Sarra: Several players exemplified what's great about high school sports

The spring high school sports season offered so much in the way of drama and achievement.

Every year we celebrate the outstanding performances that lead to state championships. We watch as leaders emerge in different sports and take over big games. It all unfolds in a three-month span that's over before you can really enjoy it.

Here's to a few student-athletes who left us breathless.

We celebrated greatness as West Islip's Nicky Galasso wowed us for four years with an arsenal of offensive weaponry. He finished his lacrosse career with 500 points. Think about that for a moment - 500 points.

Galasso's talent went beyond filling the net. He had a special vision that set him apart from the competition as he created endless scoring possibilities for teammates. How many players can look back at a career in which unselfish play and assist-making skill are as impressive as goal-scoring? He was the number one recruit in the country for good reason.

Roslyn's Emily Lipari ran off to college with more Federation track gold than anyone else we've seen. She captured nine Fed titles. Lipari's photos always had her at least one step of the competition and always in control of the race.

We got cheated to some extent in baseball and girls lacrosse. Season-ending injuries to three of Long Island's top athletes prevented them from capping brilliant careers.

SEE PHOTOSHigh school sports -- June

Alyssa Murray, the scoring specialist for the West Babylon girls lacrosse team, suffered a severe knee injury before the midpoint of the regular season. Her absence shook up Suffolk's Class A picture and basically knocked the Eagles out of serious contention for the county title. Murray leaves behind a legacy that included the state record for most career assists, 279.

Kevin Courtney, the CHSAA baseball player of the year in 2009, was looking forward to an encore performance and leading the Cougars back to the league championship in his senior season. The Stony Brook-bound hurler saw his expectations derailed after a headfirst slide into third base left him with a separated non-throwing shoulder.

Courtney returned to the lineup but couldn't swing a bat. He threw 251/3 consecutive scoreless innings and won four games in the middle of the Cougars' run to the CHSAA playoffs.

When an inside fastball broke Courtney's wrist, his season was done - but not before he gave his Cougars a confidence boost and got them back on track. St. John the Baptist reached the CHSAA championship game against eventual winner Holy Trinity, and Courtney led the Cougars from the bench. He exemplified everything that's good about high school sports. He was a true teammate and a leader when his team needed him the most - in this case, in support mode.

His contributions were not lost on senior co-captain Joshua Sharpe. "It's what makes Kevin so special," he said. "He's all about the team. And we all knew that he was there for us."

That same quality could be found at Calhoun, where righthander Tyler Thornton never picked up a ball this year. The hard-throwing James Madison-bound senior was injured during football and couldn't get healthy for the spring. The Colts still managed to win the school's first county title. "You couldn't even begin to imagine how good we'd have been with Tyler in the lineup," pitcher Joey Christopher said.

Thornton was with the team every step of the way. And it had to be hard to watch every game in his final season from the bench.

"It's not the way you plan your senior year," Thornton said. "But I'm proud of the way the guys pulled together and did something so memorable."

Calhoun upset top-seeded MacArthur in two straight games to win the Nassau Class AA title. Thornton never threw a pitch but still left his fingerprints on the program.

They all graduated this month - but not before they left an indelible mark on the high school sports scene.