Graduation Week at Storm King is jam-packed with activities and events designed to conclude the school year on a positive note. One such event was the 2018 Spring Athletic Awards. The fun began early on Thursday, May 30, when the School’s coaches acknowledged the student-athletes and presented the awards in the Walter Reade Jr. Theatre.

In his opening words, Athletic Director and Boys Lacrosse Coach Joseph Graziosi reminded the audience of the reasons why athletics are such an important part of the Storm King experience. “Winning is good, but we [play] to make us all better people. Athletics build character. We talk about it a lot, but it’s on the athletic field that we can really put our mantra of Truth, Respect, Responsibility into practice,” he explained.

 

 

To present the first awards, Coach Jim Bennett and the boys lacrosse team joined Mr. Graziosi at the podium. “If one word epitomized this year’s team, it is “courage,” said Mr. Graziosi commending the team, who “left everything they had on the field every day.” A proud Coach Bennett took the microphone to hand out the awards. First, he called on senior Cole Neville who was given the Offensive MVP Award for the most assists, the most goals, and the most face-offs won during the season. Senior Jah’Bral Davis was next in line to receive the Cougar Spirit Award for his drive behind the lacrosse team. Cole and Jah’ Bral were also deemed Division 3 All-Stars along with senior Andy Zhou.

For his strong leadership on the field, another graduating senior, Joseph Dawson, was presented with the Coaches Award. The MVP award went to goalie Hengyi Steven You ‘22 who was called “the team’s hero” and who “personified the Storm King athlete.” The coaches also recognized the effort, determination, and commitment of other team members including 8th graders Mikey McCullough, Seth Vieria, and Alex Neighbors, freshman Miles Lucas, sophomore Sean Witte, junior Charles Cai, and seniors Mingwei Yang and Can Tetik. Junior Uzay Polat was given an award for his “overall awesomeness.”

 

 

Next to take the microphone were Coaches Jeanette McMahon and Maddie Schade to present the awards for girls lacrosse. Coach McMahon began by thanking the fans and the faculty and staff who supported the team all season. “With 22 girls on the roster, it’s the biggest team we’ve ever had. They played nine games, the most they’ve ever played, and spent a lot of time on the road. It just shows how much these girls really like to play,” explained Coach McMahon. She also thanked Miss Schade for the passion, fantastic play, and support she brought to the team this year.

Before handing out the awards, the coaches took a moment to recognize team captains Shania Roehrich ’19 and Tiana Vazquez ’19 for their “great leadership and their work with the team.” The two captains were also congratulated for reaching 100 career goals at Storm King this season. The MIP Award was given to “a girl who never played before, a great athlete” – Maya Buranbayev ’19. The Coaches Award was presented to junior Sally Yujing Zhang, a quiet player who started from scratch and scored 8 goals this season. The MVP Award was presented to goalie Sophia Grausso ’20 who made 104 saves during the season.

 

 

Coach Amelia Kolach stood up next with the smiling members of the varsity ultimate frisbee team. She told the audience of the team’s adventures while learning a new sport. “Learning the sport day-by-day was a lot of fun, and we even got close to winning,” laughed Coach Kolach along with the team. The Most Team Spirit Award was presented to senior Elizabeth Pomeroy who always wanted to play on the field. Captain David Lu presented the Captain’s Award to Shengzhe Harry Sui ’19 for his commitment and teamwork.

Before handing out the awards for baseball, Coach Michael Vondras congratulated the team for their level of improvement this season. “A lot of our players never played baseball before, and we had a slow start. By the end of the season, we played the HVAL semifinal against PDS and gave them a good run,” he explained. The first award – the Comeback Player Broken Bat Award – was presented to senior and catcher Alex Chang following his recovery from a knee injury last year. The Gold Glove (which took the form of an old glove) was given to junior and “center-field vacuum cleaner” Alonso Gonzalez Reynaud. The MIP Award was presented to junior Cem Taviloglu who never played before but became “the best hitter in the league midway through the season.” The Coaches Award went to captain Scott Rolon who “turned every moment on the field into a Broadway musical.” The MVP Award was presented to the team’s #3 hitter and 3rd baseman Aiden Sweeney ’19. Junior Lorenzo Pretto was also recognized for his pitching with the “lucky charm pick” found on the field prior to the team’s first win of the season.

 

 

Coaches David Mendlewski and Lindsey Plummer commended the mountain biking squad who “practiced hard, came out ready each time, and had a great season full of great rides.” “This season we focused on learning the basics, learning the technical side of riding, and also learning how to fall,” said Mr. Mendlewski with a smile. The MIP Award was given to junior Zoe Stene for “meeting and exceeding expectations every day, and giving 100% effort.” Freshman A. River Holasek, who was in great physical condition and showed great tenacity after a fall late in the season, was given the Coaches Award. The MVP Award was presented to sophomore Noah Mendlewski for his focused riding and meeting his coaches’ expectations consistently.

 

 

Boys tennis coaches had a lot to be proud of as they handed out this year’s awards. “We started the year shoveling snow and went onto the HVAL championships,” they explained. Coach Feffer commenced to break down the numbers for the audience, citing the team’s 12-0 HVAL record, and only 3 losses to non-league opponents. In individual singles and doubles matches, the team won 95 and lost only 2. When broken down even further into individual games, Storm King won 911 and lost 187 overall. In addition, junior and captain Guillermo Jose Ramos Sanchez succeeded in finishing in the top 8 in New England Class A draw and the doubles team of Sanchez and 8th grader Juan Pablo Chapa were undefeated 9-0 this season.

The MIP Award was presented to senior Sonjung Jim Ning for his hard work on the team and during his time at SKS. The MVP Award went to team captain Guillermo Ramos Sanchez for his “dedication, hard work, and leading by example.” Senior Will Tian was recognized for his bravery in overcoming match anxiety, seniors Songjung Jim Ning and Mingwei Yang were recognized for their dedication to SKS, and 8th grader Juan Pablo Zuazua Chapa was deemed the team “rabbit,” or “Conejo” for his hustle and hard work all season. Finally, the team members were presented with their HVAL medals.

 

 

Last to take the podium was girls tennis coach Nancy Greenhill, who congratulated her team for their outstanding performance this season. “Here is the Storm King girls tennis team who dominated our league undefeated and are HVAL champs,” she began. “Their hard work, perseverance, and focus allowed them to overcome adversities and make their mark against larger schools. These girls are a classy group,” she explained proudly. Coach Greenhill handed out two MIP Awards to senior Bridgette Wickiser and freshman Jianing Flora Cai. For her warmth and enthusiasm throughout the season, junior Maria Fedosenkova was given the Cougar Heart Award. The Coaches Award was presented to “the team’s rock” senior Aryana Martin for her leadership and selflessness toward her team. Coach Greenhill concluded the awards by handing out HVAL medals to each team member.

Congratulations to all of Storm King’s spring student-athletes, and many thanks go out to the coaches, faculty, and staff who contributed to a successful season.