By Rob Potter
LAKE HUNTINGTON — On Thursday evening, the Sullivan West Central School community took time to honor coaches and student-athletes for their recent accomplishments at the Spring Sports Awards Presentation.
As the student-athletes, coaches and family members gathered in the SW auditorium, Principal Margy Tenbus welcomed everyone.
“We are proud of all of you, especially our senior athletes for your accomplishments in all four years of high school,” Tenbus said. “I am very happy to be here tonight.”
Athletic Director Dave Franskevicz introduced all of the coaches on the stage. As he congratulated the athletes and coaches for their achievements this spring season, Franskevicz noted some special honors. Those honors included Ryan Alsdorf and Gabrielle Humleker being chosen as the school’s 2010-2011 Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Scholar Athletes; the girls’ golf team, boys’ track team and softball team for qualifying for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Scholar Athlete Team recognition for the spring season; and the boys’ golf team for once again being an OCIAA Division champion.
The coaches then spoke about their seasons and praised their team members for their hard work, dedication and sportsmanship. The coaches also thanked the SW administration, Board of Education members, parents, volunteers and community members for all of their assistance this season.
Several of the coaches applauded their teams or members of their teams for qualifying for sectional and state competitions. Each coach presented some special awards, such as Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Player and Coaches Award.
The members of the Lady Bulldogs junior varsity softball team made a special presentation. On behalf of their teammates, Coach J.P. Lang and all of those who volunteered for a recent chicken barbecue fundraiser, Katie Slater and Erika Stauch presented a check for $2,090 to Brittany Roa, whose family lost their home to a fire. Roa is a member of the Lady Bulldogs’ varsity track team.
Those awards presented by the coaches were as follows:
Varsity Girls’ Track (Co-Coach George Shakelton, Co-Coach Kim Weyandt, Assistant Coach Dustin Pritzert): Rachel Deppa, Kelsey Dutton, Rianne Erlwein, Hannah Feinman, Olivia Grady, Morgen Hall, Rosa Martinez, Jordan Mirch, Danielle Myers, Angel Ngoie-Kabuya, Catherine Rhodes, Brittany Roa, Kristina Sumfleth, Corrine VanWagner, Nicole Velasquez, Laura Vennes and Barbara Whittaker
Most Valuable Track Athlete – Danielle Myers; Most Valuable Field Athlete – Hannah Feinman
Varsity Boys’ Track (Coach Ron Bauer, Assistant Coach Dustin Pritzert): Jonah Bauer, Tyler Bernitt, Angelo Bibbo, Chance Bibbo, Matt Cardona, Matt Edwards, Jared Ellsworth, Robert Feeney, Kyle Flynn, Tristen Glynn, Tyler Glynn, Shaughn Goggin, Tyler Groh, Eric Haberli, Johnathon Haff, Andy Kinch, Ben Kline, Mike LaGrutta, Chris Lang, Eric Lovgren, John Masten, Mark Michel, Adam Murphy, Sean Murphy, Mitchel Paciga, Tele Rabii, Blain Reddish, Todd Roeder, Chris Scott, Reed Scott, Sam Smith and Brandon Wagner
Most Valuable Track Athlete – Kyle Flynn; Most Valuable Field Athlete – Brandon Wagner
Junior Varsity Softball (Coach J.P. Lang): Dana Borowski, Kelsey Brockner, Marianne Durkin, Erin Finn, Carly Grishaber, Isabella Kent, Bethanii Padu, Karalii Rabii, Lexi Reeves, Cassidy Sauer, Sydney Sipple, Katie Slater, Samantha Spangler, Chelsie Stauch and Erika Stauch
Varsity Softball (Coach Mike Ellmauer, Assistant Coach Joe Ebeling): Amber Cookingham, Katerina Gaebel, Amanda Goddard, Victoria Haas, Gabrielle Humleker, Kendall Menges, Brittney Milk, Jackie Parsons, Amanda Rosenberger, Hannah Schwatz, Emma Seidl and Kaitlyn Taylor
Defensive MVP – Emma Seidl; Coaches Award – Jackie Parsons
Junior Varsity Baseball (Coach Jim O’Connor): Owen Andrews, John Chudik, Sawyer Erlwein, Cody Franskevicz, Sean Graham, Scott Herbert, Karl Knecht, Jared Meola, Devin Mirch, Sean Mullins, Zach O’Connor, Gavin Owen, Travis Roeder, Andrew Siegel and Greg Stevenson
Varsity Baseball (Coach Kurt Scheibe, Assistant Coach Anthony Durkin, Assistant Volunteer Pat Donovan): Ryan Alsdorf, Lucas Bauer, Cruz Burgos, Jeremy DeGori, Michael Durkin, E.J. Franskevicz, Richard Mirch, Ben Mitterwager (manager), Jimmy O’Connor, Andrew Parsons, Michael Pierce, Patrick Pierce and Justin Zaccari
Mr. Baseball – Michael Durkin; Most Valuable Player – Jeremy DeGori
Varsity Girls’ Golf (Coach Jason Clark): Gina Breihof, Megan Calkin, Alex Ellmauer, Jillian Fife, Daphne Muzuruk, Heather Puerschner and Samantha Sedlack
Most Improved Golfer – Alex Ellmauer; Most Valuable Golfer – Jillian Fife
Varsity Boys’ Golf (Coach Bob Fife): Drew Billard, Kitt Borowski, Nick Campanelli, Eric Dnistrian, Travis Doughty, Chris Ellison, Jimmy Finn, Ryan Graham, Brad Hemmer, Cody Kubenik, Ryan Michel, Devon Muzuruk, Ryan Reinshagen, Nick Scott
Most Improved Golfer – Nick Scott; Most Valuable Golfer – Drew Billard
Several special awards were presented to senior student-athletes.
