Island boys sweep in Sag Harbor

The boys are starting to gain their momentum midway through an otherwise dreary basketball season. The varsity boys posted their second solid victory in a row and the junior varsity squad scored their second win of the season when they traveled to Sag Harbor on Tuesday to battle Pierson.


Varsity kept the pressure on the Whalers the entire game, making them fight for all of their 42 points.


Still, the Whalers were dominating the Indians under the boards early in the match, and by the end of the first quarter had developed a 12-8 lead.


But Shelter Island was able to turn the game around once they made rebounds a sharper focus, said JV Coach Jay Card. Dustin Mulcahy helped turn the tide in their favor by making some crucial rebounds.


It was a close game until the final minutes, but the Indians flourished under the pressure. “They showed some composure at the end of the game ­— the more exposure to pressure you have, the better you get at it,” said Coach Card. They converted a 20-19 Whalers lead at halftime to a 51-42 Indians victory.


Mike Mundy continues to be the team’s leading scorer, putting up 17 points including two 3-pointers. Kyle Johnson had a strong performance as well, with 17 points and two 3-pointers of his own.


“They worked very hard, and we hit some big shots at the end to put the game out of reach,” said Coach Card. “They played a solid game.”


The junior varsity boys fared just as well. “They’re starting to play the game,” said Card. “It’s starting to come together.”


Jimmy Read gave an outstanding offensive performance, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter alone, which helped the Indians seal their victory. Lennon Sarfati helped out with 8 points of his own.


Chandler Olinkiewicz was a strong presence under the net, and was crucial to the Indians’ defense. The team’s efforts yielded a 35-27 Shelter Island win.


Their next game is against Ross at home, tomorrow at 4 p.m.


What would have otherwise been a joyous celebratory bus ride home for the two Shelter Island teams turned to a medical emergency when an unknown person threw a chunk of ice at the vehicle as it was returning to the Island. The ice struck the window, against which a cheerleader was resting her head.


Medical personnel believed there could be some cause for concern and the girl was airlifted to Stony Brook hospital, where she spent the night for observation.


A Pierson High School official said the school was cooperating to help in any way with police questions, but that there was no indication the culprit was a Pierson student.