Four semi-finals, at least three championships

New York Daily News Golden Gloves returns to Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway for the fourth consecutive year on Wednesday night, April 2. There will be both championship bouts and semi-final contests on the card in the 2014 rendition of the fabled amateur boxing tournament which will be hosted on the Casino’s fourth floor.

There will be four semi-final bouts, two each in the 132-lb. Female division and 123-lb. Open, as well as at least three Championship contests.

General admission tickets are $25; Policemen, Firemen, senior citizens, students and children under 14 are $15 (with proper ID). For more information log onto www.nydailynews.com/GoldenGloves; or call Brian Adams at the Daily News at 212-210-1908 (badams@nydailynews.com) or Empire City at 914-968-4200. Doors open at 6:15 PM and first bell is at 7:30 PM sharp. These in-demand tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis only at the door on fight night. Tickets and seating are limited.

In 2011, for the first time in the storied history of Yonkers Raceway, hundreds of fans flocked to the raceway to attend the Golden Gloves. The oldest and most esteemed amateur event in the U.S., celebrating its 87th anniversary this season, has produced generations of legendary boxers including Sugar Ray Robinson, Emile Griffith, Floyd Patterson, Riddick Bowe, Gerry Cooney, Mark Breland, Jose Torres, and Zab Judah.

Yonkers Raceway first opened its doors in 1899, and in over 100 years of its history has been the home to harness racing’s Triple Crown events such as the Yonkers Trot, Cane Pace and Messenger Stakes, as well as such premier stakes races as the Art Rooney Pace. Professional boxing had been held in the Old Glory Horse Pavilion, and many major fights shown on closed circuit television. But the Daily News Golden Gloves, the most elite Golden Gloves tournament in the country for 87 years, became a “first-time starter” in 2011.

“We are delighted that the Daily News Golden Gloves has fast become a tradition at Yonkers Raceway, and is now in its fourth year,” said President & CEO, Timothy J. Rooney. “Two New York institutions are once again teaming for what we know will be an exciting evening of boxing for fight fans.”

BY JAMIE KEMPTON

Lorraine Moylan

Al Witt

Thad Wilson

Ed Kolakowski

The Rockland County Sports Hall of Fame will honor eight individuals during its 41st annual induction banquet on April 26 at the Pearl River Elks Club in Nanuet. The gala begins at 6 p.m. with the cocktail reception, followed at 7 p.m. by the dinner and ceremony.

Tickets for the event are $55 per person and $30 for children 12 and younger. For tickets or further information, contact Pete Castellano at 201-390-3245 or jonbpc@aol.com, or use the ticket form on the Hall of Fame’s website, www.RCSHF.org.

This year’s roster of inductees includes Rick Carey, Nanuet class of 1978; Tom DePatto, Haverstraw class of 1960, who is being honored posthumously; Don Fischer, Tappan Zee class of 1975; former Suffern basketball coach Ed Kolakowski; Lorraine Moylan, Pearl River class of 1976; Richard Schumacher, Suffern class of 1966; Thad Wilson, Nanuet class of 1969; and former Journal News photographer Al Witt.

Carey is the only seven-foot high jumper in county history, having cleared 7 feet ¼ inch as a junior in 1977. He won three New York State high jump championships, four Rockland County and four Section 9 crowns, and finished second in the U.S. Junior National meet. He was named Rockland Scholastic Athlete of the Decade for the 1970s by The Journal News and his 7-foot high jump was rated the No. 1 individual accomplishment in Rockland spring sports in the 1970s by the newspaper.

DePatto starred for Haverstraw High School as a pitcher in baseball, posting a 9-1 record his senior year. At Ithaca College, he was the ace of the staff as a senior and led the team to the College World Series. At Clarkstown High School, he coached the cross country team to two Rockland and three Section 9 titles. At Clarkstown South, he coached cross country, wrestling and baseball and served as athletic director and head of physical education for many years. DePatto passed away in 2003.

Fischer was Rockland’s first boys swimming state champion, capturing the 200-yard individual medley in 1975 and adding a runner-up finish in the 100 freestyle. He set county records in the 200 IM, 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle, and as a leg on Tappan Zee’s 400 freestyle relay. He also held six individual school records and contributed to two record-setting relays. At South Carolina, Fischer qualified for the NCAA meet in the 400 and 800 freestyle relays.

Kolakowski coached the Suffern boys basketball team from 1954 to 1981. He won three Section 9 championships and was Rockland PSAL Coach of the Year in 1968, when his team also won the county title. He officiated high school football from 1955 to 1985, including varsity games with the same four-man crew for 25 years. As an athlete he excelled in basketball at Siena College and played in the 1951 East-West All-Star game.

Moylan coached girls basketball for 30 years, 10 at Albertus Magnus and 20 at her alma mater, Pearl River. She coached Albertus to New York State and Federation Class B championships in 1991 and 1992. Collectively she won 21 league titles, 6 Section 1 crowns and 5 regional championships. Her career coaching mark is 536-140, a winning percentage of 79.3 percent, and she holds the Rockland record for career coaching victories in basketball.

Schumacher was a three-sport standout at Suffern. He earned All-County honors twice as a tackle in football and once as a catcher in baseball, and won two Rockland titles and one Section 9 crown in wrestling. At East Stroudsburg State College, he was a four-time NCAA All-America wrestler, winning a Div. III national championship and finishing fifth in Div. I. He later served as head coach at Bucknell and assistant coach at East Stroudsburg.

Wilson was the dominant hurdler in Rockland in 1968 and 1969. He claimed two county titles each in the 120-yard high hurdles, 180 low hurdles and 880-yard relay, and won three Section 9 Class B and State Qualifier titles. He was the first hurdler in Rockland to break 15 seconds in the high hurdles (14.9), held county records in both hurdle events, and held eight school records including relays. In Masters track (age 40 and older), he has won 30 national age-group championships and eight world titles.

Witt is the recipient of the Joseph Holland Lifetime Achievement Award. As a Journal News photographer for almost three decades, he did general assignment work and excelled in many areas, especially sports. His photos in The Journal News sports section captured the drama and excitement of the games played in Rockland, from the youth leagues to high school and semi-pro competition.

Marc Maturo’s official sports column

Mat star Muldoon looks to grind out college career

John Muldoon, looks forward to another challenge

John Muldoon of Pearl River has always been a grinder, and a grinder he expects to be when the scholastic wrestling standout continues his career at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

The Cougars, under veteran coach Jeremy Spates, have elevated the program from Division II to the highly competitive Division I status, and Muldoon is already ready to play his part.

“I’m pretty pumped up about it,” enthused Muldoon who, despite a disappointing fifth-place finish at 132 pounds at the NYS Wrestling Championships , remains upbeat and always ready to enjoy the process.

“It’s about enjoying the battle and not the outcome,” said Muldoon, who was fourth in the state as a junior.

“Coach Spates is awesome,” notes Muldoon, who adds that he has already been blessed with great coaches, including Pearl River’s Grier Yorks, Billy Donnelly and Billy Allison.

Billy Donnelly is the older brother of another of Muldoon’s personal coaches, Phil Donnelly, who was a four-time state-place finisher and Section 1 champion for the Pirates. Also mentoring young Muldoon is Matt Homenick, also a state-place winner and a former Section 1 champion.

Coach Spates, who spent nine years as an assistant at Cornell and Oklahoma (under his dad, Jack Spates) before taking over at Southern Illinois, considers Muldoon one of several prospects who will make an impact.

“We are a team with a good history, but not in recent years. So we are working hard to move back up,” Coach Spates told the Rockland County Times. “We just transitioned from D2 to D1 and I just got the job here so we are getting better … trying to bring in good, hard-working kids that buy into our dreams of the future.”

Muldoon has already made friendships with future teammates.

“When I went down there I knew nobody, but I met with everybody and now I do (know everybody),” Muldoon said. “The cool thing about it is none of them are leaving soon; most are freshman and sophomores.”

Muldoon said he might be red-shirted as a freshman, and has no qualms about that or the much-stiffer competition he’ll face in a D1 schedule.

“I’m a grinder,” repeats Muldoon, who can laugh at his time as a freshman when he competed at 96 pounds. “I was actually about 88 pounds and had to eat to make weight! I wish that was the problem now.”

At college, Muldoon will wrestle at 133 or 141, “whatever Coach needs I’ll make the weight. I’m 145 now.”

Muldoon – who also trains with club teams at the Iron Horse in East Hanover, N.J., and the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan — recalls his growth on the mat as being more of a process than instant success, and expects the same formula to be at work at the collegiate level.

“I usually don’t see success early, but I’m a grinder, and I’m just going to grind it out again out there. Everybody tells me these will be the best four years of my life … we’ll see,” said Muldoon. “High school was a good run, I had a good time, I was blessed.”

Mike Deane, still a mentor

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Stony Point native Mike Deane, who has enjoyed a long and illustrious career as a college basketball coach, recently completed his 35^th year in the game. Deane is an assistant coach at James Madison University in Harrisburg, Va., which went 11-20 this season but won the Colonial Athletic Association championship in 2012, Deane’s first year at JMU.

Pocholo Chavez, tennis standout

POCHOLO PREVAILS: The Purchase College men’s tennis team lost a tight match against visiting NYU-Poly, 5-4, in its season opener, but senior Pocholo Chavez of Stony Point recorded two victories. Chavez, an alum of Ramapo HS, won his singles match and teamed up with rookie Danny De La Cruz of the Bronx to win at No. 2 doubles. The Panthers are now on spring break, with four matches scheduled in Orlando, Fla., against Hamline University, Luther College, UW Osh Kosh and Piedmont College. The Panthers return east on March 29 to meet St. Joseph’s in Patchogue, L.I., at 1 p.m., and are home on April 1 to host Western Connecticut State University at 3:30 p.m.

Matt Willows, reaches final with Wildcats

WILDCATS WILT IN FINAL: The 18^th-ranked University of New Hampshire men’s hockey team ended its season at 22-18-1 following a 4-0 defeat to defending champion and seventh-ranked UMass Lowell in the Hockey East Championship at the TD Garden in Boston. “The difficult part is it’s a team with great chemistry. We wanted to keep going,” veteran Wildcats coach Dick Umile was quoted as saying. “Not only were they winning, and playing hard, but we were enjoying it and having fun doing it. It’s tough for the season to end.”  The Wildcats had advanced to the championship game with a decisive 3-1 victory over Providence College, sparked by junior forward Matt Willows of Congers, who had two key assists. Willows, a product of the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL), who could usually be found hustling on the right wing, finished third on the team in scoring with 39 points on 18 goals and 21 assists.

DeSTASO, PIRATES PREVAIL: Junior Danielle DeStaso of Congers sparked the Seton Hall University softball team as it swept a doubleheader from Big East rival Providence College, 5-0, 12-3 at Mike Sheppard Field in South Orange, N.J. DeStaso, an alumna of Clarkstown North HS, went 2-for-3 with two RBI and her fourth homer of the year in the opener. In the second game, DeStaso threw all five innings to improve to 3-3 on the year. After early trouble she settled in to allow just one more earned run over the final four innings, finishing with three strikeouts.

