Newsday Athlete of the Week is Patchogue-Medford's Diamond Pertillar
Diamond Pertillar of Patchogue-Medford runs the ball in the second half en route to a touchdown against Britany Delao Romero of Whitman at Patchogue-Medford High School on, May 22, 2023 Credit: Jim McIsaac
Diamond Pertillar stands out on the field for multiple reasons. It can be her incredible speed on the edge. Or her ability to almost never drop a pass. Or maybe it's her natural-born athleticism.
Pertillar displayed her myriad of athletic ability on Wednesday when she had seven receptions for 112 yards and four touchdowns to lead Patchogue-Medford to a 31-21 win over Sachem East in flag football.
“She’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime athletes that you get the pleasure of coaching,” Patchogue-Medford coach Brad Weinman said. “She’s the biggest part of our offense. She’s faster than every player on the field. Even if a pass isn’t exactly thrown pinpoint at her, she’ll do whatever she needs to do to bring the ball down into her hands. We can rely on her to be almost anywhere on the field that we need her to be.”
The senior wide receiver was named Newsday Athlete of the Week and was quick to credit her teammates, including quarterbacks Alexis Bulson-Cuozzo and Mackenzie Hughes.
“We play basketball together, so the natural connection comes from the winter season and translates here in the spring on the field,” Pertillar said of Cuozzo and Hughes. “We’ve all gained more confidence in each other and we feel like we can build on what we left off on last season.”
Pertillar is also a standout basketball player, which she plans to play in college. She was named League Player of the Year as a junior and averaged 16.1 points with the Raiders this past season.
“She plays almost every position on the court,” said Weinman, who also coaches Pertillar in basketball. “She has that incredible athleticism and I knew she was going to be special in flag (football). Everything she does on the court, she does on the field.”
Pertillar finished with 52 receptions for 702 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, helping the Raiders to an undefeated regular season and the county championship, where they fell to Half Hollow Hills.
“She was incredible for us last season and she just keeps building on that. She keeps the team motivated and having fun,” Weinman said. “I think this year as a senior, she has taken on a leadership role very well.”
Not only is Pertillar working on elevating her game from last season, she hopes to inspire her teammates as her own type of leader.
“When I play sports, I like to make it fun for myself and the team. That’s how I enjoy it,” Pertillar said. “I like to have fun with my teammates and joke around to help us bond and play well as a team, but we’re also working hard for every win and competing to the best of our abilities. That balance is what makes us a strong team.”
