State titles and tackle machines. Syosset has seen its share of exceptional players and playoff teams in 2011. Here's the best sports moments:

Defensive Heart and Soul: The best linebacker in Nassau? Syosset High School senior Evan Kappatos won his third Piner Award after a season in which he recorded 106 tackles, two sacks, and two interceptions. While the football team failed to make the playoffs, Kappatos did has part to represent the Braves well.

State Tennis Champion: Syosset senior Hannah Camhi capped a brilliant high school career with a three-set victory over Garden City’s Morgan Herrmann for the state singles title in girls tennis. 

Team Tennis Champs: Powered by senior Hannah Camhi, Syosset earned its third straight Long Island team championship in girls tennis. But this title was not won in conventional fashion. When Suffolk champ Half Hollow Hills East left the court in a rules dispute, it forfeited the match. 

Boys Soccer Playoff Bound: Despite a strong season by the Syosset boys soccer team, earning the No. 2 seed in the Nassau Class AA playoffs, No. 10 Great Neck South pulled a first-round upset. The Braves won the Conference I-AA title with a 9-1-2 mark. 

Opening Day: The Brian Murphy Memorial Day Barbecue marked the start of the Little League season. The Syosset Baseball Association did so in grand fashion at the Syosset-Woodbury Park. A large crowd, U.S. Navy flag bearers and Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry was on hand to sign autographs. 

OLMA Softball: Our Lady of Mercy softball enjoyed a rebound season. St. Anthony’s defeated the Mustangs (11-9) in the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA semifinals, 5-2, on May 24. It was the end of a nice run for Mercy. Samantha Sauer, Stephanie Viggiano, Nicole Reda and Jessica Schild were named All-CHSAA.

Top Golfer: Syosset golfers Matt Csillag and Willis Huyne earned a berth into the state championship at Cornell University on June 4-6. Csillag qualified for states by shooting 71 on Bethpage Red on the second day of the county tournament. That score tied him for the low individual mark in the tournament. Individually, Csillag finished third in the two-day competition, missing the first-place playoff by one shot.

Tennis Fights to Final: Syosset boys tennis fell to Cold Spring Harbor in the Nassau team championship. But the Braves beat Hewlett, the No. 1 seed, to get there. Cold Spring Harbor took a 6-1 decision in the final. “I thought our team played well,” Braves coach Shai Fisher said. “We kept on fighting and did the best we could. But Cold Spring Harbor proved to be too tough for us once again. They played a great match and deserved the win.”

Boys Lacrosse Reach Semis: The Syosset boys lacrosse team reached the Nassau Class A semifinals. Massapequa stopped the Braves with a 10-3 win on May 26. Syosset (10-7) got there thanks to a 12-6 win over Baldwin in the quarterfinals. Goalie Ryan Feit was a mainstay all season.

OLMA Basketball Pulls Upset: Our Lady of Mercy scored the upset of the CHSAA girls basketball playoffs when the seventh-seeded Mustangs stunned No. 6 St. Mary’s, 57-48. Olivia Walsh led the Mustangs with 16 points. The run ended in the semis against playoff power Holy Trinity.