Nassau County Team Of The Week: Which Athletes Are Making A Difference

NASSAU COUNTY, NY. — As the week draws to a close, athletes across Nassau County are reflecting on the ups and downs of another part of their season. In Rockville Centre, Bellmore-Merrick and Massapequa, it was mostly highs.

Read on to find out about the week that was in the Nassau County Team of the Week:

Massapequa Boys’ Wrestling Brings Home State Title

When he took the job as Massapequa wrestling coach four years ago, Mike McCann knew it would take time to rebuild the program. They were graduating 13 seniors, six of whom had wrestled in the state tournament.

This season, however, the freshmen from McCann’s first team — his first four-year class of wrestlers — brought home a state championship.

“I couldn't be prouder. These guys, these seniors that are gonna graduate this year, were my first full class of four years,” McCann told Patch Friday. “I started four years ago as the head coach, when these guys were freshmen. And the plan was, we knew we were gonna take it hard for the first couple of years because we were so top heavy that previous year…so, the plan was to stick to the script and we would be successful at one time. Did I think ‘state championship?’ Always a thought, but the fact that we got it done, starting from scratch, is pretty special.”

Mepham Relay Team Captures Class B County Championship

In the Bellmore-Merrick School District, the girls’ 4x800 meter relay team captured the Nassau County Class B Championship, hitting a 10-minute, 26-second clip in the two-mile race.
Junior captain Paige Anderson, sophomore captain Emma Kearney, sophomore Anna Kaplun and freshman Jaime Bataan combined to run their best time of the season, a feat coach Justin Renna said made him very proud.

“These four athletes competed with determination, teamwork, and resilience, and truly displayed everything it means to be a Mepham Pirate,” Renna told Patch. “We are incredibly proud of their accomplishment and felt it was a moment worth sharing with the community.”

The quartet all chose to focus on the relay at the county meet, foregoing individual events for the race that won them the county championship. They'll run in the state qualifiers this week on Tuesday night.

"We're just hoping we perform as well and have a chance at the state meet," Renna said.

Calhoun Clinches County Meet On Final Event

Meanwhile, Calhoun High School’s boys’ track team brought home a team county championship of their own at a meet that came down to the last event of the night, the 4x200 meter relay.

“It was exciting. They won by two or three points,” Coach David Hendler said Friday.

Calhoun held a narrow lead over Manhasset heading into the final race, at risk of losing their narrow lead if Manhasset scored. While the team of Andrew Ammirati , Reninnier Rubio , Tyler Booker and Alex Nalbone didn’t win the race, the Colts held on to clinch the title.

Elsewhere at the meet, Orldini Mpoy recovered from two disappointing efforts in the long jump to record a 21-foot, 6.5-inch jump on his third and final try. Jayden Hines recorded a 43-foot, 9.75-inch triple jump, and Tyler Booker placed third in the 1000 meter and 1600 meter races. All three, Hendler said, have a chance to compete at the State meet.

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.