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SWR’s Lee handed fourth Athlete of Year award

Katherine Lee, known for her record-setting exploits in cross country and track and field, set yet another record of sorts Thursday evening. The Shoreham-Wading River High School senior was presented with her fourth straight Athlete of the Year award by the Riverhead News-Review.

No other Shoreham girl has won the award more than once.

Lee became only the second four-time winner in the 34-year history of the awards, presented annually by Times Review Media Group to the top female and male athletes in each of the six high schools in its coverage area. Greenport’s Ryan Creighton received the honor in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The other recipients from the Riverhead News-Review are first-time winners. The final two winners for Bishop McGann-Mercy, which is closing, are seniors Melina Santacroce (soccer, basketball) and Allan Zilnicki (golf, basketball, baseball). Riverhead sophomore Megan Kielbasa (cross country, winter track, lacrosse) and senior Darnell Chandler (football, baseball) were selected along with Shoreham sophomore Xavier Arline (football, basketball, lacrosse).

Mattituck never had two boys share its Athlete of the Year award from The Suffolk Times until last year when James Hoeg and Tanner Zagarino were named co-winners in recognition of becoming the school’s first two state champion wrestlers.

Since then, Mattituck has had two more state wrestling champions crowned — senior twins Jack and Luke Bokina.

Liz Dwyer, a senior who played tennis and basketball, was recognized as Mattituck’s top female athlete. She followed in the footsteps of her older sister, Shannon, who received the award in 2013 and 2014.

Liz Dwyer is a first-time recipient along with The Suffolk Times’ other choices: Greenport’s Grace Syron (soccer, basketball, softball) and Jordan Fonseca (football, basketball, baseball) and Southold’s Hannah Sutton (soccer, softball) and Ryan Herrmann (soccer, bowling, lacrosse). They are all seniors.

The awards were presented at Times Review Media Group’s offices in Mattituck.

Photo caption: The winners from the Riverhead News-Review schools were (from left) Katherine Lee, Xavier Arline, Allan Zilnicki, Melina Santacroce and Darnell Chandler. (Credit: Krysten Massa)

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