Alex Gelabert and Jed Kaiser are the athletes of the month for the boys varsity tennis team by coach Glen Steinberg. The two juniors have helped the team to stay competitive throughout the year. Their combined record for the season is 15-5.
Another first-year coach is girls crew coach Kathleen Conway who said that for such a new team, the Oyster Bay High School Crew Team has risen above and beyond expectations for as novice rowers.
“Kelsey Maldonado is an example of an exemplary athlete,” said Conway. “As one of the older novices on the team, Kelsey has set a great example for the younger rowers. She has a good attitude at practice and is always pushing both herself and her teammates to their limits. Kelsey is always at practice and is always supporting her teammates. Whether it be her making sure people come to practice or whether it is her screaming behind the erg cheering for someone. I am so proud of what you have accomplished Kelz and look forward to all of the accomplishments to come. Keep pushing yourself and you will accomplish great things.”
Coach Kevin Cotter and Coach Christopher Weber had this to say about their selections, seniors Alex Tosi and Jason Cassella.
“Tosi has recently come within two seconds of two separate school records—the 3000-meter steeple chase and the 3200-meter. His time of 9:39.6 in the steeple chase placed him second in the Suffolk Coaches Invitational and set a new school record,” they said. “He is the only Bayman other than Shane Giannetti to break the 10 minute barrier in what is considered by many to be the most taxing event in track and field.
“Jason Cassella has been concentrating on his 1600-meter and 3200-meter times all season. Although hampered by injury, soreness and stagnation, Jason has persevered in the last third of the season, breaking 4:50 in the 1600-meter in the final home meet of his career, placing second only to Tosi, who ran a time of 4:48.5. Less than a week later, he shattered his own personal record in the 3200-meter at St. Anthony’s running a time of 10:19.57.
“Jason and Alex have been pretty big fish in a small pond for a couple of years now. They have led their team in the distance events and often run three events in a meet to help their team score. They are the only members of this team to be under 5 minutes in the mile, and 11 minutes in the two mile. When they graduate we will have a very difficult time filling the gap that they will leave behind in our distance programs,” said the coaches.
—Tom Gould
