers)
03 12 G Devon Croll (Vernon-Verona-Sherrill)
C 12 F Kendra Brim (Nardin)
10 11 F Hayley Poupore (Malone)
11 10 F Jaclyn McKenna (Elwood John Glenn)
5th team
01 12 G Sarah Benischek (Lakeland)
02 11 F Jessica Walton (Holy Names)
06 12 G Kacie Mills (Kenmore East)
11 10 G Kerry Hicks (Huntington)
11 12 G Jennifer Polan (Westhampton)
6th team
01 12 G Kerri Confrey (Pearl River)
01 12 F Jessica Harris (Hendrick Hudson)
05 11 G Ashley Rath (Victor)
08 11 G Megan Galvin (Floral Park)
11 11 F Kelly Ryan (Harborfields)
7th team
01 12 G Rosemarie Fazio (Lakeland)
01 11 G Ally Biordi (Beacon)
05 10 F/G Shakista Woolfolk (Newark)
08 12 G Colette Lelchuk (Great Neck South)
09 12 F Amanda Eggink (Red Hook)
8th Team
C 11 G Nicole Capurso (St. John Villa)
C 12 F Kristin Connelly (St. Peter's)
C 12 G Katie Keller (Buffalo Sacred Heart)
04 12 F Michelle Phillips (Maine-Endwell)
11 12 F Jamie DiChiara (Kings Park)
9th team
03 11 F Chloe Armstrong (Indian River)
04 12 C Kate Early (Corning East)
05 12 G Brittany Williams (Wilson)
C 12 F Krystal Watson (Buffalo Sacred Heart)
11 12 G Sara Vivonetto (Eastport/South Manor)
10th team
02 12 C Llauren Williams (Ichabod Crane)
03 11 G Nicole Karam (New Hartford)
07 11 F Jenna Ruff (Peru)
08 12 G Chelsea Einhorn (Wantagh)
11 12 G Kate Morrell (Harborfields)

Class B
Player of the Year: Sarah Soroka (East Aurora-6) Coach of the Year: Chris Koselny (East Aurora-6) 1st team
02 12 C Shelly Pierson (Watervliet)
03 12 G Danielle Felice (South Jefferson)
04 12 F Rachel Sheppard (Waverly)
06 12 F Sarah Soroka (East Aurora)
08 12 G Kim Brennan (Locust Valley)
2nd team
01 10 G Porsha Postell (Woodlands)
03 11 F Linsey Niles (South Jefferson)
03 10 G Carly Cooper (Westhill)
06 12 F Brandy Wangelin (Olean)
09 11 C Emily Stallings (Burke Catholic)
3rd Team
04 12 G Donnalyn Cross (Chenango Valley)
05 12 G Lyndsay Murphy (Hornell)
05 12 G Courtney Lincoln (Waterloo)
11 12 F Crystal Jones (Wyandanch)
11 12 G Amanda Capone (Greenport/Southold)
4th team
01 12 G Christine Kemp (Putnam Valley)
01 12 G Jen Canale (Albertus Magnus)
02 12 G Kelly Woodrow (Schalmont)
06 11 G Jessie Tarantino (East Aurora)
07 11 F Shannon Nutbrown (Ausable Valley)
5th team
02 12 G Natalie Mosconi (Fonda-Fultonville)
03 11 F Marquita Pring (Clinton)
06 12 G Jessica Nelson (Allegany-Limestone)
06 11 F Ashley Gallagher (East Aurora)
11 12 F Lucinda Freeman (Wyandanch)
6th team
01 12 F Kristen DeCandido (Pleasantville)
01 12 C Shelby Coon (Briarcliff)
06 12 G Sarah Beck (Southwestern)
07 12 G Rachel Coryea (Northeast Clinton)
11 12 G Jasmine Dyson (Southampton)
7th team
01 12 G Nora Skrelji (Hastings)
05 12 G Bri Dunton (Marcus Whitman)
05 12 G Liz Donk (Midlakes)
10 12 C Shannon LaFave (Ogdensburg)
11 12 G Kelly McCoy (Greenport/Southold)

