HUSKY HIGHLIGHTS

Spring 2025                                                                                                                        Newsletter Volume 10
Dear Harrison Community,
 

Spring 2025 was a remarkable season for Harrison Athletics, and this edition of Husky Highlights features the significant accomplishments of our student athletes.

  • Varsity Softball won the League Championship for the second consecutive year.
  • All nine of our varsity teams earned Scholar-Athlete Team distinction.
  • Lila Berkery was named Academic All American by USA Lacrosse
  • Barbara Jo Coppola and Madison Miller were recognized among the top in the region.
  • 24 students were named All League; 8 earned All Section honors.
  • 16 graduating seniors will continue competing at the collegiate level.
These achievements tell only part of the story. What distinguishes our athletes is how they represent the values of this community—commitment, character, and respect—in ways that bring us great pride. Their approach to competition reflects the deeper purpose of school athletics: learning to lead, to persevere, and to contribute with integrity.
 
I invite you to read this edition of Husky Highlights and reflect on what it means to be part of a school community where how we compete matters as much as the outcome.

 

Sincerely,

Louis N. Wool, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

SPRING 2025 Season Highlights

  • All 9 Varsity teams earned Scholar Athlete recognition from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association
  • Varsity Softball team won the League Championship for the second consecutive year
  • 2 student athletes were received All State honors
  • 8 student athletes were named All Section
  • 1 student athlete was named All Conference
  • 1 student athlete was named All County 
  • 24 student athletes were named All League
  • Barbara Jo Coppola was named to Softball  1st team All State earned Lohud Pre-Season Watch List, Lohud Player of the Week, League Pitcher of the Year, and ConEd Award for her excellence on and off the Softball field.  
  • Madison Miller was named to Softball 5th team All State and Softball League Pitcher of the Year
  • Brady Ross earned Diamond 9+1 Award for his outstanding play on the Baseball field and in the classroom and was the Andrew Gurgitano Scholarship winner
  • Ryan Lemm was named Baseball Lohud Player of the Week 
  • Dante Lanza was named MVP of Dave Basso Baseball Tournament 
  • Lila Berkery earned the prestigious ConED Award for her excellence on and off the Lacrosse field and named an Academic All American by USA Lacrosse
  • Jacob Burack was named the Lacrosse Lohud Player of the Week. 
  • Alexia Cozzali was named to the Softball Lohud Player to Watch List
  • Matt Hansen was the 400m Hurdles Class A Champion
  • Ben Fontecchio won the League in both Shot Put and Discuss

Team Highlights

Softball

Record: 21-3
League Champions 
Scholar Athlete Team
 
Husky Softball went undefeated in league play and defeated several teams ranked in the top three in New York State. Their impressive performance earned them a trip back to the section finals for the second consecutive year, along with multiple accolades and nominations at the section and conference levels.  Senior Barbara Jo Coppola closed out her impressive career as a Husky, setting school records in eight offensive categories.   
 
Awards and Recognitions
League Pitcher of the Year: Madison MIller
All Section: Olivia Vasti, Barbara Jo Coppola, Alexia Cozzali
All League: Olivia Vasti, Barbara Jo Coppola, Alexia Cozzali, Gia Pinilla, Sofia Pinilla, Madison Miller

Baseball 

Record: 9-12
Scholar Athlete Team
Varsity Baseball faced one of the most challenging schedules in Section One this year, and approached each game with determination and a winning mindset. The team’s nine outstanding seniors provided exceptional leadership, focused on preparing the team for every game, and set a strong example on and off the field.  For the second consecutive year, the Harrison team captured the Dave Basso Tournament title, defeating both White Plains and Valhalla. The team closed out the season strong, winning their final three games and securing the #7 seed in the postseason.
 
Awards and Recognitions
All Section: Brady Ross
All League: Brady Ross, Dante Lanza, Michael Olsey

Boys Golf

Record: 11-3
Scholar Athlete Team 
After graduating six seniors last year, the team looked to new golfers to fill some big shoes on the links. New additions to the roster stepped up and delivered, and the team ended the season ranked 2nd in the section and advanced to compete in the section championship. Veteran golfers set a strong example and foundation for the team. Seniors Arthur Franciosa and Austin Cepeda held their own and easily qualified for sectionals. Veteran junior Jake Hurvitz had the lowest differential, and junior Gavin Ensign came up big throughout the season. Several younger players also contributed to the team’s success. Marco Bruschi qualified for sectionals and Daniel Porpora qualified for sectionals and the second round and for the state championship.
 
Awards and Recognitions
All Section: Daniel Porpora
All League: Daniel Porpora, Arthur Franciosa, Jake Hurvitz, Austin Cepeda

Girls Golf

Record: 3-7
Scholar Athlete Team 
The girls' golf team demonstrated steady progress, with notable improvement in scores as the season progressed. The team also welcomed eight new members, all of whom demonstrated remarkable dedication and growth, competing in matches or as alternates by season’s end. Four players earned All-League honors. With a strong work ethic and commitment to improvement, the team is positioned for a successful season next year.
 
