By Chris Vaccaro
MaxPreps.com
Just when a team appears destined to make a deep surge into the playoffs, the unexpected happens - they lose. No. 6 Kings Park played the role of spoiler in knocking off No. 2 Amityville in the Suffolk County Class A Semifinals Thursday, 63-51.
Kings Park (13-7) is guided by first-year head coach Dave Shouler, who had the daunting task of motivating a team that finished 2-17 last year.
Senior 6-8 forward Jon Kopp led the upset with 19 points, 18 rebounds and nine blocks.
The Kingsmen play No. 4 Elwood/John Glenn at 9 p.m. at Stony Brook University on Wednesday.
(Chris) Barber Carries Wyandanch
Wyandanch only needed one-half of its dynamic duo of Chris and Cameron Barber to beat Babylon, 73-59, in the Suffolk Class B title game Thursday.
Chris, a 6-0 senior averaging 31.3 points per game this season, went for 29 in the win. Brother Cameron, however, was held to just four points.
The Warriors' depth players picked up the slack. Marquis Scott and James Freeman each scored 10 points.
No. 1 Wyandanch will play Greenport, the No. 1 Class D champion, to see who plays for the Suffolk County small school championship on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Stony Brook University.
In other action, Greenport beat Stony Brook, 62-46, in the Class C-D final. No. 13 Lawrence upset No. 5 West Hempstead, 58-49, in the Nassau Class A quarterfinal. No. 3 Floral Park beat No. 6 Carey, 64-48, while No. 7 Roosevelt lost to South Side, 67-52 in the other Nassau Class A quarterfinals.
Girl's Basketball: Copiague beats Northport
No. 4 Copiague beat No. 5 Northport, 52-46, in the Suffolk Class AA quarterfinal Thursday, advancing to 18-3 on the season.
As usual, sophomores Gabrielle Gibson and Ieasia Walker controlled the game. The key was to out-rebound Northport and Copiague executed perfectly, leading 46-20 in the statistical category.
Walker had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Gibson had 17 and 10 rebounds.
In other playoff action, Hicksville beat Herricks, 63-36, in the Nassau Class AA quarterfinals. Massapequa beat Port Washington, 66-22. Elmont beat Farmingdale, 59-43 and Calhoun beat Syosset, 64-52.
Wrestling: CHSAA Championships
St. Anthony's Stephen Russ entered the CHSAA Championships as a two-time defending state champion, and was a heavy favorite to make it three-straight.
Despite early nerves, The nervousness was controlled, though, and Russ took down Benigno right away and cruised to a 10-4 win, capturing career title No. 3.
Russ was one of seven Long Island wrestlers to successfully defend his title at the meet. The other winners are: Steve Contino (119 pounds, from Kellenberg), Andrew Baez (160, Kellenberg), Dan Conroy (215, Kellenberg), Joe Calderon (125, St. Anthony's) and Ryan Fallott (130, St. Anthony's).
Nassau and Suffolk County Championships
East Meadow won the overall team title with 183 points at the Nassau County Division I championships. Plainedge (143) and Long Beach (136) finished second and third.
Notable winners: Wantagh's Paul Liguori beat Bellmore JFK's Zach Cohen, 4-2, in the 112-pound title bout. Long Beach's PJ Gillespie pinned Plainedge's Evan O'Brien in 3:36 for the 145-pound title. Long Beach's Eduardo Delgado beat East Meadow's Sal Hanna by a 4-3 decision in the 152-pound title bout.
Manhasset won the Nassau County Division II title with 293 points. Locust Valley followed with 268.5.
Islip won the Suffolk County Division I title. It finished with 160 points, followed by East Islip, which earned 133.
Islip's Tyler Mashkow beat Sayville's Travis Pitre by a 10-2 decision in the 125-pound match. Shoreham-Wading River's Corey Jantzen pinned East Islip's Mike Perri in 2:47 during the 135-pound title and Islip's Paul Vaeth beat Commack's Mike Fennell by a 9-4 decision in the 140-pound title bout.
John Glenn won the Suffolk County Division II title with 372.5 points. Mattituck came in second with 217.
