Marc My Words!

Marc Maturo’s official sports column

STAC has many to salute, led by Dorsainvil, Erazo
 

The St. Thomas Aquinas College track and field team heads into the twilight of the season on a high, after several outstanding performances at the East Coast Conference Outdoor Championships, hosted by Georgian Court University in Lakewood, N.J.

“The season went very well,” said sixth-year coach Lorne Marcus of Pomona. “Everyone did the best that they could, but there’s always room to improve. That’s always the case, but as long as you try to get better, that’s the key.”

Winslow Dorsainvil, unlimited potential
Winslow Dorsainvil, unlimited potential

The veteran coach, a graduate of North Rockland HS and SUNY Cortland, will lose several outstanding talents and leaders to graduation, but red-shirt freshman Winslow Dorsainvil of Monsey is counted upon to help fill the void.

“Someone will have to step up, maybe Winslow or Joe (Chegwidden),” Marcus offers, confidently looking ahead.

Dorsainvil – “A good athlete and a hard worker,” said Marcus — was a triple winner at the ECC Championship. The talented alum of Spring Valley HS won the 100 and 200 and anchored the 4×100 relay team that included Anthony Henry of Suffern, Ramapo HS graduate Travis Abelard of Spring Valley and Frankie Colon of Suffern.

 

George Erazo, a born leader
George Erazo, a born leader

George Erazo of North Babylon was a double winner in the 400 and the 400 intermediate hurdles with a school-record time of 56.58.  Erazo, the defending ECC runner of the year, then took fourth in the 100 and third in the 200 to account for 30 points for the Spartans.

“George could be the hardest worker I’ve had in my career,” lauded Coach Marcus. “Besides that, he has been a great leader, along with (Garvenchy) Nicolas and Erazo. It’s one of the best leadership groups that I’ve had; just a great bunch of seniors, like Mike Galonski and Mike Kraus.”

The coach projects Dorsainvil as a great asset in the coming years, and places him on a par with other outstanding speedsters such as Mike Abelard of Spring Valley, who graduated last year, and Chris Munoz of Suffern, who was graduated three years ago.

Another top effort at the ECC Championships was turned in by Midwood HS graduate Nicolas, who took fourth in the 1,500 with a school-record-time (4:04.48 ), and placed third in the 800 with a time of 1:57.02.  Nicolas, of Brooklyn, also anchored the victorious 4×800 team that included Matt Buell of Staten Island, Chegwidden of Hamburg, N.J., and Kraus of River Vale, N.J.

Keeley Bateman of Pearl River ran 4:56.54 to better her school record in the 1,500 and led off the 4×800 team that turned in a runner-up finish.  Allison Borriello of Montgomery was second in the 800 with a time of 2:17.51 and also took second in the 4×400 with her team of Gabby Sloezen of Westwood, N.J., Catherine Sandkuhl of North Babylon and Gina Funaro of Queens.

Sammy Abdallatif of Nanuet took fourth in the 400 to earn all-conference honors as well.  Tristan Holmgren of Valhalla won the high jump, with Ed Oswald of New City placing fourth.

Meghan Ventarola of Monroe won the 3,000 steeplechase, setting a school standard in 11:19.01 and Samantha Gabriel of Spring Valley finished third in the triple jump.

Meagan Jaskot of Blauvelt and Katie O’Grady of Pearl River placed fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 5,000 meters.  Cecelia Pfleging of Staten Island took third in the steeplechase to earn second-team all-conference.

The Spartans are sending their men’s sprint medley and 4×4 teams to the celebrated Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pa., this weekend. On the women’s side, STAC will be represented by the 4×4 and 4×1 quartets.

The season is scheduled to conclude at Cheyney (Pa.) University on May 3.

Francesca DeLorenzo, going overseas
Francesca DeLorenzo, going overseas

OVERSEAS-BOUND: Nyack native Francesca DeLorenzo, the women’s lacrosse coach at Purchase College, will head to England, Scotland and Ireland in August as a coach with American International Sports Teams (AIST). DeLorenzo, who guided the Panthers to a five-win season in year two of the program – a spring after Purchase was winless in its inaugural campaign – will work with the AIST  U19 program as part of the 2014 UK Laxfest, from August 5-14. DeLorenzo took over as the head coach of Purchase this past season and skippered the Panthers within one win of the postseason. “It’s a great honor,” DeLorenzo, who will also be coaching alongside her sister, Kimberly, was quoted as saying. “This is a well-respected program and many college coaches from around the country, from all levels, take part. The program promotes sportsmanship, the game of lacrosse and friendly competition. It gives all of those involved a taste of international play. I’m very excited for the opportunity.”  AIST teams will be made up of NCAA Division I, II, III, JUCO and NAIA athletes, and is by invitation only. DeLorenzo was a four-year letter winner and three-year starter at Division I Marist College from 2002-05 as a midfielder. During her college playing career, the Red Foxes made four MAAC Tournament appearances, earning a spot in the championship game in 2003.

