The Northport Huntington Tigers Season Preview

HAUPPAUGE N.Y. (LISN) – No team had more overtime wins in 2023-2024 than the Northport Huntington Tigers, and nobody scored more game winning goals in OT than J.T. Caruso. It was Caruso who scored the game winner in overtime last November to knock off the Kings Park-Commack Knights, and that was after he assisted on the game-tying goal with less then a minute remaining in the 3rd period. 

The Tigers were on the rise, passing the then defending state and county champion St. Anthony’s Friars, and the reigning county champion Smithtown-Hauppauge Bulls in the standings. Northport – Huntington was rubbing shoulders with the league’s top programs for the first time since the days of Blake Hanson and Carmine Pitelli. It didn’t last long. The Tigers lost 9 of their next 13 games and finished the season as the #7 seed. The Tigers were blanked 5-0 by the Friars in the SCHSHL Quarterfinals. Now Head Coach Mike Porcello’s team is looking to build on the positives from last season as the Tigers look to make their long awaited return to the top of the standings. 

Forwards

The aforementioned J.T. Caruso, a junior, led the team in scoring last season with 7 goals and 10 assists in 20 games. Caruso is the only returning forward who played top-six minutes last year. 

Senior Joe Boeckmann is entering his third varsity season, making him the longest tenured player on the Tigers roster. Boeckmann is a speedy two-way winger who scored five goals and added two assists in 19 regular season games. 

Junior Ayden Shear scored 6 goals and had 9 assists for 15 points in 18 JV contests before making his varsity debut on January 28 in a 4-1 loss to Connetquot-Sayville. Shear’s strength, speed and skill popped at times during his two game stint last season.

Sophomore Justin Cahn had more goals (18) than games played (15) for Northport-Huntington JV in 23-24. Cahn finished with 26 points last season before making his varsity debut on February 4th in a 7-1 loss to Smithtown-Hauppauge. 

Freshman Jose Walter was lights out in 2023-2024, scoring 11 goals and adding 6 assists in 9 games, as an 8th grader playing for Northport-Huntington’s Freshman team. 

Sophomore Jordan Oromaner had 2 goals and 4 assists in 12 JV contests in 2023-2024.

Senior James Corr scored 2 goals and added 1 assist in 20 games for Northport-Huntington JV last season.

Sophomore Owen Karpioch scored 7 goals and added 18 assists in 25 games last season for the Long Island Whalers 14-U team in the AHF.

Sophomore Kevin Sherwood scored 4 goals and added 2 assists in 16 JV games in 2023-2024,  

Owen Spardel, a sophomore forward, had 4 goals in 15 regular season games for the Dix Hills Hawks last year in the AHF. 

 Defense 

Junior Ryan Collins is the Northport Huntington Tigers top returning defenseman. Collins is a dynamic two-way blue liner who scored 6 goals and added 2 assists in 15 games.

Junior Maksim Sposato was a key cog in the Tigers top-four last season, and this year he is one of the team’s top returnees. Sposato scored two goals and adding two assists in 20 regular season games. 

Junior Patrick Schmidt is a smooth skating defenseman who has shown flashes of offensive upside. The toolsy defenseman could be in for a breakout season after scoring 1 goal and adding 1 assist last year. 

Junior Jake Guzzardo is entering his first varsity season with the Tigers. Guzzardo scored 6 goals and added 1 assist in 16 JV games in 2023-2024. 

Joseph Buonocore is returning to Northport-Huntington for his junior season. Buonocore scored 3 goals and garnered 4 points in 11 JV games in 2022-2023. Buonocore had 3 goals and 16 assists in 20 games last season with the Long Island Gulls 15-U AA team in the EJEPL.

Junior Colin Jackson joins the Northport-Huntington Tigers after scoring 1 goal and adding 2 assists in 10 games last season for the Westchester Express 15-U AAA in the Tier 1 Hockey Federation.   

Freshman Patrick Hasset will make the leap to the varsity level after scoring 1 goal and adding 2 assists in 7 freshman games as an 8th grader in 2023-2024.

Goalie

Junior Boden Rudloff won four games in ten starts last season for Northport-Huntington. Rudloff is a big, athletic netminder who has shown he can make the big save when called upon. Junior Brett Kostor will join the Tigers for the 24-25 season. According to Elite Prospects, Kostor went 10-0-1 in 11 games for the 2023-2024 LI Rebels 15-U AA team in the Atlantic Hockey Federation. Kostor had a GAA of .98 and a SV% of .948 on the season.  

Coaching Staff

Coach Porcello will be joined by returning assistant coaches Ed Kurathowski, Brendan Martin, and Frank Coyle.