A GOOD DAY TO BE A SPARTAN
Eight Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake stars make college decision official
BURNT HILLS, N.Y. >> The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake assembled one of its largest groups of championship athletes Tuesday afternoon celebrating the early signing period for student-athletes as eight Spartans officially announced their National Letter of Intent commitments in the high school gymnasium.
Nick Hunziker, Tyler Berg, Darien LaPietro, Rory Graham, Sydney Plemenik, Derek Haughey, Evan Brennan and Aidan Gillooley were introduced by Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake athletic director Joe Scalise introduced the athletes and pointed out that they were part of 27 Section 2 titles and three state championships.
He then turned the floor over to the athlete’s respective coaches.
Burnt Hills four-year baseball player Derek Haughey who will attend the College of St. Rose was introduced by Coach Rob Duell.
“I can think of only one other player that started four years in a row,” Rob Duell said. “He plays the most demanding position on the field, catcher, and I don’t know if he’s missed an inning in his first three years and he isn’t going to miss any this year either.
“We’re talking about a baseball league that is the best in New York State. He came in as a wide-eyed freshman and really held his own and turned into a leader on our team.”
Burnt Hills varsity boys lacrosse coach Tom Schwan introduced Spartan two-sport star, Darien LaPietro, who will attend the University at Albany and be a part of the America East champion men’s lacrosse program.
“There are three things that come to mind,” Coach Tom Schwan said. “A consistently high level of play, you need your best player to play great on a consistent basis and this young man does that.
The second is our assistant coach, Jason LaPietro, has a quote ‘Don’t get too high with the highs and don’t get too low with the lows.’ Darien leads that by example. Third thing is his character: Character is who we are when no one is watching and this young man does a great job with exemplifying that in making good choices.”
LaPietro had an offer from both the Danes football and lacrosse programs, but UAlbany’s offer from Coach Scott Marr was too much to pass up.
“He saw a lot of potential in me when I was younger, as a sophomore,” Darien LaPietro said. “He was real excited to give me an offer and I was real excited to definitely say yes.”
That didn’t deter the Burnt Hills quarterback from visiting UAlbany and its football program.
“I went there for the football prospect day and they wanted me to play football there, but it was a thought, but I picked lacrosse,” LaPietro said. “I don’t know if I could’ve pulled both off, especially the quarterback position itself is so demanding, multi-tasking, it would be really hard.”
Being just a 20 minute drive from home was too easy to pass up and continue being close to home.
“At the end of the day, this is one of my top schools right off the rip,” LaPietro said. “Once I got that offer it was definitely a quick decision, it was really awesome.”
Burnt Hills field hockey Coach Kelly Vrooman introduced four-year player and senior Sydney Plemenik who committed to Merrimack College.
“She was named to her first all-star team as a junior, she was a senior team captain and was very instrumental in securing our last four Class B sectional titles,” Coach Kelly Vrooman said. “She’s a player every coach would want; she’s hard working, able to overcome adversity. She embraces her role and does what’s best for her team.”
Tuesday was a big day for the Spartan field hockey player.
“I honestly didn’t ever think earlier in my life that this day would ever come,” Sydney Plemenik said. “Being a Division I
athlete is more than I could as for.”
Merrimack was her ultimate choice and best fit.
“Meeting with the coaches at Merrimack, just that instant connection I knew that’s where I wanted to go,” Plemenik said. “They loved my speed; they loved my push and my drive, my personality on and off the field and being a captain, carrying my teammates.”
Burnt Hills girls cross country coach Megan James had the honor of introducing her first college committed athlete, Rory Graham to Manhattan College.
“As a new coach, she is my first athlete who I have seen all the way through her cross country career, so this is really exciting and special to be a part of this for her,” Coach Megan James said. “Rory has been a leader since Day One when I first started working with her and her leadership has just continued to develop.
“Her teammates look up to her immensely and I think she is the epitome of an all-star in every way that a coach, a teammate and school that you would want.”
Boys cross country coach Chip Button had the heavy lifting, introducing his own version of the Fab Four, in cross country and track runners Nick Hunziker (Iona College), Tyler Berg (Columbia University), Evan Brennan (Stony Brook University) and Aidan Gillooley (Siena College).
“The quality that comes out the most and it had to do with our team and the culture, there is an awful lot that is left up to them,” Coach Chip Button said. “This year, starting back in the beginning part of July, for us to get to the point of where we’re at, an awful lot of it falls on the athletes, but particularly on the senior athletes and these four guys are a huge part of that.
“They get people together during the summer to run, we had one of our largest groups that summer and their leadership, the results of this season, but particularly the younger kids is a result of the example that they set and the effort that they put in.”
Runner Aidan Gillooley will stay close to home, running at Siena College.
“I really liked the team, the coach there is a great coach, obviously they have a great business program that I am going to apply to,” Aidan Gillooley said. “The campus is really nice, I narrowed it down, financially it was good for my family and I, so I think overall the whole package was amazing for me.”
Gillooley will not only be challenged by racing older runners, but the distance also increases at the college level.
“Training is a key to that, upping my mileage, getting the right workouts in, running with the guys,” he said. “There are a lot of key elements to get to the top rung to run with the best guys at Siena but I think I can definitely do that.”