CONQUER THE HOOK: The 25^th running of the Hook Mountain Half Marathon, sponsored by the Rockland Road Runners, is set for April 6. All finishers will receive a first-time-ever designer medal when they cross the finish line at Rockland Lake State Park. Steve Borton is race director for the Hook, a humbling 200-foot climb, which is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. in the north parking lot at Rockland Lake State Park in Congers. For information contact Kristen Lowenwirth at Klowenwirth@gmail.com.

QUICK HITTERS:   Senior goalkeeper Matthew Quinones of Nanuet made 20 saves and midfielder Hunter Curran of Virginia Beach, Va., had a season-high four goals in leading the Dominican College men’s lacrosse team to a 9-8 victory over Post University in a non-conference game at Waterbury, Conn.  The win, the Chargers’ first following four defeats, was also helped by Conor Reeves of Tappan, with one goal and an assist, and Thomas Dertinger of Nanuet with one goal. The Chargers then lost an East Coast Conference (ECC) game to Roberts Weslyan College, 17-7, at the Torne Valley Sports Complex in Hillburn. Dertinger, a senior, notched his ninth goal of the season, assited by Sean Driscoll of Stony Point. Quinones made 14 saves in defeat. … Sophomore Charles Garcia of Sparkill posted two victories by pin and lost four matches on the SUNY Oneonta wrestling team. The Red Dragons went 10-9 in dual meets and tied for fourthplace at the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference Championships, and eighth at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships. … Junior infielder Anthony Barbetto of New City is batting a third-best .304 with three stolen bases in four attempts on the Brockport baseball team. The Golden Eagles visit New Paltz for a three-game series beginning with a single game on March 28, and a twinbill on March 29. Matt Lawson of West Nyack and Tyler Mitts (1-1) of Nanuet are pitching at New Paltz. … Freshman outfielder John Kukura of New City is batting .308 with three RBI on the Pace University baseball team, which was to host Mercy College of Dobbs Ferry on March 27 and stays home on April 1 to meet Adelphi, at 3 p.m. Junior pitcher Bryan Greig of New City is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in two starts for Mercy. … Sophomore goaltender Brittany Kiernan of Clarkstown made 14 saves as the Dominican College women’s lacrosse team fell to the Purple Knights from Saint Michael’s College, 12-9, in a non-conference game at the Torne Valley Sports Complex in Hillburn. … Junior pitcher Frank Fantino of Nanuet has a 3.00 ERA in two starting assignments for the Purchase College baseball team, which hosts CCNY on March 29 for a noon twinbill, and then welcomes Farmingdale State College on March 30, for another scheduled doubleheader at noon. Pitching for the Beavers of CCNY are Spring Valley HS alum Sacha Urbach (0-1) of Chestnut Ridge and senior Felice Martino of Thiells, a Rockland CC transfer, who is also 0-1. … Albertus Magnus HS graduate Samantha Lowney of Valley Cottage had four goals and two assists as the St. Thomas Aquinas College women’s lacrosse team snapped a two-game slide with a 15-7 victory over visiting Mercy College. Meg McNally of Hillburn had three assists in defeat. The Lady Spartans received five goals from Jen Stickney of Bayport, and two goals and two assists from Margaret Sharp of Suffern. STAC looks to improve its 5-2 record on March 29 with a home game in Sparkill at 1 p.m. against the University of Findlay (Ohio) on Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Day. The Lady Spartans stay home on April 1 to welcome Queens College at 3:30 p.m. … Freshman Shayne Gallagher of Blauvelt scored an unassisted goal and sophomore Brittany Kiernan of Clarkstown made 11 saves as the Dominican College women’s lacrosse team fell to Georgian Court University, 13-9, in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference contest in Lakewood, N.J. The Lady Chargers (0-4) meet Post University on March 29 at 11 a.m. at the Torne Valley Sports Complex in Hillburn. … North Rockland HS graduate Rebecca Sassone of Pomona  competed on the Second Novice Eights as the University of Delaware women’s rowing team placed second in a quad meet with Drexel, Temple and Lehigh on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. The Blue Hens return to the water on March 29 at the Murphy Cup Regatta on Mercer Lake in Princeton, N.J. … Sophomore midfielder/defender Lely DeSimone of Airmont is third in scoring with 11 goals and one assist for 12 points on the University of Pennsylvania women’s lacrosse team, which meets Georgetown on April 1 at the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Md. … East Coast Conference (ECC) baseball player of the week Rich Baerga of Pomona had five hits in a doubleheader as St. Thomas Aquinas College completed a four-game series sweep over the University of Bridgeport, taking two games at NYIT, 7-5, 3-2. The Spartans improved to 10-5 overall and grabbed sole possession of the conference lead with a 4-0 mark.

THIS & THAT: The Collegiate Development Football League (CDFL) is offering a 50 percent discount to county residents to see former college players from every major division compete in one last Scout Bowl Game before the NFL Draft. Click www.cdflbowlgames.com and enter promo code: rockland2014. The game is scheduled April 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Torne Valley Sports Complex in Hillburn.

BY TONY PINCIARO

WEST NYACK, N.Y. – When Clarkstown South varsity boys’ lacrosse coach Rick Sorkow looks at his roster, a recurring theme surfaces.

The fifth-year South coach has a veteran group highlighted by 10 returning seniors. This vast experience would make any coach envious.

The Vikings plan to parlay this experience into another step in the team’s progression after an 8-9 record in 2013. The Vikings qualified for the Section 1 Class A Championship, but lost in the first round.

“A coach always looks for a senior team,” said Sorkow, the varsity assistant for four years before becoming the head coach. “We have been together for several years now and we have the underclassman meshing well with the seniors.

“The team has worked real hard together. We play as a team. We have good chemistry and we have solid skills.

Ian Danahy is one of the 10 seniors and he returns to anchor the attack line along with sophomore Matt Haggarty. The midfield and defense are overloaded with seniors. The midfield unit is comprised of Trevor Byrnes, Justain Said, Justin Amramboles, Pat Kelly and Dan Delia. Sophomore Nick Delia is a returning midfielder and freshmen Dean Bauman and Tryston Vazquez make the step up from Junior Varsity.

Goalie Chris Loomis will have classmates Aiden Christian, Colin Parrish and Arvin Duran in front of him.

Clarkstown South’s veteran midfield and defense will make it extremely difficult on opposing offenses.

Clarkstown South opened the season Wednesday, March 26, hosting Valley Central. The Vikings will follow that up with home games against Brewster, Saturday, March 29, and Harrison, Wedensday, April 2, before travelling south on Route 304 to face Pearl River, Friday, April 4.

“We need to continue working to get better,” Sorkow said. “Our goal is to take it one day at a time and continue to move our efforts forward.”

Starks addresses Rockland and Westchester County youths on Tuesday at the JCC West Nyack

BY DYLAN SKRILOFF

WEST NYACK – About four dozen young basketballers were in for a special treat when they gathered at the Rockland JCC on Tuesday, March 25 to help Mackenzie Schnapper raise funds for diabetes research as part of her Bat Mitzvah project.

The youths gathered to play an informal tournament for a good cause, but were pleasantly surprised when 1990s Knicks All-Star and fan favorite John Starks paid an unannounced visit and gave an inspirational speech. Starks’ message for the youths: “Work together. A team that works together is usually the last one standing.”

Mackenzie Schnapper, 12, is studying for her Bat Mitzvah, which is the traditional “coming of age” ritual for Jewish girls. It occurs when they turn 13-years-old. (Males have a Bar Mitzvah).

Team Mack

A trend in recent years has been for Bar and Bat Mitzvah students to complete a project aimed at giving back to the community and developing leadership skills. Mackenzie, a star player on the JCC championship team, got together nearly 50 kids for the basketball tournament, raising donations to fight diabetes in the process.

Her inspiration: her grandfather Alan Rosenberg, a lifelong basketball lover who was a walk-on starter for NYU one season in the early 1960s, and who suffers from diabetes.

Rosenberg, a CPA with offices in Scarsdale and New York City, has also been a longtime New York Knicks season ticket holder, and is friends with Starks. The 1994 all-star showed up to help the cause and to participate in Mackenzie’s project.

Kerri Rosenberg Schnapper and her daughter Mackenzie Schnapper

Starks said to the youths, “I just want to make sure you understand why you’re here. So many people are struck with diabetes. This is a great cause.”

He continued, “You showing up means you care and that makes a big difference. It touches my heart when I see young people who understand what we are here for, to help others.”

Rosenberg said, “I’ve known John since his first year with the Knicks. John was known for his desire to win.”

He suggested the youths read Starks’ autobiography “John Starks: My Life.”

Alan Rosenberg makes a statement, while granddaughter MacKenzie Schnapper listens

Starks entertained questions from attendees one-on-one and the conversation seemed to keep coming back to one famous moment: The Dunk. Yes, the immortal dunk, one of the greatest moments of the Knicks 1990s run, when Starks soared up and over both Horace Grant and Michael Jordan and emphatically dunked on both. To the naked eye it appeared Starks miraculously gained a second lift to his jump in mid-air, helping to etch the moment forever into Knicks lore.

Starks noted that most fans remember the immortal moment from the 1993 playoffs as a dunk over Jordan, forgetting that the main obstacle to the basket was actually Grant.

A poster of “The Dunk” hangs in a frame on Rosenberg’s wall in his Scarsdale and New York City offices. Rosenberg is well known and has been featured in major media for the decorations on the walls of both his offices.

JCC coach Jeff Schnapper and Starks

Rosenberg’s walls are adorned with hundreds of autographed photos of famous basketball players such as Wilt Chamberlain, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Bill Russell and too many others to count. Rosenberg particularly admired Oscar Robertson in his prime, the only player in NBA history to ever average a triple double in a season.

Aside from his family and his CPA practice, basketball has been the love of Rosenberg’s life, he said, and his granddaughter Mackenzie seems to have inherited the gene.

Mackenzie said, “I share with my grandfather…a love and passion for playing basketball…I wanted to do something that would help fight this disease and also pay tribute to the man from whom I inherited my ability to play basketball.”

Rosenberg said, “I was surprised, gratified, very pleased when I learned Mackenzie dedicated her project to me. I have been overwhelmed by positive feedback.”

The charity event raised approximately $8,000 total to fight diabetes.

Starks is still involved with the Knicks organization and told the Rockland County Times he was optimistic about the hire of Phil Jackson as president of basketball operations. He said, “I think it’s a good pick-up to have someone of his quality.”

Starks continues to run the John Starks Foundation, offering college scholarships to Metro Area and Tulsa, Oklahoma-area (his home town) students. Visit his foundation at: http://www.johnstarks.org/.

Sports and Hollywood memorabilia on the Scarsdale office wall of Alan Rosenberg, CPA

22 games in just 16 days

The Ramapo Local Development Corporation announced this week that Provident Bank Park will host a series of high school baseball games throughout April and May, which will feature top high school teams from across Rockland County, Westchester County, Northern New Jersey, and New York City. The “Provident Bank Park High School Baseball Showcase Series” is open to the public and admission is free of charge.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome young athletes from across the region to Provident Bank Park, a state-of-the-art venue that provides a wonderful opportunity for affordable and fun entertainment for families,” said RLDC President and Ramapo Town Supervisor Christopher P. St. Lawrence. “The Provident Bank Park High School Baseball Showcase Series is a great addition to our lineup at the stadium as we look forward to another terrific season of professional, college, and high school baseball in the Town of Ramapo.”

