East Hampton Student-Athletes, Coaches, Faculty, Administrators All Come Out in Support of Kicks For Cancer in Battle of the Bonackers

The Battle of the Bonackers, a friendly soccer game that pits East Hampton School District staff members against one another to help raise funds for the Suffolk County Girls Soccer Coaches Association Kicks For Cancer charity, made its successful return on Friday, October 14, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

This year’s event was even bigger than the last, with nearly 40 staff members coming out to participate in the game, a number of them representing many of the different schools in the district, including John M. Marshall Elementary, East Hampton Middle School, Springs School and East Hampton High School.

“The staff gave it their all on the field, whether they’ve played soccer before or not,” said East Hampton varsity girls soccer head coach Cara Nelson, who spearheaded the event. “It’s their effort and enthusiasm that really carries the event. We also brought in the middle school teams as ball girls, which gives them a taste of what’s to come at the JV and varsity level.”

Superintendent Adam Fine, East Hampton High School Principal Sara Smith, and Athletic Director Kathy Masterson all took part in the game. Fine, a former soccer player in high school in the Sachem School District and then for two years at Binghamton University, certainly looked the part on Friday, making a number of saves for the pink team — by his count five — in the first half before bowing out at halftime.

“I was thrilled to have the opportunity to play for such a great cause,” Fine said. “Ms. Nelson and the girls soccer team put together an incredibly organized positive event. I loved seeing our staff and students on the field throughout the game.”

Masterson was selected by the white team coaches as goalie, and she enjoyed her team playing in her first Battle of the Bonackers.

“It was awesome, it really was,” she said. “The amount of teachers and faculty and kids who all came out to support, it was really a great event. I didn’t hold a candle to my superintendent in goal.”

Masterson added that it was a great take on a Kicks For Cancer game. Many soccer teams across Long Island will choose one of their scheduled games as their Kicks For Cancer games, but this brought the entire community together, she thought.

“Cara Nelson and her team did an amazing job. I couldn’t be more proud of them,” she said.

At the end of the day, $3,200 was raised for Kicks For Cancer. Nelson said she and her team were grateful for the student and community support and the many local businesses that had gift donations for the raffles.

Those businesses included A La Mode Shoppe, Amber Waves Farms, BookHampton, Bostwicks, Cittanuova, DP Hamptons Prestige Plumbing and Heating, East Hampton Flowers, Gubbins, Hamptons Community Outreach, Honest Man Hospitality, Loja Landscaping, Miel’s, Moo Moo’s Ice Cream, lululemon, Round Swamp, Tenet and Tu Prensa Local.

Also, many of the soccer moms volunteered their time and made empanadas, salchipapas, corn and hot chocolate, all of which were a big hit, Nelson said.

As for the game itself, the white team, coached by varsity players Nicole Velez, Mariana Carreno, Emily Flores and Tiffany Pesantez, prevailed, 5-2, over the pink team, coached by Claire McGovern, Isabel Doyle, Skye Tanzmann, and Natasha Chavez.

Rob Rivera scored the first goal for the white team, assisted by Mike Pearce. Mike Vitulli scored the next two goals, the second assisted by Jena Arnister, who scored the fourth goal assisted by Pearce, who scored the fifth and final goal, unassisted. East Hampton boys varsity assistant coach Anthony Roza scored the pink team’s first goal on a penalty kick and girls varsity assistant coach Joe DiGirolomo scored the team’s second goal.

At the end of the game, the varsity players, as coaches, decided on MVPs, MVDs and Best Effort awards. Mike Pearce was named MVP of the white team, Bobby Meier was named MVD and Lea Bryant was given the Best Effort Award. For the pink team, Ethan Mitchell was named MVP, Urban Reininger was MVD and Bridget Ehmann was given Best Effort.

“Coach DiGirolomo, Coach Pearce and I were so proud of the event the girls varsity and JV teams put on,” Nelson said. “They are given a lot of responsibility throughout the event, as they are the coaches, referees, announcers, clock keepers, and sales associates. As coaches, the girls quickly and efficiently communicated positioning and tactics to many newbie soccer players. As refs they had to make tough calls on the field. As announcers, they gave play-by-play calls, with Daniela Chavez really shining in the role. It gives the girls perspective. As refs, they had to deal with some rowdy teachers who didn’t like some calls, and as coaches, they had to make decisions that could impact the course of the game. They now understand what it’s like for referees and coaches in such high-pressure situations.”