Milford Legends tournament benefits hospital auxiliary
NORWICH – The Milford Academy Athletic Celebrity Golf Tournament and Legends Banquet got underway with a shotgun start, Thursday, June 24 at 12:30 p.m., at the Canasawacta Country Club.
Players took to the green for a full day of golf to show their support for both, the Milford Academy school in New Berlin, and for the Chenango Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, in which this year’s proceeds benefited.
Up to 17 teams participated in this year’s event. Golfers, undaunted by a mid-day rain storm, rounded the greens throughout the majority of the afternoon.
“For it being our first year, we were pleased with the turnout and hope to see it grow year to year,” said Kathie Deiertein, member of the Chenango Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.
Chenango Memorial’s Auxiliary has donated $50,000 this year and has been an asset in the remodeling project getting underway inside the Maternity wing, which will include new fetal monitoring systems.
Special awards were given during the Legends banquet that followed the tournament. The Preferred Mutual team, who won the day’s event by four strokes, consisted of players, Chris Harris, Jeff Johnson, Nick Scarafile and Bernie Hughes. The winning team, who scored a 59, was presented with footballs that had been signed by the celebrity players and coaches that made up the night’s head table. Awards were also given for longest drive, closest to line and closest to pin.
Tom Sutton, Vice President of NBT of Norwich who MC’d the ceremony pointed out the importance of community partnerships such as the one Milford and the hospital have begun. Thursday’s event honored former Milford Academy players who have been selected for the Milford Academy Hall of Fame.
A new addition to the banquet this year was the first ever, Milford Academy Excellence Award. This prestigious award honored two high school seniors who have proven to be positive role models, on and off the field. The honorees, Casey Edwards from Norwich and Ryan Harrington from Unadilla Valley were chosen by their high school football coaches. Harrington from the New Berlin area is known for being selfless, putting both his teammates and the community before himself.
Head Football Coach for Norwich, John Martinson said honoring Edwards was an unanimous decision among all of the coaches in Norwich. Besides the player’s achievements on the field this year, he ranked fifth overall in this year’s graduating class and has shown he is a devoted player and positive role model in the Norwich community.
“He drives for excellence,” said Martinson.
The evening’s keynote speaker, Head Coach at Syracuse University, Doug Marrone, spoke of the importance of finding a balance between Academics and Athletics. Marrone returned to his ala mater in 2009 with the idea of re-vamping a winning team. Before returning to upstate New York, he was the Offensive Coordinator for the New Orleans Saints and has been associated with either playing pro football or coaching since the early 1990’s. Marrone spoke of the importance a football team can make on a community, citing his most memorable moment in football was during the first home game the New Orleans Saints played following Hurricane Katrina.
“Never underestimate what a football team can do for a community,” he said.
Inducted into the Milford’s Hall of fame were players, Antonio Dixon, Ray Norell, Terrance Knighton and Shonn Greene, all graduates of the class of 2004. Dixon, hailing originally from Miami Florida, started at Booker T. Washington High and continued on to be one of the first players at the Milford Academy school after its move to New Berlin in 2002. While in New Berlin he recorded a school record of 13.5 sacks and 77 tackles. Following his time at Milford, Dixon went on to the Washington Redskins camp and was immediately picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles, where this season, he is expected to play a significant role in the defensive tackle rotation.
Coach Tom Harris Sr. Assistant Head Coach for Miami University and who coached Dixon in high school presented him with the honor.
“Dixon means so much to our community,” said Harris, explaining that coming from an urban community, Dixon has shown kids that they too, can “make it.”
Ray Norell, originally from Monroe, CT began playing football at Masuk High. He continued on at Milford Academy and then onto the University of Buffalo where he played in the International Bowl. This year, he is expected to play in either the newly-formed UFL or the Arena League and is currently a starting offensive lineman in the arena football league for the Alabama Vipers. Coach Lee Chambers, former University at Buffalo Special Teams Coordinator and Running Backs Coach presented Norell with the achievement. Chambers said Norell, “is a winner.”
Of the four inductees, Dixon and Norell were present at Thursday’s dinner. The other inductees included Shonn Greene, originally from Sicklerville, NJ and is currently a running back, playing Pro-ball for the New York Jets. Greene, after graduating from Milford in 2004 continued on at the University of Iowa and was a third round draft pick.
Terrance Knighton is from Windsor, Ct and went onto Temple University after his time at Milford. Knighton was also a third round draft pick and is expected to start this season for Jacksonville.
The four players inducted made up just a portion of the team that led Milford Academy to their 11-1 victory season in 2004. William Chaplick, head coach at Milford Academy recognized the entire 2004 team for their efforts. Milford Academy was named number one in the country for that season.
Milford Academy’s Director of Operations and head football coach William Chaplick said “it was an honor inducting these four players into the Hall of Fame. The 2004 team was one of the greatest in the history of Milford Academy securing an 11 and 1 record, with five players advancing to the NFL from that particular year.” Chaplick also acknowledges the college coaches who attended on behalf of their former players, particularly Doug Marrone from Syracuse University, who served as the key note speaker at this year’s banquet.
This year’s Legends tournament and banquet was sponsored by Preferred Mutual, NBT Bank, Attorney Francis Wood, Milford Academy, Millennia Entertainment and Chobani Yogurt as well as other community members, businesses and organizations.
