Massapequa Sports Teams Excel Amid Ongoing Mascot Controversy

Spring has arrived, and with it, a wave of Pequa pride. The Massapequa girls lacrosse team clinched the county title against Port Washington with an 11-9 victory, while the boys lacrosse team also advanced to the finals against the same rival. Simultaneously, both the softball and baseball teams secured spots in the Nassau championship.

“It’s a sports town. Boys, girls, all fall, winter and spring,” said Massapequa baseball manager Tom Sheedy, emphasizing the community's deep-rooted athletic culture.

“They’ve played in elimination games and tournaments their whole life. It’s another game… They’ve been through the pressure.” Yet this year, the stakes feel higher than just trophies.

Massapequa is embroiled in a contentious legal battle over New York's 2023 mandate to eliminate all Native American-related logos from schools. The situation has drawn national attention, with President Donald Trump voicing support for the town after a request from school board president Kerry Wachter. This Friday, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon will visit the campus to discuss the issue.

“If it is our last year being a Chief, then it’s a good way to go out,” remarked 12th-grade softball catcher Sienna Perino before her team’s 6-2 win in Game 1 of a best-of-three series against Oceanside, the team that defeated them in last year's finals.

The top-seeded softball team has adopted the nickname “vengeance” for the 2025 season, aiming to avenge last year's loss. “We’ve become a family, and we know when we step on the field… we trust each other,” added senior valedictorian and outfielder Samantha Portz, highlighting the team's strong bond.

Off the field, “vengeance” carries multiple meanings for the girls. They are eager to make a statement and harness the national spotlight that has shone on their close-knit South Shore community since Trump declared, “LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS!” on Truth Social, even sharing a photo with a school shirt from the Oval Office.

“It represents who we are,” Portz continued. “This town is really close. We’re all proud to represent our community, the school, as Chiefs.”

The second-seeded Chiefs baseball team (16-7) is preparing to face their local rival, No. 1 Farmingdale, with hopes of making a significant mark in what could be their final season under the current name.

“I’ve been here 30 years. There’s never been a player not very proud to be a Chief,” Sheedy stated. “The players are definitely aware of what’s going on, and they feel very strongly about how they hope it turns out.”

Senior left-handed pitcher Thomas Harding is channeling town pride into motivation for his teammates. “With the possibility of the name being taken away, we are more motivated to keep the name alive — and keep its legacy,” he expressed.

Despite the looming mascot controversy, Massapequa has unfinished business following last season's painful semifinal loss to Port Washington — particularly for this potential last class of Chiefs.

“We have to have a sense of urgency that this could be our last game,” senior first baseman Jason Romance noted. “So we have to play harder than ever… It would be very cool if Trump watches us play.”

Sheedy is also counting on young talent like 10th-grade JV call-up catcher Ryan Huksloot, who previously played in the 2022 Little League World Series with Massapequa Coast. “If we keep riding the vibes right now and stay within ourselves, then it’s gonna be an easy road for us,” Huksloot said.

No matter how the finals unfold or how the legal battle over their name resolves, players reflect fondly on their time at MHS. “I’m very proud to be graduating and playing as a Chief,” senior softball pitcher Shea Santiago stated.

“We all love being a Chief,” Perino concluded. “Once a Chief, always a Chief.”