Leading off today: Huntington wrestling legend Lou Giani is stepping down as head coach and will serve as an assistant coach beginning this season, a school district source said last night. Kieran Mock, who won a 1982 state championship as a 98-pounder for the Blue Devils under Giani, will take over as head coach.
If Giani isn't in a class by himself, the class he is in has a very short roll call. He has a 436-36-1 record in duals (28 undefeated seasons), including 230-15 in the league, in 40 seasons and has coached 23 New York State Public High School Athletic Association champions and 61 sectional winners.
Giani is a three-time winner of coach of the year honors from the National Wrestling Coaches Association and was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla., in 2003.
Giani indicated that he had been considering cutting back his responsibilities for several years but wanted to rebuild the team after it took heavy graduation losses in 2005. His 2007-08 team went 10-0 in duals.
Mock has been a Huntington assistant for six years.
O'Neil acquitted of most serious charges: A Washington County jury acquitted Hudson Falls teacher and track coach Kason O'Neil of the most serious charges in a case in which he was accused of having sex with a student.
After deliberating over four days, the jury found O'Neil guilty of two misdemeanors, for which he could get probation or spend up to a year in jail. The trial started with O'Neil facing 21 counts, including several felonies, but seven counts were dismissed while the case was being heard.
O'Neil was accused of having sexual contact with a girl on the track team he coached. The jury found him guilty of misdemeanor counts of third-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. He will remain free on bail until sentencing on Oct. 17.
Fracas ends soccer game: Six players were red-carded following a fight that ended the St. John the Baptist at St. Anthony's boys soccer game with 1:39 to play last night. St. Anthony's was awarded a 2-1 victory after it was decided to not resume the match, Newsday reported.
The incident began with shoving in front of the St. Anthony's goal and escalated to the point of punches being thrown. The six penalized players plus one other who was carded before the fight face a minimum of a one-game suspension.
"It was a very physical game, but that's no excuse. This was a black mark on both schools because it should have never happened," said Friars assistant coach Don Corrao. "We have a very strict code of conduct here at St. Anthony's. This will not be tolerated."
Bad news times two: Harborfields school parents were notified yesterday that a high school athlete had contracted the bacterial disease MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), one day after an alert went out that a second athlete had contracted viral meningitis.
District officials said both students are recovering,
