Sister Margaret Maureen Thompson, who spent all but one of her 57 years as a professed member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, died June 29 at Assisi House in Aston, Pa. She was 81.

Born Patricia Ann Thompson in Wilmington, Del., Sister Margaret Maureen was raised in St. Paul Parish and graduated from St. Peter High School in New Castle. She entered the congregation in 1959 and professed her first vows in 1962. Sister Margaret earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Neumann University, and ministered primarily in education.

Sister Margaret Maureen taught at St. Anthony of Padua School in Gardenville, Shrine of the Little Flower School in Belair-Edison, St. Clement School in Rosedale, St. Joseph School in Fullerton, Immaculate Conception School in Towson and Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Middle River. During her later years at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, she served as a volunteer.

In 2018 Sister Margaret moved to Assisi House, the congregation’s retirement residence in Aston, where she served in prayer and hospitality ministry until her death. A funeral Mass will be offered there July 8, at 11 a.m.

Augie Miceli’s retirement was all too brief.

Then again, as the remarkable teacher, coach and family man frequently shared, he felt as if he had never worked a day in his life.

Augustine F. Miceli Sr. died at age 86 June 29, less than a month after he completed 60 years of service to Calvert Hall College High School in Towson. A funeral Mass was offered July 3 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland, in a liturgy infused with the spirit of the Christian Brothers school.

Has any layperson ever given more to a Catholic institution in the Archdiocese of Baltimore than the six decades Miceli gave to Calvert Hall?

That dedication was among the reasons the funeral program listed “AFSC” after Miceli’s name, signifying him as an affiliated member of the Christian Brothers, the highest honor they bestow on a lay colleague. Miceli received the honor in 2015, alongside John Thaler, a fellow math teacher at Calvert Hall for 46 years.

Thaler gave the second reading. The first, Sirach 6:5-6, 14-17, which begins “A kind mouth multiplies friends, and gracious lips prompt friendly greetings.” was given by Frank Bramble, class of 1966, who played basketball for the Cardinals and Miceli.

Words of remembrance were offered by Augie Miceli Jr., Calvert Hall ’82; his son, Augie J. Miceli, ’20; and another of Miceli’s five grandchildren, Caroline Waple. She referenced the suddenness of her grandfather’s demise, as Miceli was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May.

“While my mom always said my grandfather was invincible, cancer was this superhero’s kryptonite. … The last month and a half, 49 days of fighting cancer, makes up less than (one-tenth of a) percent of his life in which he impacted all of us.

“He added meaning to life, subtracted sorrow, multiplied opportunity and divided misfortune.”

Father Gerard Francik, pastor of Sacred Heart, Glyndon, and St. Charles Borromeo, Pikesville, celebrated the funeral Mass. He’s an old family friend, and a 1978 graduate of Calvert Hall.

Concelebrants included Father Charles Sikorsky, Calvert Hall ’82; Father Kevin Ewing, ’06; retired Father George Moeller, another old family friend; and Father Stephen Hook, previously the pastor of St. Ursula in Parkville, where Miceli and his wife, Angela, raised their family when they weren’t summering in Ocean City.

They were assisted by transitional Deacon Justin Gough, Calvert Hall ’11.

Miceli grew up in the former St. Bernard Parish, attended The Citadel, spent two years in the U.S. Army and began teaching math at Calvert Hall in 1960. He counted seven Turkey Bowl victories among his 104 wins as the Calvert Hall football coach.

He was a taskmaster, albeit one whose door was open to students needing help both before and after school, and one whose legacy includes an endowed faculty chair, courtesy of John Noppinger, ’64.

“With all of his other titles and credentials and honors, which could keep us here for days,” Father Francik said in his homily, “he (Miceli) would proudly say that being a Catholic, a believer in Jesus Christ, was his foundation. He demonstrated this piety and devotion in a strong and subtle way not only in the classroom, but in everything he did.

“You knew where Augie stood in his faith and what he expected of you.”

Father Francik described taking holy Communion to Miceli in a hospice bed the day he died.

“Even in his weakened state he made the sign of the cross, prayed all the prayers with us, and received the Eucharist with his wife, Angela,” Father Francik said. “They were united in Jesus, as they were united in Christ 59 years earlier in marriage.”

Father Francik noted the symmetry of Miceli’s passing on the 300th anniversary of the death of St. John the Baptist de La Salle, who founded the Christian Brothers.

