2013 was a memorable year for Saint Ignatius High School marked no less by what is gone then what is new. This was the year of the logo controversy, Wifi-Gate, the Class Competition, the summer reading overhaul and the new rugby team, a year crammed with change. We elected President Zupan, beat Ed’s, and brought in the largest freshman class in history.
In the realm of athletics, 2013 was no exception to the consistent strength of the Wildcats. They regularly managed to place among the highest ranked teams in the state. The biggest sporting event of the year, the Ed’s vs. Ignatius football game, ended with a big “W” for the Wildcats, while the soccer ‘Cat’s season came to a heartbreaking end with a loss to the Eagles on a penalty kick in the district finals. 2013 also saw the introduction of rugby as a varsity sport. This was no “rebuilding year” – Wildcat athletics remained strong as ever.
In May, Saint Ignatius experienced the inaugural class competition day, the culmination of the year-long game. The brainchild of Mr. Hess and Student Senate, the class competition day was filled with a myriad of activities ranging from Seinfeld Trivia to teacher impersonations. And it received overwhelming praise from students.
“It was a great way to wind down the year with a great field day, and I look forward to it in 2014,” said Connor Schumacher ’15.
Over in the Breen Center, a production of The Wizard of Oz graced the stage in the spring as the traditional spring musical, while this fall witnessed the production of the comedic play The Foreigner. Both productions were highly favored by students, faculty, and other guests alike.
But the year was not free from conflict, as the Wifi-Gate saga reached its inevitable conclusion. Some students had been illicitly using the faculty network for better wi-fi. Mrs. Streen, who spearheaded the BYOT program, publicly reprimanded offenders and took penal measures. As a result, there was a noticeable backlash by many students, with many claiming that Mrs. Streen overreacted.
“The threat of expulsion made what was already a laughable offense comic,” said Sami Petros ‘14. ‘“Nobody was going to get kicked out for wanting to check their Facebook at school and I think we knew that.”
This summer, students experienced a new variant of the infamous practice of summer reading. In previous years, students were required to read pre-chosen books; however, with Mr. Bradesca at the helm, students were permitted to choose a book and then would discuss it with small groups.
“I probably didn’t have to read the book, but I did,” said Tyler Delhees ’14, who said he enjoyed the free-wheeling discussion in his book group with Mr. Buzzelli.
At the end of the 2012-2013 school year, Saint Ignatius once again said goodbye to a group of old friends. A few staff members left Saint Ignatius along with the graduating senior class, who, with the help of the college counseling, matriculated to their respective colleges.
Despite losing some familiar faces, in August at the Mass of the Holy Spirit St. Ignatius welcomed the class of 2017 and new faculty members, such as Mr. Masterson and Miss Rose
After one year at the helm of the school, Mr. Bradesca says he thinks he can call the year a success.
“I miss the classroom, but the challenges of this new job are equally rewarding,” Bradesca said. “My first full year as Principal was an eye-opening, rewarding experience.”
Its that time of year again. Time to sit by the fire with someone you tolerate, while visions of sugarplums dance in your head. What are sugarplums? I don’t know. They’re probably some sort of vision when one drinks a few too many glasses of eggnog. But that’s besides the point. The important thing is, you’ve become lucky in love because of the Yuletide wisdom of resident Love Guru, Joe “The Real CYO Joe” Latkovich. Nobody’s getting coal in their stockings this year. ‘Tis the season to be merry, Saint Ignatius!
Hey Joe, as you know I am constantly being bombarded by the female species (most likely due to my enormous biceps, thanks to the teachings of Mr. Eynon). Although this is quite a luxury to have, the abundance of girlfriends I [have] does not suit well for my wallet. During this Christmas season, I was wondering if you had any cheap-gift/easy money making ideas for me so I can please my ladies as best as possible. Thanks. – Austin Gilner ‘16
The optimal gift to give a woman this Christmas is letting her stare into your eyes. She will become entranced, giving you the chance to go back to the kettlebells. In the end, you don’t spend any money, and you get to converse about a cat named Bigglesworth with Mr. Eynon.
Is buying her a gift tacky? -Vinny Camma ‘17
‘Tacky’? More like ‘insulting.’ In ancient Roman times, the Sigillaria was a day of gift-giving during the Saturnalia. The less the gift cost, the more it spoke to the high quality of the relationship. This translates into modern times with the idea that you shouldn’t offend your girlfriend by getting her an expensive gift. At least, Mr. Murphy tried using this logic once to get out of getting his wife a gift for Valentine’s Day.
How do I break the news to my parents that I am dating a fictional character? They’ve been trying to set me up with multiple women for some time now and it’s getting irritating. Is there any way to tell them without losing their respect? -Anonymous
You’re dating a fictional character? By “fictional character”, do you mean that you’re dating Lady Rainicorn? It seems that you’re having hallucinations. I recommend that you see a doctor right away and lay off the eggnog and sugar plums for a while.
This girl on Facebook friend requested me the other day and even messaged me right after! She is super attractive based on the 2 pictures she has. Her message wanted me to give her some personal information, but I was thrown off by her lack of friends (she only has 7 and all are middle aged bearded men). If this really is her I would be hitting the jackpot but I need to know for sure. Help me Love Guru. You’re my only hope. -Richard Kraay ‘14
It’s a trap. Take evasive action. Your Facebook can’t repel “girls” of that magnitude.
