school yard stories

Three advance

2011-03-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

Three basketball teams from the Archdiocese will head to Happy Valley this weekend to play in the state finals in their respective divisions. The defending state champ and current Catholic league champion girls of Archbishop Wood will play Mercyhurst on Saturday for the AAA title. Archbishop Carroll's girls (who lost to Wood in the Catholic League final) will play Mount Lebanon in the AAAA final Friday night. And the defending state champion boys of Neumann-Goretti will play Montour in the AAA final Friday night. Good luck to all teams!

Deja vu?

2011-02-25T12:48:00.000-08:00

This Monday night's Catholic League basketball championships seem like they happened already? Oh yeah, they did last year!

In the girls rematch, defending Catholic League champ Archbishop Carroll (Radnor) will take on defending state champ Archbishop Wood (Warminster) at 6:30 at the Palestra. Immediately following, in what's sure to be another exciting do-over, Carroll's boys will battle defending Catholic League and state champion Neumann-Gorretti (South Phila.).

Will the two state champs reign again? We'll see soon enough. This year's state finals will be held at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center March 25-26 in University Park.

Weekend basketball

2011-02-04T12:58:00.001-08:00

Our Catholic high schools are involved in tons of great basketball matchups all weekend. Here's the schedule for girls and boys hoops, representing various schools and leagues within the Archdiocese:

FRIDAY, FEB. 4
Boys
Devon Prep @ MaST Charter, 5:30
Father Judge @ La Salle, 7:00
Lansdale Catholic @ Ryan, 7:00
Holy ghost Prep @ Lower Moreland, 7:00
West Catholic @ O'Hara, 7:00
Bonner @ McDevitt, 7:00
Neumann-Goretti @ Wood, 7:00
Roman Catholic @ St. Joe's Prep, 7:00
Pottstown @ Pope John Paul II, 7:30
Malvern Prep @ Penn Charter, 7:30
Conwell-Egan @ Carroll, 7:30

Girls
West Catholic @ Hallahan, 5:00
Wood @ Lansdale Catholic, 7:00
O'Hara @ St. Hubert, 7:00
Ryan @ Conwell-Egan, 7:00

SATURDAY, FEB. 5
Boys
New Beginnings @ Malvern Prep, 2:00
O'Hara @ Haverford, 6:00
Pottsgrove @ Pope John Paul II, 7:30

Girls
Ryan @ Carroll, 2:30
Notre Dame @ Haverford, 2:30
Chichester @ Merion Mercy, 3:30
Pope John Paul II @ Pottsgrove, 7:30

SUNDAY, FEB. 6
Boys
Carroll @ Roman Catholic, 1:30
Bonner @ Neumann-Goretti, 2:30
Ryan @ Father Judge, 2:30
La Salle @ Wood, 3:00

Girls
McDevitt @ Conwell-Egan, 7:00

Hoop action

2011-01-14T11:10:00.000-08:00

There are TONS of basketball games this weekend throughout the Archdiocese, including Catholic League and non-league play. Have a couple hours? Catch a game below. I'm sure there's one in your area. (All game times are PM, unless otherwise noted. * = AM.)

Friday, Jan. 14
BOYS
Wood @ St. Joe's Prep, 3:30
La Salle @ West, 6:30
McDevitt @ Lansdale Catholic, 7:00
Roman Catholic @ Conwell-Egan, 7:00
Carroll@ Judge, 7:30
Chestnut Hill @ Malvern Prep, 7:30
O'Hara @ Bonner, 7:30
Shanahan @ PJPII, 7:30
Ryan @ Neumann-Goretti, 8:00

GIRLS
Baldwin @ Notre Dame, 3:45
Gwynedd-Mercy @ Villa Joe Maria, 5:15
Sacred Heart @ Merion Mercy, 5:15
McDevitt @ Carroll, 7:00
Hallahan @ Ryan, 7:00
PJPII @ Shanahan, 7:30

Saturday, Jan. 15
GIRLS
Neumann-Goretti @ Cherokee (NJ), noon
Springfield @ Prendie, 1:00
Gwynedd-Mercy @ Quakertown, 1:30
St. Basil vs. Notre Dame @ Phila. U., 1:30
Villa Joe Maria @ Conwell-Egan, 1:30
Springford vs. Mount St. Joe @ Phila. U., 2:00
Shanahan @ West Chester East, 2:30
Nazareth Academy @ Trenton Catholic, 2:30
PJPII @ Marian Catholic (Tamaqua, PA), 2:30
Allentown Central Catholic @ Villa Maria, 2:30
O'Hara @ Smyrna (DE), 3:00
Springside @ St. Hubert, 3:30
Mt. Lebanon vs. Carroll @ Phila. U., 4:30
Council Rock South vs. Ryan @ Phila. U., 5:00
George School @ McDevitt, 6:00
Rutgers Prep (NJ) vs. Wood @ Phila. U., 7:30

Sunday, Jan. 16
BOYS
St. Joe's Prep @ McDevitt, 2:30
Neumann-Goretti @ Carroll, 2:30
Wood @ O'Hara, 2:30
Conwell-Egan @ Ryan, 2:30
Judge @ Lansdale Catholic, 2:30
West Catholic @ Bonner, 2:30

GIRLS
Notre Dame vs. Prendie @ Upper Dublin HS, 10:30*
West Catholic @ Ryan, 1:00

Championship on Chestnut

2010-12-23T07:47:00.000-08:00

What better gift than a state championship?

I'm sure West Catholic (located on Chestnut Street in West Philly) is still basking in the glow of its AA state football title. The Burrs (named for the seeds that fell of the Chestnut trees that once lined Chesnut Street) defeated South Fayette 50-14 last Saturday in Hershey. Way to represent to the Catholic League, boys! You ended the 2010 high school football season in the best possible way!

Read the CS&T article here: http://cst-phl.com/index87.htm

Check out photos from the game here: www.burrsfootball.com

Merry Christmas!

State quarterfinals

2010-12-03T07:39:00.001-08:00

Football season continues for three teams in the Catholic League.

AA Division Quarterfinals
West Catholic vs. Northern Lehigh
7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 3 @ J. Birney Crum Stadium, Allentown

AAA Quarterfinals
Archbishop Wood vs. Strath Haven
7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 3 @ Coatesville Area HS

AAAA Quartfinals
La Salle College HS vs. Easton
1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4 @ Northeast HS

While the turkey's in the oven ...

2010-11-24T09:18:00.001-08:00

This year, the great pigskin Thanksgiving Day rivalries continue, minus two long-time favorites, North vs. Frankford and St. Pius X vs. Pottsgrove. However, I'm sure old memories from those decades-long rivalries will be brought up at many dinner tables throughout the area tomorrow, just as new ones are being made.

Here's tomorrow's football schedule:

Ryan @ Washington, 10 a.m.
Judge @ Lincoln, 10 a.m.
Neumann-Goretti @ Southern, 10 a.m.
Conwell-Egan @ Truman, 10 a.m.
Roman @ Roxborough, 10:30 a.m.
St. Joe's Prep vs. Malvern Prep @ Plymouth-Whitemarsh HS, 10:30 a.m.

Soccer and volleyball and football, oh my!

2010-11-19T07:46:00.000-08:00

This weekend is a big one for several high schools from our Archdiocese. Here's why:

PA Boys Soccer (AA) Championship @ Hersheypark Stadium
Friday, Nov. 19, 7 p.m.
Archbishop Wood vs. Hampton

PA Girls Soccer (AAA) Championship @ Hersheypark Stadium
Saturday, Nov. 20, 3 p.m.
Archbishop Wood vs. Peters Township

PA Girls Volleyball Championships @ Central York HS
Friday, Nov. 19 (quarterfinals)
Saturday, Nov. 20 (semifinals and finals)
(A) Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
(AA) Merion Mercy Academy
(AAA) Mount St. Joseph Academy

City Football Title Games
Saturday, Nov. 20
(AA) West Catholic vs. Bok @ South Philly (10th & Bigler), 11 a.m.
(AAA) Archbishop Wood vs. Dobbins @ Northeast HS, noon
(AAAA) La Salle vs. Northeast @ Northeast HS, 4 p.m.

For more info, visit www.piaa.org.

State playoffs begin!

2010-11-12T09:20:00.000-08:00

Fall sports are in full effect! Several high school teams will be representing the Archdiocese in the state tournament for their respective sports. Let's hope "year three" in the PIAA builds off the success we've had so far!

All games take place Saturday, Nov. 13, unless otherwise noted.

Field Hockey State Quarterfinals
Villa Maria vs. Wyoming-Sem @ Emmaus HS, 11 a.m.
Mount St. Joseph Academy vs. Northampton @ Gov. Mifflin HS, 11 a.m.

