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High school athletes and coaches were recognized for their outstanding efforts on Wednesday at the 55th annual Sports Caravan Award Dinner.
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Wahconah football coach Gary Campbell received the outstanding male sports coach award.
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Gary Bianchi accepted the John Codey Official’s Award on behalf of his father Albert Bianchi.
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Wahconah football player Will Genaway received the male athlete of the year award.
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Mount Everett basketball coach Scott Rote received the outstanding female sports coach award.
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More than two dozen athletes were presented with most valuable player awards by WSBS' David Winchester.
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Berkshire High School Athletes, Coaches Honored at Sports Caravan

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Jay Anderson of Pittsfield Cooperative Bank noted the closing of St. Joe
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — As the 55th annual Sports Caravan Awards were given to outstanding athletes and coaches of area high schools, a moment was taken to note it would be the last year that one of those schools would be represented. 
 
Jay Anderson, president and CEO of Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, introduced the winners of the Robert "Boog" Powell Awards, and opened by noting the closing of St. Joseph's Central High School and acknowledging girls swimmer Jessie Tobin, who will be the last St. Joe athlete to be presented with a Caravan award.  
 
"What I noticed this year is how well represented each one of the schools is throughout the county and I have to mention with the closing of St. Joe it is good to see that there is an award winner here," he said. "I think it is important to look back at the history of both athletes and coaches who came from St. Joe who had a big role in this event and high school sports because in general."  
 
The county's only Catholic high school will end its 120-year run this June when it graduates its last class.
 
Wahconah Regional football coach Gary Campbell, who received the outstanding coach of a male sports award, shared Anderson's sentiment but felt the smaller the county gets, the closer the athletes will become.
 
"We are getting smaller and high schools are getting smaller and so on and so forth but to be honest with you, I think it just makes us a little tighter," he said. "We are a community in Berkshire County and in the county, we have more sports and more kids participating and that is something to celebrate."
 
Upon receiving his award, Campbell also thanked his family, friends and athletes. 
 
"We get the kids to work together and we get too much credit because it is because of the athletes who come to practice every day with fire in their eyes," he said. "But it is also the assistant coaches who have the same passion for the kids and the program and the parent and booster clubs who help bring the whole thing together."
 
Mount Everett girls basketball coach Scott Rote, who received the outstanding coach of a female sports award, shared Campbell's thoughts. 
 
"I truly don't believe this is an award for me or about me it is for the school, the program, the athletes and what we have done," he said. "I have been blessed and lucky through the years to have mentors and great people and athletes by my side."
 
Will Genaway received the male athlete of the year award. Genaway is a Wahconah student who plays football, baseball and basketball.
 
Genaway thanked his family, coaches and teammates.
 
"I want to thank my family who have been there to support through these four years… second I'd like to thank my coaches .. they made me who I am today," he said. "I'd also like to thank my teammates who every day would talk about the games with me. It is something I will never forget."   
 
Emmy Cote received the female athlete of the year but was unable to attend the banquet. Cote is a Wahconah athlete who plays lacrosse, soccer and basketball.
 
The final award given was the John Codey Official's Award, sponsored by the Berkshire County Athletic Directors Association. Gary Bianchi accepted the award the on behalf of his father, Albert Bianchi.
 
Bianchi said his father would want him to thank his mother for putting up with the athletics over the 20 years of official work.
 
He added that his father loved athletes. 
 
"He would do anything for any kid anywhere," he said. "He knew every athlete on every team and when I would go to games with him he would talk about the game from the moment we got in the car to the moment we got home."  
 
Athletes of the year each received a $500 scholarship and coaches of the year received $500 to be used at their schools. 
 
One boy and girl from each contested high school sport also received a most valuable player award.
 
The annual banquet and awards night was held at Berkshire Hills Country Club and hosted by AM-1420 WBEC and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank. Peter Barry of WBEC gave the opening remarks, David Winchester of WSBS presented the MVP Awards, and Lori Cote, St. Joe athletic director, presented the Cody Official's Award. 
 
 
 
Award Name School   Award Name School
Athlete of the Year Emmy Cote Wahconah   Boys Lacrosse Patrick Storie Mount Greylock
Athlete of the Year Will Genaway Wahconah   Girls Lacrosse Emmy Cote Wahconah
Coach of Year, Female Sport Scott Rote Mount Everet, Basketball   Boys Soccer Jackson Rich Pittsfield
Coach of Year, Male Sport Gary Campbell Wahconah, Football   Girls Soccer Sarah Stripp Mount Greylock
John Codey Official's Award Albert Bianchi     Softball Ashley Keegan Taconic
        Boys Swimming Brandon Louison Monument Mountain
Boys Alpine Skiing Tanner Hill Wahconah   Girls Swimming Jessie Tobin St. Joe
Girls Alpine Skiing Ella King Lenox   Boys Tennis Brady Foehl Mount Greylock
Baseball Izanya Mestre Taconic   Girls Tennis Victoria Vittori Lenox
Boys Basketball Hayden Bird Drury   Boys Track & Field Matt Lighten Wahconah
Girls Basketball Gwendolyn Carpenter Mount Everett   Girls Track & Field Shannon Meisberger Lenox
Boys Cross Country Connor Meehan Drury   Volleyball Kendra Williams Lee
Girls Cross Country Emma Jourdain Lenox   Wrestling Devin Pelletier Mount Greylock
Football Will Genaway Wahconah   Boys X-Country Skiing Cameron Castonguay Mount Greylock
Golf Kevin Quinto Pittsfield   Girls X-Country Skiing Alice Huth Lenox
Hockey Jake Corcoran Lenox        

 


Tags: banquet,   high school sports,   sports awards,   

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MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

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