CCS Honors Student Athletes at All Sports Award Ceremony

COOPERSTOWN—Margaret Raffo and Charlie Lambert won the top school awards and the student-given awards, and Sophia Hotaling and Kalen Dempsey won the Red Bursey Awards at Cooperstown’s 65th annual All Sports Award Ceremony on Wednesday, June 12 in the N.J. Sterling Auditorium at Cooperstown Central School.

Hosted by the Cooperstown Sports Booster Club, the ceremony featured the presentation of end-of-school-year awards, as chosen by the booster club, school officials, athletic coaches and students.

Three coaches paid tribute to CCS legend Don Howard, who died June 9 from complications from liver cancer. Howard spent more than 40 years at CCS, and was responsible for getting the school’s track built. The school’s annual track invitational and boys track post-season awards are named for Howard, who attended this year’s Don Howard Invitational on May 6.

Connie Herzig, Frank Miosek and current boys track coach Mike Croft all spoke about Howard’s impact on their lives and the lives of thousands of CCS students. All three coaches broke down during their tributes.

The 2023-2024 CCS Athletic Awards were given to:

Lester G. “Red” Bursey Outstanding Senior Athlete Award: Kalen Dempsey and Sophia Hotaling won the Booster Club’s top award, which celebrates athletes who best exemplify versatility, passion, intense competitive drive and superior athletic ability.

Dempsey played football and baseball and was named an MVP for both squads. Despite setting school records as a wide receiver, he took over at quarterback his senior year after his younger brother got hurt, and he held his team together through adversity and injuries. In baseball, he was the top pitcher, and also one of the team’s top hitters. He was praised by his coaches as a tactician, a student of his games and as an athlete who is as gifted mentally as he is physically. Dempsey has signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Allegany College of Maryland.

Hotaling excelled at four sports during her CCS career, switching from softball to track during her senior spring season. She won a Section III title in softball her junior year and four Section III Class C-2 titles in track this season (100, 200, two relays). She was named an MVP of all three of her sports. She also was a captain on the volleyball and soccer teams, playing libero and forward/midfielder, respectively. Her coaches called her one of the most versatile athletes they have ever seen, and praised her willingness to do whatever was best for her teams. She was also Cooperstown’s Section III Scholar Athlete. Hotaling signed a letter of intent to play soccer at SUNY Cortland.

Ann I. Pink Memorial Sportsmanship Award: Margaret Raffo won the school’s top award for female athletes, given in memory of Pink, a class of 1990 graduate. Raffo was named MVP of the cross country team, which she led despite battling through an injury in the fall. She swam for the boys swim team in the winter, and made a successful return to running in the spring, as a distance runner. She is also one of the valedictorian speakers for CCS at graduation this month. Her coaches praised her as a hard worker and team leader.

John Terry McGovern Sportsmanship Trophy: Charlie Lambert won the school’s top award for male athletes, given in honor of the 1983 alumnus. An MVP in all three of his sports—soccer, basketball, and golf—Lambert was a three-year starter on the soccer team, winning two section and two regional titles. He scored more than 1,000 points in basketball and was named on the all-state team three years in a row. He set a school record for assists in a game. He was praised for being a team leader, for putting team success above his individual glory and for being a positive role model for the younger players around him. Lambert was also Cooperstown’s Section III Scholar Athlete.

Students Choice Athlete of the Year Award: Margaret Raffo and Charlie Lambert were as well regarded by their peers as they were by the coaches. The two seniors also won Students Choice Athlete of the Year awards. All varsity athletes were allowed to vote for the award.

Ken Kiser Award for Good Sportsmanship: Katie Lambert won the Booster Club’s award for a community member who is a good role model based on their support for youth and school sports. The award is named for Kiser, a passionate booster who died in 2005.

Lambert, whose son won the McGovern Trophy, works as a special education teacher at CCS. She is a CCS graduate and she has consistently worked hard for her school, community, and the sports programs. Lambert is a regular booster club meeting attendee and was noted by the booster officers as a parent who always volunteers.

Robert D. Snyder Award for Community Service: Presented this year to Lucy Hayes, this award is named for former booster club president Bob Snyder, who led the club for about 30 years. The award is presented to the student or students who stand out in service of their school and community during their high-school careers.

Hayes was a league all-star and team captain on the volleyball team. She took pictures during all of the other sports, providing her work to the yearbook, Cooperstown Sports News and the Booster Club. She set an example for her friends and teammates with her service and volunteer shifts with the booster club, and she taught one of her teammates how to fill her shoes next year taking pictures. She also put together the year-end picture presentation for Wednesday’s ceremony, replacing legendary booster Ted Spencer.

Robert James Welsh Award: Riley Green and Tanner Griffin were named Welsh winners by school officials. The award, given in memory of the 1943 CCS graduate, celebrates athletes who have been role models based on overcoming adversity to achieve their athletic success.

Green was recognized by her coaches for overcoming a knee injury that cost her senior season of soccer and most of the volleyball season—she took one serve during the senior night game. Green was able to return to do field events in the spring, winning a Section III C-2 title in the shot put. She was praised by her coaches for her courage, her positive attitude and her ability to succeed despite the adversity.

Griffin was recognized by his coaches as an athlete whose high-school experience changed for the better after he went out for cross country and track and field. He flourished doing middle-distance running and became a leader among his peers. He also went out for theater and grew his confidence through performing. He was described by his coaches as an incredible teammate and caring individual, who always worked hard and was a leader by example.

Director’s Awards: Tori France and Olivia Murdock were selected by Athletic Director Josh Wagner for his award, which highlights players who improved the chemistry of their teams by being positive role models and who went above and beyond to ensure their teams’ success.

France and Murdock played soccer and basketball together, with both teams having winning seasons. France was a midfielder in soccer and the point guard in basketball. Murdock was the defensive leader on both teams. They won a section title in basketball their junior year. In the spring, Murdock ran track, winning Section III Class C-2 titles as part of the 400 and 1,600 relay teams.

France was the only senior on the softball team, playing shortstop, leading off, setting school records for steals in a season and a career, and leading the team to a 13-win season. She also won a section title in softball her junior year.

In addition, the Cooperstown coaches made presentations and gave out the following team MVP Awards:

Baseball MVP: Kalen Dempsey and Emerson Toulson
Boys Soccer MVP: Charlie Lambert and Frank Panzarella
Softball MVP: Tori France and Katie Crippen
Bowling MVP: Anthony McCoy and Theo Ritter
Girls Soccer MVP: Sophia Hotaling
Thomas P. Ashford Award (Boys Basketball): Charlie Lambert
Girls Basketball MVP: Rory Nelen
Golf MVP: Brayden Sentz and Charlie Lambert
Boys Swimming/Diving MVP: London Kinley and Thomas Hellenthal
Girls Swimming/Diving MVP: Emily Kane, Milford
Volleyball MVP: Sophia Hotaling
Christopher T. Gentile Award (Tennis): Eero Aho, Rotary student from Denmark
Tennis MVP: Isaiah George
William Eldridge Award (Boys Cross Country): Carter Stevens, Milford
Girls Cross Country MVP: Margaret Raffo
Connie Herzig Award (Girls Track and Field): Sophia Hotaling and Annelise Jensen
Don Howard Award (Boys Track and Field): Cooper Hodgdon and Cooper Bradley
Kevin Belrose Defensive Player Award (Football): Trevor Campagna, Cherry Valley-Springfield
Walter P. Eggleston Award (Football): Kalen Dempsey
John Winslow Award (Wrestling): T. J. O’Connor, Milford

Contributed by the Cooperstown Sports Booster Club.