By Rob Potter
ROSCOE — March 26, 2010 — The Roscoe Central School District honored its winter sports athletes with an awards dinner on Monday night in the school cafeteria.
Athletes, parents and coaches enjoyed chili, cornbread, punch and a variety of desserts as they recognized the accomplishments of the Blue Devil and Lady Blue Devil teams during the recently completed 2009-2010 winter sports season.
Two of the most prestigious awards were Scholar Athlete Team Awards from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA). The two Roscoe teams to earn that honor were the Lady Devils varsity soccer team and the Lady Devils varsity basketball team.
Athletic Director Fred Ahart noted that the school received word of the Lady Devils soccer team earning its NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Award after the school held its fall sports awards presentation on Dec. 1.
“Scholar Athlete Teams must have a grade point average of at least 90 percent,” Roscoe Central School Principal Tammy Mangus said. “To be able to attend the many practices and games and achieve a GPA of at least 90 percent is a great achievement.”
“They played hard on the field and did a great job in the classroom,” Coach Brian Smith said of the Lady Blue Devils. “I am very proud of them.”
The members of the Lady Blue Devils soccer team included: Alexa Bullis, Taylor DeVantier, Abigail Dusseldorp, Angelique Feeney, Amanda Huggins, Agnes Piatek, Helena Rae Williams, Kiera Browne, Paige Clancy, Cassandra Tutalo, Samantha Bingay, Sierra Bowers, Mollie Browne, Callie Bullis, Brittany Klinger and Sydney Portz.
Smith and the team’s seniors presented the third place trophy they earned at last fall’s Margaretville Girls’ Soccer Tournament to Superintendent John Evans.
“The girls’ basketball team received its Scholar Athlete Team award for a 92.824 average,” Coach Becky Ahart said.
The members of the Lady Blue Devils basketball team are Taylor DeVantier, Amanda Huggins, Amanda Ladenhauf, Kiera Browne, Paige Clancy, Christina Maliarakis, Andrea Griebel, Samantha Bingay, Mollie Browne, Callie Bullis and Brittany Klinger.
Boys’ Varsity Basketball Coach Fred Ahart called the members of the team up on the stage to be recognized.
“These guys earned a lot of respect from all of the teams we played this season,” he said. “We were short in numbers and short in stature. We only had seven players, and sometimes six players, but they always played hard and did the best they could.”
Fred Ahart presented senior trophies to Mark Baker and Nate Brock.
“They were on the team the past two years and set a good example for our younger players,” the veteran coach said. “They worked hard and we will certainly miss both of them next year.”
Fred Ahart noted that the Blue Devils played in two tournaments during the season. At the tournaments, one in Downsville and one in Margaretville, the team voted not to select one player for the all-tournament team but to honor the entire team.
Two of the Blue Devils received individual honors. Nate Brock earned a Varsity 845 certificate from an out-of-county daily newspaper for being the leading 3-point shooter in Section IX. Adam Hendrix earned a certificate for being named to the Basketball Coaches Association of New York’s Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association Class C/D Team.
In addition, Fred Ahart presented Hendrix with a varsity jacket for earning the required number of varsity letters.
Fred Ahart also awarded certificates to Kiera Browne, Paige Clancy and Amanda Ladenhauf for keeping the statistics at the games this season and to Dan Clancy for being the ball boy.
The members of the Blue Devils varsity basketball team included: Mark Baker, Nate Brock, William Browne, Adam Hendrix, Jesse Huggins, Michael Failla and Jordan Tallman.
Before introducing the members of the Blue Devils junior varsity basketball team, Coach Brian Smith thanked Fred Ahart, Lady Blue Devils basketball team Coach Becky Ahart, Modified boys’ basketball team Coach Bill Hendrickson and the Roscoe Central School administration for helping to make the 2009-2010 season a success.
“We had a great group of players,” Smith said. “They worked very hard this season. They played harder than the other teams. We played some teams that were four times bigger than us, but for the most part we were right in the game.”
The members of the Blue Devils JV basketball team were: Dylan Baker, Calvin Mangus, Tyler Melvin, Harrison Muller, Steven Boynton, John Becker, Evan Chesney, Michael Lundeen, Bradley Dreher and Roberto Taurino.
Coach Becky Ahart invited the members of the Lady Blue Devils basketball team to come up on the stage. She spoke about the team’s season and each player’s contributions to the team.
Becky Ahart especially noted the squad’s three seniors: Taylor DeVantier, Amanda Huggins and Amanda Ladenhauf. DeVantier played two years on the varsity team and two years on the JV team. Huggins played two years on the varsity team and one year on the JV team. Ladenhauf played a total of five years for the varsity and JV squads.
“I want to thank the seniors for all of their contributions to the program,” Becky Ahart said. “I will miss them, but I am also looking forward to working with the players who will be back next year.”
Becky Ahart explained that the Lady Blue Devils participated in a free throw shooting contest during their practices throughout the season. She presented certificates to Andrea Griebel and Kiera Browne. Griebel made the most free throws during the season, while Browne received her certificates for the most times being on top of the contest and being on top when the contest ended.
Becky Ahart also presented a certificate to Paige Clancy for being named to the All-Section IX Basketball Coaches Team.
In addition, Becky Ahart presented a certificate to Dan Clancy for being the ball boy/equipment manager for the Lady Blue Devils this season.
The members of the Lady Blue Devils basketball team included: Taylor DeVantier, Amanda Huggins, Amanda Ladenhauf, Kiera Browne, Paige Clancy, Christina Maliarakis, Andrea Griebel, Samantha Bingay, Mollie Browne, Callie Bullis and Brittany Klinger.
Coach Bill Hendrickson spoke about the Modified Boys’ basketball team.
“They worked well together and played as a team,” he said. “They were just a great group of kids.”
The members of the Modified Boys’ basketball team included: William Brosius, Liam Fogarty, Michael Taurino, Ryan Wood, Brett Kiakis, Robert Dreher III, Tommy Gray, Dylan Murphy and Collin Tallman.
Coach Jessica Gonzalez talked about the Modified Girls’ basketball team.
“We had eight girls on the team,” Gonzalez said. “It was a fantastic year. These girls gave an outstanding effort on and off the court.”
The members of the Modified Girls’ basketball team were: Michele Andrae, Ashley Cox, Alyssa Edelglass, Alexandra Francisco, Victoria Rose Madera, Christine McKee, Maria Muller and Heather Mustavs.
Cheerleading Advisors Cindy Hendrix and Brenda Mootz noted that they enjoyed working with the 11 girls on the team.
“The older girls did a great job of mentoring the younger members of the squad,” Hendrix said. “Every member of the squad did an excellent job this season.”
Hendrix and Mootz presented special certificates to the team’s two seniors, Jennifer Conway and Angelique Feeney.
The members of the cheerleading team included: Jennifer Conway, Angelica DiVita, Angelique Feeney, Danielle Edelglass, Jordan DeRosia, Sierra Bowers, Sydney Portz, Micaela Bishop, Marinella DiVita, Kimberlie Dusseldorp, Toni Portz and Jenna Lambrigger.
Also listed on the dinner’s program was Alexandra Bishop, who competed for the Livingston Manor Indoor Track Team this winter.
In his closing remarks, Superintendent John Evans thanked all of the athletes and their parents for making the 2009-2010 Roscoe winter sports season a success.