Awards

Tri-Valley’s Tingley named TH-R coach of the year

Bears senior John Merchant makes first team; Sullivan West’s Cappiello and Monticello’s Norman third team picks

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MIDDLETOWN, NY - As a fitting last hurrah to the recently concluded basketball team, the much-anticipated 2007 Sunday Record All-stars of the Times Herald-Record (TH-R) and the 2007 Coach of the Year have now been announced and had their names added to the annals of the 37-year- old distinction that dates back to 1970.

Tri-Valley first year coach Brian Tingley wasted no time in catapulting himself and his team to notoriety. Tingley, this year’s Coach of the Year, guided his 22-2 team to Division V and Class C titles and won a regional game against Section One’s Alexander Hamilton, before falling one game shy of the state’s Final Four with a loss to Section 8’s Friend’s Academy.

Tingley’s quiet and thoughtful style, enhanced by intense study and preparation, was just the right catalyst for the Bears, whose only other loss came against Sullivan West.

Senior guard John Merchant was selected as a first team All-Star. Merchant averaged 20 points per game, six rebounds and three steals. A player who could have easily broken the 1,000-point barrier, Merchant ended up just eight points shy of the mark because he saw far more value in passing the ball to his teammates when he could have scored. His efforts helped to build a team chemistry that made Tri-Valley infinitely better.

Three Newburgh Free Academy players, including TH-R Player of the Year Justin Rutty and teammates Terry Coleman and Jeff Ryan, joined Merchant on the team, along with Cornwall standout Peter Bradley. Many regarded this year’s NFA team as one of the greatest in Section 9 history. The Section 9 champs lost to eventual state champion Mount Vernon by two points in the state quarterfinals for the second straight year.

NYSPHSAA Class AA champion Mount Vernon fell short of its quest to repeat as Federation Champions when the Knights lost to Rice of the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) in the semifinals. Rice then lost to NYC’s Public School Athletic Association champion Lincoln in the finals.

Cornwall finally got over the hump and beat longstanding rival Red Hook for the Section 9 Class A title. Cornwall succumbed to Peekskill in the first round of the Regionals. Peekskill went on to win its third straight NYSPHSAA championship and then went on to win this year’s Federation title by surpassing Long Island’s Lutheran of the Association of Independent Schools (AISAA) and then Cardinal Hayes of the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA).

Two other Sullivan County hoop stars made the cut when it came to TH-R’s all-star selections.

Sullivan West senior guard Kevin Cappiello led his team to the Class B semifinals this year and averaged 16 points per game, eight assists and five rebounds. Cappiello was selected to TH-R’s third team. Monticello senior forward Mike Norman was chosen to the third team for the second consecutive year. Norman averaged a double-double again, this year with 14.0 points per game and 11.4 rebounds per game.

Other Section 9 players chosen as TH-R all-stars were as follows: second team, Blake Williams of Washingtonville, Dustin Priest of Rondout Valley, Isai Reyes of Warwick, Kyle Byrons of John S. Burke Catholic and Quillar Marion of NFA. Third team members included Cory Quimby of Minisink Valley, Sean D’Auria of Cornwall and Curtis Dieudonne of NFA.