By Rob Potter
LIBERTY — June 4, 2010 — Coaches, family members, friends, board of education members, administrators and community members honored dozens of Liberty Central School athletes on Wednesday night at the annual Block “L” Athletic Awards Ceremony in the high school auditorium.
Athletic Director Jason Semo noted that it was a great year for Liberty athletics as several teams and athletes qualified for sectionals and nine teams were named New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Scholar-Athlete Teams.
Those nine Liberty teams to earn NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Team honors included: boys’ soccer, girls’ soccer, girls’ tennis, girls’ indoor track, boys’ track and field, girls’ track and field, softball, boys’ tennis and golf.
“Coaches, your efforts day and night have helped our athletes do their best,” Semo said. “For four years, we have been restoring the Liberty Pride in our athletic program. We are at a good point now. We have to keep moving forward and take it to the next level.”
Semo also spoke about how a recent conversation with his father-in-law taught him the importance of having faith in yourself, especially when dealing with adversity.
“All of the athletes here tonight have faith in themselves,” he said. “The coaches have faith in the athletes and the community has faith in the athletes.”
High School Principal Jack Strassman congratulated the athletes for their achievements during the 2009-2010 school year.
“They say that it’s not important whether you win or lose, but I must admit that I like it when our teams win,” he said.
In addition to the awards given to the athletes, Semo presented Liberty Pride Awards to Sam’s Towing & Recovery, Rolling V, Liberty Diner, Martin Hersch, Esq. and Michael McGuire, Esq.
Strassman presented certificates to several parent volunteers who helped the athletic program during this academic year.
The evening also included a slide show presentation by Richard Ross of sportsinsightsny. com, which highlighted dozens of unforgettable Liberty sports moments from the past nine months.
The coaches of each team spoke about their team’s season and presented special awards to some of their players.
Those awards were as follows:
Boys Soccer (Coach Debbie Simpson) – Most Valuable Player (MVP): Mike Scherer; Most Improved Player: Scott Franke; Offensive Player of the Year: Tim Burgio; Defensive Player of the Year: Will McGuire
Girls’ Soccer (Coach Anne Ramos) – MVP: Yazmin Romero; MIP: Guadelupe Perez; Coach’s Award: Jeni Stolow
Volleyball (Coach Lori Kachelmeyer) – MVP: Kayla Campbell; MIP: Brenna O’Malley; Coach’s Award: Alexandria Hercules
Cross Country (Coach Ralph Bressler) – Boys’ MVP: Herman Drayton; Girls’ MIP: Morgan Kortwright; Coach’s Award: Scott Kaplan and Scott Miller
Girls’ Tennis (Coach Beth Mandresh) – MVP: Jill Lieberman; MIP: Ashley Wallgren
Football (Coach John Wilhelm) – MVP: Brandon Tompkins; John O’Hearn Most Improved Player: Eddie Soto; Offensive Player of the Year: Nelson Saravia; Defensive Player of the Year: Michael McLean
Football Cheerleading (Coach Audra Santillo) – MVP: Gianni Morales and Zanada Reynolds
Alpine Skiing (Coach Cindy Ellmauer) – MVP: Ryan Zweck; MIP: Josh DeCarlo
Boys’ Basketball (Coach Jason Semo) – Ivan Richards Most Valuable Player: Herman Drayton; MIP: Eddie Soto; Offensive Player of the Year: Dontrea McLaurin; Defensive Player of the Year: Michael McLean
Girls’ Basketball (Coach Ryan Baldock) – Ivan Richard Most Valuable Player: Alyssa Corbett; MIP: Adrianna Rubio; Offensive Player of the Year: Victoria Baum; Defensive Player of the Year: Olivia Baum
Basketball Cheerleading (Coach Bernadette Hofsommer): MVP: Zanada Reynolds; MIP: Marissa Martinez
Boys’ Indoor Track (Coach Hazel Yaun) – MVP: Ryan Harnish; MIP: Andrew Hazelnis; Coach’s Award: Tim Burgio
Girls’ Indoor Track (Coach Debbie Simpson) – MVP: Jessica Dunnigan; MIP: Lara Gottschalk and Rebeccah Harman
Wrestling (Coach John Lennon) – MVP: Andy Martinez; MIP: Vinny Webbe
Baseball (Coach John Wilhelm) – Most Valuable Defensive Player: Jordan Fedun; Most Valuable Offensive Player: Adam Hendrix; MIP: Ben Grisafe
Softball (Coach Matthew Stoddard) – Most Valuable Defensive Player: Kirsten Sauer; MIP: Evangelia Fitzpatrick
Golf (Coach John Napolitano) – MVP: Ryan Barber; MIP: Scott Franke
Boys’ Track and Field (Coach Hazel Yaun) – MVP Track: Tim Burgio; MVP Field: Christopher Lockwood; MIP Track: Omar Lopez; MIP Field: Adalberto Ponce; Coach’s Award: Ryan Harnish
Girls’ Track and Field (Coach Ralph Bressler) – MVP: Jessica Dunnigan; Coach’s Award: Rebeccah Harman and Lara Heslop
Boys’ Tennis (Coach Beth Mandresh) – MVP: Calvin Henry; MIP: Gene Doyle.
Coaches and community members presented Trophy Awards to 11 athletes. They included: Buchal Award for Baseball and Softball MVP (Presented by Charlie Buchal): Will McGuire and Taylor DeVantier
Fred Planica Memorial Award (Presented by John Wilhelm): Conor Siegel
Goodstein Award for Wrestling Perseverance (Presented by John Lennon): Dylan Blackwell
Ross Award for Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer Scholar-Athlete (Presented by Debbie Simpson and Anne Ramos): Scott Franke and Guadalupe Perez
Rattner Award for Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball Scholar-Athlete (Presented by Jason Semo and Ryan Baldock): Calvin Henry and Alyssa Corbett
Kavleski Award for Boys’ and Girls’ Track Scholar-Athlete (Presented by Jason Semo): Tom Campbell and Zanada Reynolds
Charlie Barbuti Award for Baseball and Softball Sportsmanship Scholarship (Presented by Charlie Barbuti Jr.): Alyssa Corbett
In addition, six athletes received Senior Trophy awards. They included:
Liberty Rotary Club Senior Perseverance Award (Presented by Jack Strassman): Calvin Henry and Jeni Stolow
Elizabeth “Betty” Totten Sportsmanship Award (Presented by Paul Gatta): Dontrea McLaurin and Alyssa Corbett
Tom Kelly Award for Outstanding Senior Athlete (Presented by Jason Semo): Brandon Tompkins and Kirsten Sauer.