By Rob Potter
MONTICELLO — Three Monticello High School sports teams were honored for their work in the classroom last Thursday night at the Monticello Central School District’s regular board of education meeting at the Kenneth L. Rutherford Elementary School.
Athletic Director Doug Murphy happily informed Superintendent Dr. Patrick Michel, the board of education members and a large crowd of parents and family members that the Monticello girls’ indoor track team, boys’ skiing team and girls’ skiing team had been recognized by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) as scholar/athlete teams for the 2007-2008 winter sports season.
The girls’ skiing team, which had a team GPA of 98.29, won the state scholar/athlete team award.
The boys’ skiing team was 10th in New York State with a team GPA of 94.43.
The girls’ indoor track team posted a team GPA of 94.12, which was seventh among Section IX teams.
In order to earn a scholar/athlete award though the NYSPHSAA program, which is sponsored by the Pupil Benefits Plan, Inc., a minimum of seven team members had to achieve an average of 90 percent or higher during the winter sports season.
Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Athletic Coordinator Jim Osborne represented Section IX and NYSPHSAA at the meeting. He presented the state championship banner to Coach Steve Duarte, Coach Scott Fitchett and the members of the girls’ skiing team.
Osborne noted that NYSPHSAA has been presenting scholar/athlete team awards for 17 years.
“This is the 30th scholar/athlete team award presented to the Monticello School District since the program began,” Osborne said. “That is a great achievement for your school district.”
In addition, this was the 11th time a Monticello girls’ skiing team has won a state scholar/athlete championship through the NYSPHSAA program.