New Hall of Fame established

A new Warwick Valley High School Athletics Hall of Fame was formed by the school district to showcase the accomplishments and support of those Wildcats alumni and boosters who have been instrumental in creating a tradition of athletic excellence at Warwick Valley High School.

Inducted will be an exclusive honor reserved for elite athletes, coaches, administrators, and community members who have had a lasting impact on Warwick Valley’s athletic legacy.

Each year, the Hall of Fame Committee will select one eligible team and four to six eligible individuals (including one coach) for induction.

The first class was announced along with the formation of the hall of fame.

Class of inductees:

A celebration was held on Saturday, May 10, at Pennings Farm Cidery.

During the celebration, Warwick Valley Athletics Director Gregory Sirico also unveiled a website that will serve as the virtual home of the WVHS Athletics Hall of Fame: www.warwickvalleyschools.com/athletics/hall-of-fame. The website includes profiles of each of this year’s Wildcat inductees and their achievements and will be updated every year.

Members of the public are welcome to submit nominations for future Hall of Fame classes. All nominees will be reviewed by the WVHS Athletics Hall of Fame Committee based on their significance to WVHS athletics. Inductees are selected by the members of the Hall of Fame Committee, based on submitted official nomination forms.

The requisite nomination form is also available on the WVHS Athletics Hall of Fame webpage. The nomination form must be completed and submitted according to the instructions/dates included on the form. Any properly nominated person/team that is not selected by the WHS Athletic Hall of Fame Committee on their first year of consideration will remain on the list of eligible nominees for five (5) years without having to be re-nominated.

Who can be nominated?

Former Athlete

A former high school athlete whose accomplishments at Warwick were extraordinary and noteworthy. Must be a graduate of Warwick Valley High School. Must have completed high school a minimum of 10 years prior to being eligible for nomination.

Coach

Must have coached a sport at Warwick Valley High School abd be retired from Warwick for a period of at least five years. The eligible coach must have demonstrated integrity, character, citizenship, success, leadership and community involvement during their high school years and beyond.

Administrator

Must have served as an administrator in the Warwick Valley School District and positively impacted the athletic program. The eligible administrator must have demonstrated integrity, character, citizenship, success, leadership, and community involvement during high school administrative career and is no longer a Warwick Valley School District administrator.

Special Contributor

An individual that has made outstanding contributions to Warwick Athletics in some capacity other than athlete or coach.

Must be a resident of Warwick School District for a significant number of years, at least 10, demonstrating support for the Warwick Valley High School Athletic Program.

The eligible candidate will have made an outstanding positive impact upon the athletic program.

This year’s class:

1984 wildcats football team:

The 1984 Warwick Football team is widely remembered as one of the most accomplished teams in school history. Under the leadership of Head Coach John Garcia, Defensive Coordinator George St. Lawrence and Assistant Coaches Tom Folino, Joe Zuk and Bob DeFrancesco, the Wildcats went on a seven-game winning streak to claim the program’s first Orange County League Championship in 17 years. At the time, all schools competed in the same league regardless of size, making the championship win especially notable.

The defining moment of the season came from one of the program’s most memorable upsets – a victory against the heavily favored Port Jervis team. A blocked punt from Bruce Miller, recovered and returned by John Hegarty, followed by a Greg Sirico-to-Greg Large touchdown pass, gave Warwick the first half lead that propelled them to a dominant season finish. On a blustery day in Middletown, the Wildcats secured the OCL Championship with a 6 - 0 win over Pine Bush

The team’s defense was its hallmark, led by Times Herald-Record Player of the Year, Bruce Miller and standout defensive end John Hegarty. Key contributors included defensive tackle Bryan Ripley; linebackers Pat Rice, Doug Rupertus and Dorian Brandt; and defensive backs Jeff Cox, Jon Mattheson and Kevin Williams. On offense, the Wildcats were powered by 1,000-yard rusher Rich Beattie, with strong support from Mike LeDuc and Frank Corkum. The passing game was fueled by athletes like Bruce Miller, Greg Large, JT Sly, Greg Sirico and Joe Green, while the offensive line was anchored by standouts Alan and Steve Mannes. The team finished with high rankings in New York State Sportswriters polls and proudly embraced the motto, “Collective Success Over Individual Ambitions.”

1984 Wildcat Football Roster: Dorian Brandt, Rich Beattie, Matt Cabrera, Frank Corkum, Jeff Cox, Mike Forman, Joe Galiano, Jim Gannon, Joe Green, Tom Harrison, Tom Hand, John Hegarty, Rich Kennedy, Greg Large, Mike LeDuc, Bill Lemin, Alan Mannes, Steven Mannes, Jon Mattheson, Scott Mazzella, Tom McManus, Bruce Miller, Gene Miller, Scott Miller, Mike Palone, Fernando Quiroz, Pat Rice, Brian Ripley, George Rohrberg, Doug Rupertus, Greg Sirico, John Sly, Steve Smith, Bryan Thibert, Bryan Turner, Gino Velez, Kevin Williams, Brian Wright

Becky Hagerdon, class of 1982, made history as the first eighth grader in New York State to join a varsity team. Over five seasons with the Warwick Valley varsity basketball team, she scored a total of 2,164 points, a school record that still stands. Becky helped lead Warwick to five division titles, four Orange County League titles, four Section IX championships and a New York State championship in 1982, where she was named Most Valuable Player and selected to the All-Tournament team.

