By Rob Potter
LAKE HUNTINGTON — With practices for the winter sports season already underway, the Sullivan West Central School district took some time on Thursday night to honor the athletes, coaches, staff members, volunteers, parents and family members who helped make the recently completed fall sports season so successful.
In her welcoming remarks, SW High School Principal Margaret Tenbus thanked everyone for attending the program in the school’s auditorium.
“Tonight we honor the student-athletes who we believe are the best in Sullivan County and among the best in the State of New York,” she said.
A powerpoint presentation by Richard A. Ross featuring hundreds of photos garnered several positive responses from the crowd and a hearty round of applause at the end of the presentation.
After Kathryn Peters sang “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Athletic Director Dave Franskevicz introduced all of the junior varsity and varsity coaches sitting on the stage. Each coach then stepped up to the podium and invited the members of their teams to join them on stage.
Each of the varsity coaches also presented special awards to two members of their team.
In his remarks, Girls’ Cross Country Coach George Shakelton noted that his team “had a wonderful season.”
Among the highlights were freshman Dani Myers winning the Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division IV championship and Myers and junior Rianne Erlwein both qualifying for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) meet at SUNY Plattsburgh.
Boys’ Cross Country Coach George Rose noted that his team “was very young.” Although the Bulldogs only had five members, they won at the Downsville Invitational.
Both Rose and Shakelton thanked the parents of the cross country runners who helped the teams take a trip to Orlando, Florida for an invitational meet.
Girls’ Soccer Coach Mike Ellmauer praised his team members for their hard work and dedication all season, which resulted in a berth in the Section IX Class C tournament.
“These ladies did a great job of playing soccer,” he said.
Volleyball Coach Cliff Kelly noted that by earning the No. 3 seed in the Section IX Class C tournament, the Lady Bulldogs received a trip to Pine Plains to face the second-seeded Lady Bombers.
“It was a 108-mile, one-way trip,” Kelly said.
But he noted that his team played well in that match, recovering from an 8-0 deficit in the first game to tie the score at 21-21. Pine Plains won the match in three games, 25-21, 25-17, 25-18, but Kelly praised the Lady Bulldogs for playing well the entire match.
Boys’ Soccer Coach Debbie Owen thanked Franskevicz for helping to arrange for the Bulldogs to play a match at the National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum in Oneonta.
“It was a good year,” Owen said of her team’s 2009 campaign.
Football Coach Ron Bauer noted that his team had a good overall season as the Bulldogs reached the Section IX Class C semifinals. He also encouraged the underclassmen to lift weights year-round in order to get stronger for next season.
“Eldred is having a good football season and that school has a new weight room,” Bauer said.
Franskevicz congratulated all of the student-athletes and coaches for their efforts during the fall season.
“Practices for the winter season have already begun,” he said. “We wish those winter sports teams good luck.”
Teams honored included:
Varsity Girls’ Cross Country (Coach George Shakelton, Assistant Coach Kim Weyandt): Kendra Barker, Rachel Deppa, Katey Dnistrian, Rianne Erlwein, Morgan Hawkins, Jamie Moran, Danielle Myers and Stephany Robison
Special Awards: Most Improved Runner – Rachel Deppa; Most Valuable Runner – Rianne Erlwein
Varsity Boys’ Cross Country (Coach George Rose, Assistant Coach Kim Weyandt): Tyler Glynn, Shaughn Goggin, Eric Haberli, David Schultz and Reed Scott
Special Awards: Most Improved Runner – Shaughn Goggin; Most Valuable Runner – Reed Scott
Junior Varsity Girls’ Soccer (Coach James Hinton): Stephanie Hauschild, Tracey Pincus, Melissa Pitz, Hayley Puerschner, Amanda Rosenberger, Julia Rueda, Cassidy Sauer, Emma Seidl, Stephanie Smith, Kristina Sumfleth, Kaitlin Taylor and Allison VanWagenen
Varsity Girls’ Soccer (Coach Mike Ellmauer, Assistant Coach Mark Shirdon): Lindsey Bauer, Rachel Dickey, Angela DiSanto, Adina Fadis, Hannah Feinman, Jillian Fife, Katrina Graby, Vanessa Grisafe, Shelby Grishaber, Gabrielle Humleker, Ashley Mahoney, Madeline Paciga, Catherine Peters, Heather Puerschner, Erika Schmidt, Sarah Shirdon, Joanna Trujillo and Kim Yewchuk
Special Awards: Miss All-Around Soccer Player – Sarah Shirdon; Most Valuable Player – Katrina Graby
Junior Varsity Volleyball (Coach Cliff Kelly): Alexa Buday, Sonya Gattus, Olivia Grady, Melissa McCormack, Karalii Rabii, Alexandria Robison, Chelsie Stauch, Erika Stauch and Barbara Whitaker
Varsity Volleyball (Coach Cliff Kelly): Rebecca Corcillo, Amanda Goddard, Maya Grady, Alessandra Imbesi, Amanda Kehrley, Brianna Kline, Danielle Meyer, Brittany Milk, Jackie Parsons, Jenna Snow and Ruby Wheaton
Special Awards: Most Improved Player – Brittany Milk; Team Leadership – Danielle Meyer
Varsity Boys’ Soccer (Coach Debbie Owen, Assistant Coach Rick Ellison, Manager Luke Ellison): Lucas Bauer, Brice Billard, Chris Ellison, Tyler Groh, Bobby Kehrley, Andy Kinch, Karl Knecht, Alex Lander, Richard Lander, Eric Lovgren, Miguel Marin, Juan Mercado, Mark Michel, Sean Murphy, Austin Sauer, Sam Smith, Greg Stevenson and Eli Vaknin
Special Awards: Coaches’ Award – Andy Kinch; Most Valuable Player – Austin Sauer
Junior Varsity Football (Coach Anthony Durkin, Assistant Coach J.P. Lang): Kitt Borowski, Travis Brockner, Max Carmack, Scott Erdman, Sawyer Erlwein, Jeffrey Fredenburg, Bradley Gruber, Brad Hemmer, Scott Herbert, Sean Hillriegel, Ben Kline, Chris Lang, Connor Lovgren, John Masten, Richard Meihofer, Richard Mirch, Tom Mootz, Devon Muzuruk, Andrew Parsons, Eli Peters, Matt Pitz, Blain Reddish and Joe Schroeder
Varsity Football (Coach Ron Bauer, Assistant Coach Norman Bauer, Assistant Coach Kurt Buddenhagen): Ryan Alsdorf, Mason Berrian, Angelo Bibbo, Michael Bingay, Cruz Burgos, Jeremy DeGori, Michael Durkin, Austin Erlwein, E.J. Franskevicz, Gabe Lagrutta, Eric Leewe, Alex Manzi, Chris Murphy, Anthony Nicoletti, Artie Norden, Jimmy O’Connor, Latii Rabii, Todd Roeder, Michael Schmidt, Mark Schwartz, Mark Tesseyman and Brandon Wagner
Special Awards: Outstanding Lineman – Mark Tesseyman; Most Improved Player – Artie Norden.