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Land Conservancy promotes Dave Prosser

The Pound Ridge Land Conservancy has announced the promotion of Dave Prosser to director of land stewardship. 

Since joining the PRLC in April 2023, Prosser has demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to PRLC’s work in land conservation and environmental education, the group said.

In his new position, Prosser will lead stewardship and grant writing for PRLC, manage all volunteer programs, and oversee the care and maintenance of 20 preserves with over 12 miles of trails. 

“In less than two years with PRLC, Dave has grown tremendously in the scope of his work he is doing for us as he extends his already-strong skill set with experience in Pound Ridge,” said Jack Wilson, president of the group’s board. “We rely on Dave’s leadership and judgment in areas far beyond his initial responsibilities and we want his title to reflect the expansion of his role with PRLC.”

Prosser is enthusiastic about his new role.

“I am honored to step into this leadership position and am eager to continue working with our dedicated board and the community to promote environmental stewardship and land conservation,” he said.

The promotion comes as the land conservancy celebrates its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of land preservation and environmental advocacy.


Caramoor president leaving at end of March

Caramoor President and CEO Edward J. Lewis III will leave the organization March 31 to pursue new opportunities closer to his home in Washington, D.C.

IN BRIEF

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John Jay falls to regional powerhouse in state tournament

Nov 22, 2024


Clockwise from top left, Hanna Martinsen makes a play at the net for John Jay in state regional game. Hellen Dollar sets one up for the Wolves. Yana Ahmetaj slams for the Wolves against Burnt Hills–Ballston Lake. Olivia Casabona returns serve for John Jay. Greg Kaplowitz Photos


By JIM MACLEAN 

It has been a magical ride through a magical season to win a Section 1 championship for the John Jay varsity volleyball team, but the Wolves knew they faced a tall task entering the state tournament.

After winning the Section 1 Class A title last week, John Jay advanced to the state tournament. In the first round Nov. 16 at Yorktown High, the Wolves would take on Burnt Hills–Ballston Lake, a team with a pretty impressive history. 

Burnt Hills–Ballston Lake is not only the defending state champion, but it has won three of the last four state titles and been to the finals four-straight years, and it came into the match in the midst of an amazing run of 21-straight years as regional champions advancing to the final four.

Make it 22-straight as Burnt Hills–Ballston Lake defeated John Jay 3-0 by the scores of 25-20, 25-15, 25-20, to claim another regional title and advance to the final four.

“They are pretty amazing, they’ve been there, done that, and it wasn’t new to them,” John Jay coach Tom Rizzotti said of Burnt Hills–Ballston Lake. “Not just one or two players, the whole team top to bottom, 22-straight regional titles, they are pretty incredible.”

John Jay was hoping to pull off the upset, and Rizzotti felt his team played well, but the Wolves could never get rolling against the powerhouse from upstate.

“The girls played hard, there really wasn’t a lot of nerves, we went in there with a we have nothing to lose attitude,” Rizzotti said of his team. “All year long we’ve been able to get teams out of their system, giving us an advantage, but with a team like Burnt Hills it’s really hard to get them out of their system. There were a couple of times they went on a run and we struggled to answer. Throughout the year we were able to get the other team off balance, and Burnt Hills did that to us. We couldn’t catch our balance.”

For the match, Yana Ahmetaj had 10 kills and Jaime Bartley-Cohen had nine kills as the senior duo led the attack at the net for John Jay. Hellen Dollar had 19 assists, and Olivia Casabona had 16 digs.

It wasn’t enough to top a team like Burnt Hills–Ballston Lake, but Rizzotti admits it was a pretty magical season for John Jay capped off with a Section 1 championship. The Wolves finished the year with a 17-3 overall record and it was the third Section 1 title for Rizzotti as head coach of the program. The team advanced to the title game last year, and this year they walk away as champions.

“This was beyond expectations, to earn the one-seed, to win the championship, I knew this was a talented team, but it wasn’t the talent that drove their success, they understood what it meant to put the team first, they understood what it meant to give their all, they gave everything they had and never quit,” said Rizzotti. “Their constant attitude of hunger and want was incredible and in combination with their talent that drove them to their success. Their desire to win was amazing this year, but more than the wins and the title, they were just an incredible group of young women and they made this a really fun season.”

It was a great way to finish for the four senior starters on the roster in Ahmetaj, Bartley-Cohen, Casabona, and Hanna Martinsen, as they walk away as champions. It was also a great way for Rizzotti to finish his career as head coach at John Jay. At the start of the season Rizzotti told the team this would be his last after 22 years as head coach, and he admits it was a great way to end a great run with John Jay.

“John Jay has been so great to me, the athletic department was so supportive, the administration and the parents, all the players and people, the support has made it a great place to coach,” Rizzotti said of his career. “After last year, I told my family I knew it was time, I was emotionally exhausted. It has been a great run, and to end it with a championship is great, but to see how hard they worked all year, to coach this great group of young women was a great way to finish with a great season.”

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