Classes haven’t started yet, but fall sports are in full swing at East Hampton High School.
Autumn is the season for cross-country, field hockey, football, golf, soccer, girls swimming, girls tennis, and volleyball. Having watched all of the teams, except golf, practice over the last few weeks, Todd Gulluscio, the district’s new athletic director, likes what he sees.
“The energy across every practice this past week has been terrific,” he said. “Our coaches have had kids working hard from day one, and you can feel that our student athletes are genuinely excited to get the season going. I can’t wait to see them get the opportunity to put their work into action and represent us with Bonac pride.”
Boys Cross-Country
The 2026 cross-country team is young, with just three seniors, all of whom are team captains this fall — Alistair Ramsay, Andrew Perez, and Jatniel Gonzalez. Last year, the team finished with a 5-1 league record and placed third at the county championships. Two all-division runners graduated — Liam Knight and Sean Perez. But Kevin Barry, the team’s head coach, has high expectations for Jasper Samuelson and Watts Comly-Bolick, both juniors this year.
“Jasper missed qualifying for the state championships by one place,” Coach Barry said. “The goal for Jasper is make the state championships and possibly finish in the top 25 at Queensbury, the site of the states, in November. Watts continues to improve and also has a chance to qualify for the state championships.”
There’s a lot riding on this year’s sophomores as well — Chase Bohnsack, Carson Diamond, and Zimmerman Levy. Barry believes they are the key to the team’s success.
“All had a great freshman season, and with a year behind them, they look better, faster, and stronger,” he said.
The boys and girls cross-country teams will host Kings Park on Sept. 15. They boys are also gearing up for two big invitationals next month. On Oct. 1, they’ll participate in the Paul Short Invitational at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, which welcomes 150 high schools and 100 N.C.A.A. teams. On Oct. 11, they’ll travel with the girls team to the Manhattan College Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. The invitational is the largest cross-country meet in the nation with nearly 8,000 runners and 14 varsity boys races.
Girls Cross-Country
Diane O’Donnell has been the girls’ head coach since 1991 and says she’s very excited about the upcoming season. Six girls are currently signed up to run cross-country, including the high school’s first-ever seventh grader, Zoey Falkenhan.
“I have watched her race local road races for the past few years, and I am really excited that she will be on the team,” O’Donnell said.
Laura Martinez, a senior, is one of four athletes returning this fall. She qualified for both the county and state championships last year and finished the season with a personal record of 21:07 in the 5K. Coach O’Donnell said she’s looking forward to seeing what Martinez can do this year.
For newcomers to cross-country, at the high school level, both the boys and girls compete in the 5K, which is approximately 3.1 miles.
Olivia Chapman is the other returning senior on the team, back for her second year. Danett Gonzalez, a junior, will be the team’s number-two runner and is hoping to make the county championships this season.
“She just missed qualifying by about 20 seconds last year so we’re hoping that she’s going to be able to do that this year. We’re also hoping that with the new additions we can qualify as a team,” O’Donnell said.
Madison Giraldo, a sophomore, is another returning athlete who hopes to break 30 minutes in the 5K.
The team also welcomes Caitlin Miller-Warr, a freshman who ran cross-country in middle school.
Field Hockey
This year’s field hockey team is quite young. Of the 38 players on the team, 26 are freshmen and sophomores, while one is an eighth grader.
Danielle Schuster, the head coach, believes the program has a bright future, but there is work to do this season.
“While the players possess grit, tenacity, and athletic mind-sets, they need to improve fundamental skills. They are aggressive and have the hunger to win, but the season’s success lies in their willingness to commit to their fundamental training.”
The field hockey team plays on the turf field at Stephen Hand’s Path. The team’s next home game is against the combined Pierson-Bridgehampton-Ross team at 4 p.m. next Thursday.
Football
Bonac football has a new head coach this year. Jaron Greenidge, the defensive coordinator, is taking over for Joe McKee, who retired last year after the team made its first trip to the Suffolk County Division III semifinals since 1994. Greenidge says the 2026 Bonackers are young and dedicated with plenty of room to grow.
On the offensive line, Greenidge expects the seniors Tiger Brew and Sully Mathews to provide valuable leadership and experience. Both are taller than 6 foot 3 and bring a combination of size, strength, and athleticism to the group.
Two other seniors to watch this year are Jackson Carney, a cornerback and wide receiver, and Jackson Ronick, a middle linebacker and fullback.
“Both are strong, fast, and capable of making big plays on both sides of the ball. We expect both players to take another step forward and have breakout seasons offensively,” Greenidge said.
The Stern twins, Wylie and Billy, both juniors, have had impressive camps and are taking on much larger roles this year. Wylie will contribute at linebacker and wide receiver, while Billy is the team’s new quarterback.
“Billy has done an outstanding job so far,” Coach Greenidge said. “He has shown the drive, leadership, and talent needed to be successful in that position. We’re excited to see his continued development and believe he has the ability to lead this team moving forward.”
One of the biggest surprises of camp is also a junior — Orson O’Brien. Greenidge calls him explosive and aggressive, and says he plays with a lot of emotion and energy on both the offensive and defensive lines.
“Over all, this is a young group with tremendous potential,” Greenidge said. “We know there is still a lot of work to do, but the dedication, energy, and improvement we’ve seen each week have us excited about what this team can accomplish.”
The team’s first home game is Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. against Half Hollow Hills West.
Golf
The golf team got a late start this year, with practices beginning this week. Its first match, against the Ross School, was scheduled for today but has been postponed.
