By Frank Rizzo
MONTICELLO — December 29, 2000 – Five fall teams at Monticello High School qualified as New York State Scholar Athletes: girls’ tennis, girls’ soccer, boys’ cross country, girls’ volleyball and boys’ soccer.
The Scholar Athlete Program is based on the New York State Pubic High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) belief that athletics are an extension of the academic classroom. It is also part of the association’s desire to recognize academic excellence coupled with athletic participation.
The program centers on a team concept of academic achievement for varsity athletes and their teams. Scholar athlete teams must have a required number of members achieve a 90.0 minimum cumulative grade point average.
The tennis team has been the most successful in the state, winning a record seven titles, but this year were edged out by Binghamton High School, 98.849 to 98.222.
The tennis team is coached by Urvashi “Tutu” Gupta and members include: Casey Berson, Ashley Bloom, Lauren Brinkerhoff, Kate Davidoff, Brady Dollard, Kim Franklin, Caitlin Gunther, Elizabeth Klimasiewfski, Morgan Kulchinsky, Rebecca Roberts, and Julie Stackhouse.
Girls’ soccer: GPA 96.66, coached by Kristy Dean. Qualifying members were: Christa Billias, Tina Billias, Jenna Diaco, Amanda Drobysh, Megan Drobysh, Meghan Garry, Jessica Konefal, Ashley Morse, Candice Sheerer, Rebecca Sheerer, Allyson Strong, and Samantha Tucker.
Boys’ cross country: GPA 92.0, coached by Pete Wysochanski . Members were Ross Feller, Timothy Billias, Edwin Motl, Devin Brust, Ronald Ducharme, Joseph Lerner, and Anthony Smith.
Girls’ volleyball: GPA 91.5, coached by Karen Atack. Members were Jennifer Burns, Crystal Forget, Kristin Fried, Cynthia Jessup, Tricia Parks, Allison Scheinfeld, Katy Schlichtman, and Holly Schoonmaker.
Boys’ soccer team: GPA 90.75, coached by Kevin O’Shea. Members were Brandon Bennett, Benjamin Cohen, Matthew Gottlieb, Erik Johnson, Derek Kilcoin, Jonathan Meddaugh, Benjamin Morganstein, Andrew Simon, Mike Tadaldi, Vincent Dollard, Jose Suarez, and Conrado Szilard.
