It was a sensational season of triumph at states for members of Elwood-John H. Glenn High School’s swimming, winter track and wrestling squads.

Elwood-John H. Glenn High School senior swimmer Evan Creter successfully competed at the New York State Swimming Championships, held on March 7 and 8 at Ithaca College. Crete finished second overall in the 100-meter backstroke, missing out on first by two one-hundreths of a second and earning All-American consideration, as well as ninth in the state in the 200-meter freestyle. He had previously won All-State honors in both events in the county competition, as well as with his team in the 200-meter medley relay and 400-meter freestyle relay events. John Glenn’s swimmers compete on a combined team with Harborfields, Huntington and Walt Whitman high school. 

Creter plans to attend Binghamton University this fall, probably majoring in pre-health on a pre-dental track. He is excited to join the university’s swim team.

“We are tremendously proud of Evan and all of his accomplishments,” Athletic Director Dave Shanahan said. “He personifies what a student athlete is. He’s humble, he’s hardworking and happy. He did so well, not only this year, but in his entire career.”

At the New York State Public High School Athletic Association's Indoor Track and Field Championships, held on March 8 at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, the girls 4x200-meter relay team of Erika Hartough, Morgan Hepburn, Emelia Maletta and Olivia Maletta ran a season’s best time of 1:52.77, coming in 18th overall in the state. Team unity and chemistry was crucial for this relay team.

“It definitely matters how comfortable you are with your teammates, because I know with all four of us, we’ve been together for the entire season,” Hartough said. “We spent many months together.”

“We knew going into states that we weren’t seeded that high, but I think we just wanted to run a season’s best, because it was our last time all running together,” Emelia Maletta said.

“All of our handoffs were clean, so it felt good to end on a great note for a relay, and do the best we’ve ever done during the whole season,” Olivia Maletta said. “It was just special because it was at states.”

“I thought that we did very well,” Hepburn said. “We worked really hard all season. The team was really dedicated to getting here, and even outside of school, people were dedicating their free time towards the sport, and you can tell that both the girls and boys teams really cared about John Glenn track.”

“Our girls winter track programs definitely really blossomed the last couple years, and this was an outstanding group of kids,” Shanahan said.

The boys 4x200-meter relay team of James D’Angeli, Kacper Jasinski, Benny Lee and Davin Li finished sixth overall with a season’s best time of 1:34.11, earning All-State honors. Li also finished 12th overall in the state in the 300-meter run with a time of 35.36. As the 24th seed, he finished third overll in the 300-meter run trials, notching a school-record 34.37 and breaking David Owen’s 25-year-old record of 34.83. He also ran a 6.63 in the 55-meter dash trials, becoming the very first athlete in John Glenn track history to qualify for a state meet in three different events.

“As the season went on, we got more comfortable with each other, and our first time running was at the league championship meet,” D’Angeli said. “As each meet went by, we got more comfortable with handoffs and working as a group, and trusted each other more, and we saw ultimate success at the end.”

“At first, our goal was just getting to states, but when we had the realization that we could actually place, this made us practice harder and have that drive to actually do well at states,” Jasinski said. “Being able to place was ultimately our goal and I believe that’s a huge accomplishment.”

“I feel pretty proud of everybody,” Lee said, “We put in the work every day. Even on days we didn’t have practice, we would call each other and say, come on, let’s go out to track an do our workouts.”

“We just worked really hard,” Li said. “Winter track is a tough season because it’s outdoors, it’s really cold and snows a lot, but we are always out there on the track, always working hard and always getting better. I think we improved a lot during the season and we really wanted to do well. We all really cared about the sport.”

“For these guys to finish sixth in the state is a testament to their dedication and hard work to reach that highest level,” Shanahan said. “They brought a lot of praise to their family and the school district, and for that we thank them.”

Four John Glenn wrestlers placed at states, demonstrating the program’s strength.