Boys Soccer
The boys soccer team had an enormous turnout for its first week of practice, with more than 70 players trying out for the junior varsity and varsity teams. Last year, the boys finished the season 2-11-2. The team hopes to fare better this fall and return to its winning ways. It is traditionally a playoff contender.
“The boys varsity Bonac soccer team has been working hard and coming together as a unit in our first week,” said Donnelly McGovern, the head coach. “We have three matches this week and hope we get off to a positive start.”
The first home game is today at 4:30 p.m. against Harborfields.
Girls Soccer
This season, girls varsity soccer is leaving the developmental league in which they have competed for the last two years. The league is designed to help struggling teams compete while they build their programs, and clearly it has worked. Bonac was undefeated last season and Cara Nelson, the head coach, says, “The team is looking forward to showing the rest of Suffolk County how far we’ve come over the last few years.”
There are several players to watch this season, especially among the juniors.
Amy Salto returns to the team and will take over as the starting goalkeeper. Gabby Montes will play center back and looks to lead the defensive line. Elle Reidlinger is in central midfield, where she’ll team up with Amy Torres, a sophomore, to create scoring opportunities. They netted 10 and 27 goals respectively last year. Shayla Buestan, another junior, will play forward and hopes to improve upon the six goals she scored last season.
“We are looking to build on their confidence and dynamic abilities to be competitive in our league this season,” Coach Nelson said. “We have a lot of difficult matches, and we’re ready to prove that this is where we belong.”
Their first home game is today at 4:30 p.m. against Port Jefferson at the Stephen Hand’s Path turf field.
Girls Swimming
Girls swimming started the season with what Craig Brierley, the head
coach, calls “swim camp.” The girls learned the four strokes — freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly — and how to make turns. They also spent time getting accustomed to the pool and one another, while learning the team culture. Camp also included time trials for each stroke and a 500-yard test swim.
There is a lot to look forward to this season. The girls will be participating in a new meet on Oct. 9 at Hauppauge High School called We Breaststroke for Breast Cancer. It’s a Long Island showcase that pits Suffolk County against Nassau County. Jericho, Port Washington, and Long Beach will represent Nassau. East Hampton, Hauppauge, and Connetquot will represent Suffolk.
“This season we have a new format for deciding league designation — power points — and we are in League One, so it will be very competitive for all. Looking forward to it,” said Coach Brierley.
The team will hold an intersquad meet during tomorrow’s practice at the Y.M.C.A. East Hampton RECenter from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The first home meet is against Connetquot on Sept. 23.
Girls Tennis
Girls tennis has a new coach this fall. Krista Brooks, who also heads up girls basketball in the winter, takes over this season from Pablo Montesi. He stepped down in August, but will remain the boys tennis coach in the spring.
“The girls are really positive. They work really hard,” Coach Brooks said. “I have a lot of respect for Pablo and the way he worked with the girls. I’ve had a lot of communication with him and have been asking his opinion. He is a very talented coach. I’m going to take his experience and make this the best that we can.”
Ella Menu, a senior, will be the first singles player for the team this year. Fallon Centalonza, a sophomore, will be second singles. Coach Brooks says Centalonza worked hard to secure the spot.
“They communicate well. They’re a good bunch. They get along. They like each other. They work each other hard,” Brooks said. “They have talent, heart, and drive. Let’s see where that takes them.”
Their first home matches are against Kings Park on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
Boys Volleyball
This is the first season that the boys volleyball team will only play small schools, so the players will have the opportunity to see every team they can possibly meet in the playoffs, according to Josh Brussell, the head coach, who says they have a great bunch of boys this year.
Aaron Torres, a senior, and Miles Eckardt, a junior, are the team’s two outside hitters. Brussell says they’re both playing at the top of their game right now, adding that Marcus Oransky, a senior, is setting, controlling the offense, and making great decisions.
Patrick Conlon, a senior, and Adrian Bello, a junior, are playing middle blocker.
“This is a new position for Adrian, but he is taking it with ease and making a huge impact like he has been playing middle for his entire career,” Brussell said. “I think the biggest thing we’re working on is working together as a team with one goal and to play each point out as if it was our last.”
Their first home game is in the high school gym today at 4:30 p.m.
Girls Volleyball
Varsity girls volleyball has a roster of 15 this season — 10 seniors and five juniors.
Alexa Schaffer, a junior who is a setter, is one of the players to watch this season. Back for her third year, she’s been named a team captain along with Madison Kelly and Natalia Melendez, both seniors.
“Boy, are her hands clean,” Abigail Downs, the varsity head coach, said of Schaffer. “She silently commands the court. Not only is she a phenomenal setter, her hits and blocks should be something to watch out for this season.”
Melendez is a libero who joined the team last year. Coach Downs calls her knowledge of the game truly unmatched. “She came into our program and immediately stepped up. Her passes are beautiful, and I think her name will be one that lives on in this program for a long time.”
Another spotlight player is Brenda Avila, a senior and an outside hitter. Downs says she “is everywhere on the court and is a big presence at the net for us this year.”
Lilly Savarese, a junior, moves up from the junior varsity team this year. Downs calls her “a beast” and says she’s been putting in the work since last year and it shows.
“We are super excited for the season ahead. Coach Bridget Ehmann, my assistant coach, and I feel very confident in this group,” Downs said. “We told them that we are going to push them much harder than we have pushed teams in the past because these girls are beyond capable.”
Their home opener is Sept. 14 at 4:30 p.m. against Islip.