I am a tall, dark, and handsome man, and my ex-girlfriend used to love that about me. But, since we’ve broke up, she’s taken interest in another tall, dark, and handsome man. I cannot seem to compete. Even worse, this new guy used to give me rides home and now refuses to drive me home now because I’m a “mooch.” The only hope I have is that this “new guy” has what looks like a dead squirrel hanging on his face (or at least until Lumberjack day). Love Guru, I need you, more than ever. Please help. -Paden Nagle ‘14
His power comes from his beard. Much like the Biblical story of Samson’s strength coming from his hair, this new man’s attractiveness comes from the dead squirrel on his face. As soon as the dress code returns to normal and he has to shave, his majestic allure will be nullified, and you can make an attempt to win her back.
I have recently been courting a fine young lady by the name of Stacy. Everything seemed to be going fine until I met her mother. Her mom is awesome, a great cook, very nice, a courteous and pleasant lady all around. I could go on and on, I mean she’s really got it going on. I’m afraid that Stacy can’t see that she’s just not the girl for me. I mean I know it might be wrong but I’m in love with Stacy’s mom. What should I do Love Guru? Are there any soothing songs I could send Stacy’s way? Please help. -Aedan Mangan ’14
Pump the brakes. If you want to court a woman old enough to be your mother, then the only song that comes to mind is “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash.
How has Santa kept the flame burning with Mrs. Claus all these years? -Anonymous
Just imagine that you’re up on the North Pole with a thousand little elves that sing songs and bug you all day. The only thing you’d want is to just interact with a regular human. Since Mrs. Claus is the only other human up there, he craves her presence, much in the same way that David Sinclair ‘14 craves the presence of his former girlfriend, since she’s the only one who understands his, um, unique brain.
Would you recommend that a young man follow every girl in Northeastern Ohio on Twitter as a means of increasing the size of the metaphorical net he is throwing out to catch the right fish in that big sea? -Brian “The Wingspan” Callahan ‘14
Let me quote Dan Bova ‘14 to answer that question for you: “and Dan can’t stop, and Dan won’t stop.”
Hey Joe I am wondering if I can tell girls about my tremendous amount of Instagram followers as a means of attracting the ladies. I have almost 100. Keep up to good work. -Phu “Please Leave My Last Name Anonymous Because I’m Definitely Not the Only Person in the School with the First Name ‘Phu’”
It is very possible to charm the ladies by telling them about the exorbitantly large amount of Instagram followers you have. Unfortunately, 100 isn’t that many. I recommend that you check out instafollowerz.com where you can buy 50,000 Instagram followers for the low price of $284.00 USD.
I previously posted an article detailing the Indians’ potential acquisition of relief pitcher John Axford. Since the publication of that post, Axford has been signed to a 1 year, $4.5 million deal with an additional $1.75 million in incentives. Axford, as mentioned before, posted 46 saves and a 1.95 ERA for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011 before losing the handles on the closer job in 2012 and being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals this past season. While he said he doesn’t like to make excuses, he attributed some of his struggles last season to pitching in the World Baseball Classic, as he went through what seemed to be a “dead arm” period with a drop in velocity following the WBC. He was able to right the ship to an extent, though, as he put up a 2.92 ERA in his final 71 appearances with the Brewers and Cardinals combined.
I like this move for a couple reasons. First of all, Axford has shown that he has what it takes to be a good closer in this league. Sure, he’s had his share of struggles in the past couple years, but he seems to have made great strides down the stretch this past year, and he appears to be very excited to join the Tribe. I think he’s in a good place in terms of both his ability and his mentality. The second reason is Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway. Last season, Callaway worked wonders with guys like Ubaldo Jimenez and Scott Kazmir, who seemed to be long shots to ever regain form as quality starting pitchers. At the beginning of the season, Ubaldo was in danger of being cut from the team on account of how far he had fallen and Kazmir was going into his first season in the MLB since 2009. In the end, both made incredible turnarounds, as Ubaldo went 13-9 with a 3.30 ERA and Kazmir went 10-9 with a 4.04 ERA. Based on his success with those two guys, I’m very hopeful that Callaway can help Axford complete his return to form. This signing could be a steal for the Tribe.
On Tuesday, December 17, vendors from two fair trade organizations, comprising of the InterReligious Task Force on Central America (IRTF) and the Amani Children’s Foundation, visited Ignatius. The goal of the vendors was not only to sell Christmas gifts, but also to spread their mission. “One of the goals of this organization is to promote economic justice through fair trade,” said one of the vendors from the IRTF.
The IRTF has a special connection to the Cleveland area because it was founded in response to the murder of two Cleveland missionaries who were doing service work in El Salvador. The IRTF was created in an attempt to carry out the work of these missionaries: to support oppressed workers in their struggle for fair treatment. To fulfill this mission, the organization has become the leader of the fair trade movement in Northeast Ohio. “Shoppers can now visit nine fair trade stores in the Cleveland area [one is blocks away from Ignatius] in addition to grocery stores that carry fair trade products.”
The Amani Children’s Foundation strives to care for abandoned babies in Africa with money raised from bead sales. The beads are crafted by Kenyan women being paid fair wages and then made into jewelry by volunteer workers. Since 1993, 1400 abandoned infants have been cared for through the organization.
In choosing to participate in the “Just” Christmas Shopping Experience, students and faculty affirmed their support for international fair wages; they chose to pay slightly higher prices so that hardworking producers in 3rd world countries get the pay and working conditions they rightfully earned.
