The team has steadily improved since 2022 — a season in which the Blue Waves mustered only two wins. The three seniors on the team today were freshmen in 2022, just trying to find a way to rebuild a program that had suffered mightily following austerity that saw all sports cut for a year. Kyleigh Lennon, Abigail Maaiki and Emma Kennedy took their lumps and bruises that year but it was the first true step in the rebuild.

In 2023, the team improved its win total to three and last year they finished the season 5-8-1. If Copiague had shown up on time Tuesday afternoon for the final game of the season at Pulaski Street Sports Complex, Riverhead would have had a chance to finish their season 7-7 on Senior Day, but instead the matchup ended in a tie because the game was called due to darkness. It left their final record at 6-7-1.

“I’m super upset that this is how our senior game went,” Walsh-Edwards said. “These three girls deserved more than a half of a game in their last game of their careers. They worked so hard for the program. I couldn’t have asked for more out of them during their time playing here.”

Though playoffs weren’t really in the equation on the final day of the season, with Riverhead positioned 12th in the standings coming into the day, it could have been a proper farewell to the three. But had a few games over the course of the season gone a little differently, playoffs would absolutely be in the picture.

“The game that still bothers me to this day is the loss against Huntington,” Walsh-Edwards said. “We had so many chances to win that game.”

The matchup against Huntington, which ended up making the playoffs, was deadlocked at 0-0 heading into the fourth quarter. Both goalies were unstoppable that day. Riverhead’s Casey Hubbard made nine saves and Huntington’s Kathleen Cocoman came up with eight. But late in the fourth quarter, Huntington was able to make the breakthrough as Cassidy Harris found the back of the net for the game-winner. Had that game gone the other way, Riverhead could have potentially finished the season at 8-6.

“It would have been nice to make the playoffs this year, and it wasn’t because the girls didn’t work hard enough or anything like that,” Walsh-Edwards said, who will be retiring after coaching the varsity field hockey team for 25 years. “We just couldn’t stay healthy. We started the season with only 14 and we ended with 11. We had to play girls in spots they weren’t comfortable with and had to bring JV girls up that were essentially just playing at the middle school. We did the best we could.”

One of those injuries was to Gabriella Rossetti, who will undoubtedly be the main cog within the team in the years to come. She tore her meniscus in the third game of the season.

“If we had a full team all year and won some of those closer games, who knows how things would have ended up,” Walsh-Edwards said. “Playing in the playoffs is a much different atmosphere and we would have been up against teams that practice all year long, with girls playing travel. But it would have been nice to say we did make the playoffs again.”

Even though Walsh-Edwards is retiring from the program she gave so much of her life to, she doesn’t think she can fully step away. After being a perennial playoff team in her heyday, she wanted nothing more to return the field hockey program to prominence.

“I think we made tremendous strides over the last few years,” Walsh-Edwards said. “I’ll be around. I don’t know in what capacity, but after you’ve done something for so long, it’s hard to just fully step away.”

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“I had to put aside my ego for an opportunity to grow the program,” Mandery said. “Here, we’re able to work on things in practice and actually implement them into the game. It’s hard to get better when you’re losing by multiple goals every game.”

Mandery’s decision is paying off.

Riverhead defeated Hampton Bays, 3-2 on Monday afternoon at Hampton Bays High School to improve their developmental league record to 4-1.

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COPYRIGHT BILL LANDON Sophomore Katherine Gonzalez (left) celebrates her goal with teammates. (Credit: Bill Landon) Riverhead goalie Sky Hervan makes a save. (Credit: Bill Landon) Riverhead’s Brianna Banegas battles for the ball. (Credit: Bill Landon) Riverhead senior forward Ellie Cammarota crosses the ball. (Credit: Bill Landon) Senior midfielder Evelyn Velasquez fires upfield for the Blue Waves. (Credit: Bill Landon) Freshman Maggie Morgan fights for possession. (Credit: Bill Landon)

Katherine Gonzalez opened the scoring before Ellie Cammarota scored twice to seal the game for the Blue Waves. 

