Syosset Playoffs: Kappatos Is All-County; OLMA Basketball Finishes Season

Kappatos Wins State Wrestling Title and is Named to All-County Team

Evan Kappatos added to his with a recent state championship in wrestling. Kappatos, along with his teammates Eric Faimon, Jared Delin, Dan Choi, was named to the All-County team.

In fact, athletes appeared quite often on the list of All-County achievers for the winter sports season.

Girls basketball player Lauren Maturo finished her Braves basketball career by being named to both the All-County team and Academic All-State team. Ryan Graham bowled his way to the All-County honor. Brian Sheng, John Aronson, Michael Wilkens, Nick Ouassil, Simon Nwana, Dale Mittleman, and Andy Vitucci all achieved winter track All-County recognition.

OLMA Basketball Finishes Season 9-16

Sometimes a record is misleading. That was certainly the case with the 2011-2012 Mustangs, according to Head coach John Kiffel.

Kiffel said of his second year on the job. “We were in so many more close games than last year, but never could seem to get the big win. The injury bug cost us a little this year.”

The Mustangs season came to an end on Tuesday, losing to Holy Trinity 57-35. Olivia Walsh led all Mercy scorers with 12 points. It was a fitting end to her high school career.

“,” Kiffel said.

The senior finished her career with 825 points and 119 three pointers. Walsh finished third in scoring in the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) during her senior season, averaging close to 15 points and 8 rebounds a game. Walsh is currently deciding whether to play at Haverford College or Washington and Lee University next year, according to Kiffel.

OLMA finished their conference schedule 2-12, which was more of a testament to how tough the conference is than anything else.

“The LI CHSAA is very talented,” Kiffel said. “…You can’t take a game or a quarter off in any CHSAA game. We very easily could have been 7-7 in league play. When you have five of the top ten teams on Long Island in your league and you have to play them twice, it’s going to be a tough season.”

The Mustangs did have success playing outside the CHSAA.

“We scrimmaged an AA Nassau County school that made the playoffs and handled them pretty easily,” Kiffel said. “We beat a tough Staten Island school, Curtis, in non-league action and it looks like they will be the NYC Public A champion. We handed Portledge their only loss of the season [and] lost by three to Cardinal Spellman, who are ranked eighth in all of NYC.”

OLMA will lose six seniors this year - Walsh, Katie Wildes, Allison Multer, Stefanie Pia, Angela Buscemi, and Natalie Nieves.

Despite the losses, Kiffel has high expectations for next season. Sophomores Marilyn Lehmuller and Shannon Brady will be back and freshman Samantha Lynch will continue to grow. OLMA expects to have only one senior on the varsity roster next season.

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