Islip Looking to Build on Magical Run to Postseason

by Aaron Diaz

Special thanks to Metamorphosis Landscape Design for sponsoring this year’s season preview series.

Islip qualifies for playoffs for 1st time since 2017.

Islip 15
Harborfields 6
WP: Shawn Ryan

George Trimigliozzi hit a 2 run HR pic.twitter.com/3FOptDT6he

— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 12, 2023

2023 was an exciting one for Islip. After hitting a 2-9 record, Islip had to win out with eight games left in the season. Islip unraveled eight wins in a row to squeak into the playoffs. Their unbelievable win streak put them head-to-head against Kings Park where they defied the odds at the Kingman’s ballpark and pulled off the upset. Heading into 2024, head coach RJ Going knows his team can achieve much more with the experience they gained from an incredible 2023 playoff push. 

“It was exhilarating for the team,” Going said. “It was massive for what is to come for Islip. Being able to make the playoffs and having guys come back this year to know what that playoff feels like. It was super important to go on that eight-game win streak and to win a game in the playoffs and that set up for what the offseason was going to be like.” 

Despite winning eight in a row last year, Going understands what league his team is in and believes it will be a hard challenge for them to be a good team among others like Kings Park, Mount Sinai, Sayville, and Miller Place. But their experience will elevate their level of play, so 2024 will be a season full of competitive teams. “We got a tough league,” Going explained. “It’s going to be a little bit of a dog fight for second, third, and fourth. It’s going to be a competitive league.” 

Although it’s a new season, Islip will return most of their team, specifically juniors with only a couple of seniors. In 2023, Islip graduated two seniors who elevated their play in their magical season. 

Three-time All-League player Dylan McKenna graduated in 2023. “He was our workhorse and our ace for the past three years,” Going said. “He crept up to being a 1-2 hitter.” McKenna is playing his 2024 season at Lockhaven University. McKenna batted .315 while compiling 63 strikeouts in 2023. 

They also lost two-time All-League player Ethan Ferrara. “He was a middle-of-the-lineup guy and had right field down on lock,” Going said. “Everyone would gravitate around him and he had those leadership roles and qualities. He worked hard and the team appreciated that.” Ferrara had 21 RBIs with a .310 average. 

Now in 2024, Islip will be anchored by a junior heavy-core. Leading that core will be catcher Collin Haug. Haug is a two-time All-League player who batted .352 with nine doubles and 24 runs scored. “That kid is special,” Going said. 

Center fielder Lou Poulos will contribute a lot to both sides of the ball also pitching from the mound. Dylan Broschart will also man the outfield with Poulos but his left arm will be reliable as a three-year starter. 

On the infield, three-year starter AJ Giel will play all around the infield in 2024 and Dylan Ruland will round out the pitching rotation as a two-year starter and a steady arm after an impressive 2023 season for Islip. 

Their junior-heavy lineup will face a tough test in 2024 with the team’s goal set on playoff expectations after their magical run last year. “Once you make the playoffs, that becomes the expectation,” Going said. “That’s always been our standard, the wins and losses will come but as long as we compete and be competitive, everything will fall into place as it should be. 

And now that everything seems to be falling into place, Coach Going and his staff feel the culture change within their program. “Now that COVID has passed we feel that we have the culture that we’ve wanted to build for the past few years,” Going explained. “It’s fun showing up to practice when you feel that way.” 

With the offseason turning into the spring, Going talked about what his team has been training mentally all offseason. “We have to trust ourselves and when you talk about core values…trust, love and grit have to be at the top,” Going said. We have to love and trust each other and I think that’s going to create that culture change for us.” 

Ready for the 2024 season, Islip will have their game of the year against Miller’s Place.