Oceanside Sailors

OCEANSIDE

New opponents await Sailors

By MARC BERMAN

Based on school enrollment, Oceanside’s basketball teams have moved from Conference AA1 to AA2 and will face a new group of opponents. “We’ll play our schedule,’’ boys head coach Ed Risener said. “We’ll see new teams we haven’t seen in a few years. But it’s still competition.’’ Oceanside’s schedule now features fresh teams such as defending county and Long Island champion Baldwin, Herricks, Valley Stream Central, Plainview and Westbury. The Sailors fi nished 7-12 last season – 5-9 in conference. The hope is they could leap over .500 and into the playoffs with a new slate. But it also has plenty of new faces. Oceanside brings back three returning starters and they are all seniors. Risener is considering starting four guards. Jacob Raphan is their leader and will run the point. Fellow senior Anthony Rodriguez is a 2-guard and top-scoring player that returns (9.1 points). Senior Matt Amitrano is the most interesting specimen – a physical, big guard and excellent slasher because of his athleticism. He’ll play swingman. A new starter is junior guard Connor Haufl er who got scant time as a sophomore. He’s regarded as a good shooter and playmaker. The only big in the lineup is forward Ben Zito, a 6-3 junior forward who is an inside-outside threat and can hit the 3. “He’s our do-it-all-guy this year,’’ Risener said. Their only true center is 6-4 junior Adam Elbehiry, who could be in the mix to start by season’s end. He’s an All-County volleyball star and played a touch of varsity as a sophomore. The last playoff season was 2017-18. “Our goal every year is a playoff spot and fi nish in the top four,’’ Risener said. “The strength is the guards with our ballhandling and shooting. We have interchangeable pieces. Last year our strength was inside. This year our strength is the perimeter and shooting the 3.’’

OCEANSIDE BUILDS BLOCKS FOR FUTURE

The Sailors are planting seeds for what could be an excellent 2023-24 campaign. Oceanside’s girls graduated a whopping eight seniors from an 8-11 squad, which spells a rebuilding year because of inexperience. The Sailors return one starter and their fi rst player off the bench last winter. The good news is their returning starter is a star. Junior point guard Brianna Amenta was All-County after averaging 14 points and 4 assists. “She’s got a great shot and has unlimited range where she can shoot pretty much from anywhere,’’ head coach Jared Stoler said. “She gets to the basket easily, too, and facilitates everyone else.’’ Junior Samantha Farsky will be the second point guard on the court after a decent season off the bench in 2021-22. Then there are a trio of other juniors who were solid players on JV — forward Maeve Barrins, defensivefi rst guard Grace DiDominica and attacking forward Natalie Paul who is not afraid to attack the rim. So what does this add up to? This is Stoler’s sixth season and hasn’t made the playoffs since his fi rst year. “We’re extremely young, lots of questions marks, lots of open spots,’’ Stoler said. “Honestly, it’s up for grabs. We’ll rotate the lineup game by game. Who is buying in?’’ Others vying for startinglineup action will be junior Emma Pagano, a forward who rebounds well and defends in the paint. Senior guard Ariel Landa, one of just three returning players, has varsity experience and is known as an aggressive defender utilizing her quickness. Another junior is forward Casey McCabe, an athletic forward who can score inside as be physical. “We’re juniorladen, so whatever groundwork we lay this year, will help us next year,’’ Stoler said. “We have a bunch of good athletes. We’re just trying to mold them into the system. It will be baptism of fi re for everybody.”

ing starter is a star. Junior point guard Brianna Amenta was All-County after averaging 14 points and 4 assists. “She’s got a great shot and has unlimited range where she can shoot pretty much from anywhere,’’ head coach Jared Stoler said. “She gets to the basket easily, too, and facilitates everyone else.’’ Junior Samantha Farsky will be the second point guard on the court after a decent season who were solid players on JV — forward Maeve Barrins, defensivefi rst guard Grace DiDominica and attacking forward Natalie Paul who is not afraid to attack the rim. So what does this add up to? This is Stoler’s sixth season and hasn’t made the playoffs since his “We’re extremely young, lots of questions marks, lots of open spots,’’ Stoler said. “Honestly, it’s up for grabs. We’ll rotate the lineup game by game. Who is buying in?’’ quickness. Another junior is forward Casey McCabe, an athletic forward who can score inside as be physical. “We’re juniorladen, so whatever groundwork we lay this year, will help us next year,’’ Stoler said. “We have a bunch of good athletes. We’re just trying to mold them into the system. It will be baptism of fi re for everybody.”

Brianna Amenta

Schedule

BOYS December

14 @ Westbury 7:00 p.m. MATT GUILFOYLE 17 @ V.S. Central 12:00 p.m. 21 Baldwin 7:00 p.m.

Jacob Raphan January

3 @ East Meadow 5:00 p.m. 6 Port Washington 7:00 p.m. 12 Herricks 7:00 p.m. 14 @ Plainview 12:00 p.m. 17 Westbury 7:00 p.m. 20 V.S. Central 7:00 p.m. 28 @ Baldwin 4:00 p.m. 31 East Meadow 7:00 p.m.

February

3 @ Port Washington 7:00 p.m. 8 @ Herricks 7:00 p.m. 11 Plainview 12:00 p.m.

GIRLS December

14 Westbury 7:00 p.m. 17 V.S. Central 12:00 p.m. 21 @ Baldwin 7:00 p.m.

January

3 East Meadow 7:00 p.m. 6 @ Port Washington 7:00 p.m. 11 @ Herricks 7:00 p.m. 13 Plainview 7:00 p.m. 17 @ Westbury 7:00 p.m. 20 @ V.S. Central 7:00 p.m. 30 Baldwin 7:00 p.m. 31 @ East Meadow 7:00 p.m.

February

3 Port Washington 5:00 p.m. 8 Herricks 7:00 p.m. 11 @ Plainview 11:45 a.m.