LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — It was a sort of a sports “triple-header” at Sullivan West Central School on Wednesday, June 11 as the local high school celebrated its Spring Sports Awards. The annual end-of-season awards honor the top scholar athletes for 2024/2025, along with recognizing the ranks of Bulldogs senior student athletes.

The evening started with preliminary introductions by David Eggleton, secondary school principal and athletic director Kurt Buddenhagen, followed by Ethan Hock leading the assembly in singing the national anthem.

“Out teams competed with class, sportsmanship, and were highly competitive throughout the county and beyond,” said Buddenhagen. “When reflecting on this past season and year, I recall many ups and downs, victories and defeats, exciting finishes. And most importantly I think of how hard our athletes and coaches worked, how much they’ve sacrificed in preparing every week.”

Continuing on the theme of Bulldog Pride, sports in general, and—by extension—life, he said, “I realize everyone wants to make the playoffs, make a run and win a championship, and I think that should always be the goal… But sometimes glory comes in competing every day, and being part of something as special as a team.”

“Sometimes experiencing adversity and working through it helps mold you into an individual with a strong work ethic and character,” Buddenhagen continued. “These are the things that set you all apart from the rest.”

He cited a few noteworthy stats: Five of the six spring season varsity teams were named scholar teams, while 17 out of 19 of the varsity teams reached this level during the past school year. Over 180 student athletes were selected as scholar athletes with a 90 GPA or better.

Concluding with a few words to the athletes, Buddenhagen said, “These will always be the days you remember and an experience you’ll never forget. You will look back one day at your varsity letter or an old photograph from your days of competing, and you will realize how special your time here at Sullivan West was.”

And then it was time for the coaches, both junior varsity and varsity, to call their respective teams up on the auditorium stage to take a bow, and be recognized for their accomplishments on the fields of play.

As a prime example, the varsity softball coaching staff, spearheaded by Anthony Durkin, the famed snake wrangler of a few years past, said of this year’s softball squad “an incredible group of young ladies… they were determined to improve over last year and play solid softball this season.”

“To say that they had a successful season would be a major understatement. This season, our team exceeded all our expectations thanks to their hard work and dedication to their team and teammates,” Durkin continued. He cited some stats: The team made the sectional finals for the first time in several years, sweeping their division and going undefeated for the first time in Class B. They won the tournament, and two players (Sam Hellerer, third base, and shortstop Kearstin Knapp) were selected as Class Ball-Stars by the division’s coaches.

The celebratory event drew to a close with the awarding of two prestigious scholarships named in honor of two former local scholar athletes: David F. Curreri and Billy Moran.

In presenting the David F. Curreri Memorial Scholarship to Matthew DuBois, Dawn Curreri said, “David had a love and learning, and that’s why we started this scholarship to honor him.”

“This year’s recipient has high goals and plans to rise to the top of his profession,” she continued. “Having these goals at the beginning of his college years are very admirable. More than this, he plans to help his community and provide needed services, utilizing the skills and disciplines that he will gain from his career.

“This student is top of his class, serving on student council, a member of the National Honor Society, playing basketball, golf, and volunteering in his community,” Curreri said.

In presenting the Billy Moran Scholarship Award to Evan Ebert, Moran’s lifelong friend Brent Rosenberger returned to the local school to present the award for the first time in several years, something he has done about 35 times before, since it was first given in 1983.

 In describing the criteria established for the scholarship, he noted it focused on a student “who best exemplifies the high standards that Billy set as a student, athlete and person… having a grade point average of over 90 percent, being a well-rounded and diverse athlete who has participated in at least two competitive athletic sports in each year throughout high school, and demonstrating exceptional citizenship and leadership.” 

Rosenberger lauded Ebert’s numerous accomplishments, both in sports and in the classroom: Five college-level courses as a senior; a 92 percent-plus GPA; “very impressive” achievements in football, basketball and baseball; as a member of the gridiron squad that won three division titles and two Section IX championships; winning two Coaches Awards and/or team MVP in football, basketball and baseball; being named 2024 Regional Football Championship Game Defensive MVP; selected to the Fred Ahart All-Tournament Team in basketball; and “earning at least seven All-Section IX All-Star Team selections.”

