Tri-Valley Winter Athletic Awards

Winter Bears garner awards and accolades

Great efforts by Tri-Valley’s winter athletes is cause for celebration

By RICHARD A. ROSS

GRAHAMSVILLE, NY — The days are lengthening and the rain has supplanted the snow as a sign that winter is soon to give way to spring. But for Tri-Valley athletes, coaches and parents, this past winter season created many enduring memories, many of which were celebrated in words and pictures at the winter athletic awards ceremony held on March 5.

Athletic director and track coach Joe Iatauro welcomed the throng that populated the school’s gorgeous state-of-the-art theater for the celebration. He introduced Tri-Valley/Fallsburg ski coach Janet Carey, who celebrated the fine efforts of the schools’ combined ski team. Carey acknowledged that skiing is a sport that represents a challenge for parents who come out to support their kids. It’s cold and there are no comfortable seats from which to watch. But that doesn’t stop legions of parents from populating the ski hills.

For skiing, snow is the operative word. As Carey noted, first there was too much, then too little and finally too many snow days. Nonetheless, the team showed dramatic improvement and they finished third among nine schools grouped irrespective of size.

The girls compiled a record of 24-12, while the boys reached a mark of 30-12. Both qualified for the New York State Scholar Athlete award. Using the top seven students from each squad, both netted averages of more than 94 percent in their academic rigors.

Carey presented the boys team awards as follows:

Matt Garigliano, Sportsmanship Award; Gavin Perrella, Most Improved Skier; and John Bernstein, MVP. The girls winners were Rachel Adriaans, Sportsmanship Award; Ellen Williams, Most Improved Skier; and Samantha Adriaans, MVP.

Varsity girls basketball coach Karen Williams presented the certificates to the junior varsity team that went 15-5 this past season. The varsity team went 7-13 this past season. The team had four seniors and two juniors, with the rest of the team comprised of freshmen and sophomores. Andrews celebrated the efforts of each of her players and touted the 93.5 average of her top seven, who enabled the team to qualify for a NYS Scholar Athlete designation.

Andrews had special praise for senior MVP Kaylie Ackerley. Ackerley scored 110 points and was the team’s third leading rebounder with 97 boards. She contributed 51 assists.

Kelly McNamara, the team’s Offensive MVP, was the only year-round player on the team. She was the second leading scorer with 172 points and 127 rebounds. She had 102 trips to the free-throw line and made 50 percent of her shots. Defensive MVP freshman Jakki Pugh was the team’s leading scorer with 180 points. She pulled down 112 rebounds and broke the school record with 107 steals.

Samantha Santiago was named the team’s Most Improved Player. Andrews had great praise for all of her players and celebrated the efforts of seniors Ackerley, Laurel Wilsen, Anneleise Hartman and Tricia Corigliano.

Cheerleading Coach Janna Warden celebrated her 10th year of coaching at Tri-Valley with a remarkable achievement. For the first time, Tri-Valley placed in the OCIAA cheerleading competition, earning third place among the large schools behind Warwick and Monroe-Woodbury. Placing in the OCIAA was the team goal this year and her squad, which included three boys and was led by its seven seniors, accomplished the task.

Those seven seniors included MVP Becky Romero, Spirit Award winner Amy VanDenberg and Outstanding Cheerleader Rachael Pompeii. The team MIP award went to Katie Sicina.

Junior varsity basketball coach John Tenbus had great praise for his group of young players, many of whom are likely to see varsity action next season. Varsity coach Brian Tingley recapped the season that just ended.

“I knew we’d be hanging our hat on defense this year,” he noted, and holding hot shooting Millbrook under 50 in the Class C semifinals was a testament to how well that defense evolved.

Tingley denoted the assets of each of his players, including Kevin Drown, who stood on the stage in his knee brace. Drown had a season-ending knee injury that required surgery. His defensive fervor was sorely missed.

Tingley acknowledged the fine contribution of seniors Dave McDonald, Sean Drown and Brendan Musa.

He presented awards to MVP Bo Murphy and MIP Andrew Yager. Murphy carried the offensive load early in the season but was happy when other people got into the flow even more.

The last team to take the stage was Tri-Valley’s winter track squad. This winter, the girls group won their third straight indoor Section Nine title. Coach Iatauro ran down the names of those present and recited a litany of praise for each one. Tanzeel Khan and Garrett Grey were chosen as the boys team Co-MVPs. Khan won the OCIAA title in the shot put and Grey won the Section Nine title, as Khan came in second. Both qualified for states as Grey took first in the state qualifier and Khan took second. Grey also won the weight throw in the state qualifier. Grey and Khan finished 11th and 21st at States.

Nick Denman was the team’s third MVP. Denman won the 1000 at the Section Nine meet. Iatuaro presented the Coaches Award to Nate Coelho and the MIP honors to Jesse Boncek.

Senior Courtney Roosa, the girls team MVP, racked up 28 points in helping the Lady Bears to their three-peat Section Nine crowning. She won the 3000, the 1500 and came in second in the 600. At the state qualifier, Roosa took first in the 3000. MIP status was accorded to Laura Elberth, Caroline Bertholf and Michelle McNutt.

Tri-Valley seeks to defend its Section Nine titles in both boys and girls track this spring.

The evening was accentuated with a musical slide show that catalogued this past season’s milestones and highlighted the cadre of fine young athletes that made Tri-Valley’s winter season so special.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of pictures of all of the award winners and the winter teams.