Class C
Player of the Year: Margie McKinery (Elmira Notre
Dame-4)
Coach of the Year: Phil White (Bloomfield-5) 1st team
04 12 G Margie McKinery (Elmira Notre Dame)
04 12 F Lindsay Kimmel (Harpursville)
04 11 G Mallory Lawes (Elmira Notre Dame)
05 12 F Serena Moore (Bishop Kearney)
05 11 G Brittany White (Bloomfield)
2nd team
01 11 G Brittany Shields (Haldane)
02 11 G Kelly Murphy (Mechanicville)
04 11 C Kate Agan (Elmira Notre Dame)
05 12 G Stephanie Hudson (Bloomfield)
10 12 F Brooke Sharpe (Madrid-Waddington)
3rd team
01 10 F Shereen Lightbourne (Alexander Hamilton)
01 12 G Karlyn Adler (Blind Brook)
05 12 F Brittany McCray (Lyons)
05 12 C/F Heidi Norton (Batavia Notre Dame)
11 12 G Kristyn Dunleavy (Stony Brook)
4th team
02 12 G Sara Borthwick (Schoharie)
02 12 G Meghan Pitt (Hoosick Falls)
03 12 G Erika Salls (Little Falls)
04 12 G Jennifer Patten (Bainbridge-Guilford)
05 10 F Jenn Hudson (Bloomfield)
5th team
02 11 G Kayla Ryan (Hoosic Valley)
05 12 G Meghan Wheeler (Perry)
05 12 G Erica Conte (Caledonia-Mumford)
06 10 F Samantha Kopp (Franklinville)
08 11 G Elizabeth Handy (Friends)
6th team
A 12 F Cosima Highman (Poly Prep)
02 11 C Sarah Child (Schenectady Christian)
03 12 G Tricia Hax (Pulaski)
05 11 G Gloria Warne (South Seneca)
05 12 G Abby Stanton (Avon)
7th team
05 12 G Deanna Nortier (Marion)
05 11 G Katrina Davenport (Honeoye)
06 12 G Sierra Finch (Randolph)
P 10 G Kaitlin Donohoe (Nichols)
11 11 F Megan Macarthur (McGann-Mercy)

Class D
Player of the Year: Brittany Kenyon (Hammond-10) Coach of the Year: Shawn Dack (Hammond-10) 1st team
03 11 F Samantha Szkotak (New York Mills)
04 12 G Kristine Gardner (Odessa-Montour)
05 12 F Marci Jonathan (Elba)
09 11 C Kathleen Folkl (Florida)
10 12 G Brittani Kenyon (Hammond)
2nd team
03 11 F Madison Slagle (Rome Catholic)
05 12 F Kara Schrader (Romulus)
05 12 G Shannon Daugherty (Houghton)
06 10 F Rachel Ottaway (Sherman)
10 12 F Rosie LaBare (Chateaugay)
3rd team
03 11 G Liz Unger (Hamilton)
05 10 G Katie Wyant (Jasper-Troupsburg)
06 10 G Tara Bailey (Clymer)
10 12 G Mindy Small (Heuvelton)
10 12 G Brittany Whitton (Hermon-DeKalb)
4th team
05 12 G Erin Ostrander (Genesee Valley)
05 12 G/F Jackie Vincent (Romulus)
06 11 G Samantha Eimers (Ripley)
06 12 G Haley Meredith (Sherman)
10 12 G Riane Fletcher (Lisbon)
5th team
02 12 F Kate Boucher (Ft. Edward)
03 12 G Samantha Allen (Sackets Harbor)
04 11 G Stephanie Shellman (Downsville)
09 09 G Taylor Leonard (Coleman Catholic)
10 10 F Aubrie Dunn (Hammond)
6th team
04 12 C Amie Ballo (Andes)
07 11 G Kaylee Sprague (Moriah)
09 12 G Vivien Greiser (Florida)
10 10 F Cassie Cunningham (Hammond)
11 11 G Tina Rando (Shelter Island)

Posted by Jason Molinet at 9:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For you girls hoops fans, here's the final poll from the state sportswriters. Newsday, incidentally, does not have a vote. From Perry Novak:

NYSSCOGS/NYSSWA 2006-07
Girls Basketball Rankings (final)
Week 14 (Mar. 19-25)
Poll editor: Perry L. Novak
nysscogs@yahoo.com
**** - NYSPHSAA Final Four team
Class AA
1 27-0 PSAL-Murry Bergtraum
2 25-3 5-Rush-Henrietta ****
3 23-5 CHS-St. John the Baptist
4 22-4 CHS-Christ The King
5 23-2 11-North Babylon ****
6 24-2 2-Colonie ****
7 23-1 6-Jamestown
8 19-4 9-Kingston ****
9 22-5 CHS-St. Michael's
10 23-3 1-White Plains
11 24-7 CHS-Mary Louis
12 22-6 PSAL-JFK
13 16-7 8-Hicksville
14 21-3 3-Liverpool
15 21-2 5-Greece Athena
16 19-4 11-Commack
17 21-2 2-Amsterdam
18 20-1 11-Sachem East
19 20-1 8-Massapequa
20 21-2 3-Oswego
21 17-3 8-Elmont
22 18-5 9-Minisink Valley
23 18-5 6-Lancaster
24 18-5 CHS-Sacred Heart
25 20-3 5-Canandaigua
25 12-9 4-Union-Endicott

