Hall Of Famers Honored By William Floyd School District

MASTIC BEACH, NY — It was a time for pride and honor as the William Floyd School District, along with the William Floyd Alumni Association, inducted its 11th class of Hall of Fame recipients recently.

Those honored include 5 former standout athletes, a playoff team and a coach’s award recipient, a release from the district said.

Inductees were honored at a ceremony attended by more than 140 people – among the largest crowd in the history of the event, district officials said.

After the ceremony, the honorees toured the building to see many of the new facilities and programs, visited the Rita Rech Museum of William Floyd School District History and were introduced to attendees at the 33rd annual Kujan Brothers Memorial Wrestling Tournament, the district said.

Those enshrined into the William Floyd Athletic Hall of Fame include John Liselli, Class of 1981, an All-League baseball player who lettered in 4 varsity sports including baseball, basketball, football and soccer; Peter Agelis, Class of 1990,, former All-League captain of the soccer team, who, at that time, led the Colonials back to the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade; and Robert Feise, Class of 1995, former standout on the wrestling mat and the football field who earned selections as All-League in football and wrestling, All-County in football and wrestling, All-Long Island, football, and All-State Second Team in football. He was also the first student-athlete from William Floyd to earn the Collotta Award for the “Most Outstanding Linebacker” in Suffolk County, the district said.

Also honored were Jacquelyn Ardolino, Class of 2009, a 6-year varsity starter for the varsity lacrosse team who amassed 369 goals during her high school career; she was also a 4-year captain and 5-time member of the All-County lacrosse team; and Octavia (Williams) Richardson, Class of 2011, a 3-year starter for the varsity lacrosse team who was a 3-time All-County selection and a member of the 2011 Newsday All-Long Island team, the district said.

Also gaining induction were the 1982 varsity football team, the first team in history to earn a trip to the playoffs with a 7-2 record; and their coach, Nick Schroder, who led the turnaround after taking over in 1981 and leading the team to a 4 to 4 record before earning that postseason berth with a stand-out season in 1982. Coach Schroeder also credited his assistant coaches Al Schroeder, Lou Schiavetta and Martin Ferris. Coach Schroeder coached the Colonials until 1985 before taking over as athletic director in 1986, the district said.

After the ceremony, the William Floyd Athletic Hall of Fame includes 68 individual athletes, 6 coaches, 3 honorary recipients, 3 community recipients, 11 team award recipients and 1 recipient in the category “Floyd Fanatic.” Plaques for the 11th class of inductees will join the previous 10 classes and be affixed to the Hall of Fame wall outside the John Pidgeon Gymnasium at the high school for future generations of students to see, the district said.

Photos courtesy William Floyd School District.