Nick Gajkowski ‘14, a mainstay on both the varsity Hockey and Rugby Teams talked with Eye Sports Editor Patrick McGuire ‘14 about the process of competing for two varsity sports, his teams’ recent success, and, of course, his infamous “Bone Saw” nickname. Nick has played hockey for Saint Ignatius for two years and rugby for one as well as a year in the Warrior Rugby program. Hailed as a menacing presence on the ice and a force on the pitch, Gajkowski earned himself a nickname that has stuck with him here at Wildcat High.
Q: Nick, you’re competing for Saint Ignatius on both the varsity Hockey and Rugby teams, what is it like to be able to play for your classmates on two teams?
A: It’s really a blessing to be able to represent my school on two varsity sports teams. I enjoy giving it my all to help my team win both on the ice and the pitch. I love that I’ve had the opportunity to call both the players on the hockey and rugby teams my teammates. They’re two really great groups of guys, and I’m lucky to call them my teammates, friends, and brothers.
Q: How long have you been playing Hockey and Rugby? Do you find it difficult to perform both sports at a high level?
A: It may be a little hard to believe, but I began playing hockey when I was 3 years old. I fell in love with the game from the moment I stepped onto the ice. Rugby, on the other hand, was different in that I only picked it up during my freshman year. It seemed like a really cool sport when I watched my brother play, and I liked the idea of getting to run around and hit people, so I decided to join the squad.
It is a little difficult to play both sports at the varsity level, but it’s definitely rewarding. Most of the difficulty comes because of the slight overlapping of seasons. Because of the success of the varsity hockey team the past two years, I have had to miss quite a few rugby practices. Last year I believe I only had 3 or 4 practices with the team before heading down to our tournament in Columbus, where we played last years national champions as well as other great competition.
The quick transition from hockey to rugby is also a bit tough to make physically. Though skating and running may seem very similar, they work your legs in pretty different ways. It makes the first few weeks of running tough. I’m not too special though, I bet the hockey players that play lacrosse go through the same thing.
Q: Do you find any similarities between your roles in both Hockey and Rugby?
A: II think because I’ve played defense for my whole hockey career, I’m very defensive-minded, which has translated into rugby, where I am a little more of a defensive player than offensive. Also, I have learned from hockey to be a smart player. Despite my nickname, I’m not really a reckless player in either sport. I play my position and do the smart thing, which I think that’s how I serve my team best.
Q: You have become a fan favorite for your chippy play on the ice, how does that feel?
A: That’s the part of this whole “Bone Saw” thing that I find strange. I’m not much of a chippy player, at least that I’m aware of. Regardless, it feels absolutely amazing to hear the student section chant “Bone Saw” during games. I love every second of it. The whole team really appreciates when students come to cheer us on, so please keep it up. I promise we won’t disappoint; we have a very talented and hard-hitting team this year.
Q: How did you get the “Bone Saw” nickname? Do you even know?
A: Well, I at least have an idea of how it started. It was during a home game last year at Brooklyn the first time the chant was started. Jason Augustine started the chant, but I’m not really too sure what his inspiration was for it. I think that would be a good thing to ask him about, and we could finally get to the bottom of this. Maybe he had just watched the classic Spiderman flick the night before with a couple honeys.
Q: Does the “Bone Saw” nickname reflect your hard-nosed style of hockey?
A: Not exactly. Though I’m not as soft as all my friends would be eager to tell you, I don’t really go out of my way to hit people. More often than not, I wait for opportunities to come to me. The only real similarity between me and Bonesaw that I can think of would have to be muscle mass. I think I have him beat by a little though. But in all seriousness, I can’t help but think this nickname would better suit someone like Kevin Spellacy. The kid is an animal on the ice. Luckily he already has a nickname, “Dozer”, or else “Bonesaw” might have another identity on the Saint Ignatius hockey team.
At the most recent winter sports rally, Pat O’Rourke, head coach of the Saint Ignatius Hockey team, uttered the controversial yet confident words ”We’re gonna win states.”
These words represent the hard work and dedication that a well-coached hockey team is ready to deliver to Wildcat High. The 2013-2014 Wildcat hockey team showcases yet another strong team for coach O’Rourke. From top to bottom, Saint Ignatius has a hard-nosed and tough type of hockey. The ‘Cats feature four strong and fast lines that can allow the Wildcats to make a run deep in the playoffs.
Coach O’Rourke can rely on the athletic and fast-paced first line players of Ethan Whitney, Matty Geither, and Aidan Spellacy as well as Seniors of 2nd and 3rd lines like Beck Schultz and Brian FitzGerald. The 2013-2014 also have stifling defense which, as the saying goes, wins championships. In the defensive zone, Nick “Bone Saw” Gajkowski and Kevin Spellacy as well as the pair of Riley Ellis and Logan Sellers present strong senior leadership for the young sophomore goalies, Wes Deacon and Dylan McKeon.
As coach Pat O’Rourke can see, this Wildcat hockey team has a perfect balance of speed and defense, upper and underclassmen. Look for the Wildcat hockey team, with their own brand of hard-hitting and fast-paced hockey, to compete deep into the OHSAA playoffs and compete for another state championship.
