by Jeff | Feb 17, 2023
Leslie accomplished a rare achievement in high school by being a 4 sport star athlete. Leslie spent her Fall seasons at Bennett as a volleyball player all 4 years, was a swimmer in the winter season her first two years and switched to basketball her final two years. In the Spring season Leslie was a 4 year standout in softball. In volleyball, Leslie was a two year All-High performer, leading scorer and team MVP. In basketball Leslie was again team MVP and rose to 2nd team “All-High” status. In softball, Leslie shined brightest as a pitcher/center fielder, and selected as 1st team “All-High” her junior and senior years. At graduation Leslie received the “Irene Stern Wilkinson Award” for being the outstanding female athlete of her class. Upon graduation, Leslie attended Canisius College. She began her college softball career as a “walk-on”, but was soon given a partial scholarship for the remaining time there. Leslie had an outstanding career at Canisius, ranking high on their all- time list in several offensive categories. Leslie rose to the level of “All MMC” as a center fielder in her senior year, and was inducted into the Canisius College Sports Hall Of Fame. Leslie now resides in Henderson, NV.
by Jeff | Feb 17, 2023
Kristin played three varsity sports, volleyball, basketball and softball during her three year tenure at Bennett H.S. Interestingly enough, Kristin’s coach for all three sports was her dad Steve Poliachik, a long time coach of girls sports at Bennett H.S. Coach Poliachik got to see first hand, his daughter achieve first team All-High status in each of two sports in both her junior and senior years. In volleyball, Kristin was regarded as an excellent server, once serving 14 consecutive points in a key league match against Hutch Tech. In her best sport, softball, Kristin was second team All-High as a sophomore, and first team All-High as a junior and senior. Kristin was a catcher / first baseman on some very competitive Tiger softball teams. After her senior season, Kristin was selected to participate in the “super Senior All-Star softball game”. Kristin’s high water mark was a lofty .350 season batting average. Her efforts led to a softball scholarship offer from Edinboro State College in PA. Among Kristin’s awards at graduation was recognition from the “West Side Businessmen’s Association” as a top scholar-athlete.
Kristin transferred to Canisius College after two years, and became a teacher. This school year will be her 18th year as a teacher at her Alma Mater, Bennett H.S. Kristin joins her sister Kim as a member of our Bennett Sports Hall of Fame.
by Jeff | Feb 17, 2023
The Syracuse twins, Jack and Richard were the prime movers in getting varsity soccer brought to Bennett H.S. In 1987. Soccer was played as a “club sport” in the Buffalo high schools, but not yet at Bennett. When the skilled soccer playing brothers were asked by a friend to play with him at Lafayette H.S., another team in the league (Hutch Tech ) protested that the players should only be allowed to play for Bennett, which of course did not have a team. The brothers took the issue to the Buffalo Board of Education. The Board then decided that if the boys could get a commitment from 30 other players at Bennett, they could enter a team in the league. Jack and Richard prevailed, got their 30 plus signatures on a petition, and soccer was born at Bennett H.S. Bennett joined the club soccer league, with the boys father as volunteer coach. In 1988, soccer became a regular interschool varsity sport in the City of Buffalo. Bennett was represented with the late Wally Thompson as head coach.
The brothers soccer prowess soon came to the fore. Both Richard with 23 goals and Jack with 16 goals finished 1 – 2 in the league in scoring. Both were named first team All-High and All-WNY selections in soccer after the 1987 and 1988 soccer seasons.
After high school, the brothers attended Ohio Northern University where they played soccer for one year, after which they returned home to tend to the family business. Today they are the proprietors of Gecko’s Bar and Grille, 1462 Hertel Ave. Jack and his wife Rachel have a son, Santonio, aged 4. Richard and his wife Diana have three children, Talia 9, Ariana 7, and Enzo aged 3.
by Jeff | Feb 17, 2023
The Syracuse twins, Jack and Richard were the prime movers in getting varsity soccer brought to Bennett H.S. In 1987. Soccer was played as a “club sport” in the Buffalo high schools, but not yet at Bennett. When the skilled soccer playing brothers were asked by a friend to play with him at Lafayette H.S., another team in the league (Hutch Tech ) protested that the players should only be allowed to play for Bennett, which of course did not have a team. The brothers took the issue to the Buffalo Board of Education. The Board then decided that if the boys could get a commitment from 30 other players at Bennett, they could enter a team in the league. Jack and Richard prevailed, got their 30 plus signatures on a petition, and soccer was born at Bennett H.S. Bennett joined the club soccer league, with the boys father as volunteer coach. In 1988, soccer became a regular interschool varsity sport in the City of Buffalo. Bennett was represented with the late Wally Thompson as head coach.
The brothers soccer prowess soon came to the fore. Both Richard with 23 goals and Jack with 16 goals finished 1 – 2 in the league in scoring. Both were named first team All-High and All-WNY selections in soccer after the 1987 and 1988 soccer seasons.
After high school, the brothers attended Ohio Northern University where they played soccer for one year, after which they returned home to tend to the family business. Today they are the proprietors of Gecko’s Bar and Grille, 1462 Hertel Ave. Jack and his wife Rachel have a son, Santonio, aged 4. Richard and his wife Diana have three children, Talia 9, Ariana 7, and Enzo aged 3.