Reflecting on accolades offered by Ebert’s coaches and educators, Rosenberger said, “When I heard or read what your coaches and teachers thought of you, I found myself thinking over and over just how much those comments reminded me of how Billy’s teachers and coaches talked about him.” He cited in particular the thoughts of one coach, who said, ”Evan is hard-working, dedicated, reliable and very talented, making him the quintessential student-athlete.”

 Sullivan West Spring Sports Awards

Varsity baseball (coached by Ty Ebert and Craig Smith): Alec Hubert (Most Valuable Player) and Evan Ebert (Coaches Player).

Varsity Girls Outdoor Track & Field (coached by Joe Ebeling and Jenna Kratz): Gracyn Halloran (Most Valuable Player) and Katelynn Smith (Coaches Award).

Varsity Boys Outdoor Track & Field (coached by Sean Reuss and Justin Diehl): Bryce Bressler (Track MVP) and Dylan Lockwood (Field MVP).

Varsity Boys Golf (coached by John Meyer): Matthew DuBois (Most Valuable Player) and Sean Gabel (Coaches Award).

Varsity Girls Golf (coached by Pat Donovan): Lila Kubernik (Miss Golfer) and Skye Cruz (Coaches Award).

Varsity Softball (coached by Anthony Durkin, Kurt Scheibe, Sam Cummings and Michael Ellmauer): Mary Chellis (Most Valuable Defensive Player), Jocelyn Doyle (Most Valuable Offense Player) and Kearstin Knapp (Miss Softball). 

Senior varsity boys—2024-2025 sports season

John Bernas IV (football); Landon Boyd (soccer, basketball, golf); Sebastian Brothers (soccer); Michael Casiano (football); Matthew DuBois (basketball, golf); John Dworetsky (soccer); Evan Ebert (football, basketball, baseball); Adam Ernst (football, basketball, golf); Evan Ernst (football); Sean Gabel (soccer, golf); Brandon Haass (football, basketball, baseball); Ethan Hoch (soccer); Ethan Kavarnos (cross country, basketball, outdoor track); Josh Kocher (golf); Jared Kratz (soccer); Charles Kutschera (soccer, basketball, outdoor track); Cody Lennon (golf); Kevin Lin (golf); Gary Milk (football); Jason Rodriguez (football); Matthew Rutledge (golf); Parker Tyler (alpine skiing); Derek Zayas (golf); Vincent Nervegna (golf); Chris Bonnilla (soccer) and Justin Burgos (wrestling).

Senior varsity girls—2024-2025 sports season

Zoey Alexy (alpine skiing); Isabella Alicea (fall cheer, winter cheer, volleyball); Giovanna Glynn (cross country, golf); Izabel Grund (indoor track, outdoor track); Arieanna Hinkley (soccer); Madeline Kask (volleyball, golf); Karli Keesler (soccer); Ryann McElroy (soccer, indoor track, golf); Brooke Nunnari (soccer, basketball, outdoor track); Mary Schroeder (soccer); Katelynn Smith (indoor track, outdoor track, soccer); Mya Thompson (fall cheer); and Sophie Wilkin (volleyball, indoor track).

Three-sport senior scholar athletes 2024-2025—Boys

Landon Boyd (soccer, basketball, golf); Evan Ebert (football, basketball, baseball); Adam Ernst (football, basketball, golf); Brandon Haass (football, basketball, baseball); Ethan Kavarnos (cross country, basketball, outdoor track); and Charlie Kutschera (soccer, basketball, outdoor track).

Three-sport senior scholar athletes 2024/2025—Girls 

Isabella Alicea (fall cheer, winter cheer, volleyball); Ryann McElroy (soccer, indoor track, golf); Brooke Nunnari (soccer, basketball, outdoor track); and Katelynn Smith (indoor track, outdoor track, soccer).

Special awards 

Most Valuable Senior Athletes 2024-2025, selected from a group designated as the select senior athletes: Brooke Nunnari (Female Most Valuable Senior Athlete) and Evan Ebert (Male Most Valuable Senior Athlete).

The Milt Gaebel Awards were created to honor the memory of Gaebel, whose philosophy was “If what you are doing is worth doing, you need to give at least one hundred percent,” and have the heart, determination, perseverance and dedication to achieve your goals in life. This year’s honorees were Landon Boyd (male) and Sophie Wilkin (female).

David F. Curreri Memorial Scholarship Award (presented by Dawn Curreri): Matthew DuBois.

Billy Moran Scholarship Award (presented by Megan Eggleton): Evan Ebert.