On June 4, the Liverpool High School Athletic Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors honored nine new members for their contributions to LHS athletics.
Todd Aemmer (contributor) was the LHS athletic trainer from 1991 to 2013, and has taught health at LHS since 1996. He set the standard of excellence that the Liverpool Central School District has come to expect from the trainer’s position. Aemmer continues to conduct First Aid and CPR courses for district coaches and school personnel, and Liverpool was one of the first school districts to provide certification with one of its own. He was and still is considered the go-to-person when it comes to athletic trainers in the Central New York area.
Heidi Brown Axtell (1998) was a member of the LHS varsity soccer team from 1995 to 1997. During her senior season, she earned All American, Second Team All State, First Team All CNY and First Team Class A honors and was a member of the girls soccer team that played in the state Final Four. Her teams won two Section III championships (1995 and 1997) and three Class A league championships (1995, 1996 & 1997). She participated in the Empire State Games in 1996 and 1997. Axtell also was a member of the LHS varsity track team, and earned First Team Pentathlon honors in 1995. Axtell went on to play soccer at Nazareth College, earning Second Team All American, Empire Player of the Year & All Star honors (2002). She also was named First Team Northeast (2000, 2001 & 2002) and was inducted into the Nazareth Hall of Fame (2010). Axtell has been the Cortland State Head Women’s Soccer Coach since 2004 and was named the SUNYAC Coach of the Year in 2007.
Kaylin M. Brainerd (2006) was a two-year member of the LHS varsity track team where she competed in hurdles. She also was a four-year starter on the LHS volleyball team, earning First Team All League (2003, 2004 & 2005), team MVP (2004 & 2005) and Second Team All State honors (2005). Brainerd holds the LHS all-time career ace record (132), the LHS all-time career assists record (1,758) and the single season assists record (459). She also participated in the Empire State Games in 2004 and 2005.
Kim Wilson Dominick (coach) was the LHS field hockey coach from 1995 to 2015. Over 21 seasons, she coached her teams to a record of 285 wins, 69 losses and 29 ties. Included in that record were 10 league titles, 11 sectional titles, five regional titles, five trips to the state Final Four and one state runner-up finish. Dominick was named the 2012 Central New York Coach of the Year and that season’s team was honored with the 2012 Syracuse Sports Corporation Team “Believe to Achieve Award.” Many of her athletes went on to play Division I, II, and III lacrosse.
Carly Jones (2009) was a four-year member of the LHS varsity swimming and diving team. She was named both a NYS Scholar Athlete and an All League honoree four times. She also qualified for the NYS championships all four years. Jones won Section III championships in the 200 IM, the 100 Breast, and three relay teams. She was a team captain and holds school records in the 200 IM and 100 Breast. Jones was named a Channel 9 Athlete of the Week, won the Gordon Ohstrom Award in 2008 and was the recipient of the Funiciello Swim Scholarship. She was an eight-time NCAA All-American at Ithaca College and currently is the assistant swim coach at Ithaca College.
Dr. Mark Potter (contributor) is a 1978 graduate of Sandy Creek High School where he was a three-sport athlete. He also was a varsity wrestler at East Stroudsburg University in 1979 and at Cortland State University in 1981. In 1983 he became a physical education teacher in Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, followed by a district administrator in 1997. Over 24 years, he coached the APW football, wrestling, softball and baseball teams. In 2007 he joined the Liverpool Central School District as the acting director of athletics. He went on to become the executive director for secondary education in 2009 followed by the superintendent of schools in 2013. Potter was added to the Sandy Creek Wall of Distinction in 2013.
Tiffany Sampere (2010) was a pitcher for the LHS softball team with a record of 39 wins and 6 losses. She was named All CNY Pitcher of the Year (2009 & 2010), All Section III Team Pitcher of the Year (2009 & 2010) and All CNYCL National Division Pitcher of the Year (2010). She earned All League honors (2009 & 2010) and received the Syracuse Sports Corporation Believe to Achieve Award. Sampere pitched Liverpool to a Section III Championship in 2009.
Matt Wilson (2008) was a member of the LHS varsity hockey team from 2004 to 2008 and served as team captain in 2007-2008. He led the team in scoring for three straight seasons, led Section III in scoring in 2007 & 2008, and led the team to a Section III title in 2006-2007. He was named Team MVP and First Team All League (2007 & 2008), Second Team All State (2007) and First Team All State (2008). Wilson is one the top five all-time scorers in LHS history (131 points) and holds the LHS record for most goals in a game (six). He is a two-time Empire State Games medalist and played Division I hockey at Clarkson University.
The 1982 LHS Varsity Football Team is considered one of the best football teams to come out of New York state. The team was ranked #1 in the state and #13 in the Northeast. It finished the season undefeated, winning the Section III and OHSL North titles. More than half of the 40-man roster went on to play college football, and all four backs were offered Division I scholarships.