Class A
1 27-1 1-Lakeland ****
2 24-4 CHS-St. Peter's
3 24-2 10-Malone ****
4 25-1 5-Newark ****
5 16-7 1-Pearl River
6 18-3 5-SOTA
7 21-1 3-CBA
8 17-5 11-Harborfields ****
9 20-4 2-Ichabod Crane
10 23-6 CHS-Notre Dame Academy
11 16-7 9-Cornwall
12 16-6 4-Maine-Endwell
13 18-5 8-Floral Park
14 20-5 6-Kenmore East
15 14-10 CHS-Mt. Mercy
16 19-4 5-Pittsford Mendon
17 21-1 11-Huntington
18 19-4 3-Jamesville-DeWitt
19 16-5 2-Holy Names
20 22-3 CHS-Sacred Heart

Class B
1 24-4 6-East Aurora ****
2 26-1 3-South Jefferson ****
3 23-2 2-Watervliet ****
4 23-4 11-Wyandanch ****
5 19-5 1-Albertus Magnus
6 20-2 8-Locust Valley
7 19-3 3-Westhill
8 19-2 9-Burke
9 18-5 4-Chenango Valley
10 20-3 4-Binghamton Seton
11 18-6 5-Waterloo
12 15-10 10-Ogdensburg
13 19-4 9-Highland
14 16-8 2-Schalmont
15 18-4 4-Waverly
16 18-5 3-Clinton
17 19-3 7-Northeast Clinton
18 16-6 3-Watertown IHC
19 15-6 11-Greenport-Southold
20 15-5 8-Malverne

Class C
1 25-1 4-Elmira Notre Dame ****
2 26-2 5-Bloomfield ****
3 22-4 2-Hoosic Valley ****
4 20-5 1-Blind Brook ****
5 19-3 4-Bainbridge-Guilford
6 23-1 5-Marion
7 21-3 11-Stony Brook
8 24-1 3-Little Falls
9 22-3 10-Madrid-Waddington
10 18-5 5-Perry
11 18-6 6-Randolph
12 17-4 1-Haldane
13 16-7 2-Mechanicville
14 20-3 3-Pulaski
15 17-4 4-Newfield
16 18-5 5-South Seneca
17 14-8 9-Millbrook
18 20-2 5-Avon
19 20-3 2-Schoharie
20 16-5 4-Harpursville

Class D
1 25-4 10-Hammond ****
2 18-8 9-Florida ****
3 19-7 5-Romulus ****
4 16-8 4-Odessa-Montour ****
5 21-3 6-Sherman
6 20-1 5-Elba
7 19-4 5-Jasper-Troupsburg
8 19-5 3-Rome Catholic
9 18-6 5-Andover
10 18-4 3-New York Mills
11 19-3 4-Downsville
12 19-4 3-Sackets Harbor
13 14-9 10-Lisbon
14 18-5 4-Davenport
15 18-4 5-Hammondsport
16 14-8 9-Coleman Catholic
17 19-3 10-Chateaugay
18 14-10 2-Fort Edward
19 13-9 7-Chazy
20 8-13 11-Shelter Island

Posted by Jason Molinet at 9:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In case you didn't know it already, the winter season is history. And I have the tan from covering Tuesday's Smithtown West-Hauppauge softball game to prove it.

Just wanted to let you all know that All-Long Island teams from the winter -- including a few surprises -- will run in the Sunday, April 8th issue of Newsday.

Picking the All-Long Island boys basketball team -- this is my 11th year -- was tough. There were a few obvious candidates whose body of work far outshined the pack. Guys like Richard Byrd from Copiague or Mike Sands from Carey were no-brainers. But when I say team, I'm also thinking second team.

The line between the seventh player on the first team and the top five players on the second team is a fine one. I tried to reward the guys to meant the most to their teams and carried them the furthest this season. It's never about projectons. So you will see a few prominent D-I recruits didn't make the cut.