They included:
Sullivan West Coaches Award (Presented to an outstanding graduating male and female athlete who have exemplified the ideals, standards and personal discipline which is needed to succeed in athletics and life.): Female – Gabrielle Humleker; Male – Michael Durkin
Milt Gaebel Awards (Presented to one graduating male athlete and one graduating female athlete in honor of Milt Gaebel’s “determination, perseverance, dedication and loyalty to sports.”): Female – Jillian Fife; Male – Ryan Alsdorf
Most Valuable Senior Athletes (After the coaches used an extensive point system, a group of Select Senior Athletes have all been considered as candidates for the Most Valuable Senior Athlete.)
Female Select Senior Athletes:
Rianne Erlwein (Cross Country, Winter Track, Track 2005-2011)
Jillian Fife (Soccer, Basketball, Golf 2005-2011)
Amanda Goddard (Volleyball, Basketball, Softball 2005-2011)
Shelby Grishaber (Soccer, Basketball, Softball 2005-2011)
Gabrielle Humleker (Soccer, Basketball, Track, Softball 2005-2011)
Lynnette Lacek (Soccer, Basketball, Track 2005-2011)
Jackie Parsons (Volleyball, Basketball, Softball 2005-2011)
Heather Puerschner (Soccer, Winter Track, Basketball, Cheerleading, Basketball, Softball, Golf 2005-2011)
2010-2011 Female Most Valuable Senior Athlete – Rianne Erlwein
Male Select Senior Athletes:
Ryan Alsdorf (Football, Winter Track, Baseball 2005-2011)
Lucas Bauer (Soccer, Basketball, Baseball 2005-2011)
Angelo Bibbo (Football, Winter Track, Track 2005-2011)
Jeremy DeGori (Football, Soccer, Basketball, Baseball 2005-2011)
Michael Durkin (Football, Basketball, Baseball 2005-2011)
Chris Ellison (Soccer, Basketball, Track, Golf 2005-2011)
Kyle Flynn (Football, Cross Country, Track, Winter Track, Skiing, Soccer 2005-2011)
Andy Kinch (Soccer, Basketball, Track, Baseball 2005-2011)
Eric Lovgren (Football, Skiing, Baseball, Soccer, Golf, Track 2005-2011)
Alex Manzi (Soccer, Football, Basketball, Baseball 2005-2011)
Mark Michel (Soccer, Skiing, Baseball, Track 2005-2011)
Sean Murphy (Soccer, Skiing, Golf, Track 2005-2011)
Jimmy O’Connor (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Winter Track 2005-2011)
Brandon Wagner (Football, Basketball, Winter Track, Track 2005-2011)
2010-2011 Male Most Valuable Senior Athlete: Jeremy DeGori
Brent Rosenberger presented the final award of the evening, the Billy Moran Scholarship Award. Rosenberger explained that the award was created to honor William “Billy” Moran, a Delaware Valley Central School student who had a 96 average in high school and earned all-league status in baseball, basketball and football. Moran was a starting player on the baseball and football teams at Union College. In April 1981, while on a spring training trip with his Union College baseball teammates in Florida, Moran was hit by a drunk driver and passed away from his injuries four days later, just weeks before his 21st birthday.
Rosenberger noted that Billy Moran’s parents, William and Kathleen Moran, and other family members and friends created the scholarship to honor Billy. The scholarship became a Sullivan West Central School District scholarship in June 2003 and the amount became $2,000.
“The scholarship recipient represents the highest standards of academics, athletics and citizenship,” Rosenberger said.
Rosenberger presented the 2010-2011 Billy Moran Scholarship award in the amount of $2,500 to Gabrielle Humleker.
Rosenberger noted that when the scholarship committee met to choose this year’s recipient “it was clear that Gabrielle stood out.”
In addition to maintaining a GPA of over 94, competing on several sports teams and being involved in SADD, student council and band, Humleker volunteered and led her Lady Bulldog basketball teammates in helping to raise $7,000 for the Catskill Regional Medical Center Oncology Unit the last two years.
The ceremony concluded with a photo presentation by Richard Ross.