Wednesday, July 18, 2018: Tuohy captures overall athlete of the year award

   Leading off today: Katelyn Tuohy has put the exclamation point on her amazing sophomore year, pulling down the biggest national honor for high school athletes on Tuesday.

   The North Rockland distance-running prodigy beat out Gatorade national athletes of the year from four other sports to be named 2017-18 U.S. Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year. She had previous pulled off an unprecedented feat during the school year by being selected national athlete of the year in both girls cross country and track and field.

   Tuohy is the third New York athlete to garner overall national athlete of the year recognition from Gatorade. Syracuse CBA football/basketball star Greg Paulus was the boys recipient in 2004 and Cicero-North Syracuse basketball star Breanna Stewart was honored in 2012.

   "In terms of coolness factor, it's hard to imagine anything cooler for a high school athlete," North Rockland cross country and indoor track coach Brian Diglio said. "Gatorade told her, 'You're the top athlete in country out of every single girl who competed in the country.'

   "I can't imagine anything like that. I'm super proud of her for everything she's accomplished," Diglio said. "In terms of her significance and how young she is, it's fantastic."

   Tuohy's numerous achievements included an undefeated cross country season capped by a triumph at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Ore., and setting the U.S. girls all-time high school outdoor records in the mile and the less commonly contested 3,200 meters. She also broke the girls scholastic mark for the indoor 5,000.

   The top boys award on Tuesday went to football player J.T. Daniels of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei.

   A change in Elmira: Bill Hopkins is out as Elmira Notre Dame boys basketball coach after 159 wins and two Section 4 championships in 10 seasons.

   Hopkins told The Star-Gazette he was informed he was out during a meeting last week with assistant principal Joe Palladino. Hopkins said Palladino has also recently taken over athletic director duties following the departure of Steve Weber at the end of this school year.

   "I was bitterly disappointed, but I was probably even more disappointed for my players," Hopkins said. "When I informed each and every one of them around noon time -- maybe mid-afternoon when I finally got done with all of them -- I got a response from a couple of the boys, from their parents, that said they were crying. They were very angry. Kids have talked about leaving school, going someplace else. It's a big, ugly mess."

   Palladino told the paper he was unable to comment on personnel issues. He added, "We wish Mr. Hopkins all the best with his future endeavors and we are grateful for his years of service to our students, as well as to the Notre Dame community."

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   Notre Dame was 159-52 under Hopkins, including 15-7 last season. Before coming to Notre Dame, he was head boys coach at Elmira Heights Edison and Corning East.

   Taking a fresh look: The balance of power in Section 1 administration could shift if an upcoming examination of the governing body's constitution results in changes.

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   The Journal News reported the plan to update the constitution is being viewed as an opening by some athletic directors who are seeking more input into how high school sports are run in the aftermath of a tumultuous year dominated by controversy over basketball tournament venues.

   "I think athletic directors have lost some of their voting power," said Nyack AD Joe Sigillo, who sits on the section's executive committee. "We're there, our voices are heard, we're allowed to vote, but the majority falls to the superintendents. ... There needs to be a balance."

   Section 1's executive committee is responsible for approving policy and budgets each year. Only three of the voting positions are guaranteed to go to ADs, while six others designated for superintendents from across the section.

   However, administrators who are on the committee that will review the constitution and potentially draft a new one say making major policy changes is not the objective.

   "To be very honest with you, there are not substantive changes to the way Section 1 operates," said Carmel Superintendent and executive committee member Andy Irvin. "More of it is reflecting Section 1's operation, and also clarifying the roles of the other groups -- whether it's the championship committee, other coordinators, things of that nature."

   The current 11-page document outlines requirements for member schools, the duties of each committee and other general policies. Those on the committee say their hope is to send proposed revisions out to schools by the time classes start in September. To be ratified, the constitution will need a majority vote of member schools.

   Coming up: Barring last-minute difficulties -- and the working condition of my laptop computer at the moment certainly qualifies along those lines -- we will post the all-state baseball team on the website Thursday morning.