Nassau County Team Of The Week: County Championships, Coaches Break Down NBA Finals, State Champion Rowers

NASSAU COUNTY, NY — In the same way that baseball teams know they’ve made it when they’re playing in October, spring sports athletes know they’ve had a strong year when they’re still competing in June.

For several teams across Nassau County, that’s just the case this year, as the calendar moved on from May with seasons chugging right along. To see whose Junes got off to the strongest start, read on for the Nassau County Team of the Week.

Locust Valley Rowers Win State Title

Locust Valley students Izabella and Oliver Watson earned the titles of New York State Scholastic Rowing Champions last month in Saratoga, where they competed against top crews from across the state with their Oak Neck Rowing Academy teams.

To read more about their training for nationals and the way rowing runs in their family, click here.

Massapequa Boys’ Lacrosse Wins County

Last week it was the girls, this week the boys!

Massapequa boys’ lacrosse completed the school’s lacrosse sweep with a county championship win over Syosset that was headlined by an attacking trio that combined for 18 goal contributions.

Massapequa will take on Sachem North Saturday evening. To read more about their county championship win, click here.

Nassau County Coaches Say The Knicks Could Bring Home The Title

If you haven’t heard, the New York Knicks are on the doorstep of their first championship since 1973. While beating Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs is a tall task — both literally and figuratively, with Wembanyama standing 7-feet, 4-inches — Some of Nassau County’s finest coaches say they like the Knickerbockers’ chances.

To read what the coaches say are the key to the series, click here.

Massapequa Baseball Takes County Championship

Massapequa baseball won the Nassau County championship May 29 with a 5-3 win that clinched a 2-0 win in the best-of-3 series against Port Washington.

“I’m always proud of our players. As long as they put forth the effort and work hard, which they do, we’re always proud of them,” Coach Tom Sheedy said. “This is what we work for all year long, is to get these games, to get to the county championship, to get on the bus ride to go up to states. This is what this program is about; we’re right where we thought we would be.”

Crucial to the team’s success was three-year varsity shortstop John Neary, who recovered from an injury he’d suffered during basketball season to have a strong playoff performance. The experience of players like Neary, Sheedy said, is a

“It’s a huge point. Our catcher is a three-year starter, our shortstop, three-year starter, our center fielder is a three-year starter,” Sheedy said. “You’re talking about people who’ve had a lot of championship, playoff action in their career. This is what they wanted to be at, again. We’re right where we expected to be.”

Massapequa will take on Connetquot Saturday at 3 p.m., Sheedy declined to say who would take the mound for Massapequa Saturday. As for what the key to the game might be, Sheedy said it was more of the same.

“It’s the same thing it’s been all year, it’s the depth of our pitching staff, timely hitting, making some plays in the field,” Sheedy said. “The depth of our pitching staff, that’s what carried us all year.”