Numerous past players were on hand Tuesday in Davenport as 70-year-old Lee Fisher posted his 500th coaching victory.
Charlotte Valley (Davenport) beat Worcester 52-28 in overtime behind 27 points from junior Robert Meyerhoff in the first round of the Lee Fisher Tournament. The losing coach was Jim Kenyon, a guard on the 1970 team that Fisher beat for his first Section IV championship.
Fisher coached Charlotte Valley from 1964 to 1990 and then returned in 2002. He's amassed eight sectional titles and three trips to the NYSPHSAA final four.
"He does it the way it's supposed to be done," South Kortright coach Bob VanValkenburgh told The Daily Star.
"Every team he's ever coached has been competitive and disciplined. It's not just wins and losses with him. He's a true gentleman."
Fisher very nearly had to wait another game to reach 500. Charlotte Valley was leading 32-18 early in the third quarter when a fire alarm was activated and forced officials to begin evacuating the gymnasium. After the brief delay, Worcester rattled off the next 15 points and took the lead.
"I think Jimmy Kenyon pulled that fire alarm," Fisher joked with a Daily Star reporter. "Our kids went outside and cooled off and his kids walked the hallway and stayed warm."
MORE MILESTONES*
Waverly swim coach Dave Mastrantuono collected his 300th victory by dunking Sayre, Pa., 116-66.
Mastrantuono's 21-year resume, which also spans a seven-year stint as coach of the girls program, includes three straight undefeated seasons and a 50-meet winning streak beginning in 2000-2001 as well as four Section IV titles.
Mastrantuono was a star swimmer in the late 1970s for Sayre, where one of his school records still stands.
* Lindsay Kimmel scored 2,082 points for the Harpursville girls basketball team from 2001-07 despite missing almost a full season after a knee injury. Last week, her sister Hannah scored 38 points during a 61-38 win over Greene to also surpass 2,000 career points.
Hannah Kimmel led Section IV in scoring as a sophomore and junior.
WRESTLING: UNION-ENDICOTT DUALS FIELD LOADED AGAINWrestling fans have Jan. 8-9 circled on the calendar. Those are the dates for the Union-Endicott Duals, bringing together a number of strong teams from around the state.
Defending champ
John Glenn (Elwood) and 16 other schools accepted invitations.
Spencerport,
Chenango Forks (Binghamton), and
Brentwood, last year's other semifinalists, are also attending.
Shenendehowa (Clifton Park),
Sachem East (Farmingville),
Warwick,
St. Anthony's (Melville),
Long Beach and
Mahopac are expected to make their first appearances at U-E.
The format calls for teams to compete in four divisional round-robins on Day 1, with the top finisher in each of the four groups advancing into the semifinals the next day and the others heading to consolation brackets based on place of finish.
Other participants:
Brockport,
Bodley (Fulton),
John Jay (Cross River),
MacArthur (Levittown),
Minisink Valley (Slate Hill),
Sayville and
Union-Endicott (Endicott).
The host school received bad news recently. Three-time state tournament participant Erik Rueckle tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee at a recent meet. The senior 160-pounder is done for the season.
GIRLS LACROSSE: HELMETS VOTED DOWNNew York will not require players to begin wearing helmets until at least 2013.
The NYSPHSAA safety committee recommended the use of hard-shell helmets with a facemask beginning in 2012, but the proposal was rejected in a preliminary vote. The committee reviewed injury data from the National Federation of High Schools as well as information from certified athletic trainers, with head injuries being the primary concern.
There have been lingering concerns by some that mandating helmets might encourage more physical play and recklessness with the stick, which was a frequent criticism when professional hockey leagues began mandating helmets.
Girls rules currently require the use of protective goggles. In addition, new yellow- and red-card rules will take effect next spring. Teams accumulating three yellow cards in a game will play one girl short the next game. If a player gets a red card, she will miss two games.
ODDS AND ENDS* The New York State Public High School Athletic Association overwhelmingly approved extending reductions on the number of contests for teams each season. The shortened schedules, including trimming basketball from 20 to 18 regular-season games, were instituted as a money-saving measure after the recession blew a hole in the state budget – and school aid – in 2008.
*
Shoreham-Wading River (Shoreham) boys lacrosse coach Tom Rotanz will represent the United States as an assistant coach for the U-19 National Team in 2012. Rotanz, an All-American at Ward Melville under Joe Cuozzo, will be in charge of the defense.
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Fayetteville-Manlius (Manlius) senior Brian Ward has been named the Boys High School Scholar Athlete of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Ward, an All-Central New York selection, is the first player from New York to be honored with the award. To be nominated, a player must carry a 3.75 GPA and also be a standout on the field.
John Schiano, who has written about high school sports in western and central New York for more than 25 years, covers New York for MaxPreps. He may be reached at johnschianosports@gmail.com.