Awards and Recognitions
All-League: Olivia Naporano, Isabella Cajahuanca, Beverly Kang, Ai Kawakita

Boys Lacrosse

Record: 13-5
Scholar Athlete Team

The Huskies wrapped up a successful season with a 13-5 record, highlighted by a dominant 9-0 start. Throughout the year, the team showed resilience, earning several comeback wins and securing our first quarterfinal playoff victory in recent history. This success was fueled by the players' relentless work ethic and a strong, unified team culture that set the tone from start to finish.


Awards and Recognitions
All-League: Isaac Schultz, Colin Park, Peter Boraczek, Jacob Burack, Luke Riccio

Girls Lacrosse

Record: 9-8
Scholar Athlete Team
 
The girls lacrosse team faced tough competition and played tough throughout the season . Captains Lila Berkery & Harper Lapin were outstanding leaders who cultivated a cohesive and positive team culture. The team secured the #4 seed in the section for the second consecutive year in a row, and came up one game short of the  league title.  
 
Awards and Recognitions
All Section: Lila Berkery, Harper Lapin
All League: Lila Berkery, Harper Lapin, Chelsea Porto, Sophie Olsey, Mia Strazza

Boys Track & Field

League Finish: 3rd place
Scholar Athlete Team
The Boys Track & Field team had a tremendous season, marked by improvement, new personal records and high scoring at extremely competitive meets. In a very competitive league, the team placed 3rd behind Somers and Byram Hills by a narrow margin. Senior Matt Hansen won the League in the 400m Hurdles and went on to become Class A Champion in the 400m Hurdle. Senior Ben Fontecchio won the League in both Shot Put and Discus, and placed 2nd in Shot Put in Westchester County, earning All-County honors. Our Boys 4 x 800m relay team placed 2nd in Class A, with all 4 runners also breaking 4:50 for the Mile for the first time in program history. The depth of our distance program will be exciting to watch in the years ahead.
 
Awards and Recognitions
All Section: Ben Fontecchio
All Conference: Matt Hansen
All County: Ben Fontecchio
All League: Matt Hansen, Ben Fontecchio

Girls Track & Field

Scholar Athlete Team
 

The Girls Track and Field team had a great season. The team was dedicated and worked hard throughout the season, with many athletes improving, setting personal records, and finishing in the top 10 in their events. Thalia Lemaire won the League Title in the long jump, and Polina Rakita, Erin Koyama, Iroha Kawata, Lori Chin, Caitlin Harold, Michaela Lopane, and Gabriella Smyth earned All-League Honorable Mentions. Some athletes also made it into Harrison’s all-time Top 10 list. 

Awards and Recognitions
All League: Thalia Lemaire

Boys Tennis

Record: 5-6
Scholar Athlete Team
 
After graduating several seniors last year, the team approached the season with unwavering determination, dedication and a relentless work ethic. Their commitment paid off, earning a third place finish in the league behind two formidable section teams. This young, talented team has a promising future. 

 

Awards and Recognitions
All-League: Oliver Leibowitz, Jeremy Xhayet and Matthew Carrera

Sixteen Student Athletes Will Compete at Collegiate Level 

Sixteen members of this year's graduating class will continue competing in their sports at the collegiate level. At signing ceremonies, coaches and the Director of Athletics spoke about each athlete, commenting on all they have accomplished and valued as a Harrison Husky: character and commitment to their team and community  Mr. Galano reminded the student athletes, “Once a Husky always a Husky!” 
 
College Athletic Commitments: Chelsea Porto - Lacrosse - Marist College; Lila Berkery - Lacrosse - Fairfield University; Harper Lapin - Lacrosse - Lehigh University; Sophia Bondikov - Swimming - Binghamton; Barbara Jo Coppola - Softball - Bucknell University; Cate Latini - Rowing - Northeastern University; Artin Balidemaj - Football - University of Rhode Island; Mia Strazza - Basketball - Emory University; Kaya Ito - Soccer - Earlham College; Brady Ross - Baseball - Brandeis University; Parker Yates - Soccer - Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Joe Crupi - Football - Ithaca College; Jake Marriott - Baseball - New York University; Arthur Franciosa - Golf - Penn State - Altoona Campus; Alden Dayton - Track and Field - Curry College; Matthew Hansen - Track and Field - Keiser University 
 

LMK Student Athletes Build Skills, Team Spirit

Modified Athletics: Spring was another successful season of the Modified Athletics program! Despite facing some challenging weather conditions, students demonstrated resilience and enthusiasm, making the most of every opportunity to grow, compete, and support one another. This year has seen a remarkable increase in student participation with the largest number of student athletes in school history. 
 
6th Grade Intramurals: The second year of our intramural program, designed for 6th-grade students, continued to grow. The spring program offered Flag Football, Volleyball, and Lacrosse, and provided a fun and supportive environment for students.  Certified coaches conducted a variety of drills and activities to build confidence, fundamental skills and a team building experience. The program offers an opportunity for students to engage in regular physical activity, being part of a team, and prepare for future athletic opportunities. 
 
Department of Physical Education, Health and Athletics

Chris Galano, Director (galanoc@harrisoncsd.org)     
Danny Gonzalez, Assistant Director (gonzalezda@harrisoncsd.org)

Newsletters