Sports highlights of 2004-05

Memorable images of a great sports year

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — To the timeless strains of “Pomp and Circumstance,” the graduates of 2005 have officially put an end to their tenure at our local high schools. For many this rite of passage denotes an end to their participation in varsity athletics.

Timely congratulations are in order to our senior athletes, many of whom played a crucial role in this action-packed year. As a witness to their fine efforts, this writer, along with their coaches and school personnel, can attest that they will be surely missed.

Each of the three seasons had its special moments.

In the fall, Friday nights and Saturday afternoons were marked by the clashes of our area football teams. The unparalleled success of the Sullivan West Bulldogs, who compiled a 9-1 record that brought them a sectional title, had all the trappings of a Cinderella story. True, the Bulldogs’ hopes of making it to the state championships in Carrier Dome were turned aside by their only defeat, a painful 14-6 loss to Rye in the state quarterfinals. Even so, the run was indeed a special one.

In cross-country, Eldred sent its boys’ team to the state meet along with Sullivan West’s Mike VanWagenen, Tri-Valley’s Travis Wolfe, Derek Smith and Jeremy Mathsen. Jamie Clifford and Jessica Wagner got to the states representing Sullivan West along with Courtney Roosa and Erin Beach from Tri-Valley. Warwick’s Aislinn Ryan, the New York state runner up, won the Foot Locker National championship in San Diego.

Winter brought the uproarious sights and sounds of basketball. Hard fought contests between Monticello and Sullivan West, Burke and Monticello and Burke and Sullivan West provided some of the best regular season boys’ action. Tri-Valley’s young and promising team made its debut and made themselves known as a force to be reckoned with in the future. After a seesaw battle in the Class B final, Burke’s boys’ prevailed over Sullivan West while the Lady Eagles defeated Spackenkill to take the Class B title. Sewards’ boys’ and girls’ teams prevailed in Class D.

The sectionals and first round of the state tournament were held at Sullivan County Community College affording hordes of local fans a chance to see the area’s best play for a chance to advance to the state finals.

Meanwhile indoor track meets went on apace at SCCC. The Tri-Valley girls won their 16th straight Sullivan County championship, while the male Bears took their third crown in a row. Eldred’s Kyle Anthony won the long and triple jumps at the OCIAA championships at West Point. Anthony, Tri-Valley’s Andy Garigliano and Monticello’s Erica Kalber qualified for the state meet at the Carrier Dome. On the national scene, Ryan topped the best from coast-to-coast in the Boston Indoor Mile and the Millrose Mile at Madison Square Garden.

This spring brought an eruption of outdoor action. Track meets at Tri-Valley, Sullivan West, Monticello, Warwick, Kingston and at the states in North Syracuse were exciting. The Tri-Valley and Eldred’s boys successfully retained their division and sectional titles. The Tri-Valley girls won the division title but lost the sectional title to Millbrook. Wolfe and Anthony each came home from the states with a Division II title. Wolfe took the steeplechase and Anthony captured the triple jump.

Sullivan West’s girls’ 4x800 team came home with a sixth place medal. Wolfe went on to be awarded All-American status at the Nike Outdoor Track and Field Championships with his fifth-place finish in the 2000-steeplechase. Ryan took second place in the girls’ two mile at the nationals.

Area baseball and softball teams played hard and had their moments. Unfortunately, most failed to make it to post season play. Sullivan West’s baseball and softball teams and Tri-Valley’s softball team exited in their first round of sectionals.

All in all, it’s been a year to remember.