Suffolk County Team Of The Week: Whitman Heads To AAA Semis, Babylon Wrestlers Compete At States

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — From basketball playoff pushes to state wrestling appearances and a national sportsmanship award, student-athletes across Suffolk County continue to make their communities proud as the winter postseason heats up.

Walt Whitman Boys, Girls Basketball Advance To AAA Semifinals

Walt Whitman High School is sending both its boys and girls varsity basketball teams into the Section XI Class AAA semifinals.

The boys team advanced after a 71-63 quarterfinal win over Copiague and will face William Floyd on Friday, Feb. 27 at 4:45 p.m. at William Floyd High School.

The girls team will take on Copiague in the AAA semifinal on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 11 a.m. at the Walt Whitman South Gym. The matchup will also be available via free livestream on HUDL Fan.

Tickets for both games are required and must be purchased online through GoFan.

Babylon Wrestlers Head To New York State Championships

Babylon’s wrestling program is being represented on the biggest stage this weekend.

Lucas Norinder (215 lbs.) and Erik Desmond (165 lbs.) captured Suffolk County Division II Wrestling Championship titles on Feb. 13, earning qualification to the New York State Championships in Albany, taking place Feb. 27-28.

Both wrestlers are competing today and Saturday as they aim to bring state hardware back to Babylon.

John Glenn Soccer Program Earns National Sportsmanship Award

Elwood-John H. Glenn High School’s varsity soccer team recently earned the Bronze level United Soccer Coaches High School Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award for the fall season.

The national honor recognizes teams that demonstrate outstanding sportsmanship, fair play and respect for the game. John Glenn was one of only 71 teams nationwide to receive the award for the 2025 season.

“It’s a really difficult award to achieve, but we’ve won it a number of times,” head coach Lou Hanner said. We take pride in not taking a lot of cards. Our athletes know that if they take cards that we consider unnecessary, then they’re not going to go back on the field. It’s a culture that we try to create, and it’s been working.”

Honorees are selected based on the number of yellow and red cards issued during the season relative to the number of games played. The Bronze designation is presented to teams that maintain strong standards of sportsmanship while competing at a high level.

“There are coaches who win, and then there are coaches who teach life lessons to
student athletes, and that’s what I think this award recognizes,” Athletic Director Dave Shanahan said. “Coach Hanna and Coach Reilly teach their kids sportsmanship, hard work, dedication, and being a good teammate, and those are life lessons that really transcend the sport.”

Don’t See Your Team Highlighted?

Patch is compiling weekly high school sports updates from districts across Suffolk County. Coaches, athletic directors, and school communications staff are encouraged to share scores, highlights, and postseason accomplishments for inclusion in upcoming weekend wrap-ups.