Girls Soccer State Quarterfinals
Villa Maria vs. Midd-West @ Milton Hershey HS, 5 p.m.
Archbishop Wood vs. Pennridge @ West Chester East HS, 1 p.m.

Boys Soccer State Quarterfinals
Arhcbishop Wood vs. East Pennsboro @ West Chester East HS, 3 p.m.

Volleyball Round One (pool play-in)
Merion Mercy @ Council Rock South HS
Archbishop Wood @ Council Rock South HS
Cardinal O'Hara @ Liberty HS
Mount St. Joseph Academy @ Liberty HS
Country Day School of the Sacred Heart @ Liberty HS

And, finally, Catholic League football!

AAAA Championship
Friday, Nov. 12 @ Northeast HS, 7 p.m.
Roman vs. La Salle

AAA Championship
Saturday, Nov. 13 @ Plymouth-Whitemarsh HS, 7 p.m.
Archbishop Wood vs. Cardinal O'Hara

AA Championship
West Catholic defeated Bishop McDevit last weekend. Next game TBA.

This weekend's games

2010-10-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

Below are some high school football games to catch this weekend:

Friday, Oct. 22
St. Joe's Prep at Roman (Germantown), 7 p.m.
Pope John Paul II vs. Owen J. Roberts (Roosevelt), 7 p.m.
O'Hara at Carroll (Radnor), 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 23
Ryan at La Salle (Plymouth-Whitemarsh), 1 p.m.
Wood at Bonner (Upper Darby), 1 p.m.
West Chester East at Shanahan, 1 p.m.
West Catholic at Neumann-Goretti (Southern), time TBD
Episcopal at Malvern Prep, 2 p.m.
McDevitt at Conwell-Egan (Truman), 7 p.m.

Zumba craze

2010-10-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months, I've been hearing relatives and friends talk about Zumba -- a lively dance fitness program set to Latin music. I did some research and found out that it's actually been around for a while. Choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez created Zumba in Colombia during the 1990s. Since its humble beginnings in an aerobics class in Cali, Colombia, Zumba is now being taught at over 60,000 locations in 105 countries, has sold millions of DVDs and has changed the lives of Zumba® fanatics worldwide with an astonishing 7.5 million participants taking Zumba classes every week (zumba.com).

Students at St. Hilary School in Rydal joined in on the party and kicked off "Wellness Wendnesdays" with a school-wide Zumba lesson a few weeks ago (photo above).

Here's more:

RYDAL — Students in kindergarten through eighth grades at St. Hilary School in Rydal kicked off their yearly wellness program with Zumba lessons in the school yard Sept. 22.
“Zumba is basically aerobic moves set to Latin music,” said Ellen Romano, a Zumba instructor who led children and faculty in the exhilarating workout. In addition, children rotated throughout a wellness fair to different exercise stations, including hula hooping and jumping rope.
St. Hilary’s Home and School Association treated students to chilled fresh fruit salad and water for their efforts, refreshing them while providing examples for healthy snack choices.
The school’s health and wellness program, titled “Wellness Wednesdays,” is held in conjunction with Holy Redeemer Hospital’s outreach program and exposes students to a “variety of health, nutrition and exercise information and activities that guide them toward taking an active role in their own fitness.”
Throughout the year parents and faculty encourage students to eat well and be on the move by providing plenty of activities and healthy food options, such as making salads the main entree sold in the cafeteria on Wednesdays. Students are also encouraged to participate in a weekly walking program on parish grounds during lunch recess. As incentive, children who walk earn raffle tickets toward prizes related to fitness and exercise or health.
According to Kathy McCrea, an educational resource committee member and program coordinator, last year a student won a WII Fit system.

Happy September!

2010-09-09T07:54:00.001-07:00

After a few months of no posts (sorry!) I thought I'd kick things off with something new, literally -- the sports teams at Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford. The school opened its doors this month, welcoming students mostly from St. Pius X High School in Pottstown and Kennedy-Kenrick High School in Norristown, which both closed this past June.

Below are some sports happenings on the state-of-the-art PJP campus Sept. 2.

Congrats to (some of) our champs!

2010-05-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

Spring 2010

Catholic League girls lacrosse
Archbishop Carroll

Catholic League boys lacrosse
La Salle College High School

Catholic League softball
St. Hubert

Catholic League boys tennis
La Salle College High School

Catholic Academies League softball
Nazareth Academy

Catholic League baseball - TBD
Semifinals
Friday, May 28
Bonner vs. Neumann-Goretti, 3:30 @ Widener University
Wood vs. Ryan, 3:30 @ La Salle College HS

Final
Tuesday, June 1 @ Widener

Some playoff info

2010-05-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

Below are a few playoff and championship games being played over the next couple weeks.

FRIDAY, MAY 21
Catholic Academies Softball Final
Nazareth Academy vs. Villa Maria, 4 p.m. @ Arcadia University

Catholic League Boys Lacrosse Quarterfinals
Conwell-Egan at La Salle, 3:45
Roman Catholic at Cardinal O'Hara, 3:45
(*Winners will play Lansdale Catholic & Carroll in semifinals)

Catholic League Softball Quarterfinals
Little Flower at Lansdale Catholic, 3:45
Conwell-Egan at Kennedy-Kenrick, 3:45
Wood at St, Hubert, 3:45
Prendie at Ryan, 6:00

MONDAY, MAY 24
Catholic League Girls Lacrosse Final
Wood vs. O'Hara @ Prendie, 5:00

Catholic League Baseball First Round
O'Hara at La Salle, 3:30
St. Joe's Prep at Father Judge, 3:30
Kennedy-Kennrick at Conwell-Egan, 3:30
Carroll at Lansdale Catholic, 3:30

More than a comeback

2010-04-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

In the summer between his freshman and sophomore year of high school, Nate Winters lost his left leg and part of his right in a terrible boating accident. After losing 80 percent of his blood and nine surgeries, he's back on the mound, pitching for Winter Park High School in Florida.

Winters, now a junior, may have limped on the field ,but his fastball clocked 80, and he allowed only one hit and one unearned run in his April 12 comeback.

Read his inspiring story here:
http://www.fanhouse.com/2010/04/13/florida-h-s-pitcher-overcomes-loss-of-leg-to-start-again/?ncid=txtlnkusspor00000002

Bball playoffs continue

2010-03-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

State quarterfinals schedule for this weekend:

Boys AA
North Catholic vs. South Fayette
1 p.m., March 20, at Chartiers Valley HS

Boys AAA
Neumann-Goretti vs. Carroll
7 p.m., March 19, at Widener

Boys AAAA
Roman Catholic vs. Plymouth-Whitemarsh
4 p.m., March 20, at Villanova

Girls AA
Villa Maria vs. Allentown Catholic
2:30, March 20, at Reading HS

Girls AAA
Carroll vs. Wood
2:30, March 20, at Villanova

Girls AAAA
Ryan vs. Council Rock
7:30, March 19, at Norristown HS

THON 2010 raises $7,838,054!

2010-02-25T10:57:00.000-08:00

This year, Penn State's annual dance marathon (THON) broke last year's record by $347,000, raising $7,838,054 for kids with cancer. THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, has raised over $61 million since it began in 1973 for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Children's Hospital.

The Four Diamonds Fund was established by Charles and Irma Millard after the death of their son, Christopher, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 11. It is named after a story that Christopher wrote shortly before he lost his battle with cancer three years later. In Chris’ story, a knight must find the four diamonds of Courage, Wisdom, Honesty and Strength in order to be released from captivity by an evil sorceress. The four diamonds are symbolic of the traits Chris believed were necessary to overcome cancer.

Most Penn State students are involved with THON in one way or another; and considering there are over 40,000 of them, that's a lot. Whether they are one of the 700+ dancers who go 46 hours with no sitting or sleeping, or volunteer for one of the dozen or so committees that plan the event throughout the year, these college kids push their school work and social lives aside for a greater cause.

Because of the students' hard work and dedication, the Four Diamonds Fund is able to offset the cost of treatment that a family’s insurance won’t cover, as well as provide for other expenses that may affect the welfare of the child. It also supports the medical team that cares for the children and funds pediatric cancer research through start-up grants and the Four Diamonds Pediatric Cancer Research Institute.

Words really can't do THON justice. A fundraiser is a severe understatement. Put simply, as this year's theme suggests, "love belongs here." For The Kids.

For a taste of THON, view the videos posted here: www.youtube.com/user/thontech

For more information about THON, visit thon.org.

Basketball season is almost over!

2010-02-19T11:48:00.000-08:00

The PCL heats up this weekend as the girls and boys play in the quarterfinals.
Here's the schedule:

Tonight, Feb. 19
Girls
St. Hubert @ Wood, 7 p.m.
Prendie @ Ryan, 7 p.m.
Dougherty @ O'Hara, 7 p.m.

