Scholastic Roundup: This shark sighting is not a problem

August 18, 2023 Andy Furman

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There was another shark sighting at Jones Beach, but there was no cause for alarm for this one.

A day after the LIU women’s soccer team had its first exhibition game of the preseason, the Sharks headed for Jones Beach last week for some oceanside conditioning.

Under the direction of strength and conditioning coach Preston Scott, the student-athletes went through an hour of cardio work in the sand.

The home opener is set for Sunday, August 27 with UMBC.

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LIU’s football team is headed to CBS Sports Network in prime time. LIU’s football game at Central Connecticut State has been picked up by CBS Sports Network and will air Thursday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. The game had originally been scheduled for Oct. 28. Long-time play-by-play announcer Paul Dottino returns to the broadcast booth alongside color analyst Kevin Gilbride, a two-time Super Bowl champion coach.

Other LIU games will be available on NEC Front Row.

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The 2023 New Utrecht Football Hall of Fame inductees will be enshrined during Alumni Day, Oct. 14.

The 1958 city championship team and the 1973 undefeated squad will enter the Hall. Other inductees include:

Tony Rubilotta, Running Back, 1952- ‘55, Captain, All-City, Second Team. He finished second in scoring in the PSAL in 1955.
Anthony Ricciardi, Offensive and Defensive Tackle, 1955-’58. All-City Tackle. He blocked for New York City’s top running back, Al Leibowitz, as the Utes won the 1958 City title. He played college football at Indiana.
Charles Ciccarelli, Defensive Back, Running Back, 1957-’59, Coach ’70-’76. A member of the 1958 City Championship team. He won multiple “Silver Skates” golds in speed skating at Madison Square Garden, while in high school. He was head coach for the Utes in 1976. He also coached the New Utrecht girls’ softball team as they were perennial contenders for the city title.
Tony Barchuk, Quarterback, 1959-’61, Captain, All-City, Second Team, ’61. Led the Utes to a 7-1 record in ’61. Won seven straight after a last-minute loss to Brooklyn Tech in the opener. Finished as runner-up for the city title. Played running back at NC State where he was fifth in the ACC in rushing in ’67. Scored a late touchdown in the 1967 Liberty Bowl to seal the upset victory vs. Georgia. Coached at Kingsway Regional High School in New Jersey for 26 years and retired in 2006.
Sal Scibilia, Guard, Linebacker, Coach, 1971-’77, 1969 Captain, three-year starter, also member of New Utrecht’s Track and Field Team. New Utrecht Assistant Football coach under Allen Leibowitz — with Phil Menna, Chick Ciccarelli, Phil Katz and Mike Cohen — 1971-’77. Coached Linebackers and Defensive Ends at Brooklyn College and Head Wrestling Coach at Sheepshead Bay High School with Assistant Coach Ralph Verdiglione. Later went on to play with the Brooklyn Bruins semi-pro team under coach Dom Laurendi. Sal’s senior year (’69) the team was 2-4-1, but that started the Utes on the path to greatness for the next 10 years. After graduating in 1970, he returned to Utrecht to coach.
Frank Grande, Center, Defensive Tackle, 1969-’72, All-City, Team Captain and three-year starter. He made over 50 percent of the team’s tackles in ’72. He ended a New Utrecht 10-year drought of not having an All-City lineman selected.
Joe (Rodriguez) Gambardella, Fullback, Linebacker, 1970-’73, All-City, Captain, three-year starter. As a senior rushed for 818 yards, scored 10 touchdowns, had six interceptions, recovered three fumbles. The ’73 team went undefeated with the best defense in the city. Went on to play for Wisconsin. Served as head coach for two New Jersey high school teams and led them to state championships — Westwood and River Dell.
Robert Fezza, Linebacker, Slot Back, 1983-’85, Coach ’86-’94, Captain, Big 44 selection. Tremendous motivator and currently serves as Assistant Coach at Lincoln High School, where he won three City Championships.
George Pardo, Quarterback, Wide Receiver, Safety, 1983-’86, Captain, All-City, ‘B’ Division MVP (Newsday). Led the Utes to the 1986 Championship game. Played in both the ’84 Championship game as a soph wide receiver and ’86 as quarterback.
Steve Cedor, Running Back, Linebacker, 1992-’95, Captain, All City ’95, All City, Second Team ’94. One of the best backs ever to come out of New Utrecht. He led the city in rushing in ’95 with multiple 200-yard games, totaling 1,105 yards. He holds New Utrecht’s single-season scoring record with 110 points in 1994 (junior year) breaking the previous record of 92 points shared by Allen Leibowitz (’58) and Alfredo Hylton (’84). He led the team in tackles with 144 in ’95. Played college football at New Haven and was inducted in the school’s Hall of Fame in 2016. He is New Utrecht’s all-time leading scorer.
Adebayo Adedapo, Running Back, 1997-’00, All City, ’00. He led the city in rushing with 1,500 yards in ’00. He had more than 2,000 all-purpose yards, 200 receiving and 300 return yards. He also scored 17 touchdowns his senior season. He played college football at C.W. Post College.

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St. Edmund Prep grad lefty John Leahy participated in the Metro United Baseball League All-Star Game representing Brooklyn. He allowed one earned run pitching two innings.

Bishop Loughlin High School grads — Julian Champagnie and his twin brother Justin — have signed NBA contracts for the coming season.

Julian signed a $12 million, four-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs. He played his college basketball at St. John’s.

Justin remains on the Boston Celtics roster.

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Hugh Reid has been named head coach for six varsity programs at Medgar Evers College.

Reid, who previously coached at Lehman College, will handle men’s and women’s cross country and men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field at Medgar Evers.

Reid earned CUNYAC Coach of the Year honors seven times across six sports at Lehman, pacing the Lightning to six program championships and four-runner-up finishes.

As head coach for the CCNY Beavers (2011-16) he was tabbed CUNYAC Coach of the Year honors 17 times across six sports, leading the Beavers to 17 program championships and four runner-up finishes.

A practicing attorney in Brooklyn, Reid competed for the University of Massachusetts at Amherst as an undergrad, where he served as team captain, He was a two-time Atlantic 10 Conference champion, 12-time member of the Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference Team and the 2001 Atlantic 10 Academic Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Student Athlete of the Year.

Reid replaces Alphonso Dance, a staple of the Medgar Evers athletic department for four decades, who is stepping down from his post as head coach of the institution’s men’s and women’s cross country and track and field squads.

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A Kenneth Gershon Memorial Ceremony will be held Friday, Oct. 20 at Hillcrest High School, where the gymnasium will be named in his honor.

Gershon, who passed earlier this year, retired from Hillcrest in June, 1998 after 32 years of dedicated service. He spent 27 years at Hillcrest as a physical education teacher and served as head basketball and baseball coach. He had a record of never missing a game during his 30 years as head coach. He retired with a record of 463 wins and 100 losses, won seven division titles and was voted Coach of the Year in Queens three times.

Alumni and guests are welcome to the announcement and breakfast in the school library at 9:30 a.m. and to the gymnasium dedication at 11 a.m. Hillcrest High School is located at 160-05 Highland Ave., Queens.

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