Suffolk County Team Of The Week: Whitman Wins AAA Title, Deer Park Swimmer Shines, Smithtown Bowling Returns

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Student-athletes across Suffolk County delivered standout performances this week, from a county basketball championship and record-breaking swim performances to the return of a growing unified sports program in Smithtown.

Walt Whitman Girls Basketball Wins Suffolk County Championship

The Walt Whitman High School girls varsity basketball team captured the Section XI Class AAA Suffolk County Championship with a convincing 57-41 win over William Floyd on Friday, March 6 at Stony Brook University.

The victory improved the Wildcats’ record to 21-1 and marked the program’s second Suffolk AAA title in the last three years and third overall county championship in four years, following a Suffolk AA title in 2023

“We have a pretty high IQ team on the court and off the court,” Coach Dan Trebour said. “They're unselfish. It's easy to gel when kids play that style. They should be very proud of themselves, and they should be really, really happy about this win.”

The Wildcats showcased a balanced offense in the championship game. Madison Richter led the team with 18 points, followed by Jazmynn Julien with 12, Hannah Creighton with 10, Paige Hiller with 9, Bella Fiorelli with 5, and Lili Montana with 3.

Hiller, one of the team’s captains, said the atmosphere at the finals felt unforgettable.

“We were all so excited. Everybody was nervous,” she said. “But keeping our composure was the main thing, and taking our time and not making stupid, silly mistakes. We all knew that we needed to go into this game confident and take it play by play.”

Whitman advanced to the Long Island Class AAA Championship, where they were scheduled to face Baldwin on Wednesday, March 11, at 7 p.m. at Stony Brook University.

“Baldwin is as experienced as we are," Trebour said. "Actually, they’re more experienced because they get this far every year. They were the AA state champs last year with a bunch of the same players. It's gonna be a good challenge for us, but we're looking forward to it.”

Hiller echoed that sentiment.

“Everybody says Baldwin's tough, and they're strong, and they're big,” she said. “But there are things that we do well also, and they're saying the same things about us.”

Deer Park Swimmer Breaks Records At State Championships

Deer Park High School junior Talon Silverstein delivered an outstanding performance at the New York State Public High School Swimming Championships, held March 6–7 at Ithaca College.

Silverstein competed in both the 100-yard butterfly and the 100-yard backstroke, breaking two Deer Park High School records and finishing among the top swimmers in New York State.

He finished sixth in the 100 butterfly with a time of 50.74 and eighth in the 100 backstroke with a time of 51.57.

His sixth-place finish in the butterfly was the highest placement of any swimmer from Suffolk County, and he also placed third among Suffolk swimmers in the backstroke.

Silverstein will receive the prestigious All-State award next week at the Suffolk County Awards Dinner.

Unified Bowling Returns To Smithtown

The Smithtown Central School District Unified Bowling team has returned for its third season, opening play this March with its largest roster yet.

Head coach Emily Fey said the team now includes 22 athletes, marking the program’s highest participation to date.

The program’s growth is due in part to increased involvement from student volunteers in the Athletes Helping Athletes Clubs and participation from the FAST and Special Education programs at Smithtown High School East and West.

The district is also expanding its unified athletics offerings, with a Unified Basketball program scheduled to launch in late April.

School officials said the expansion will provide more opportunities for students across the district to participate in inclusive athletics.

Don’t See Your Team Highlighted?

Patch is compiling weekly high school sports highlights from districts across Suffolk County. Coaches, athletic directors, and school communications staff are encouraged to send scores, records, and postseason accomplishments for future roundups.