Boys
Saturday, Feb. 20
Wood vs. Carroll @ Ryan, noon
Neumann-Goretti vs. Dougherty @ Carroll, 3 p.m.
La Salle vs. North @ Ryan, 4 p.m.
Roman vs. St. Joe's Prep @ Carroll, 7 p.m.

Also, here's this season's boys All-Catholic list:

COACH OF THE YEAR: Joe Dempsey, La Salle.

RED DIVISION
FIRST TEAM

Rakeem Brookins, MVP, Roman
Troy Hockaday, La Salle
Eddie Mitchell, La Salle
Mike Terry, North
Jaleel Mack, North
Joe Nardi, SJ Prep

SECOND TEAM
Jamal Melvin, Bonner
Reggie Charles, Judge
Gene Williams, SJ Prep
Kevin Regan, Roman
Woody Redding, North

THIRD TEAM
Keefer Francis, Bonner
Eric Fleming, Ryan
Scott Slade, Bonner
Bob Makor, North
Seamus Radtke, Judge

BLUE DIVISION
FIRST TEAM
Tony Chennault, MVP, N-G
Juan'ya Green, Carroll
Joe Getz, Wood
Danny Stewart, N-G
Ike Robinson, C-E
Tyreek Duren, N-G .
*Fran Dougherty Wood (missed league play with injury)

SECOND TEAM
DJ Irving, Carroll
Aquil Younger, West
Ben Mingledough Carroll
Brandyn Wims, Dougherty
Mustafaa Jones, N-G

THIRD TEAM
Brian O'Grady, Wood
Mike Barr, Lansdale
Lamin Fulton, N-G
Brandon Brown, Dougherty
Doug Macrone, Wood

More '09 All-Catholics

2010-01-08T12:23:00.001-08:00

Philadelphia Catholic League All-Catholics

Girls Soccer
First Team
Samantha Greenfield, Wood
Megan Poiesz, Lansdale Catholic
Christine Verrelle, Wood
Courtney Neimiec, Little Flower
Amanda Johnson, Ryan
Rachel Kurtz, Conwell-Egan
Melissa Chapman, Lansdale Catholic
Ashley DiOrio, St. Hubert
Kerri McClay, Wood
Hunter Filippo, Wood
Jenna Richards, Conwell-Egan
Jessica Koci, Ryan (goalkeeper)
Maureen Hawkins, Dougerty
Alex Tope, Prendie
Caroline Hopkins, Dougherty
Adriana Sciascia, Neumann-Goretti
Jess Granese, McDevitt
Connie Larusso, Hallahan
Jess Rotella, Prendie
Leanna Ashcorn, Hallahan
Jennie Filippello, Neuman-Goretti
Alyssa Reinsel, McDevitt
Alex Caizzo, Kennedy-Kenrick
Brenna Coll, Dougherty (goalkeeper)

Second Team
Michelle Saklad, Ryan
Lauren Heisse, Ryan
Allison Clark, Carroll
Nicole Daly, O'Hara
Jessica Cunning, Lansdale Catholic
Mary Kate Morris, St. Hubert
Kerri Goodwin, Little Flower
Maura Gifford, Lansdale Catholic
Monica Re, Wood
jill Catania, O'Hara
kelsey Stevens, Ryan
Mackenzie Pinto, Lansdale Catholic (goalkeeper)
MaryKate Sullivan, Prendie
Alie Lazar, Dougherty
Stacy O'Neill, West
C.J. Murphy, Hallahan
Regina DelBuono, Kennedy-Kenrick
Nya Mercer, Hallahan
Karla Masciotro, Neumann-Goretti
Jillian MacDonald, Dougherty
Krista Farrell, McDevitt
Lea Saunders, Prendie
Jenna Wilson, Prendie
Miranda Schieler, Prendie (goalkeeper)

Third Team
Laura Pallister, Little Flower
Kelsey Celline, Wood
Mary Kate McCann, Carroll
Samantha Strohm, Ryan
Aimee Gennaro, Carroll
Allison Barker, Conwell-Egan
Courtney Weidner, Little Flower
Caitlin Bendig, Wood
Alexa Shumate, Lansdale Catholic
Laura Markopoulos, Carroll
Alyssa Bollard, St. Hubert
Alyson Hop, Wood (goalkeeper)
Susanna Cochrane, McDevitt
Bianca Giorgio, Neumann-Goretti
Kate Gossner, McDevitt
Mary Kate McMonagle, Dougherty
Tonia Russo, Neumann-Goretti
Katie Davis, West
Jenn Danella, Kennedy-Kenrick
Kelly Ebner, Kennedy-Kenrick
Sara Meyers, Hallahan
Jo Saunders, Prendie
Julie Gallagher, McDevitt
Nicole Napoli, Hallahan (goalkeeper)

Boys Soccer
First Team
Tolani Ibikunle, St. Joe's Prep
Darius Madison, La Salle
Ryan Brocker, Judge
Khristian Hall, North
Tim Stahl, Ryan
Emmanuel Kollie, Judge
Pat McGlynn, St. Joe's Prep
Nick Morris, Judge
Nate Kurylo, La Salle
Dan Venuto, North
Chris Pawlowski, La Salle
Ira Woodruff, North
John McCarthy, North (goalkeeper)
Tom Baker, Wood
Matt DiLiegro, Conwell-Egan
Chris Wilson, Wood
Paul Rambo, Conwell-Egan
Emmett Filipelli, Carroll
Matt Maloney, Kennedy-Kenrick
James Pinder, Lansdale Catholic
Austin West, Neumann-Goretti
Trey Chamberlain, Wood
Mike Gratzinger, Kennedy-Kenrick
Alex Wilson, Lansdale Catholic
Nick Gremminger, Kennedy-Kenrick

Second Team
Rob Steck, Wood
Ryan Moffatt, McDevitt
Ian Monagle, Conwell-Egan
Joe Bozzelli, Dougherty
Khalif Allen, West
Will Huff, Neumann-Goretti
Steve Dominello, McDevitt
Bill Castor, Conwell-Egan
Sean Ronney, Lansdale Catholic
Tim Carroll, West
Justin Brydges, Neumann-Goretti
Brian Frasca, McDevitt (goalkeeper)
Conner Caravan, Bonner
Zach DePerro, Ryan
Nick Valecee, Roman
Frank Vogelman, Roman
Jeff Signora, O'Hara
Kevin Bushbeck, Judge
Kevin Nelms, Ryan
Rob Poli, St. Joe's Prep
Darius Gblonbke, Judge
Nico Delgado, Roman
Steve Kelly, La Salle (goalkeeper)

Third Team
Juan Pablo Martinez, North
Dan Panepresso, Ryan
J.T. Maurer, St. Joe's Prep
Tim Peifer, La Salle
Brian Wright, Judge
Mike Moran, Bonner
Sean Burke, St. Joe's Prep
Jack Reilly, St. Joe's Prep
Christian Canavarro, O'Hara (goalkeeper)
Kevin Neyer, McDevitt
Dave Spedding, Carroll
Dan Price, Kennedy-Kenrick
Joe Halbherr, Dougherty
Andrew Bulman, Carroll
Mike Trodden, Wood
Vince Raffaele, McDevitt
Ryan Bogas, Lansdale
Nick Poehland, Kennedy-Kenrick
Alex Frederick, Kennedy-Kenrick
Patrick Sheldon, Kennedy-Kenrick (goalkeeper)

Field Hockey

First Team
Lindsay McArdle, O'Hara
Kelsey Byrne, Carroll
Nicole Goff, Carroll
Katie Shields, Kennedy-Kenrick
Megan George, O'Hara
Emily O'Neill, Prendie
Maria Mastrocola, Kennedy-Kenrick
Cassandra Fario, Conwell-Egan
Kate Barcoski, St. Hubert
Alyssa Andress, Wood
Megan Dillon, St. Hubert

Second Team
Raphaela Rocha, Ryan
Brooke Stretch, Prendie
Maddy Lesher, Carroll
Jen DiPaolo, Wood
Alicia Govanicci, O'Hara
Shannon Murray, Prendie
Melissa Brosions, Carroll
Stpehanie Fratoni, O'Hara
Allison Pollock, Bishop McDevitt
Liz DiPlacido, Lansdale
Hilary Clauss, Lansdale

Honorable Mention
Kate McFadden, St. Hubert
Courtney Rowe, O'Hara
Danielle Wood, Little Flower
Kristine Visco, Ryan
Jessica Burns, Kennedy-Kenrick

'09 All Stars

2010-01-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

What a better way to start the new year than to recognize the '09 fall sport All-Catholics/All-Stars within our Archdiocese. Congratulations!

Philadelphia Catholic League Football

AAAA DIVISION
MVP: Corey Brown, O'Hara.

