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Remembering John Glenn Coach, AD Tony Cerullo
Anthony Cerullo, a respected figure in Suffolk County high school athletics as the longtime John Glenn football coach and athletic director, died at his East Northport home on July 24, surrounded by his family. He was 83.
Known as a master motivator, Cerullo brought a fiery, charismatic presence to the sidelines and had a unique ability to get the most out of his players and assistant coaches. His influence extended well beyond football, as he spent decades helping shape the athletic culture at John Glenn and throughout the Elwood School District.
Born in the Bronx in 1943, Cerullo attended Our Lady of Grace Elementary School before graduating from DeWitt Clinton High School in 1961. A standout quarterback, he led the Governors to a New York City championship during his senior season and earned All-City honors.
Cerullo continued his football career at Ithaca College, where he later began his coaching journey as a graduate assistant in 1965. The Bombers went undefeated that season, providing an early glimpse of the winning environments that would become a hallmark of his career.
Over the next 21 years, Cerullo worked his way from the college ranks to become one of Suffolk County’s most successful high school football coaches.
He became the fifth head football coach in John Glenn history in 1974 and remained in the position for 12 seasons. Under Cerullo, the Knights compiled an impressive 81-23-3 record, captured seven league championships and consistently competed among Suffolk County’s elite programs. Cerullo was named Coach of the Year seven times during his tenure.
The pinnacle came in 1979, when John Glenn was awarded the prestigious Rutgers Trophy as Suffolk County’s top football team.
Cerullo’s impact on Elwood did not end when his coaching career concluded. He transitioned into athletic administration and served as the district’s director of athletics from 1986 through 1999, spending another 14 years influencing generations of student-athletes, coaches and athletic programs.
His accomplishments and lasting contributions to Long Island sports were recognized in 2006 when he was inducted into the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame.
While the victories, championships and honors defined an extraordinary athletic career, Cerullo’s legacy was equally rooted in the relationships he built and the standards he established. His demanding but charismatic approach made him a memorable presence for those who played and coached alongside him, and his influence remained part of the John Glenn athletic tradition long after he left the sideline.
Cerullo is survived by his wife of 56 years, Carmela; their four sons, Anthony of East Branch, New York, Joseph of Syosset, Peter of St. James and Matthew of Commack; his brother, James of Smithtown; and 10 grandchildren.
Bay Shore’s Maggie McCormick Named Gatorade New York Girls Track & Field Player of the Year
Bay Shore standout Maggie McCormick has added one of the state’s most prestigious athletic honors to an already remarkable list of accomplishments.
McCormick has been named the 2025-2026 Gatorade New York Girls Track & Field Player of the Year, recognizing her exceptional performance on the track as well as her accomplishments in the classroom and character within the community.
The honor caps an extraordinary season for McCormick, who established herself among the nation’s elite high school track and field athletes. Her year included a New York State championship, a national title and record-breaking performances that helped distinguish her as the top girls track and field athlete in New York.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program recognizes student-athletes for more than athletic performance. Honorees are also selected based on academic achievement and exemplary character, making McCormick’s selection a reflection of her overall commitment to excellence.
Throughout her career at Bay Shore, McCormick has represented the Marauders at the highest levels of competition, turning in performances that have earned recognition across Long Island, New York State and nationally.
Her championship season further solidified her place among Bay Shore’s accomplished athletic tradition and provided another memorable moment for the school’s track and field program.
Legendary Brentwood Wrestling Coach Ralph Napolitano Steps Down After 34 Years
One of the winningest wrestling coaches in Suffolk County history is stepping away from the program that has been part of his life for more than three decades.
Longtime Brentwood varsity wrestling coach Ralph Napolitano announced via social media that he has stepped down from his position, saying the difficult decision came “due to circumstances beyond my control.”
Napolitano, a 1985 Brentwood High School graduate, spent 34 years as a coach and mentor in the Brentwood wrestling program. Over more than 20 years at the helm of the varsity program, he built the Spartans into one of Suffolk County’s most accomplished wrestling programs and became one of the most successful coaches in Section XI history.
“It is with a very sad and heavy heart that I report that due to circumstances beyond my control, I stepped down from coaching the Brentwood Varsity Wrestling Team,” Napolitano wrote. “Even though this was the hardest decision of my life, I feel it is necessary for my health and for my family.”
Napolitano ranks fourth all-time in Section XI history with 377 dual-meet victories, according to Long Island wrestling historian Andy Slawson.
His teams captured 11 league tournament championships, finished as league runners-up seven times and won Suffolk County team tournament championships in 2008 and 2012. Brentwood also made three appearances in the Suffolk County dual meet finals, breaking through to capture the championship in 2022.
