Each year, over 200 seniors graduate from LHS. Among these students are athletes who have poured their hearts into the sports that they adore. Some of these athletes are able to take their talents to the next level. Sixteen senior athletes will continue playing sports in college next year, and on Wednesday, Apr. 3, they made it official in front of their friends and family.
Of these 16 athletes, eight seniors continuing to play in college just finished their spring seasons. Starting off with lacrosse, five Owls have decided to keep playing after graduation: Michael Hendrickson, Patrick O’Doherty, Caiden Lung, Mary Costello, and Elena McDonald.
Hendrickson, an All-County midfielder for the Owls, immediately knew that he wanted to play lacrosse in college. “When I first started playing lacrosse, and eventually got better and better, I knew I wanted to play at the collegiate level,” said Hendrickson. It is also something he has dreamed about ever since he was young: “It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid, and to be given the chance of joining a top-tier program [at Adelphi University] with multiple national championship wins is a tremendous opportunity.”
Hendrickson’s recruitment process was “an amazing experience.” His favorite thing was talking with some of the most well-known coaches, along with learning about their programs and the goals they have previously set. After talking with Adelphi’s lacrosse coach, it did not take long for Hendrickson to make his decision. “There was no doubt I wanted to continue my athletic career at Adelphi. With their facilities and academic programs, the coach’s experience, and the brotherhood of the team, I’m very honored and proud to become a part of a top program,” he shared.
Thankfully, Hendrickson has been surrounded by a strong support system throughout his athletic career. “I couldn’t have done it by myself,” he said, thanking everyone who has helped him reach this point. “I’m thankful for all my coaches I’ve had who have helped me throughout the recruitment process and my career, and most importantly my family. From the continuous support from my brothers to the constant competition with my sister, as well as my parents spending their weekends traveling to lacrosse tournaments and being at every game, they are the only reason I’m able to do this,” he gushed.
O’Doherty adores the nature of the game, as well as being able to build relationships on and off the field. “I love how fast paced and physical the sport is while also being able to hang out with my best friends and have a great time all around,” he commented. The All-Conference midfielder is also very grateful to be able to play past high school: “I love that I’m able to keep playing lacrosse in college and continue to be a part of a team and be able to play for the next four years.” He also took home an All-County honor for his play during the soccer season in the fall.
Being split between soccer and lacrosse is what made his recruitment process so difficult, but once O’Doherty chose lacrosse, it was smooth sailing ahead. He added, “Choosing Cortland was an easy choice as it’s not only a great team who competes to win every year, but a great school overall with their academics and the connections you make, which can help you past college.”
O’Doherty gave a shoutout to his circle of support: “I want to thank all my coaches, teammates, friends, and family who helped push me and support me in each sport I played in. An even bigger thank you to my parents for always being by my side and supporting me no matter what I wanted to do.”
Boys’ varsity soccer coach Joshua Berlin watched O’Doherty throughout his high school career and is very excited to watch him pursue his dreams: “Patrick is an outstanding athlete. The four years he has spent in the soccer program have been transformative, and he has been an asset on and off the field. He has brought that same drive and dedication to all of his athletic endeavors, and he will certainly be successful on the lacrosse field as he carries the lessons learned throughout all of his sports and applies them to be the best athlete, teammate, and leader at Cortland.”
Lung will continue his lacrosse career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The Owls’ goaltender took home All-County honors after helping Lynbrook make it to the playoffs, with his best performance coming in a first-round shutout win over Carle Place.
Boys’ varsity lacrosse coach William Luzzi is eager to see what his senior athletes will accomplish in their futures: “They have been an absolute pleasure to coach, and I know that all three of those guys are going to be very successful in college. It’ll be sad to see them go, but I can’t wait to see what they do at the next level.”
In the spring, Costello will play goalie for Georgian Court University in Lakewood, New Jersey. She earned an All-Conference honor in lacrosse, as well as an Academic All-American honor during swim season.
McDonald will play lacrosse at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The defenseman was a key part in Lynbrook’s success, helping them make the playoffs and post a dominant win over Roslyn in the first round.
Last but not least, baseball and softball will see one senior each keep playing after high school: Thomas Scholl and Katie Sharkey.
Scholl will be off to Mohawk Valley Community College in upstate New York when baseball season rolls around. Looking up to his teammates for most of high school, he wanted to be like them and worked towards being able to play past senior year: “I’ve seen a bunch of my teammates that I looked up to go on to play baseball in college, so seeing them do it made me want to keep playing even more.” Being able to play after high school means the world to Scholl: “Continuing to play a game that I love, especially at the collegiate level, is always a blessing.”
“It was very hard emailing different coaches,” Scholl said, reflecting on his recruitment process. “However, the choice was made easy for me after talking to Coach Warren. With a lot of family in the area and a great coach, I knew where I wanted to go,” Scholl furthered.
Through his many sports, Scholl is thankful for everyone who helped him along the way: “I want to say thank you to all my coaches in every sport that I played, as well as my mom and dad being with me through thick and thin.”
After playing multiple sports throughout her life, Sharkey will not stop after graduation. “I’ve been playing sports since I was a kid, and I couldn’t imagine stopping after high school, and not having softball be a part of my life,” Sharkey said. “Being able to continue to play into college means that I get to take my love for softball to the next level, and I get to play with the people who feel the same way.”
Sharkey’s recruitment process was “very stressful,” and she ended up choosing DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania. “I chose DeSales because it has everything I was looking for in a school, from academics to athletics. Plus, DeSales has some of the nicest people I’ve ever met!” she exclaimed.
“Without my family, friends, coaches, and teachers, I wouldn’t have been able to get this far,” Sharkey remarked. “I had so much help from everyone, and I’m hoping to do the same thing for other student-athletes when I’m older,” Sharkey reflected.
As the 16 Owls who committed from all sports seasons leave the high school, the community bids them farewell in their preparation for the long, but rewarding, road ahead.