Week 1 of the 2013-2014 CYO campaign has come and gone, and with it some squads have gotten off to an ideal start this year while others find themselves in an early hole. Here is a rundown of how the ballclubs in the Eye’s Power Rankings fared this past weekend (using the original rankings):
1) St. Albert the Great
-The Mustangs won their opener, outlasting a tough Assumption squad, featuring Vetri Ravichandran ’14 and other Ignatius ballers, by a final score of 41-36. In the words of various St. Albert players, “the road to states has begun.” More importantly, though, senior Matt Kobunski confirmed on Twitter that the Mustangs’ bench temperature was a steady 98.6 degrees throughout the entire ballgame. St. Albert will take on St. Ambrose this Saturday.
2) St. Ignatius- “The Greater”
-This Wildcat CYO club suffered a tough opening loss this past weekend to the infamous St. John Vianney team, led by the ginger kid we East Side ballers all know and dislike. Look for the ‘Cats to bounce back this coming weekend against Gilmour.
All is quiet in Student Senate during the buildup to the Christmas on Campus festivities. For President Zupan and Service Committee head Jacob Rossi, the last few weeks have been devoted to organizing the complicated logistics of sending 1494 students to locations throughout campus, the Ohio City neighborhood and the Greater Cleveland area as a whole.
Although Zupan has been immersed in the day-to-day work of realizing Rossi’s vision for an expanded Christmas on Campus mission that now encompasses eight Cleveland-area elementary schools instead of five, he still has to make time for the obligations that make up the minutiae of life as student body president.
He planned the Winter Sports rally that took place on Thursday, December 11, emphasizing engaging the student body through innovative crowd-working routines and the potent oratory of senior Tom Horan. Zupan also coordinated the Faculty Brunch on the following Sunday in addition to his regular duties including attending Board of Regents meetings and leading multiple Student Senate committee meetings every week.
Zupan says that it’s those little requirements that have helped him to gradually improve as a public speaker, one of the most vital functions of the student body president and a task that he says was initially intimidating even for a student who fulfilled leadership roles throughout his high school career.
Although he noted that he believes he is an above average rhetorician, his advice to students uneasy about speaking in front of crowds is that improvement comes only with practice. Repeatedly speaking in front of the student body at rallies and masses has helped him grow comfortable as the public face of the governing body of the school, assisting him in taking a prominent role at the Winter Sports rally and likely in the student-faculty basketball game.
The game will come after the conclusion of the day of service during Christmas on Campus, and is a perennial favorite among students. Zupan is giving away no secrets but was quick to point out that the widespread student belief that the student-faculty game is fixed in order to ensure an exciting conclusion is actually false, despite the stunning turnaround in last year’s game in which a ragtag team of seniors surrendered a massive double-digit lead to barely escape with the victory.
The student-faculty game will come as the punctuation mark to Christmas on Campus, one of the annual highlights of service life at Saint Ignatius and an event that requires an incredible amount of foresight and planning to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Zupan and Rossi faced serious organizational obstacles in moving from five to eight schools, and the success of their plan will serve as a referendum on Zupan’s organizational ability.
Because this column comes out in advance of the end of the service day itself, we’re turning the grade that normally accompanies PolitiCat over to the student body. Respond to the Eye’s all-school email poll to express your views about your Christmas on Campus experience.
There are athletes, lots and lots of athletes, in this year’s 2013-2014 men’s high school basketball season for The Diocese of Cleveland’s Catholic Youth Organization. Many Ignatius students have committed themselves to playing hard ball with the best of the best even though most are out of shape, disappointed from last season’s three wins, and concerned with their inability to shoot 10% from the field. Nevertheless, these students are excited to play through minor injuries and numerous occasions of having a shortness of breath to help their team score more than 25 points a game. The season has already started with some shady dealings from some senior players in the offseason, a potential 2011 Miami Heat team, and a rebirth of one of the greatest squads Ohio has ever seen. Filled with countless characters like soccer superstar Colin Cleary, drama queen Kevin Shekar, Ricky “Boot Season” Benninger, Jack “8 Ounce” Karnatz, Jacob “LeBron” Rossi, dirtybird Sean “CYO Joe ” McCann, Nick “I Play Rugby” DeCore, and Danny the “X-Factor” Dreiling, this season will be nothing less than legendary. And what better way would there be than to start the season with the CYO Power Ranking Predictions?
1. St. Albert the Great
#1 St. Albert the Great | From left to right: John Martin, Robert Wiseman, Nick Micheli, Matt Kobunski, and Kevin Shekar
The St. Albert the Great squad is coming off a heart-breaking defeat in the city quarterfinals after posting an impressive 14-2 record. Now, as seniors, the Mustangs are considering this season as “state championship or bust.” Seniors include the self-appointed league MVP Robert Wiseman (6’5” 190) and Kevin “Drama” Shekar (6’2” 180) at small forward. John Martin (6’6” 225), who runs a 4.47, is definitely the best athlete on the squad and complements the premier, Mutombo like shot-blocker in Paul Jakubowski (6’7” 215). Matt Kobunski (5’11” 170) remains the uncontested, best 6th man in all of CYO and takes pride in keeping the bench a warm 98.5 degrees throughout the game. Nick Micheli (6’0” 175), when he’s not talking to his girlfriend who lives 1200 miles away, has one of the purest strokes in the game. This is certainly a team to be feared; even Vetri Ravichandran, the team’s harshest critic, considers the team “unbeatable” and “probably the greatest CYO basketball team ever.”