The three goals matched Riverhead’s entire total for last season. 

“Division I was really hard for us,” Cammarota said. “We had to face girls that have been playing together since they were kids and play travel soccer and everything. To us, we’re all still learning the game, our teammates and everything, so this league is a great place to do that.”

The developmental league was created for teams that may need more time work on their basic skills before competing in more rigorous, multi-classification leagues.

These teams are not eligible for the standard Section XI playoffs but will rather have just a league winner. It is a two-year commitment for any school that decides to register.

A major measuring stick that the team has improved was their non-division matchup against Southampton this season. Riverhead took a 1-0 lead into the first half before being clipped 2-1. Last year, the Blue Waves were routed 5-1.

“Being in this league is definitely helping us get better,” central defender Kelly Lopez said. “We didn’t enjoy the season last year at all. Every game, we lost by a lot, and it’s hard to want to get better and work on things because every game feels the same. We’re blaming one another instead of trying to get better.”

The size of Riverhead’s girls soccer program has grown over the past few years. Riverhead is able to have a varsity and junior varsity team as well as two middle school teams.

“This is another reason why we’re in the developmental league,” Mandery said. “We’re starting to get more and more interest, and I want our core to be strong once we get back to playing in our actual division. My daughter is in the school district and by the time she gets up here, I want us to be at our best. If that means to sacrifice a few years playing at this level so be it. The fact of the matter is, we have to catch up. It’s hard to do that when you don’t have a chance in every game you play.”

Though it is a two-year commitment to be in the developmental league, Mandery hasn’t completely shut off the idea of staying longer.

“Every year we’re going to have to reassess,” Mandery said. “I know we have tremendous athletes out here on the east end. We just need time to get them coached up to the level these other kids out west are. It’s just a matter of time, but I believe in our girls. I know we have what it takes. They’re working so hard to improve, and I believe the future is super bright for those underclassmen on the team now.”

Riverhead returns to action Wednesday, Oct. 1, at East Hampton — the only team in their division that’s beaten them this year.

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Though Riverhead (0-2) came up just short, losing 13-12 at Central Islip High School, they never gave up and played tough, hard-nosed football to the bitter end. 

After Central Islip (2-0) scored a touchdown to make the score 13-6 with just 2:36 remaining in the football game, Kavion Hobbs played the kick return on a hop, changed direction on a dime and started sprinting across the field before eventually getting tackled on the 49-yard line – giving the Blue Waves excellent field position to start their final drive. 

The shifty running back had 78 yards rushing heading into the final drive of the game, splitting carries with Nathan Nentwich to start the game and then taking over the carry load for most of the second half. 

The electric Hobbs sprung a 24-yard gain – to get him over 100 yards on the day – once the Blue Waves earned a 4th down pass interference call that moved the ball to the Central Islip 30-yard line. Then on third and goal on the two-yard line, he cut it up the middle and evaded defenders to punch it into the endzone for his first touchdown of the day to make the score 13-12 with just 58 seconds left to play.

“Hobbs had an unbelievable game,” Nelson said. “He really put the team on his back and gave it everything he had for us. That’s the type of game we expect out of him. He has the ability to do that every week.”

It was something special – that determination that Nelson had preached all summer suddenly had life. That never say die energy was playing out right before their eyes. Riverhead had a chance to win the game and Nelson didn’t think twice.

“We were going to go for the win,” Nelson said. “We felt like this was the best opportunity rather than try to play for overtime. We had all the momentum and we felt like the QB boot would be open.”

Josiah Rodney, the Blue Waves’ QB, scored the game’s first touchdown on a play-action rollout on 4th down from the eight-yard line with nine minutes left in the first half. After featuring Hobbs for most of the second half, Nelson went with that same play-action call that got them the touchdown earlier in the game. This time, however, Central Islip had it covered. Rodney had no room to run and was tackled as he tried to get off a pass, ending the Blue Wave comeback just a point short.