There are 130 high schools on the Island that play basketball. Everyone has an MVP, so I imagine there will be a lot of disappointed folks out there. That's why Newsday's All-Long Island teams are so special. It's not watered down. We pick the best of the best. And we do it with integrity.

Have fun playing this spring and make sure you check out our all-stars when they go to print. See you on a ballfield somewhere soon.

Posted by Jason Molinet at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The state Federation Tournament is where the players of the year are announced each season. Long Island was bypassed yet again on this one. That doesn't mean the pick is wrong.

Mr. Basketball is Jonathan Flynn from Niagara Falls. The talented point guard is headed to Syracuse.

Mrs. Basketball is Lorin Dixon from Christ the King (Queens). Dixon, committed to Connecticut, averaged 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.

So did the committee get it right in the past? Well, Jonathan Mitchell of Mount Vernon, last year's winner, is playing for the Florida Gators in the NCAA Tournament while Syracuse-CBA point guard Greg Paulus, the 2005 winner, has started two seasons at Duke. And 2004 winner Sebastian Telfair from Lincoln? He's in the NBA.

Sounds like a good track record to me.

Posted by Jason Molinet at 9:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

PHOTO: That's Mookie Jones (21) getting ready to reject a shot.

From Long Island's perspective, the state public school boys basketball Final Four ended with Malverne's victory late Saturday. But the tournament was far from over. Two championship tilts unfolded at the Glens Falls Civic Center on Sunday.

Mookie Jones, the talented 6-6 junior who ripped Kings Park in the state semis, scored 20 points to lead Section I Peekskill to its third straight state Class A title on Sunday. The Red Devils downed hometown favorite Glens Falls (II), 58-48.

Section I champ Mount Vernon repeated as state Class AA champ, edging another local team, Albany-Bishop Maginn (II), 68-65. Rutgers-bound point guard Michael Coburn earned Tournament MVP honors after scoring 25 points. The smooth Coburn sent Copiague packing a day earlier.

A final note: One day after ousting Greenport, Section V champ C.G. Finney repeated as state Class D champs on Saturday, beating Chateaugay (X), 46-27.

Posted by Jason Molinet at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National High School Hall of Fame just announced its latest class. Here's the release:

ATHLETES

Clyde Duncan
Duncan was perhaps the most dominant track and field athlete in Iowa
history. He won the 100, 220 and 440 state titles in all three years of
high school competition at Des Moines North, and the nine individual
championships are the most in 101 years of track and field competition
in Iowa. Amazingly, 43 years later, he still owns the state's top time
(9.3) in the 100-yard dash. Duncan was a collegiate all-American at
Texas Southern University, where he coaches today.

Jim Johnson
Johnson scored 249 goals during his four-year (1971-74) ice hockey
career at Cranbrook High School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and his
national record for career goals has stood the test of time for 33
years. Amazingly, many of his goals were scored on Cranbrook's outdoor
ice rink. Johnson was an all-state selection four times and a two-time
high school all-American. He then played four years at Michigan State
University. Today, Johnson is athletic director at Troy (Michigan) High
School.

Jim Plunkett
Plunkett excelled in baseball, wrestling and football at James Lick High
School. He was undefeated in wrestling in his senior season and won a
California Interscholastic Federation section title. He led his football
team to a 9-0 mark as a senior, passing for 1,200 yards and 17
touchdowns. He went on to win the Heisman Trophy at Stanford University
and led the Cardinal to a victory over Ohio State University in the 1971
Rose Bowl. He then led the Raiders to victories in the 1981 and 1984
Super Bowls and was most valuable player of Super Bowl XV in 1981.

Terry Steinbach
Steinbach was an ice hockey and baseball standout at New Ulm (Minnesota)
High School. He set school records for most career goals in ice hockey
and most career home runs in baseball. He was the co-Big Ten Conference
baseball player of the year at the University of Minnesota in 1983. He
played with the Oakland A's for 11 years, including the 1989 World
Series championship team, and finished his career with the Minnesota
Twins (1997-99).

Charlie Wedemeyer
Wedemeyer was all-league three times in three different sports
(football, basketball and baseball) at Honolulu Punahou. He was selected
Hawaii Athlete of the Decade for the 1960s and is generally recognized
as the state's greatest prep athlete in history. He played football at
Michigan State University, where he was a member of the 1965 national
championship team and played in the famous "Game of the Century" in 1966
against Notre Dame. For the past 30 years, Wedemeyer has battled Lou
Gehrig's disease and communicates through his wife, Lucy. A made-for-TV
movie was broadcast nationally in 1988, and the Wedemeyers give
inspirational speeches throughout the country.