Senior Tommy Aiello won the New York State Boys Wrestling Individual Championships in the 116-pound division. At the state final, held March 1 at MVP Arena in Albany, Aiello trailed his opponent 4-0 before the final period, but earned a 7-4 victory in overtime. He won the state wrestling title at 102 pounds in 2023, making him John Glenn’s first two-time wrestling state champion. In his remarkable high school career, he has wrestled at a national level, everywhere from North Carolina to North Dakota. Aiello will continue his wresting career this fall at Long Island University.

“This was my fourth time up there at the state tournament,” Aiello said. “I felt like I knew I was the best kid in the bracket, and I was really excited to prove that. In my span in high school, we’ve won the county tournament four times as a team, won the county dual three times and have been to the state dual finals twice and won it once. I love being a part of a dominant program and being a leader at that program.”

In a historic moment, Tommy Aiello’s twin sister and fellow senior Taylor Aiello, wrestling in the 132-pound division, won second place in the state at the NYSPHSAA's first-ever Girls Individual State Wrestling Championships, held at MVP Arena in Albany on Feb. 27. She had battled back from an injury earlier in the season. Aiello has wrestled around the globe, including a prestigious tournament in Japan, where she was the only girl on the New York or U.S. team who won two matches, and a summer training camp and dual tournament in Italy. She will continue her wrestling career this fall at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania.

“I was a little disappointed, because I wanted first,” Aiello said. “But it was really cool being up at states, because I watched Tommy the past three years, and I didn’t think I was going to get that chance for my senior year. Being in the finals and being able to walk out was just amazing, instead of just watching from the sideline. Being on a boys team for the first couple of years of high school was great preparation, because it showed me a good work ethic. And then starting up the girls team taught me how to be a leader and keep everybody’s paces high at practice.”

“I would say just Taylor and Tommy are successful because of their overall leadership work ethic and goal setting,” coach TJ Brocking said. “The family commitment and them helping each other has been very beneficial to their success and

Aidan Lee finished fourth overall in the state at Albany, wrestling at 126 pounds.

“Aiden was one of the most improved kids in our program,” Brocking said. “He was a later starter and didn’t come through our youth program as long as some of our other kids, but his work ethic and putting in time in outside of school took him to the next level.”

Finally, senior Carmine Gerbino finished seventh in New York State, wrestling at 215 pounds, earning him All-State status. He plans to wrestle in college this fall.

“I’d been to states before three times, and I knew I was good enough to get on the podium,” Gerbino said. “My whole entire mindset this senior year was nothing else matters but that state tournament, and to prove that I am an All-State level kid.”

“Carmine is the athletic, strong, hardworking type of kid that I look for in the program to lead our upper weights, and he has been that guy for a long time,” Brocking said. 

“We are really proud of these student athletes and they have brought a lot of recognition to the school and the district,” Shanahan said. “What they have sacrificed to be successful in wrestling is incredible, and the excellent culture they received here from Coach Brocking and his staff has allowed them to really compete at the highest level.”

Date Added: 3/27/2025

Elwood-John H. Glenn High School students Nick Palisciano, Nolan Reinhardt, Ishan Shah, Madison Sorok and Caroline Weiss participated in Student Day last week at the Suffolk County Legislature, an event hosted by the League of Women Voters. This unique opportunity gave students firsthand insight into how the county legislature operates and the important role the League of Women Voters plays in promoting civic engagement in Suffolk County.

Accompanied by Elwood Director of Math, Science, Technology & Federal Grants Dawn Valle, the attending students participated in a hands-on government simulation, where they strategized and built arguments for and against proposed resolution. The event concluded with a mock legislative session, during which students debated a bill on armed security guards in schools. Some took on the role of legislators, while others represented the public, engaging in a dynamic discussion on the issue.

“I was incredibly proud of how prepared, articulate and knowledgeable our students were as they presented their arguments,” Valle said. “Their confidence and engagement in the process truly showcased their dedication to learning about government and civic responsibility. This immersive experience provided them with a hands-on understanding of the legislative process and the complexities of policymaking in local government.”

Date Added: 3/24/2025

Elwood-John H. Glenn High School seniors Mariel Fusco and James Mossey were recently selected as the winners of the 2025 Suffolk Zone Awards. The Suffolk Zone Chapter of the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance annually gives awards to one male and one female student in each Suffolk high school, selected for excellent achievement in physical education, outstanding character and leadership in schoolwide activities.

