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.”
After a fair share of Christmases on this earth, I’ve compiled a list of 10 songs, 5 of which make my mind numb at the thought of hearing them for the 5,697,145th time. The other 5, although not always played on those controversial 24-hour Christmas stations, deserve to be sought after.
Underplayed
“Fairytale of New York” The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl
When I first listened to “Fairytale of New York”, I immediately wanted to hear it again. This folk ballad, despite its enormous popularity in Ireland and the UK, enjoys little more than a cult following in the U.S. outside the pub scene. Shane MacGowan and the late Kirsty MacColl’s back-and-forth vocals go exceptionally well with one another and the piece is tied together by the distinct piano riff and Celtic string arrangement. An essential for every Christmas collection.
“Father Christmas” The Kinks
In this heartwarming carol about mugging Santa Claus, The Kinks deliver the usual odd yet highly satisfying brand of early British punk rock that made them famous. At its heart, the song is really about the struggles facing working class families around Christmas time, and includes a less than subtle jab at the wealthy. It is an avant-garde anthem with a real message.
“Thank God It’s Christmas” Queen
Freddie Mercury’s bellowing tenor and the band’s definitive harmonies are enough of a reason for you to put this song in its rightful place in your holiday collection. It is as positive as it is powerful, straying away from that “Blue Christmas” mentality that is heard in far too many holiday pieces. It has that classic fun Queen spirit and never takes itself too seriously.
“Christmas Must Be Tonight” The Band
Titles rarely do a good Christmas song justice and this is especially true with this piece by The Band. The name makes it sound like any generic Christmas tune but The Band’s stylish blend of country and rock resonates deeply in the hearts of romantic listeners and tells the story of Christmas in a whole new way. Robbie Robertson and the gang put their hearts into the track.
“Christmas in the Trenches” John McCutcheon
No list of underplayed songs is complete without a folk tune. What sets this one apart from the countless other folk carols never making their way to a broadcast station is how remarkably stripped away it is from the tropes like sleigh bells and pop beats that dominate the airwaves. Yet it still retains artistic integrity. “Christmas in the Trenches” tells the true story of a World War I ceasefire on Christmas between Germany and England from the view of a British soldier. In its simplicity, the song exemplifies the true meaning of Christmas.
Overplayed
“Wonderful Christmastime” Paul McCartney
While criticizing the work of a Beatle is something that I don’t do frequently, this little ditty without question deserves the “overplayed” accolade. It is three minutes and forty-five seconds of everything that was wrong with Wings and delivers a brief but grave foreshadowing of the onslaught of insufferable synth-driven “music” that we called the 1980s.
“Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24” Trans-Siberian Orchestra
This may be the only “good” song on the list. I’m not attacking this song for its content, but rather because there are dozens of other great TSO jams that remain unplayed on the radio. This piece is brilliant, especially live, but so is basically every other decked-out TSO classical arrangement and original. You will definitely be doing yourself a favor by buying one of their more obscure albums.
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” Mariah Carey
This is the epitome of a bad Christmas song, and as we have all seen, with bad songs come great airtime. This is without a doubt the most played song on the list and due to its enormous popularity (it has sold millions of copies) has been one of the most played Christmas pop songs since its 1994 release.
“Last Christmas” Wham
Michael and Ridgeley’s holiday opus is, at its core, a sort of feeble attempt at writing an anti-love song 80s hit. Between the countless covers and relentless overuse in movies and ads, this song is an unfortunately unavoidable and integral part of the holiday repertoire.
Anything Sung By Children
You know the ones I’m talking about: “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” “All I want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth,” “I’m Gettin’ Nuttin For Christmas,” etc. These cringeworthy tunes sung by gender-ambiguous 6-year-olds from the 1920s ruin any car ride fast. While I understand that some folks are into oversimplified, dated, and repetitive Christmas songs, I will never comprehend the average DJ’s obsession with these holiday-season aural train wrecks.
There are any number of reasons students fail to do their duty to be informed about the Christmas movie scene, from falling behind because of extensive Mrs. Caputo essays or simply preferring to celebrate Festivus for the Restivus. Regardless of your excuses, I have created a top five Christmas movies list that should help get you back on track.
