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PVHS Tigers Prevail in 3rd Annual Strumke Tourney
by Dillon Chesnut
Even though there was a lot of rain, the Third Annual Dustin Strumke Memorial Soccer Tournament at Putnam Valley High School went on as scheduled, and continued when the rain stopped. In the consolation game, Ardsley defeated Hen Hud 6-4. Blair Sprouse was named to the All-Tournament Team from Hen Hud and Ally Fields and Rachel Mitzner from Ardsley. In the Championship game, which began in the rain, Kerry Pattie scored the first Putnam Valley goal off Bev Beladino’s cross about two minutes into the game. Amanda Murphy added the second goal 14:35 into the game off Kerry Pattie’s pass. In the second half, Amanda scored again, this time off a centering pass from Christine Stoisits, and then assisted on Kerry Pattie’s second goal with about eleven minutes remaining in the game. Dayna Nocera made 9 saves to preserve the shut out, with the invaluable assistance of Brittany Kinsley, Brittany Moran, Katye Kinsley, Erica Stanzione and Michelle Stoisits.
Coach Jerri Cohen commented: "I have to say that this is the best game I have seen these girls play together in the five years I have coached them. As you know this is a very emotional tournament for this team, and after placing third in the first tournament, and last year, as Fox Lane coach Fabian Videla said, ‘We stole that one from you,’ as we came in second as the game went to penalty kicks, the team would settle for nothing else but the winner’s trophy. As a team, all seventeen players kept up the intensity, the spirit, and worked together to win this tournament as over twenty of Dustin’s relatives watched from the sidelines."
Tina Strumke, Dustin’s mother, spoke at the Awards ceremony. She emotionally thanked the players, coaches, parents and fans for "keeping Dustin’s memory alive and for remembering him with such love."
Amanda Murphy was selected as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, for the second year in a row, and Katye Kinsley, Britt Kinsley, Beverly Beladino, Kerry Pattie, and Michelle Stoisits were named to the All-Tournament Team. Coach Cohen added, "Personally, if it were possible, I would have given 11 ATT awards to the PV team. Katye Kinsley was challenging for every ball, even sliding on the turf (thank goodness it was wet, or she would not have much skin left on her legs), Amanda was playing offense and defense as well as being part of the transitional play. There were so many emotions out there with us all on the field." Cohen recalled that Fabian Videla, the Fox Lane coach, had coached Dustin Strumke as a youth soccer player. As Mrs. Cohen summed up, "The rain may have dampened everyone’s clothing, but it didn’t dampen the spirits of the players, coaches, parents and fans."
At the second annual Putnam Valley High School Senior Award Night, two $500 scholarships, one for a boy and one for a girl, will be presented in Dustin’s name to Putnam Valley High School senior student-athletes, and on May 17 the scoreboard donated by the girls soccer teams in Dustin Strumke’s honor was dedicated. Strumke was a Putnam Valley High School 8th grader and a promising soccer star when he was killed in a tragic accident.
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