Words of welcome were offered by Christian Brother Kevin Stanton, a former Calvert Hall principal. Pallbearers included seven alumni, ranging from social studies teacher Jay Robinson, class of ’74, to Anthony Gallo, ’92.

The pews flanking the sanctuary were lined with Calvert Hall faculty, who were directed by Christian Brother John Kane, president of the school, to form an honor guard and flank the casket as it made its way back to a hearse.

Before it departed, the Christian Brothers in residence at Calvert Hall sang “Honneur a Toi,” a song in honor of their founder.

Email Paul McMullen at pmcmullen@CatholicReview.org

Born 10 weeks ahead of their due date, Connor and Kayleigh Maimone began an enduring connection to Mercy High School by being baptized in its chapel.

Kayleigh was in Mercy’s class of 2019, Connor in Loyola Blakefield’s.  In addition, his Eagle Scout status included a service project that involved renovating the faculty dining room at Mercy.

Back in 2001, Bob and Karen Lippy Maimone were advised to limit their premature newborns’ time in crowds, which meant finding a place smaller than their home parish of Sacred Heart, Glyndon, for baptism. Our Lady of Mercy Chapel was not only more intimate, it was also her alma mater.

“I wanted them to have that connection,” added the 1992 graduate, now the Mercy alumnae engagement manager.

Kayleigh and Connor followed diverse paths as they grew.

One of Mercy’s three Archdiocesan Distinctive Scholars, Kayleigh will study biology at Washington College in Chestertown, where she will be a Presidential Fellow and John S. Toll Science and Mathematics Apprentice, with plans to be a neonatal physician.

Mercy’s Women in Medicine program sent her to Mercy Medical Center, and its newborn intensive care unit (NICU). Her senior year included completing research on a NICU-related topic and designing a baby book template for parents to document their babies’ early progress.

She was vice president of communications for the student council; sang with the Madrigals and served as captain of cheerleading, field hockey and Field Day – the latter all four years.

“I loved how it brought us together,” she said.

A National Honor Society member, Kayleigh received the Sister Michelle Carroll Award for academic achievement and contributions to student life at the senior awards assembly.

Sue Ann Ness, Kayleigh’s favorite science teacher, called her “an outstanding role model and truly a woman of mercy.”

Of her time at Mercy, Kayleigh said, “It definitely prepared me for college. I formed many relationships that I will definitely keep.”

Of the education he received at Loyola Blakefield, Connor said, “It really opened my eyes to the value of a Jesuit school,” to the point where he will head to another Jesuit institution, Marquette University in Milwaukee, to study civil engineering.

Connor played electric guitar with the school’s jazz combo at the Berklee High School Jazz Festival in Boston; worked on the yearbook; was active in Loyola Blakefield’s retreat program, and was a pole-vaulter for track and field.

Over his junior and senior years, Connor live-streamed as part of the school’s Sports Broadcasting Club.

“I regret not joining it sooner,” he said. “I fell in love with it.”

It was in August 2017 when Connor, a member of Troop 706, which is sponsored by Sacred Heart Parish, rounded up Scouts and Mercy students, including his twin, to paint the faculty dining room walls and install new cabinets and floors at Mercy.

Brian Marana, Loyola’s assistant principal for academics, noted Connor’s dedication.

As different as they are, the twins share some things, such as Advanced Placement courses and working at Pappas Restaurant in Cockeysville. They drove to school together and even attended the other’s prom.

After their mother recalled their competitiveness in grade school, Connor said, “We’re still competitive.”

LOTHIAN – Aidan Doud graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Annapolis atop his class, in similar fashion to the way he led his horse, Nike. The skills needed to be a successful equestrian, it seems, lend oneself to being a valedictorian.

“Competitive riding has given me not just a hobby but an all-intensive lifestyle,” Doud said. “It’s shown me I can face challenges. It’s forced me to have a more mature outlook. It’s forced me to think about things other than myself.”

Along with three sisters from Virginia, Doud competes with the Punk Rock Ponies, not just in the Mid-Atlantic, but internationally. He has been a national division champion.

“It’s an adrenal rush to be at top speed on a horse,” he said.

Doud lives on a small horse farm in southern Anne Arundel County, where he cares for six horses before school and exercises them in the evenings.

That did not get in the way of being president of the Mock Trial Club, a member of the Model UN and Speech and Debate clubs, National Honor Society, and playing varsity football.

“My big thing is always making schedules,” Doud said. “I’m always concerned that I’m missing something.”