1. It’s a Wonderful Life
(Insert boring classic black and white film here). Although very different from the other Christmas movies on the list, It’s a Wonderful Life makes a strong argument for the number one spot. It is in my opinion the most well-rounded Christmas movie of all time. If you are looking for some inspiration and Christmas spirit, this movie is sure to get you going.
2. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Each year I become increasingly disappointed with the small number of people that have seen this movie. If you have not yet had the privilege of watching the world’s most dysfunctional family Christmas, I suggest you make this film a visit.
3. A Christmas Story
What is there not to like about A Christmas Story? It serves as an awesome shout out to the great city of Cleveland. A Red Ryder BB gun still stands as a great gift to get your child. But, a word of caution, you might want to buy him a spare set of eyes while you’re at it.
4. The Grinch
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a popular Christmas tale that we all have come to cherish deep within our hearts. However, The Grinch starring Jim Carrey takes Grinchmas humor to a whole new level. This movie is sure to help its viewers develop a sense of appreciation for the many blessings we have this Christmas season. As the Grinch says, “One man’s toxic sludge is another man’s potpourri.”
5. Elf
Elf has rapidly made its mark on Christmas movie history, with the likely-true statistical fact that 1 in 3 people are able to recite the entire movie. Not many actors can make the transfer from streaking in Old School to singing in a green suit, but Will Ferrell was more than up to the task. This movie about a BIG Elf in the BIG Apple is a must see for many Christmases to come, no matter how much it is overplayed.
While other teams have already made some splashes in the free agent and trade markets this offseason, the Indians have been comparatively quiet, making a few minor moves. Team president Mark Shapiro announced that this period of quiet would soon come to an end, though, when he stated earlier today that Tribe fans could expect a pitcher with experience at closer to be signed within a couple weeks. Well, Shapiro and the front office wouldn’t need nearly that much time to make their move, as ESPN’s Buster Olney has reported that Axford and the Tribe are on the verge of agreeing to a deal. The 30-year-old Axford started the season closing for Milwaukee, logging 54 2/3 innings for the Brewers and posting a shaky 4.45 ERA with six blown saves. He was eventually removed from the closer role and subsequently traded to St. Louis, where he pitched 10 1/3 innings in the regular season and posted a 1.74 ERA. In the postseason he made six appearances for the Cards, over which he only gave up one earned run. Axford’s best season by far was his 2011 campaign with Milwaukee, in which he recorded 86 strikeouts, 46 saves, and a sparkling 1.95 ERA. Over his career Axford has saved 106 games and put up a solid 3.29 ERA.
An horde of axe-wielding, syrup-sucking fiends descended on Saint Ignatius on Friday, December 13th, hungry for pancakes and victory. Beating their chests, annihilating logs, wildly firing arrows and roaring their love for Mother Canada, the flannel-laden lumberjacks lived up to their Paul Bunyan-esque reputation.
Lumberjack Day has become widely popular during the weeks leading up to Christmas and it couldn’t have been possible without the Student Senate. The event was a rousing success, despite the predictions of pessimistic Tree Huggers.
Hundreds of Ignatians embraced their inner Lumberjack and wore the apparel of true Canadians. Upon arriving at school, freshmen were stunned to see the bare legs of Ryan Cooper and several other seniors wearing jorts. The temperature was under 30 degrees and those legs were undoubtedly freezing cold.
During lunch periods, Student Senate ran competitions, including log sawing, flap jack eating, running with a bundle of wood, and bow and arrow shooting. According to eyewitness Richard Kraay, the team of Cole Brownsberger, James Brenner, Chris Bunder, and Antonio Zodda were seen drinking straight syrup as a victory celebration for having a record relay time of 1 min 35 sec after competing during 7th period. The syrup was said to be served shaken, not stirred.
After a long day at work, the lumberjacks retired to their homes north of the border, clutching their trophies and carrying cartons of frozen syrup on their shoulders. Their rugged jawlines and burly arms will be sorely missed around campus, at least until their glorious return next December, when lumberjack rivalries will be settled and legends will be forged.
