Hall of Fame
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The Massapequa Coast Little League honors the following Administrators/Coaches/Teams and Players with induction into the MCLL HALL OF FAME.
INDIVIDUALS
BRUCE MILLER: President from 1996 - 1999. Bruce died while serving as President of the Massapequa Coast Little League during the 1999 season.
Prior to his election as President, Bruce served as a board member and a Coach in the league. Under his direction as President, the MCLL in 1997 began a run of District and Long Island Championships in Williamsport competition.
Bruce was a loving husband and father, who was also an active New York State Trooper at the time of his untimely death.
TEAMS
1978 SENIORS DIVISION WILLIAMSPORT LONG ISLAND CHAMPS:
In 1978 the Seniors Division Wiliamsport Tournament Team won the Long Island Championship and advanced to the State Finals.
The 1978 team beat Westbury for the Nassau County Championship in a 10-3 romp. The victory propelled them to face Lake Ronkonkoma for the Long Island Championship Game. The MCLL team beat them 3-0, behind the Shutout pitching of Bryan Smith and the clutch hitting of Jim Barle who added two hits and 2 RBI's for the Coast Team.
The Victory advanced them into the State Finals, where they lost to a tough Queens Village Team, who were the NYC Champs.
Manager - DENNIS GRIGGS, Coaches - JACK DESOTLE & FRANK BARLE.
Roster:
BILLY BALDWIN
JIM BARLE
TOMMY BARRITT
PAUL BEDNAR
MARK CAMPSON
JOE CARROLL
PETER EPP
JOHN FLEMING
STEVE KORREY
BOB LEDERER
BOB MCKENNA
FRANK MITCHELL
RICH RUSSO
JOHN SECHKO
SCOTT SIEGEL
BRYAN SMITH
1998 LONG ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIP MAJORS DIVISION WILLIAMSPORT TOURNAMENT TEAM:
In 1998 the Majors Division Williamsport Tournament Team, won the 1st ever Long Island Championship for the Massapequa Coast Little League.
During that Championship run, the MCLL team, behind a 4 hit complete game victory by Bobby Garland, beat Bellmore for the District 31 Championship, then went on to beat Central Nassau for the Nassau County Championship. Following the Nassau County Championship, the MCLL Tournament team beat the Suffolk County Champs, Half Hollow Hills, in the Long Island Championship Game.
The Long Island Championship Game was highlighted by a barrage of HomeRuns by the Coast Team. The 9-4 Victory, included a 1st inning 3 Run Homer by Bobby Garland, followed by three other HomeRuns in the game by Jerry Gigante(3 Run Homer) and Solo HomeRuns by Nick DeLuca & Kevin Dooley.
After winning Long Island, the MCLL Tournament Team travelled North to Pulaski New York for the Final 4 of New York State. The trip to Pulaski resulted in a 3rd Place finish in New York State, the highest ever for a MCLL Tournament Team.
Manager - CRAIG GARLAND, Coaches - TERRY BROWN & FRANK LIPARI
Players:
KEITH ANNUNZIATA
DANIEL BIRMINGHAM
DANIEL BIRNEY
SEAN BROWN
KEVIN CARMODY
NICK DELUCA
KEVIN DOOLEY
STEPHEN FERRANTE
ADAM FIORE
BOBBY GARLAND
JERRY GIGANTE
TODD KAPLAN
PHIL LIPARI
RYAN MCMAHON
1998 10 YEAR OLD LONG ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIP WILLIAMSPORT TOURNAMENT TEAM
July 28th, 1998 was a big night for Massapequa Coast Little league at the Commack LL complex, where the Long Island Championship games were held. The 10 year old division Williamsport Tournament Team beat Plainview in a close 6-5 contest behind the complete game pitching of Matt Prokopowitz and then watched their 12 year old league mates beat Half Hollow Hills to complete the sweep.
During that Championship run, the 10 year old MCLL team, won 4 straight games to win the district 31 championship. The high point of that run was a 5-4 come from behind victory over Seaford capped by a Chris Hurst double in the 6th inning which scored Matt Prokopowitz who lead off the 6th with his own double and Charlie Ellinger who singled his way on. The 10 year old MCLL team became the Long Island Champions by winning three close single elimination games. They beat Commack South 5-4, Center Moriches 5-3 and Plainview 6-5.
Mike Bartlett, Charlie Ellinger, Matt Prokopowitz and Mike Sarna led MCLL's hitting attack over the 9 game run, each one finishing with a .450 batting average or better.
After winning Long Island, the MCLL Tournament Team travelled to Queens for New York State's Final 4 championship tournament. The boys played well but lost 2 extra inning games, one to the Bronx the other to Syracuse.
