Garden City's Sullivan leads LI's big year
Garden City's Barbara Sullivan runs past a Brighton defender during the Class B state final. (June 11, 2011) Credit: Gregg Ordon
The 2010-11 high school sports year was many things, but the name that will will stand out for years to come is: Barbara Sullivan.
The Garden City senior became the first athlete in the 49-year history of Newsday All-Long Island awards to make All-LI teams for the fall, winter and spring of the same school year.
Sullivan, already All-LI in soccer, accepted All-Long Island plaques for basketball and lacrosse Monday at the All-Long Island awards at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City.
Newsday and MSG Varsity were there to honor the top athletes in basketball, baseball, softball and lacrosse. And the one name in the room that kept popping up was Sullivan's.
This was a night to recognize outstanding achievement in six sports over the winter and spring seasons. Sullivan's name was announced twice, as was St. Anthony's Kerrin Maurer, who was also All-LI in basketball and lacrosse.
Sullivan was an integral part of the Garden City lacrosse program, which marched to its sixth straight state Class B title with a 12-6 win over Brighton in the championship game. The undefeated romp, 21 straight wins, to the top of the state earned Garden City lacrosse Newsday's spring season's Big 10 title for the second year in a row.
The Big 10 is an overview and ranking of all teams across all sports in a particular season. Sullivan deflected the accolades toward teammates such as scorers Mikaela Rix and Catherine Dickinson. But it was hard to ignore Sullivan's presence in the room.
The traditional excellence at Garden City earned the program the Ultimate Big 10 championship, comparing the best teams from all three high school seasons, fall, winter and spring on one platform.
The spring offered a slew of great efforts. The Cold Spring Harbor boys tennis team won the Long Island championship for the fourth year in a row. The Chaminade boys golf team continued to dominate the CHSAA, winning a fourth league title in a row. The Flyers have won 56 straight matches.
Garden City doesn't win in just girls lacrosse. The girls golf team earned its fourth straight Long Island crown and the boys lacrosse team won the Long Island Class A title and came within a goal of a state championship. Two-sport star Stephen Jahelka, hobbled by a severe ankle injury, was a symbol of toughness in the state tournament. Jahelka, who was also an MSG Varsity Tri-State football selection, as one of the best players in the region, was the face of leadership and perseverance for the Trojans.
"It's the last time you play for your high school," Jahelka said, wearing a protective boot at the museum. "You leave everything on the field."
The spring offered some individuals who put the team on their backs and carried them to the state playoffs. How about Lindsay Taylor of Kings Park, who threw two perfect games and four no-hitters this season? She pitched Kings Park to the state Class A final, where the Kingsmen lost, 1-0, to Pittsford-Mendon. Still, it was the longest ride of any softball team this spring.
Or the righthanded pitching tandem of Carey's Jesse Montalto and John Daddino, who led the Seahawks to the school's first Long Island Class AA baseball championship. Both fireballers will play in Division I next year, Montalto at FDU and Daddino at Iona.
Southpaw Steve Ascher pitched Mattituck to its first Long Island Class B title with 13 strikeouts in an 8-0 win over Oyster Bay.
There was also a first for Hauppauge, led by Newsday's Player of the Year Jennifer Porretto, which went 19-1 and won its first Suffolk girls lacrosse championship, losing only to Garden City in the LI championship game.
Northport girls lacrosse will never forget the goal scored by Cortney Fortunato with 1.3 seconds remaining in the second overtime that gave the Tigers an 11-10 win over Pittsford for the state Class A crown.
Then there was the sweet and the bittersweet this spring. Legendary coach Jim McGowan announced his retirement and the winningest coach in state softball history would have relished a state crown to punctuate a career of greatness. It didn't happen as Bay Shore fell in the Long Island Class AA final to Farmingdale.
And it was that kind of spring in Farmingdale. The boys lacrosse program, which has always been good but never good enough to win the state title, finally won the big one. The Dalers defeated Ithaca, 12-11, to win the school's first state Class A championship. And it was the 654th victory for longtime coach Bob Hartranft -- the sweetest win in his 42 seasons.
See you in the fall.
