Marcellus Varsity Boys Soccer Team and Coach Jennifer Griffin Honored by the New York State Senate

Accolades continue to pour in for the Section III Champion Marcellus Varsity Boys Soccer Team and Coach of the Year Jennifer Griffin. The team was honored in February and March on the floor of the New York State Senate and Assembly in a resolution sponsored by Senator John DeFrancisco and Assemblyman Will Barclay. The Marcellus Varsity Boys Soccer Team captured the Section III Class B title and marched their way through the state playoffs to the Class B state finals held on November 22, 2010 at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta. The Mustangs (19-2-1) lost a heartbreaker to Section XI’s Center Moriches by a score of 1-0 in the extremely hard fought state championship match. Congratulations and best of luck go out to the fourteen seniors that anchored this Section III championship squad: Greg Ramsden, Jon Quick, Zach Finkle, James Kinney, Jose Rodriquez-Doran, Mark Schmidt, Keith White, Ben Bednarski, Tom Quinlan, Jon Schoonmaker, Zach Garrison, Mike Tao, Tom Glose, and Joe Garrant. Coach Griffin described her team as follows in the December 2, 2010 edition of the Eagle Observer, “I’m really proud of what they’ve done. I hope they look back and see all the great things that they accomplished to get here. They’re a really united group and I want them to always remember this for the rest of their lives as what we did together.” Jennifer Griffin, Marcellus Varsity Boys Soccer Coach was selected as the Section III All Central New York Coach of the Year for her efforts in guiding this exceptional group of student athletes. The varsity boys’ soccer team also received recognition as a “New York State Scholar Athlete Team”. The team had planned on attending the presentation of the Senate resolution but was unable to do so because of the late February snowstorms. Instead Senator DeFrancisco along with Assemblyman Will Barclay visited Marcellus Senior High School on April 15, 2010 to individually present each player and Coach Griffin with copies of the resolution. Senator DeFrancisco not only congratulated the players on their accomplishment but also shared these thoughts, “You are going to remember this forever. Take a look at your teammates around you, you are going to be friends forever.”
New York State Senate Resolution No. 4043 sponsored by Senator John DeFrancisco is included below:

WHEREAS, Excellence and success in competitive sports can be achieved only through strenuous practice, team play and team spirit that is nurtured by dedicated coaching and strategic planning; and
WHEREAS, Athletic competition enhances the moral and physical development of the young people of this State, preparing them for the future by instilling in them the value of teamwork, encouraging a standard of healthy living, imparting a desire for success and developing a sense of fair play, team work, and competition; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and pay tribute to those young people within the State of New York who, achieving outstanding success in athletic competition, have inspired and brought pride to their high schools; and
WHEREAS, The Legislative Body is justly proud to congratulate the Marcellus Boys Soccer Team and Coach Jennifer Griffin upon the occasion of winning the 2009 Section III Class B Title, and for being the runner up in the 2009 New York State Class B Championship; and
WHEREAS, To bring home a Section III Championship, as did the 2009 Marcellus Mustangs, is a wonderful achievement; behind the leadership of Captains Joe Garrant, Jon Quick, Greg Ramsden, and Mike Tao, the Mustangs defeated Skaneateles High School 2-1 to capture the Section III Class B Title; and
WHEREAS, Although the Mustangs suffered a heartbreaking loss in the New York State Class B Championship, they have much to be proud of; with a final record of 19-1-2 Marcellus proved to be one of the most successful boys soccer teams in all of Central New York; and
WHEREAS, No team, no matter how gifted one or a handful of members may be can succeed without outstanding talent throughout its entire roster; such was the case for the 2009 Marcellus Mustangs whose players include: Ben Bednarski, Peter Carlton, Allan Donahoe, Sean Dunn, Cal Filtch, Zack Finkle, Joe Garrant, Zack Garrison, Tom Glose, Kyle Jankowski, Chad Johnson, James Kinney, Chris Manke, Kyle Manke, Luke McNaney, Aaron Murphy, Jon Quick, Tom Quinlan, Greg Ramsden, Jose Rodriquez-Doran, Neal Scheuermann, Mark Schmidt, Mitch Schoenbrun, Jon Schoonmaker, Mike Tao, Matt Tice, Keith White, and Nate Waite; and
WHEREAS, The success of the Marcellus Boys Soccer Team is due in great part to the efforts of Head Coach Jennifer Griffin; her outstanding Assistant Coaches, Jorge Arreguin and Mark Sunheimer; Team Trainer, Amanda Bowman; and Athletic Director, Brad Dates; the team was also assisted by the never-ending encouragement and support of friends, family and community; and
WHEREAS, The 2009 Mustangs shared noteworthy attributes off the field as well as in competition; individually and collectively, the constantly exhibited good sportsmanship and scholarship, thereby demonstrating to themselves and to others that they have an enviable school and their community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to congratulate the Marcellus Boys Soccer Team and Head Coach Jennifer Griffin upon the occasion of capturing the 2009 Section III Class B Title, and for being runner up in the New York State Class B Championship Tournament; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the members of the 2009 Marcellus Boys Soccer Team and its coaches.