Rye Neck Honors its Scholar Athletes and MVPs

Taking time to celebrate another successful year of competition—and say farewell to graduating seniors—Rye Neck athletes, coaches and their friends and families gathered at the Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club Tuesday for the high school's 57 annual Athletic Banquet.

Twenty-two varsity sports from all three seasons were represented, from basketball and football to bowling and skiing. This year, two boys teams— cross-country and tennis—were league champions, and boys soccer was Rye Neck's sole sectional champion.

Over the course of the evening, coaches, administrators and Board of Education members handed out awards to deserving students. For Bryan Iacovelli, the boys soccer head coach, the night was an opportunity to look back on lasting memories. Rye Neck's sectional champion boys soccer team ended the year with a record of 14-8 and commanded a playoff run that brought them to the regional finals.

"It's a nice way to end the year and let the community celebrate one last time with us," Iacovelli said. "We still think about the season, and it kind of gives us chills. I told the guys that the memories are what they're going to remember more than the wins and the losses."

For some athletes, the banquet was a chance to gain recognition for their achievements at Rye Neck before embarking on new journeys. Senior soccer captain and goalie Jessica Wright, who will be playing for Harvard University in the fall, received the MVP award for her team, as well as some very high praise from her coach.

"She's one of the best goalies in the country," said girls soccer head coach Doug Choron. He noted he would not be surprised to see her playing in the professional leagues one day.

"He's very nice," Wright said of her coach. "I started in eighth grade on the varsity team so it's been five years of relationship building with him. I've always played hard for him so I guess that's how he feels."

Some athletes will not be competing on the college level—for them, the night was an opportunity to close an important page in their lives.

"I'm sad that I'm letting this go because sports have always been a big part of my life," said Shane O'Shea, recipient of the Outstanding Sportsmanship Award and the MVP award for football. O'Shea participated in football, track and field, basketball, bowling and golf while at Rye Neck.

"I decided I didn't want to play sports in college, so I'm definitely going to miss it," he continued. "Saying goodbye to all of my friends is going to be hard."

In all, 87 varsity athletes made the Rye Neck Honor Roll, 26 of them also earning all-league accolades, and eight all-section. Boys soccer MVP Adam Gutierrez (also named League MVP) and ski team member Kalypso Longinotti-Buitoni achieved all-state status for Rye Neck this year. Longinotti-Buitoni also received the Outstanding Athletic Accomplishment Award on Tuesday, as did baseball player Ryan Pennell.

The Scholar/Athlete Awards went to soccer player Christina Baal and baseball player Mike McCarthy. The Courage in Athletics Awards were awarded to basketball player Carla Elias-Nava and golfer Greg Petrillo.

"Tonight is sort of a culminating event and a celebration of all the seasons and all of the accomplishments by our athletes and coaches," said first-year Rye Neck athletic director Joseph Ceglia. "It's an opportunity to reward them for their commitments to the Rye Neck program and to thank several other people who are responsible for the success and function of athletics here.

"It's also a way to acknowledge them in front of their friends and families," he added.

With one year as athletic director under his belt, Ceglia—who in his welcome speech called himself a "rookie" and thanked all the "veterans" who helped him during the year—feels he has learned a good amount about the Rye Neck community, and has his eye on many more successful years.

"It's a supportive community and an athletic town," he said. "There are always people willing to help. It's been a great experience and a great year and I'm looking forward to continued success."