Riverhead lost two starters over the course of the game, including their captain, William Stackevicius, who played tight end and linebacker to injury early in the first half. He suffered an apparent shoulder injury on a tackle. It changed the whole dynamic of the offense and defense.

“We had to change a lot of things up once he got hurt,” Nelson said. “He’s a major part of our team and we had to put people in spots maybe they weren’t fully comfortable with. He’s a two-way player for us and he means everything to our team.”

On Central Islip’s final scoring drive, a Riverhead defender seemingly stripped the ball in a pileup before sprinting in the other direction only to have the play halted by the referees. Trailing by only a point at the time, having that play count would have changed the trajectory of the game.

“The whistle was blown after our guy had the ball,” Nelson said in disbelief. “I don’t understand how that wasn’t our ball there. The play is dead after the whistle is blown. We had the ball when the whistle was blown so I’m not sure how they came up with that call. Nobody could give me a valid explanation.”

But even so, a varsity team with only 27 players registered on it put up a fight that any coach would be proud of.

“I told them after the game we’re that close to winning games,” Nelson said. “The so-called experts had us losing that game, 33-14. A few things go our way and we’re coming out of that game the winners. I’m proud of the kids. We’re only going to get better.”

Riverhead will look for their first win of the season when they play their home opener against Lindenhurst on Saturday. Game time is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

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“Last year, we felt like we had the talent to finally make the playoffs,” junior midfielder and forward Hector Calderon said. “But as the season went on and the losses started to come, it’s like we all turned on one another. We kept blaming each other and pointing the finger. It just got worse and worse.”

When the season ended, Riverhead was staring at a 2-14 overall record — wondering about what could have been.

DeZenzo comes into the program with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the sport. He’s been waiting for this opportunity and feels like he’s truly the man for the job to turn things around.

“I’ll tell you that I was pleasantly surprised when I first started working with the boys,” DeZenzo said. “They’re super talented. Young and maybe a little inexperienced, but the technical talent is definitely there.”

Only Hector Calderon returns from last year’s starting lineup, which featured mostly seniors. Calderon was a maestro in the middle of the pitch all season as a sophomore, holding possession of the soccer ball with the best of them while scoring three goals and two assists.

“Hector has really stepped up as a leader this season even though he’s only a junior,” DeZenzo said. “The boys really look up to him, and he’s been leading by example. I expect major things out of him this year both on and off the field.”

Team building exercises have been at the forefront of what DeZenzo has been trying to implement this season. Sure, there has been technical training, fitness training and formation concepts, but being a team is what he’s been putting a major emphasis on.

“Coach is really building a brotherhood here,” senior defender and midfielder Clever Herrera said. “We know that soccer isn’t an individual sport. We can only find success if all of us contribute. We need to trust each other first.”

In a training session this week, DeZenzo set up a step ladder in the middle of the field and asked the team to set up a row of players along each side of it. The coaches stepped up to the top first and all the players held out their arms. Crossing his arms from the top of the ladder, DeZenzo fell backwards and was caught by the team. Assistant coach Kevin Ghigliotti went afterward. Then each of the players took their turn.

“It’s a powerful experience,” DeZenzo said. “We want to show them first that we trust them. It goes a long way for the boys to hear that but to see it and feel it with this exercise makes a much larger impact.”

DeZenzo also sent a Phil Jackson quote to all of the boys during the week. The quote reads, “Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the ‘me’ for the ‘we.’”

Part of that trust is instilled with knowing what each player’s job is on the field in every moment of the game. DeZenzo spent a good portion of practice explaining that all everyone has to do is perform their job. The instant someone tries to do too much, the whole plan falls apart.