FIRST TEAM
Offense
Ryan Geiger, La Salle
Matt Williams, O'Hara
Seth Betancourt, St. Joe’s Prep
Sean McGinn St. Joe’s Prep
James Colivas, Bonner
Steve Jones, La Salle
Sam Feleccia, La Salle
Connor Hoffman, La Salle
Drew Loughery, La Salle
Jamal Abdur-Rahman, La Salle
Desmon Peoples, St. Joe’s Prep
Dan O'Hara. O'Hara
Steve O'Hara, St. Joe’s Prep
Mike Bennett, La Salle
Dave Faraldo, Judge

Defense
Steve Szostak, La Salle
Matt Williams, O'Hara
Bill Mancini, St. Joe’s Prep
Steve Sinnott, La Salle
Shane Brady, La Salle
Brendan O'Callaghan, O'Hara
Ryan Saraceni, La Salle
Mike Huf, O'Hara
Mike Labor, St. Joe’s Prep
Connor Thompson, Judge
Kevin Forster, La Salle
Skyler Mornhinweg, St. Joe’s Prep
Kushmir Miller, St. Joe’s Prep
Kevin Regan, Roman

SECOND TEAM
Offense
Ryan Donovan, St. Joe’s Prep
Cameron Cappo, La Salle
Steve Szostak, La Salle
Matt DiGiacomo, La Salle
Matt Schickling, Roman
Mike Huf, O'Hara
Matt Gies, Judge
Bobby D'Orazio, St. Joe’s Prep
Tony Smith, Judge
Curt Wortham, Judge
Dennis Regan, Roman
Eric Petransky, Bonner
Tim Wade, La Salle
Owen Radtke, Judge
Dan Vanderslice, Bonner

Defense
Bill Swallow, Judge
Corey Bronson, Roman
Tyler Ramirez, Bonner
Jack Gallagher, Roman
Steve O'Hara, St. Joe’s Prep
Andrew Hackett, Bonner
Anthony Cognettim La Salle
Jack Foley, Roman
John DiGregorio, O'Hara
Dennis Regan, Roman
Corey Brown, O'Hara
Andrew Onimus, O'Hara

AAA DIVISION
MVP: Jerry Rahill, Wood.

FIRST TEAM
Offense
Ray Reuscher, North
Austin Oscovitch, Conwell-Egan
Chris Knott, Wood
Frank Taylor, Wood
Stan "Buddy" Visack, Neumann-Goretti
Colin Thompson, Wood
Julian Huggins, North
Ryan Bond, Conwell-Egan
Anthony Singlar, Conwell-Egan
Kerry McAnany, Conwell-Egan
Scott Adkins, Wood
Eugene Byrd, North
Devon Barrett, Lansdale Catholic
Sam McCain, Wood
Nick Visco, Wood
Will Huff, Neumann-Goretti

Defense
Matt Hoch, Wood
Matt McGouldrick, Lansdale Catholic
Steve Humma, Conwell-Egan
Kerry McAnany, Conwell-Egan
Daniel Clark, North
Charlie McCairns, Wood
Austin Oscovitch, Conwell-Egan
Pat Glemser, Wood
David D. Williams, North
Ryan Bond, Conwell-Egan
Scott Adkins, Wood
Jerry Rahill, Wood
Kevin McGinn, Lansdale Catholic

SECOND TEAM
Offense
Dan Grimes, Wood
Micale Allen, North
Kerry Shields, North
Matt Reidy, North
Eric Hrynczyszyn, Conwell-Egan
Jesse Kinsey, Neumann-Goretti
Kevin Shaw, Wood
David Sherman, North
Jerry Rahill, Wood
Kevin Murt, Wood
Will Huff, Neumann-Goretti
Bill Castor, Conwell-Egan

Defense
Stephen Rooney, North
Jack Schanz, North
Chris Albu, Wood
Jack McGurrin, Conwell-Egan
Brian Butler, Wood
Tom Gaus, Lans
Bob Butler, North
Stan "Buddy" Visack, Neumann-Goretti
Devon Barrett, Lansdale Catholic
Stephon Singleton, North
Mark Allen, North
John Snyder, Neumann-Goretti
John Clark, Conwell-Egan

AA DIVISION
MVP: Drew Siegfried, McDevitt.

FIRST TEAM
Offense
Colin Leach, McDevitt
Steve Holdsworth, Kennedy-Kenrick
Hovard Harrison, Dougherty
Jake Zuzek, West Catholic
Sean Maguire, McDevitt
Jim Lynch, West Catholic
Quran Kent, West Catholic
Nick Newman, Dougherty
Drew Siegfried, McDevitt
Tarik Morris, Dougherty
Joshua Mathis, West Catholic
Gary Postell, McDevitt
Bryant Moritz, Carroll
Brandon Hollomon, West Catholic
Tim Carroll, West Catholic
Drew Siegfried, McDevitt

Defense
Stephen Logan, Dougherty
Chris King, Carroll
Matt McGrory, McDevitt
Jim Lynch, West Catholic
Dante Dickens, West Catholic
Matt Donaldson, Carroll
Anthony McDonnaugh, West Catholic
Matt Brigg, Carroll
Joe Polansky, McDevitt
Cullen Rota, Kennedy-Kenrick
Ray Manuel, West Cathoilc
Matt Conroy, McDevitt
Tarik Morris, Dougherty

SECOND TEAM
Offense
Dom DiGalbo, West Catholic
Khalif Jackson, Dougherty
Rodney Linder, West Catholic
Kevin Polansky, McDevitt
Ryan Speller, McDevitt
Jesse Rosinski, Dougherty
Cullen Rota, Kennedy-Kenrick
Eerin Young, McDevitt
Noah Mascio, Kennedy-Kenrick
Aaron Regan, Kennedy-Kenrick
Ed Kelly, Kennedy-Kenrick
Matt McGrory, McDevitt
Luther Harling, Dougherty
Andrew Brouwers, Carroll
Mike Grogan, West Catholic

Defense
John Ruppert, West Catholic
Brian Mosby, West Catholic
Steve Holdsworth, Kennedy-Kenrick
Ed Kelly, Kennedy-Kenrick
Kyle McDowell, Dougherty
Hovard Harrison, Dougherty
Bill Tobin, West Catholic
Tim Young, Kennedy-Kenrick
Luther Harling, Dougherty
Marcus Allen, Dougherty
Nick Newman, Dougherty
Ryan Shea, Carroll
Drew Siegfried, McDevitt

Philadelphia Catholic League Girls Cross Country

First Team
Nicole DelGrosso, O’Hara
Alyssa Bellia, Carroll
Maura Craney, Wood
Katie Rodden, Carroll
Fiona Egan, O’Hara
Katie Boligitz, Wood
Maura Nolan, Wood
Emily Creighton, O’Hara
Brittany Bower, O’Hara
Carolan DiFiore, St. Hubert
Claire DelCasale, St. Hubert
Bridget McDermott, O’Hara
Teresa Ortiz, St. Hubert
Meghan Hotz, O’Hara
Ashley Sexton, St. Hubert
Sinead Egan, O’Hara
Laura Antinucci, Hallahan
Kirseten McGroary, O’Hara
Nancy McNulty, O’Hara
Talia Shaw, Talia , Wood
Kelly Clavin, Ryan
Erin Love, St. Hubert
Melissa Kline, Ryan

Second Team
Joanna Shen, Ryan
Becca Whitlock, Wood
Gina Montgomery, St.Hubert
Jessica Cosenza, Wood
Michelle Washington, McDevitt
Anna Barba, Carroll
Kelsey Kilgore, Kelsey, Prendie

Honorable Mention
Sam Kuhar, Wood
Emily Prybella, Ryan
Bridget Golato, Prendie
Angela Geiss, Prendie
Erin Brady, Ryan
Sarah Moleski, Prendie
Renae Keeley, Prendie
Christy Cardillo, Lansdale Catholic
Kayla Keir, O’Hara
Marissa Conley, O’Hara
Kierstin Kee, O’Hara

A.A.C.A. Field Hockey All-Stars

Marie Elena Bolles, Villa Maria
Caitlin Fazio, Villa Maria
Molly Murphy, Villa Maria
Samantha Ostoich, Villa Maria
Anna Zarkoski, Villa Maria
Molly Doyle, Merion Mercy
Carly Keating, Merion Mercy
Sarah Hospodar, Merion Mercy
Keira Zambon, Merion Mercy
Anne Burgoyne, Mount St. Joseph
Mary Jo Horgan, Mount St. Joseph
Allie Sabia, Mount St. Joseph
Nicole Schuster, Mount St. Joseph
Kerri Crumlish, Sacred Heart
Kim Herman, Sacred Heart
Amy Robinson, Sacred Heart
Haley Keenan, Gwynedd Mercy
Alex McMackin, Gwynedd Mercy
Marissa Barreras, Villa Joseph Marie
Taylor Conway, Villa Joseph Marie
Maggie Petrucci, St. Basil
Caitlin Lange, Nazareth Academy

