Pre Season CYO Power Rankings

This season, the Chargers will live and die by the three ball. However, they mostly live and very rarely die. With sharpshooters Billy Arroyo, Vinnie Riley, Will Shepard, Luke Ols, Dominic Stavole, and Bryce Lane, this team can, and will, shoot the absolute lights out of the gym at any given moment. Backed up by glass-cleaners Shaarav Ghose, Thomas Scheu, Nick Marsick, and Josh Ramirez (6’4”), this team has all the qualities of a winning program.

With a stellar season last year, an 8-0 season ended by a shocking upset in the city tournament at the hands of Saint Ignatius by a single point, this team has definitely proven their worth. Billy Arroyo was quoted saying that the Chargers are a “much better team than last year. Teams will underrate us, but we will shoot the lights out on them. We should be top 3 easy. Doubt us if you want.” Some bold statements by Billy, but the Bridget Boys have the capability them up.

This team of all juniors has a great balance of size and skill. They possess a strong backcourt in Jack Cannon, Owen Murphy, and Ethan Biacsi as well as a set of quality guards in Owen Adler, Aidan Rechin, Jeremy Sassano, Parker Reiss, George Zkiab, Aidan Walsh, and Tim Cannon. This squad comes from a winning pedigree together, as they were undefeated both their freshman and sophomore years and were city runners-up last season.

When asked for an interview, the boys simply said: “Don’t Sleep on Us.” Well folks, if I were in your shoes, I would take their advice. Don’t sleep on the Bruins this year, or face the consequences.

The St. Rita Falcons are led by a very solid core, consisting of George “Beef” Heathcote, Charlie “Cha Bovs” Bova, and the absolutely legendary Alex “BigAL” Misencik (thanks for all your help in AP Physics Al). This team is locked and loaded for their last season on the big stage. With “an endless supply” of Walsh Jesuit and Solon sharpshooters, expect to hear plenty of “Cha’s” after yet another deep three right in the defender’s eye.

Coming off a defeat in the City Semifinal last year, this team has been itching to get back on the court and finish out their career on top. According to Heathcote and Bova, the Falcons are the “best team on the east side by far”, and “will accept nothing less than city champs.” They are “willing to body any west side team if they have the guts to come to our side of town.”

The “Parma Wildcats” are a team that can get hot very quickly. Led by CYO MVP candidate and former Ignatius basketball player John Tenerowicz, St. Charles has the potential to wreak serious havoc on the CYO trail this winter. Even with the offensive output of Tenerowicz, the ‘Cats will steal lean heavily on fellow Ignatius basketball player Nick Tenaglia, “The Shiftiest PG in CYO”, and Max “moooooooooook” Mook.

Tenaglia offered an excellent analysis in an Exclusive Eye interview: “We have the most dominant scorer in John Tenerowicz, who last year dropped 42 in a game. We have the shiftiest point guard in all of CYO, who cannot be guarded. We have the best rebounder in the game in Will Ciupa, and the deadliest shooter in the game in Nathan Callihan, who has mastered the art of the jumpshot, and, yeah, I guess we got Mook, too.” Once this team gets going, it truly is poetry in motion. Be on the lookout for buckets if you have this team on your schedule.

The Patriots are another team on this list that is extremely dangerous once they ease into the game. With athleticism across the board in Logan Joyce, Mike Fitzgerald, Bill “Y’all mind if I praise God?” Beegan, Max “Smooth” Bryden, Connor “Money talks” Yant, and Patrick “Bo Bippity” Campbell. This is a solid squad that should bring some noise this season.

Taking inspiration from political theorist Karl Marx, their team motto this year is “Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains.” Coach Fitz has also been working tirelessly on their new secret plays: Pound Cake 56 and Iso Dekes. Watch out for the Brennie Boyz this year!!

The three-headed monster, consisting of Alex Rohr, Andrew “Shout Out” Clark, and Ryan Mark, are together again for one last shot at a title. One of the most fundamentally-sound in the entire state, this team has a chemistry that is rarely seen at this level. Clark is an unstoppable force, as he can step out to shoot a three or body smaller guards down in the low post.