“We all want to get better,” junior defender and midfielder Chris Contreras said. “This is the most connected we’ve ever been as a team since I’ve joined the soccer program here. We don’t want the negative energy, and I believe it’s gone now. We still have to hold each other accountable but as brothers, not as rivals.”

Riverhead opens up its season Sunday, Sept. 3, at home against William Floyd.

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After a summer circuit with the East Coast Lumberjacks — where he pitched in front of scouts from all over the United States, and represented New York in the country’s biggest sophomore event, the Prep Baseball Future Games in Georgia — Zambriski showed his stuff to all of the world on the biggest stage.

The 6-foot 4-inch right-hander entered the summer off what was one of the more impressive school ball seasons in recent history as a member of the Riverhead Blue Waves. Zambriski led Riverhead to their first playoff appearance in 10 years and their first playoff win in 20 years. He threw the first perfect game in school history and pitched to a 1.33 ERA with 77 strikeouts over 47.1 innings pitched. His fastball, which sits around 88 to 89 mph, is what attracted so much attention.

On Aug. 1, St. John’s University associate head coach and pitching coach George Brown was among the many to call and offer Zambriski a spot on the team and an athletic scholarship. The approach the team took stood out instantly.

“The first day it was just me and him talking,” Zambriski said. “Then a few days later he wanted to speak with my family all together and it was just always a family feel from the start. He invited me to his camp at St. John’s and after going there I just knew.”

Zambriski called Brown when he returned home and let him know he was going to commit to the Division I school, which plays in the highly competitive Big East Conference. The program at St. John’s has churned out many professional baseball players, which is one of the things that really stuck out to Zambriski. They have also won the Big East 10 times and have made the NCAA tournament 38 times in their history despite never winning the ultimate prize.

“I just wanted to be a Johnnie,” Zambriski said. “They were always on my radar. Their history, the fact that it’s so close to home, the academics and the fact that they wanted me too made all the difference for me and my family.”

Riverhead head coach Kevin Kerman knew what he had on his hands the minute he met Zambriski.

“Thinking back to coaching him in seventh grade, when he was still figuring how to use his 6-foot frame and control the mental part of the game, to what he’s become now is what makes this so special,” Kerman said. “I’m not sure I can fully express how proud I am of Matt. His commitment to St. John’s is so well deserved. Even though he’s only entering his junior year, he is a role model for our program and is a true example of what hard work and dedication can lead to.”

Being a pitcher is not for the faint at heart. It takes a certain individual to be able to control his emotions and trust his stuff in front of some of the best hitters in the country. “I just trust my preparation and I trust my stuff,” Zambriski said. “Yeah, sometimes I’m a little nervous, but that’s normal. I have so much confidence in my ability to get guys out and I’m working hard every day to get better.”

Zambriski has to constantly do maintenance on his arm to keep it fresh and lively. It’s a routine his coaches and trainers have implemented over the years.

“Throwing a ball isn’t a natural motion your body is supposed to do so you have to do everything you can to minimize the stress before and after you throw,” Zambriski said. “I have pre-workout routines, post-workout routines, and specific training that I have to do. It’s a lot, but it’s necessary. I have been able to pitch all summer with freedom.”

Riverhead’s last NCAA Division I player commitment was in 2024. Mark Gajowski, a lefty pitcher, committed to the University of Albany. Kerman hopes that this becomes the norm for the Blue Waves.

“Getting a big-time commitment to another Division I program does wonders for us here at Riverhead,” Kerman said. “Hopefully this is a nice trend for Riverhead as we continue to try and move this program to being a consistent winner.”

With so many athletes leaving Riverhead over the past few years in search of better opportunities to be seen, Zambriski proved that he can find all the success right here in his hometown.

“I have been blessed with so many great coaches here at Riverhead and with my travel team the East Coast Lumberjacks,” Zambriski said. “What it comes down to is if you work hard and you do your best to dominate, scouts will always find you, no matter where you are.”

