Boys Varsity Basketball
Tom Rottkamp, the second-year boys varsity basketball coach for MacArthur High School, has his team gunning for the playoffs, in a conference that counts Elmont Memorial and South Side as its key competitors.
The squad counts on seniors Sean McDermott, Cliff Shimatis and Paul Rao as returning veterans, and also looks for contributions from junior point guard Rich Valentino, forward/guard Dom Schiame, forward/center Bryan Lang and junior center Dan Russ.
Rottkamp, who's assisted by JV Coach Tom Tuttle points to McDermott as a key rebounder who can score 15 to 20 points per game. Rao, he notes, is quick, aggressive and a strong rebounder. Shimatis is good in outside shooting. The team continues to work on trabbing the ball and moving it upcourt on the fast break.
Girls Varsity Basketball
Coach Kathy Feeney is also eyeing the playoffs for her squad, which wants to improve on last year's 8-8 record.
The four returnees are senior center Joanna Balsamo, junior point guard Brianne MacArthur, and junior center/forward Christie Ruppert. Newcomers for the Lady Generals are junior point guard Erin Garvey, and junior guards Kristin Alagna and Donna Upton.
Feeney, who's assisted by JV Coach Bob Fehrenbach, says the experience at point guard at center with MacArthur and Balsamo are the team's strengths; the team is working to perfect its aggressiveness on D, rebounding and fast breaking.
Key rivals for the Lady Generals are crosstown Division Avenue High School and Elmont Memorial.
Winter Varsity Track
There are 24 returning veterans for the MacArthur/Division winter varsity track team, as well as 36 newcomers. Coach John Arena has lost only three participants to graduation.
Arena says the number of people, enthusiasm of the new runners and the leadership skills of the returnees will help the squad. The team is working to increase its speed, stamina and strength.
The team's key rivals are Massapequa Freeport and Oceanside.
"Our outlook is very positive because of all the new runners and the veterans," Arena said.
Bowling
Five returnees and eight newcomers make up the MacArthur bowling team, according to head coach Dewain Lanfehr. The returnees include juniors Brian Nielsen, Bill Vasold and Jeff Scarola and senior Michelle Guglielmi. Newcomers include ninth-grader Dan Rensing and Todd Dickson.
The Generals, who count Wantagh and Bethpage as their key rivals, benefit from their experience from outside the league, Lanfehr said. As a result, the squad looks to return to the playoffs and compete for the conference title.
Varsity Wrestling
Eleven-year head coach Howard Greenblatt hopes his wrestling team will continue its record of success -- 10 straight conference champonships and three straight Nassau Class B titles. "We're good, but a little young," said Greenblatt, who's assisted by Tom Bobal and Kurt Lassan.
The team has 28 returnees and 35 newcomers, losng only eight to graduations. Returnees include seniors Ron Serrano (135 pounds), Ryan Beyer (112), Bill Calandra (135-140), Tom Merringer (145), Endre Fischer (150), Phil Soman (160) and Toby Ingram (215), and juniors Joe Tarallo (130) and Jason Plotkin (125). Serrano was second in the county, Ingram third and Soman sixth, and are all-county players. Beyer, Tarallo, Merringer and Calandra is an all-league honoree.
"The seniors have experience, but many young and inexperienced wrestlers must fill in," Greenblatt added.
