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A chilly yet exhilarating night saw fall and winter student athletes recognized at an evening bonfire ceremony held on Thursday, Nov. 29 at Spackenkill High School, as a crowd of family, friends, faculty and administration gathered to show their support.
The boys varsity soccer team didn’t need anyone to light a match, however, because they have been fired up ever since winning the school’s first-ever state championship at Oneonta High School on Nov. 18.
Instead, Croft Corners Volunteer Fire Department was on hand to contain a fire that they set to commence the occasion.
“Coaches, students and seniors, many have put years of their life into Spackenkill schools,” said principal Paul Fanuele.
Senior volleyball player Joy Messerschmidt sang the national anthem.
Fanuele remarked that in the history of Spackenkill High School, there have only been four teams to ever make it to the state final four.
Athletic Director Marco Lanzoni said the boys varsity soccer team made it to the state finals in 2005 and 2007, the boys varsity baseball team in 2005, and the boys varsity basketball team in 1996.
First-year AD Lanzoni said that last year there wasn’t a ceremony for fall and winter athletes, but he wanted to see it reinstituted to bring together student athletes with the Spackenkill community. There’s also an athletic banquet held in early June which recognizes the whole school year of athletics. It includes scholar awards and athletic awards.
Some just wanted to be able to recognize athletes, regardless of the weather.
Mike Corbett, Spackenkill health and physical education teacher, said that he spearheaded this ceremony approximately 12 or 13 years ago. He added that it is usually scheduled around spirit week and homecoming weekend, which is held in October, but due to rain this year, it had been postponed twice before.
“We’re having it tonight,” said Fanuele. “Rain or shine.”
Clinton DeSouza, a 2002 Spackenkill graduate and current social studies teacher, said that he has seen most of the soccer games this season, and last year he coached varsity football.
Seasons change
Still, each day isn’t the same anymore for some coaches and players.
“I wanted to come to practice last week, and there wasn’t a practice to come to,” said boys varsity soccer assistant coach Tony Kutch.
Boys varsity head coach Manny Blanco said that he will lose 14 players, including eight starters, to graduation.
“The strong bond with each other,” is what sophomore soccer player Osama Tawancy said he will miss most about his team.
Senior soccer player Justin Laboy said that he will miss the whole pace of the game he had with his teammates. Laboy said that he and his teammates have been playing together for 6 or 7 years, including for the Town of Poughkeepsie.
For some though, it’s not necessarily goodbye, but rather hello to the start of a new season.
Senior winter track athlete Kevin Nelson said that he is looking forward to a new season and hoping to break his best record in the shot put. He said he also hopes to qualify for the state championship.
Nelson said he was disappointed with the ceremony’s attendance numbers, with approximately 75 students and spectators in attendance, but attributed absences to the cold, as well as other students’ commitments, such as drama club rehearsal.