A.A.C.A. Golf All-Stars

Emily Gimpel, Mount St. Joe Academy
MaryElizabeth Entwistle, , Mount St. Joe Academy
Nicole Mischler, Mount St. Joe Academy
Samm Arena, Mount St. Joe Academy
Villa Maria:
Grace Dalton, Villa Maria
Brianna Forde, Villa Maria
Casey Hall, Villa Maria
Jamie Bumgardner, Gwynedd Mercy
Tierney Sadowl, Gwynedd Mercy
Katie Dunphy, Gwynedd Mercy
Elizabeth Parker, Merion Mercy
Carly Szyszko, Nazareth Academy
Michelle Applegate, Nazareth Academy
Maureen McKeever, Sacred Heart
Genevieve Chiminski, Villa Joe Marie

A.A.C.A. Soccer All-Stars

Nicol Natale, Merion Mercy
Maggie Borski, Nazareth
Alex Sawicki, Nazareth
Jordann Smith, St. Basil
Chelsea Czarnik, St. Basil
Kelly Moran, Mt. St. Joe
Alyssa Drisscoll, Mt. St. Joe
Maggie Gottschalk, Mt. St. Joe
Emily Irons, Gwynedd
Merideth Jones, Gwynedd
Brianne Lazevnick, Gwynedd
Kasey Schiavoni, Villa Maria
Julie Mongan, Villa Maria
Katie Higgins, Villa Maria
Molly Nawalinski, Villa Maria
Dominique Ponente, Villa Joe
*Breanna Pletnick, Villa Joe Marie (League MVP)
Taylor Antolino, Villa Joe Marie
Meghan Ledwith, Villa Joe Marie
Lindsey King, Villa Joe Marie
Kelsey McAnelly, Villa Maria (Goal Keeper)
Courtney Sullivan, Gwynedd (Goal Keeper)

A.A.C.A. Tennis All-Stars

Singles
Maddie Roussel, Villa Maria
Alex Wagner, Gwynedd Mercy
Maddie Graf, Villa Joseph Marie
RyAnne Baldwin, Sacred Heart
Casey Borish, Nazareth Academy
Doubles
Marianna & Francesca Barua, Gwynedd Mercy
Chrissy Stefanowicz & Bianca Pasqual, Mount St. Joe
Alex Hayes & Caroline Phillips, Villa Maria

A.A.C.A. Volleyball All-Stars

Mary Ellen Paul, St. Basil
Colleen Fedorowicz, St. Basil
Rachel Tollett, St. Basil
Michaela McCrudden, Mt. St. Joe
Patrice Mulhern, Mt. St. Joe
Carly Krill, Mt. St. Joe
Val Smith, Mt. St. Joe
Dana Kirk, Gwynedd Mercy
Dominique Marques, Gwynedd Mercy
Jamie Morgan, Gwynedd Mercy
Stacey Manthorpe, Merion Mercy
Katrina Pisch, Merion Mercy
Shelbey Manthorpe, Merion Mercy
Rebecca Bates, Villa Maria
Emily Tobia, Villa Maria

More to come ...

Congrats Bishop Shanahan

2009-11-18T12:05:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Bishop Shanahan's girls volleyball team that won the PIAA Class AAA state championship Nov. 14 for the first time in school history. They beat Allentown Central Catholic 3-0 at Central York High School. Emily Carlin was named tournament MVP.

To honor the champs, there will be an assembly this Friday, Nov. 21., at 8:30 a.m. at Shanahan.

Assistant athletic director Sandra Young said of the team, "They are truly women of virtue who love God, one another, Shanahan and volleyball."

Members of the team and coaches depicted in the photo are:
Back row: Coach Pat Rucker, Coach Michele Lott, Allison Lott, Head Coach Greg Ashman, Summer Jaros, Nicki Ruszkay, Natalie DiRitis, Allson Lott and Susan Frick
Middle row: Kristina Dale, Gabby Nagy, Cait Watson, Kelly Hutchison, Claire Keating, Amanda Nickels, Julie Joyce, Maria Ficca and Natalie Homyak.
Front row with trophy: Captains Katie Pisano, Emily Carlin and Grace Capuzzi.

Faith, Hope, Phils

2009-11-04T13:30:00.000-08:00

The Phillies are set to play Game 6 of the World Series in almost 4 hours, and I'm already nauseous. But if any team can come back from a 3-1 deficit, it's the Phillies. So let's have faith in their talents. That's what got them here for a second time, afterall.

I'm sure God will hear tons of prayers tonight. Here's one to start with from Romans 12:12

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" and let's go fightin Phils!

Trust in God amid troubling times

2009-10-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

The Archdiocese announced sad news yesterday -- the closing of Cardinal Dougherty and North Catholic High Schools. I know hearing their worst fear become a reality is hard for all the alumni, faculty, staff, current students and their families.

I know because I went through it myself at the grade school level at St. Callistus School in the Overbrook section of the city. I found out mid-way through my seventh grade year that the school was closing in June. Considering I started there in kindergarten and my mom and three siblings were grads, it was tough. Couldn't they keep the school open for one more year? My classmates and I were devastated.

So, we protested and rallied and prayed. But come June, the school still closed. This caused our class, the majority of us together since kindergarten, to break up and go our separate ways, along with the almost 200 other students.

Some friends made the move to the suburbs and the rest went to other neighborhood Catholic Schools. Most kids went to St. Donato. Not me though. I decided to go to St. Laurence in Upper Darby because I couldn't bring myself to attend a school that was our "rival!" Talk about stubborn.

Regardless of where we all ended up, it was a difficult transition to say the least. But after a couple months, we realized that what we learned and experienced at St. Callistus was a part of us -- and no person or school would ever take that away.

I'm sure the students at Dougherty and North are still coping with the heartbreaking news. But after some time, I'm sure they, too, will realize that regardless of where they go next year, North and Dougherty will always be a part of them that no one can take away.

Some may remain angry or sad or bitter for a long time. And this is where God comes in. He has a plan for all of us; we just have to trust Him.

Psalm 4:
"Answer when I call, my saving God.
in my troubles you cleared a way;
show me favor; hear my prayer...
Know that the Lord works wonders for the faithful;
the Lord hears when I call out.
Tremble and do not sin;
upon your beds ponder in silence.
Offer fitting sacrifice
and trust in the Lord."

New look for CS&T

2009-09-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow's issue will debut a new look for the Catholic Standard & Times. After 17 years, the CS&T will have a new logo, new sections in the paper, new style of font and overall new layout. All this is the result of hard work by our graphic design team.

Many our readers have been subscribing to the paper for years. They're most likely comfortable with the current design and format and getting used to the new style may take a little time. Let's be honest, a lot of people don't like change.

To those who feel this way, I'll borrow a quote from Winston Churchill: "There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction."

I can confidently say that the changes made to the CS&T are definitely in the right direction. They meet the needs of changing times in the newspaper industry and give the paper more appeal aesthetically.

Of course, amid these changes, the mission of the paper will remain the same, to spread the Good News of Jesus and His gospel. With this as our ultimate goal, we hope the new design increases our readership and more people experience the Good News offered on the pages of the Catholic Standard & Times.

And I would walk 500 miles...

2009-08-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

Ok, 300. But still an amazing feat for six Franciscan Friars who walked from Roanoke, Va., to Washington, D.C., in attempt to model their founder, St. Francis of Assisi, the traveler who spent time with the poor, sick and outcast and truly lived out the vows of charity and poverty.

"They tried to live by the ascetic rules Jesus laid out for his 12 disciples: "Take nothing for the journey -- no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic." The less they brought, they reasoned, the more room they could leave for God. The friars did make a few modifications, carrying a toothbrush, a wool blanket, water and a change of underwear ("a summer essential," one explained), as well as one cellphone in case of emergency."

Read the rest of this story written by William Wan of the Washington Post by copying and pasting the link below:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/28/AR2009072803220.html?sid=ST2009072803246

Neumann-Goretti has best athletic department in PA

2009-07-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

Congratulations go out to Neumann-Goretti High School in South Philly -- its athletic department was named best in the state by si.com.

This honor is a great way to recognize the hard work of athletic director Chip Reitano and his staff as well as the coaches, administrators, school faculty and athletes there.

There are over 800 high schools in PA! What an amazing feat, not only for Neumann-Goretti but for Catholic education in general!

Read the list of the top athletic programs in the country HERE.

Some more all-stars

2009-06-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

In the CS&T's high school graduation issue on June 4, the names of all-stars in the Catholic League (and other leagues high schools in our Archdiocese belong to) were published. Not every school participated, unfortunately, and some were left out. Archbishop Ryan missed the deadline, so I thought I'd post the names of their all-star athletes here...better late than never!
Hopefully, next year I'll have a system that works better and no one will be left out!