She was a five-time Times Herald-Record all-star, earning second team honors as an eighth grader, first-team honors as a freshman and sophomore and Player of the Year honors during her junior and senior seasons. In 1982, she was named a Parade Magazine All-American, selected as a third-team All-County honoree by Smith & Street Magazine, and became a bronze medalist at both the Empire State Games and the National Sports Festival. In addition to basketball, Becky played varsity softball from 1978 to 1980.

After high school, Becky went on to play at Long Beach State in California before earning degrees in physical education and athletic training from SUNY Cortland. Her impact on Warwick athletics remains one of the most distinguished in the school’s history.

Tim Luthin, class of 2011, was a force in both cross country and track, with his name still appearing in school record books. During his time at Warwick, he was part of the 2007 State Champion cross country team and earned an individual state title in the 3200m in 2011. Tim was also a six time All-American in distance relays and a National Champion in the indoor distance medley relay. He was a member of the National Honor Society, balancing athletic excellence with academic achievement.

He went on to compete for Stanford University, running cross-country and track while earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree. While at Stanford, he also mentored local youth through the East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring program.

Tim now lives in San Francisco with his wife, Natalie, and their dog, Luna. He works in private equity with a focus on investments that support the global energy transition. Tim has a strong legacy of athletic achievement and academic excellence from his time at Warwick Valley.

Denis McLaughlin was a high achiever in baseball, football, basketball and soccer at Warwick Valley from 1988 to 1991. He was a four-time Section IX champion and set a school record with 30 wins as a pitcher. Denis earned MVP honors in both basketball (1990) and baseball (1990-91) and was named the 1991 Times Herald-Record Player of the Year, cementing his legacy as one of Warwick’s most versatile and accomplished athletes.

After high school, Denis played baseball at Old Dominion University and was selected in the 7th round of the 1994 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox. He later served as the pitching coach for Fordham University in 2002 and was twice named MVP of the annual FDNY/NYPD charity baseball game.

Today, Denis remains deeply connected to the Warwick community, serving as a Little League and travel baseball coach and mentor.

Marcia Monk was a five-sport athlete from 1974 to 1978, earning letters in basketball, soccer, softball, track and volleyball. She played a key role in her basketball team’s success, helping them win four divisional titles, three county titles, a sectional title and an intersectional championship. Marcia scored over 1,000 career points, including an impressive 51 points in a single game. She earned MVP honors in basketball, soccer and track, and graduated with numerous accolades, including Most Outstanding Athlete and the Peg Hill Lattimer Award.

Marcia made history as the first female athlete from Warwick to receive a full athletic scholarship. She went on to play Division I basketball at the University of Memphis, where she was the starting point guard throughout her four years. She still holds records for all-time assists and free-throw percentages, along with earning four All-Tournament awards during her college career.

After college, Marcia earned multiple degrees, including a master’s and an Educational Specialist degree in administration. She worked in education for 35 years in various roles, including teacher, coach, assistant principal, athletic director, adult education principal and supervisor of adult education. Currently, she resides in Tampa, Florida, and is an avid golfer with a nine handicap.

Tori Pennings Cosimano, a 2008 graduate, is one of the most decorated distance runners in the school’s history. As captain of the cross country and track teams, she earned three state titles in the 4x800m relay, 15 All-American honors and multiple national titles. She was part of the distance medley relay team that set a national record and led Warwick to an 11th-place finish at Nike Team Nationals, placing 14th individually. Tori was named Female Athlete of the Year in 2007 and 2008.

After high school, Tori competed at Stanford University, where she was a two-time Pac-10 finalist in the 1500m and captain of the 2011 cross country team. She continued her love of running beyond college, completing major marathons including Boston and New York City. Tori also returned to her roots as a coach, guiding Warwick’s girls distance runners and helping lead the 2019 4x400m relay team to a state title.

In addition to her impact on the track, Tori taught high school science for eight years, five of them at Warwick, and now helps run her family’s business, Pennings Farm Market & Cidery. She lives in Warwick with her husband Michael, daughter, Adeline and their dog, Walter.

Coach Tim St. Lawrence has been a coach at Warwick Valley for more than 50 years, leading his teams to remarkable success. Under his guidance, they have earned four New York State Cross Country Championships, 27 Section IX Championships, 20 Section IX Indoor Track Championships and 28 Section IX Outdoor Track Championships. Tim founded the school’s indoor track program in 1978 and was named the NFHS National Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1997. In 2025, he will celebrate 51 years of coaching at Warwick Valley, including two decades as a volunteer pole vaulting coach.

As an alumnus of the University of Alabama in track and field, Tim was the team captain in 1970 and held the school’s pole vault record. He qualified for the pole vault event in the 1972 Olympic Trials. Additionally, he co-founded the Hudson Valley Flying Circus, an organization focused on pole vault development in Orange County since 1984. Beyond his coaching responsibilities, Tim has served as the director of Friends of Warwick Valley School and has led significant facilities projects, such as “Back the Track” and “Light the Lights.” He has been inducted into several Halls of Fame, including The Armory Coaches and Friends of Section IX.

Today, Tim lives in Goshen with his wife, Alice; they have two sons, Timothy and Michael.