_________________ WANTAGH ________________
HERALD A wild lacrosse journey
Athletes attend unity summit
Honoring our veterans
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Vol. 72 No. 47
NoVEMBER 14 - 20, 2024
$1.00
He hopes to spur growth of Nassau Legion ville, where he strengthened his understanding of the organization’s mission. “It’s so gratifying working Kerry Englander, a U.S. Navy veteran and longtime member with all the vets and vet servicof American Legion Post 1711 es,” Englander said. “Helping veterans — that’s in Levittown, was appointed the what the American Le gion’s Nassau Legion is. It’s vets County commander helping vets and in June. Representthe community. We ing nearly 30,000 served our country, veterans across 52 and now we’re servposts, he now overing our community sees efforts to sup— simple as that.” por t those who Englander’s served. commitment to aidEnglander, 79, ing veterans was joined Levittown evident when he Post 1711 in 2008, recently helped a starting as historifellow veteran with a n b e fo re b e i n g a staph infection named second vice transfer to the Long c o m m a n d e r. H e CoMMANDER Island State Veterbecame active in ans Home at Stony KERRy the Nassau County Brook for specialc h a p t e r o f t h e ENglANDER, ized care. American Legion in American Legion, “He’s rehabili2020, serving as vice Nassau County tating there, awaitcommander of the chapter ing his hip replacesecond division, ment,” Englander where he supersaid, highlighting vised 15 posts in central Nassau. his hands-on approach. After three years in that role, Englander’s advocacy has he was promoted to adjutant. also extended to pushing for the His journey toward leadership reopening of the Mitchel Field included training at American commissary in Uniondale. In Legion College at SUNY MorrisContinued on page 5
By DANIEl oFFNER
doffner@liherald.com
I
Media Origin Inc./Herald
Wantagh sophomore Kayla Mannix scored the lone goal in the nassau Class a championship game victory over north Shore on nov. 7.
Wantagh captures first county title By ToNy BEllISSIMo sports@liherald.com
Wantagh entered the Nassau Class A girls’ soccer playoffs riding a five-game winning streak and bursting with confidence. And on Nov. 7, the Warriors made history by capturing their first-ever county championship with a 1-0 victory over top-seeded North Shore, which defeated them twice during the regular season, at Farmingdale State College. Sophomore Kayla Mannix continued a storybook postseason by netting the lone goal of the night in the 65th minute off a feed from junior Shannon Udell. Junior goalkeeper Gabriella Astaiza, who missed a large portion of the season with an injury, made five saves to shut out a talented
Vikings team that scored six goals against Wantagh in two previous meetings. “What a feeling,” Warriors coach James Polo said. “It’s a resilient group of girls and I’m so proud of them. Some of them won a county championship in lacrosse last spring, and they know what it takes. I thought we played an unbelievable second half tonight. We just kept pushing and pushing.” Third-seeded Wantagh, which defeated No. 6 Wheatley, 2-1, in the quarterfinals and No. 2 Seaford, 2-1, in overtime in the semis, advanced to play Shoreham-Wading River in Sunday’s Long Island Class A championship/Southeast Regional Final at Farmingdale State at 3 p.m. North Shore scored 13 goals in a pair of playoff wins but couldn’t find the back of Continued on page 6
t is so gratifying working with all the vets and vet services. Helping veterans — that’s what the American Legion is.