2. St. Ignatius High School Varsity CYO Team
#2 St. Ignatius | From left to right: Jake Helton, Jack Coyne, Peter Mahoney, Jack J Hyland, Toby Leahy
This squad comes in as a darkhorse. Originally supposed to be the Sacred Heart of Jesus Academy CYO team, they have decided to represent the school by wearing St. Ignatius on their jerseys. Having never played together, the team will need to use the early onset of the season to grow accustomed to playing habits. Since this line-up plays host to an amount of talent that surpasses that of the 1992 United States dream-team, you would think managing playing time would be difficult. But luckily it will be a minimal challenge for debuting coach and former St. Ignatius student body President, Chris “the Bear” Razek. Chris’s admirable recruiting skills have pulled together multiple players from multiple grade-schools. Stolen away from Dominic Gideon’s team, for reasons perfectly well known, are Jacob Rossi and Aidan Martin from Communion of Saints. Both players decided that it was time to join a winning team. Martin let down his team with some costly turnovers last year, but he’s been putting in the work in the off-season to improve. Rossi’s perimeter game is the definition of obscene. He is known for having an absurd amount of talent, hands down. Also from the former St. Ann’s is none other than QB 1 himself. Looking to make a full return to the court sometime in January is Peter Mahoney who is considered the best looking player in CYO to date. Stolen from Gesu is the deep threat, Jack Coyne. If his commitment level is anywhere near that of which he demonstrates in Pasko’s class, the team won’t have to go to states, states will come to them. After an intense athletic season in the student section, Jack J Hyland has decided to become an actual athlete and looks to run the point for this squad. He assures CYO that he is ready to “shock the nation” and claim not only the “best looking,” but also the “most athletic” title of St. Ignatius’ Jack Hylands. Pulling a fast one on St. Joan of Arc, Hyland and Casa were able to steal away the pure athleticism that is Dan Jamieson from St. Gregs, as well as the big man in the middle Matt “I’m Tim’s Little Brother” Mcvey. The founder of the team, Charlie Casa, looks forward to retaining his title as “the carpenter,” because he pulls so many boards. The team also features Austin Bedinhaus and his famous headband, as well as the X-factor- junior Toby Leahy (who hasn’t yet been informed that basketball is played with hands not feet). Jack Hyland is quoted saying: “Someone told me the other day “I thought gesu was the dynasty?” I told them “the dynasty is whoevers name is on the front of Jack J’s jersey.”
3. St. Francis Xavier in Medina
#3 St. Francis Xavier Medina | From right to left: Cole Brownsberger, Ricky Benninger, Mark Becker, and a portion of James Haney
Coming from the southern tip of Medina, three fine Ignatius gentlemen plan to dominate the southern region of the CYO league. Unmatched by any opponent in talent, skill, and good looks, the Saint Xavier squad will surprise every team this year. The team, having been disbanded for quite some time, is led by senior Ricky “Boot Season” Benninger. Benninger, who is known more for his off the court antics rather than his impeccable ability to score from anywhere on the court, has decided to put his blood, sweat, and tears into this season. Rick’s desire to win is fueled by his anger after being fired from announcement duty and he poses a serious threat to the well-being of all opposing players. As team leader, Benninger is prepared to commit unnecessary fouls, vocalize empty threats against opponents, and say outlandish comments to spectating parents. His excitement for the season is equally matched by Mark Becker, the team’s starting shooting guard, who is known in all of CYO for having a deadly 3-point shot. Becker’s journey began in grade school when his CYO career quickly became the talk of the town. The 5’4” Mark Becker had a 75% shooting percentage and he averaged 10.5 points per game. At the age of 13, Becker led his team to an Akron CYO championship his eighth grade year to cap an amazing four years for Saint Francis Xavier basketball. After taking some time off during his three years of high school at Saint Ignatius to, uh, pursue other interests, Mark Becker is returning to his beloved squad so that the team may be reigning champs once again. After spending countless hours in the weight room during this off season, extensive speed training at Xpress, and late-night film studies with St. Ignatius coaching legend Brian Becker, Mark Becker looks to make a lasting impression on the CYO league. Although unable to put in the same amount of time as Becker due to other athletic interests during the fall season at Ignatius, newcomer Cole Brownsberger is equally eager to play one final basketball season. Having last played on “the greatest public school team there ever was” at A.I. Root Middle with Kyle Berger and Jake Maruna, Brownsberger has recommitted himself to an unbeatable squad. All of the rust has been brushed off and this starting point guard has spent countless hours practicing his ability to feed others the ball. Considered the most unselfish player in the league, Brownsberger refuses to take too many shots for he is more concerned on setting up fellow teammates with glory. Soccer superstar, Colin Cleary, is also a new edition to the team. He is expected to immediately start and take over Mark Becker’s roll as shooting guard as soon as he gets accepted into a college (timing of being accepted into any college is undetermined). Colin is ranked number 16 in the USA Today top 25 CYO ball players. Although new to the league this year, don’t be fooled by the inexperience of this squad. St. Francis Xavier will have an uncanny ability to dominate most teams this season. Also on the team is junior James Haney.
4. Our Lady Of The Lake/Holy Cross
#4 Our Lady Of The Lake/Holy Cross | From left to right: Stephen McDonnell, Cole Larson, Shane Gudhe, Matt Martinez, Ryan Linker, and Thomas Laycock.