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Nelson has implemented a regimen in the interim before the fall 2025 season that brings the team together every Monday through Friday for two hours to focus on skills, strength and conditioning. They work together as a whole group, from freshman to seniors.

“Right now, we’re focusing on introducing the new system,” Nelson said. “All of this is new to the guys. I haven’t put a lot of things in just yet. We’re doing basic stuff. There’s a lot that needs to be installed, but right now, we’re keeping it simple.”

The standard for years was that football teams would begin workouts in mid-August two-a-day practices, but Nelson wanted to start earlier at the beginning of July. There’s no pads involved, of course, but it’s more of a preparation for what’s to come when two-a-days roll around.

“This is all new to me, too, being around these guys,” he said. “I’m starting to see what we have and where we can put certain guys. I’m getting everyone looks a little earlier, so we waste less time trying to figure out spots for guys in two-a-days.”

Nelson has hired a new coaching staff in his first season at the helm, though there are some holdovers from last year. Mike Heigh and Edwin Perry, both former Riverhead standout football players, will remain on staff. Heigh was the JV coach last year and Perry was the defensive coordinator on the varsity team. Their roles will change but they will stay on staff.

Taking over the JV head coaching position is Raheim Smith, who used to coach at Rocky Point and Farmingdale. Pete Cahill will also join the coaching staff as the defensive coordinator at the varsity level as well as the offensive line and defensive line coach. He used to coach at Patchogue-Medford, William Floyd and Eastport-South Manor. Joshua Murphy will be the quarterbacks and defensive backs coach. He formerly coached at Newfield.

Part of the reason for the downfall last year was that there simply weren’t enough players to field a proper team. There were many players playing both sides of the ball, and the team in its entirety was very young. During these training sessions, typically around 30 kids have shown up for both JV and varsity which is still low, but Nelson hopes that number picks up closer to the season.

“We got kids that work, so they come in and out,” Nelson said. “We got kids in summer school, so they can’t attend practice right now. We’re getting more and more every week, though.

“We started at around 12 interested players when I first got here,” he continued. “Now we’re at 30. We’ve been working with what we got. We’ve been coaching them up. They’ve been lifting all summer long. We’re going to do everything we can to try to turn things around.”

These practice sessions are hyper-focused. No player is goofing around. Players are hustling from station to station. The commitment to excellence is there.

“We have to have the right football mentality to be successful on the football field,” Nelson said. “To play this sport you have to have discipline. You have to be on time, and you have to work hard for the time you’re here. All we ask for is two hours a day. Give us 100 percent on every play for two hours.”

Nelson, who himself was a Riverhead football star back in the 1980s, has extra motivation to turn this program around.

“It’s great to be home,” Nelson said. “The support is there. There’s a tremendous amount of support from the community. They’re excited. They want to see a change. They want to see kids working hard and disciplined. And that’s what you’re going to get here.”

Riverhead opens its season at Sachem East Friday, Sept. 12.

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When he got hired as a fifth grade teacher in Riverhead Central School district four years ago, he reached out to Athletic Director Brian Sacks and expressed his interest in coaching the soccer team if the job ever opened up.

“I introduced myself, gave him my coaching resume and said that it would be a dream of mine to be able to coach a team in the district I teach in,” DeZenzo said. “But I didn’t want to step on any toes. Evan Philcox was there, and all I ever heard about was how great a job he was doing there and how he created a better culture, so I put it on the back burner. But when he decided to step away from the job in January, I knew I had to put in for [it].”

DeZenzo’s soccer resume speaks for itself. He’s played professionally, coached at a collegiate level, and coached travel teams and high school teams alike from New Hampshire and Massachusetts — where he is originally from — to Long Island.  

