Sports

Oyster Bay Spotlights Athletes of the Month

Cheerleading, cross country, soccer and tennis athletes get recognition.

Several fine young athletes excelled right out of the gate and were chosen by the Oyster Bay High School coaches as Athletes of the Month for October.

Varsity Cheerleading Coach Nicole Pienkos selected Senior Captain Matthew Mahoski for this honor.  Matthew Mahoski has been a reliable captain for the Varsity Cheerleading team on and off the field.  His ability to make last minute changes to routines when necessary has saved the squad several times.  Matthew’s creativity has also led the team to one of the best routines they have had in years.  His athletic ability to jump, dance, and hit motions, as well as his dedication to the team, make him a stellar athlete.

Cross Country Coach Kevin Cotter has athletes who consistently qualify for the States.  Picking one to honor is a difficult task.  In amongst this impressive group of talented athletes, one stands out.  Junior Linda Cameron is in her 4th year as a varsity runner on the Girls’ Cross Country team.  During her four years, she has been a leader, not only for the girls team, but the boys team as well.  She has hosted team summer runs, played a major role in fundraising, and always attends optional morning runs.  She is consistently in the top ten in league meets, and is only a few seconds away from receiving an automatic bid for all-conference.

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Varsity Soccer Coach Tim Brady could not isolate just one player from his team.  He explains his decision in this way, “S.T.A.R.R. represents the terms Scholar-Team-Athlete-Respectful-Responsible.  They also represent some of the qualities, ideals, and traits looked for in leaders and team captains.  The five pointed S.T.A.R.R. for this year’s varsity soccer team and leadership group is Ryan McEvoy, Francis Kalombo-Ngoy, Kevin Velasquez, Thomas Carchietta, and Mark Stutzmann.  Their hard work in the classroom and on the soccer field provides an excellent model for their teammates to follow.  Their energy and enthusiasm for team success is contagious as they are seen encouraging and supporting their peers between the lines of play and within the academic community of Oyster Bay High School.  We are proud to have these five young men lead by their examples in character, integrity, and the pursuit of excellence.”

Varsity Tennis Coach Fred Sperber found himself in a similar situation with the enviable position of having two USTA (United States Tennis Association) ranked players on his squad.  Sophomore, Celeste Matute, at first singles, is undefeated (5-0), while winning 60 of the 65 games played so far.  9th grader, Courtney Kowalsky, undefeated at second singles (6-0), has won 72 of the 73 games she has played so far.  The team, currently 6-0, goes into every match guaranteed to be up 2-0 before any other matches are completed.  Both are ranked players in USTA competition and can compete with the best in Nassau County.

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