11th annual Night of Champions features many local winners

The 2023-24 school year was another tremendously successful one for Tompkins County high school sports. That was on full display on June 14 at ESPN Ithaca’s 11th annual Night of Champions awards, where all six schools had at least one recipient.

Ithaca High School—the host of this year’s event—accrued the most awards with 21 in total, three of which went to Tsadia Bercuvitz. The freshman had a clean sweep of the running awards, being named the Girls Cross Country, Indoor Track & Field and Outdoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year. For cross country, she finished in the top three at sectionals, regionals and states while being named the MileSplit NY Freshman of the Year. During the indoor season, she broke five school records while putting in more strong postseason runs. She capped things off in the outdoor season with more records broken, a pair of sectional wins, and a runner-up finish at states and federations in the 3,000-meter run.

Staying on the track, Riley Hubisz was the Boys Indoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year for winning the state and federation titles in the 3,200-meter run. Becca Lovenheim was named the Boys and Girls Outdoor Track & Field Coach of The Year after leading both Little Red teams to top-three finishes at sectionals and sent 13 athletes to states. Lovenheim was also named the Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year when she was at Lansing during the fall.

Another notable winner for the Little Red was Anna Kotaska, receiving the Female Senior Leadership Award. Kotaska is a three-sport athlete who captained the girls soccer team to a sectional title in the fall. But her impact at IHS goes well beyond the pitch. Kotaska is part of many organizations throughout the school and has helped those with and without disabilities as part of the Youth Activation Committee and the Unified basketball team.

In sports offered by more than just Ithaca, Daniel Parker and Willow Moylan were named the Boys and Girls Wrestling Scholar-Athletes of the Year, with Moylan becoming the first-ever recipient for the girls wrestling award. Jonathan Billing was the Boys Soccer Coach of the Year for guiding the Little Red to a sectional title, and Helen Evans was the Boys and Girls Tennis Coach of the Year for also leading both teams to sectional titles.

Lansing had the second-most recipients with eight, including one of the big winners. Nicole Lamie was recognized as both the Volleyball Coach of the Year and the overall Co-Coach of the Year in a girls sport. Lamie led the Bobcats to their greatest season in program history, steamrolling their way to a third straight sectional title and their first-ever state championship. Senior setter Kayla Palmer was named the Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year for being an instrumental part of the Bobcats’ triumph.

In the winter season, Lee Christopher was the Boys Bowling Coach of the Year after the Bobcats won the IAC Large School Championship, while Connor Lajza was the Boys Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year after a dominant campaign in the pool with multiple IAC and sectional titles.

In the spring, Brooklyn Walker was named the Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year after being named the IAC North Large Division Co-MVP and helping the Bobcats win the division. Hailey Baughan was the Girls Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year while her mother Kelly was the Girls Golf Coach of the Year as the Bobcats won their first-ever sectional title.

Trumansburg had five recipients, including one of the overall athletes of the year. Lauren Millspaugh was recognized as the Female Athlete of the Year. She played a major role in the Blue Raiders’ volleyball team winning the Section IV Class C championship and was a First Team All-State selection, named an IAC MVP for both volleyball and girls basketball, and had some solid performances for the outdoor track and field team.

Nico Potenza was the Boys Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year after winning an IAC championship, Jason Hodge was the Boys Golf Coach of the Year after a dominant regular season and strong postseason, Neil Clifford was the Boys Cross Country Coach of the Year for leading the Blue Raiders to a sectional title, and Kaylee Dickerson-Holly was the Girls Hockey Scholar-Athlete of the Year after being named the Section III Player of the Year while playing for Ithaca.

Newfield’s lone recipient was a notable one. Hank Neubert was honored with the Athletic Director Appreciation Award for all of his hard work and dedication to Trojans athletics in his first year at the helm.

Dryden had a pair of coaches honored for successful seasons. Colton Oliver was the Boys Lacrosse Coach of the Year after helping the Lions qualify for sectionals for just the second time in program history, while Karen Weaver was the Girls Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year after a seventh-place finish at sectionals.

Groton’s sole recipient was Scott Weeks as the Boys Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year. Under Weeks, the Red Hawks broke multiple school records and finished fifth at sectionals.