East Meadow athletes have successful winter season

Posted

Athletes from East Meadow and W.T. Clarke high school had a successful winter season with many placing and finishing with awards.

The East Meadow High School boys winter track team captured a sixth straight Conference Champion title, in addition to a runner-up finish at the Nassau County Championships.

The team finished with a total of 170 points at the conference meet by scoring in 15 of the 16 events and having at least one All-Conference honoree in 10 of the 13 individual events. Brandon Love was crowned county champion in the pole vault while John Meah, Bryan Villafuerte, James Wagnac, Jason Staunton, Matt Owens and Glenn Newberger all put forth All-County performances. Meah also earned All-State recognition in the 1,000-meter run.

The girls winter track team from East Meadow High School finished third at the Conference 2 meet. Additionally, Katherine Marsh, Isabel Marsh, Madison Sohl and Rachel Rose qualified for the New York State Championship by winning the 4x800-meter relay.

Led by coach Stephanie Callan and seniors Hannah Cornfield, Lexi Dolan, Corina Diaz, Arianna Duhs, Myleen Santiago and Kaitlyn Surless, the East Meadow High School cheerleading team captured the Nassau County Championship for the third straight year. The 27-member team also placed 14th at the Universal Cheerleaders Association National in Orlando, Fla.

The East Meadow High School boys bowling team placed second in the conference and third at the Nassau County Tournament, where junior Chris Lee was named All-County. Seniors Justin Bracker and James Gangi garnered All-League and All-Conference honors.

A 12-8 record helped the East Meadow girls basketball team earn a Class A playoff berth for a fifth straight year. Junior Danielle Hippner was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in addition to All-County accolades. Senior Alyssa Yablansky and sophomore Julie Tanenblatt received All-Conference nods.

All-County wrestlers Joseph Aguas, Maximillian De Leon, Austin Carman and Karl Bouyer led the W.T. Clarke High School wrestling team to a third-place finish in the county. Carman and Bouyer qualified for the state tournament by earning county championship wins. Bouyer’s third-place finish in New York is the highest ever achieved by an individual in the school’s history.

The boys and girls bowling teams at W.T. Clarke High School both bowled to conference championships and runner-up finishes in the county. Willie Bedoya led the boys as the Nassau County individual champion and Arianna Fracchioni qualified for the girls state tournament.

Alex Pereira, David Stewart, Sobin Ouseph and Jake Rosenthal earned the 4x400-meter relay county championship for the W.T. Clarke High School boys winter track team. Jake was also the conference champion in the 55-meter event. The girls team was led by Marisa Simone, Isabella De Leon and Rachel Layvey.

Both the boys and girls basketball teams at W.T. Clarke High School qualified for the conference playoffs. Meanwhile, the cheerleading squad once again qualified for the national competition in Orlando with Paris Haddo and Anjolina Testa leading the team to three first-place finishes during in-season competition and second place at the county championship.

The East Meadow School District boys swimming team was led by three state qualifiers. W.T. Clarke High School’s Justen Lopez and Min Chun, along with Woodland Middle School’s Ethan Miao, earned trips to the state championships. Justin claimed third place in New York for the 100-yard breaststroke.

In total, the district achieved 41 All-Conference/division honors and 26 All-County awards.

“This was an outstanding winter season for East Meadow athletics as our programs and students reached new heights in achievement,” said Kristi Detor, the district’s director of physical education, health and athletics.

—Brian Stieglitz