Nassau County Team Of The Week: School Records Set, State Championships Clinched As Winter Season Rolls On

NASSAU COUNTY, NY. — As the winter sports season nears its conclusion, Nassau County athletes aren’t done taking home victories. State championships, school records and more were set and won in several different kinds of lanes, making it an exciting week in Nassau County sports.

Read on to find out which athletes made the biggest difference in this week’s Nassau County Team Of The Week:

“Five Strike Riley” Takes Home His Biggest Win Yet, Goes For States Friday

Bellmore-Merrick Freshamn Riley Kolinsky has featured in the Nassau County Team of the Week before, but this week it’s a little different. Kolinsky brought home a victory in the 700 Club Long Island USBC tournament Sunday, against a field featuring fellow high schoolers, adults and at least one professional. Kolinsky will roll for the State championship Friday.

To read the full story on Kolinsky’s win and his preparation for states, click here.

Baldwin Track Stars Sprint Through Federation Meet

Baldwin Senior Breanne Barnett won the State and Federation indoor championship in the 300m run, with a time of 38.09 seconds this week, and earned third place in the state (fourth in the federation) in the 55m sprint with a time of 7.04 seconds.

For junior Savannah Stephenson, it was a second-place finish in the 55m run, with a 7.02.

“I am very proud of them. They put in a lot of hard work, and it's even more so for Breanne,” Coach Sandra Cole told Patch Thursday. “Breanne is really a true student-athlete, in every sense of the word. She works really, really hard on and off the track, and she's a defending champion, so she repeated. I'm very proud of her.”

When asked what it is that allowed Barnett to not only win the state championship once, but repeat, Cole said it was all about dedication.

“She's a competitor, and she goes above and beyond” Cole said. “There's never a challenge that she doesn't rise to. So I think that's what makes her so special. She really pushes herself.”

Massapequa Swimmer Breaks His Own School Record At States

Massapequa high schooler Alex Abreu broke his own school record in the 100-yard breaststroke, the school announced Wednesday, swimming it in just 59:31 seconds.

Baldwin Girls' Bowling Takes Home First Title

The Baldwin girls' bowling team won its first conference championship in program history this season, setting a new high for a program that's just 11 years-old.

"It’s really special. We've been working towards us for 11 years,” Coach Nick LaForgia said. “When I came in, 11 years ago, there wasn't a girls's team. I've tried to figure out if we've ever won the conference before, if there was a girls' team before me. And I found no evidence of it. So as far as I know, this is the first time the girls have ever won the conference championship. It took us 11 years to get there. I wish it was a little bit faster, but here we are.”

To read the full story of the girls' bowling triumph, click here.

Don't see your team highlighted here? Contact your local Patch editor to tell them who was on top of their game this week. Whether it's a huge win or a big line in the box score, we want to know who's making plays.