COACHES

John Bagonzi
Bagonzi won more than 80 percent of his games as basketball and baseball
coach at his alma mater - Woodsville (New Hampshire) High School - from
1958 to 1981, including 12 state championships. His basketball teams won
five state titles and had a 62-game regular-season winning streak from
1968 to 1971. In baseball, his teams won seven state championships and
had a 35-game winning streak. He has written more than 100 articles on
baseball for national publications and authored a book, The Act of
Pitching, now in its fifth printing.

Lewis Benitz
Benitz, who has directed the wrestling program at Wisconsin Rapids
Lincoln since 1967, is the winningest wrestling coach in Wisconsin
history and ranks fifth nationally with 663 victories (91 percent
winning percentage) through the 2005-06 season. Benitz won his fifth
consecutive state wrestling championship this year, increasing his
overall number to 17 state titles.

Rick Insell
Insell compiled a 775-148 record in 28 years as girls basketball coach
at Shelbyville (Tennessee) Central High School and claimed 10 state
championships. His teams won four consecutive state titles (1989-92) and
110 consecutive games between 1987 and 1991. His teams were runner-ups
five other times. He is now in his second year as women's basketball
coach at Middle Tennessee State University and has guided MTSU to the
NCAA tournament both years.

Joan Wells
Wells retired as volleyball coach at Lawrence (Kansas) High School in
1997 after an outstanding 27-year career. She compiled an 865-89 record
(90.7 percent), won 15 state championships and finished second in state
seven other times. She coached 29 athletes who went on to play NCAA
Division I volleyball. She also coached softball for 16 years, guiding
Lawrence to its only state softball championship in 1977.

OFFICIALS

Jane Hansen
Hansen has been the field hockey rules interpreter for the New Jersey
State Interscholastic Athletic Association for 26 years and served in
the same capacity for girls lacrosse for 12 years before retiring in
2003. She has umpired in the New Jersey field hockey championships
almost every year since 1975. She also has served on the NFHS Field
Hockey Rules Committee.

Sam Short
Short has been involved with basketball officiating in the state of
Alabama for 53 years and still serves as coordinator of officials for
the Alabama High School Athletic Association. He also was a football
official for 37 years and holds the record for officiating the most
state football championships. Short has served on the NFHS Football
Rules Committee and Basketball Rules Committee.

OTHERS

Tim Stevens
Stevens has been involved with the Raleigh Times and the Raleigh News
and Observer since starting at the Times in 1967 as a high school
correspondent. He has devoted his entire career to coverage of high
school sports and has been high school sports editor for the News and
Observer since 1990. He was co-author of the North Carolina High School
Record Book and has been involved for many years with the annual holiday
invitational basketball tournament in Raleigh. He is the fourth
newspaper journalist to be inducted into the National High School Hall
of Fame.

Posted by Jason Molinet at 12:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just arrived at my hotel in Lake George, about 10 miles north of Glens Falls. There's snow on the ground. You get the sense snow never melts here. And so it's fitting that that the state boys basketball Final Four is played in an ice hockey arena.

The Glens Falls Civic Center is home to minor league hockey. I've been there at the end of the tournament when the arena crew comes in and takes apart the basketball court to reveal the ice underneath. That's when the place gets cold. Burrr.

No threat of that during the tournament. No matter how miserable it gets outside -- and it usually snows here tournament time -- the action inside keeps the place toasty. I'm looking forward to some white-hot action on Friday. Good luck Long Island.

Posted by Jason Molinet at 8:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

PICTURED: Copiague coach Steve Rebholz was a former player.

This trip to the state Final Four is mighty special for three boys basketball coaches. You see, Greenport's Al Edwards, Malverne's Darrol Lopez and Copiague's Steve Rebholz are more than the masterminds behind terrific seasons. They are former players for their respective programs.

Edwards was a 2,000-point scorer in the 1970s. Sophomore Ryan Creighton might be Greenport's next 2,000-point scorer. Lopez learned life lessons from former coach Hank Williams. Now he's giving out those same lessons to the next generation at Malverne. Rebholz considers himself the caretaker of a program that's produced some serious talent over the years. But under his leadership, Copiague has reached new heights.

You know this trio will enjoy the Glens Falls experience. For them this journey was a lifetime in the making.

