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Briarcliff Celebrates Athletes Headed For NCAA Sports Careers

BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y. -- Eleven student athletes from Briarcliff will be making their mark at the collegiate level starting this fall.

Seated, from L: Molly Rickles, Caroline Pennacchio, Rachel Julie, Jake Hertz, Graham Goldman; standing, from L: Jessica Cho, Josiah Cobbs, Sean Crowley, Joe Conanaco, Caleb Asamah, Ryan Celaj.

Seated, from L: Molly Rickles, Caroline Pennacchio, Rachel Julie, Jake Hertz, Graham Goldman; standing, from L: Jessica Cho, Josiah Cobbs, Sean Crowley, Joe Conanaco, Caleb Asamah, Ryan Celaj.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman
Retired XC and track coach Sean Ryan (center) with track and XC standouts Caroline Pennacchio (L) and Molly Rickles.

Retired XC and track coach Sean Ryan (center) with track and XC standouts Caroline Pennacchio (L) and Molly Rickles.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman
Baseball standout Jake Hertz, with mom, Karen.

Baseball standout Jake Hertz, with mom, Karen.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman
Softball standout Rachel Julie, with parents Clara and Larry Julie.

Softball standout Rachel Julie, with parents Clara and Larry Julie.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman
Lacrosse standout Ryan Celaj, with parents Minire (L) and Doug, and sister Brianna (R).

Lacrosse standout Ryan Celaj, with parents Minire (L) and Doug, and sister Brianna (R).

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman
Baseball standout Joe Canonaco with parents Cathy and Joe.

Baseball standout Joe Canonaco with parents Cathy and Joe.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman
Briarcliff HS held a reception for its NCAA-bound athletes Thursday.

Briarcliff HS held a reception for its NCAA-bound athletes Thursday.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman

For the sixth straight year, Briarcliff High School held a press conferencing honoring its graduating seniors who will be playing college sports next year.

"These athletes embody everything wonderful about Briarcliff," Athletic Director Chris Drosopoulos said.

Drosopoulos said he plans on following the kids religiously when they go to college.

Caleb Asamoah will be playing soccer at SUNY Oswego. Asamoah holds the school record for most goals scored and was part of two league champion teams. He was two-time All Section and three-time All League.

Joe Canonaco will be playing baseball at SUNY Oneonta. Canonaco played basketball, football and baseball at Briarcliff and was named All-League in 2014 and 2015. Max Preps named him Briarcliff Player Of The Year in 2015.

Ryan Celaj will be playing lacrosse at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. Celaj, who also lifts weights competitively, was All-League in 2014 and was named captain his senior year.

Jessica Cho will be swimming for Colgate University. Cho was named All-League twice and was a team captain her senior year.

Joshua Cobbs will be playing basketball at Manhattanville College. Cobbs was a two-time league champion who won the Class B championship this year.

Sean Crowley will be playing basketball at SUNY Geneseo. Crowley was first-team All-State, and named All-League, All Conference and All Section as a senior.

Graham Goldheim will be playing lacrosse at Union College in Schenectady. As a goalie, Goldheim had a 61.2 save percentage, and was named all-league twice.

Jake Hertz will be playing baseball at Rochester University. Hertz was three-time All League and hit .344.

Rachel Julie will be playing softball at Gettysburg College. Julie, who also played volleyball and basketball, hit .451 with three HRs as a junior.

Caroline Pennacchio will be walking-on to Dartmouth's cross country team. Pennacchio holds 15 Briarcliff records for cross country, 13 individual track records and 8 track records for relay.

"They have a really great neuroscience program," Pennacchio said. "I'm pretty excited."

Molly Rickles will be on the cross country and track team for the University of Miami. Rickles won All-League recognition in cross country in 2013 and 2014, and had the third fastest 3,000 time in Briarcliff history.

"I am so excited," Rickles said. "This is a good opportunity and it's my last mandatory winter. I'll never have to deal with it again."

Rickles said she picked Miami because she wants to study marine science. 

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