The William Floyd Colonials have always had extremely talented athletes and some of the most competitive sports teams in Suffolk County. Athletes like Nigel Green and Tom Banducci have come through this school and went on to have successful athletic careers.
However, the 2022-23 season may have been one of the best in school history as the individual and team achievements may have entered uncharted territory for William Floyd sports.
The fall sports for the Colonials was highlighted by an unreal cross country season from Zariel Macchia.
Macchia has built up a resume that compares well with Shoreham/Wading River’s Katherine Lee, who also dominated Long Island Cross Country from a young age. The William Floyd sophomore won her third Suffolk County Cross Country Class A Championship this past fall and parlayed it into a Class A State Championship victory.
She would go on to compete at the newly renamed Champs Sports Northeast Regional Championships and would qualify for the national championship meet at Balboa Park in San Diego. Macchia would finish sixth at the National Championship, earning her All-American status for the 2022 season. Her historic season wouldn’t stop at the Champs Sports National Meet, she would then race at another National Championship, the Garmin Running Lane Championship, where she finished runner-up in the meet. Macchia would race two more times in cross country as she ran a u20 qualifier for Team USA’s Cross Country team and she would make the team with a third place finish in the girls 6k race. She would then go on to race at the u20 World Championship in Bathurst, Australia, where she took home a bronze medal for finishing third overall at the u20 championships.
The Varsity Football Team at William Floyd also deserves to receive some attention for their outstanding year in 2022.
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LaDuke Harris After Winning the State Long Jump Championship
William Floyd Website
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Kayla Gilmore with her Coaches after her 1000th point
WIlliam Floyd Website
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Individually, Junior Kayla Gilmore continued to add to her impressive resume for the Colonials. She was named Co-Team MVP, League II Player of the Year, All-Conference, All-County, All-Long Island, and All-State during her junior campaign.
Gilmore also joined some elite company in William Floyd Girls’ Basketball history as she became just the fourth player in the program’s history to record over 1,000 career points in a career and she has a chance to get to 1,500 during her senior season. Gilmore also broke the program record in points scored in a single game with a 51 point performance this season.
Joining Gilmore as Team MVPs were Jacky Sutherland and Keyaisia Brewster. Sutherland and Brewster had outstanding seasons as well. Both girls received All-League honors while Sutherland went on to receive All-County and All-Conference honors for her efforts this season.
Head Coach Amy Lin also received recognition as the League II Coach of the Year for guiding the girls to their first league title in 31 years.
The boys’ basketball team also ended an eleven year title drought as they took home a league championship in 2022-23 thanks to a 15-5 overall record and 14-2 league record. They would make the postseason and win a dramatic playoff game over Half Hollow Hills West, which was considered the highlight of the season for the team.
Mikey Smith led the charge for the Colonials in 2022-23 as he would win League II MVP honors as well as being named All-League, All-Division, and All-County for his spectacular senior season.
Joining Smith on the All-League team were his teammates Jayson Yourison and Joey McLaurin, who also had outstanding years on the hardwood.
The Girls Indoor Track season was once again highlighted by All-American Zariel Macchia. Following her unreal Cross Country season, Macchia would help guide her 4x800 meter relay team to the fastest time on Long Island after winning the Ocean Breeze Invite. Macchia also would claim All-League, All-County, All-State, and All-American honors for another year of dominance.
Teammates Aaliyah Jordan, Destiny Samuels and Brianna Smith joined Macchia on the All-League team as well.
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Zariel Macchia after making Team USA
WFHS Website & the Macchia Family
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The Varsity Wrestling team had a successful season that saw them get selected as the most improved team in Suffolk County.
Their season was highlighted by winning the annual Kujan Brothers’ Memorial Tournament and placing second in the Suffolk County Dual meet. Ten Colonials competed in the Suffolk County Championships, with Aaron Nelson and Jack Meyer leading the way with a third and fifth-place finish, respectively, in their weight classes. Nelson and Meyer received All-County honors for their outstanding seasons while Nelson competed in the New York State Championships, being the first Colonial in nearly a decade to make it to the State Championship meet.
The Baseball team saw a great individual performance from left-handed pitcher Jayden Zayas, as he would walk away from the 2023 season receiving All-County honors. His teammates Joseph LoMonaco and Angelo Velez also had solid years for the Colonials, walking away with All-League honors.
The Softball team saw Kiara Bellido have a generational season for the Colonials. She brought home League III Player of the Year honors as well as Suffolk County Large School’s Player of the Year and Newsday’s All-Long Island honors.
Bellido is ranked as the number 34 player in the Class of 2024 by Extra Inning Softball and is already committed to Syracuse University where she will continue her academic and athletic career.
Bellido also saw her teammate Michelle Segura receive All-County honors for her efforts in the 2023 season.
Kayla Gilmore brought her dominance on the hardwood onto the Lacrosse field this spring and she did not disappoint.
Gilmore – who is committed to play lacrosse at the Universiy of Maryland – led all of Suffolk County in goals scored with 64. For her efforts, she was named All-American, Academic All-American, All-County, All-Long Island, team MVP, and White Letter Award recipient.
Jacky Sutherland, Emily Murtha, Emma DiMaio and Kayden Meyer also had outstanding seasons that led to them earning All-County honors.
Speaking of dominant athletes, Zariel Macchia continued to add to her storied Colonial career this spring as she was named first-team All-American in the 5k and mile. She was also named All-State, All-Long Island, All-League and All-County for the third season in a row.
Macchia also guided the 4x800 meter team consisting of herself, Karen Jackson, Destiny Samuels, and Aaliyah Jordan to a Suffolk County Championship. Jordan also starred in an individual event as she was the county champion in the 400 meter hurdles and was named All-League and All-County while Destiny Samuels was also named All-League and All-County as well.
The Boys’ Lacrosse team had a successful season where they saw longtime head coach Dennis Megna win the Division I Coach of the Year Award for his outstanding work at the helm of William Floyd Lacrosse.
Geo Alvarez and Connor Langdon took home All-County honors for their efforts for the Colonials’ Boys Lacrosse team.
The Boys’ Track team saw LaDuke Harris wrap up his historic High School Career with a New York State Championship in the Long Jump this spring.
Harris – who was also the star Quarterback for the William Floyd Football Team – capped off his high school sports career with a long jump of 22 feet, 11½ inches to take home the state title.
The William Floyd Colonials had an outstanding year thanks to great leadership from coaches, teammates, and Athletic Director Brian Babst.
Babst and his PR assistant James Montalto have helped continue a tradition of William Floyd athletic excellence that hopefully will continue on for many years to come.