On Saturday November 19, 2022, the East Longmeadow High School Athletic Hall of Fame held its 9th annual Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Ten inductees and two Teams were enshrined at the Twin Hills Country Club in front of nearly 200 attendees.
Janise Everett
Jenise Everett was a three-sport athlete. Participating in Soccer, Basketball and both Indoor and Outdoor track. She was a selection to the All-W’Mass 1st team and was a W’Mass champion in the triple jump and holds both the school and W’Mass record. Jenise was W’Mass champion runner-up in the long jump. She won the MIAA Citizenship Student Athlete Award and the Frank Dutille Award. Jenise was team captain during her senior year.
Krista Ferrentino
Krista Ferrentino was a two-sport athlete, participating in soccer, and basketball all four years. She was selected to the All W’Mass first team twice, was a MA Super 7 selection, and won the Brian Piccolo Award during her senior year when she became a three-time team MVP. As a member of the 1000-point club, she scored 1,393 points in her basketball career. Krista was a two-time W’Mass champion and a States finalist. Krista was the W’Mass Tournament MVP two years running. She was basketball’s Vi Goodnow winner as the most outstanding high school girls’ basketball player and won the Coaches West Girls “Player of the Year” award. Krista had the record for most field goals made during her senior year and was ELHS 2nd highest scorer in the school’s history.
Evan Foley
Evan Foley was a two - sport athlete participating in hockey and golf. In hockey he was a three - year starter a two - year MVP and team captain during his junior and senior years. Evan was a finalist for the Bessone Award for his prolific scoring. He had 105 career goals. He was selected as W’Mass honorable mention. In golf he was selected to the All W’Mass 2nd team in two consecutive years.
Kyle Humphries
Kyle Humphries was a three-sport athlete, participating in Football, Wrestling and Lacrosse. He was a four-year varsity wrestler and three-time football and lacrosse selection to the Mass Live 1st team. He was selected to play in the Shriner’s All Star football team. He was voted as team Captain four times. Kyle was a Mass Live athlete of the week. Selected to All W’Mass, Kyle was also a two-time Div. I wrestling finalist and a W’Mass Champion. He was a finalist in the All-State tournament. Kyle finished his career with a 123-33 record. Kyle graduated from Rhode Island college with a degree in Business Management. Kyle went to work for UPS and was a manager at East Matunick Beach in Rhode Island. Kyle was a strong individual and put up a good fight against a diagnosis of lung cancer, but ultimately passed away in July of 2022.
Dan Martin
Dan Martin was a three-sport athlete, participating in football, basketball, and cross country. He was a star basketball player. Dan was selected by the Springfield Republican as an All-Scholastic player. Dan was an All W’Mass selection and an All W’Mass Champion. A two-time team captain, Dan eclipsed the 1000-point mark in his basketball career. He averaged 17.9 points per game. He was also selected as a State Top Athlete. Dan chose to end his athletic career with his accomplishments at ELHS. He continued his education at Boston College where he focused on studying film. Dan has worked on major motion pictures across the country, including Academy Award Winning Films such as: American Hustle, The Judge, The Hateful Eight, and Knives Out. Dan currently lives in Charlestown MA.
Alex MacLeod
Alex MacLeod was a three-sport athlete, participating in football, indoor and outdoor track. In track he was a five-time Western Mass Champion, two-time W’Mass runner up champion, was 4th and 7th in the States and 3rd in New England. He was captain of the indoor/outdoor track and football teams, selected by the Springfield Republican as All Scholastic in football and 3 times in track. He held nine school records in track, 4x400 indoor and outdoor, 4x100m, sprint medley, 4x200 relays, 110 and 60m shuttle hurdle relays, and the 55m and 60m hurdles. He was also a member of the 4x400m relay team that set the western mass meet record as well as a state divisional record. Alex continued his Track and Field career at the University of New Hampshire where he received all conference honors on multiple occasions. Alex then decided to further his education and he graduated Suma Cum Lode from the University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic with his Doctorate. He now practices as a Chiropractic Physician at Norwalk Sports and Spine and currently lives with his wife Katlyn in Norwalk, Ct.
Barbara Morace
Barbara Morace was a talented golfer. She was undefeated in her freshman year, a league champion, a Div. II W’Mass champion, a second place State champion and was an individual second place finisher at the States. Barbara won the Brian Piccolo award. She was a two time All W’Mass selection. She was the team captain and won the two time All W’Mass selection. She was the team captain and at fifteen she entered the L.P.G.A. qualifier and parred the first nine holes at the Danvers Mass. Boston Fire Classic. She later qualified to play in the L.P.G.A. Stratton Mountain Classic where she birdied the 18th hole and received her first gallery applause. Barbara was awarded a golf scholarship to Lynn Univ. in Boca Raton. She was a Junior National Champion on the World Series of Golf tour and was on the front page of the Sports section in Springfield Republican and the Boston Globe as well as being featured both on ESPN and in Golf Digest.