The stadium hosts the Ramapo Summer Concert Series, which this season will feature Emblem3, MKTO, Carly Rose Sonenclar, The Beach Boys, Gavin DeGraw and Matt Nathanson.

The following is the schedule of games to be played as part of the Provident Bank Park High School Baseball Showcase Series: 

April 5 at 7 p.m.
Indian Hills v. Weehawken

April 12 at 7 p.m.
Pope John HS v. Bergen Catholic

April 13 at 4 p.m.
Midwood HS v. Beacon

April 13 at 7 p.m.
Bishop Loughlin HS LaSalle

April 14 at 7 p.m.
Pearl River v. Clarkstown North

April 19 at 7 p.m.
North Rockland v. RC Ketchum

April 24 at 7 p.m.
North Rockland v. Tappan Zee

April 25 at 4 p.m.
Suffern v. Albertus Magnus

April 26 at 12 noon
East Ramapo v. Nanuet

April 26 at 3 p.m.
North Rockland v. Pearl River

April 26 at 6 p.m.
Clarkstown South v. Nyack

April 27 at 9 a.m.
Clarkstown North v. Tappan Zee

April 27 at 12 noon
Suffern v. Nyack

April 27 at 3 p.m.
Clarkstown South v. Albertus Magnus

April 27 at 6 p.m.
East Ramapo v. Nanuet

April 28 at 7 p.m.
Briarcliff v. Pleasantville

April 30 at 7 p.m.
Bergen Catholic v. Wayne Hills

May 3 at 7 p.m.
Nanuet v. Haldane

May 9 at 7 p.m.
Wood Ridge v. Hasbrouck Heights

May 13 at 7 p.m.
North Rockland v. Suffern

May 18 at 7 p.m.
Tappan Zee v. Pearl River

May 31 – TBD
Section 1 Championships

For more information about the Provident Bank Park High School Baseball Showcase Series and other upcoming events at Provident Bank Park, including the 2014 Ramapo Summer Concert Series, visit www.ramapoparks.org or call 845-357-6100.

Marc Maturo’s official sports column

Brittany Kierman, tends goal for Dominican

Lady Chargers look to shift gears in lacrosse

As the sun shines and the weather heats up, assistant coach Jim Drivas is hopeful that the Dominican College women’s lacrosse team will also heat up and shift into gear in quest of another Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) tournament appearance.

The Lady Chargers, who lost to Philadelphia University in overtime in last year’s tournament, recently posted its first victory of the season, and did it in decisive fashion following four setbacks.

Powered by Christina Brennan of Washington Township, along with North Rockland HS alumna Amber June of Stony Point, the Lady Chargers overpowered the Eagles of Post University, 20-8, in a CACC game at the Torne Valley Sports Complex in Hillburn.

Brennan, a sophomore midfielder, posted four goals and one assist while June, a sophomore attack/midfielder, was one of three Lady Chargers to score three goals.

        Emily Murray of Oakdale had a team-high three assists and recorded one goal, while Tappan Zee HS graduate Shayne Gallagher of Blauvelt had one goal and an assist as Dominican made it a relatively comfortable day for sophomore goalie Brittany Kiernan of Clarkstown, who made six saves.

Gallagher is a freshman attack who is adapting to the quicker pace of collegiate competition.

“She’s already making waves,” said Drivas.

Kiernan, an alumna of Clarkstown South HS, is the only official goalkeeper on the roster, and thus bears a heavy load.

“It’s a tough job but she’s a tough kid, and smart,” said Drivas, now a resident of Pearl River who played football and lacrosse at North Rockland HS but concentrated solely on academics at Springfield College.

Drivas, who spent six years coaching at Manhattan College before coming to Dominican, came to the Orangeburg-based school in the spring last year, joining head coach Taryn Brechbiel of Stony Point.

“We should make it (tournament) again,” said Drivas. “As the days go on, with the sunshine, only good things will happen to us. The girls are all working hard and know the ultimate goal. We’re hoping to improve every day.”

Leading a cast of key players is Brennan. “I don’t think she steps off the field; she dictates the game, handles the draws,” lauded Drivas.

Also expected to play key roles are North Rockland HS graduates Tara Maltbie of Garnerville, just a freshman defenseman, and sophomore attack/midfielder Amber June of Stony Point. Maltbie is a transfer from LIU-Brooklyn while June came to Dominican from the College of Mount St. Vincent.

ON THE RUN: Track standout Winslow Dorsanivil of Monsey set a school record for St. Thomas Aquinas College, clocking 10.88 to finish fourth at the VCU Invite in Richmond, Va. Mike Abelard of Spring Valley held the previous mark.  The 4×800 team of Garvenchy Nicolas of Brooklyn, Joe Chegwidden of Hamburg, N.J., Matt Buell of Staten Island and George Erazo of North Babylon were victorious with a time of 8:03.72.  Mike Galonski of Newton, N.J., placed second in the steeplechase with a personal-best 9:49.85.  On the women’s side North Rockland HS graduate Katie O’Grady of Tomkins Cove finished eighth in the 5,000 with a time of 20:22.60.

Hail to the champs

HAIL TO THE CHAMPIONS: The sixth-grade boys  basketball team representing Saint Catharine’s in Blauvelt captured the state Archdiocesan CYO Championship to cap an unblemished 27-0 season. The champions were under the direction of Kevin Clancy Jr. of Orangeburg, a one-time player at Tappan Zee HS, former Bronx scholastic player Brendan Collins of Blauvelt, and Joseph Angelini, also of Blauvelt. Clancy – not be confused with NHL legend Francis ‘King’ Clancy — noted, however, that “the amazing season,” would not have been possible without the leadership of CYO coordinators Mary Anne Pagnani and Edward Dinnegan, both of Blauvelt. (Dinnegan’s son Kevin was an all-county football player at Tappan Zee, and was a member of the Dutchmen basketball team that lost in the state finals to finish at 26.1.) En route to the title game, a 49-27 victory over St. Mary’s of Washingtonville at John A. Coleman HS in Hurley, St. Catharine’s defeated St. Joseph’s of Kingston in the Upstate semifinal, and knocked off defending champion Sacred Heart of Staten Island, 50-46, in the Downstate championship game. St. Catharine’s had defeated St. Paul’s of Congers, 48-40, at Albertus Magnus HS for the Rockland County crown. In recognition  of its outstanding season, the team will be honored by the Orangetown Town Council on April 8 at 7:45 p.m.

Championship roster: Robert Caulfied, Liam Collins, CJ Florencia, Joseph Grammatica, Dan Linehan, Anthony Rostek, Jacob Sansone, and Matthew Zona, all of Blauvelt; and Kevin Clancy Jr., Orangeburg.

MILESTONE:  Sophomore Tara Monaghan of Stony Point continued her torrid pace with four goals as the unbeaten Cortland women’s lacrosse team defeated Geneseo, 15-6, in Rochester. The win was the 100^th for sixth-year head coach Kathy Taylor, whose Red Dragons are ranked second nationally.  Monaghan, an alumna of North Rockland HS, who has said the Red Dragons are on a quest to win a national championship, has 18 points on the season with 16 goals and two assists. Cortland visits Oswego at 1 p.m. on April 5, and then hosts Brockport at 4 p.m. on April 8. Julia Calandra of Suffern is a freshman attack at Oswego.

TAKE THE TRAIN: Baseball fans looking at attend the Yankees’ home opener on April 7 can avail themselves of the
“Yankee Clipper” service on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven Lines provided by Metro-North Railroad. Shuttle service is offered every 20 minutes before, during and after the game from Grand Central Terminal and Harlem-125^th Street. Children aged 5 to 11 ride for just $1 to any game, while commuters who hold monthly or weekly tickets to Grand Central or Harlem-125^th Street can use those tickets to reach the stadium at no additional charge. For details about game-day schedules, pick up a special Yankees-153rd Street Station Game Day timetable, available online and at Grand Central Terminal and outlying stations. Or visit www.mta.info/mnr and get train times.

METS Fans are not to be forgotten, either. Devout followers of the team hailing from the Hudson Valley and Connecticut can reach Citi Field is on Metro-North.  From Grand Central, catch the Queens-bound 7 subway right to the Mets-Willets Point station, a short walk from Citi Field. You can ride either the 7 local train or the diamond-express. All 7 trains stop at Mets-Willets Point.

Marc Cohen, pitching at Drew

QUICK HITTERS: Junior Meg McNally of Hillburn had one goal as the Mercy College women’s lacrosse team defeated East Coast Conference rival Queens College, 12-6, in Dobbs Ferry. McNally added another goal as the Mavericks then improved to 4-6 overall and 2-3 in the ECC with a 15-4 victory against the University of the District of Columbia. Mercy hosts Bridgeport on April 5 at 3 p.m. … Junior pitcher Frank Fantino of Nanuet, a transfer from Southern New Hampshire University, is 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA for the Purchase College baseball team. … Nanuet HS alum Colin Kelly of West Nyack, a junior pitcher, struck out five and allowed one run in two innings of work as the Catholic University of America baseball team in Washington, D.C., snapped a four-game slide with a 14-7 win over visiting McDaniel College. The Cardinals travel to Madison, N.J., on April 4 to meet Drew University. Freshman outfielder Marc Cohen of Chestnut Ridge is batting .182 with an RBI in six games at Drew while senior Corey Mulligan of Pearl River has appeared in five games, batting .250. Catholic University hosts Juniata College of Huntington, Pa., for two games on April 5 and a single game on April 6. … Sophomore infielder Joey Aiola of Suffern has driven in eight runs on the baseball team at Marist College, which travels to Lawrenceville, N.J., on April 5 for a noon doubleheader against Rider College. The Red Foxes return to Poughkeepsie on April 8 to host the University of Albany at 3 p.m. Senior infielder Brian Bullard of West Nyack has six RBI at Albany while sophomore southpaw Brendan Ryan of Pearl River is 0-1 with a 1.42 ERA in five appearances, including one starting assignment. … Senior Kelsey Rehain of Suffern had two goals as the Manhattan College women’s lacrosse team fell to Quinnipiac, 12-11, in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opener for both teams in Hamden, Conn. The Lady Jaspers, 2-7 overall, meet Fairfield University in Riverdale on April 5 at 7 p.m., and stay home on April 9 to host Monmouth College at 8 p.m.  Nyack HS alumna Cristina DeVita of Valley Cottage is a sophomore defenseman at Fairfield. … The Red Foxes of Marist College in Poughkeepsie are competing at the Colonial Track & Field Relays in Williamsburg, Va., that conclude on April 5. Marist features a host of former Rockland County standouts, to wit: Tom Lappas, Olivia Lappas and Brian Edsall, all of Pearl River; Pat Ginty, Nick Hughes and Jackie Gamboli, all of Stony Point; and Tara Nuccitelli, Suffern. … Rebecca Sassone of Pomona was on the Varsity Fours crew as the University of Delaware women’s rowing squad competed at the 32nd Memorial Murphy Cup Regatta on the Cooper River in Camden, N.J. Delaware returns to the Cooper River April 12-13 when the Blue Hens take part in the Knecht Cup. … SUNY Albany goalie Anna Berman of Garnerville was named America East defensive player of the week. The nationally ranked Great Danes are 9-0, with a game scheduled on April 5 against the University of Vermont in Burlington. Taylor Pedersen of Nyack is a junior defenseman for the Catamounts, sporting an impressive 10-2 record. … Junior Jamie DeGennaro of Pearl River, a third baseman/catcher at Stevens Institute of Technology, was named Empire 8 softball player of the week. The Ducks, who went 12-4 through their first 16 games, travel to Houghton College for two games on April 4, and then visit Alfred University on April 5 for another scheduled doubleheader. … St. Thomas Aquinas College women’s lacrosse standouts Margaret Sharp of Suffern, player of the week, and Kaitlyn Lonergan of Stony Point, goalkeeper of the week, were honored by the East Coast Conference (ECC) … Junior Bryan Greig of New City, a Clarkstown South HS alum, pitched a nine-inning complete game as the Mercy College baseball team defeated LIU-Post, 3-1, in Brookville.

