25 Years Ago in Bonac Sports: 04.19.18
April 1, 1993
Today, rain or shine, Jim Nicoletti, East Hampton High School’s baseball coach, plans to hold “Opening Day” ceremonies at the Long Lane field to celebrate the completion of home and away-team dugouts, built with volunteer help over the winter. The coach has said he has not seen any college dugouts as commodious and as well built.
The ceremony will begin at 3:40 p.m. It will include a presentation of colors by Cub Scout Pack 426, the singing of the national anthem by the Hampton Jazz, a High School a cappella singing group, a throwing-out of the first ball by the retiring high school principal, Christopher Sarlo, and the presentation of a plaque engraved with the names of those connected with the project.
Three South Fork hoopsters were named to the Suffolk small schools all-county team Sunday, testimony to the quality of play exhibited during the past season on the East End.
On more than a few occasions in the past, locals were bypassed on the 10-man squad as coaches, who decide the honor, stuck with the more familiar UpIsland stars. Not this time.
Scott Smith, East Hampton High’s all-everything performer, who turned in a spectacular season-long effort despite being double and triple-teamed throughout, finished as the sixth highest scorer in the county.
He was joined on the squad by two juniors — Tyler Ratcliffe of Pierson and Terrell Turner of the Bridgehampton Killer Bees.
Tuesday was a typical Bonac spring day, dank and raw under leaden skies, but what the East Hampton High School girls track coach saw in a scrimmage with Shoreham-Wading River warmed the cockles of his heart.
. . . You want sprinters? Mark Sucsy, the coach, had enough Tuesday “to run six heats of three if I wanted.” You want relay teams? He’s got them too. Tuesday’s 4-by-100 entry (Patricia Peters, Sharon Prudhomme, Mona Baker, and Sarah McDermott) turned in a 58.7, just seven seconds off the school record, “even though they hadn’t practiced handoffs.”
Likewise, the 4-by-400 team of Yani Cuesta, Sol Cuesta, Disa Kelley, and Heather Caputo ran a 4:59, fewer than 30 seconds off the school mark. “Considering that it was a cold day, and that it was their first effort, it was an amazing time,” the coach said.
April 8, 1993
Led by Larry Keller, a 6-foot-4-inch, 235-pound junior discus thrower, the East Hampton High School boys track team did itself proud in the Middle County relays at Centereach Saturday, finishing ninth among 18 teams.
Keller was named the countywide meet’s “outstanding field event performer” after throwing the discus 144 feet and 11 inches, bettering the next best throw by 27 feet, and coming within 5 feet of the school record he set last year.
Keller, John Hayes, also a junior, and Gavin Menu, a senior, combined to place second among the shot-put teams with puts of 41-7, 39-8, and 37-10.
“Larry and John are two of the greatest kids I’ve got — great on and off the field,” said Mike Burns, in his 19th year as the East Hampton boys track coach. He added that “this is the best performance any East Hampton team I’ve coached has turned in at this meet.”
Burns got good performances Saturday not only from the weight men, but also from the team’s three pole-vaulters — Ron Gatlin, Chris Minardi, and Rob Balnis — and its three hurdlers, Alex Ruano, Danny Mercado, and Bobby Gabitto.