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John Moriello's NYSSWA blog
Saturday, June 14, 2008: Hudson Falls track coach's case appears headed to trial
   Leading off today: Kason M. O’Neil, the Hudson Falls physical education teacher arrested on charges he had a sexual relationship with a student, appears headed to trial. O’Neil learned yesterday that a Washington County Judge had declined to dismiss the indictment against him, The Post-Star reported.

   O’Neil, 26, appeared briefly in Washington County Court as Judge Kelly McKeighan scheduled pre-trial hearings and a trial date of Aug. 25.

   O’Neil was a physical education teacher and track coach at Hudson Falls High School when he was arrested March 10 after an investigation by Hudson Falls Police and State Police.

   School fires ex-JV coach who's suing: Monsignor Farrell High School has fired a teacher for misconduct after probing allegations that he verbally abused a student, The Advance of Staten Island reported.

   The dismissal of former JV basketball coach Daniel Melious is the latest development in an emerging legal battle. Melious is suing Farrell, the Archdiocese of New York and school officials in state Supreme Court for defamation related to his being let go as basketball coach last year.

   "It's pure nonsense," said Jonathan B. Behrins, who represents the teacher. "It's a fabrication. He is a well-respected teacher by his students, his students' parents and most of his peers."

   Melious was suspended with pay early this week and then fired. Archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling said the school was investigating allegations that Melious had verbally harassed a student and encouraged other students to do likewise.

   In July, Melious filed a defamation and breach of contract suit. He contends he was removed as coach after the school accused him of having an "improper relationship" with a former player. The player later told the paper that Melious had done nothing untoward.

   Farrell officials deny those allegations and say Melious was removed because he was unable to get along with varsity coach Robert Besignano.

   DePoalo's status uncertain: Schenectady varsity football coach Carmen DePoalo was ordered to pay restitution and stay away from a man he fought with inside a restaurant in February. DePoalo, 57, pleaded guilty Thursday in Schenectady City Court to second-degree harassment, a violation, The Times Union reported.

   DePoalo told City Judge Vincent Versaci he already paid the court-ordered $125 in restitution and agreed to stay away from Thomas Donato, 59, for the next year. Donato said he was having dinner with a friend at a restaurant when DePoalo arrived and the fight started. They had another run-in three weeks earlier as part of a long-running feud.

   DePoalo's status as a coach is unclear. School officials had said they would not take action until DePoalo's case was resolved. DePoalo is not a teacher in the district and coaches on a a year-to-year basis. He is also business agent for Schenectady’s Local 301 of the International Union of Electronic Workers/Communications Workers of America.

   DePoalo filed misdemeanor assault charges against Donato, but the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office dismissed them in May.

  
Spring tournament brackets
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  •    Football tidbits: It's a little too early to get excited about fall sports on this final weekend of the spring season, but it's hard not to notice the ambitious football schedule pieced together by Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey.

       MaxPreps.com reported recently that Bosco Prep will play Concord (Calif.) De La Salle on Sept. 27 in California. De La Salle, of course, had a 151-game winning streak snapped in 2004 by Bellevue (Wash.) and is a contender for national honors virtually every year.

       Bosco Prep also has a game scheduled this fall against Ohio powerhouse St. Xavier. In its early rankings, MaxPreps rates De La Salle No. 2, Bosco Prep No. 5 and St. Xavier No. 9 in the country.

       A tall story: Clay Kallam of ESPN HoopGurlz recently did a fun story on the difference between listed height and actual height for gir;s basketball players.

       Here's his lead:

       "I couldn’t have asked for more.

       "Over the years, I have marveled at what are euphemistically known as "program height" — that is, the number that’s put down next to a player’s name in high school and AAU handouts. The relation of the program height to the real height is summed up by one of my coaching habits: Before the season, I ask the girls on my team how tall they want to be, and that’s what it will say in the program. Nobody who’s been around can take those numbers seriously, so I give the girls a chance to have a little fun."

       While attending USA Basketball’s Under-18 tryout camp in Colorado Springs, Kallam had the chance to see nearly three dozen players lined up by height and started doing quick analysis based on their listed heights.

       The results are illuminating to say the least. You can read the piece here.

       Some girls chose to list themselves as an inch or two taller than they really are. Others elect to go smaller, often because they're self-conscious about being listed as a 6-footer.

       The reason that I mention this at all is that there is some debate out there these days as to whether schools and/or media should list the weights of female athletes because of concerns about whether publishing that info contributes to eating disorders. While there may be validity to the concern in the era of supermodels, it seems a bit of a stretch when it comes to athletes, who generally are used to being "on display" in front of large crowds.

       Extra points: ESPN has bought Student Sports, Inc., whose assets include Studentsports.com and DyeStat.com . . . Delaware schoolgirl Elena Delle Donne, the national high school player of the year and the top recruit in women's college basketball, abruptly left summer school at UConn this week to return home, citing personal issues. Rumors of a clash with upperclassmen during a pickup game have been circulating.

       How's this for a resume? Danielle Moyer graduated his month from Clarke County High in Berryville, Va., with eight team and five individual state championships to her credit in cross country, track, soccer and basketball. She holds the state record with 136 goals in soccer.


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