Patchouge-Medford High School has renamed its basketball court in honor of U.S. Navy hero, Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy.

There was a ribbon cutting ceremony held on Thursday night to honor Murphy. His family was present for the event and received Pat-Med basketball jersey’s with Murphy on the back.

The baseball field, basketball court and overall high school campus are all named in honor of Murphy.

Winter sports have officially started across New York this week.

Good luck to all student-athletes during the winter season. We’re bound to have a ton of incredible action over the next few months.

If you’re into basketball, wrestling, swimming, indoor track, cheerleading, gymnastics or fencing, there will be plenty of games to attend, stories to read and student-athletes to make magical moments.

Stay tuned to Section XI’s platforms for update all winter long!

Click here for Schedules!

Click here for Standings!

Click here for winter championship info!

Russell Athletic announced today that Huntington High School is the 2016 “Fight Like Dylan Award” recipient.

In its sixth year, the award honors high school sports teams that have used inspiring perseverance to overcome odds and achieve success through teamwork.

A panel of judges, led by Pro Football Hall of Famer, Tony Dungy, selected the recipient after reviewing submissions from across the nation.  Through this initiative, Russell Athletic will present Huntington High School with a $50,000 grant for sports apparel and equipment in a celebratory event hosted at the high school. The Huntington football team took inspiration from an honorary teammate battling a terminal disease to turn their season around and become a stronger, more inspired team that made the state playoffs.

Huntington football’s inspiration and honorary teammate was Eli Mollineaux. The Blue Devils struggled early in the season and were a longshot to make the playoffs, but Eli, who suffered from Pearson Syndrome – a mitochondrial disease – was defying his own odds at age fourteen after doctors told his parents that he would not live past kindergarten.

Eli’s infectious personality, charisma and bravery were the motivation for the Huntington football team, adopting the mantra “#bELIeve” this season in his honor. The turning point for the Blue Devils’ season came in September during a game recognizing Eli. After losing their first three games, Huntington was scheduled to face their rival, Smithtown West.

As a tribute to Eli and his courageousness, players invited the young man onto the field to score his first touchdown with 1,500 fans chanting #bELIeve. Players from both teams ran alongside him and cheered him across the goal line. The opposing team even wore Eli’s #40 jersey with his name on back, while fans held #bELIeve signs. Motivated by Eli, the team went on to win the game 42-20 and then proceeded to win five of their next six games securing their spot in the playoffs.

Unfortunately, in late October, Eli passed away, but the team and community still draw from the memory of Eli’s bravery and courage displayed during his short life.

“We are proud to be the brand that gives voice to such amazing stories of communities that have struggled, but still found success through teamwork. After careful review of all the submissions, we are proud to have Huntington High School as our 2016 Fight Like Dylan Award recipient,” said Matt Murphy, Vice President of Marketing, Russell Athletic. “The support for Eli and his determination to beat the odds is what made the story so profound, proving that the power of team can make a difference in not only one life, but an entire community.”

“Our team adopted Eli into our family the first day he took the field,” said Head Football Coach Steve Muller. “And we celebrated as teammates when he scored his touchdown, just as we now celebrate his life.”

The Huntington Blue Devils and Eli Mollineaux are a direct representation of the team message Russell Athletic espouses through the “Team On” campaign that kicked off during the 2016 football season.  Russell Athletic believes that teams can find an uncommon strength when faced with adversity and they celebrate those teams every year through this award. Not unlike the previous five recipients, the story of Huntington Football and Eli exemplifies a team finding strength and inspiration in their community. Each recipient has proudly represented the memory of Dylan Rebeor, the award’s namesake and a high school football player whose last wish selflessly was for his teammates to receive new uniforms before he passed away in 2011.

“Each year I continue to be amazed by the incredible stories of our high school athletes,” said Tony Dungy. “The Huntington High School football team has proven that you can inspire an entire community though the acts of goodwill, character and teamwork.”

Dungy, Heather Rebeor (Dylan’s Mother), and a representative from each of the past “Fight Like Dylan Award” recipients served on this year’s selection committee. To learn more about Dylan’s story, visit www.FightLikeDylan.org.

 “The story of the Huntington football team is proof of how a group of spirited individuals can make a lasting impression,” said Heather Rebeor. “It has truly been a rewarding experience to have Dylan’s legacy continue through the Russell Athletic “Fight Like Dylan” Award.”

CLICK HERE to watch Eli score!

Section XI would like to wish all of the student-athletes, coaches, athletic administrators, parents, and supporters a very Happy Thanksgiving this year! We are so thankful to be able to serve you!

Check out some photos from the Suffolk County boys golf championships …

A study conducted by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and funded by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Foundation revealed that high school athletes who specialize in a single sport sustain lower-extremity injuries at significantly higher rates than athletes who do not specialize in one sport.

CLICK HERE to read the full study!

This school year is flying and winter sports begin on Monday, November 14.

Good luck to all student-athletes, coaches and teams in the months ahead.

Here is a reference for winter sports info:

• Schedules
• Standings

Sport specific pages

• Boys swimming and diving
• Boys basketball
• Bowling
• Cheer
• Fencing
• Girls basketball
• Track and field
• Wrestling

This week’s “Section XI Photo of the Week” comes to us from Bellport Football.

Check out the featured image box above!

It’s been a wild few weeks of playoff action so far.

Here’s a look at fall champions below (as reported by sport chairs; if you do not see a sport or full info, it has not been sent in yet):

Field Hockey

• Class A: Ward Melville beat Baldwin in Long Island championship (LIC) and lost to Shenendehowa in New York State semifinals.
• Class B: Miller Place lost to Garden City in LIC
• Class C: Rocky Point lost to Carle Place in LIC

Girls Soccer

• Class AA: Northport lost to Massapequa in LIC
• Class A: Mount Sinai lost to Garden City in LIC
• Class B: Center Moriches lost to Wheatley in LIC
• Class C: Port Jefferson won New York State championship

Boys Soccer

• Class AA: Brentwood lost in LIC
• Class A: Amityville won LIC and lost in state playoffs
• Class B: Center Moriches lost in LIC
• Class C: Pierson/Bridgehampton lost in LIC

Boys Volleyball

• Class A: Smithtown won LIC, lost in state finals
• Class B: Eastport-South Manor won New York State championship

Girls Volleyball

• Class AA: Connetquot won LIC, lost in state final
• Class B: Kings Park won LIC, lost in state final
• Class C: Bayport-Blue Point won LIC, finished fourth at states
• Class D: Shelter Island lost to East Rockaway in LIC

Here’s a brief recap of county champions to this point for team fall sports (click sport name to review full brackets):

Boys Soccer 

• AA: Brentwood
• A: Amityville
• B: Center Moriches
• C: Pierson/Bridgehampton

Girls Soccer

• AA: Northport
• A: Mount Sinai
• B: Babylon
• C: Port Jefferson

Field Hockey

• A: Ward Melville
• B: Miller Place
• C: Pierson/Bridgehampton

Boys Volleyball

• A: Smithtown West
• B: Eastport-South Manor

Girls Volleyball

• AA: Connetquot
• A: Kings Park
• B: Bayport-Blue Point
• C: Stony Brook

Girls Tennis

• Commack

Football

• Division I: William Floyd
• Division II: Hills West
• Division III: East Islip
• Division IV: Shoreham-Wading River