Gregg Sarra's memories of top high school athletes
Stroman was awarded a variety of honors after his senior season at Patchogue-Medford: Louisville Slugger Player of the Year for New York, Gatorade Player of the Year for New York, Paul Gibson Award (top pitcher on Long Island). As a senior at Patchogue-Medford, Stroman was 9-1 with an 0.25 ERA and 120 strikeouts. He hit .350 with six homers and stole 22 bases.
(April 16, 2009) Credit: Bob Mitchell
The most dynamic athletes of the 1980s were three-sport stars Keith Osik of Shoreham-Wading River and Adam Mariano of Comsewogue.
Osik was a soccer goalkeeper, one of the leading scorers in basketball and a state champion in baseball in 1987. Osik, a shortstop/pitcher, earned the Yastrzemski Award as Suffolk's top baseball player, leading Shoreham to its lone state crown.
Mariano was a man amongst boys in every sport he played in 1989. He was a county track champion in the sprint events, a two-time wrestling state title-holder and the Hansen Award recipient as Suffolk's top football player. His career wrestling record was 168-9.
In 1994, a kid from the East End, Ross Gload of East Hampton, was making a name for himself smashing home runs at what would be a record pace. Gload hit 20 home runs as a senior, including three in the Suffolk Class B final against Kings Park at St. Joseph's College. The Yastzremski Award winner totaled a Long Island-record 41 homers and went on to a 10-year major-league career.
And in 1999, we had three of the most prolific high school players of all time. Comsewogue's Kevin Cassese became the first three-time All-Long Island football selection and led the Warriors to the LIC Class III crown over Bethpage. The two-time high school lacrosse All-American went on to play the sport at Duke.
Nicole Kaczmarski completed the terrific triumvirate as a five-time All Long Island player, three-time Gatorade player of the year and the Charles H. Clark Award winner as the best basketball player in Suffolk. She went on to UCLA.
In 2000, Jesse Jantzen of Shoreham-Wading River punctuated the greatest high school wrestling career with his sixth county crown and fourth state title. He had a 221-3 career record and a 163-bout winning streak, never losing after the eighth grade. The three-time All-American went on to Harvard and won an NCAA title.
Floyd halfback Brock Jackolski scored an LIC-record 10 touchdowns in three appearances as he led the Colonials to a 33-0 record with three straight LIC crowns. The Hansen Award winner and defensive back award winner had blazing speed and great moves that left crowds in awe. He was an All-American at Stony Brook University.
