Chuck Austin (1952)

Chuck Austin started his high school basketball career as a freshman in 1949 and played varsity basketball from 1950-1952. Chuck was an extraordinary player, teammate, and captain of his team. In 1952, the team went on to win the first sectional crown, playing against East Rochester as Chuck scored the tying basket, taking the game into overtime. It was said that Chuck was “20 years ahead of his time.”

Chuck was employed at Clifton Springs Hospital. He was an exceptional artist and he made many hospital signs. He formed a sign company, Cla-Vet Signs, and many of his signs can still be seen in Wayne County.

Chuck was married to his wife for 43 years and had three daughters; Valerie, Vanessa, and Vaun. He also had two grandchildren, Christopher and Cara. Chuck passed away in 1997 and left behind his kindness, unique sense of humor, and many memories. A Basketball Memorial Award has been established in his name for the most deserving Lyons High School senior boy and girl on the basketball team.

Lee Boice (Coach)

Lee Boice graduated from Kingston High in 1943. He played football for three years and golf for four. After high school, Lee served in the Navy for three years during World War II. He served on the USS Charger, Ticonderoga, Randolph, and Princeton, where he won the American Theatre Medal, the Victory Medal, the Philippine Liberation Medal, and the Asiatic Pacific Medal with three stars. After serving in the military, Lee attended Ithaca College, where he graduated with a B.S. in Physical Education and Health. While at school, he played football and golf, including a season with an undefeated golf squad.

He took graduate classes at Syracuse and Ithaca while working in the Lyons Central School District. He taught there from September of 1949 until June of 1983. He originally worked as the 9th grade social studies teacher, but he wore many hats during his stay at Lyons. He was the coach of the football, golf, basketball, bowling, wrestling, and tennis teams. Additionally, he worked as the athletic director for a time.

Lee was also the president of the Lyons Teacher’s Association, the president of the Wayne County Athletic Association, secretary treasurer of the Wayne Finger Lakes Football Association, and a Section V Wayne County Football Representative. He has been involved with St. Michael’s Church Council, the Lyons Community Center board, the Sodus Bay Jr. Sailing Association Board, and has been a life member of the PGA of America. In 1980, Lee and his wife Mary were named Chamber of Commerce Citizens of the Year for their outstanding contributions to the community.

He has been married to Mary for 61 years. They have raised 8 college-educated children together. Lee says that Lyons was "blessed with a lot of fine coaches and teachers," and that he commends Lyons for the preparation of his children because it let them "further their education and be successful."

Collier Drayton (1997)

Collier Drayton was one of the most highly recruited athletes to ever play sports at Lyons High School. He played varsity basketball from 1995-1997, leading the team to a 72-5 record with three Section V Championships. In 1995-96, the team was ranked first in the state and finished as the state runner-up in the NYSPHSAA Tournament.

Under Coach Dean Schott, Drayton averaged 25 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 steals per game as a senior. He was named Fingerlakes Times Fab 5 Player of the Year his junior and senior year and was named to the Section V Tournament Team all three years, culminating with the MVP award his senior year. He was second team All-State in 1996 and first team All-State in 1997.

Other high school accolades include being ranked as one of the top 25 players in New York State. He also participated in the Ronald McDonald High School All Star Game where he finished off his scholastic career with 18 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists. He was also invited to the elite 5 Star Basketball Camp prior to his senior year. Collier also lettered for the baseball and football team and was an honor roll student.

After a year at New Hampton Prep School, where he was named all-league in three sports, he went to college at Northwestern University.

After playing little his first year, he went on to play in every game thereafter, including starting every contest his senior year.  During his senior year, he led his team in assists, sixth in the Big Ten in assists/turnover ratio and seventh in the Big Ten in steals. He twice scored thirteen points in a game, his career high. 

Anne P. Dapolito (1974)

Anne P. Dapolito graduated from Lyons High School in 1974. Throughout her life, she has been a strong athlete and a successful coach. During her high school years, Anne received the MVP award for girls’ varsity track, soccer, and basketball. She also was the first recipient of the Female Athlete of the Year Award in 1974 and was a member of the first girls’ interscholastic soccer and basketball teams. Additionally, Anne was a scholar athlete, and was in Honor Society.