The individual accomplishments of Napolitano’s wrestlers were equally impressive.
Under his leadership, Brentwood wrestlers earned 96 All-County honors, including 17 individual Suffolk County champions and 13 county runners-up. Twenty-two of his wrestlers reached the podium at the New York State Championships.
Three Spartans reached the pinnacle of New York high school wrestling by winning individual state championships under Napolitano: Kenny Torres at 112 pounds in 2004, Carlos Toribio at 170 pounds in 2013 and Jason Kwaak at 160 pounds in 2025.
But Napolitano’s legacy in Brentwood extended well beyond championships, victories and individual accolades. For generations of wrestlers, he served as a mentor and father figure whose influence continued long after they left the mat.
Napolitano made that relationship with his athletes the focus of his farewell message.
“For 34 years I was blessed and honored to be a part of the Brentwood Wrestling Family,” he wrote. “Those years were some of the most amazing times of my life.”
He thanked the countless wrestlers who came through the program and challenged the conventional idea that coaches give the most to their athletes.
“Many times people say that we coaches do so much for the kids, but I believe it is totally opposite,” Napolitano wrote. “It is the kids that make it so special and great for us coaches. You guys have no idea how happy and proud you made me. I love you!!!!”
Napolitano was recognized multiple times as a League and Section XI Coach of the Year during his career. His contributions to wrestling and the greater Suffolk County sports community were further cemented with prestigious honors in consecutive years.
In 2022, Napolitano received the National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s Lifetime Service to Wrestling honor. In 2023, he was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame, in recognition of a career that combined extraordinary competitive success with decades of service to Brentwood’s student-athletes.
In his farewell post, Napolitano also thanked the assistant coaches who worked alongside him, the parents who entrusted their children to the program and the generations of Brentwood wrestling alumni who continued to support the Spartans.
Orlin & Cohen Sports Medicine Tips: Pre-Participation Physical Exams
Section XI’s Tim Mullins Wraps Tenure as NYSPHSAA President
NYSPHSAA President Tim Mullins, Athletic Director at Bayport-Blue Point, concluded his final meeting as a member of the NYSPHSAA Central Committee in Buffalo.
Thank you, Tim, for six years of dedicated service to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and for representing Section XI with professionalism, integrity and unwavering commitment.
Congratulations on a job well done, and thank you for everything you’ve done for student-athletes and interscholastic athletics across New York.
Legendary Sachem Football Coach Fred Fusaro Inducted into NYSPHSAA Hall of Fame
One of the most influential figures in Long Island high school football history has received one of the state’s highest honors.
Longtime Sachem football coach Fred Fusaro was officially inducted into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Hall of Fame on Wednesday evening during a ceremony at the Hyatt Regency in Buffalo, representing Section XI among the prestigious Class of 2026.
Fusaro served as Sachem’s head football coach from 1971 through 2002, building one of New York State’s premier high school football programs during his remarkable 31-year tenure. He compiled 192 career victories, captured six Suffolk County championships, claimed 15 league titles, guided the Arrows to 22 consecutive playoff appearances, and earned two Rutgers Trophies while establishing a standard of excellence that continues to define the program today.
Fusaro mentored generations of student-athletes, with dozens continuing their playing careers at the collegiate level and several reaching the National Football League. His commitment to discipline, leadership and character development became the foundation of his coaching philosophy and earned him widespread respect across New York State.
In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to Suffolk County football, the annual Suffolk County Coach of the Year Award now bears his name as the Fred Fusaro Award, ensuring his legacy continues to inspire future generations of coaches. Fusaro was also honored during his coaching career when Sachem named its football field after him in 1999.
The NYSPHSAA Hall of Fame induction adds another milestone to an already distinguished career that includes induction into the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 2005. Even after retiring from Sachem in 2002, Fusaro remained active on the sidelines, serving as an assistant coach at John Glenn before returning to his alma mater, Huntington, in the same role.
With his induction into the NYSPHSAA Hall of Fame, Fusaro’s legacy as one of the greatest coaches in Sachem history, and one of the finest high school football coaches New York has ever produced, is now permanently etched among the state’s all-time legends.
NFL Players Give Back at Westhampton Youth Football Camp
Nearly 200 young football players took part in the inaugural Dylan Laube and Matt Goncalves Youth Football Camp at Westhampton Beach High School, where the two Long Island natives led skill, agility and speed drills before spending more than 30 minutes signing autographs, taking photos and talking with campers.
