The Horseheads High School baseball team received a hero’s welcome on Tuesday as area lawmakers formally recognized its thrilling New York State Class AA championship win.
State Senator Tom O’Mara and Assemblyman Chris Friend presented the team with a joint Senate-Assembly Resolution during a ceremony at the school. They were joined by Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano, who co-sponsored the resolution honoring the Blue Raiders’ title run.
Horseheads clinched its second state title on June 14 with a dramatic 6-5 victory over Fox Run at Binghamton University. Kevin Monahan drove in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, sealing the win and capping a 21-2 season. The team’s only other state championship came in 1999, the second year under Head Coach Jeff Limoncelli.
Limoncelli is retiring after a 27-year run that saw him compile 437 wins. The lawmakers praised the team’s success and Limoncelli’s legacy.
“We always look forward to these opportunities to recognize and honor the excellence and success of the remarkable student-athletes who help our school communities stand out,” O’Mara, Friend, and Palmesano said in a joint statement. “This team brought excitement, joy, and deep pride to their school, their families and friends, the community at large, and our entire region.”
Moss said the championship reflected the best qualities of high school sports.
“This victory represents the very best of what sports can offer: determination, discipline, teamwork, and heart,” Moss said. “To see [Coach Limoncelli] close out his legacy with a second state championship is both fitting and inspiring.”
Horseheads School Superintendent Thomas Douglas also expressed gratitude for the recognition and reflected on the program’s impact.
“It speaks to their hard work, resilience, and love for the game,” Douglas said. “We also want to thank Coach Limoncelli for everything he’s given to this program over the past 27 years.”
The resolution also honored assistant coaches Nico Limoncelli, John Michael Cook, and Andy Scott, as well as team members Carson Bell, Cooper Ball, Lyncoln Bennett, Dimitri Charlanow, Brendan Clark, Zac Giammichele, Micah Hays, Mason Halloway, Patrick Laney, Hunter Matkosky, Chase Mashanic, Kegan Monahan, Trevor Reidy, Josh Stout, Devin Sullivan, and Ben Torgulski.
The document highlighted how the team earned “loyal and enthusiastic” support throughout the season and praised the coaching staff for teaching “lessons which will prove invaluable both on and off the field.”
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