After four years playing soccer at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H., the last of which he earned the 2007-2008 Colby-Sawyer Athlete of the Year, DeZenzo went to Australia to start his professional soccer career. He played a year for the Kangaroo Point Rovers in Brisbane, then came back home to play for the Mass Twisters in the Major Indoor Soccer League for a year, before returning to Brisbane for his final professional season as a member of the Bayside United Football Club. He was named vice-captain during his time at Bayside.

“From a playing standpoint, it was amazing,” DeZenzo said. “I was exposed to different countries and learned how they played the game and how they coached the game.”

Though he had an opportunity to stay another year and play in Brisbane, he wanted to come back home to his family and get into education and coaching.

“I come from a long line of educators,” DeZenzo said. “My mother was a teacher, and my grandmother was a teacher. I knew teaching was always my true calling.”

While in Australia, DeZenzo got a call from a high school coach of one of the teams he used to play against growing up. Within a week, he was on the field at the Tilton School in Tilton, N.H., for a variety of roles over the next four years.

After earning his NSCAA National Diploma and Director of Coaching Certification in 2014, DeZenzo landed a job as an assistant coach for the women’s Division I soccer program at University of New Hampshire. During his tenure there, the team won their first America East Championship in school history.

The University of New Hampshire position allowed him an opportunity to show his worth and ended up landing a job as the head women’s soccer coach at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue, N.Y. It was one of the reasons DeZenzo decided to move to Long Island, aside from the fact that his wife, Analiese, was born and raised in Hauppauge.

“I always knew we were going to move down here eventually,” DeZenzo said. “Once I got a job at St. Joseph’s, it’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back. And we’ve been here ever since.”

In his first season at St. Joseph’s College, the team won its first conference championship in school history. 

After his time as St. Joseph’s, DeZenzo returned to high school soccer to coach The Knox School, a private school in Nissequogue. The team hadn’t won a game in five years before he came to the program. In his first season that trend continued; they went 0-12. But the in the years after, they made the playoffs and went all the way to the semifinals two years in a row. DeZenzo was named Private School Athletic Association Coach of the Year in both seasons.

DeZenzo has been coaching in the travel club soccer space leading up to this opportunity at Riverhead. “It’s been fun traveling all over the country for soccer,” DeZenzo said. “But my kids are getting older, and it’s time I’m home on the weekends.”

Riverhead posted a 2-14 record last season, but DeZenzo believes the talent is there. 

“I’ve been getting calls from other travel coaches congratulating me on getting the job here,” DeZenzo said. “They’ve also had very high praise for the kids we have here at the program already, so that’s amazing to hear.”

Wins are the ultimate goal for this program, but winning starts at the youth levels, and DeZenzo is committing to being part of it every step of the way.

“I’ve been in touch with the coaches at Riverhead F.C., a travel team out here, and have gone to practices, which is a great way for local kids to get exposure,” DeZenzo said. “But we need more. We need these kids to be connected before they get [to] the high school level. I am going to build this thing from the ground up. In our first training sessions, we gathered about 100 kids from every level. It was my first glimpse of what we have here, and I came away very encouraged.”

Though Riverhead may not win a championship in their first year like his other stops on his coaching tree, it’s a blank slate with plenty of history to be made in the years to come. If history has anything to say, maybe there is a championship in Riverhead’s future. 

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Despite the less-than-perfect record, head coach Rich Vlacci, Jr. actually thinks this year’s squad is even stronger. The Blue Waves have been playing without their ace, Mya Marelli, in the circle for most of the softball season. But with her slowly easing back into the pitching mix, things have quickly started to turn around.

After Friday’s 15-1 win over William Floyd at Lincoln Ave Sports Complex, Riverhead (11-2 League I) has won six in a row and looks to be in top form as they finish out the back end of their schedule and prepare for the playoffs. Patchogue-Medford (11-3) sat at the top of the division for most of the season but dropped three games amid Riverhead’s winning streak paving the way for the Blue Waves to surge into a well-deserved first place. 