The time has come, Saint Ignatius. After a grueling offseason of extensive lifting, conditioning, and pickup balling, the true athletes of Northeast Ohio are once again ready to take the stage. With massive amounts of trash talk flying left and right on a daily basis, we all know what this means. That’s right, the CYO basketball season is officially upon us. This weekend, the season kicked off in earnest as division play–and with it the difficult road to the state title–began. I am not here to give you the power rankings (those are coming soon), but I will say that there appears to be a very strong crop of ballclubs headlined by Ignatius players this year. Among these teams are two squads that will actually be wearing the name of our famed Alma Mater, the defending state runner-up Our Lady of the Lake/Holy Cross Falcons, the high-flying St. Albert the Great Mustangs (nobody likes them though), the tough St. Ann Sabres, the always-dangerous St. Joseph and John Vikings, and several other respectable teams. Overall, there is no doubt in my mind that this season will bring plenty of classic CYO action.
In order to properly document the 2013-2014 season, I will be running a blog that will highlight the action of each weekend and potentially update the power rankings as well. I am open to any and all suggestions as to what I should be discussing in each post as well.
Over the last few years, the Saint Ignatius rumor mill has generated some fairly colossal canards, but recent stirrings about a proposed de-weighting of classes hasn’t been one of them.
The current grade-weighting system, which is similar to the model by which many other area schools abide, mandates that a grade for an honors-level class have .25 points tacked onto it and an AP-class grade have .5 points added, before being averaged into a student’s GPA.
Since the beginning of the year, the office of Dean of Academics, Mr. Gavin, in conference with the office of the Dean of Teachers Mr. Ptak, has been seeking advice from area high schools, college admissions directors, and fellow administrative staff as to whether the current grade-weighting system should be abolished or changed.
But, some might ask, if it ain’t broke, why fix it? A better question–the one Mr. Gavin has begun asking–is Why have it in the first place? He cites most colleges’ practice of taking the weight off students’ grades when they review their transcripts. In other words, colleges alter the GPA figures they receive by making all A+s worth 4.3, all As worth 4.0, etc., and instead measuring how difficult classes are by reading short course descriptions sent to them by high schools.
An example goes as follows: A student enrolled in Honors Algebra II-Trig with Limits who earns an A- one semester would earn a 3.95 to be averaged into his school GPA. However, when that class shows up on a college résumé, the admissions person reading it would ignore the weight put on the class and instead look at the grade purely as an A-. Then, he or she would read a description provided by our school of what is studied in Limits to determine how difficult of a class it really is, disregarding the distinction “Honors.”
The system currently in place, some allege, is a flawed one because it puts too much stress on whether the title of a class includes either of two words (namely “Honors” or “AP”). In some cases, it may incentivize students to place undue priority on their GPA numbers by taking classes that are out of their depth and disregarding other important considerations during class selection, such as the course’s teacher and the demand the class puts on the student’s time.
Mr. Gavin believes there ought to be a “balance”: an incentive that entices enough students to take classes for which they’re prepared but that doesn’t artificially increase the average student’s GPA or lead him to enroll in courses he can’t handle.
In order to get a good idea of how the student body would feel if these changes were to be implemented, an unscientific poll was taken of a small sample of students from all four grade levels. They were asked how they and their classmates would react in the event these proposals ever became a reality.
The findings? The plurality of responses were negative, many students who fell into this category voicing opinions to the effect of “That would defeat the purpose of taking higher-level classes” and “Way fewer people would take honors or AP classes.” Matt Kobunski ‘14 said that the proposal “wouldn’t be fair” for students who have chosen to shoulder a greater workload and whose GPAs therefore ought to evince that decision.
Others said that their choices of class and those of their classmates would remain unchanged. As Joey Ripcho ‘17 put it, “It wouldn’t change a thing.” Some reactions, in fact, were cautiously cheerful: Tyler Cornell ‘15 said the proposal would improve the situation and would make things “fairer,” but parenthetically added that for others, “it would depend whether they continued taking advanced classes.” Still others, of course, expressed apathy towards the policy or seemed bemused when informed that grade-weighting existed at all.
Never fear, scandalized students, since as of printing, there are currently plans to nix the current weighting system or alter it in any other way; as Mr. Gavin put it, “They’re just being kicked around.”