Coached by Mr. Joseph Vaccaro with captains Cole Larson, Ryan Linker, and Stephen McDonnell, the Falcons are coming off of a state championship appearance. “The Dynasty of Holy Cross” has former Ignatius student, Shane Guhde, who provides intensity unmatched by any player in the league. Jack Williams brings lights out shooting to the team while Stephen McDonnell will most likely go 1/14 from three point range. Leonard Cervenik is always reliable to receive a flagrant foul each game which he believes helps the mental toughness of his team. “The Miracle on 200th Street” is in prime position to take home the title this year. Other players on Our Lady Of The Lake include Tommy Laycock and Aaron Gilliam.
5. St. Raphael Raiders 12th Grade Squad
“The Best Thing since Sliced Bread ” starring Jack “8 Ounce” Karnatz at Point Guard with a 3-point shot that has yet to be stopped since the summer of ’86. Matt Otter is a corner threat with always reliable Gavin Whitford, weighing in at 6’4”, 250. Whitford has a mid-range jumper that has seen steady improvement. Austin Jarosz holds down the fort on the blocks as he did all season last year with no problems. And of course our very own Student Body President, Mike “Stonewall” Zupan, leads the team in points, blocks, rebounds, and good looks. All in all, the squad looks strong; averaging a record-breaking 66 points a game last season and two tournament wins. The Raiders are certainly a force to be reckoned with this year. St. Raphael captains are Mike Zupan and Jack Karnatz, and coached by Bill “The Wildman” Karnatz, after he was released from prison last month.
6. St. Ann
#6 St. Ann | From left to right, back row: Andrew Pendergast, Emmet Rhoa, Kal Toth, Ben Lamb, front row: Thomas Gruber and Dominic Gideon.
This year’s St. Ann (Now Communion of Saints) Sabers line-up really took a hit after Jacob “LeBron” Rossi betrayed his alma mater, taking his talents to Greg’s and bringing Peter Mahoney and Aidan Martin with him. This exodus of talent has left the team without a player who could really put the team on his back, yet the roster isn’t talentless. To start, the Sabers return veteran Ben Lamb, who was the leading scorer of last year’s junior squad. Although sometimes a little reckless, he is a force to be reckoned with on the court. As an athletic kid, Lamb often makes crafty drives to the lane along with a decent J. He also can be rather aggressive and is not afraid to take kids out “on accident.” Another Ignatius man, Kal Toth, is a power forward, who, although size-wise belongs in the post, is a shooter at heart. You can count on him for at least a few buckets, some tenacity, and, if the squad is lucky, a jumper. Dominic Gideon, the team’s fearless leader on the court, takes on the most important role for the team’s sake by becoming an unstoppable point guard who makes almost no offensive mistakes during game time. A defensive force as well, you can expect Gideon to lead his team on both ends of the court. Because of Rossi’s shadeball move, the team had to fill the spots with 3 Gesu boys: Tommy Gruber, Emmett Rhoa, and Andrew Prendergast. The combo of Rhoa and Prendergast will be very useful down in the blocks where the team lacked much presence last year. Rhoa, who is a more smash mouth player, enjoys banging down low while Prendergast is more of a finess, Dirk-type of a big man. Gruber, on the other hand, is a scrappy guard who will be a fierce defender and will not be afraid to have the ball in his hands on offense. From Benedictine comes Luke Hackman, a runner in the fall but CYO baller in the winter. He is a quick guard whose main asset is draining 3 balls from deep. Overall the team will likely be .500 and will struggle to find a consistent scorer. However, the Sabers will certainly be an aggressive hard-nosed team that will make unphysical squads sorry they took the court.
7. St. Ignatius (The Lesser Team)
Out of the ashes of the feared St. Rita Falcons (better known as the Dirty Birds) comes a behemoth of a ballclub that will be donning the hailed Blue and Gold. That’s right- the seasoned veterans of St. Rita have joined forces with other formidable ballers to assemble an intimidating St. Ignatius CYO squad. While these ballplayers no longer play for the Falcons, they aim to maintain the “Dirty Birds” style of scrappy and overly physical play fueled by obscene amounts of wingspan. This star-studded roster is coached by John McCann and Chris Bunder (who will also serve as mascot and aggressive fan). Led by team leader Sean “CYO Joe ” McCann, who is the starting forward and rightfully so, this squad will likely be mistaken for the St. Ignatius varsity basketball team on multiple occasions because of the players it possesses. McCann is known for being a classic hustle player and he makes his living on crashing the boards, diving for loose balls, and swatting opponents with his astounding wingspan. Alongside McCann is Nolan “Highlight Reel” Lehto (F/C) who is a force to be reckoned with in the paint. Lehto is likely to average a triple-double this year. Another key player on the squad is Tom “Feathery Touch” McCartney (F/C). McCarthney has a post presence but is also blessed with a ridiculous shooting stroke. Tom’s Dennis Rodman-esque physicality is overwhelming as well. His mentality about fouling is: “you can’t take ’em home with you.” Zach “Alpha Male ” Viets (F/C), is an all-around athlete who will dominate down low and stretch the opposing D outside with his shooting ability. Viets is also known for wheels that would make Joe Latkovich proud. Nick “I Play Rugby” DeCore (G) is a physical ballplayer who isn’t afraid to throw some bows out on the hardwood. DeCore is going to cause problems for opposing clubs. Now onto Anthony “Mr. Fundamental” Baldwin (G). The name just says it all. Baldwin’s fundamentals are impeccable. Kyle “The Game-Changer” Stephens (F) is the kind of baller that can take over at any point in a game. Opposing coaches will dread having to game-plan for Stephens. Considered the squad’s best player, Danny the “X-Factor” Dreiling (G), is a high-volume scorer who will do anything for the boys. Dan has been named a preseason CYO All-American to the surprise of no ESPN analysts. Dreiling, who got suspended for a short period of time due to his questionable actions in one of last year’s controversial games, has spent the off-season working on his anger management and attending yoga classes. Paul “Hard in the Paint” Haddad (F/C), is yet another threatening post presence. Paul has the ability to wow college scouts with his breathtaking athleticism. Joe “Humble and Hungry” Hozian (G) is a solid floor general with handles that will be sure to cause multiple broken ankles. Hozian is well-known to have one of the highest basketball IQs in the business. Jake “Varsity Athlete” Brenner (G/F) is a dark horse pickup for the Wildcats. Brenner looks to make it rain from deep in the Q on a weekly basis.