Manager - GERRY BERKMAN, Coaches - MIKE SARNA & SAL RUSSO
Players:
MICHAEL ANDRIANO
MIKE BARTLETT
KEITH BERKMAN
MATTHEW COWLEY
MICHAEL DIDONATO
CHARLIE ELLINGER
CHRISTOPHER HURST
DAN KELLY
JAMES MANCARI
BRYAN MCLEOD
MATTHEW PROKOPOWICZ
RYAN RUSSO
MIKE SARNA
LUKE WALTERS
2000 MAJORS DIVISION LONG ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIP WILLIAMSPORT TOURNAMENT TEAM
The story of the District 31 championships was the battle that was waged between Massapequa and Wantagh. These two teams were so equally matched that it took three games to decide who would go on to the Sectionals. Massapequa won the first match-up on a pitching gem by Matt Prokopowitz a 1 hit, 10 strikeout complete game, 1 - 0 shutout. Massapequa scored their one run in the 6th inning when Matt Cowley doubled in Ellinger who had reached on an error. Wantaugh forced a third and final confrontation between these teams, by beating Massapequa 7-5 in the second meeting of the two teams on a 6th inning two run homerun hit by Wantagh's Dan Auth. The third game was also a dandy. Matt Prokopowitz was on the hill for Massapequa and appeared to be in complete control, holding Wantagh to just 1 run in the first 5 innings with 10 strikeouts. Wantaugh refused to die however and scored 4 runs off Proko in the 6th capped by a gigantic homerun over the rightfield fence forcing extra innings once again. Massapequa came back with two runs in the 7th and Mike Andriano (the crafty left-hander)got the win when he coaxed Wantagh's 1 ,3 and 4 hitters to bounce out in the infield.
In the Sectionals, Massapequa needed to score two runs in the bottom of the sixth to beat Garden City 3-2 to advance to the second round. In the second round game against Half-Hollow Hills, Massapequa once again found themselves behind by a run, 3-2 in the sixth and down to their last three outs. Once again Massapequa pulled it out in heart stopping fashion. With two outs and two men on, Mike Andriano fouled off 6 pitches before stroking an opposite field single. The leftfielder's throw had Matt Cowley dead at home but somehow Matt was able to put on the breaks and get into a rundown which ultimately ended with him sliding home with the tieing run under the outstretched tag of the Half-Hollow pitcher. Visibly shaken by this turn of events the Half-Hollow Hills pitcher's very next pitch was wild and plated Brian Mcloud who ended up on third during Cowley's rundown.
In the LI Championship game Massapequa jumped out to a 5 run first inning lead capped by a three-run Prokopowitz homer. Massapequa never looked back. They won the game 5-1. Proko pitched the complete game giving up 1 hit and 1 run and striking out 10.
The State Championships in 2000 didn't treat the Coast team any more kindly than the 1998 tournament. Massapequa lost their first game 1 -0 to Getty's and lost their second game to Albany-Colonie in the 8th inning. It looked like Massapequa was going to get its first State tourney win in the 7th when a long fly by Dan Kelly appeared to be going over the fence for a game winning homer. However, the ball hit the top of the fence and stayed in the park.
Offensive standouts for Massapequa throughout the playoffs were Mike Sarna who batted .412, Matt Cowley .381, Matt prokopowitz .364 and Charlie Ellinger .350.
Manager - GERRY BERKMAN, Coaches - MIKE SARNA & ED BLASKEY
Players:
MICHAEL ANDRIANO
MIKE BARTLETT
KEITH BERKMAN
CHRIS BLASKEY
MATTHEW COWLEY
CHARLIE ELLINGER
CHRISTOPHER HURST
DAN KELLY
JAMES MANCARI
BRYAN MCLEOD
MATTHEW PROKOPOWICZ
RYAN RUSSO
MIKE SARNA
LUKE WALTERS
2002 MAJORS DIVISION LONG ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIP WILLIAMSPORT TOURNAMENT TEAM
Manager - JOE GIGANTE, Coaches - TED GAETA & GARY BONANNO
Players:
CHRIS BAKER
MATTHEW BARLE
PAUL BONNANO
ROBERT GAETA
JON GIGANTE
GERALD LEVANO
TRAVIS LOCASCIO
PAUL MISTRETTA
ANTHONY ROSATO
PATRICK STEFANAK
JAMES STONE
CHRIS THEOHARIDES
2003 LONG ISLAND CHAMPIONS JUNIORS DIVISION WILLIAMSPORT TOURNAMENT TEAM:
The Massapequa Coast Little Leagues Juniors Tournament Team were crowned Long Island Champions on July 23, 2003 after defeating the Hicksville Juniors Tournament Team 15-3. The victory advanced the MCLL Juniors Tournament Team into the Final 4 of the New York State Championship, finishing 2nd in New York State. The 14 year-old Tournament Team of the Massapequa Coast Little League became the first Juniors team in its history to accomplish such a feat in the Juniors Division.
In winning the Long Island Championship, the Coast Tournament Team had a perfect 7-0 record. During their 7 game streak, the Coast team outscored their opponents 75-10.
In the State Championships, The Juniors made it to the Finals after defeating 2 of the Final 4 teams, 10-7 and 8-1, but then lost in the 7th inning to Cortland Park, after bringing 1-1 tie into the final inning.