RED DRAGONS ROLL ON: All good things must come to an end, even a long winning streak. Sophomore Tara Monaghan of Stony Point contributed a goal as the nationally second-ranked Cortland women’s lacrosse team held off top-ranked Salisbury, 12-8, at the Stadium Complex. The Red Dragons improved to 15-0 on the season and captured their 50th straight home win. The Sea Gulls, the defending Division III national champion, fell to 16-1 this season and had their 39-game winning streak snapped. Monaghan, an alumna of North Rockland HS, had one goal and two assists as Cortland rolled to its 14th victory with 22-5 decisiveness against New Paltz on Senior Day at the Stadium Complex. In a previous contest, Monaghan scored four goals as the Red Dragons defeated St. John Fisher, 15-12, in Pittsford. 

Pocholo Chavez, ends collegiate career
Pocholo Chavez, ends collegiate career

HONORED: The Purchase College men’s tennis team honored lone senior Pocholo Chavez of Stony Point and then defeated John Jay, 6-3, on Senior Day. Chavez, a graduate of Ramapo HS, was lauded by Coach Peter Nestel for his dedication to the team and his role as a teammate.  Chavez, who has played well during a rebuilding season for the Panthers, won his match at third singles, 6-3, 6-2. Then, in his final match for the Panthers, Chavez dropped a hard-fought 6-4, 4-6 (11-9) tiebreaker to Mike Balokoz, a standout player on undefeated Mount Saint Mary College (9-0). Purchase closed its season with an overall 3-10 mark. Chavez will be honored again during the program’s annual awards banquet on May 5.

QUICK HITTERS: The Oneonta State softball team is rolling along at 20-9, and leading the hitting brigade with a .374 average is junior catcher/outfielder Briana Rivera of Pomona. The North Rockland HS alumna has driven in 19 runs for the Red Dragons, who are home for back-to-back doubleheaders on April 25 and April 26. Buffalo State visits at 3 p.m. on April 25 while Fredonia State visits on April 26 at noon. Sophomore outfielder Kristyn Neroda of Pearl River is batting .273 for Oneonta, while junior pitcher Katie O’Flynn, also of Pearl River, tops the ERA chart with a sparkling 1.78 in 11 games, including one start. … Sophomore midfielder Brandon Hickey of Pearl River has three points in his rookie season on the men’s lacrosse team at Oneonta State, which closes the regular season on April 26 against Oswego State at All College Field at 2:30 p.m. The SUNYAC Tournament opens on April 30. … Freshman John Kukura of New City went 3-for-7 with an RBI as the Pace University baseball team split a twin-bill with the College of Saint Rose. Pace won the nightcap, 4-1, after bowing in the opener, 10-7. The Setters open a three-game series at American International College in Springfield, Mass., on April 26, and then return home on April 29 to meet Adelphi. The Setters stay at home on April 30 to meet Caldwell. … Don Bosco Prep alum Anthony Simon of Suffern had a two-run single in a six-run first inning at the SUNY Cortland baseball team clinched the SUNYAC regular-season title and earned the right to host the conference postseason tournament with a 17-0, 11-4 sweep at Oneonta. The Red Dragons (25-7, 13-2 SUNYAC) have hosted the postseason tournament every year since 1997. … Junior Bryan Greig of New City tossed a complete-game as the Mercy College baseball team blanked Stonehill College, 2-0, in Dobbs Ferry. The Clarkstown South alum is now 4-2 with a nifty 2.25 ERA for the Mavericks, who host Dowling College at 2 p.m. on April 25. Mercy travels to Long Island on April 26 for a noon doubleheader against Dowling. … Cortland senior Keeley Sheehan of Suffern tied for 49th as the Red Dragons finished eighth at the two-day Jack Leaman Golf Championship, hosted by Amherst College at the Hickory Ridge Country Club in Amherst, Mass., and The Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, Mass. … Kaitlyn Lonergan of Stony Point and St. Thomas Aquinas College was named women’s lacrosse goalkeeper of the week by the East Coast Conference, while Matt Quinones of Nanuet and Dominican College was honored as the men’s lacrosse goalkeeper of the week. … The Rockland CC baseball team, coached by Joe Zeccardi, leads the Mid Hudson Conference standings with a 9-3 record.

THIS & THAT:  The 39th Hudson Valley Handbell Festival and Conference will take place on April 26 at the Nyack College gym, located at 146 S. Highland Ave. The festival, which culminates with a free concert at 7:30 p.m., promotes the art of handbell ringing, with more than 20 choirs from the area scheduled to participate.  For information contact Arlene Linke at 845-786-5592. … The Can-Am League Rockland Boulders, in conjunction with United Way of Rockland, will stage the second “Boulder Dash 5K Run/Walk on June 14, beginning at 9 a.m.at Provident Bank Park in Pomona. All race day information can be found at www.rocklandboulders.com.

 

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