Two HS seniors honored with Butch Dellecave Award
Bayport-Blue Point High School senior Brady Clark and West Babylon High School senior Lacey Downey were recently honored with the Butch Dellecave Award at a ceremony held at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook.
Named in memory of the legendary educator, official, and coach Gaetano “Butch” Dellecave, the award is the product of a 23-year partnership between local school districts in Suffolk County and the Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk, the Butch Dellecave Foundation, and Newsday.
Athletic directors from all 66 Suffolk school districts were asked to nominate one male and one female from their high school senior class. Nominees must be students who not only were at the top of their game, but also scored high in classroom performance and in their commitment to local community service.
Clark had an exceptional final year, demonstrating talent both athletically and academically. As an athlete, he led his school’s football team to an unbeaten season and a Long Island Class IV championship, while also receiving the prestigious Hansen Award as Suffolk’s top player. Clark also helped the baseball team secure a spot in the Suffolk Class A championship series by winning 23 of their first 24 games. He showcased academic excellence with a weighted GPA of 97.4, an impressive SAT score of 1310, and an inspiring commitment to community service as a volunteer instructor for youth sports programs.
Downey achieved unparalleled recognition in her high school sports career, being the most decorated student-athlete in Long Island history with eight Newsday all-Long Island selections in girls lacrosse, girls basketball, and field hockey. Beyond her athletic prowess, Downey proved her dedication to academics by achieving a remarkable 107 weighted classroom average and her commitment to her community through various service contributions, including raising funds for those affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks by assisting in the annual Ray Downey memorial 5K race, an event named after her late grandfather.
