Division Avenue High School senior and right hand pitcher Jesse Darcy has just been named by the Nassau County High School Baseball Coaches Association as the "Diamond Award" winner. This award is symbolic of whom the coaches feel is the best pitcher in Nassau County.

Darcy had come off a regular season record of 9-0, with four shutouts at the time of the selection. This followed an 8-0 record that he recorded as a junior. One of Darcy's biggest career highlights was beating Locust Valley in the second round of the playoffs while recording 19 strikeouts. That was second only to Chenevey's 25 strikeouts in an 11-inning county championship game against Bethpage in 1983.

Darcy will move on to Manhattan College next year on a full scholarship for baseball and academics. Darcy excels in the classroom, as well as on the field. With a 98 grade point average and a score of over 1200 on his S.A.T.'s, he is the continuation of a long line of Division ballplayers who have gone on to Division I baseball programs. Darcy's brother Ryan just graduated from Manhattan College.

Darcy is the seventh Division baseball player to win the "Diamond Award" since its establishment in 1987. Other Division players who have won this award include Mike Schneidler in 1991, Dennis Schneidler in 1995, Shawn Fagan as a player and Jim Bailin as the pitcher in 1996 and Bailin as a pitcher in 1997. Bailin is the only player to have ever won this award twice. Chris Flinn won this award in 1998. This does not include Darcy and PJ Antoniato, who came in second in voting for this award in 1999 and 2000, respectively.

MacArthur players have also won this award four time, including Chris Sinacori in 1988, Doug Hecker in 1989, Jeff Tyler in 1994 and Randy Leek in 1995. Island Trees outfielder Greg Thompson was the "Diamond Award Player of the Year" in 2002.

There are 57 public high schools in Nassau County who have players also trying for this award. Out of the 17 years that this award has been given out to a position player or pitcher since the award was instituted, Levittown has produced 11 winners. Much credit has to go to Levittown High School's Athletic Programs and Little League Programs who have both given these young men the opportunity to hone their athletic skills.