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| Photo Credit: Newsday |
For the first time since 2008, West Islip has been crowned Suffolk County AA champs. They defeated Half Hollow Hills West 5-0 in a winner-take-all game.
Just like 2008, they had a dominating pitcher lead the way. Back then it was senior Nick Tropeano, who is currently playing with the Houston Astros Triple-A affiliate. This time it was sophomore sensation James Kory, who threw a complete game shutout five-hitter to improve his record to 8-0 on the season.
“I was just focusing on getting the last three outs,” said Kory. “I kept telling myself to attack the hitters,” he added. Kory certainly attacked the hitters as he has done all season–his first on varsity.
It is rare to see a pitcher this young dominate to this extent, but Kory is no ordinary sophomore. Not many first year players plan to win the counties, as he has.
“Now it’s Long Island Championship,” he said in regards to his re-adjusted goals for the season. They will be taking on the winner of Massapequa and Oceanside for the title of best on Long Island.
Just a year ago, Kory was a freshman playing on the JV club. He stated that he needed to work on his offspeed pitches in order to prepare for this level.
Watching him pitch against No. 1 ranked Sachem North, it was clear that the off season work paid off. He stymied a potent lineup on the road, no small task for someone not old enough to have a learner’s permit to drive.
Much like his favorite pitcher, Masahiro Tanaka, Kory kept the opponents off balance in his first season at a challenging level.
Now he will attempt to prove his dominance to the best that Nassau County has to offer.
