Fort Hamilton HS awards football team its “Varsity Blues”

On February 8 at the Bay Ridge Manor, Fort Hamilton High School honored members of its junior varsity and varsity teams at their 24^th annual awards dinner. Started by former Fort Hamilton principal Dr. Alice Farkouh in 1990, the football program has recently brought three citywide varsity championships to the school in 2005, 2006 and 2010.

Recently, the team has seen leaner days as this year’s 2013 varsity (5-5) bounced back from a disappointing 2012 season that saw the team go 1-7 when two of its quarterbacks went down to injury. Noting that the team is definitely on the rise, Head Coach Dan Perez stated, “I am encouraged by our returning varsity players and the players coming up from the junior varsity. Our goal is to return to Yankee Stadium for the championship.”

One of the junior varsity players that Coach Perez is encouraged by is all-purpose player Noah Solona who earned the JV MVP Award and is certain to inject a jolt of adrenaline into next season’s varsity.

Also earning kudos for their efforts this season were four varsity players, the first of whom was Aviv Elbasheir who earned the team’s Scholar Athlete Award. Additionally, Peter Mazidis earned the Farkouh Award for his leadership and overall excellent play; Michael Brooks earned the Solomon Award for his two-way play as the heart and soul of this year’s team; and Isaiah Washington earned the Pancilia Award for his overall contribution to the football program.

In addition to the individual standout awards, this year’s senior team members were surprised with blue and white varsity team jackets that were donated by the Bay Ridge Cornerstone Baptist Church. After striking a relationship with the pastor, Parents Club President Marie Pelzer received a donation from the church to give the outgoing seniors a memento of their playing days at Fort Hamilton.