Fusco participates in competitive figure skating outside of school, a year-round highly technical sport that requires significant dedication and training. She is also very involved in John Glenn’s music department, singing in the school’s chorus and Acapelwood vocal group ensemble, and has earned NYSCAME All-County honors. In her free time, Fusco enjoys volunteering at her church’s Sunday school.

“I was kind of surprised, honestly, to win Suffolk Zone, but I feel very happy to be able to receive this award,” Fusco said.

Mossey played three soccer at John Glenn for three years, first as a freshman and sophomore on the junior varsity team. He took a gap year as a junior to play golf, but joined the varsity soccer team as a senior, just in time to serve as a starting defender for a Glenn team that went on to be league and county champions, the No. 1 Class A playoff seed and the seventh-ranked team in New York State. In tennis, he has played for Glenn all four years, the last three on the varsity team, and qualified for the county tournament twice. Mossey is also involved in music at school, playing clarinet in school’s band and pit orchestra and earning NYSCAME All-County honors.

“I place a high value on academics, and really value trying your best in classes and putting yourself in a situation to succeed,” Mossey said. “I was also pretty surprised, but I felt very honored to receive the Suffolk Zone award. I was happy to know I earned it, as I do my best in physical education class.”

Both students earned summa cum laude designation for achieving a weighted GPA between 96.50 and 100, and they earned recognition from the College Board, with Fusco being named an AP Scholar with Honor and Mossey being named an AP Scholar with Distinction.

“From my standpoint, these are two excellent physical education students,” Athletic Director Dave Shanahan said. “Most importantly, they have shown outstanding character.”

Date Added: 3/21/2025

For Elwood-John H. Glenn High School’s annual International Night on March 4, students were invited to bring food or create a station to showcase their heritage or a country they were interested in. More than 350 community members – including fellow students, families and faculty – gathered in the cafeteria that evening to sample an exciting array of foods from 50 stations representing Belgium, Colombia, El Salvador, France, Germany, Greece, Guyana, Haiti, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Pakistan, Palestine, Puerto Rico, South Asia, Spain and Sweden as well as Asian fusion, Ramadan Iftaar foods and tacos.

To entertain the crowd, Nicole Correia’s American Sign Language students interpreted Shakira’s “Waka Waka,” while Nicole Gendjoian’s classes sang “La Bamba” while senior Cooper Knorr played the song live on electric guitar.

Coming out on top as station contest winners, judged as having done the best job showcasing their culture with pride and enthusiasm, were the team of Samantha Gwon and Bijou Roman, for their Asian fusion station; and the team of Aaleshan Jamal, James Mossey, Khoshal Rametra and Ishan Shah, for their Indian and Italian food station.

“This was a great way to embrace our diversity and celebrate all different cultures from around the world during National World Language Month,” Gendjoian said.

“We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to share the food of our cultures with so many different people,” Gwon said. “We were excited to see so many people be open to trying different kinds of food that they have never eaten before. We also tried to add some cultural decor to our stand to represent South Korea, Japan and China.  

“What a great way to bring people together, by celebrating each others’ cultures,” added Roman.

“In a community like Elwood, it’s very hard to find people that share the same heritage as you,” Shah said. “For me, an Indian American, I was able to find friends that were willing to display our unique culture to the community. It is important to embrace one another’s cultures and traditions. The International Night initiative was a success and we look forward to it in succeeding years.”

Date Added: 3/21/2025

Elwood-John H. Glenn High School welcomed local senior citizens for an evening of entertainment and community connection on March 19. Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner in the cafeteria, served the students, followed by an exclusive sneak peek of the highly anticipated school musical, “Chicago: Teen Edition,” presented in the school’s Performing Arts Center. The talented cast wowed the audience with their performances, showcasing their hard work and dedication. The musical production will be held for the general community during the weekend of March 21-23.

“The event provided a wonderful opportunity for students to give back to the community while sharing their passion for the arts,” Principal Corey McNamara said.

Date Added: 3/21/2025