A Doggone Good Time For A Good Cause

A Doggone Good Time For A Good Cause

It was a fight to the finish, but in the end it was the teachers team that emerged victorious beating their youthful opponents 53-51 in fastpaced, action-packed Dunks for Dogs benefit basketball game March 7. With fans cheering wildly inside the NHS gymnasium, the game, sponsored by the Newark High School chapter of the National Honor Society, was truly another nail biter this year because of the skill and competitiveness of the players on both sides. The basketball game pitted members of the National Honor Society against some NHS and Newark Middle School teachers as well as NHS Assistant Principal Nick Ganster, Brian Read, who is an Dunks For Dogs administrative intern at NHS this year and Theron Chinn, who, also this year is a school counseling intern at NHS.

The teachers who played included: Mike McGavisk, Justin Fladd, Will Bean, Chris Brothers, Jeremiah Johnson and Ryan Phelps from NHS and Chris Hager, Bryan Malchoff from NMS. Other teachers and staff helped in other ways including Aaron Harrington, clock, Shane Surek, shot clock and NHS Principal Tom Roote coached the teacher s team. The Honor Society team included: Coach Elizabeth Kline, Jessica Shields, Cameron Casselman, Dan Staples, Brittany Williams, Kyle Power, Carly Henkel, Sarah Sharp, Ryan Tracy, Yohannes Bekele, Keith Bremer and Paul Dingman. Referee Tim Tanea, a retired NMS math teacher and long-time multi-sport coach in the district, who this school year is coaching JV Girls Soccer, Modified Girls Basketball and Varsity Boys Tennis, later commented how much fun it is to referee a benefit game because of all of the clowning around and jesting that goes on at such events. But when it s a good, competitive game like this one was, it s all the better, he said. Truly, though, the real winner, as a result of this benefit, is the Humane Society of Wayne County. Kathleen Tanea, National Honor Society advisor, said $325 was raised along with some cans of dog and cat food that is all being donated to the Humane Society. Admission to the game was $1 or two cans of food. A bake sale was held in the foyer. Each of the teachers paid $5 to participate in the game.

NHS senior and Honor Society member and treasurer Elizabeth Kline, who served as the coach for her team, said: It was fun getting the students and faculty together for the game. I was glad that we were able to raise a lot of money for the Humane Society.

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Nick Amatulli, who is a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) serving as NCSD Athletic Director, was the other referee. He too is a long-time, multi-sport coach in and out of the NSCD. He knows a thing or two about sports. At one point in the second half of the game, Roote, all in good fun, of course _ and reminiscent of when Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim lost it and went "too far" before being ejected in the waning seconds of the visiting Orange's loss to Duke February 22 _ feigned anger over a call made by Amatulli. He stormed out onto the court and ripped off his jacket. But then he went one step further than Boeheim and tore off his tie and put it around Amatulli s neck earning Coach Roote a technical foul and the Honor Society team the chance to pick up points in two foul shots. But Amatulli was merciful, only ordering Roote off the court and not out of the game, as was Boeheim s fate. And somehow both referees _ again, all in good fun _ managed not to see an extra Honor Society player out on the court with two minutes left in the fourth quarter and then the entire team on the court in hopes of making a couple more baskets in the final seconds of the game. Despite their best efforts, their hopes were dashed and the teachers won by two points. Later, in a humorous communiqué from Roote entitled Bleacher Report, he wrote: Despite some poor clock work from the desk and a few bad calls from card carrying AARP members Mr. Amatulli and Mr. Tanea, the staff Dunks for Dogs team gelled at the right moments to win the game. Administrative Intern Brian Read subbed in for Mr. Ganster several times and this proved critical because it elevated Mr. Ganster s game to the point he actually ran out of his shoe. A bit of tomfoolery on the part of Mr. Fladd led to an own goal that was virtually impossible to recover from. However, overcoming adversity was our inspiration, so much so our wrestling contingent of Mr. Phelps and Mr. Chinn could not be beaten on defense. Points were scarce between this balded and bearded duo, but heart and determination were not. The rest of the squad was well prepared and professional as expected. It is my belief that the regular cheers of, What does the fox say made the difference in the game. Nice job all!

After the benefit game, Kathleen Tanea thanked everyone that helped make it a success. Each year the National Honor Society holds an event to raise money for a local cause and promote school spirit, she said. This year the staff/student basketball game was very successful, as well as a lot of fun. I would like to thank all the staff and students from the Middle School and High School who participated in any way, as well as the National Honor Society members who did a great job coordinating and working at the event. A special thank you to the National Honor Society officers Jessica Shields, Sarah Sharp, Elizabeth Kline and Daniel Staples.

Learn more about how you can help the Humane Society of Wayne County here: http://www.hswaynepets.org