Josh Riley

Mr. Speaker, when the stakes are highest, that is when upstate New Yorkers' grit and toughness shows the most.

Just look at our Averill Park Golden Knights, who brought home both the baseball and softball State championships this year.

The baseball team went into the championship game as underdogs, facing an undefeated opponent on a 28-game winning streak. Coach George Brooks told his team to keep it simple, stay focused, stay disciplined, and that is what they did.

Fred Bornn locked in and threw a complete game shutout, and Jeg Sansone drove in two runs to bring home the title.

Speaking of great coaching, Maria Roberts led the Averill Park softball team to the championship in her very first year on the job.

The Golden Knights built an early lead off Emily Aiossa's three-run homer, but the game was on the line in the top of the 6th, with the bases loaded, nobody out, and the opponent's top-of-the-order coming up to bat.

Pitcher Abigail Colwill and the Golden Knights defense did what upstate New Yorkers do under pressure: They dug in and got to work. They retired three straight, the last of which was an amazing catch by centerfielder Mady Charron.

Congratulations to the Averill Park Golden Knights. We are so proud of them. I am honored to enter their full roster into the Congressional Record.

Averill Park High School Boys Varsity Baseball 2025-2026

Ethan Archambeault

Roman Badia

Griffin Baker

Nicholas Bendetti

Joseph Biette

Frederick Bornn

Kevin Daley

Luke Davidson

Anthony Decker

Austin Fabiano

Shea Gibson

August Hencke Jr

Gavin Herald

Brady Heritage

Maximus Impellizzeri

Braeden Kilgallon

Max Kilgallon

David Lang

Steven Matheke

Bryce Rokjer

Dylan Rouleau

Jeg Sansone

Mason Sansone

Devin Slmiele

Kody Thompson

Averill Park High School Girls Varsity Softball 2025-2026

Emily Aiossa

Isabella Alvarez

Madison Bayer

Lily Biette

Kaleina Bowen

Madelyn Charron

Abigail Colwill

Audrey Coon

Anna Cronin

Anna Fedorowicz

Alexis Gibson

Elizabeth Lindow

Natalia Mancino

Quinn O'Brien

Dianna Parker

Julia Ratigan

Lila Ratigan

Victoria Sanchez

Piper Tobey

Sage Yakuboski

Mr. Speaker, when the stakes are highest, that is when upstate New Yorkers' grit and toughness shows the most. Just look at our Averill Park Golden Knights, who brought home both the baseball and softball State championships this year.

The baseball team went into the championship game as underdogs facing an undefeated opponent on a 28-game winning streak, but Coach George Brooks told his team to keep it simple, stay focused, stay disciplined, and that is what they did.

Fred Bornn locked in and threw a complete game shutout, and Jeg Sansone drove in two runs to bring home the title.

Speaking of great coaching, Maria Roberts led the Averill Park softball team to the championship in her very first year on the job. The Golden Knights built an early lead off of Emily Aiossa's three-run homer, but the game was on the line at the top of the sixth with the bases loaded and nobody out and the opponent's top of the order coming up to bat.

Pitcher Abigail Colwill and the Golden Knights defense did what upstate New Yorkers do under pressure: they dug in and got to work. They retired three straight, the last of which was an amazing catch by center fielder Mady Charron.

I congratulate the Averill Park Golden Knights. We are so proud of them, and I am honored to enter their roster into the Congressional Record.

Mr. Speaker, this is a speech that I am not supposed to give. That is because Mr. Salati would say: Don't make a fuss about me, you have more important things to do.

However, today, there is nothing more important than telling Mr. Salati how much we love him and how much we will miss him. Mario Salati was the son of immigrants from Italy who came to Endicott to seek the American Dream, and he found it.

Mr. Salati was not just our elementary school principal, he was in a lot of ways the village dad. We all looked up to him because of his quick wit, his commitment to service, and his genuine love for our community, and most of all, his pure kindness.

A proud U-E Tiger, Mr. Salati spent his career teaching and leading our public schools because he cared so much about our futures. Outside the classroom, you could find him at Saint Anthony's or the Sons of Italy, where his smile filled every room.

For his children, Brian, Colleen, and David, his grandchildren, Aubrey, Lucy, and Charlie, and his brothers Roz and Don, and all of Tiger Nation, I know there is a big hole in your hearts right now.

However, as Mr. Salati's favorite, Connie Francis, sang:

You're safe in the glow of His love,

Sent from the heavens above,

Until the day that you're together once more,

You'll live in these memories,

Until the day that you're together once more.