County Legislature Honors Boys Basketball Team

POUGHKEEPSIE – At the May Dutchess County Legislature Board Meeting the Poughkeepsie High School boys varsity basketball team was recognized for its successful 2021-22 basketball season. The Poughkeepsie High School boys varsity team earned a place in the New York State Class A semifinals in March. Although the team suffered a valiant loss in the semifinals, the loss was not a reflection of the many accomplishments of the team this season and academic year. Overall, the team had an 18-9 record.

Randy Johnson, County Legislator (District 9), joined by legislators Barrington Atkins (District 10) and Craig P. Brendli (District 8), noted in his remarks that while the young men fell short of the championship the players are “considered role models throughout the community.”

In accepting the recognitions on behalf of the boys varsity team, Dr. Eric Jay Rosser, superintendent of schools, stated our young men have been resilient during this trying year and have achieved success on and off the basketball court.

This season the team was ranked 7th (of 25) in the state in Class A by the New York State Sportswriters Association, an independent organization of prep sportswriters; Jahlyl Morgan, Dahomey Francis, Daevon Robinson, and Jaysean Morgan were named to the Section 1 All-Tournament team; and Jaysean Morgan was named to the all-tournament team and MVP in the Section 1 championships. The team’s seniors have made the following post-graduate commitments:

* Jahlyl and Jaysean Morgan – will be attending Western Connecticut University

* Daevon Robinson and Dahomey Francis – will be attending Morgan State University

* Naismith Suarez – will be enlisting in the United States Marine Corps

* Nigel Whitaker III – will be attending Hudson Valley Community College

During comments Legislator Giancarlo Llaverious (District 1), stated that the young people at Poughkeepsie High School “are not just excelling in sports but also in the classroom, many of them have gotten full-ride scholarships whether it be academic or through athletics”. He further stated that “these young people have done a fantastic job despite all of the challenges and adversity in their lives, they have excelled to brighter horizons. I’m very proud of the students at Poughkeepsie High School and surrounding high schools.”