By Lori Brown
GRAHAMSVILLE — On Wednesday, June 8, Tri-Valley Central School held its Spring Sports Awards Ceremony.
Director of Athletics Derek Adams opened the event by thanking all the players, parents and coaches for their work and dedication during the recently completed season. He then turned the podium over to Robert Hayes, who teaches the Field Management students at Tri-Valley Central School.
These students were a very important part of the spring sports season for the Bears and Lady Bears teams as they maintained the facilities. The students were taught how to work on the baseball and softball fields to keep them in ideal playing condition.
“They labored long and hard, they worked after school, during study halls, and even during school classes,” Hayes said of his students. “They learned geometry and plant science to maintain the fields. I am grateful for their participation in this opportunity.”
Among the evening’s award recipients were students in the Field Management class, including George Baggatta, Andrew Exner, Dominic Michael, Mark Morris and Charles Olsen.
The other boys in the class who worked on City Field, Grahamsville Fairgrounds Fields and Tri-Valley Central School Fields but were unable to attend the awards ceremony were Roger Coddington Jr., Brian Elswick, Donovan Furgison, Christian Klein and Ridge Peters.
Hayes congratulated all of the students for their hard work.
The members of the junior varsity softball and baseball teams were recognized for all their hard work through the rainy 2011 season. All of them were presented with certificates.
The varsity boys’ golf team finished the year with a 9-3 record in Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division IV and a 10-4 overall record.
“They did whatever you told them to do,” said Coach Jason Closs of his first year guiding the team.
The team also earned a Scholar-Athlete Team Award from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association.
Closs presented three awards. They were Most Valuable Player (MVP) – Jimmy Bernstein, Most Improved Player (MIP) – Kyle Rogers and Coaches Award – Jarryd Killian.
Longtime Coaches Joe Iatauro and Missy Iatauro gave MVP T-shirts to all the athletes involved in track and field this season. The boys’ and girls’ track and field teams clinched a tie for the OCIAA Division V title with victories against Liberty.
The Bears and Lady Bears also completed the dual meet portion of the OCIAA Div. V season undefeated, resulting in a division title for both teams. Since entering the OCIAA in 2001, the Lady Bears have won the division championship in nine of 11 years and the Bears have won the division crown in six of 11 years.
At the Section IX Class C championship meet, the boys’ team scored 134 points, 15 behind eventual champion Pine Plains. Individual champions for the Bears were Brian Edwards (shot put and discus) and Hauk Boyes (steeplechase). Brian Edwards and Kyle Denman placed third and fourth, respectively, in the pentathlon and Rafael Ramirez finished third in the hammer throw.
The boys’ track and field team award winners were MIP – Brian Edwards, MIP – Brendan Tierney, MIP – Justin Weintraub and MIP – Aidan Woolsey.
The girls’ track and field team recorded great accomplishments as well this season. The team won some invitational championships and won its fifth consecutive – and 23rd since 1981 – Section IX Class C title. Scoring in all 19 events, the Lady Bears accumulated more than 200 points to outdistance second place Liberty by almost 100 points. Individual champions were Dominique Darby (discus), Mareena DiMilia (shot put), Katelynn Greffrath (high jump) and Heidi Furman (javelin). At the OCIAA throwers pentathlon, which included competitors from 23 schools, Furman won the javelin and Darby won the hammer throw.
The girls’ track team award winners were MIP – Alex Brooks, MIP – Heidi Furman, MIP – Brooke Gillette, MIP – Olivia Rehm, MIP – Brittany Rennison, MIP – Sabrena Smith and MIP – Vickey Tingley.
Coach John Rusin congratulated his baseball team for a successful season. The team’s overall record was 9-9. The Bears won their first sectional game, but were defeated by S.S. Seward in the Section IX Class C championship game.
“I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Rusin said. “They supported each other through the end.”
The team’s award winners were MVP – Joe Mickelson, MIP – Fred Dumond and Coaches Award – Peter DiMilia.
Softball Coach Mary Feusner thanked her Assistant Coaches, Ellie Cassidy and Peter DiMilia, for their help this season.
“We had a triple play versus Livingston Manor, talk about excitement,” Feusner said.
Feusner noted that the Lady Bears played on artificial turf for the first time at the Rock versus Chester.
The team award winners were MVP – Erin Smith, MIP – Katherine Thilberg and Coaches Award – Nicole Bradley.
Coach Janet Carey, who guided the combined Fallsburg/T-V boys’ tennis team, noted that two T-V athletes who played the full season were Jesse Miller and Josue Ramos.
“They were best practice partners and both showed superior effort and perseverance,” Carey said.
Miller and Ramos were named Co-MVPs of the team.
Also recognized at the ceremony were two T-V alumni. On May 26, Ryan Loughney and Garrett Grey competed at the NCAA Division II National Outdoor Track and Field Championship at Cal Poly University in California. The two T-V graduates, who attend Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio, placed first and third, respectively, in the hammer throw. By placing among the top eight competitors, both are All-Americans. Loughney also set a new personal best and established a meet record.
Richard Ross ended the evening with a slide show presentation. Mellonee Cappiello and her classes prepared the refreshments for after the ceremony.