RIP: The track and field community in particular and the community at large suddenly lost Don Ryan of Garnerville at 81. A Korean War veteran and retired NYPD Lieutenant and bus driver for Haverstraw transit, Ryan will always be remembered for his dedicated contributions to track and cross country for more than 40 years. “He was the finest gentleman that I ever meet in the sport! It was ALWAYS about the Athletes! May the great Don Ryan rest in peace,” wrote Tom Doherty, another of Rockland’s dedicated sports supporters. Condolences are offered to Don’s beloved wife Elizabeth.

BY PETER BRUNWASSER 

Burnett on right

Peru, known primarily as a soccer country, has seen a spike in basketball interest in recent years.

Peru has been importing talent to its country and now fans get to see a player like West Nyack native Brandon Burnett, who can dunk, consistently score and lead the league in rebounds.

Burnett, a former RCC standout, was signed to the basketball team called InterCECA in the LBN – Liga Basketball National, where they play internationally, for a chance to enter the Pan American basketball tournaments. During his 2013 season he was able to help his team reach second place in the international tournament and was recognized as the leading rebounder for the international tournament.

An International Business major, the 28-year-old Burnett is living up to his vision of traveling the world, albeit for the business of playing basketball, perhaps not what he was expecting when he studied in college. Before hooking up with the Peruvian squat, Burnett played a season of semi-pro basketball with the Manhattan Pride in New York City as power forward/center, averaging four blocks, nine rebounds and 10 points a game. “My goal on that team was mostly to rebound,” he said.

During the summer of 2013, Burnett received a call from his former RCC basketball teammate and good friend Nate Young. Burnett tells us, “Nate Young got a contract to play in Peru and needed someone that could do exactly what I did. They needed a role player who was not selfish with the ball. When you’re a real professional, when you’re needed to step up and do certain things, you need to step up and be a team player.”

We reached out to Nate Young through Facebook, since he is now in Bolivia playing for a new team. Nate confirms, “He [Burnett] did a lot of intangible things, he was a team player. I didn’t have to worry about him hurting the team.”

Burnett was given a mid-season contract July – Dec. 2013 for the Sporting Moral basketball team located in Arequipa, Peru in the Liga Masculina. Here he joined forces with Young to play together on Sporting Moral.

Burnett assures us that it is not easy playing international ball. The height helps, but there is a lot more contact that is allowed overseas, which makes up for the skillset levels. “I wouldn’t say it’s easier. Because of my size I am always guarded by an American from the opposite team.”

Average height for Peruvian players is 5’7 with a few big guys who top out at 6’4″. When they look at the 6’9″ Burnett, what Peruvians see is a giant.

Burnett’s reiterates his US coach’s proverb: “’They can teach you the skills, but they can’t teach size’ and being 6’9 that helps me a lot.”

After two months of play, Burnett was recognized by a team who competes in the international games called “Club InterCECA” located in the city Cajamarca, Peru. Because it was a national team, he was able to waive his current contract with the Sporting Moral team and sign over to Club InterCECA. Burnett received several offers to join other teams but why make the decision to join this one in particular? “I went to InterCECA Basket Team because I was the first American to play for InterCECA,” he said.

Team owner Oscar Manuel Mendoza speaks highly of Burnett. He said, “Brandon performed according to our expectations. He reinforced our team in nationals and helped to gain our Local League Championship.”

Club InterCECA’s American players made an impact at their turf and are excited to recruit more American players like Burnett. “Having an American professional player in our league attracted more fans to games and improved the quality of playoffs and finals,” said Manuel Mendoza.

Burnett is back home now until June. He then plans to re-sign with Club InterCECA. During this off-season he is training and sharpening up his skill with strength and conditioning coaches Mathew Tauber and Jeff Fields from SUNY Purchase.

Burnett said that Young may join him back in Peru, creating an American tag team.  Young said, “Well, that’s not official yet, but it would be fun playing with Brandon again. We know each other’s game very well, so I would expect a successful run. There are many American duos and trios in the national tournament so it’s going to be a challenge.”

Rockland Community College’s (RCC) Mens tennis team began their season last weekend with a 9-0 win against Kingsborough Community College KCC). This is their first season in three years and they have a new head coach guiding them, Joseph Gravagna.

Rockland is led by freshman first singles player Jeremy Rosen (Pearl River HS) and his first doubles partner Kyle Castorico (Spring Valley HS). The doubles team won a come from behind doubles match against KCC 8-5.

Coach Gravagna expects his young team compete very well in Region XV of the National Junior College Athletic Association. “The goal for our team is to get to the NJCAA National in Waco Texas,” he said. “Our players are working very hard and believe they have a chance to reach our team goals.”

In addition Clarkstown North former standout Brian Dichoza played very well in his 6-1, 6-2 second Singles win over KCC. Brian along with his second doubles partner James Ego dominated their match 8-0. Lastly, in fifth singles, Steven Gundajan (Spring Valley HS) won a hard fought first before cruising in the second, 7-6 (4) 6 -0. He also partnered with Mark Westinghouse at third doubles for a 8-4 win.

This season has the potential to be a very strong season for RCC. With the win RCC improves to 1-0 while KCC’s record drops to 0-3. RCC will next play FIT this sat in Region XV Action.

Marc Maturo’s official sports column

Pomona native Walker lives dream as pro in Portugal

Alaina Walker, tightly guarded

Alaina Walker, still on the mark

        The last time we checked in with Alaina Walker, the Pomona native and Albertus Magnus HS alumna was starring on the women’s basketball team at St. Bonaventure University.

Last year Walker was among all category leaders for the Bonnies. She tied for the club lead in steals, was second in assists, third in scoring and, as a guard, she tied for second in rebounds.

This year Walker is playing professionally in Portugal with Olivais Coimbra and, as she told the Rockland County Times, “living out a dream.”

“My time here has been a great experience,” Walker relates. “After I signed the contract I had to fly out on January 20. It was difficult for me to leave after losing my grandmother a few days earlier but I know she would’ve wanted me to make the decision that I did. In some way, I saw it as a blessing — she got me to this point so not only do I do this for myself, but most importantly I do it for her.”

Olivais Coimbra, which went 11-9 in an inconsistent season, made the Portugal-Liga Feminina playoffs but was to meet the No. 2 seed in the first round.

“Since I’ve been here we have been up and down,” Walker noted. “It’s going to be a difficult challenge but I’m always up for that.”

During the course of an extensive basketball background, Walker can point to a number of coaches who helped the process that might one day lead to a career in the WNBA.

When asked, Walker named Jesse Fleming (Bowling Green), Sarah Cartmill (Binghamton), Jacey Brooks (Bowling Green), Priscilla Edwards (St. John’s), Ryan Gensler (Loyola-MD), and Kate Achter (St. Bonaventure).

“(They all) helped not only develop me into a better player but also a better person off the floor,” observes Walker. “I had the opportunity to play with two of my former coaches Tiara Johnson (St. Bonaventure) and Andrea Doneth (St. Bonaventure) and if I can take anything away from what I’ve learned from them is that playing with effort and energy brings many positive things. Those two always gave 110 percent while they were playing and as coaches as well. I’m forever grateful for that.

“But most importantly, my former head coach Jim Crowley who is still coaching at St. Bonaventure today not only believed in me but pushed me to get better and he brought out the best in me. … He believed that I had what it took to play overseas and I will always thank him for what he did to help get me here.”

Walker said her knack for rebounding is a testament to her defensive desire.

“I was a starting point guard for the Bonnies three out of my four years there, and rebounding is one of my best assets. I pride myself of winning rebounds and defending the opposing team’s best player. It’s a challenge that I loved to take.”

Walker acknowledges that the level of competition as a pro is a bit different than the collegiate level.

“I was in one of the best conferences in the NCAA (Atlantic-10). The main difference between where I am now and college is adjusting to the referees,” Walker relates. “The way they call fouls is definitely different than back at home. You can be more physical in college. Here not so much. The level of competition is good because you play against the best of the best. You have WNBA players and top college players all playing in one league so you know on any given night you will get someone’s best shot.”

Walker, who said she had no particular preference of where to play following college, is happy about the decision she made.

“I just wanted the chance to play and get that experience that I have always dreamed of,” Walker notes. “My dad played basketball for Syracuse and when I was talking to him he said ‘I regretted not going overseas to play. If I could make that choice again I would’ve went.’ I knew I didn’t want to regret not being able to experience something like this. This is a little kid’s dream out there today. It was my dream and I’m living it. ”

STILL RUNNING WELL:   St. Thomas  Aquinas College track standout Winslow Dorsainvil of Monsey narrowly missed the Ramapo Roadrunner Invitational meet record (10.73) when he won the 100 in 10.74. Dorsainvil, a Spring Valley HS alum and the East Coast Conference track athlete of the week, also took fourth in the 200 with a season-best time of 22.14 and anchored a 4×100 relay to third place in a time of 43.07.  George Erazo of North Babylon won the 400 in a time of 50.02 while Mike Galonski of Newton, N.J., was second in the 5,000 in a time of 15:42.33.  Mike Kraus of River Vale, N.J., ran 1:58.44 to take fourth in the 800. On the women’s side, Meaghan Ventarola of Monroe was third in the steeplechase in a time of 11:44.89. Spring Valley HS alumna Samantha Gabriel took fourth in the triple jump while Keeley Bateman of Pearl River placed eighth in the 800 with a time of 2:23.60. Bateman was also on the victorious 4×800 relay team along with Gabby Sloezen of Westwood, N.J., Gina Funaro of Queens and Allison Borriello of Montgomery. The Lady Spartans clicked in 9:55.01.

DIAMOND SHOWCASE: North Rockland HS has four games upcoming in the ongoing High School Baseball Showcase, hosted by Provident Bank Park in Pomona in conjunction with the Ramapo Local Development Corporation. Besides the Red Raiders, the showcase will feature other teams from Rockland County, Westchester County, Northern New Jersey, and New York City. The showcase is open to the public and admission is free of charge.

