LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — Sullivan West’s high school principal Mark Plescia set the tone during his welcoming remarks at the school’s 2018-19 winter sports awards presentation on Thursday, March 14.

“Once again, our Bulldogs were a force to be reckoned with,” he said. Addressing the seniors, he continued, “It has truly been a pleasure watching you over the past four years. I wish all of you the best luck at the next level.”

Reflecting back on his time as a sports helmsman, Plescia credited the efforts of the school’s coaching staff and their spouses for their “commitment to the daily routine and games,” which made the winter sports programs a success.

Plescia shared a quote for the seniors who just wrapped up their final sports endeavors at the Home of the Bulldogs: “When you walk onto the track, step onto the softball or baseball field, walk up to that first tee, recognize that yes, it is your last day of high school athletics. But don’t let that discourage you—make your last one the best one.”

And then, with a bit of guidance for the future of athletics at Sullivan West, he continued, “Take the opportunities you have left to make your mark. Lead with positivity, so that when the underclassmen step up to their senior year, they will want to be the leader you were for them. Work yourself to the point that you don’t think you can go any further, and then push yourself past that point, and leave behind no regrets.”

David Franskevicz, the district’s athletic director, stepped up to the podium. Before introducing the ensemble of coaches assembled on the auditorium stage, he honored the accomplishments of several noteworthy teams and star scholar athletes: the girls’ indoor track team for placing first in their division and Section IX Class B, the boys and girls hoopsters for a strong finish that qualified them for sectionals, the merged wrestling squad (Sullivan West, Liberty and Eldred) that took the Section IX Division II Dual Meet Championship, Talulla Gann for qualifying and participating in the NYS Indoor Track Championship at Ocean Breeze out on Staten Island and grappler James DeAverio for garnering first place in Section IX wrestling.

“Take the opportunities you have left to make your mark... " — Principle Mark Plescia

Franskevicz went on to credit the stellar classroom accomplishments of three teams that earned the coveted New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s (NYSPHSAA) Team Scholar Athletes Status (75% of the team with a 90% average or higher): varsity girls’ Alpine skiing, varsity girls basketball and varsity girls winter indoor track.

An impressive total of 33 student athletes were named NYSPHSAA individual scholar athletes (90% average or higher): Victoria Arnold, Emily Bair, Phillip Bergen, Sati Brasseale, Caitlin Brockner, Uma Bullock, Nicholas Dworetsky, Luke Ellison, Samantha Everett, Tallula Gann, Adam Guziczek, Clare Hart, Maggie Herbert, Joseph Joyce-Turner, Lucia Kennedy, Bryce Maopolski, Josephine Martinez, Sabrina Martinez, Eric McBride, Isabel Nearing, Paige Parucki, Liam Pereira-Mendoza, Nile Puerschner, Kyle Reimer, Annabelle Rutledge, Owen Sager, Charles Simon, Kara Spath, Zachary Stevenson, Karl Swanson, Ariana Thomas, Taylor Tyler and Taylor Wall.

The boys’ and girls’ winter track teams had a truly crackerjack season, posting a long list of first-place finishers in the record books.

The boys’ team is coached by Ron Bauer, while the girls are mentored by Joe Seidl. Dee Maopolski and Kelly Schadt-Kelly serve as assistants for both squads.

First-place finishers (boys): William Connors (Section IX Class B Champion 4 x 400m relay), Brandon Decker (OCIAA Division Champion pole vault and Sullivan County Champion high jump), Hunter Mall (Section IX Class B Champion 4 x 400m relay), Bryce Maopolski (OCIAA Division Champion 3200m, Sullivan County Champion 1600m, Section IX Class B Champion 3200m and 4 x 400m relay) and William Siegel (Sullivan County Champion 600m and Section IX Class B Champion 4 x 400m relay).

Boys’ winter indoor track coach Ron Bauer noted that his team finished third in their division, defeating a total of eight teams.

He then went on to list the individual and team accomplishments during the season, which was hampered a bit by “sickness and injuries that hurt us.”

First place finishers (girls): Emily Bair (Sullivan County Champion 4 x 2 lap relay and 4 x 1 lap relay), Sam Becker (OCIAA Division Champion pole vault, 300m and 55m hurdles; Sullivan County Champion 55m hurdles; Section IX Class B Champion 55m hurdles), Sati Brasseale (OCIAA Division Champion 600m and 4 x 800m relay), Samantha Everett (Sullivan County Champion 4 x 2 lap relay and 4 x 1 lap relay), Grace Gaebel (OCIAA Division Champion long jump, triple jump and high jump; Sullivan County Champion 4 x 1 lap relay and high jump), Tallula Gann (Sullivan County Champion 4 x 2 relay, 600m and 4 x 1 lap relay; Section IX Class B Champion 1000m; NYSPHSAA 600m participant), Corrine Laarman (OCIAA Division Champion 1000m and 4 x 800m relay), Kriston Lebron (Sullivan County Champion 4 x 2 lap relay), Hunter Mall (Section IX Class B Champion 4 x 400m relay), and Laura Smith (OCIAA Division Champion 4 x 800m relay).

In his remarks to the assembly (read by assistant coach Kelly Schadt-Kelly in his absence), girls’ winter indoor track coach Joe Seidl said, “These girls truly represent the best of Sullivan West athletics. Their consistent hard work, admirable dedication to our team and their ability to overcome adversity have contributed to a tradition of excellence.”

 Over the past nine seasons, the indoor and outdoor girls’ teams have picked up four Sullivan County championships, 10 division titles and six Section IX championships. “They have not lost to a division opponent in either indoor or outdoor track since January 2013,” noted Seidl.

Lionel Billard called the members of the ski team up on stage for recognition, followed in short order by presentation of letters and awards. In a sense, he summed up, for all of Sullivan West’s winter sports teams, the perseverance, commitment to doing their best and dedication to sports.

“The pressure a racer feels at the top of a mountain with all eyes on you watching for the commands—‘Racer ready… five, four, three, two, one… go!’—are indescribable,” he said.