Posted by Jason Molinet at 11:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Received this press release. It's a nice honor for Hillary Framson and Jason Liberman:

The national Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, located at The Suffolk Y JCC in Commack, announced the selection of the Pearl D. Mazor and Jules D. Mazor Awards to the Outstanding Jewish High School Scholar Athletes of the Year. The Pearl D. Mazor Award is being given to Hillary Framson, a senior soccer player and track athlete at Sachem North HS and the Jules D. Mazor Award is is being given to Roslyn HS basketball player Jason Liberman.

"We are thrilled to be honoring these two outstanding high school student athletes," said Hall of fame Chairman Lynne Kramer.

The awards will be presented at The 15th Annual National Jewish Sports Hall of fame and Museum Inductions, to be held at The Suffolk Y JCC, 74 Hauppauge Road, Commack, on April 29, beginning at 10:30a.m. For more information, please call (631) 462-9800, ext. 119 or 125.

Posted by Jason Molinet at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

OK, here's my latest boys basketball Top 10. The season is all but over now that the Long Island championships are in the books. And in the span of just one week, I've totally revamped my Top 10. A lot happened over the last few weeks.

I overreacted to some teams losing, such as dropping St. John the Baptist from No. 2 to No. 8, and made another big adjustment through omission this week by including Long Island Lutheran. The lone constant has been St. Dominic at the top spot all season.

If Greenport or Friends Academy can somehow win state titles in Glens Falls over the weekend, I might have to find room for them. But as of now, I feel pretty good about these rankings. Tell me what you think.

NEWSDAY TOP 10

1. St. Dominic

2. Copiague

3. Long Island Lutheran

4. St. John the Baptist

5. Hempstead

6. Malverne

7. Wyandanch

8. Whitman

9. Upper Room

10. Kings Park

Posted by Jason Molinet at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

It's not that Malverne isn't good. I just didn't expect the Mules to knock off Wyandanch in the Long Island Class B title game.

The teams squared off a year ago and Wyandanch won. In the time since, Wyandanch added Cameron Barber while Malverne graduated Julian Hayes. Advantage Wyandanch. And while Malverne was forced to play a schedule full of cream puffs, Wyandanch got the added benefit of the Suffolk Overall Tournament to play some serious competition.

After knocking off Suffolk Class A champ Kings Park and then Suffolk Class AA winner Copiague, I moved Wyandanch to No. 2 this week in my Long Island boys basketball poll. Between reigning Suffolk player of the year Chris Barber and his versatile younger brother, the Warriors seemed like a lock to return to the state Final Four.

Boy was I wrong. Malverne jumped on the Warriors early and never let up. Kudos to Greg Lott, Craig Wilson and coach Darrol Lopez. You made amends for last season's huccup and you did it in grand fashion. You beat the hottest public school team on Long Island.

Posted by Jason Molinet at 10:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

New York sports lost a great advocate recently. Burt Beagle died Feb. 19. He was 73. Beagle took on the job as CHSAA statistician in 1974 and became a resource for any City basketball fan.

He also served as Baruch College sports information director since 1968. He set an NCAA record of 930 home and road games as the Baruch men's basketball team statistician. Beagle has been inducted into the CHSAA and state basketball halls of fame.

I knew the man and he was an encyclopedia of knowledge and more than happy to share it. He will be missed.

Posted by Jason Molinet at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

In the aftermath of Wednesday night's Suffolk Class A title game, won by Kings Park, 41-39, a singular question sprung up from the stands at Stony Brook University.

To put it mildly: How in the world did these teams get here?

It's true, the sexier championship matchup would have been No. 2 Amityville vs. No. 1 East Hampton. But No. 6 Kings Park beat Amityville and No. 4 Glenn stopped East Hampton and its 20-game winning streak fair and square. Like "Ugly Betty," these teams had charm.

That these two teams put on one of the uglier championship displays in recent memory left basketball aficionados grumbling. But what happened was two tough defensive teams did what they've done all year long. In the case of Glenn and its quick guards, it was to force turnovers. For Kings Park, it was defending the low post.

With 6-8 intimidator Jon Koop in the middle for Kings Park, Glenn shot a miserable 23 percent (15-for-65) from the field. Koop finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks and even more altered shots.

Sneaky-quick Glenn senior Trevor Coston (15 points) helped turn up the defensive pressure in the fourth quarter. The Kingsmen built a 39-29 edge with 6:11 left. That's when Glenn began to press and forced turnover after turnover. Coston's steal and layup with 2:42 left closed the gap to 39-36.

So the body of work may not have been pretty, but it was by design. Now Kings Park can celebrate its first county title since 1950. There's nothing ugly about that!

Posted by Jason Molinet at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)