Schedule

April 14: Pearl River vs. Clarkstown North, 7 p.m.; April 19: North Rockland vs. RC Ketchum, 7 p.m.; April 24: North Rockland vs. Tappan Zee, 7 p.m.; April 25: Suffern vs. Albertus Magnus, 4 p.m.;  April 26 (tripleheader): East Ramapo vs. Nanuet, noon; North Rockland vs. Pearl River, 3 p.m.; Clarkstown South vs. Nyack, 6 p.m. April 27 (quadruple-header):  Clarkstown North vs. Tappan Zee, 9 a.m.; Suffern vs. Nyack, noon; Clarkstown South vs. Albertus Magnus, 3 p.m.;

East Ramapo vs. Nanuet, 6 p.m.; April 28: Briarcliff vs. Pleasantville, 7 p.m.; April 30: Bergen Catholic vs. Wayne Hills, 7 p.m.

May 3: Nanuet vs. Haldane, 7 p.m.; May 9: Woodridge vs. Hasbrouck Heights, 7 p.m.; May 13: North Rockland vs. Suffern, 7 p.m.; May 18: Tappan Zee vs. Pearl River, 7 p.m.;

May 31-TBD: Section 1 Championships.

For more information about the showcase and other events at Provident Bank Park, including the 2014 Ramapo Summer Concert Series, visit www.ramapoparks.org or call 845-357-6100.

Rich Baerga, leads STAC in hitting

Lauren Kahn is on target for Lady Huskies

QUICK HITTERS: Senior defenseman James Burke of New City and the Ithaca College men’s lacrosse team battled eighth-ranked Cortland before falling, 8-7, at Higgins Stadium in Ithaca. The 11^th-ranked Bombers, who posted their second shutout in program history in waylaying Houghton, 19-0, host Empire 8 opponent Nazareth on April 12. … Senior midfielder Lauren Kahn of Nanuet is the leading scorer with 41 points (24 goals, 17 assists) on the women’s lacrosse team at the University of Connecticut.  UConn, which defeated Rutgers, 12-11, with Kahn notching three goals, hosts Georgetown on April 11 at 4 p.m. and Marquette on April 13 at noon, with both games at the George J. Sherman Sports Complex on the university campus in Storrs, Conn. …. Nyack native Francesca DeLorenzo is the assistant athletic director and women’s lacrosse coach at Purchase College. The Panthers visit SUNY Maritime in the Bronx on April 12 at 1 p.m., and are home on April 14 to host the College of Mount Saint Vincent at 3 p.m. … North Rockland HS graduate Tara Monaghan of Stony Point led the Cortland women’s lacrosse team with three goals as the undefeated Red Dragons overpowered host Oswego, 11-3, in SUNYAC action. The nationally second-ranked Red Dragons (9-0, 3-0 in the conference) were to visit Middlebury, Vt., on April 10 before returning home on April 12 to host Buffalo State at 12:30 p.m. Cortland hits the road again on April 17, meeting St. John Fisher in Rochester. … St. Thomas Aquinas College men’s tennis standout Javier Munoz-Laguna of Sevilla, Spain, was named rookie of the week by the East Coast Conference. … Junior Bryan Grieg of New City preserved a 4-2 victory as the Mercy College baseball team salvaged a split with St. Thomas Aquinas College. STAC won the opener, 7-1. In a follow-up twinbill in Dobbs Ferry, STAC elevated its record to 15-9 with a 6-4, 7-5 sweep. The Spartans meet LIU-Post on April 11 at Provident Bank Park (PBP) in Pomona at 3:30 p.m., then travel to Post for a twinbill on April 12 before returning to PBP on April 13 for another game against Post at 1 p.m. Junior Rich Baerga of Pomona is leading STAC with a .368 batting average and is second on the club in RBI with 18, two behind Stanley Susana of the Bronx. … The Rockland CC baseball team beat rival Westchester CC, 14-6, at Manhattanville College in Purchase. … Rockland CC leads the Mid Hudson Conference golf standings, followed by Ulster CC. The Hawks are sparked by Brian McGarvey, ranked second in the player standings, with Benedict Tagle sixth, Daniel Tagle seventh and Emilio Ruiz eighth. Pocholo Chavez of Stony Point, a tennis standout at Purchase College, was named to the Skyline Conference honor roll for player of the week after notching three wins in singles action and three victories in doubles play.

The Orangetown Town Board has honored the winners of the 2014 Catholic Youth Organization statewide boys basketball tournament at a recent Town Board meeting at the Town Hall in Orangeburg.

The winning team was the undefeated St. Catharine’s CYO team from Blauvelt, sponsored by that hamlet’s St. Catharine’s Roman Catholic Church on Western Highway.

According to one of the coaches, Kevin Clancy, the 6th grade boys team went undefeated this season, with an archdiocesan record of 27-0.

Thy began their victory route with a 48-40 win over St. Paul’s of Congers for the Rockland County CYO championship at Albertus Magnus High School in Bardonia.

From there the nine Blauvelt boys defeated St. Joseph’s of Kingston in the upstate semi-final match by a score of 46-23 at Dominican College of Blauvelt and continued with a victory at the upstate finals over St. Mary’s of Washingtonville held at the John A. Coleman Catholic High School in Hurley.

The final game was the New York State championship which pitted St. Catharine’s against the defending 2013 championship team of Sacred Heard of Staten island, whom they narrowly defeated 50-46.

The victorious boys team included Robert Caulfield, Liam Collins, Kevin Clancy Jr., CJ Florencia, Joseph Grammatica, Dan Linehan, Anthony Rostek, Jacob Sansone and Matthew Zona.

Coaches, along with Clancy, included Brendan Collins and Joseph Angelini, while the CYO coordinators for the competition were Mary Anne Pagnani and Edward Dinnegan.

Leading the recognition for the Town of Orangetown was Councilman Denis Troy of Pearl River, himself a long-time youth and CYO coach both locally and on a countywide basis.

Each of the boys was given a certificate of recognition from the Town Board and a standing round of applause at a recent Town Board meeting, where they were congratulated by all five board members.

Rockland Community College’s (RCC) Mens tennis team clinched a NJCAA regional birth with two conference wins against FIT and Ulster Community College. RCC Defeated FIT with a thrilling 5-4 win then followed that up with a 8-1 win over Ulster Community College. This is their first regional birth in 10 years as head tennis coach Joseph Gravagna guides them to their best start in 20 years. The RCC Freshman, first doubles team, of Jeremy Rosen and Kyle Castorico def FIT 8-5 and def Ulster 8-2. In addition, Kyle Castorico, second singles, won the deciding match against FIT and then beat Ulster CC 6-3, 6-0. With the win RCC improves to 3-0. RCC will next play Suffolk Community College in Region XV Action.

Marc Maturo’s official sports column

Yes sir! Stony Point tennis player ready to serve

As he winds down his collegiate career, with one regular-season match on tap and then the Skyline Conference Championships, Purchase College tennis player Pocholo Chavez of Stony Point is already looking ahead to quite a different career path.

“One of my main goals is to go through officer training after my first tour and (I) hope to fly one day,” said Chavez, who might consider some tournament play after graduation but most certainly will continue to play recreational tennis.

Chavez, who took part in tennis and swimming at Ramapo HS – “It’s only tennis now, I have no time to be in the pool,” he said – will soon be headed to the Air Force, to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

“I’ll do one tour, six years probably, and see if I like it,” the former Rockland CC player added.

Young Chavez was introduced to the sport by his dad, Michael.

“My father bought me a tennis racquet and I went up to RCC and hit balls against the wall,” recalls Chavez, who also participated in USTA and NJTL competitions. “I’ve been playing a long time, since maybe I was seven or eight years old. I loved it, obviously; I just naturally liked it. I’ve enjoyed it, but now it’s time to move on.”

Chavez’s college career is fast approaching the end, with the Panthers scheduled to host John Jay College on April 18 at 3:30 p.m. in their regular-season finale. The Skyline Conference Championships are set to open on April 23.

The Panthers struggled all season, starting when their No. 1 singles player opted not to play and Chavez also struggled under the .500 level in singles and doubles. Nevertheless, Chavez said the friendships he made and the camaraderie made it all worthwhile.

“The season fell short of expectation … most of the team is new and inexperienced, which greatly affected our performance and mindset overall,” observes Chavez. “Although this season has been disappointing the camaraderie of the new cast has uplifted my experience as a senior and I’m satisfied with my time on the team … just enjoying what’s left of the time I have on the courts with a great group of guys I’m proud to call my brothers. I find myself cherishing the memories and the relationships I have and focus on the good. Although winning would be the icing on the cake, we can’t have it all but what I have right now is well worth the stay.”

Chavez, apparently, has already found the secret to success.

They’re off and running at the Hook

HOOKED: Tim Kuklis of Mount Kisco won the men’s division and Christina Ferencevych of River Vale, N.J., scored her second half marathon title in two years at the 25^th George Wodicka Hook Mountain Half Marathon and 5K Run. The race was held on a hilly 13.1-mile course at Rockland Lake State Park in Congers, NY. Kuklis, 32, was timed in 1:16:32, while Ferencevych, 26, finished in 1:34:08. Efraim Shaw, 19, of Monsey was the first Rockland resident to finish the half marathon in 1:18:29 as 301 runners completed the course. Carol Guzinski, 47, of Garnerville was the first woman to finish, clocking 1:39:40. The 5K, which had 230 finishers, was led by 28-year-old Orlando Rivera of Pomona, who was timed in 17:23 to win the men’s division. Lauren Cullen, 33, of Ossining won the female division in 19:43. Jonathan Farrell, president of the Rockland Road Runners, ran the half marathon for the first time. He was quoted as saying, “I’ve never received more support from other runners who were also running the race.” Farrell, 30, placed fourth overall with a time of 1:24:47. The race, named for the late RRR member George Wodicka, raised more than $75,000 for United Hospice of Rockland.

Lady Chargers on a roll

ON A ROLL: Shayne Gallagher of Blauvelt had one goal and as assist and Brittany Kiernan of Clarkstown tended the net as the Domincan College women’s lacrosse team rolled past host Nyack College, 22-5, for its sixth straight victory. Leading the Lady Chargers with a career-high five goals was Christina Brennan of Washington Township, N.J., while Allison Smithwick of Commack contributed four goals and three assists. Other goal-scorers for Dominican were Kelly Barbarite of Smithtown, Haliann Fitzgerald of Walden, Emily Murray of Oakdale, Traci-Joan Muniz of Middlesex, N.J., and Gina Sparaco of Freeport. Dominican, coached by Taryn Brechbiel of Stony Point and Jim Drivas of Pearl River, hosts Caldwell College at 4 p.m. on April 22 to celebrate senior day, and then closes the regular season on April 24 against Southern Connecticut State University at the Torne Valley Sports Complex in Hillburn, also at 4 p.m.