Archbishop Ryan All-Catholics 2008-09

Russ Slawter, football, basketball, track and field
Rich Verrell, football
Matt Yabor, football
Ed Eliason, bowling
Bryan Landis, tennis
Lindsay Ward, tennis
Nicole Gatto, bowling
Brittany Frazer, bowling
Mary Sharp, bowling
Vicki Bispels, bowling
Vince Boyle, golf
Jon Burns, golf
Kyle Hunter, golf
Dan Pettit, soccer
Tim Stahl, soccerr
Fran Nelms, soccer
Henry Gonzalez, soccer
Dan Panepresso, soccer
Megan Tole, basketball
Jess Koci, basketball
Sarah Strybuc, basketball
Kelli Jerdan, softball
Katlyn Dinger, softball
Amanda Shaw, softball
Kristina Ostaszewski, softball
Stephanie McNesby, lacrosse
Jess Maloney, lacrosse
Sarah Means, lacrosse
Megan Tole, soccer
Amanda Johnson, soccer
Brittany Palmer, soccer
Corinne Retter, soccer
Jessica Roci, soccer
Christina Zambito, soccer
Anna Saklad, soccer
Anthony Keiter, basketball
Jon Schmidt, baseball
Tom Neeley, baseball
Roy Bakeoven, lacrosse
Kevin Gardner, lacrosse
Frank Seibert, lacrosse
Matt Vizza, lacrosse
Bill Beck, lacrosse
Sean Fadula, lacrosse
Joe Henry, lacrosse
Tim Ott, lacrosse
Marissa Perez, field hockey
Caitlyn McKeown, field hockey
Lisa English, volleyball
Kate Kutchera, voleyball
Kieran Hennessy, cross country, indoor track
Criag Gonzaga, cross country
Kelly Clavin, cross country
Sue Whitqworth, cross country
Joanna Shen, cross country
Leon Wormley, indoor track, track and field
Ben Badilla, indoor track
Rick Berrall, indoor track, track and field
Tamisha Thomas, indoor track, track and field
Deirdra O'Leary, indoor track, track and field
Alyssa Hanley, indoor track
Dorcas Sovgui, indoor track
Alyssa Hanley, indoor track
Andrew DeSanto, track and field

Good luck grads

2009-06-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

I graduated from high school on June 7, 2001 -- my 18th birthday. It was very fitting to make the transition from high school into what I thought was the "real world" on the day I legally became an adult.

I'm an extremely emotional person, but I didn't shed a tear at graduation; not even after my Prendie classmates, some of whom I haven't seen since, serenaded me with "Happy Birthday" before the ceremony began. I guess it's because I knew I had a lot to look forward to. Although it was hard to say gooodbye to the comforts of high school life, I was confident there was more for me to experience. So I walked forward, diploma in hand, and never looked back.

To read about the extraordinary accomplishments of the Class of 2009, read today's CS&T.

A few good men

2009-05-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

This week's sport section features an article titled "Bonner baseball team learns winning isn't everything" by CS&T columnist John Knebels. He writes about the Friars participation in community service throughout the season and specifically describes their service project last Saturday at Don Guanella School. The school, run by archdiocesan Catholic Social Services, provides residential and rehabilitative services for boys ages 6-21 with developmental disabilites.

Accompanying the story are several touching photos taken by our staff photographer Sarah Webb. Upon seeing these photos for the first time, tears filled my eyes. These high school boys, who could be doing anything else on a Saturday, spent their afternoon playing softball with the DG boys. The genuine happiness in the Bonner boys' eyes is captured in every photo, not to mention the sheer joy displayed by the DG boys.

This experience, like any playoff win or memorable game, will stay with the Bonner boys for a lifetime. Their coach, Joe DeBarberie, and community service coordinator Trish Phillips, should be commended for remembering that winning isn't everything, and that much is to be learned off the field.

To browse the photo gallery or purchase photos from this special day, clicke HERE.

To read the story, click HERE.

Remembering 'The Voice'

2009-04-17T12:20:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately for Philadelphians, this week got off to a rough start after it was announced that legendary broadcaster Harry Kalas suddenly passed away Monday afternoon in D.C. Harry the K , whose smooth, baritone voice was a fixture in living rooms, pick-up trucks and corner bars around the area, was found in the place that brought him decades of happiness -- the broadcast booth. Talk about a way to go ...

I can't think of much more to say that hasn't already been said about him. Borrowing words from countless articles and interviews that have surfaced this past week, the soundtrack to my summers is silenced and the voice of the Phils is gone. I'll never turn on a Phillies' game again without hearing his voice in my head.

I'm lucky to say that I did watch his last broadcast on Easter Sunday and was able to hear his last home run call when Matt Stairs hit one "outta here" in the ninth inning. I actually feel bad because my 7 year-old twin nephews, who recently became obsessed with all things Phillies, were jumping around and screaming with joy after the homer. I told them to cool it, that it wasn't the playoffs and that there's 150+ games to go this season.

Harry wouldn't have liked that to hear that, since he called every game with the same amount of enthusiam and passion, whether we were down by 5 or winning by 10, whether it was April or October. Things like this make you realize what we take for granted, and I vow never to quiet down a home run celebration again.

Along with the endless success hall-of-famer Harry Kalas had as a broadcaster, it's heartwarming to hear the memories those in the Delaware Valley and beyond have about him that occurred off the baseball diamond and outside the booth. Harry was truly a good man who had a real connection with us Philadelphia fans. Lots of sports media criticize us, Harry understood us.

Rest in peace, Harry. I'm sure you'll be looking down, calling the game with Whitey tonight. And I'm sure all of us will hear you in our hearts.

Vote for Philly's own Sister Mary Scullion!

2009-04-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

Sister Mary Scullion, R.S.M., is nominated for Time Magazine's Top 100 Most Influential People.
VOTE HERE!

Sister Mary, 55, is co-founder of Project H.O.M.E., a homeless shelter in Philadlephia. According to its web site,

"The mission of the Project H.O.M.E. community is to empower adults, children, and families to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty, to alleviate the underlying causes of poverty, and to enable all of us to attain our fullest potential as individuals and as members of the broader society. We strive to create a safe and respectful environment where we support each other in our struggles for self-esteem, recovery, and the confidence to move toward self-actualization.

"We believe that all persons are entitled to decent, affordable housing and access to quality education, employment, and health care. "

Treating all people with respect and kindness was at the forefront of Jesus' mission. Sister Mary is surley living as a servant and disciple of Christ though her dedication to Project H.O.M.E.

Please, make sure to vote!

Carroll wins two state titles for PCL!

2009-03-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Archbishop Carroll's girls AND boys basketball teams!!! Both the boys and girls won the PIAA Class AAA titles in their respective divisions.

The boys beat Greensburg Salem 75-54 March 20.
The girls beat Lampeter-Strasburg 68-45 March 21.

Being our first year in the PIAA, this is the first time a Philadelphia Catholic League team has won a state title in any sport!

A parade will take place today on the school's campus in Radnor to celebrate this amazing achievement!

Three CL teams make it to state finals!

2009-03-19T12:54:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Cardinal O'Hara's girls and Archbishop Carroll's boys and girls basketball teams! They will be playing in the PIAA state finals this weekend in their respective divisions. Good luck!

All games will be played at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center in University Park. Here's the schedule:

AAAA Girls Basketball Championship
Friday, March 20, 6 p.m.
Cardinal O'Hara vs. Mt. Lebanon HS

AAA Girls Basketball Championship
Friday, March 20, 6 p.m.
Archbishop Carroll vs. Lampeter-Strasburg HS

AAA Boys Basketball Championship
Saturday, March 21, 8 p.m.
Archbishop Carroll vs. Greensburg Salem HS

PIAA Quarterfinals

2009-03-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

A few PCL and local Catholic teams are still in the hunt for a state basketball title. Here's the schedule for this weekend's quartfinals.

Tonight

AAA Boys
Neumann-Goretti vs. Carroll at Ryan, 7 p.m.
Holy Ghost Prep vs. Hampton at Shippensburg University, 7 p.m.

AAAA Girls
O'Hara vs. Lower Merion at Spring Ford High School, 7:30 p.m.

Tomorrow

AAA Girls
Carroll vs. Mount St. Joe's at Villanova, 5 p.m.

High School March Madness

2009-03-06T12:12:00.000-08:00

It's time for the PIAA basketball tourney! Round one for both girls' and boys' teams starts this weekend. We had two of our PCL football teams make it to the state championship in their respective divisions this past December, and things are looking good for our basketball teams as well! Below is info for round one featuring all PCL and local Catholic squads. Find out more about upcoming games on the PIAA web site.

