LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION congratulating the Pierson/Bridgehampton High
School Boys Varsity Baseball Team and Coach Jonathan Tortorella upon the
occasion of capturing the 2012 Long Island Baseball Championship

WHEREAS, Excellence and success in competitive sports can be achieved
only through strenuous practice, team play and team spirit, nurtured by
dedicated coaching and strategic planning; and
WHEREAS, Athletic competition enhances the moral and physical develop-
ment of the young people of this State, preparing them for the future by
instilling in them the value of teamwork, encouraging a standard of
healthy living, imparting a desire for success and developing a sense of
fair play, teamwork, and competition; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to congratulate
Pierson/Bridgehampton High School Boys Varsity Baseball Team and Coach
Jonathan Tortorella upon the occasion of capturing the 2012 Long Island
Baseball Championship; and
WHEREAS, To bring home a Long Island High School Baseball Championship
is a remarkable achievement; at Dowling Stadium in Shirley, New York,
the Whalers won in dramatic fashion on the last out of a scoreless tie
game; and
WHEREAS, In achieving the win, a passed ball on a third strike allowed
a Pierson runner on third base to advance and score ending the game in a
1-0 victory; and
WHEREAS, In addition, the Whalers are Class C and Suffolk County Cham-
pions; and
WHEREAS, No team, no matter how gifted one or a handful of its members
may be, can succeed without outstanding talent throughout its entire
roster; such was the case for the 2012 Pierson/Bridgehampton Whalers
whose players included: Jake Bennett, Johnny Chisholm, Harley Decker,
Paul Dorego, Emet Evjen, Joe Faraguna, Jack Fitzpatrick, Sean Hartnett,
Michael Heller, Brendan Hemby, Hunter Leyser, Forrest Loesch, Tim
Markowski, Jeremy Pepper, Aaron Schiavoni, Kyle Sturmann, and Colman
Vila; and
WHEREAS, The success of the Pierson/Bridgehampton High School Boys
Varsity Baseball Team is due in great part to the efforts of Head Coach
Jonathan Tortorella, and his outstanding Assistant Coaches, Benito Vila
and Henry Meyer, as well as Scorekeeper, Ed Luke; the team was also
assisted by the never-ending encouragement and support of friends, fami-
ly and the community; and
WHEREAS, The Pierson/Bridgehampton High School Boys Varsity Baseball
Team shared noteworthy attributes off the field, as well as in competi-
tion; individually and collectively, they constantly exhibited good
sportsmanship and scholarship, thereby demonstrating to themselves and
to others that they have an enviable combination of talent and charac-
ter, which reflects favorably upon their school and their community;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate the Pierson/Bridgehampton High School Boys Varsity Baseball
Team and Head Coach Jonathan Tortorella on their successful season; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the members of the Pierson/Bridgehampton High School Boys
Varsity Baseball Team, Head Coach Jonathan Tortorella, Assistant Coaches
Benito Vila and Henry Meyer and Scorekeeper Ed Luke.