Sports

Scholastic Roundup: For Xaverian, it was worth it

June 17, 2022 Andy Furman

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It’s been awhile — 16 years to be exact.

When Xaverian High’s varsity tennis team defeated Salesian 3-2 earlier this month, they not only won the CHSAA A Division Championship, they ended a long-time tennis championship drought.

The Clippers last title was in 2006.

Xaverian came out strong with two solid doubles performances to grant themselves an early lead. The duo of John Paskowski and Ryan Healy won first doubles, 6-2, 6-2 and the team of Bartosz Foremny and Giovanni DeSantis won second doubles, 6-0, 6-0.

Salesian came back with victories in both first and third singles. With the match deadlocked at 2-2 James Schmidt delivered won second singles, 7-6, 6-0 to clinch it for the Clippers.

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St. Francis College soccer standout Harald Sollund was honored as the Northeast Conference Men’s Team Student-Athlete of the Year.

This is the second consecutive year a Terrier has received the award. Djordje Spasic is the first from St. Francis was honored in 2021. The award is presented annually by the NEC, and recognizes individual excellence in both the academic and athletic realms as well as leadership and contributions to one’s community.

Sollund’s recognition caps off a career of conference honors for the Viken, Norway native during his time in Brooklyn Heights. He closed out his collegiate career being named back-to-back NEC Defensive Player of the Year and All-NEC First Team, as well as repeated placement on the United Soccer Coaches All-Northeast First Team.

During his senior season, Sollund anchored a back line that allowed an average of just 1.12 goals-per-game en-route to a return appearance in the NEC Tournament Championship.

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LIU’s women’s soccer season opens at NJIT on August 18th for first-year head coach Lucy Gillett. Northeast Conference play begins September 15th when the Sharks host Central Connecticut State.

LIU returns its top two goal scorers from 2021, Kendar Oldrsoyd and Tatiana Lizarrago. Also returning are Olivia Wesch and Grace Cagnina, who ranked first and second, respectively in minutes played.

In goal, senior Kayla DeTreux will look to build of her 2021 campaign, when she produced a 1.48 goals-against average.

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The challenge for the men’s soccer program at LIU is to repeat as Northeast Conference champions. The season starts with three consecutive home games. Stony Brook is the first test on August 25th.

Former NEC Goalkeeper-of-the-Year, Demetri Skoumbakis, named LIU valedictorian last month, will return as a graduate transfer with Fordham to face his former team, September 2nd.

After winning a game in the NCAA Tournament a year ago, the Sharks return their top offensive threat in Emil Jaaskelainen, who led the team with 21 goals. Among other returnees are all-NEC member Andre Puente and four members of the NEC all-rookie team, Matthias Heiland, Jeremy Guardado, Alan Martinez and Robert Winkler.

Regular-season play concludes with a rematch of the 2021 NEC Championship at St. Francis, November 3rd.

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For the first time in two years – due to the pandemic – Brooklyn College Athletics celebrated the year in-person at its 27th Awards Banquet in the Gold Room in the Student Center. The 26th installment of the awards banquet was done virtually in 2020.

The Ed Madden Memorial Award given to one male and one female student-athlete that demonstrates courage and leadership, while exemplifying the true spirit of sport was won by Randy Urgiles for Men’s Soccer and Chanel Jemmott for Women’s Basketball.

Ezri Shore, Women’s Volleyball and Ronaldo Barrios, Men’s Swimming and Diving won the racy Ohrman Award — given to a student-athlete that exemplifies personal strength and perseverance.

The first-ever Joseph Andre Memorial Award was won by Kimani Laylor, Men’s Soccer, whom Coach Andre recruited and coached.

Andre, unfortunately passed away in 2020 – the award is given to a student-athlete that displays outstanding dedication and sportsmanship in the sport of soccer. Coach Andre’s sister, Ann, presented the inaugural award.

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The Long Island University Golf Outing is set for July 18th at Indian Hills Country Club, Northport, New York. Registration is now open.

Andy Furman is a Fox Sports Radio national talk show host. Previously, he was a scholastic sports columnist for the Brooklyn Eagle. He may be reached at: [email protected] Twitter: @AndyFurmanFSR