Saturday, March 7
Boys AA
West Catholic vs. Salisbury @ Bonner, 2:30
Saint Pius X vs. Dunmore @ Wissahickon HS, 1:00
North Catholic vs. Penns Valley @ Gateway HS (Monroeville) 1:30

Friday, March 6
Boys AAA
Neumann-Goretti vs. Steelton-Highspire @ Southern, 8:00
Archbishop Carroll vs. Phoenixville @ Norristown HS, 7:30
Holy Ghost Prep vs. Wyomissing @ Gov. Mifflin, 8:00

Saturday, March 7
Boys AAAA
Roman Catholic vs. Central Bucks South @ Ryan, 2:30

Friday, March 6
Girls AA
Kennedy-Kenrick vs. Notre Dame (Allentown) @ Bonner, 6:30
St. Pius X vs. Mid Valley @ Spring Ford HS, 6:00

Saturday, March 7
Girls AAA
Arhcbishop Carroll vs. West York @ Bonner, 1:00
Mount St. Joseph vs. Archbishop Wood @ Norristown HS, 1:00
Villa Maria vs. Lampeter-Strasburg @ Garden Spot HS (New Holland) 2:30

Friday, March 6
Girls AAAA
Cardinal O'Hara vs. Council Rock North @ Bonner, 8:00
Archbishop Ryan vs. Downingtown West @ Norristown HS, 6:00

Cheers to you

2009-02-27T11:48:00.000-08:00

As a former cheerleader, I'm happy to say there's lots going on in the Archdiocese regarding cheerleading.

Congrats go out to Father Judge's cheerleaders who took second place at the 2009 UCA High School Nationals which took place a couple weeks ago in Florida. They competed in the super varsity division, as did Archbishop Ryan. Cardinal O'Hara also competed in the competition in the large varsity division.

Check out their routines HERE. Performances are listed by squad in alphabetical order.

The All-Catholic Cheerleading Competition will be held March 8 at noon at Archbishop Carroll. High school squads from throughout the Archdiocese will compete.

Lastly, I'd like to mention Cardinal Dougherty's cheerleaders. On Feb. 26, before departing for the All-Star Cheer & Dance Competition held in Walt Disney World, the team of 22 wore special shirts they created in support of the Philadelphia Police Department. And, in honor of the recent tragedy of fallen Philadelphia Police Officer John Pawlowski, the young women are dedicating this special competition to those police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. What a nice gesture. Good luck girls!

Good Sportsmanship

2009-02-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

Amid all the bad news that is so effortlessly accessible, it's always nice to see a good story; something heartwarming that makes you restore just a little bit of hope in society.

My boyfriend says he doesn't watch the news because "it's too depressing." And although he sometimes isn't up to speed on current events, I don't blame him.

Below is a story he would appreciate, however, as would anyone who sees joy in the little things in life and finds a deeper meaning in random acts of kindess.

This Associated Press article tells the story of a high school basketball team that truly exemplified good sportsmanship. Yes, good sportsmanship, a phrase we hardly hear anymore. There's nothing about steroids or contracts or trade deadlines or egos, just some basketball players and their coach who chose to do the right thing, even it just meant missing two freethrows.

Read the story here.

Local collegiate committments

2009-02-06T10:22:00.000-08:00

Wednesday was National Letter of Intent Day. Below is a list of some archdiocesan athletes who will go on to compete at the collegiate level. As a Penn Stater, I am happy to see that at least two will be spending their next four (or so) years in Happy Valley!

Congratulations to all of the athletes in our Archdiocese who have received athletic scholarships. I know there are many more out there, and I hope to mention all of them in the CS&T before the class of 2009 graduates.

Until then, here are a few. All will play football, unless otherwise noted.

St. Joe’s Prep
Mark Giubilato - Temple
Mike Yeager - Colgate
Andy Marshalick - James Madison
Mike Pinciotti - Penn
Mark Arcidiacono - Penn State
Dan Casey - Brown

Roman Catholic
Tahir Basil - Lafayette
Kasseim Everett - Delaware

Archbishop Wood
Adam Citko - Delaware

Neumann-Goretti
Kadeem Custis - Temple

West Catholic
Curtis Drake - Penn State
Raymond Maples - Army
Chris Williams - Central Connecticut State

Malvern Prep
Joe Price - Villanova
Rob McCabe - Georgetown
CJ Mooney - Penn
Matt Clary - Penn *baseball*
Tim Cooney - Wake Forest *baseball*
Chris Gosik - East Carolina *baseball*
Mike Lubanski - Wake Forest *baseball*

Cardinal O’Hara
Tom Savage - Rutgers
Billy Morgan - Hofstra

Father Judge
Ryan Langdon - Delaware State
Tom Ryan - Towson
Adam Nowak - Stony Brook

Archbishop Carroll
Jack Lowney - Old Dominion
Luke Wischnowski - Sacred Heart

Lansdale Catholic
John Howell - Navy
Al Augustine - Florida State *swimming*

Cardinal Dougherty
Towanda Sutton - Rhode Island *basketball*

St. Basil’s Academy
Amanda Bachmann - Drexel *softball*
Kelli Lyons - Townsend *softball*
Dana Wright - Kutztown *volleyball*

A Real Winner

2009-01-29T11:23:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago my sister-in-law forwarded me the article below about Phillies' pitcher Jamie Moyer and his family. Over Christmas, the World Series ace, his wife and seven children traveled to Guatemala, the place where they adopted his youngest daughter, Yennifer, from.

Moyer's down-to-earth personality has already made the hometown boy a fan favorite. But his dedication and desire to give back display qualities that reach out to people beyond the baseball world.

It's a shame we don't see more stories like Moyer's in the sports pages.

Read the article by ESPN's Buster Olney here.

A New Era

2009-01-21T13:44:00.000-08:00

44th President of the United States of America Barack Obama began his first day on the job today, 144 years after slavery was abolished, decades after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed and six days after what would have been Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 80th birthday.

I am hopeful for President Obama as he leads our country into the future, and I pray that he is guided by God to make faith-filled decisions which will truly benefit the integrity of all people in this great country and beyond.

Below is an excerpt from President Obama’s inaugural speech which marked this historic event.

“…For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny…”

Divine Intervention? :)

2009-01-15T12:55:00.000-08:00

How God helps two brothers choose where to play football

2009-01-09T07:51:00.000-08:00

Below is a link to an interesting article I read on Sports Illustrated's web site. It tells the story of Arthur Brown Jr., now a linebacker at Miami, and his brother, Bryce, a senior at Wichita East High School in Kansas. Arthur was offered several D-1 football scholarships before choosing Miami, and now Bryce is in the same situation. The article explains what each brother took into account while making his descion.

Nowadays, college recruiters pull out all the bells and whistles for top athletic prospects. These high schools seniors get VIP treatment during their recruiting trips, following around the university's star players who are usually treated as kings on campus. Coaches and players even travel to the prospects' hometowns to woo them with what their programs have to offer.

I'm sure it's easy to get caught up in all of this. At 18, I know I would have. I think if Joe Paterno showed up my door today and asked me to shine his shoes I would! Let alone play for him.

Amidst all of the recruiting hoopla, the Brown brothers took a different approach in making their decisions. As Arthur stated in a letter to his mother before making his final decision, "I left it in His hands."

And now, as younger brother Bryce's decision process comes to fruition, he simply states, "I'm not going to be swayed by the nicest stadium and Miami's promising future. I just want God's will to be done."

Click here to read the full article by Kevin Armstrong.

Should old acquaintance be forgot...

2008-12-31T11:27:00.000-08:00

As we ring in the new year at midnight, let's not forget what we've experience over the past year. For a great review of 2008's Church happenings, look in tomorrow's issue of the CS&T.

We've had a lot going on at every level - locally, nationally and internationally. Always the optimist, I'm going to remember the good things the most - two Catholic League teams making it to the state football championship for the first time ever and, of course, two words - THE PHILS.

Happy new year! May we all get through 2009 with God's help.

Let go, let God

2008-12-17T12:05:00.000-08:00

As most of you may know, both of our Catholic League football teams that made it to the state finals, Archbishop Wood and West Catholic, weren't able to capture the titles of their respective AAA and AA divisions. Although the state championship slipped out of reach for both teams, I'd like to personally congratulate the players and coaches who accomplished so much this season. They should be extremely proud. They proved that Catholic League football teams can compete with the best in the state and, most importantly, they respectfully represented the Catholic League with confidence and sportsmanship.

I'm sure many of the players are having a hard time accepting that their season is over. Wood's 34-6 loss put them the Vikings in a situation they were unfamiliar with - playing catch up. And West's heartbreaking 35-34 double overtime loss landed the Burrs in strange territory as well - playing with a team that caught up to them.