QUICK HITTERS: Junior midfielder Meg McNally of Hillburn has eight points on four goals and four assists for the Mercy College women’s lacrosse team. The Mavericks welcome Philadelphia University to Dobbs Ferry on April 19 at 1 p.m. … Clarkstown South alum Ryan Kennish of New City is a sophomore defenseman on the men’s lacrosse team at Oswego State, which visits SUNY Geneseo on April 19. … The Dominican College baseball team will be at Provident Bank Park in Pomona on April 22, hosting LIU Post at 7 p.m., and on April 23 for a noon doubleheader against local rival Nyack College. … The St. Thomas Aquinas College softball team has back-to-back doubleheaders on tap at its home field in Sparkill, meeting NYIT at 3 p.m. on April 22 and Philadelphia University at 3 p.m. on April 23. Clarkstown South HS alumna Samantha McDonald of New City leads the Lady Spartans in batting with a .397 average, followed by Julie Sosnicki of Lyndhurst, N.J., at .311 and Alyssa Lombardo of North White Plains at .300. Paramus Catholic HS graduate Brittany Mangan of Pomona is batting .255. … Matt Kostalos of Staten Island worked six strong innings as the St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team held off LIU Post, 4-3, in an East Coast Conference contest at Provident Bank Park in Pomona. The Spartans, led by ECC player of the week Rich Baerga of Pomona, visit Queens for a noon doubleheader on April 19, and then are home for three straight games against Queens, Caldwell and Concorida College of Bronxville, respectively. … Keeley Bateman of Pearl River set a school record in the 1,500 with a time of 4:56.31 as St. Thomas Aquinas College competed at the Rider Track and Field Invitational.  Mike Galonski of Newton, N.J., won the 3,000 Steeplechase in 9:52.14 while Spring Valley HS graduate Winslow Dorsainvil of Monsey won the 100 in 10.81 and George Erazo of North Babylon placed second in the 400 with a time of 48.77.  The 4×800 team of Garvenchy Nicolas of Brooklyn, Matt Buell of Staten Island, Joe Chegwidden of Hamburg, N.J., and Mike Kraus of River Vale, N.J., broke the school record in a time of 7:57.76 in leading the competition as the Spartans turned in the best overall performance by a Division II team. The Spartans next compete at the ECC Championships on April 19 at Georgian Court University in Lakewood Township, N.J. … North Rockland HS alumna Rebecca Sassone of Pomona was on the Third Varsity Eights boat as the University of Delaware rowing team competed at the Knecht Cup on the Cooper River in Cherry Hills, N.J.  Sassone, along with coxswain Molly Gardner, Danielle Lawler, Shannon Bell, Bethany Porter, Juli Kyritsis, Kimmie Abrams, Kim Lee and Taylor Morgan finished fifth in its heat with a time of 7:33.08. Boston College won in 7:01.66, ahead of Fordham, Old Dominion, West Virginia and the Blue Hens. Delaware will continue action on April 26 when the Blue Hens compete against Boston University, Connecticut, and Bucknell in a quad-meet at Pinchot Lake at Lewisberry, Pa. … Freshman John Kukura of New City went 1-for-6 on the day as the Pace University baseball team split a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division doubleheader with Le Moyne College in Syracuse. Jonathan Chudy of Goshen pitched seven and one-third innings as the Setters salvaged the split with a 3-1 victory after bowing, 8-2. Pace (8-15) opens a four-game home stand in Pleasantville on April 18 against St. Rose at 3 p.m. The teams meet again on April 19 in a scheduled noon twin bill, and on April 22 the Setters host Post at 3:30 p.m. Kukura, an alum of Clarkstown South HS, is batting .289 with three RBI in 15 games in his rookie collegiate campaign. … Sophomore Tara Monaghan of Stony Point had two goals and one assist as the nationally second-ranked SUNY Cortland women’s lacrosse team overpowered visiting Buffalo State, 18-4, in Cortland’s annual Stick it to Cancer game in which funds are raised and donated for cancer research. The Red Dragons, who elevated their mark to an unblemished 12-0 and still with an eye on a national title, stay at home for their next three

Kelsey Rehain eyes another goal

games, starting on April 19 at 1 p.m. against New Paltz. Salisbury visits on April 20 at noon, followed by Potsdam at 4 p.m. on April 22. … Senior attack Kelsey Rehain of Suffern had a hat trick as the Manhattan College women’s lacrosse team fell to high-scoring, Buffalo-based Canisius College, 18-8. The victorious Golden Griffins featured four of the top 10 scorers in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Rehain is the third-leading scorer for the Jaspers with 19 points on 15 goals and four assists. … The Nyack College baseball team, which improved to 16-10 with a 13-2 win over Bloomfield (N.J.) College, meets Chestnut Hill College on April 19 for two games at Provident Bank Park in Pomona. The opener is set at noon. Sophomore pitcher Casey Kern of Stony Point has appeared in four games, with one start, for the Philadelphia-based Griffins. … North Rockland HS alum Mike Cruz of West Haverstraw, a member of the track and field team at SUNY Cortland, placed 10th in the long jump at the Moravian Coach P Open in Bethlehem, Pa. … Junior Bryan Greig of New City struck out 10 batters but the Mercy College baseball team dropped a 3-1 decision to Bridgeport in the second game of a doubleheader. Mercy was blanked in the opener, 10-0.  … The Rockland CC golf team, led by Benedict Tagle and Daniel Tagle, are third in the Mid Hudson Conference standings. … Al Witt of New City, 90, long-time sports  photographer, will receive the Joseph Holland Lifetime Achievement Award at the Rockland County Sports Hall of Fame Dinner on April 26 at the Elks Club in Nanuet. Witt is one of eight inductees. For tickets and information contact Pete Castellano at 1-201-390-3245 or email jonbpc@aol.com.

THIS & THAT: Fans of the Pomona-based Rockland Boulders in particular and Independent League baseball in general might get some enjoyment by visiting www.IndyBaseballChatter.com. Fans may subscribe to Bob Wirz’s Independent Baseball Insider column at www.WirzandAssociates.com or comment to RWirz@aol.com. … The Newark Bears Professional Baseball team and its concessions company are hosting a liquidation sale and auction at 10 a.m. on April 26 at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium, 450 Broad Street, Newark, N.J. Business and personal items will be available for purchase.  All sales are final.  Purchases can be in the form of cash, credit card or check and must be paid in full on April 26.

Katherine Newhoff of East Islip on Long Island captured the high school girls 5,000-meter title at the third annual Nyack Racewalks, held April 6 at the NyackHigh School track. The meet was organized and sponsored by Rockland track officials Debbie and Shawn Frederick of Nyack, with the support of USA Track & Field, Park Racewalkers and the NyackSchool District.

Under perfect racing conditions, Newhoff, 16, pulled away in the final laps to win by more than 20 seconds in 25:53.5 for the 3.1-mile, 12 ½- lap race. Albany’s Meaghan Podlaski (26:14.3) finished second in a three-way battle with Kayla Allen (26:16.3) and Sydney Sirois (26:16.7), both from Maine. The first 11 girls across the finish line, including New Rochelle’s Caitlin Apollo (27:44.8) and North Rockland’s Maria Garcia (28:22.0), bested the qualifying standard for the 2014 USA Junior National Championships to be held in July in Eugene, Ore. Also competing in the event was Amanda Stallone of Nanuet, who finished in 29:13.6.

In other competitions in the meet, Emerson Hernandez, 25, a 50-kilometer star on El Salvador’s Olympic racewalking team, shattered the 5,000-meter meet record in 21:10.4; former USA Senior National champion Maryanne Daniel of Connecticut flirted with a national women’s 55-59 age-group record before finishing in 27:32.8; and 2012 U.S. Olympian Maria Michta, 27, of Long Island coasted to a women’s 10,000-meter (6.2-mile) victory in 51:24.7. Michta had set an American record of 1:31:10 for the 20-kilometer (12.4-mile) distance the previous week.

Two junior boys from New England achieved personal bests and national championship qualifying times at 10,000 meters: Spencer Dunn, 15, of Auburn, Maine, in 50:40.4, and Jack Lazor, 17, of Madison, Conn., 51:26.2. Nineteen walkers from seven USA Track & Field regional associations participated in the Open 5,000- and 10,000-meter races.

Newhoff, Michta and 14 other junior and senior American walkers will compete in the biennial World Cup of Racewalking on May 3-4 in Taicang, China. More than 50 countries will be sending delegations to the event.

Some of the other 28 girls who participated in the Nyack high school race will be competing in the prestigious Penn Relays 5,000-meter racewalk in late April, while others will make the trip to Oregon in July for the U.S. Junior Nationals.

Detailed results are available at http://nyackracewalks.sitespawner.com/.

The 2nd annual Patriot Cup game between local lacrosse rivals Clarkstown South and Nyack High School will take place this Saturday, April 26 at MacCallman Field in Nyack. This year, the two high schools boys and girls lacrosse teams and the Clarkstown Patriots Youth Lacrosse program have come together to support the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. The foundation, based in Cortlandt Manor, NY provides programs that help improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors.

On March 30 players from the boys and girls Varsity and JV teams and players from the Clarkstown Youth Lacrosse Program ran a nine hour marathon line drill that raised $4,000 for Friends of Jaclyn. The teams will present a check to Denis Murphy, FOJ Executive Director and Jaclyn, his daughter and brain cancer survivor at half-time of the Varsity Patriot Cup Game.

The boys Varsity Lacrosse game start at 7 p.m.

Marc Maturo’s official sports column

STAC has many to salute, led by Dorsainvil, Erazo 

The St. Thomas Aquinas College track and field team heads into the twilight of the season on a high, after several outstanding performances at the East Coast Conference Outdoor Championships, hosted by Georgian Court University in Lakewood, N.J.

“The season went very well,” said sixth-year coach Lorne Marcus of Pomona. “Everyone did the best that they could, but there’s always room to improve. That’s always the case, but as long as you try to get better, that’s the key.”

Winslow Dorsainvil, unlimited potential

The veteran coach, a graduate of North Rockland HS and SUNY Cortland, will lose several outstanding talents and leaders to graduation, but red-shirt freshman Winslow Dorsainvil of Monsey is counted upon to help fill the void.

“Someone will have to step up, maybe Winslow or Joe (Chegwidden),” Marcus offers, confidently looking ahead.

Dorsainvil – “A good athlete and a hard worker,” said Marcus — was a triple winner at the ECC Championship. The talented alum of Spring Valley HS won the 100 and 200 and anchored the 4×100 relay team that included Anthony Henry of Suffern, Ramapo HS graduate Travis Abelard of Spring Valley and Frankie Colon of Suffern.

George Erazo, a born leader

George Erazo of North Babylon was a double winner in the 400 and the 400 intermediate hurdles with a school-record time of 56.58.  Erazo, the defending ECC runner of the year, then took fourth in the 100 and third in the 200 to account for 30 points for the Spartans.

“George could be the hardest worker I’ve had in my career,” lauded Coach Marcus. “Besides that, he has been a great leader, along with (Garvenchy) Nicolas and Erazo. It’s one of the best leadership groups that I’ve had; just a great bunch of seniors, like Mike Galonski and Mike Kraus.”

The coach projects Dorsainvil as a great asset in the coming years, and places him on a par with other outstanding speedsters such as Mike Abelard of Spring Valley, who graduated last year, and Chris Munoz of Suffern, who was graduated three years ago.

Another top effort at the ECC Championships was turned in by Midwood HS graduate Nicolas, who took fourth in the 1,500 with a school-record-time (4:04.48 ), and placed third in the 800 with a time of 1:57.02.  Nicolas, of Brooklyn, also anchored the victorious 4×800 team that included Matt Buell of Staten Island, Chegwidden of Hamburg, N.J., and Kraus of River Vale, N.J.

