Northeast Times honors top athletes, coaches

The Northeast Times held the 38th annual Northeast Times Sports Awards banquet last Wednesday at FOP Lodge 5.

The night honored the best and brightest high school athletes and coaches as well as two athletes from Holy Family University.

The athletes were decked out in their finest attire as they accepted the awards for all of their accomplishments throughout the school year.

The winners included for football, Catholic League Player of the Year Tyler Yerkov from Father Judge, the Public League Player of the Year was Gabriel Smalley from Abraham Lincoln and Coach of the Year, also from Lincoln, Hakeem Cooper. 

For boys soccer, the winners were Abou Cherif, of Father Judge, who was the Catholic League Player of the Year, Northeast’s ED Leom Dos Santos, who won Public League Player of the Year and Ryan Haney, of Ryan, who was Coach of the Year.

In girls soccer, Gianna Rivera from Ryan was Catholic League Player of the Year, Franklin Towne’s Jenna Beltle, who was the Public League Player of the Year, and Dan Bradley, of Nazareth Academy, who was Coach of the Year.

In winter sports, boys basketball star Darren Williams, of Ryan, won Catholic League Player of the Year, Northeast’s Darrius Gaeta won Public League Player of the Year and Joe Zeglinski, of Ryan, won Coach of the Year.

In girls basketball, Reese Power, of Nazareth, won Catholic League Player of the Year, Meiara Staton, of Franklin Towne, won Public League Player of the Year and Jon Michels from Frankford won Coach of the Year.

In wrestling, Rickie Melendez from Judge won PCL Wrestler of the Year, Deshawn Woodhouse from Northeast won Public League Wrestler of the Year and his coach Mike Siravo won Coach of the Year.

In swimming, both swimmers from Philadelphia Academy Charter won with Oleksandr Zholob (boys) and Clara Ciamaichelo (girls) taking home the honors. The coaches of the year, from Nazareth, were Ed Roussel and T.J. Farrell. 

Spring winners included Catholic League Baseball Player of the Year David Rodriguez, of Judge, and Public League Player of the Year Braedyn Clinton (Franklin Towne Charter), with Frankford’s Juan Namnun taking home Coach of the Year honors.

In softball, Mya Dioro (Ryan) won Catholic League Player of the Year, Aubrey Seider (Franklin Towne) won Public League Player of the Year and John Kidwell (Ryan) was Coach of the Year.

Other awards were also given out, including Father Judge’s Bill Koch, who was honored for 50 years of service to his high school.

Dave Picariello, a Father Judge senior who took pictures of every Crusader sports team during his high school career, was honored with the Picture Perfect Award.

Holy Family’s Kouto Anyika (men’s track and field) and Maura Kilkenny (women’s soccer) took home hardware for top athletes at their school.

Judge’s Chris Coulter won the Most Courageous Athlete, Washington’s Qadir Carr was named Most Dedicated, Seamus Hart from Judge won the Sportsmanship Award, Ryan’s Elizabeth Haney took home the Leadership Award, Caitlin Cranston from St. Hubert won the Spirit Award and Jaden Murray from Ryan won the Unsung Hero Award.

Ryan soccer stars Frankie Monaco and Owen Stock made history by being named Teammates of the Year, the first time co-winners were honored for the award.

The Northeast Philadelphia awards, given to athletes who live in the area but go to school outside of the Northeast, were Zach Curtin from Penn Charter and Kendall Gayton, of Villa Joseph Marie.

The Scholar-Athlete awards were given to Father Judge’s Tim Gress and Little Flower’s Zoe Steinmetz.

And the Athlete of the Year awards were given to Devon Cheeseman, of Nazareth, and Thomas Sorber, of Ryan.