Some people don't like to link God with sports. They think He has more important things to worry about, and sometimes I agree. But I'm sure every player, parent and coach has prayed all season. And I'm sure God has heard those prayers.

As with many things in life, we are quick to ask Him "why?" Some of the players on each team have probably thought: 'But we worked so hard all season, why?' 'We deserved it, why not us?' 'Why couldn't we only score those two points?' I know as soon as I found out the unfortunate news I, too, looked up with a frown and asked "why?"

After experiencing a loss - a loved one, a job, a home, a football game - we should react the same, no matter the scope. We should try to move on and realize that God has a master plan for all of us, even when things don't go our way. Dwelling on an outcome that cannot be changed does nothing. It's what we learn from it that can truly benefit us in the long run.

Although it was not in God's master plan to have our two Catholic league teams win the 2008 state football championships, I'm sure, years from now, kids on either team will have realized why.

Below is a prayer I have read hundreds of times throughout my life, many times without grasping the true meaning of it.

"Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Hopefully, the teams representing Wood and West will remember this past season with a sense of pride but also move on and face the future with newfound wisdom and understanding.

Friday Night Lights

2008-12-05T13:09:00.000-08:00

No, not the movie, or the tv show for that matter. It's our very own Archbishop Wood and West Catholic squads! Tonight, Wood and West play in the state semi-finals, each in their respective divisions.

Class AA West will battle Lancaster Catholic at Northeast HS field.
Class AAA Wood will travel a little further to face Selinsgrove in Hershey.
Both games are at 7 p.m.

Let's wish our teams luck. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia could be home to not one, but two, state champs. I won't get ahead of myself here, but it's nice to think positively!

Let's go Wood and West!

Thanksgiving Day Football

2008-11-26T07:48:00.001-08:00

For a lot of Americans, football and Thanksgiving go together just like turkey and stuffing. In Philadelphia, annual Thanksgiving Day rivalry games go back as far as 1892 (Central vs. Northeast) and new rivalry games spring up every year (Malvern Prep vs. St. Joe's Prep).

In both the city and the suburbs, many high school games feature public vs. Catholic schools; the whole community walks over to the field before the turkey feast and cheers on the sidelines. What a great way to kick off our American holiday!

Here's a list of some Catholic League games going on in the area and the year they originated.

Tonight
Bonner vs. Carroll @ Radnor, 7:30

Thanksgiving Day
(1928) North @ Frankford, 9:45
(1975) Judge @ Lincoln, 10
(1965) St. Pius X @ Pottsgrove, 10
(1963) Conwell-Egan @ Truman, 10
(1972) Roman @ Roxborough, 10:30
(1934) Neumann-Goretti @ Southern, 10:30
(2007) St. Joe's Prep vs. Malvern Prep @ Villanova, 10:30

Hope you get your local football fix! Happy Thanksgiving!

Catholic League Football: West and Wood in state quarterfinals

2008-11-24T10:33:00.000-08:00

Congratulations go out to West Catholic as they crushed Palisades 63-20 this past Saturday in round one of state play. They will play in the AA state quarterfinals on Friday at 7 p.m. at Northeast H.S. Will they continue to blow away their competitors? Let's hope so!

In the Class AAA quaterfinals, Archbishop Wood will face Bayard Rustin on Friday at 7 p.m. at Plymouth Whitemarsh H.S.

Also, let's congratulate Cinderella-esque La Salle after a tough loss to Washington for the City title.

Considering this is the FIRST YEAR that the Catholic League has been a member of the PIAA, we should be very proud of our athletes as they continue to prove themselves as worthy opponents!

I heart Phila.

2008-11-14T12:16:00.000-08:00

We've all heard out-of-towners trash our city - It's dirty! The people there are so rude! It's not as cool as New York! And I'm sure you've heard some variation of the joke - Philly's so crummy, even its main attraction has a crack in it.

Well, twice this week I realized how lucky I am to be from this great city and stopped to appreciate what it has to offer.

On Monday I had to report for Federal jury duty (sigh). It was a day spent doing absolutely nothing, however, on one of my "breaks" I sat in front of the Courthouse at 6th and Market and stared across the street... at the Liberty Bell. I watched dozens of buses unload hundreds of eager school kids from the tri-state area who lined up and anxiously awaited their turn to get a glimpse of the 259-year-old historical treasure. I'd seen the Bell many times as a kid and even walked by it daily while working in the area, but it wasn't until I had a break from miserable jury duty that I realized how proud I was to be a Philadelphian. It was one of those moments that made me truly appreciate my surroundings and smile.

Several city blocks away from the Liberty Bell is my office at the archdiocesan building at 17th and Race Streets. Yesterday, I spent part of my lunch break attending 12:35 Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. Talk about another well-spent break. Having the option to attend Mass throughout the day is a luxury, let alone attend Mass at the mother Church of our Archdiocese. Again, it took a tourist to make me see this. While Mass was being celebrated, I noticed a flash in the corner of my eye. I turned around to see someone in the back taking pictures of the magnificent Cathedral. I couldn't help but smile yet again and I thought to myself, 'Wow, this is pretty cool.'

Definitely beats the food court.

"There is no leisure about politics." - St. Thomas Aquinas

2008-11-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

The country has spoken and we have a new president. Whether you voted for Senator Obama or not, I think we all realize that he has a lot of work ahead of him. Amidst the election hoopla, which will go down in the history books, I think people forget how incredibly difficult a job it is to be president of the United States. I often wonder, why would anyone even want that job in the first place? Who really wants to attempt to please 305 + million people?
Well, Senator Obama does.
And no matter your party affiliation or stance on our new president, we should all look forward and truly live up to our name - the UNITED States of America. Let's not be hypocrites here. We are privileged enough to live in this country and vote. The least we can do is respect the man that's going to be in charge and hope and pray for the best.

Pheelin Phine

2008-10-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

The wait is over!!!!! The Philadelphia Phillies have won the World Series for the second time in their history!!

I got a text last night from a friend who grew up outside Boston. He's had his share of championships. His message:

"Congrats. Philly finally gets a ring...Live it up. It's a great feeling."

I think I'll do just that!

The Waiting Game

2008-10-29T12:45:00.000-07:00

They say patience is a virtue.

And now, more than ever, I agree. The past two days have made me feel like I was in high school again... in eighth period... on the last day of school before summer vacation. It's hard to think about anything but what lies ahead.

Bud Selig and controversy aside, I can't imagine how the Phillies and Rays feel right now, being stuck in a 2-day mid-inning hiatus. Whether it should have gotten to this point in the first place is irrelevant. The fact of the matter is that the Phils have to pick up where they left off in a game that was stopped over 40 hours ago and, hopefully, win the World Series.

The Fightins'

2008-10-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

Today, as the Phillies embark on game 1 of the World Series I, like many Philadelphians, feel sick. I woke up with that nauseous/anxious feeling, and it probably won't go away until I'm at a parade on Broad Street.

Until then, here are some photos of students from the around the Archdiocese who have Phils' phever. Thanks to the following schools for sending in pics!

St. Laurence, Highland Park
St. James, Elkins Park
St. Monica, Philadelphia
Our Lady of Victory, East Norriton
Our Lady of Consolation, Philadelphia
Norwood-Fontbonne Academy, Philadelphia
Devon Prep, Devon
Cardinal Dougherty Philadelphia

Let's go Phils!

FIRST POST!

2008-10-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

About Me

I was born and raised in the Overbook section of Philadelphia. After 18 years, 13 of which spent in Catholic school, I ventured far west to State College, Pa., to attend Penn State University. Somehow, the best four years of my life were suddenly over. I had a journalism degree in my hand and was ready (or had no choice) to face the real world. After a few stints here and there, I found myself at the Catholic Standard & Times, the same paper I eagerly paged through as a child, hoping to indentify at least one face.

My intention for this blog is to post and high light the “Good News.” Much of it will revolve around sports and athletes in our Archdiocese. Some of it may deal with current events, some may be completely random. But no matter the topic, there will undoubtedly be major reminiscing going on about the childhood, upbringing and life experiences I am so fortunate to have had.

The Name

Why school yard stories? When thinking back to grade school, it’s safe to say, a lot happened on the school yard. We could speak louder (my forte), run faster and just be ourselves.

While most of my school yard memories are happy and involve things like kickball and parish carnivals, some take me back to my first taste of clicks and gossip, or my first real “fight” with a friend. Others remind me of what it’s like to stand outside and pray with 250 people, proudly displaying our Catholic faith to those who passed by. And others still make me laugh out loud. (Ms. D dropping the bell on my classmate’s head to be discussed at a later date.)

Hopefully, this blog will not only let me talk about myself but, more importantly, about the great things going on in our Archdiocese! (Note: they don’t have to take place in the school yard.)