8. St. Angela Merici Bruins
#8 St. Angela Merici Bruins | From left to right , back row: Mitch Zawodny Ryan Cooper, Sean Lavelle. front row: Kyle Moroney and Owen Manning
The 2013-2014 St. Angela Merici Bruins look to turn things around. Realizing a one coach approach simply wasn’t cutting it, the Bruins have adopted a three headed coaching monster. The team hopes to build on last year’s key wins that included a victory over the St. Bernadette Bulldogs. The Bruins make a couple new additions to the squad, including Wildcat defensive back Ryan Cooper. Cooper looks to regain the trust of his fellow alums after last year’s brief stint with the Bulldogs, who clearly were in need of talent. Owen Manning, another member of the Wildcat secondary, won’t find it hard to get back into basketball shape after a stellar football season with 1.5 tackles. The team rests on his shoulders, although that may not be such a great idea seeing that he has popped them out during routine activities (e.g., playing tennis, cheering, lying on the couch). The two rugby strongholds on the team, Kyle Moroney and Mitch Zawodny, will bring the ruckus to the basketball court for a final year. The two have added massive amounts of lean muscle mass in the weight area and look to put that to use on the court. Moroney will stretch the court on the wing after battling a nagging ankle injury last season. Zawodny will attempt to break his sophomore year record of fouling out in 5 minutes after a tough season last year, with nothing in under 7 minutes. Point forward and debater Sean Lavelle seeks his second state championship, convincing referees to change their calls along the way. The Bruins have the pieces to defend the State Championship as long as they develop team chemistry.
9. Sts. Joseph and John Vikings
Coached by John “Da Boss” Ross, with team captains Nick Jacobs 14′ and Niko Minasola 14, the Vikings are known for being the most obnoxious team in CYO. Craig Cochran, starting point guard, looks to become the first player in CYO history to have a technical foul added to the stat sheet before the game even starts. Cochran, however, is the team’s best shooter. Nolan “The Awkward Pigeon” Ross, starting center, is often compared to Zydrunas Ilgauskas for his inability to run up and down the court. This bird like of a creature has a post game that is unmatched. John Vanderwyst, starting center forward, is formally the team’s best player. Vanderwyst had a relapse on his rune scape addiction, gained 75 pounds, and developed an allergy to the sun. Critics are worried that the Viking’s talented free agent signings provide polar opposite personalities that may affect the team chemistry. While Shaun Bentkowski, starting center, shows the same demeanor win or lose, Tom Krokey (PF) will punch you in the face for beating him at a thumb wrestle.
10. St. Brendan-St. Richards’s
A powerhouse composed from two North Olmsted schools, this team will do everything they can to have a winning season. The team’s most valuable player, senior Bill Bis, is a specialist on defense and can occasionally hit the long three. Senior Aidan Blake, who at 5’9″ is the whole package as the team’s point guard, also moonlights on the crew team. Senior Phil Criswell, who at 6’2″ is expected to shoot at least 10 3’s a game, will inevitably put the team on his back to win some key games. Don’t discount this team from making a run in the post-season because they will capitalize on their chances.
11. St. Jude’s Senior Team
Saint Jude’s senior team has only one Ignatius player, Matt Ivancic, who says the team is “sick” and “actually good”. Ivancic, who had major surgery on his wrist after a horrible accident during his spring break in 2012 (all Kyle Berger’s fault), is looking to make a huge comeback in the basketball world. Ivancic considered playing this season for the actual Saint Ignatius High School varsity team, but backed out last minute because of the skill level that would be demanded of him. Instead he has chosen to dominate the CYO league and St. Jude cannot thank him enough. Ivancic is a real threat with the ball and he is a player that needs to be taken very seriously.
12. St. Christopher Knights
The returning CYO city champs has everyone from last year’s team back except for one. This is without a doubt one of the top all-junior teams and they are looking for another deep playoff run. Overall, the team is very well balanced with an explosive offense and a stout defense. The big man in the middle, John Selby (6’5″), will lead his team in very important games by having a dominating presence in the paint. Kevin “Cash Money” Gross, who is the most likely to get a concussion, is always accountable for 4 points a game. With huge hops from Matt Coric, lights out shooting from Billy Schirmer, and impeccable defense from Chris Murman, this team can pose some serious challenges to opponents. Under the helm of floor general Drew Trutza, Jack Larsen hopes to learn the ropes as the newest addition to the squad. The three point threat is always a factor when anyone of these players touches the ball, and the fast break is a focal point of the offensive production with steals coming from the quick hands of Murman and Trutza at guard and speed on the wings coming from Larsen, Coric, Gross, and Schirmer. The intensity of the team is unmatched with pre-season practices occurring twice a week, and the chemistry is even better now that this will be the third season with essentially the same squad.
