Leading off today: The New York State Public High School Athletic Association will induct six new members into its Hall of Fame, the organization announced.
Those being honored are: Boomer Esiason (athlete, East Islip H.S.), Sal Ciampi (coach, East Islip), Gene J. Masters (coach, Grand Island), Peter K. Oley (coach, Irvington), Dr. John F. Foley (administrator, Three Villages) and Dr. William F. Moran (administrator, Valley Central). The sixth induction class was chosen through a process involving a screening committee and a selection committee.
Esiason earned various all-state honors in football, basketball and baseball before graduating in 1979. He played quarterback at the University of Maryland, was drafted in the second round in 1984 by the Cincinnati Bengals and went on to a 14-year professional career. He now does a number of radio and television broadcasts.
Ciampi was a successful football and baseball coach for over three decades, beginning his career in 1966 as an assistant at Lawrence after graduating from Purdue. He took the head football job at East Islip in 1970 and went 165-47-7 in 25 seasons, with three undefeated teams, 13 league championships and 14 league coach of the year awards. He retired in 2000. As East Islip’s baseball coach from 1974-2004, we went 601-183-1 with 21 league championships and two NYSPHSAA state titles. He was awarded league coach of the year honors 21 times.
Masters was the winningest football coach in Western New York history and ranks among the top in the state in both football and baseball. Following graduation from the University of Buffalo, he coached at Brocton (1957-62) and Grand Island (1963-2000), going 248-107-8 in football with 19 league and four sectional championships, and winning 440 baseball games and 15 more league and five more sectional titles. He died in 2001.
Oley is one of the most successful running coaches in state history. He began at Irvington in 1956 and remained active in coaching for half a century, compiling a track dual-meet mark of 422-47. He founded the school's cross country program in 1958 and went 278-75, winning the last 133 duals of his career. His track and cross country teams totaled 27 Section 1 championships. He was the sectional cross country chairman for 30 years.
