Awards

Bulldogs’ sports awards denote athletic excellence

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — Words and pictures were a fitting tribute to Sullivan West’s spring athletes on June 7. Superintendent Alan Derry referred to the gathered athletes as “a special group,” while noting that “those who fail to take risks do not find out about themselves. This group of athletes “ truly answered the call in the heat of competition.”

The River Reporter presented a cascade of slides documenting highlights of the spring season. The slides also paid tribute to each of the senior select athletes that included Kristen Brucher, Jamie Clifford, Autumn Darder, Angela Fortin-Paust, Heather Gorr, Tracy Henry, Heather Lander, Michelle Manzi, Nellie Norden, Rebekah Peters, Sabrina Reimer, John Glassel, Sean Kelly, John Kitson, Joe Meyer, Steve Musso, John Nober, Scott Peters, Sean Semenetz, Andre Trujillo and Joe Winski.

This talented group of seniors helped Sullivan West earn Class B Division II and Section 9 titles in football, Section 9 runner up designation in boys’ basketball, Division IV titles in boys’ and girls’ golf, participation in the state cross country championships, a Section 9 championship for Sean Semenetz in golf, a state medal in track and field for the girls’ 4x800 relay team and strong contention in each and every sport in 2004-05.

Joe Winski was selected as this year’s recipient of the Billy Moran Scholarship. Presenter Brent Rosenberger described the character and achievements of the late Billy Moran, a former Delaware Valley scholar athlete who was killed in April 1981 by a drunk driver during a spring training baseball trip to Florida. At the time Moran was enrolled at Union College. Moran’s untimely death led his family and friends to establish the Billy Moran Scholarship in 1983. The criteria for the award were “molded after Billy and his talents.” Those talents included taking a strong academic course load, receiving high grades, excelling in varsity sports, citizenship and community involvement. The $1,500 dollar scholarship was awarded annually to a Delaware Valley graduate (except in 1986 when no suitable candidate was available). It became a Sullivan West Central School tradition and was raised to $2,000 dollars. The previous Sullivan West winners were Kelly Mullally and Ashley Relyea.

Winksi, a three-sport athlete, excelled in soccer, basketball and golf and served as a role model to his teammates. Winski’s unflagging team commitment was reminiscent of Moran’s intensity and love of sports. Turning to Winski, Rosenberger said, “I’m sure you and Billy would have been great friends.”

Earlier, Sullivan West basketball coach Rick Ellison presented Winski with the Sullivan West Male Coaches Award. “You’d be amazed at the difference one player can make in team morale.” Winski will be heading to SUNY Cobleskill in the fall to take up fish and wildlife management.

Heather Lander was presented with the Female Coaches Awards by girls’ basketball coach Ron Bernhardt, who noted that she “accomplished so much and excelled in every sport she participated in” including softball, soccer and basketball. Lander is bound for Villanova where she will apply the same rigorous effort displayed on the athletic field to her pre-med academic endeavors.

Steve Musso and Autumn Darder received this year’s Milt Gaebel awards which honor Gaebel’s philosophy that, “if what you are doing is worth doing, you need to give at least 100 percent.” Musso, a Class B New York State all-star football player, helped to catapult his team to the Class B Section 9 title. Musso played baseball and previously participated in track, indoor track and basketball. Darder, who was also named as this year’s Most Valuable Softball player, was a force to be reckoned with in basketball. Her tireless team commitment made her a fitting winner of this coveted award.

Joe Meyer was selected as this year’s Most Valuable Senior Male Athlete who Ellison said has a unique blend of “instinct, boldness and effort and a burning desire to do better.” Meyer excelled in football, basketball and baseball and helped set what Ellison referred to as “a new standard of sports excellence.” Meyer was “a captain, an all star and an excellent role model.” Earlier, baseball coach Kurt Scheibe had presented Meyer with the Most Valuable Offensive Baseball Player Award.

Jamie Clifford won the 2005 Most Valuable Female Senior Athlete. Track and cross-country coach George Shakelton described Clifford’s six years of hard work as “unbelievable.” The recipient of 14 varsity letters, Clifford participated in three OCIAA cross country championships and 12 sectional championship meets. This year she made her seventh trip to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHAA) championships and won her second state medal.

Other athletes cited for their excellence included Angela Fortin-Paust as Miss Softball 2004, Garrett Owen as the Most Valuable Defensive Player in baseball, April Ackermann as the Most Valuable Female Track Athlete, Kayla Bozan as the Most Valuable Female Field Athlete, Mike VanWagenen as the Most Valuable Male Track Athlete, Alan Ackermann as the Most Valuable Male Field Athlete, Sabrina Reimer as the Most Improved Female Golfer, Nellie Norden as the Most Valuable Female Golfer, Ben Kleiner as the Underclassmen M.V.P. in golf and Sean Semenetz as the golf M.V.P.

Copies of the spring sports CD as well as those from the fall and winter are available from The River Reporter until June 24. Pictures of other winners are posted at riverreporter.com