So many remarkable, exhilarating and “I can’t believe this is happening” moments have happened to coach Sean Dooley and the Schreiber High School boys basketball team in the past two months.
But one may have gotten Dooley more excited than any other.
During the television broadcast on MSG Network of the Knicks-Heat game on March 17, famous sportscaster Kenny Albert mentioned that the Vikings had just won the Long Island Championship the day before.
Dooley wasn’t watching the game live, but his phone started blowing up, and everyone who was watching told him what happened.
He proceeded to watch the clip of Albert talking up his alma mater “so many times, over and over.”
“I tried to explain this to my wife, why this was so amazing,” Dooley said. “She used to work in fashion, so I said, ‘Imagine if, like, Ralph Lauren had a super-popular podcast that millions of people listened to, and on one episode he mentioned you by name. That’s kind of what this is like.’
“I’m not sure she understood,” Dooley laughed, “but I tried.”
What makes this story even better is that Dooley recounted it this Monday afternoon at the school in Port Washington, at a celebration of his team’s county and Long Island Championship-winning squad, which lost in the state championship game.
And sitting just two feet away while he explained this in front of a few hundred people and the Vikings squad?
Kenny Albert himself, a 1986 Schreiber grad who had a rare break in his busy spring schedule, calling playoff basketball and hockey games.
“So proud of everything this team accomplished, and it’s a huge honor to be here today,” Albert said. “I actually mentioned (the basketball team) twice on the air, once after Long Island and once when they went up to Binghamton. They deserve all the praise.”
Exactly one month after Port Washington’s dream season ended just a few points short in the state title game loss to Shaker (located outside of Albany), the players and coaches were treated to a celebration not seen there in 70-plus years. (Port Washington last won a county boys hoops title in 1947).
In addition to Albert, North Hempstead Council Member Marianne Daliamonte, school district interim Superintendent Chris Shields, and other dignitaries were present.
Athletics director Nick Schratweiser, the event’s emcee, set the tone by praising the team’s incredible off-the-court spirit and attitude, which school principal Kathryn Behr echoed.
“When we were up in Binghamton and I saw how, at the hotel, you all cheered when the other teams arrived, that showed me what great young men you are and what great sportsmanship you had,” Behr said. “What you achieved on the court was great, but off the court, you were so great as well.”
Several speakers and players talked about what the team’s playoff run did for the town, with Shields and Daliamonte saying they’ve “never seen this town so excited and united about anything.”
In addition to the speakers honoring the team, each player was called up and saluted, with several getting most excited when a new road sign was unveiled, to go on Port Washington Boulevard showing their achievements.
The team also enjoyed watching a highlights video set to the iconic college basketball song “One Shining Moment,” and Schratweiser announced that, thanks to generous donations from local business supporters, each player would be getting championship rings commemorating this special season.
“You take a step back and look at it and it just makes you so proud, not just playing for ourselves but for the whole town,” senior Ryan Shanahan said. “We just all wanted to keep playing with each other as long as possible.”
“I’m still kind of speechless about all of this,” senior Cole Reyes said when it was his turn to speak to the crowd. “To see all the people that supported us, the elementary and middle school kids even, it was just so special.”
