Huntington Alums Nominated for Dellacave Award
They have each earned their fair share of honors and for good reason; Huntington High School Class of 2012 members Dan Plant and Colleen Wright carried themselves quite well over the past four years.
The two teenagers were the Blue Devil athletic program's male and female nominees for this year's Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame's Butch Dellacave Award. The top honors were presented during a Sunday luncheon at the West Lake Inn in Patchogue that drew a crowd of about 400.
This marked the eighth year for what has become an annual event. A male and female student-athlete is nominated from each Suffolk high school. Hauppauge's Stephanie Peragallo and Bay Shore's Griffin Rock were the recipients of the 2012 awards as the Suffolk male and female athletes of the year.
"It was amazing to hear about all the athletes and their accomplishments, their overcoming obstacles to being unbelievably talented athletes and excelling at their sport all while having amazing GPAs and other activities," said Christina Plant, Mr. Plant's mother. "It was an honor for Danny to represent Huntington High School. We are so proud of him!"
During the luncheon, a member of the Dellacave family requested that each of the nominees stand up and hug their parents. The crowd was told the Dellacave Award encompasses parents and family members in recognition of all the chauffeuring back and forth to practices over the years, washing practice clothing and game uniforms, delivering "forgotten" equipment to fields and gymnasiums minutes before games and purchasing untold amounts of thirst quenching drinks.
"I cried more during that moment than any other award ceremony or team dinner this year," Mrs. Plant said about the Dellacave family member's comments. "It was especially moving to have my parents there to celebrate with Danny and our whole family."
Mr. Plant is headed to Rutgers University on a lacrosse scholarship. Ms. Wright will attend Iona College, also on a lacrosse scholarship.