Monticello HS Honors
Senior Athletes

By Rob Potter
MONTICELLO — June 9, 2000 -- Coaches, parents and administrators joined together Tuesday evening at Mr. Willy’s in Monticello to honor a special group of athletes.
Student-athletes in 18 varsity sports were recognized at the annual Monticello High School Senior Athletic Awards Banquet.
And as High School Principal William Stickney noted in his remarks, the Monticello students who participate in athletics are true student-athletes.
“You cannot be on a team if you don’t maintain adaquate GPAs,” noted Stickney, refering to the school’s policy for athletic participation.
But that was not a problem for the athletes honored at the banquet, many of whom have excellent Grade Point Averages and will be furthering their educations at top-notch colleges.
In fact, 11 of the 18 MHS varsity teams received Scholar Athlete recognition by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association during the 1999-2000 academic year. To earn that honor, the composite academic average of a particular team must be 90 percent or higher.
“The athletic fields are a place not only for muscles and strength, but quick, healthy minds as well,” Stickney commented. “Tonight, we honor you for all you have done on the fields and courts, for all of the thrills you have given us.”
The prestigious Mayor’s Trophy was presented by Monticello Mayor Gary Sommers to senior Allison Benson. Every year since former Monticello Mayor John Duiguid initiated the honor in 1991, the Mayor’s Trophy has been awarded annually to one exceptional student-athlete.
Benson, who sports a 3.95 GPA, has competed for the girls’ track and field, girls’ soccer, indoor track and alpine skiing teams in her four years at MHS. She is also the current Section IX pole vault champion.
“It was kind of a surprise,” Benson said moments after Sommers handed her the trophy. “I thought I was towards the top [of the senior athletic candidates], but I didn’t know exactly where. This is very exciting.”
Benson has received an academic scholarship to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and hopes to compete on the school’s track team as well.
“I talked to the coach and he said he was excited to get another pole vaulter,” she added.
Other award winners are as follows:
• Coach’s Award (given by coaches to one member of each varsity team; recipient must uphold the highest standard of school service, athletic performance, integrity and sportsmanship): Allison Benson (Girls’ Outdoor Track and Girls’ Alpine Skiing), Angela Brasington (Cheerleading), Bin Chen (Boys’ Tennis), Shavonne Collins (Volleyball), Erin Garry (Girls’ Cross-Country), Jennifer Holmes (Girls’ Indoor Track), Phillip Jackson (Boys’ Indoor Track and Boys’ Outdoor Track), Cynthia Jessup (Girls’ Basketball), Laura Katzenberger (Girls’ Cross Country Skiing), Melissa Kiss (Softball), Brian Kurta (Boys’ Cross Country Skiing), Jonathan Mayberg (Wrestling), Joshua Meddaugh (Boys’ Soccer, Boys’ Alpine Skiing and Baseball), Benjamin Morganstein (Golf), Edwin Motl (Boys’ Cross Country), Amanda Newberg (Girls Tennis), Phillip Stewart (Boys’ Basketball) and Samantha Tucker (Girls’ Soccer).
• Senior Awards (student-athlete must have received at least three varsity letters in a given sport) – Boys’ Soccer: Justin Diaco, Joshua Meddaugh; Girls’ Tennis: Amanda Newberg; Volleyball: Patricia Tate; Girls’ Soccer: Anji Bakos, Allison Benson, Tammy Gabriel and Christine Kaiser; Cross-Country: Jakki deSenglau, Phillip Jackson, Brian Kurta, Billie Lucas, Kandace Michelin and Mara Miller; Indoor Track: Phillip Jackson and Kandace Michelin; Wrestling: Jonathan Mayberg; Alpine Skiing: Allison Benson, Justin Diaco, Jonathan Garfield, Jacob Lerner, Joshua Meddaugh and Josesph Rivela; Cross-Country Skiing: Jennifer Johnson, Laura Katzenberger, Brian Kurta and Mara Miller; Boys’ Basketball: Jason Campbell; Girls’ Track: Allison Benson and Mara Miller; Girls’ Basketball: Kimberly Fore and Brianna Tolli; Boys’ Track: Phillip Jackson; Golf: Michael Kaufman and Jacob Lerner; Boys’ Tennis: Jarred Lyons, Tyler White and Arbi Zadorian.
• Senior Plaques (students earn either Bachelor of Sport by earning at least three varsity letters, Master of Sport by earning at least six varsity letters, or Doctorate of Sports by earning at least nine varsity letters. Each student must have earned at least one letter during his or her senior year.)
Doctorate of Sport: Allison Benson, Justin Diaco, Phillip Jackson, Jacob Lerner, Joshua Meddaugh and Mara Miller.
Master of Sport: Scott Coddington, Jennifer Johnson, Laura Katzenberger, Brian Kurta, Kandice Michelin and Joseph Rivela.
Bachelor of Sport: Anji Bakos, Jason Campbell, Jakki deSenglau, Kimberly Fore, Tammy Gabriel, Jonathan Garfield, Christine Kaiser, Michael Kaufman, Melissa Lewis, Billie Lucas, Jarred Lyons, Chiana Massey, Jonathan Mayberg, Amanda Newberg, Patricia Tate, Brianna Tolli and Tyler White.
• Scholar Athlete Award (students who have maintained a GPA of at least 3.0 while competing on varsity teams): Alexandra Angel, Allison Benson, George Brandes, Angela Brasington, Bin Chen, Shavonne Collins, Kristin DeGraw, Jakki deSenglau, Justin Diaco, Kimberly Fore, Tammy Gabriel, Jennifer Johnson, Laura Katzenberger, Michael Kaufman, Melissa Kiss, Jacob Lerner, Erin Lynch-Stefl, Jarred Lyons, Jonathan Mayberg, Kandace Michelin, Mara Miller, Amanda Newberg, Joseph Rivela, Brianna Tolli and Arbi Zadorian.