Keeley Bateman of Pearl River ran 4:56.54 to better her school record in the 1,500 and led off the 4×800 team that turned in a runner-up finish.  Allison Borriello of Montgomery was second in the 800 with a time of 2:17.51 and also took second in the 4×400 with her team of Gabby Sloezen of Westwood, N.J., Catherine Sandkuhl of North Babylon and Gina Funaro of Queens.

Sammy Abdallatif of Nanuet took fourth in the 400 to earn all-conference honors as well.  Tristan Holmgren of Valhalla won the high jump, with Ed Oswald of New City placing fourth.

Meghan Ventarola of Monroe won the 3,000 steeplechase, setting a school standard in 11:19.01 and Samantha Gabriel of Spring Valley finished third in the triple jump.

Meagan Jaskot of Blauvelt and Katie O’Grady of Pearl River placed fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 5,000 meters.  Cecelia Pfleging of Staten Island took third in the steeplechase to earn second-team all-conference.

The Spartans are sending their men’s sprint medley and 4×4 teams to the celebrated Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pa., this weekend. On the women’s side, STAC will be represented by the 4×4 and 4×1 quartets.

The season is scheduled to conclude at Cheyney (Pa.) University on May 3.

Francesca DeLorenzo, going overseas

OVERSEAS-BOUND: Nyack native Francesca DeLorenzo, the women’s lacrosse coach at Purchase College, will head to England, Scotland and Ireland in August as a coach with American International Sports Teams (AIST). DeLorenzo, who guided the Panthers to a five-win season in year two of the program – a spring after Purchase was winless in its inaugural campaign – will work with the AIST  U19 program as part of the 2014 UK Laxfest, from August 5-14. DeLorenzo took over as the head coach of Purchase this past season and skippered the Panthers within one win of the postseason. “It’s a great honor,” DeLorenzo, who will also be coaching alongside her sister, Kimberly, was quoted as saying. “This is a well-respected program and many college coaches from around the country, from all levels, take part. The program promotes sportsmanship, the game of lacrosse and friendly competition. It gives all of those involved a taste of international play. I’m very excited for the opportunity.”  AIST teams will be made up of NCAA Division I, II, III, JUCO and NAIA athletes, and is by invitation only. DeLorenzo was a four-year letter winner and three-year starter at Division I Marist College from 2002-05 as a midfielder. During her college playing career, the Red Foxes made four MAAC Tournament appearances, earning a spot in the championship game in 2003.

RED DRAGONS ROLL ON: All good things must come to an end, even a long winning streak. Sophomore Tara Monaghan of Stony Point contributed a goal as the nationally second-ranked Cortland women’s lacrosse team held off top-ranked Salisbury, 12-8, at the Stadium Complex. The Red Dragons improved to 15-0 on the season and captured their 50th straight home win. The Sea Gulls, the defending Division III national champion, fell to 16-1 this season and had their 39-game winning streak snapped. Monaghan, an alumna of North Rockland HS, had one goal and two assists as Cortland rolled to its 14^th victory with 22-5 decisiveness against New Paltz on Senior Day at the Stadium Complex. In a previous contest, Monaghan scored four goals as the Red Dragons defeated St. John Fisher, 15-12, in Pittsford. 

Pocholo Chavez, ends collegiate career

HONORED: The Purchase College men’s tennis team honored lone senior Pocholo Chavez of Stony Point and then defeated John Jay, 6-3, on Senior Day. Chavez, a graduate of Ramapo HS, was lauded by Coach Peter Nestel for his dedication to the team and his role as a teammate.  Chavez, who has played well during a rebuilding season for the Panthers, won his match at third singles, 6-3, 6-2. Then, in his final match for the Panthers, Chavez dropped a hard-fought 6-4, 4-6 (11-9) tiebreaker to Mike Balokoz, a standout player on undefeated Mount Saint Mary College (9-0). Purchase closed its season with an overall 3-10 mark. Chavez will be honored again during the program’s annual awards banquet on May 5.

QUICK HITTERS: The Oneonta State softball team is rolling along at 20-9, and leading the hitting brigade with a .374 average is junior catcher/outfielder Briana Rivera of Pomona. The North Rockland HS alumna has driven in 19 runs for the Red Dragons, who are home for back-to-back doubleheaders on April 25 and April 26. Buffalo State visits at 3 p.m. on April 25 while Fredonia State visits on April 26 at noon. Sophomore outfielder Kristyn Neroda of Pearl River is batting .273 for Oneonta, while junior pitcher Katie O’Flynn, also of Pearl River, tops the ERA chart with a sparkling 1.78 in 11 games, including one start. … Sophomore midfielder Brandon Hickey of Pearl River has three points in his rookie season on the men’s lacrosse team at Oneonta State, which closes the regular season on April 26 against Oswego State at All College Field at 2:30 p.m. The SUNYAC Tournament opens on April 30. … Freshman John Kukura of New City went 3-for-7 with an RBI as the Pace University baseball team split a twin-bill with the College of Saint Rose. Pace won the nightcap, 4-1, after bowing in the opener, 10-7. The Setters open a three-game series at American International College in Springfield, Mass., on April 26, and then return home on April 29 to meet Adelphi. The Setters stay at home on April 30 to meet Caldwell. … Don Bosco Prep alum Anthony Simon of Suffern had a two-run single in a six-run first inning at the SUNY Cortland baseball team clinched the SUNYAC regular-season title and earned the right to host the conference postseason tournament with a 17-0, 11-4 sweep at Oneonta. The Red Dragons (25-7, 13-2 SUNYAC) have hosted the postseason tournament every year since 1997. … Junior Bryan Greig of New City tossed a complete-game as the Mercy College baseball team blanked Stonehill College, 2-0, in Dobbs Ferry. The Clarkstown South alum is now 4-2 with a nifty 2.25 ERA for the Mavericks, who host Dowling College at 2 p.m. on April 25. Mercy travels to Long Island on April 26 for a noon doubleheader against Dowling. … Cortland senior Keeley Sheehan of Suffern tied for 49^th as the Red Dragons finished eighth at the two-day Jack Leaman Golf Championship, hosted by Amherst College at the Hickory Ridge Country Club in Amherst, Mass., and The Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, Mass. … Kaitlyn Lonergan of Stony Point and St. Thomas Aquinas College was named women’s lacrosse goalkeeper of the week by the East Coast Conference, while Matt Quinones of Nanuet and Dominican College was honored as the men’s lacrosse goalkeeper of the week. … The Rockland CC baseball team, coached by Joe Zeccardi, leads the Mid Hudson Conference standings with a 9-3 record.

THIS & THAT:  The 39^th Hudson Valley Handbell Festival and Conference will take place on April 26 at the Nyack College gym, located at 146 S. Highland Ave. The festival, which culminates with a free concert at 7:30 p.m., promotes the art of handbell ringing, with more than 20 choirs from the area scheduled to participate.  For information contact Arlene Linke at 845-786-5592. … The Can-Am League Rockland Boulders, in conjunction with United Way of Rockland, will stage the second “Boulder Dash 5K Run/Walk on June 14, beginning at 9 a.m.at Provident Bank Park in Pomona. All race day information can be found at www.rocklandboulders.com.

The Tri-State Bulldogs Adults 18 & Up Minor League Football Organization is looking for coaches, players, dance team members and game day staff for the 2014 MLF Summer Season! Register now At www.tri-statebulldogs.com Located in Rockland County New York at the New York / New Jersey Border!

Marc Maturo’s official sports column

STAC ‘9’ set for playoff preview against Dowling

A classic four-game showcase of sorts looms this weekend when St. Thomas Aquinas College and Dowling College, two East Coast Conference powerhouses, square off in a postseason preview.

Pitching-rich Dowling leads the conference with a 17-3 record (29-11 overall) while the hard-hitting Spartans of Sparkill have been in hot pursuit with a 14-6 conference mark (27-12 overall, including a seven-game winning streak following a sweep against Adelphi University).

The Spartans, coached by veteran Scott Muscat of West Haverstraw, would need an unlikely four-game series sweep to trade places in the conference standings but both regionally-ranked clubs have already received the top two seeds in the postseason tournament.

This reality, however, does nothing to dampen the teams’ first meetings of the season, beginning May 2 at 3:30 p.m. at Provident Bank Park in Pomona. Dowling is scheduled to host a noon doubleheader on May 3 in Brookhaven, and the teams return to Provident Bank Park at 1 p.m. on May 4 to close the series on Senior Day.

“We’re going to see each other four times and we’ll get a close look at them, and they’ll get a close look at us,” noted Muscat, whose Spartans went 0-2 in the NCAA Division II Championships last year. “This will be kind of a preview for the tournament, and what matters most in the (ECC) Tournament, if one teams wins the series it can have a bearing on the regional ranking; one team can move up and the other would move down.”

The Spartans were listed No. 5 in the East Region in the first official NCAA Division II rankings while Dowling was ranked No. 4. Six teams in the East Region will qualify for the NCAA Division II tournament, with automatic bids being earned by the tournament champions from the East Coast Conference, Northeast-10 and Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference. The remaining three bids will be issued on an at-large basis.

Tough task

STAC boasts the top-hitting team in the conference, led by Rich Baerga of Pomona, who is at the magical .400 level, while Dowling has the top pitching staff, powered by senior right-hander Tyler Badamo of Mount Sinai. Badamo has proven nearly impossible to score against, with a .43 ERA and 108 strikeouts.

“We’re going to have to adopt a different strategy against him,” said Muscat, who expects Badamo to get the starting nod on May 2. “We’ll have to adjust, for sure.”

Baerga, the Spartans’ leadoff hitter, is doing precisely what Muscat and other coaches expected, tabbing the junior standout as a preseason all-America selection.

Stanley Susana, RBI machine

Baerga, however, had much support in the lineup. Sophomore Nick Gargan of Nesconset has settled into the No. 2 slot while junior Stanley Susana of the Bronx, who was the ECC rookie of the year as a freshman, leads the conference with 34 RBI.

Outfielder Derek Hirsch of Melville, who delivered a two-run homer against Adelphi in the second-game victory following a 5-for-5 performance against Caldwell, bats in the cleanup position.

Another offensive threat is senior first baseman and team captain Kenny Kirschner of Cornwell-on-Hudson, a left-handed bat.

“He’s one of our best hitters — leads us in stolen bases — and is one of our best infielders,” Muscat said. “He led the ECC in hitting last year.”

Still and all, STAC will have its bats challenged by Dowling’s hurlers; not that Dowling is a one-horse opponent.

“We haven’t met this season, but they have the best pitching in the conference, and also run very well (an astonishing 111 stolen bases in 137 attempts),” offers Muscat, putting on his scouting cap. “They’re solid hitting, too, above average. But pitching and speed keeps them in every game.”

Robert Frank, staff ace

Not to be undone, STAC also brings some formidable arms to the mound, sparked by the Spartans’ all-time and single-season strikeout leader, right-hander Robert Frank of Closter, N.J.

“He’s not completely healthy, but has a 1.84 ERA; he’s pitching very well,” notes Muscat, also pointing to sophomore righty Matt Kostalos of Staten Island, the No. 2 man in the rotation, and senior ECC saves leader C.J. Ferriggi of Bellmore.

“C.J. has seven saves and throws four pitches for strikes, which is unique for a closer; most have two, which is still pretty good,” adds Muscat.

In the tournament, the No. 1 seed meets No. 4 while the No. 2 seed meets No. 3. The survivors meet on the second day.