13. St. Bernadette Bulldogs 11th grade team
#ArrogantBulldogbasketball is back and the juniors are looking to make a run. Led by Ian Ryan who is coming off a strong year with 4.6 fouls per game, the Bulldogs are on the hunt and looking for victims to embarrass. A lot is expected of Derek Sinclair from this team, including his usual lane-clogging and intimidation in the paint. Geoff DiMassa will be the load he always is, but may be restricted to coaching duties due to injury. Although Kevin Malloy has failed to add the weight asked of him in the offseason, he told us he is “ready as ever to sit on the perimeter and do nothing.” A key addition comes in Liam Coyne, who should be deadly beyond the arc. Although he’s not the most coordinated kid, James Zajaczkowski will bring the fundamentals and intangibles, while Nick Mylonas has already lit a fire under the team with his enthusiasm and tremendous energy. Mike Mathews will round out the group with strong play, resembling Marshall Henderson, and seeks add to his rather large career technical foul count. Overall, this team is one that should be in your nightmares with their fast-break showboating and killer determination.
14. St. Bartholomew Pirates
Though this year’s squad is a bit of a dark horse to say the least, junior captain/coach/player Liam Garven has decided to reload instead of rebuild with the addition of shifty senior guard Colin Soeder and plenty of public school kids. Expect plenty of cheap shots and unshaved beards. Also, always reliable 2nd/3rd/4th string QB junior Jake Kucia brings a much needed and sometimes excessive intensity to the court at the PG/SG position. Big expectations. State. Nothing else.
15. St. Luke’s Crusaders in Lakewood
Led by 6’6″ big man, Duncan Mellino, the Saint Luke’s Crusaders are coming off a great season last year as the runner-ups in cities. Members of the team include sharpshooter Tyrone (aka Otto Watana), Andrew “Windex” Kerr (who is most likely to be ejected/receive a flagrant foul), the scoring machine “kid who is smart yet managed to be an athlete” Jack Eckman, and the “most likely to be ejected and shoot 1/15 from 3 pt range” Rai “Lights Out” Walters. Look out for these underdogs.
16. St. Jude in Elyria
Coached by Tony Reaser, and led by CYO all-star Jacob Kuchta who holds the St. Jude school record of most points scored in one game (45), the Jaguars hope to impress the upper classmen this year by going undefeated. If Mike Filiaggi can go 1/20 from the 3-point line like usual, and if Eric Shaver brings his intensity every game, then the St. Jude sophomore team may have a chance to win a lot of games. The rest of the team includes big-man Dominic Zullo, small guy Thomas Decker, shooting fiend Brad Lenowhich, hard-working Tanner Reaser, rebounding machine Kenneth Chrulski, and the intimidating John Tirbaso.
The Saint Ignatius swim team, which placed second in last year’s state meet, is dedicated to pushing onward in pursuit of another shot at a state title. This commitment to success is most obvious when it comes to their unusually grueling two-a-day Christmas break practice schedule, and the normal practices aren’t much easier. “We usually have two practices a day,” said senior member and state second-place finisher Nathan Christian. The senior says that even though swimmers get Sundays off, the other six days of the week incorporate around two hours in the water each day.
Christian admitted that the intense workload often drives away new recruits, although he believes that those who stick it out have the work ethic to succeed.“Swim practice is hard,” Christian said. “But if you make it through the first few weeks you’ll probably last through the rest of the season.” Practices at the elite level of the Saint Ignatius squad requires intense and meticulous attention to detail in order to perfect the minor stroke techniques that can make the difference between a first and last place finish in a packed state final. “There is a lot more yardage and stroke work,” said freshman member of the swim team, Marcus Hong, who has made the transition from club to school competition this year.
Senior member and co-captain of the swim team Abdo Dergham said that his grade school swim practices were “a lot easier and you could skip practice whenever you wanted and you could show up whenever you felt like it, whereas with Coach Ridler and Saint Ignatius you show up everyday, twice a day.” Twice a day means two weekly morning swim practices for sophomores and up at Cleveland State at 5:30 a.m., which usually requires the swimmers to wake up at 4:45 a.m. or earlier to arrive on time. There are also three weekly lifting sessions at Ignatius from 6:00 a.m. to 7:15 a.m., and another morning practice on Saturday at the team’s primary practice facility at the metropolitan campus of Cuyahoga Community College.
But even though the workload is intense, Dergham said that from a leader’s point of view, if he could change the the practice load, he wouldn’t. “Because with swimming, the more yardage you do, the better you’ll get, so the more we practice, the better we’ll be,” he said. Dergham said that other things his teammates could do to help them perform at their best would be to make sure to keep up on nutrition and drink often to avoid dehydration, which can result in painful mid-practice leg cramps. “The biggest problem,” Dergham said, “is that we practice at the Tri-C pool and the pool is really dirty and disgusting so we all get sick. This is the third week of the season and about 75% of the team is really sick.”
With the intense practice-load and the conditions that the swim team practices, a large portion of new recruits drop out. According to Dergham, the team fell from an initial group of 28 members to only 17 swimmers by the end of the season. He added that most of the drop outs were freshmen, and that if you made it past freshman year, you were most likely going to be on swim team as a senior. “You don’t get kicked off,” Dergham said. “If you leave, it’s you deciding to quit. So if you make through freshman year, it means you’re dedicated and you’re going to stick around for the remaining three years.”
