Seniors bid farewell

The last varsity game of the season was one to remember, but last Thursday’s fans and coaches also took time to salute seniors on both the basketball team and cheerleading squad. Coach Mike Mundy recognized (from left) James Michael Cogan, Doug Binder, Dustin Mulcahy, Connor Needham, Michael Mundy, Phil McEnroe, Andrew Graffagnino, Brendan Olinkiewicz and Nick Kestler (not pictured).

It was a bittersweet farewell when students, friends and familygathered in the gymnasium last Thursday for the senior send-off forthe boys basketball and cheerleading squads. The event, held beforethe last home game of each season, is an opportunity to recognizethe graduating seniors for their many contributions to theirteams.

The goodbye has been a tradition for decades – Michael Mundy,varsity boys basketball coach, can even remember the send-off in1985, when he graduated.

This time, however, Mundy was the one with the microphone,describing what a pleasure it’s been to see the boys mature:”Because of [my son] Michael, I’ve gotten to know all these youngmen personally ¦ I was involved with these young men,well, since they were in Cub Scouts – I was the Cubmaster.

He went on to tell the audience that he had the pleasure ofcoaching the group when they were in CYO basketball for most oftheir junior high years, and now in the varsity program. “It’s sucha gift we have to live on Shelter Island and watch these kids growup into adults, he said with a smile. “This is a very specialgroup, and it’s really my honor to coach them. So thanks a lot,gentlemen.

Coach Mundy also asked for a special round of applause forvolunteer coach Jim Colligan, “who has invested so much time – ourplayers have learned so much from him.

Cheerleading Coach Kim Clark praised each of seven graduatingseniors: “Shelby’s [Willumsen] smile and quiet manner gives a calmto the squad ¦ Kaela [Loriz] has the most patience ofthem all, she said. “Claire [Read] has a gentleness about her¦ we had a few mishaps this season and she’s the oneto bring us all back to focus.

Coach Clark continued, “Had I not coached, I would not havegotten to know the great person Lisa [Rasmussen] is. She has a lotof courage ¦ Cheering seems to be in Mariah’s[Jacobs] blood ¦ she always had great ideas forchanging up cheers ¦ Michelle [Card] always makes mesmile, her smile and fun spirit keeps the team laughing.

She also praised Gina Giambruno, a senior who was new to theteam this year, as a source of sympathy when Ms. Clark wasinitially having trouble learning the dance steps: “I’d look overand say, Ë”I can’t get this,’ and she’d say,Ë”me neither.’ But I didn’t have to get it and she did,and she did it beautifully.

She went on, “It was a great season, you’re all amazing youngladies. I love that you can laugh at me and I can laugh with you -I know you all will do great things after you leave here. CoachClark closed with some words of advice: “Enjoy it, take it all inand have fun.

Senior Michelle Card took the microphone next and expressed theteam’s gratitude for their coach’s work: “Kim has not only been ourcoach over the years, but our friend and our mentor ¦She let us make the squad what we wanted to make it ¦Thank you for all that you’ve done for us, Kim, we’re going to missyou next year.

A large portion of both teams are graduating this year: 9 out of13 basketball players and 7 of the 12 cheerleaders.

Although the majority of both squads will be gone next season,there’s a strong contingent of younger students who will be thereto help fill the teams’ ranks. And it seems the JV boys, who alwayscomprise an animated section of the stands at varsity games, willbe able to help out both squads: “The JV guys always cheered withthe girls, they always made me laugh, said Coach Clark.

Coach Mundy told the Reporter with a chuckle, “They know thecheers as well as the cheerleaders. He recalled their performanceat an away game against Stony Brook that the cheerleaders couldn’tattend: “They were doing cheers through the whole game. They’re areally fun, energetic, enthusiastic group.

Nonetheless, it will be difficult to replace the smiling seniorswho stood before the audience last Thursday – without a doubt, theywill be missed.