“One of us will have to beat the other to win the tournament for sure,” offers Muscat, noting that the champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. “But either of us can get in the (NCAA) tournament without winning the conference tournament because of our regional ranking, if it stays as it is.”

QUICK HITTERS: Rockland County teams are eligible to compete at the Continental Amateur Baseball Association (CABA) 18u Metal Bat World Series July 7-12 in Struthers, Ohio. To register, contact Ken Quinn at 330-719-0581, or visit the CABA website. … St. Thomas Aquinas College sophomore Inigo Aldekoa of Barrika, Spain, was named second-team all-East Coast Conference in men’s tennis. … Junior right-hander Frank Fantino of Nanuet evened his record at 2-2, pitching five innings and allowing two runs as the Purchase College baseball team waylaid visiting John Jay, 21-3. The Panthers lifted their record to 14-10 overall. … The Mercy College softball team used an offensive flurry to sweep a doubleheader against Nyack College, 16-2, 16-3, at the Orangetown Little League Field in Orangeburg. Mercy improved to 15-30 while Nyack fell to 3-33. Meghan Richards of Nanuet, a junior infielder, has been a bright spot for Nyack, leading the team in hitting with a .390 average and a team-high 21 RBI. … Sophomore Tara Monaghan of Stony Point had an assist as the nationally top-ranked Cortland women’s lacrosse team defeated 20^th-ranked Fredonia State, 14-2, to record its second unbeaten regular season in school history. The Red Dragons, who went 17-0 overall and 8-0 in SUNYAC competition, host the semifinals and finals of the SUNYAC Tournament on May 2-3. The top-seeded Red Dragons were to face the winner of a first-round game between fifth-seeded Brockport at fourth-seeded Oneonta, while third-seeded Fredonia State matches up with second-seeded Geneseo at the Stadium Complex. … Dominican College senior golfer and team captain, Keith Prokop of Boonton, N.J.,  will be making his second consecutive East Regional appearance, May 5-7. At a minimum, the top three teams and the top two student-athletes not with a team from each regional (regardless of region) will advance to the finals May 19-23, at The Meadows Golf Course in Allendale, Mich. … Thomas Dertinger of Nanuet had two goals and an assist and goalie Matt Quinones, also Nanuet, had 21 saves as the Dominican College men’s lacrosse team dropped its season finale, 17-0 to Mercy College at Smith Field in Dobbs Ferry. Dertinger, a senior midfielder, finished third on the team in scoring with 22 points on 19 goals and three assists. Quinones, also a senior, posted a 57 percent save percentage for the Chargers. Tappan Zee graduate William Madigan appeared in eight games as a freshman defenseman, while freshman attack Conor Reeves, another  TZ alum, scored 13 points on 10 goals and three assists. … Junior Meg McNally of Hillburn had an assist as the Mercy College women’s lacrosse team fell to Wesleyan College, 10-6, to close the season. McNally, a graduate of Suffern HS, finished with 13 points on five goals and eight assists. … Mike Cruz of West Haverstraw was a member of the victorious SUNY Cortland 4×100-meter relay team at the Cornell University Big Red Invitational. Cruz meshed with Khaaliq Evans of Queens, Peter Sigona of Auburn and Romain Saint Germain of Westbury to clock an ECAC qualifying time of 43.72. The Red Dragons, two-time defending league champion, will compete at the SUNYAC Championships May 2-3 at Geneseo.

(RAMAPO, N.Y.) – The Rockland Boulders will host two local qualifiers for the Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit, & Run competition. Both dates, Sat., May 10 and Sat., May 17, will be held at Provident Bank Park and are open to all boys and girls ages 7-14.

On May 10, the competition will begin at 4:30 p.m. while the May 17 qualifier starts at 9:00 a.m. Each competitor will be divided into four age groups: 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14 (as of July 17, 2001). A national competition, participants will have a chance to showcase their skills in three of the most fundamental aspects of baseball/softball – pitching, hitting and running.

The Pitch portion will test throwing strikes in to a designated Strike Zone target. In the Hit portion, participants will hit off a stationary tee to judge distance and accuracy while the Run aspect sees competitors timed, starting at second base, touching third and eventually reaching home.

The official skills competition of Major League Baseball, Pitch, Hit, & Run is a grass-roots program designed to emphasize the fun element of baseball/softball. There is NO registration fee but participants are asked to pre-register for the event on Major League Baseball’s website.  Participants will be required to provide age verification (birth certificate) at each level of the competition and may only take part in ONE local qualifier. Metal spikes are not allowed at any level of the competition.

Pitch, Hit, & Run is a national competition that has four levels – Local, Section, Team Championship and National Finals. Champions at the local level will advance to a Sectional Competition where they will have the chance to advance to the Team Championship held during June in all 30 Major League Baseball markets. It all comes to a head at the National Finals held during the 2014 MLB All-Star Week in Minneapolis, Minn.

For complete rules and regulations visit www.MLB.com and search “Pitch, Hit, & Run” or call the Rockland Boulders at 845-364-0009.

Marc Maturo’s official sports column

Rockets flying high on court and look to keep flying

The Rockland Rockets, with three tournament appearances already under their belt this year, are still on the move.

Members of the well-established Rockets, a 17-and-under travel basketball team, might be found throughout the county on a fund-raising mission to compete at a national tournament in July at Orlando, Fla.

Of more immediate concern, however, is an Island Garden Division II tournament May 10-11 in Hempstead. The Rockets, coached by North Rockland HS and Nyack College graduates and brothers Shanon and Stefan Martinez, are guaranteed three games, with the top teams advancing.

The Martinez brothers both played in high school and college, with Stefan earning player-of-the-year honors as a schoolboy in 2007. Shannon Martinez, a former coach with the Hudson River Hornets, another 17-and-under team,  is into his fifth year coaching the Rockets.

The head coach has the benefit of three standout players in the backcourt, namely shooting guards Devon Bright of DePaul Catholic HS in Wayne, N.J., and E. J. Smith of Nyack HS, and point guard Mike Arias of North Rockland HS.

Margaret Sharp, ECC selection

Becky Torres, ECC choice

QUICK HITTERS: Dominican College senior goaltender Matthew Quinones of Nanuet has earned all-East Coast Conference (ECC) men’s lacrosse honorable mention accolades. Quinones led the ECC for the second straight year in saves and finished third in the conference in save percentage.  He also led the nation in saves per game.  In a loss to Dowling College, Quinones recorded a career high with a single-game NCAA Division II record-tying 36 saves. The criminal justice major finished his career ranking third all-time in saves and fourth in save percentage. … Seniors Becky Torres of Nanuet and Margaret Sharp of Suffern, women’s lacrosse standouts at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill, were named to the all-ECC first team. Named to the second team were sophomore goalie Kaitlyn Lonergan of Stony Point, senior attack Samantha Lowney of Valley Cottage and junior midfielder Alexis Serras of Linderhust. … Don Bosco Prep alum Anthony Simon of Suffern went 3-for-4 with a run as Cortland defeated Oswego, 4-1, in the winner’s bracket game of the SUNYAC baseball tournament. Cortland (30-8), ranked sixth nationally and the top seed in the four-team tournament, then beat Brockport, 12-5, to win its fourth straight league crown and 32nd overall. The Red Dragons earned an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament and will make their 22nd consecutive NCAA appearance – the longest active streak nationally in Division III. Simon was named to the all-tournament team, along with Brockport’s Anthony Barbetto, a junior infielder from New City. …Spring Valley HS alum Winslow Dorsainvil of Monsey broke his own school standard in the 100 with a second-place time of 10.72 as the St. Thomas Aquinas College track and field team competed at the Angelo Booker Meet at Cheyney (Pa.) University. George Erazo of North Babylon broke his own school-record time and took second with a time of 47.56 in the 400 and then took third in the intermediate hurdles in 55.68.  Gabriela Sloezen of Westwood, N.J., broke her own school-record time in winning the 400 in 57.70 to cap a great sophomore Season.  Meaghan Ventarola of Monroe placed third in the 1,500 with a season-best time of 5:01.44.  Several Spartans will compete again on May 10 at the UAlbany Last Chance Meet. … Outfielder John Kukura of New City, an alum of Clarkstown South HS, finished his freshman season on the Pace University baseball team with a .271 batting average with seven RBI and three doubles. The Setters dropped a season-ending doubleheader to Southern Connecticut State to finish at 12-25 overall and 5-13 in the Northeast-10 Southwest Division. … North Rockland HS alumna Tara Monaghan of Stony Point scored three goals as the nationally top-ranked Cortland women’s lacrosse team overpowered eighth-ranked Geneseo, 14-3, to capture its 16th consecutive SUNYAC title and earn an automatic NCAA Division III playoff berth. The Red Dragons, who improved to 19-0 and won their 53rd straight home game, will host either the University of Mount Union (Ohio) or Keuka College in an NCAA Division III tournament second-round game on May 10, at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex. The winner will play in a four-team regional on May 17-18, at a site to be announced. The Division III national semifinals and finals will be held May 24-25 at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. The Red Dragons will be making their 16th straight NCAA appearance and 18th overall. … Sophomore

Kristyn Neroda, a champion

Lauren Kahn, leading scorer at UConn

Kristyn Neroda of Pearl River and junior Brianna Rivera of Pomona each went 2-for-3 with an RBI to help lead the SUNY Oneonta softball team to an 8-0 victory over rival SUNY Cortland and the SUNYAC championship. Oneonta completed its greatest one-season turnaround with a 29-9 record in a season in which the Red Dragons were picked to finished eighth in a preseason coaches poll. The title for Oneonta is its fourth conference championship in its history and first since 2004. The title also earned the Red Dragons an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament, which begins on May 9-10 at Ithaca with the Division III Regional Tournanent.  Rivera, a North Rockland HS graduate, leads the team with a .372 average, and has driven in 25 runs. Neroda, a left fielder, is batting .313 with 17 RBI. Junior pitcher Katie O’Flynn of Pearl River has posted a 4-0 record with a 1.81 ERA. . … Clarkstown South HS graduate Bryan Greig of New City, a junior pitcher on the Mercy College baseball team, was named to the East Coast Conference weekly honor roll after posting a 0.90 ERA with 10 strikeouts in a 10-inning, 2-1 win over Molloy. In a rematch on senior day, Molloy won, 12-6, with Nanuet HS alum Brendan Siegriest among the honorees for the Dobbs Ferry-based Mavericks. … Nyack HS alum Chris Haggerty of Valley Cottage is 2-1 with a 3.15 ERA in 16 mound appearances for the Villanova University baseball team. The Wildcats meet Manhattan College on May 10-11 in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., with both games scheduled to start at 1:15 p.m. … Lauren Kahn of Nanuet completed her senior season as the leading scorer on the women’s lacrosse team at the University of Connecticut. Kahn, a midfielder, recorded 60 points on 33 goals and 27 assists. UConn closed its season with a 16-8 loss to Georgetown in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament. … Tennis standout Pocholo Chavez of Stony Point is one of five athletes from Purchase College to be named to the Skyline Conference all-Sportsmanship team. The honorees are eligible to receive the 2013-14 Male & Female Sporting Awards, which will be voted on by the conference’s directors of athletics at the conclusion of the academic year.