Bethpage-Tribune_2002-06-21

              i i n l l i ' i i l l i i i l i i i l l i l t i i i i l t i i n l l i n l h l d l i l i i i i i i i h l l H l
* * * •• * - f* •- 'CMt-m: r,ox* *eoo8
3 COPJaSSi
BffTBtP&ks LIB
47 PGUk&X, AVE
B1SXSPJM2&, NX 11 7:: 4-3.UA
VOL 40 NO. 26 SERVING BETHPAGE, ISLAND TREES, OLD BETHPAGE, PLAINVIEW, SEAFORD AND PLAINEDGE FORTY CENTS
Bethpage H.S. Women Repeat as National Champions
Women's Physical Fitness Team Captures 3rd National Title in 4 Years
ABSOLUTELY DOMINANT!
These words best describe the
performance of the Bethpage H.S.
Women's Physical Fitness team as
they ran away with their 3rd National
Championship title at this year's
United States Marine Corps High
School Physical Fitness National
Championships held May 17-18 at the
Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San
Diego, Ca. Their score of 1814 points
beat 2nd place Lanai H.S. of Lanai,
Hawaii (1585 pts.) by 229 points. This
is the largest point differential ever
recorded between any first or second
place team (Male or Female) in the 37
year history of the National
Championships. In addition, for the
second year in a row, the combined
scores of the Men and Women's
teams at the Nationals (Men - 2196
pts. and Women -1814 pts. = 4000
pts.), ranks them as the highest
scoring Physical Fitness program in
the United States. Bethpage's
combined score of 4000 points,
outdistanced runner-up Lanai H.S.
(combined Male/Female score of 3902
pts.) by 98 points.
It comes as no surprise that the
Physical Fitness team is as successful
as they are. Unlike other High School
teams, the Bethpage Fitness team
begins its 7-month practice regimen in
November. This extremely dedicated
group of young Men and Women, who
participate on other Varsity Sports
teams during this time, eagerly come
to our evening practices to hone their
skills and achieve their goals. Starting
with over 50 team members in
November, our team finished up with
27 athletes who competed in the 3
Qualifying Competitions that the team
competes in. Twenty-two of which
participated in the National
Championships in San Diego. These
student-athletes truly emulate our
team's philosophy of Commitment,
Dedication, and Excellence.
The Bethpage team entered this
season with two distinctly different
characteristics among its Male and
Female teams. On one hand, the
Women's team was returning a large
nucleus of experienced veterans who
helped the team win the 2001 National
title. Their goal was to defend their
National title. They also focused on
achieving their goal of scoring the
highest point total ever to be recorded
by a Women's team at the Nationals.
These goals were definitely realistic
for this team which was made up of
exclusively freshman to junior
athletes. On the other hand, the Men's
team (who placed 2nd in the Nation in
2001), was returning only one member
from last year's team. This young
man, Senior, Matt Kirschenheiter,
focused on pulling together this young
and inexperienced team and
achieving their goal of finishing in the
top three in the Nation. Once the goals
were set, the team dedicated
themselves to being the best that they
could be.
The Physical Fitness team's
schedule included a series of
scrimmages with teams from New
York and Pennsylvania. As a prelude
to the National Championships, the
team competed in three National
Qualifying Competitions. They
include: the Emmaus H.S. Physical
Fitness Invitational in Emmaus, Pa.
(March 22); the Bethpage Physical
Fitness Invitational (April 13); and the
John D'Allara (N.Y.P.D. -9/11/01)
Memorial Physical Fitness
Competition at South Bronx H.S.
(April 29). The season culminated with
the U.S.M.C. High School Physical
Fitness National Championships held
May 17-18 at Marine "Corps Recruit
Depot in San Diego.
After 5 months of training, the
team competed in their first
competition. At the 24th Annual
Emmaus H.S. Invitational, the
Women's team had a dominating 178
point victory over runner-up Penn
Hills H.S. (Pittsburgh, Pa.). The
Bethpage Women scored 1696 pts.
out of a possible 2500 pts. in this 5-
event Physical Fitness competition.
Events include Sit Ups, Push Ups,
Standing Broad Jump, Pull Ups, and
300-yd. Shuttle Run. Second place
Penn Hills scored 1518 pts. Third
place Emmaus scored 1418 pts.
Although disappointed, the Bethpage
Men placed a respectable 4th overall
with a score of 2045 pts. They finished
behind defending Men's National
Champion Emmaus H.S. (2300 pts,),
2nd place South Bronx H.S. (2126
pts.), and 3rd place Upper Darby H.S.
from the Philadelphia area (2108 pts.).
Individually, Stephanie Curley (junior)
earned 1st place All-Meet honors with
a score of 359 pts. Stephanie Feraca
(freshman) placed second with a score
of 349 pts. Nicole Dubensky
(freshman) earned All-Meet honors by
placing 3rd with a score of 344 pts.
Senior, Matt Kirschenheiter, tied for
third in the Men's competition with a
score of 462 pts. The Women's team
accomplished what they wanted to
achieve, and were well on their way to
defending their National title. The
Men's team realized that they had
their work cut out for them. However,
their score was within striking
distance of the teams from the South
Bronx and Upper Darby. With more
hard-work and confidence, their score
and standing could improve.
(Please turn to page 10)
2002 Bethpage H.S. Physical Fitness Team - Marine Corps Recruit
Depot, San Diego.
National Champion Girls Team w/Master Sgt. Jones. Girls (L to R) -
squatting - Corinne Owenburg, Taylor Rut; standing - Melissa
Wierzbowski, Stephanie Curley, Mst. Sgt. Jones, Nicole Dubensky, and
Stephanie Feraca.
Coach Mike Fenster w/(L to R) Tom Rosenblum (Boot Camp TV
Show), St. Sgt. Katz, Fenster, Master Sgt. Jones, Rick Ecker -
Executive Director - Marine Youth Foundation.