The winning ways of Deer Park’s student-athletes were recognized at the school’s winter athletic awards ceremony, held on April 28 during a Board of Education meeting. The athletes, presented with certificates by Athletic Director Dominick Fontana and Superintendent Eva J. Demyen, were cheered by proud family members and friends who attended the event in the high school auditorium.

Seven terrific teams – varsity boys baseball, varsity girls basketball, varsity bowling, varsity kickline, varsity boys swimming and diving, varsity boys track, and varsity girls track – were honored as Scholar/Athlete teams for their successful commitment to both athletics and academics. Teams given this award 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.

Including state champion David Hamil, who was named All-League, All-County, All-Long Island and All-State, the varsity wrestlers boasted an astonishing six All-League athletes, rounded out by Thomas Cox (also All-County, All-State), Chandler Fahrrenkrug, James Guidice, Preston Maucere and Marcus Rivera (also All-County).

Deer Park’s bowlers qualified for the playoffs, led by SCBCA Award winner Joseph Thomas and the dominating Adam Zimmerman, who won All-League, All-County, All-State and Newsday Bowler of the Year recognition.

Paced by Sabrina Grunseich (Academic All-County) and Kristy Vitucci (All-County, All-League), the varsity girls basketball team earned their leagues’ Sportsmanship Award, while the varsity boys basketball team, led by Darien Jenkins (All-League, All-Conference), Princeton Louis (All-League, All-Conference), Tyler Pierre (All-League) and Joshua Pismeny (Academic All-County), were Class AA playoff qualifiers.

Numerous track athletes earned All-League recognition, including Christopher Cox, Nicholas Fenton (also All-County, All-State), Nyere Neal, Joseph Ranni and Michael Theiling for the boys, and Chiamaka Arinze, Nailah Edmead, Carli Fonseca and Taylah Lovett for the girls.

The varsity boys swimming and diving squad featured All-Leaguer Nicholas Trnka.

The kickline team’s successful season included participation in the LIKA championships (first in pom, second in kick) as well as the nationals (first in open competition, third in kick, fifth in pom).

Board President John Gouskos lauded the athletes and the increased attention garnered by their accomplishments, saying, “Congratulations to all those who contributed to these successes.”