After college, she began her teaching and coaching career at Lyons Jr.-Sr. High School as a teaching assistant from 1979 to 1984. During those years at Lyons, she was the girls’ varsity basketball coach and Junior High track coach. Since leaving Lyons Central School District, she has taught physical education at North Rose Wolcott Central School District.

Anne coached Sr. high girls’ soccer from 1985 to 1987, was the JV girls’ tennis coach in 1988, the varsity girls’ tennis coach in 1989, and the varsity boys’ golf coach from 1985 to 2007. In golf, she boasts a career record of 228-70-1. She became the Wayne County Golf League Chairperson in 1999 and remained so until 2004. Anne helped to write both the USGA Award Grant of $60,000 for North Rose Wolcott High School Campus Golf Practice Facility in 1999 and the Carol White Physical Education Grant Award for $225,000 for North Rose Wolcott Physical Education Program in 2000. Anne is the daughter of Joseph and Gloria Dapolito, and the sister of Mark Dapolito. She resides in Lyons today.

King Lewis Jr. (1986)

King Lewis began his varsity track and field career as an 8th grader under the guidance of Coach Roger Clark.  He participated in the long jump, triple jump, and the 4x100meter relay. His relay team was astounding; they set the school record in their event. Throughout the years, he won ten Class "C" Championships and two Section V Championships. His personal bests of 22'11"(Long jump) and 47'2(Triple jump) are school and county records.

In 1986, King attended Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the men's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship team.  He won individual honors and set a school record in the triple jump (49'10 1/2"). He also finished third in the long jump (23'4").

King then transferred to Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York.  In 1988, he matched the men's program's best NCAA finish with a 2nd place showing in the triple jump (14.89m/48'10 1/4") at the indoor national meet, helping the Bombers to a school record 15th place finish. He also twice earned All-American honors in the outdoor triple jump.

After college, King worked for 5 years as a case manager with the Wayne County ARC in Newark, NY.  In 1995, he moved to New York City and had a brief modeling career with Guinness Stout Beer, Audi (Asia), and numerous photography books. King still resides in New York City and is employed at the Jumeirah Essex House Hotel.

Rod Verkey (Coach)

During Rod Verkey’s high school days, he played football, basketball and baseball. During his senior year, he was voted Most Valuable Lineman in football and was second team All-State at end. Rod was the team captain in basketball. He was also second in the league in scoring and was named MVP his senior year. During Rod’s senior year he was voted Outstanding Senior athlete.

Rod attended college at SUNY Cortland. During his freshman year, he participated in football, basketball, and track. Rod played football for three years and was captain for his last two. During his football career at SUNY Cortland he set numerous records and was an All-American his junior year. He graduated with school records for most touchdowns in a season and in a career. Additionally, he captained the basketball team. He even won outstanding Athlete of the Year. Before becoming a teacher, he spent two years in professional football, playing for the Atlanta Falcons and the Buffalo Bills.

Rod taught Physical Education and coached at Cazenovia, Union Springs, and South Seneca. He then became a   physical education teacher and athletic director at Lyons until his retirement in 2001. While at Lyons, he coached football, basketball, and baseball. Most of his coaching success came from basketball, where he boasted a record of 128-29, an 81.4% winning percentage. He also won three county titles and three sectional championships. In 1980, his team won the New York State Class C Championship.

Rod’s has won numerous awards, including being inducted into the Section V Football Hall of Fame, the Cortland Athletics Hall of Fame, and winning Section V Coach of the Year three times, and being named the Section V Athletic Director of the Year in 2001. He has also been involved with the Boys Basketball Committee since 1975. Rod is married to Charlene and is the father to three sons; Jason, Matt, and Andrew.

1974-75 Boys Basketball Team

After coming off a 10-9 season the previous year, the 1974-75 boys basketball team was picked to finish third in the Wayne County League. After beating league favorites Sodus and Williamson during the season, the Lions won the county title outright with a 15-1 record.  They also avenged an early season loss by beating Mynderse Academy in Seneca Falls, which went on to win the Class AA Championship.

With Coach Rod Verkey at the helm, the boys won their first Section V title since 1954 and spurred a tradition of excellence in Section V basketball that continues today. Dave Schlede, Ed Foster and Roy Brown were named to the all-tournament team. Schlede went on to garner All Greater Rochester honors that season.