By Linda Cheung and Helee Shukla
This season was full of physical prowess to the highest extent; athletes showed off their skills across the school district and county and brought school spirit to New Hyde Park. Diligent practices, unparalleled teamwork and the mutual drive to win led to record-breaking triumphs this season.
NHP’s athletic teams not only shine on the field, but also in the classroom. Nearly all teams were scholar-athlete teams, or teams with 75% of their athletes with a 90 average or above.
“We’re students first, our student-athletes are students first and the academic piece is of the utmost importance, and it’s something that I’m really proud of,” director of athletics Mr. Maguire said.
Varsity baseball finished the season with record-breaking achievements, sweeping Garden City for the first time in 29 years. They ended with 13 wins and five losses. Their performance set a new precedent for New Hyde Park since the team rapidly improved compared to last year.
Source from Mr. Patrick Maguire
Varsity baseball celebrates after sweeping Garden City.
“We were probably one of the better teams in recent years. I think that’s really what got us to the playoffs— just getting the momentum going after that series because they’re a good team,” senior Marco Gullo said.
Boys lacrosse prevailed with a record of eight wins and seven losses, a huge improvement after not winning any games last year. Their dedication and persistence got them to the cusp of playoffs, only missing it by a single loss.
Source from Mr. Patrick Maguire
Boys varsity lacrosse walks onto the field to face Sewanhaka High School.
“This year was a great way to come back from a winless season last year. We shared some great team memories, and I’m already looking forward to next year,” junior Max Zembera said.
Girls lacrosse enjoyed a victorious season with only two losses, placing them second in their conference. With a conference record of 10-1 and 11-3 overall, girls varsity lacrosse secured their spot in the quarter finals for the second year in a row.
Additionally, five student-athletes have been recruited for girls lacrosse, which is the most NHP has ever had in one season. Many of the student-athletes are moving on to play sports for their respective colleges, and several of them consider their fellow teammates to be a second family.
Source from Mr. Patrick Maguire
Girls varsity lacrosse reps green merchandise in support of the HEADstrong Foundation.
“I was planning on quitting sports after high school, but when I talked to my coach about it, she encouraged me to take a look at the program they have at my college to see if I’m interested. After meeting the college coach and some of the girls on the team, I realized I wanted to keep going into my future,” senior Jordyn Neu said.
Although varsity softball had a rough season initially, they made incremental progress as the season developed. They faced success against Valley Stream North, securing them a seat at the playoffs. New Hyde Park’s softball players battled in a competitive conference this season, which reinforced their sense of teamwork and drove them forward.
Source from Mr. Patrick Maguire
Varsity softball huddles after defeating Valley Stream North.
“They played their hardest every game and continued to battle until the end. At the end of the day, that is the only thing that a coach could ask for,” Coach Romanello said.
Although some athletes faced challenges when adapting to the transition from junior varsity to varsity softball, various team-building activities helped the team to bond closer together.
“Since I was coming from junior varsity and it was my first year on varsity, I knew it would be a lot harder and the competitions would be harder, and that was definitely the case. We definitely got better as the season went on, and we started to work together a little bit more. We worked really well as a team,” junior Caley Caleca said.
Likewise, the boys tennis team was in the midst of harsh competition, finishing with two wins. The team formed close-knit relationships through constantly improving after each match.
“Although we had a tough season, our team has grown a lot, both as individual players and as a group. We faced many challenging teams, but we put our all in and kept the matches close. As our coach likes to say, we fight to the death, and then shake hands,” junior Christopher John said.
Boys track successfully sent 4x100 runners to counties this season, an especially difficult task since there are 52 teams in 52 school districts in Nassau County. Long-time runners worked together with new recruits to reach divisonals.
“I think we did an extremely good job. The practices were extremely difficult, but completing them and making it to counties was extremely fulfilling. We put their minds together, and we did a good job,” sophomore Brandon Dampman said.
Girls track ended strong with multiple medals at Herricks’ invitational. They persisted and worked hard despite holding many of their meets in cold, rainy weather. They beat their personal records like no other year. The team was able to show their skills at several league meets and invitationals that they didn’t have the chance of attending last year due to the pandemic.
“This spring track season was unlike any other. Although the team is split between girls and boys, we felt like one huge family in the end. From the laughs and the jokes to the running in the pouring rain, or the huddling all under one tent during a meet, we have been with each other through thick and thin,” junior Brenda Bolouvi said. “As a year-round runner, I’ve seen runners come and go, but this year felt different. My connection with the seniors grew stronger than ever, and I got some lifelong friends I could always turn to, even if they are 500 miles away coming next school year.”
Girls golf finished their season undefeated with 10 wins, and several players advanced to County Championships. Their shared enthusiasm and enjoyment of the sport enabled them to have a successful season.
“All of the girls did such a great job, and we all had so much fun! We all have such an amazing bond and a passion for golf, which made it even more fun,” sophomore Olivia Tomalska said.
This season was highlighted by memorable team events, admirable sportsmanship and unwavering perseverance. The Gladiators made commendable achievements this spring from working towards victory to reigning at championships.
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