A gridiron and a pitch, a diamond and an oval. This is where two Whitehall student athletes applied their skills en route to outstanding senior seasons.

While their paths never crossed on the playing field, their talent and competitive desire links them together. They also each had standout senior season in two sports, one getting the nod as the league’s MVP, the other firmly establishing himself as one of the best quarterbacks in Whitehall history. It all adds up to Gianni Sinatore and Javaughn Hussett being chosen by the Whitehall Coplay-Press as co-winners for Male Athlete of the Year.

Sinatore was the team’s starting quarterback the last two seasons, and this year as the lone returning starter on offense, he shouldered a lot of the load. He responded by putting together one of the best seasons ever by a Whitehall QB. When he finally took off the maroon and gold uniform, his name was carved in the record books, becoming the second leading passer all-time in Whitehall history with 3,678 yards. He was a dual threat, a player who could hurt a team with his running and passing. He proved that again this year, finishing with 1,838 yards through the air and 780 yards on the ground.

Sinatore entered his senior season knowing that he would be the heartbeat of the offense. It was a lot of responsibly and he welcomed it.

“This year I took it upon myself to be the best leader I could on and off the field,” said Sinatore. “I just worked hard in the off-season, working on the things I could work on and try to improve from the year before.”

Sinatore wanted to improve his speed, and get smarter reading defenses.

“That’s what really what I worked on to help myself,” he said.

When game-planning for the Zephyrs, opposing defensive coordinators circled Sinatore’s name. He was the man they had to stop. Even with the defense concentrating on him, he continued to make plays. His ability to change a game on the ground or through the air gave the Zephs a potent weapon, and Sinatore understood his number would be called frequently during a game.

“That’s the role I took, and I just wanted to give my team the opportunity to win,” said Sinatore.

He was also durable. He didn’t miss a single game during his career and he took a lot of hits over the course of those two years. In fact, Sinatore has never missed a game in either basketball or baseball as well.

He said that head coach Brian Gilbert conducts a strong off-season workout regimen to prepare his players, but said he was also aided through his participation in other sports.

“I just really think it’s being active all year round,” said Sinatore.

Sinatore’s 21 touchdown passes in 2014 ranks 1st all-time among Whitehall quarterbacks in a season. He ended his career with 33, placing him tied for second alongside Chris Polony among Whitehall QBs.

Sinatore’s fondedst memory came last season in their game against Allentown Central Catholic. The Zephyrs fell behind 28-7, but rallied to win 42-41. With the Zephs trailing by eight, Sinatore was facing a 4th and 16 in the final minutes of regulation. He found Conor Sullivan down the middle for a 61-yard score that sent the game into overtime once Jacob Buskirk completed the two-point conversion.

He also was a fixture in center field for the baseball team during his career. Sinatore was the consummate leadoff hitter, a player who’s ability to get on base and create havoc with his speed led to a team-high 20 runs. He finished the season batting .319 and was a perfect 15-15 in stolen bases this season.

Sinatore struggled early in the season, but toward the latter part of the year, he started to come on strong. It was just a matter of hitting the ball hard and the hits started coming. He finished with 11 RBIs and a home run.

Sinatore counts two moments as being memorable in baseball. First was the Lehigh Valley Conference championship his freshman season. The Zephs defeated Parkland 5-2 to claim the title. The second came in his last at-bat when he hit a home run.

“That was pretty special,” he said.

He also played three years of varsity basketball, foregoing his senior season. He said it was a hard sport to give up, but the physical pounding on his ankles impacted his decision.

Sinatore will be heading to Monmouth University in the fall where he plans to play baseball.

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Javaughn Hussett soared both on the pitch and on the track for the Zephyrs during his senior season.

The senior forward tallied 19 goals and 11 assists, earning him Eastern Pennsylvania Conference MVP honors. His ability as both a playmaker and scorer helped put Whitehall into the postseason this year. That offensive ability was evident in their opening round game versus Pleasant Valley as Hussett scored a game-tying goal in the second half to send the contest into extra time.

While they eventually lost 2-1, Hussett’s season was filled with a host of memories that made it extremely special.

“My senior season was definitely one to remember,” said Hussett. “All the things we worked toward for four years, we put it all together and did what we could as a team.”

Hussett’s season may have ended in the game against the Bears, but the journey began many years ago when he stared playing soccer for Tri-Boro. That experience sent him on his way, graduating to Lehigh Valley United and their family of teams that develop local talent.

From that point it was onto the Olympic Development Program where he received more training, helping him refine his game and hone his skills. However, Hussett said that he would often supplement that structured program with his own training and that’s where he started to see results.

“That really helped me become the player that I am,” said Hussett.

The ODP also shed a light on areas of his game that needed to improve.

“I started focusing on what I needed to do to get better,” he said. “It certainly paid off.”

Hussett finished his career with 30 goals and in one of those games found the back of the net four times. It was probably his most memorable game. It was against Salisbury and Hussett said that the Falcons were dictating the action throughout the first half.

However, when the second half began, something clicked, said Hussett. Trailing the Falcons by two, he scored twice to send the game into the extra session. That’s when he found Anthony Kleckner for the game-winning assist.

“That’s a game that will always stand out,” said Hussett.

Head coach Christopher Bastidas said that Hussett was the embodiment of an all-around player.

“Javaughn is an amazing soccer player who can do everything on the field,” said Bastidas. “He plays well with his back to goal, finishes well with both feet, and has great speed and strength. Additionally, he sees the game at a high level and has a great touch. He makes all his teammates better. Along with all those qualities he was the leader on our team.

“He worked extremely hard all summer and made sure that the entire team would show up for training. He constantly led by example. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to coach Javaughn as not all coaches get a chance to coach an athlete like him in their tenure.”

Hussett also competed in track. He began as a sprinter and then switched to jumping. It was a decision that landed him a medal at this year’s league championships. Hussett finished fourth in the high jump at the EPC Championships with a 5-11 mark.

Hussett credits coaches Mark Dobil and Derek Martinez for much of his success.

“They helped me with everything I needed to do to be successful,” said Hussett.

Hussett, who was a consistent points producer in the jumps, also Established two personal bests in their final meet against Parkland. He cleared the high bar at 6-3 and soared 20’6” in the long jump.

Hussett will be heading to DeSales University this fall. He is going to play soccer for the Bulldogs. He will be a nursing major and looks forward to the next challenge in his life. His time at Whitehall taught him many things, and he’ll carry that with him at DeSales.

“Hard work definitely does pay off,” said Hussett. “If you put the time in, it will pay off. If you work hard, you will achieve your goals.”