Kellenberg Memorial HS Honors Its Varsity WinterAthletes

On Tuesday, March 5, the winter varsity athletics programs gathered to honor the athletes of the winter season. Awards were given for most committed, most improved, and most valuable athletes on each team.

The Most Improved Player Award is awarded to the athlete who displayed the greatest amount of improvement and growth in their skills which contributed to the success of their team.
The Bernie Ward Commitment Award is named after our beloved former faculty member, coach and colleague Bernie Ward is for the athlete who has displayed the most passion and commitment towards bettering themselves and their teammates during the season.
The Most Valuable Player Award is awarded to the athlete whose contribution to the team contributed most towards that team’s success during the season.

Boys Varsity Basketball (Most Improved Player): As the top defender on this year’s Varsity basketball team, Joe Braskey of Wantagh was given the job of guarding the top offensive player against every opponent this season. His leadership and emotional support to his teammates was directly affiliated with this year’s team success. Over the course of two years on the Varsity basketball team, Joe drastically improved his ball handling, shooting, and playmaking abilities. Offensively, Joe averaged 5 points per game, 6 rebounds per game, and handed out 3 assists per game.

Boys Varsity Basketball Team (MVP): While directing the Boys’ Varsity basketball team at the Point Guard position over the last two years, Sean Boll of Seaford played an instrumental part of this year’s team success. Sean was put in charge of directing the offense, breaking the press, and leading the team on the fast break. As a player who logged the most minutes on the court during the season, He showed composure and determination while playing the most important position on the court. His leadership and all-around skills were needed against every opponent this year. Sean averaged 7 points per game and handed out 6 assists per game over the course of the season.

Girls Varsity Basketball (Most Improved Player): As a role player off the bench her junior year, the coaching staff had high expectations for senior Colleen Bowles of Wantagh coming into the season. The expectations were surpassed as Colleen became an integral part of the team once moved into the starting lineup. While Colleen improved in every offensive and defensive statistic this year, leading the team in three-point percentage and steals. More importantly, Colleen was a friend to all and her presence on the team will be sorely missed next season. This year’s Most Improved Player is senior Colleen Bowles.

Girls Varsity Basketball Team (Bernie Ward Commitment Award): While Kellenberg’s school motto is “One Heart, One Mind”, Colleen Moulder of Wantagh became the true “heart and soul” of the Girls Varsity Basketball team this season. Although she will go onto college to play volleyball next year, Colleen made the most of her final season playing basketball, committing herself to not only improving her own personal game but also her teammates. A true leader by words and actions, Colleen embodied the team motto of “Bleed Blue and Gold”. This year’s Bernie Ward Commitment Award is senior, Colleen Moulder.

Varsity Cheerleading (Bernie Ward Commitment Award) This season’s Bernie Ward Commitment Award winner is a young lady who has been a part of the Kellenberg Cheerleading program since she was in 7th grade. Meredith Kass of Seaford has always been driven and enthusiastic about her improvement and growth as a flyer and an all-around cheerleader. From her early years in the program, the coaches were impressed with her talent and her positive attitude. Even after the many obstacles, Meredith has faced within the last two years, she has continued to remain fully committed and optimistic. And although it hasn’t been easy, Meredith worked tirelessly and proved to be an asset to the Varsity team. We couldn’t think of someone more deserving of the Bernie Ward Commitment Award and we commend Meredith for her continued perseverance.

Varsity Hockey (Most Improved) Stephen Papp of Seaford was by far one of the hardest working players on the team this season. He plays a physical brand of hockey that both frustrates and neutralizes opponents. Stephen immediately showed promise and was inserted into the team’s top line early in the season. While there, he contributed immediately and continued to improve as the season progressed.

Varsity Swimming (Most Improved) Brandon Ramtahal of Seaford has been one of the more dedicated and hard-working athletes I have had the pleasure of working with this year. With the goal in mind from day 1 to make our “A” Championships, Brandon worked his tail off every practice, never missing one. His hard work paid off later in the season, as he dropped 3 seconds in a normal 30-second race, a feat that is very rarely seen in the swimming world. This incredible swim would qualify him for his first “A” Championships and help Kellenberg triumph over St. Peter’s High School, the prior 2nd place team in our division. Brandon has come a very long way from his freshman year and will continue to grow as a swimmer and man. Congratulations Brandon.

Varsity Wrestling (Most Improved): Matt Moreno of Wantagh came into our program four years ago as a timid Freshman with no wrestling experience. Four years later Matt is an outstanding young man who now knows so much about wrestling that he is often coaching up the younger wrestlers in our program during practice and showing them how to correctly do different techniques. Two years ago Matt won just 13 matches, this season he won over 25 matches and placed in the top 4 at multiple tournaments always contributing to the team’s efforts. Although his finish to the season is not where he wanted it to be you cannot deny the leaps and bounds Matt made as a wrestler and more importantly as a man.