By Benito Vila
At the end of The Wizard of Oz, the Cowardly Lion earns the Triple Cross for “meritorious conduct, extraordinary valor, and conspicuous bravery.” While those were not the exact words used by the coaches of Pierson’s varsity teams at the fall athletic awards ceremony Tuesday night, the meaning was not far off.
Leading the evening was new athletic director Montgomery Granger, who opened by thanking parents, players, coaches and his assistant Liz Marchisella for their contributions to the success of the Pierson athletic program. Standing before a jammed-packed auditorium, he described school sports as “a lasting and unforgettable experience that teach us about character, teamwork and sacrifice.”
In addressing the gathering, district superintendent Dr. John Gratto commended student-athletes for their “stick-to-it-ness” and recommended applying that spirit to academics. Pierson principal Jeff Nichols talked about parents’ roles in their kids’ lives and the importance of the to-and-from and in-the-heat-of-battle moments for both groups.
This was the first time the awards have been held in the fall rather than waiting to celebrate all the sports at one banquet in the spring. In providing his logic for the change, Granger noted, “Student athletes deserve recognition for their achievement,” and talked about the need for closure before moving on to meet other challenges.
Laughter and Tears
Doug Alnwick, coach of the boys’ cross-country team, opened the coaches’ portion of the evening. His speech brought on snorts and belly laughs as he recounted some of the more colorful moments of his team’s season.
Coach Alnwick also spoke about the pursuit of excellence to the point of “pain in your lungs, where it burns; it’s not fun when you’re doing it but when you’re all through, it’s an incredible feeling.”
Each varsity coach spoke in turn, re-capping their seasons and their team’s achievements. Girls’ soccer coach Haley Luzim proudly praised her team specifically for their sportsmanship, citing their “citizenship, respect and dignity” as the one thing she’ll remember most.
Boys’ varsity soccer coach Donnelly McGovern described his delight in hearing his peers say, “Your kids wanted it more; we just got lucky” and “We didn’t like playing against your guys; they really came to play.”
The closeness and mutual regard shared by players, coaches and parents alike was evident during those speeches, the words met with whoops and hollers and quick strokes of knuckles across the eyes.
2009 Award Winners
Field Hockey. Varsity: Most Valuable Player, Alexa Lantiere; Coach’s Award, Lindsay Warne; Most Improved Player, Kasey Gilbride. JV: MVP, Melanie Stafford; Coach’s Award, Emme Luck; MIP, Rachel Saidman.
Girls’ Soccer. Varsity: MVP, Natalie Abbene: Coach’s Award, Amanda Busiello; MIP, Kara Gengarelly. JV: MVP, Liz Grigonis; Coach’s Award, Vanessa Cruz; MIP, Sarah Arbia
Girls’ Cross Country: MVP, Keriann FitzPatrick; Coach’s Award, Aura Skerys; MIP, Olivia Kaminski.
Girls’ Volleyball. Varsity: MVP, Samara Finckenauer; Coach’s Award, Xylia Serafy; MIP- Tanasha Clark. JV: MVP, Chelsea Freleng; Coach’s Award, Tanethea Clark; MIP, May Evjen.
Boys’ Soccer. Varsity: MVP, Eduardo Oscar Bautista Reinoso; Coach’s Award, Mike Remkus; MIP, Jeff Schimmer. JV: MVP, Hunter Leyser; Coach’s Award, John Farry; MIP, Stephen Solow.
Boys’ Golf. Varsity: MVP, Dillon Decker; Coach’s Award, Jake Weingartner; MIP- Luke Kirrane. JV: MVP, Jake Bennett; Coach’s Award, Jack Bori.
Boys’ Cross Country: MVP, Kyle Fletcher; Coach’s Award, Ricky Grigonis; MIP, Nick Dwoskin.
First Impresssions
In recapping his first athletic season at Pierson earlier in the week, Granger said, “What impressed me the most this fall was the improvement I witnessed from the beginning to the end. In nearly every sport, I saw tremendous focus and hard work, which led to a never-quit spirit.”
“If the residents of the Village of Sag Harbor had witnessed every game, they would be proud and privileged to have these fine student athletes, and hard working and dedicated coaches, represent their high school all over Suffolk County.”
“I saw this group of student athletes bestow great honor on themselves, their coaches, their high school, and their community by conducting themselves as ladies and gentlemen, and by embodying the most important qualities of great athletes, which is leaving it all on the field, court, or course, and being great sports, win or lose.”
“I saw a lot of close games this fall sports season; some won in overtime, and some lost in overtime, some close in score, and others not so close, and each time the kids reacted with grace and class. We can all be proud of that.”
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