Laube, a Westhampton Beach graduate entering his third season with the Las Vegas Raiders, said giving back to the community that supported him has always been a priority.
“If you don’t come back and help where it all started, then what’s the point?” Laube said.
Goncalves, a Manorville native and Eastport-South Manor graduate who plays for the Indianapolis Colts, echoed the importance of inspiring the next generation of Long Island athletes.
The pair hopes to make the camp an annual tradition, providing local youth with the opportunity to learn from NFL players while celebrating football in the community.
Section XI Mourns the Loss of Legendary Brentwood Soccer Coach Ron Eden
The Section XI community is mourning the loss of one of the greatest coaches in Long Island high school sports history.
Longtime Brentwood High School boys soccer coach Ron Eden passed away at the age of 72, leaving behind a remarkable legacy defined by excellence, leadership and an unwavering commitment to student-athletes.
Eden compiled an extraordinary 484-70-32 record as a head coach, the second-most victories by a Suffolk County head coach in Long Island history, trailing only Mattituck’s Robert Muir. Before taking over Brentwood’s program, he also served as an assistant coach for 16 seasons, helping the Indians post a 182-83-23 record.
Even in his final season on the sidelines, Eden continued to demonstrate the standard he established over nearly three decades. Brentwood finished the 2025-26 season with a 17-1-1 record and advanced to the Suffolk County championship game.
Eden became Brentwood’s head coach in 1996 and transformed the program into one of New York State’s premier public school soccer powers. Under his leadership, Brentwood captured 17 league championships, 11 Suffolk County titles, 10 Long Island championships and four New York State championships in 2008, 2010, 2019 and 2023. His teams also reached three additional state championship matches.
His crowning achievement came during the 2023 season when Brentwood completed a perfect 22-0 campaign and captured the New York State championship. That historic season earned Eden recognition as the United Soccer Coaches National High School Coach of the Year, one of the sport’s highest honors.
He was also selected as the New York State Coach of the Year in 2005, 2013 and 2023, further cementing his reputation as one of the nation’s elite high school coaches.
Beyond his accomplishments on the field, Eden was respected throughout the soccer community for his dedication to his players, his professionalism and the lasting impact he made on generations of young men. His influence extended far beyond wins and championships, helping shape the lives of countless student-athletes who wore the Brentwood uniform.
In recognition of his outstanding career and contributions to sports on Long Island, Eden was inducted into the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.
Before embarking on his legendary coaching career, Eden played professionally from 1976 through 1981 with the New York Apollo and New York United of the American Soccer League.
Section XI joins the Brentwood School District, the Long Island soccer community, former players, colleagues, friends and family in mourning the loss of a coaching icon whose impact will be felt for generations.
His legacy will forever live on through the championship tradition he built, the lives he influenced and the standard of excellence he established on and off the soccer field.
Dozens of Section XI Schools Recognized by NYSPHSAA for Academic Excellence
Dozens of Section XI schools have once again demonstrated that success in athletics begins in the classroom.
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) has announced its 2025-2026 Schools of Distinction and Schools of Excellence, recognizing member schools that have shown an outstanding commitment to academic achievement across their varsity athletic programs.
The recognition reflects the dedication of student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors, teachers, administrators and families throughout Long Island, where academic excellence remains a defining characteristic of educational-based athletics.
The prestigious honors are designed to encourage every varsity team within a school to earn NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Team recognition by achieving a team grade point average of 90 or higher during its respective sports season.
Schools earning the School of Distinction Award had 100 percent of their varsity teams achieve Scholar-Athlete Team status, while School of Excellence Award recipients saw 75 percent or more of their varsity teams reach that benchmark.
Statewide, 118 schools were recognized as Schools of Distinction and 237 earned Schools of Excellence honors during the 2025-2026 school year. Both totals represent an increase from the previous year, when 110 schools received Distinction status and 221 earned Excellence recognition.
“The commitment demonstrated by our member schools to academic excellence continues to be one of the greatest strengths of educational-based athletics,” said Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA Executive Director. “These awards recognize entire school communities that value success in the classroom as much as success in competition.”
For Section XI, the statewide recognition reinforces what communities across Suffolk County witness every year: student-athletes are excelling not only on playing fields, courts, tracks and in pools, but also in classrooms where discipline, perseverance and teamwork translate into academic achievement.
The impressive number of Section XI schools earning statewide recognition reflects a culture in which athletics complements education, helping students develop leadership skills, accountability and a commitment to excellence that extends well beyond competition.
As the number of recognized schools continues to grow across New York, Section XI remains well represented among the state’s leaders in combining athletic participation with academic success.