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Class of 2008 Best Ever at Haldane High
Seniors led by example, snagged state hardware
by Ray Gallagher
 | | Haldane's Jen Lombardo, Danielle Etta, Adam Rohan, Megan Lyons and Brittany Shields pose during their National Letter of Intent signing. |
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According to the Haldane School District web site, the first real high school class was graduated from Haldane, under Regents regulations, in June, 1895. So how many times since 1895 do you think members of the senior class uttered the phrase, 'We're the best senior class ever'? Well, I'd venture to say that phrase has been kicked around like an old can since just after Uncle Elisha Nelson's family first set foot on the post-revolutionary landscape way back when.
It's likely been bandied about by the Nastasis, the Morans, the Virgadamo brothers… you name it, they've all probably said it at some point. But this year the student athletes at Haldane High mean business. The Blue Devil faithful mean it because it's probably true, though an argument like this can only be solved through intense debate and data, neither of which I have the time for.
"That's a topic we talk about constantly," Haldane senior Nick Nastasi said. "I'll talk about it with (Brittany) Shields and other classmates all the time. We are a very proud class. Even the kids who don't participate in sports come out and go wild at the games. If we aren't the best class, we have to be at the top right next to the Class of 2001. It's either us or them."
So I'm just going to go ahead and throw it out there and let the good chaps of Philipstown, the guys and gals of Nelsonville, and the lads and lassies of Cold Spring and Garrison from Manitou to the Four Corners, all throughout the PCN&R-region to have at it: Is the Class of 2008 is the best ever in the history of Haldane High?
I'll support that with as much fact and figure as I can; having seen the Coach Joel Stanford's volleyball team hoist a NYS Class D championship plaque last November in Glens Falls by defeating Section 10's Randolph in a rematch of last year's state championship. I'll defend it having seen Coach Tony Percaccilo's football team win an improbable sectional championship and a state regional round game at Mahopac High before falling to Ticonderoga at Dietz Stadium. Lastly, and most convincingly; having seen Coach Kenny Haskins' girl's basketball team win the fifth NYS championship in school history, first in Class C, at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy last March was enough for me.
When Haskins' Blue Devils beat Section 10's Madrid-Waddington, 46-36, to win their first state basketball championship since 2000; that sort of cemented the issue for me.
And there's still a Section 1 softball championship to be won this spring, so I may be getting a little ahead of myself here, but this being a down week for action due to spring break and lots of rain locally, I thought I'd get y'all buzzing over there on the southeastern shores of the mighty Hudson.
"They're just amazing group of kids," Haldane Athletic Director Susan Reid exclaimed. "The senior class is a unique class: A class with many accomplishments, both academically and athletically. I feel honored to be a small part of their athletic careers at Haldane and will never forget all of the excitement they have generated throughout the community. I know the community, their families and all of the staff at Haldane are very proud of this senior class. They have definitely given the underclassmen big goals to shoot for."
So Reid lined up five of Haldane's finest seniors on Monday, April 28 for a National Letter of Intent signing spree. I say spree because when a Class C/D school sends five kids off to college on athletic scholarships, there is no other way to describe it. Pacebound hoops star Brittany Shields (the NYS Class C Player of the Year), Southern CT-bound Megan Lyons, St. Rose-bound Jennifer Lombardo, Hartford-bound Danielle Etta and Iona-bound Adam Rohan were all in the shot.
However, it takes more than five fabulous student athletes to make this the best class ever, though these five rank high on the list of leaders. It takes amiable kids like Muhlenberg-bound Caitlin McConville, the life of every party because her spirit is unmatched. It takes kids like Nick Nastasi, a man-child, and Rob Percacciolo, the central nervous system of that football team, along with tough nuts like Steve Lilly, Granite Frisenda, Andy Lakota, Billy and Evan Campbell and Mike Thorpe. Takes kids like scrappy Rachel Flaherty and Cassie Barcavage, Scotti King and Emily Marsh. Kids like gymnasts Matt Pergamo, X-C stud Forrest Kingsley and Paul Richter, a euphonium player, and the first Haldane student ever to be chosen for an All-Eastern band ensemble. It takes all kinds of kids (too many to mention, sorry) to call the Class of 2008 Haldane's best ever, but I'm not afraid to go way out there on a limb and suggest it. If this piece makes it to the faculty dining room, perhaps a couple of administrators/teachers can take a minute to discuss the notion amongst themselves before getting back to me at yourdirectrays@aol.com to either set me straight or agree that the Haldane High Class of 2008 would make ol' Uncle Elisha proud as heck.
It's funny that I bring this topic up because, without my knowledge, PE Teacher and boy's hoop coach Joey Virgadamo (Class of '01) and Nastasi had this very discussion two weeks back: Class of 2008 or 2001, which was better?
"Even Coach ended up agreeing that we beat out his class," Nastasi said. "We went season by season and overall we had more championships."
The Class of 2001 had a football regional champion but no volleyball crown to speak of. They had both the boy's and girl's teams go to states in basketball but both lost in the state tourney. In the spring of 2001, and this is huge in terms of its argument; Haldane won the Section 1 baseball crown and reached the Final 4 of the state tournament before losing 2-1 in nine innings to eventual state champion Parishville Hopk. Throw in Nick's brother, Tom Nastasi Jr., was the Class C/D state champion in high jump. And while all that stacks up neatly against the Class of 2008, it might not be enough, especially if the Blue Devils can sink their teeth into a Section 1 softball title this June. Plus, the Class of 2008 has the only Class C team championship in school history (girls hoops).
"This year has been our defining year," Nick Nastasi said. "Football was sectional and regional champions when no one on the planet gave us a chance. Volleyball was champions of everything they took part of, and the boys basketball team made sectionals for the first time since 2003. Forget about girl's basketball. They were unbeatable with Shields in the lineup."
"I think it's a different time now compared to the '90s and what 2001 was," Nick Nastasi added. "Nothing against those grades. We all grew up in awe of those guys and girls and they helped us become what we all are. But to me, and I think the graduating class of 2008 is best class to come through Haldane."
Ponder and prattle amongst yourselves, people, but I'll take my cue from Shields and reserve TOTAL judgment until June.
"For me, it's an honor and I'm proud of our class," said Shields, the school's all-time leading scorer and rebounder and most decorated senior in Haldane history. "But if softball wins, then we are the best!"
I'm down with that! Please visit www.directrays.com to view Section 1 sports photo galleries.
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