Terry Potter, owner of Millennia Entertainment said the night’s events were nothing but first class, and he thanks all of the sponsors that helped to make the night a success.
Players took to the green for a full day of golf to show their support for both, the Milford Academy school in New Berlin, and for the Chenango Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, in which this year’s proceeds benefited.
Up to 17 teams participated in this year’s event. Golfers, undaunted by a mid-day rain storm, rounded the greens throughout the majority of the afternoon.
“For it being our first year, we were pleased with the turnout and hope to see it grow year to year,” said Kathie Deiertein, member of the Chenango Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.
Chenango Memorial’s Auxiliary has donated $50,000 this year and has been an asset in the remodeling project getting underway inside the Maternity wing, which will include new fetal monitoring systems.
Special awards were given during the Legends banquet that followed the tournament. The Preferred Mutual team, who won the day’s event by four strokes, consisted of players, Chris Harris, Jeff Johnson, Nick Scarafile and Bernie Hughes. The winning team, who scored a 59, was presented with footballs that had been signed by the celebrity players and coaches that made up the night’s head table. Awards were also given for longest drive, closest to line and closest to pin.
Tom Sutton, Vice President of NBT of Norwich who MC’d the ceremony pointed out the importance of community partnerships such as the one Milford and the hospital have begun. Thursday’s event honored former Milford Academy players who have been selected for the Milford Academy Hall of Fame.
A new addition to the banquet this year was the first ever, Milford Academy Excellence Award. This prestigious award honored two high school seniors who have proven to be positive role models, on and off the field. The honorees, Casey Edwards from Norwich and Ryan Harrington from Unadilla Valley were chosen by their high school football coaches. Harrington from the New Berlin area is known for being selfless, putting both his teammates and the community before himself.
Head Football Coach for Norwich, John Martinson said honoring Edwards was an unanimous decision among all of the coaches in Norwich. Besides the player’s achievements on the field this year, he ranked fifth overall in this year’s graduating class and has shown he is a devoted player and positive role model in the Norwich community.
“He drives for excellence,” said Martinson.
The evening’s keynote speaker, Head Coach at Syracuse University, Doug Marrone, spoke of the importance of finding a balance between Academics and Athletics. Marrone returned to his ala mater in 2009 with the idea of re-vamping a winning team. Before returning to upstate New York, he was the Offensive Coordinator for the New Orleans Saints and has been associated with either playing pro football or coaching since the early 1990’s. Marrone spoke of the importance a football team can make on a community, citing his most memorable moment in football was during the first home game the New Orleans Saints played following Hurricane Katrina.
“Never underestimate what a football team can do for a community,” he said.
Inducted into the Milford’s Hall of fame were players, Antonio Dixon, Ray Norell, Terrance Knighton and Shonn Greene, all graduates of the class of 2004. Dixon, hailing originally from Miami Florida, started at Booker T. Washington High and continued on to be one of the first players at the Milford Academy school after its move to New Berlin in 2002. While in New Berlin he recorded a school record of 13.5 sacks and 77 tackles. Following his time at Milford, Dixon went on to the Washington Redskins camp and was immediately picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles, where this season, he is expected to play a significant role in the defensive tackle rotation.
Coach Tom Harris Sr. Assistant Head Coach for Miami University and who coached Dixon in high school presented him with the honor.
“Dixon means so much to our community,” said Harris, explaining that coming from an urban community, Dixon has shown kids that they too, can “make it.”
Ray Norell, originally from Monroe, CT began playing football at Masuk High. He continued on at Milford Academy and then onto the University of Buffalo where he played in the International Bowl. This year, he is expected to play in either the newly-formed UFL or the Arena League and is currently a starting offensive lineman in the arena football league for the Alabama Vipers. Coach Lee Chambers, former University at Buffalo Special Teams Coordinator and Running Backs Coach presented Norell with the achievement. Chambers said Norell, “is a winner.”
Of the four inductees, Dixon and Norell were present at Thursday’s dinner. The other inductees included Shonn Greene, originally from Sicklerville, NJ and is currently a running back, playing Pro-ball for the New York Jets. Greene, after graduating from Milford in 2004 continued on at the University of Iowa and was a third round draft pick.
Terrance Knighton is from Windsor, Ct and went onto Temple University after his time at Milford. Knighton was also a third round draft pick and is expected to start this season for Jacksonville.
The four players inducted made up just a portion of the team that led Milford Academy to their 11-1 victory season in 2004. William Chaplick, head coach at Milford Academy recognized the entire 2004 team for their efforts. Milford Academy was named number one in the country for that season.
Milford Academy’s Director of Operations and head football coach William Chaplick said “it was an honor inducting these four players into the Hall of Fame. The 2004 team was one of the greatest in the history of Milford Academy securing an 11 and 1 record, with five players advancing to the NFL from that particular year.” Chaplick also acknowledges the college coaches who attended on behalf of their former players, particularly Doug Marrone from Syracuse University, who served as the key note speaker at this year’s banquet.
This year’s Legends tournament and banquet was sponsored by Preferred Mutual, NBT Bank, Attorney Francis Wood, Milford Academy, Millennia Entertainment and Chobani Yogurt as well as other community members, businesses and organizations.
Terry Potter, owner of Millennia Entertainment said the night’s events were nothing but first class, and he thanks all of the sponsors that helped to make the night a success.
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