Manager - CRAIG GARLAND, Coaches - BARRY BREE & FRANK DEGENNARO
Players:
BILLY BURGREEN
VINNY BORDINO
JONATHAN BREE
MATT BAYER
ANDREW COLBY
JOEY DEGENNARO
MIKE FOX
CHRIS GARLAND
CONNER MCMAHON
RYAN MCCARTHY
SCOTT MULFORD
JOEY VOTINELLI
JAMES WILSON
2003 SENIORS DIVISION NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WILLIAMSPORT TOURNAMENT TEAM
The Massapequa Coast League Senior Division Tournament Team captured the NYS Championship at Otsego Field in Dix Hill on July 29th, by defeating a formidable opponent from Fishkill NY by a score of 4-3. This was the third Championship banner the team earned this season, the others being the District 31, and Long Island titles. This was a significant event for the Massapequa Coast League in that it was the first time in their history that they earned a New York State title.
The Seniors team compiled a 10–1 record in their path to the title, and was a perfect 6-0 during the Long Island and NYS championship series’. The team defined itself throughout the tournament with outstanding defense and pitching, and a determined , clutch offensive attack that repeatedly produced the margin of victory.
Manager - GENE LINEFSKY, Coaches - JEFF BARTLETT, JOHN GROTE & BILL KELLY
Players:
MIKE BARTLETT
MIKE DEGRAZIA
ANDREW FISHER
MATT GONG
JOHN GROTE
JOE MANCARI
JAMES MANCARI
MIKE SARNA
JEFF PETERS
CHRIS FAIRCHILD
LUKE WALTERS
TOM KELLY
DAN KELLY
MILES LINEFSKY
2004 EASTERN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP(WORLD SERIES PARTICIPANT) JUNIORS DIVISION WILLIAMSPORT TOURNAMENT TEAM:
The Junior Tournament Team took the District 31 title on July 10, 2004 with a victory over NB-NM 9-3.
Coast then went on to beat Island Park 2-0 in a 12-inning thriller followed up by a lopsided win over Floral Park 17-1 to win the sectionals.
The boys took the New York State championship August 2, 2004 beating Haverstraw for the second time, 10-2 moving on to compete in the Eastern Regional in Tinton Falls, NJ.
Coast was crowned East Region Champions with victories over New Jersey 3-2, host Tinton Falls 8-1, Maine 5-4 and Massachusetts 6-3. The team went on to represent MCLL in the Junior League World Series played in Taylor, Michigan where the team finished 9th overall.
Manager - JOE GIGANTE, CoachesTed Gaeta, Paul Mistretta
Players:
Jon Gigante
Bobby Gaeta
Matt Barle
Brian Casey
Travis Locascio
Mike Mandarino
Paul Mistretta
Mike Murello
Mike Pope
James Stone
Chris Theoharides
2004 LONG ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIP SENIORS DIVISION WILLIAMSPORT TOURNAMENT TEAM:
Manager - CRAIG GARLAND, Coaches - FRANK DEGENNARO
Players:
BILLY BURGREEN
VINNY BORDINO
LUKE WALTERS
MATT BAYER
ANDREW COLBY
JOEY DEGENNARO
MIKE FOX
CHRIS GARLAND
DAN KELLY
RYAN MCCARTHY
JAMES MANCARI
JOEY VOTINELLI
JEFF PETERS
2005 JUNIORS DIVISION NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WILLIAMSPORT TOURNAMENT TEAM
The Massapequa Coast Juniors Tournament Team won the New York State Championship on Sunday, July 31 and advanced to the Eastern Regional Finals, finishing in 4th place in the regionionals and in the top 20 in the United States.
The boys were undefeated in district, section and state tournament play, outscoring their opponents 107-27.
During the Long Island Finals, they had come from behind victories over Franklin Square (4-3) and Long Beach (16-12). Moving on to the New York State Tournament in Haverstraw, NY, they defeated Fairport, NY (11-1) in the first game. A very tough Lewisboro, NY team was leading 2-0 after 6 innings, when the “Come Back Kids” did it again- winning the game in extra innings 4-2. Their final victory for the State Title was a big win over Fairport 14-5.
After advancing to the regionals they defeated state champion teams from Delaware and Massachusetts before falling to New Jersey in the Semi-Finals.
Pictured are the 2005 Junior League New York State Champions from Massapequa. They are (standing left to right) Manager Nick Plumeri, Anthony Abruzzino, Mike Mandarino, Coach Charlie Hennessy, Greg Muller, Mike Hennessy, Chris Dooley, PJ Friel, Matt Hardy, Coach Dominic Mandarino. (kneeling) Eric Kaufman, Tom Grimes, Nick Plumeri, Joe Allessi, and Mike Mauri.
Congratulations Champs!
Manager - NICK PLUMERI, Coaches - CHARLIE HENNESSY & DOMINIC MANDARINO
Players:
ANTHONY ABRUZZINO
MIKE MANDARINO
GREG MULLER
MIKE HENNESSY
CHRIS DOOLEY
PJ FRIEL
MATT HARDY
ERIC KAUFMAN
TOM GRIMES
NICK PLUMERI
JOE ALLESSI
MIKE MAURI
