Deer Park Honors Student Athletes

Deer Park honored eight outstanding high school sports teams and three undefeated middle school teams at the district’s fall athletic awards ceremony Dec. 15.

As their proud family members cheered, the recognized student-athletes were presented with certificates by Athletic Director Dominick Fontana and Superintendent Eva J. Demyen, according to a school press release.

All eight of the high school’s teams – boys cross-country, kickline, boys varsity soccer, girls varsity soccer, girls swimming and diving, varsity football, varsity girls tennis and varsity volleyball – earned Scholar/Athlete team status, recognizing their successful commitment to both athletics and academics. Teams given this honor by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association are required to have five players or more and earn a cumulative team GPA of 90 percent or higher.

The varsity girls soccer team made it to the quarterfinal round of the Class AA playoffs and earned the leagues’ Sportsmanship Award. Individual honors went to Cailyn DeMarinis (All-League), Kristen DeBiase (All-Conference), Dominique Guttadauria (All-League), Alexandra Jacullo (Academic All-County), Kristina Kozakevitch (Academic All-League), Taylor Maucere (All-Conference), Mollie Rooney (Academic All-League) and Julia Santora (Academic All-League).

High achievers on the boys varsity soccer team included Salvatore Castiglione (All-League, All-Conference), Dominick Cito (Academic All-County), Frank Cresciullo (All-League), Russell Riviccio (All-League) and Cagri Senlik (All-League, All-Conference).

Qualifying for the League II playoffs, the varsity football Falcons were led by All-County athlete Ayinde Briggs; First Team All-Division winners Kermann Azemar, Jarett Bonser and Richard Keuler; and Second Team All-Division winners Calogero Arena, Ramel Hill and Kevin Loeber.

The varsity volleyball team competed in the Class AA playoffs, boasting five All-Leaguers in Jenna Dee, Jenna Doolan, Tara Englehardt, Antonia Santora and Alexa Wahl; Doolan and Englehardt were also named All-Tournament.

All-League winners Genevieve Ferguson and Stephanie Sinka led the varsity girls tennis squad; the boys cross-county team included Christopher Cox (All-League, All-Division) and Alvin Sime ((All-League); while the girls swimming and diving team was paced by Daniella Cornelia (All-League, All-County) and three additional All-Leaguers in Alexandra Bisagni, Kathryn Block and Christina Seem.

Also honored were three Robert Frost Middle School teams – girls soccer (9-0-1), boys soccer (9-0-1) and football (6-0) – that finished the season undefeated.

[Photo 1: (From left) Deer Park High School students Dominick Cito (Academic All-County) and Cagri Senlik (All-League, All-Conference) of the Scholar/Athlete-winning boys varsity soccer team were honored at the school’s fall athletic awards ceremony.

Photo 2: (From left) Deer Park High School varsity volleyball players Julianna LaSorsa, Danielle Paulich, Jenna Doolan, Jenna Dee, Nicole Tudor and Antonia Santora, with coach Dan Higgins, were recognized as a Scholar/Athlete team at the school’s fall athletic awards ceremony.

Photo 3: Members of Deer Park High School’s varsity football Falcons, with coach Dan Ferguson, were recognized as a Scholar/Athlete team at the school’s fall athletic awards ceremony.]

[Photos courtesy of Deer Park School District]