“I believe that those losses were really key for us,” Vlacci said. “Last year we didn’t get that chance to focus on the little aspects of our game that we needed to improve. With Mya not always being on the mountain we need to make sure that we are really focused in our positioning defensively as well as making the right plays. We’ve really found our mark of late.”

Photos by Bill Landon

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(Credit: Bill Landon)

All season thus far it’s been Riverhead’s bats that have set the pace. In the victory over William Floyd, the Blue Waves connected for 17 hits. Marelli and Jordyn Kwasna both had two hits to add to their ridiculous batting output this season.

But it’s been more than just those two reigning All-County players knocking the cover off the softball — just about everyone in the lineup has been raking. Ten players currently boast a batting average of .300 or better. Marelli leads the way with a .500 average, including eight doubles, two home runs and 16 RBIs. Kwasna is not too far behind with a .469 average with five doubles, three home runs and 17 RBIs.

“Anytime you lose you reflect more on your game and think about what you need to do better,” Marelli said. “Nobody likes the feeling of losing.”

“I’m not trying to say that losing was a good thing,” Kwasna added. “But maybe it was because you learn from it. I’m glad that was earlier in the season because we’ve gotten so much better since that time.”

Junior Adriana Martinez has had a renaissance season hitting to a .487 average and knocking in 16 runs. Madison Saladino is hitting .455 with 20 runs scored. Shaylee Bealey and Sophia Viola have each hit over .400 so far. Anywhere you look in the Blue Waves lineup, there’s production. There is not a single “easy out” at the plate for the opposing pitcher.

“Everybody has been hyped up since we beat Patchogue-Medford,” Kwasna said. “We gave them their first loss. I think that was a major turning point in our season. We wanted to prove we’re the better team and we’re going to continue to prove that the rest of the season.”

Marelli has been pitching more of late and even completed a full 7-inning game in a 2-0 victory against Longwood on April 24th.

“The plan was to only throw five innings that day,” Marelli said. “But the game was so close I didn’t want to come out. I wanted to finish out the game. I think I needed to prove to myself that I could still throw seven innings. I was definitely sore the next day but it was a good sore.”

With the slim margin between first and second place, another league title is within grasp for Riverhead. Winning out would guarantee first place.

“Our thought process this year was always taking it a game at a time but honestly the league championship doesn’t mean much to us,” Kwasna said. “For two years in a row we were right on the doorstep of getting into the County championship. We want to get that championship. That’s what we’ve been working so hard for. We have the team to do it. We want to make history, especially for the seniors this year.”

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Marshak and Gust finished 10th and 11th respectively in last year’s tournament. Marshak, only an eighth-grader last year, finished one stroke away from qualifying for states, and Gust was only one stroke behind her. This year’s state qualifier tournament will take place May 19 and 20 at Middle Island Country Club.

“They’ve been pushing each other all year long,” Riverhead golf head coach Steve Failla said. “I think that the best way to improve is to challenge one another. And I believe we have two of some of the best golfers in the county on our team.”

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(Credit: Bill Landon) (Credit: Bill Landon) (Credit: Bill Landon) (Credit: Bill Landon) (Credit: Bill Landon) (Credit: Bill Landon)

Marshak earned the No. 1 spot in the lineup before the school season started. The freshman has been the pillar of consistency all season long, averaging a 42 per 9 holes of play. She’s scored 40 multiple times this year. 

“My score has come down a lot since last year,” Marshak said. “I’m happy with the way I’m playing so far. Barely missing out last season has been on my mind all year. So I’ve been trying to improve all parts of my game throughout the year.”

After carding a 183 through two days last year, Marshak is confident she can put together a better score this time around.

“I’m more experienced now and know what to expect,” Marshak said. “This is my third year on varsity now, so I’m just feeling more comfortable than ever before.”

“She had big shoes to fill, taking Alex Hoverkamp’s place in the lineup after she graduated,” Failla said. “But to her credit, she hasn’t skipped a beat. She’s been competing, and I’m so proud of her progression this season.”

