Open the door, local athletes going into the Hall

Andre Chiavelli
Andre Chiavelli

It is said that athletes seem to get better as they age, especially when they get together and, fueled by their memories   and lasting friendships, joyfully recall old times.

Whether true or not, the inaugural Nyack High School Sports Hall of Fame ceremony is inducting 13 members while 11 new members will be recognized by the Spring Valley HS Sports Hall of Fame.

The Spring Valley HS induction dinner is scheduled October 17 at 6 p.m. at the CrownePlaza on Executive Boulevard in Suffern. For information access: [email protected].

The new class, in no particular order, follows:

Phil Bogle, football; David Noriega, baseball; Kristin Randhard, swimming, softball; Tommy Rowe, baseball; Jodi Bellando-Campos, softball; Eric Wooten, basketball; Willie Worsley, Coach; Paul Shapiro, Coach; Andre Chiavelli, football, baseball; Rick Cable, posthumously; Stu Schmeltz, posthumously.

Rowe, a right-handed pitcher who turns 58 in October, was drafted by the pitching-rich Baltimore Orioles in 1977.

Christina Jean-Charles, Oklahoma prospect
Christina Jean-Charles, Oklahoma prospect

“You know how they say in the movie, ‘I came close to the dream?” said Rowe. “I was on the big-league roster two years and got to spring training. (Orioles Hall of Fame manager) Earl Weaver said ‘You did a nice job, we’ll see you later (in the season), but it never happened.”

As it developed, Rowe pitched professionally for 10 seasons, and five times reached the Class AAA level, one step below the Bigs.

Rowe’s Spring Valley HS Hall of Fame honor, as with the others, is well-deserved.

KICKOFF SCHEDULE: Another high school football season is set to get under way on all fronts. Here are the scheduled dates and kickoff times for RocklandCounty teams.

September 4:

Albertus Magnus vs. Croton-Harmon, 1:30 p.m., 798 Rte 304, Bardonia.

Clarkstown North at Clarkstown South, 7 p.m., 31 Demarest Mill Road, W. Nyack.

Nyack vs. Beacon, 7:30 p.m., 360 Christian Herald Road, Upper Nyack.

Ramapo vs. Suffern, 7 p.m., 400 Viola Road, Spring Valley.

September 5:

Nanuet at Ardsley, 1:30 p.m., 300 Farm Road, Ardsley.

North Rockland vs. Arlington, 1:30 p.m., 106 Hammond Road, Thiells.

Pearl River vs. Pelham Memorial, 1:30 p.m., 275 E. Central Ave., Pearl River.

Spring Valley vs. Tappan Zee, 1:30 p.m., 361 Rte 59, Spring Valley.

Kristin Randhare
Kristin Randhare

STILL ON THE MOVE: Erstwhile Clarkstown South HS standout Christian Jean-Charles of New City is already in action with the women’s soccer  team at Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla. Jean-Charles, a versatile defender and midfielder, is one of five newcomers to the Cowgirls program after a standout two-year at Monroe College in New Rochelle. Having developed her passion for the sport from her dad, Pierre, who hails from Haita, Jean-Charles first honed her talents during a standout career at Clarkstown South. At Monroe, which won the 2014 NJCAA Division I national title, Jean-Charles started 33 games for the Mustangs and was named a first-team all-American last season. The Mustangs went 32-3-1 in her two years on the team, twice going to the national championship tournament. OklahomaState hosts rival Oklahoma on August 28 and stays home on August 30 to meet Georgia.

 

Tommy Rowe, a great
Tommy Rowe, a great

HAIL NYACK INDIANS: Joe Sigillo, Al Pesner & Co. have brought an important project to fruition with the inauguration of the Nyack High School Sports Hall of Fame. The first-ever induction class, led by Robert Garrecht (1948) in baseball and Rockland County Sports Hall of Famer Jim Kane (1945), numbers 13. The other inductees are: James Ridlon (1953), football, basketball, baseball; Ron Edwards (1963), football, basketball, baseball; Rockland County Sports Hall of Famer Robert Corvino (1969), football; Steven Wanamaker Sr. (1973), football, basketball, baseball; Robert Woods (1976), football, basketball, track; Dawn Royster Geronimo (1983), cheerleading, basketball, track; Jon Hess (1994), lacrosse; Nigel Morris (2002), football, basketball, baseball; Tony Boffa (Coach), softball, girls basketball; Stacey Sennas McGowan (1981), community service, lacrosse; and Welles Remy Crowther (1995), community service, soccer, hockey, lacrosse. The induction dinner is scheduled October 8 at The Patriot Hills Golf Club in Stony Point. For information call 845-353-7135 or 845-268-8955.

SWING AWAY: The St. ThomasAquinasCollege women’s tennis team, laden with local talent, is scheduled to open the season on September 4 in Philadelphia against the University of the Sciences. The Lady Spartans feature Shannon Biehle of Tomkins Cove, Samantha D’Andrea of Stony Point, Carolyn Kopf of Garnerville and Sara O’Brien of Orangeburg.

Willie Worsley
Willie Worsley

LATEST ON THE GREATEST: Joe D’Auria of Sparkill, whose name has been submitted most often, to date, in our quest to determine the greatest athlete ever from Rockland County, has received a rousing and comprehensive endorsement from his grandchildren, Jacqueline and Christina Schaefer. D’Auria, it was duly noted, attended Tappan ZeeHigh School in the 50’s, starring in football, basketball, bowling, baseball and golf, which continues as one of his passions. In every sport D’Auria played, he won at least one championship, sharing the Section 9 bowling crown with Paul Valerio. In golf, Grandpa Joe won team and individual titles three consecutive years, and as the Section 9 individual champion, carding 71, he finished fifth overall at the state golf tournament. We continue to seek nominations and comments, which should be forwarded to [email protected]. Much thanks.

COLLEGIATE CLIPS: North Rockland HS alumni Logan Vasquez and Gavin Maher, both linebackers and both of Spring Valley, will join their teammates on September 5 when the Pace University football team opens its season and also celebrates the lives of recently deceased Hall of Fame coaches George Maier and Fred Calaicone. The Setters will entertain Ave Maria (Fla.) University at noon at the new Pace Stadium on the grounds of the Pleasantville campus. … The DominicanCollege women’s soccer team opens its season on September 3 in Dobbs Ferry, meeting MercyCollege at 3 p.m. The Lady Chargers’ home opener is set for September 12 in Orangeburg against Georgian Court University of Lakewood Township, N.J. … Mifielder/forward Giovanni Benites of Tappan and forward Samuel Charles of Nyack are in their second season on the men’s soccer team at NyackCollege. The Warriors open the season at Bridgeport at 6 p.m. on September 3, with the home opener set for September 5 against Molloy at 3 p.m.

THIS & THAT: Coming off a 5-1 home stand, the league champion Rockland Boulders’ Stephen Cardullo was named the Can-Am Pointsreak Player of the Week. The honor marks the third time this season that Cardullo has received the award, tying him with teammate Joe Maloney. … The first-ever two day Hashtag Sports Sportsfest will be held in Brooklyn October 20-21. The event will explore how digital media & technology are shaping the future of sports with speakers from Facebook, Twitter, Whistle Sports, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, ESPN, NBA, NFL, MLS, Red Bull, AMEX, FanDuel, and more. Initial details at  http://hashtagsportsfest.com/.

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