The Hicksville Baseball Association Girls Majors Softball Team finished in the final four on Long Island after winning District 32 in the 2000 Williamsport Tournament.

Union College's Dutchwomen Soccer Team recently defeated Rensselaer 3-1. Junior Tara Illsley of Hicksville broke a 1-1 tie to help her team eventually win the game. The Dutchwomen extended their unbeaten streak at home to 23 games, with a tie against Nazareth College.

Timothy McCartney and Laryssa Ruppert, both students at Holy Trinity High School in Hicksville, have been nominated for the 2000 Wendy's High School Hesiman Program. Outstanding seniors nationwide have accomplished superior athletic feats and served their local communities all while managing to achieve academic success as well.

Each fall, the program invites principals from the nation's 23,000 high schools to nominate the male and female senior at their school who best embodies the "scholar-citizen-athlete" character. This year, more than 12,000 students were nominated.

The program, now in its seventh year, was created through a partnership between Wendy's, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and the Downtown Athletic Club of New York City - home to the Heisman memorial Trophy since 1935.

Principal entries will be evaluated by the scholastic review service, CTB/McGraw-Hill, to narrow the field to 1,020 state finalists and soon to 102 state winners.

Senior wide-out Rob Haddad, a Hicksville native now playing football for Bentley College, leads the team with 24 catches (for 305 yards and two touchdowns).

The 13-year-old Hicksville Yankees completed another successful season with a 19-7 record in the Babe Ruth Rookie Division. The team then played a two-day tournament at Cooperstown's Doubleday Field.

Since they were a 10-year-old team, the Yankees only played fall baseball. This was the first season the boys participated in a summer league.

John Scappaticci, Josh Cuozzo, Lou Sullo and Tom Butler were by far the best four starters. The relief pitching, led by Peter Sharkey, Keith Kenny, Mike DiMaria and Chris Curtin, closed out many of the winning efforts. The starting pitchers are all held to a pitch count so the relievers played a major part in this winning season.

Catchers Frank Scappaticci, James Robison, Peter Sharkey and Pat Sheedy did an excellent job with pitch location and threw out many attempted base stealers.

The infield had an excellent season defensively. Tom Butler, Tom McLoughlin, Mike Wasiluk and Keith Kenny made big plays every game. Also playing excellent infield defense was James Robison, Pat Sheedy, Mike DiMaria, Lou Sullo and Josh Cuozzo.

Chris Curtin led the outfield defense. Along with Curtin, T.J. Preston and Mike DiMaria came up with big plays all season long. James Robison and Lou Sullo also helped out in the outfield.

Keith Kenny led the offense. During different parts of the season, each player came up with big hits while Chris Curtin and Mike Wasiluk provided some excellent bunting.

The Hicksville Yankees have always been put together with a team concept in mind. No superstars - just good players who will do whatever needs to be done for the sake of the team. This was never more evident than this year when season-ending illness and injuries to John Scappaticci, Frank Scappaticci and Jason Osorio made it necessary for other players to play out of position and make sacrifices.

"The team's nucleus has remained the same. Each year we change between three and five players, trying to get the perfect fit for a complete team," Coach Mike Wasiluk said.

Wasiluk would like to thank his coaches, Jim Robison, Jim Kenny, Steve Cuozzo, Joe DiMaria, Pete McLoughlin, Rich Curtin and Ted Preston. Also, a special thanks to Tom Sheedy for his behind the scenes help. "Their dedication and support in teaching first and the winning will follow is what the Hicksville Yankees are all about," Wasiluk said.

Wasiluk would also like to thank his wife, Regina, and all the parents and relatives who put up with him and the many schedule changes throughout the season due to rain. And to the players, "You have made us all very proud not only in your development as baseball players, but as young men," Wasiluk said.