With 90% of the team having a soccer background, this team is equipped to play at a high pace at any given moment. Ending the season with a disappointing loss in the city finals, this squad is determined to complete their senior season with a second CYO city championship. Expect big things from the ‘Bolts this year.

This team is a sleeper that should not be overlooked. The Wildcats currently have one D1 commit and have four others who are actively being pursued. The athleticism is present through the likes of Jett Elad, Jack Allington, Matt Geraci, and Michael Holdsworth, a Nebraska Baseball Commit. They also boast a good amount of size, as Sean Wracher, Conor Hartman, Leo Eyink, Grant Abbott, and Seamus Cooney make up a loaded backcourt.

This team definitely has the ability to “stomp through the mud” and compete for a championship during the postseason. They are said to have the most clout in CYO, and are not afraid to bring it to the table this season.

The “Pretty Boyz”, the reigning St. Pat’s and St. Ann’s tourney champs, will be a dangerous team this season. They have the size in Aidan Wells (6’5), Zach McMahan (6’1), and Caden Campolieti (6’1), and the athleticism in starting varsity running back Jahadge Floyd. Fellow football players Mike Sarko and Chris Velotta are solid two-way options as well. However, the biggest pickup the Boyz made in the off-season was gaining former Ignatius basketball player Patrick Russell. A fantastic player at the JV stage, Pat will bring a level of skill to this team that will make them extremely difficult to bring down.

They have the confidence of a perennial winner too, with McMahan saying, “We are the best team in CYO. No one can beat us, including Corte’s team.” Calling out the 2017-2018 favorite? Now that’s bold. There’s gotta be something to this team to call out a proven winner, and I think we will see it on display this season.

Another team with a great pedigree and chemistry, the Knights come in at number 2 this season. Even though they lose Larsen to the Trinity College lacrosse program, the Knights still managed to win free agency by swinging marquee pickups, such as Wilson Young, Ryan McLain, and Liam Fallon, in the off-season. McLain and Young, who were former Ignatius basketball players, were some of the most sought-after free agents over the summer. By securing these players, the Knights add to their already dangerous backcourt.

Fellow former Ignatius basketball players Matt Hunt, Young Pham, Justin Adler, and Nathaniel Goodman all can shoot the 3 ball, making them a matchup nightmare for any CYO defense. The pickup of the not-so gentle giant Cullen Viancourt and “Clamps God” Liam Fallon, a solid stretch 4, will add some height to the inside to replace Larsen, and will make this team balanced and dangerous. With 7/9 of the players being D1 commits*, a deep run in the playoffs would come as no surprise.

One of the best teams in the state last year as all juniors, it comes as no surprise that this group of seasoned seniors comes in at #1 this year. Other than their defeat in the state tournament, they only have one recorded regular season or non-state tournament loss in 2 years. Filled to the brim with former varsity athletes in Luke Mooney, Sam Snyder, Jack Jamieson, Billy Corte, Dan Alexander, Tom Grosel Connor Kennedy, Evan Massouh, Can Toppings (not a typo),and Kyle Hall, this team is big, fast, physical, and can shoot the absolute lights out of the gym. Reigning CYO MVP Tom Grosel looks to repeat his dominant junior campaign, as he is considered to be among the most dominant guards in the state.

Luke Mooney ‘18 sums it up perfectly in an exclusive interview: “The Wildcats were the only all Junior team to make the State Championship tournament in the 2016-2017 season. The only thing that we intend to correct from last year is the one loss we had. That will not happen again. We intend to have a perfect senior season. We lack in nothing, from size to speed and everything in between with two bruisers in the paint above 300 and guards with sub 4.6 40 yard dash times. Most teams in sports have their fair share of strengths and weaknesses… we only have strengths. We’re here to take it over.”

There you have it folks. As of right now, it’s the Wildcats city championship to lose.