Riverhead has played to a 7–3 record in the league so far and will also compete as a team in the Suffolk County championships. Part of that success has been due to Gust’s leadership in the No. 2 spot in the lineup.

Two years ago, Gust finished 12th in the county tournament. Last year she finished 11th, and it’s only right that in her senior season she finally qualifies for states. Though she’s averaged 46 through 9 holes this season, Gust set her personal best with a 39 in a match this season. She has that ability to shoot with the best of them on any given day.

“The biggest thing for me has been my consistency,” Gust said. “I’ve been working hard to improve my game and try to cut strokes wherever I can and limit my mistakes. I am looking forward to the county championships. I’ve been so close.”

Colby Baran has already qualified on the boys side of the state tournament this summer during fall 2024. With a stroke of luck, he’ll be joined with two girls chasing history.

“We have two very accomplished girls looking to etch their names in the history books here at Riverhead,” Failla said. “I’ve been blessed to have been able to coach them this year. Really couldn’t have had a better group of girls, and I’m truly rooting for them.”

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From the beginning, RAC board members knew they wanted to get the community and the kids involved with the new club. 

“The biggest component for us … is not just spreading awareness, but also getting to have the entire community dialed in to our mission,” said RAC president Quinn Alexander. “What better way to kick it off than to offer a logo competition where the kids can be — not just aware of it — but fully vested.” 

The contest was opened to middle- and high school students, and all submissions were then vetted by the elementary kids in the Riverhead School District, according to Ms. Alexander. The given prompt required each submission to consider “what it means to be a Blue Wave,” as well as “to be a celebration of all athletics at Riverhead”; beyond those base qualifications, the athletic club “pretty much gave the kids full creative license to design however they saw fit,” she said.

“The logo that was selected was pretty much overwhelmingly [chosen],” she added. “[Willy Leon’s] got a lot of variety in it … He captures a literal blue wave, but also the excitement.” 

The logo contest was an important first step toward the official branding of the freshly minted athletic club. 

“It’s honestly related to the launch of everything,” said Ms. Alexander. “Our athletic club is so, so brand new, and there have been a tremendous amount of ideas since the fall about what our mission statement is and our board, and what we want it to look like, and what kind of services the social media and websites might provide for the community.”

One project in particular that relied on the creation of a proper logo is the online merchandise store that RAC members hope to open in partnership with Medford-based Natural Design Co. The store, once up and running, will allow the community to support the club and the kids in an efficient and convenient manner, said Ms. Alexander. 

The logo was also essential to get the ball rolling on the RAC’s first event, a Family Night Mini Gold fundraiser scheduled for Friday, May 9, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Sandy Falls Mini Golf, the club’s first official sponsor. It will include food, raffles and prizes, and the cost is $20 per adult, and $10 per child under 10. 

“It’s a win across the board. It’s a win for [owner Brian Stark] and for his facility. It’s a win for us because it provides a family fun opportunity for the community to come out, once again, and build some awareness about what our athletic club stands for,” said Ms. Alexander.

She added that the club is working on a variety of future events beyond the May 8 fundraiser. On June 21, the RAC plans to hold a “fun run” for community kids on school district property, though it won’t just feature running. Members of Riverhead coaching staff will set up stations that allow kids “to try out different sports offered at Riverhead,” according to Ms. Alexander. 

As yet unscheduled events the club hopes to host include an alumni night, for the older kids to meet with and inspire the younger kids, and an equipment drive, where former players could donate gently used sports equipment for those just testing out what sports they might like. 

“Some of those sports are really expensive … If the kids don’t have the opportunity to be exposed to what’s out there, then it becomes very difficult for coaches to be able to build successful programs that can endure for long periods of time. And that’s what we’re looking for: long-term success,” said Ms. Alexander. “We want to celebrate the kids at all levels. That’s super important to us.”

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