Jessie Schnepp
Jessie Schnepp was a three-sport athlete, participating in volleyball, basketball, and track. In volleyball, she was an All-State selection; three-time All W’Mass selection; two-time W’Mass finalist; captain; MVP; hi-scorer and two-time team captain. In basketball, Jessie the first W’Mass Champion in ELHS history. She was two-time captain and was selected to All-W’Mass honorable mention. Jessie also excelled in track, selected twice to All-W’Mass, was a W’Mass Champion and won 5th place in the javelin at the State tournament. Jess broke the school record in the javelin throw and was the winner of the Frank Dutille Award during her sophomore year. Jessie was also selected by the Springfield Republican to the All-Scholastic team and won the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award. She continued her volleyball career at the University of New Hampshire, setting the school record for digs in a season (560) and receiving the America East All-Academic Team honors. After graduation, Jessie went on to pursue her master’s degree in occupational therapy while coaching the UNH team towards 2 consecutive America East Conference Championships. After receiving her master’s, Jessie moved to Texas to join her husband, Trevor, at the Air Force Pilot Training School. The Air Force has brought them from Texas to Washington State to now New Jersey, where they live with their daughter Hailey, while Jessie practices occupational therapy at a skilled nursing facility.
Nancy Steitz
Nancy Steitz was a three-sport athlete, participating in softball, basketball, and field-hockey. During times when girls’ sports were not headlining news, she was newsworthy in all three sports. She was selected as an “Outstanding Player” in all three activities by her East Longmeadow High School Athletic Hall of Fame coaches Jakie Upshaw and Janet Kerr. She was selected as captain of the softball team and held a .650 batting average. She was selected as captain of the field hockey team and was one of the leading scorers with 5 post season goals, sharing the honor with Karen Gardell and Pat Farrell. In basketball she was the leading scorer with 30 points per game. After graduating from Springfield College, she began a long career in teaching P.E and Athletic Administration in both public and private schools in several states and in Bermuda. She returned “home’ and coached field hockey at ELHS. Nancy spent 16 years at Ball State University in Sports Management and retired in 2017. She currently resides in Muncie Indiana where she is an active member of the West Point Moms Bake Club.
Danyellé Thorpe
Danyellé Thorpe Huerta was a three-sport athlete, participating in Soccer, Indoor and Outdoor Track. She was a three-time selection to All W’Mass, a two-time W’Mass Champion in the shot put and a W’Mass Champion in the discus. Danyellé was a two-time All Scholastic selection and was also selected as the Coaches State Individual Champion. She came in second in W’Mass in the discus and came in first in the shot-put event in both the State and the All-State tournaments. She also competed in the shot put in New England’s and was the team captain in her senior year. Danyellé broke school records in both the shot put and discus throws and was part of record-breaking sprint relay teams.
1981-1982 Boys Soccer
15-4-0, Western Mass Champions
Back row L to R Coach Dave Smith, Tom O’Brien, Al Hedin. Mike Kozec, Tom Hanna, Mike Scanlon, Dave Cordone, Bruce Goodwin, Mike LeClair.
Kneeling L to R: Doug Wilk, Paul Tarsa, Sergio Settembre, Paul Sullivan, Pete Jansson, Mike Qiaglioto, Mark Dutille, Nick Lolas, Darren Goguen.
Absent Bruce Moyers
Defying all odds, the team, coached by Dave Smith went 15-4-0 in season play and with a starting team composed exclusively of all seniors, they obtained a third seed in the Western Mass Tournament. In the opening round they earned an overwhelming 5-2 victory over Classical High School. In the second round, the team took on home team West Springfield, defeating them 2-1 with an overtime penalty shot by striker Doug Wilk. They then went on to the Western Mass Finals shocking fans and newspapermen alike by beating Ludlow 3-2, becoming the Best in the West.
1999-2000 Golf
Undefeated
L to R Coach Porowski, Steve Alminas, Anthony Disa, Dave Ferrence, Jeremy Sawyer, Brendan Albano, Dan Dickson, Coach Courtney
The Spartans posted a record of 17-3, including a crucial final match victory over South Hadley for their 2nd straight Valley Wheel title. There was no lack of drama at the Western Mass Championship. Brendan Albano drained a 45-foot birdie putt on the last hole to bring the Spartans and Cathedral into a tie for second place, and the final slot for the State tournament which was clinched by Dave Ferrence’s tie breaking score. The team played spectacularly at the next stage. With low rounds from Dan Dickson, Steve Alminas, Dave Ferrence and Brennan Albano the Spartans took the State title with ease. Jeremy Sawyer, Tim Halpin, Frank Ferrentino, Anthony Disa, Brian Quinn and George Rodrigues also aided in gaining the school’s second State Championship, their first in Division I.