He found time to volunteer at The Center of Help in Annapolis, helping young immigrants adapt to life in the United States. That work has him considering a pre-law track when he enters the University of Virginia.

“It’s been a great opportunity to work there,” he said. “It’s great to see there are these programs to help people. It’s pushed me to understand life beyond school. It’s shaped how I want to use the tools of the law to help them.”

Doud attended public schools before following his sister, Abby, to St. Mary’s.

“It was about finding what is best for us, in our upbringing as Catholics and the goal of going to college,” he said.

Their parents, Gregg and Pennye, belong to Holy Family in Davidsonville and St. Mary’s in Annapolis. Doud said his blessings include Matthew Martelli, his freshman year English teacher and debate club coach.

Continuing to ride competitively while in Charlottesville, Doud said, “will be a challenge. It will take some planning.”

The ups and downs of adolescence were amplified for Hosea Addison.

Shortly after he enrolled at St. Frances Academy in 2016, family challenges led him to move into its Father Joubert House, a residential life program for boys who are experiencing homelessness or are close to it.

Addison’s athletic career calls to mind Wide World of Sports’ “thrill of victory … and the agony of defeat.” He was a reserve linebacker on one of the nation’s best high school football teams, then one of the leaders of a winless baseball team that got outscored, 244-26.

“I’m reminded of the adage, about people quitting one step before success,” said Deacon B. Curtis Turner, the principal and head of school at St. Frances Academy. “Hosea will never quit before he experiences success.”

Addison will take his 3.3 grade point average and interest in business to Bowie State University. That’s heady stuff for one who saw many friends in Southwest Baltimore drop out of high school and turn to “selling drugs.”

He appeared destined to a similar fate as a freshman at a city public high school, as Addison said, “The only time I would go to school was on Thursdays, just to play football.”

His aptitude for the sport attracted him to St. Frances Academy, where he found himself behind bigger and better players, including Shane Lee, who will play for the University of Alabama.

“Life is going to be hard, it’s not going to be easy,” Addison was told.

He took that lesson into a baseball season in which his major accomplishment was striking out only two times. “It was harsh,” he said.

Addison kept plugging away for the Panthers, and, eventually, in the classroom.

“The more I mature,” he said, “the more I realize, I’ve got to do better.”

Addison’s mother, Tamika, attended graduation in a wheelchair because of health issues. He praises her example, and that of his mentors at St. Frances Academy: Karae Mosley, the technology coordinator, and Markette Williams, a math teacher. Deacon Turner noted that each is part of a husband-and-wife team at the school.

Both got Addison out of a “corner” and interacting in a more positive manner. What did they tell him?

“We’re not going to do that,” he said. “That’s not the St. Frances way.”

Email Paul McMullen at pmcmullen@CatholicReview.org

Brooke Mosca was a co-valedictorian and three-sport athlete for The Catholic High School of Baltimore, but her biggest dreams involve a camera, whether it’s in front of, or behind one, like the late John Hughes, who wrote and directed one of her favorite films, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

That’s a vicarious diversion, as Mosca rarely takes a day off. Other than staging skits, she has no screenwriting background, just experience to draw on.

Want pathos? Go to the winter of 2017-18, when a serious knee injury in basketball derailed Mosca’s junior year.

Want joy? After helping TCHS to a B Conference title in volleyball last fall, Mosca had a triumphant return to basketball, where the Cubs posted an upset win in the C Conference tournament final. In both sports, it was Catholic High’s first Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland championship.

Mosca was the natural nominee for the Cubs to the McCormick Unsung Heroes Dinner.

“Brooke is one of those kids everyone looks up to, because she’s so dependable,” said Kari McBride, the school’s athletic director. “Teachers, classmates, coaches, if you need something done, you ask Brooke.”

One of Catholic High’s Archdiocesan Distinctive Scholars, Mosca holds membership in four honor societies: National; National English; Spanish; and Science National. She was a senior class executive, secretary for the Athletic Association, peer minister and member of the Archdiocesan Youth Advisory Council.

Mosca began testing her limits at St. Ursula School in Parkville, where she was an altar server and lector. Her worldview includes having a father, Victor, who is Catholic, and a mother, Marcey, who is Jewish.

“When I got to Catholic High, there were just so many more opportunities for pure ministry,” Mosca said, pointing to Molly Wright Baxter, the campus minister. “She opened all kinds of doors.”

Her next one will be at St. John’s University in Queens, N.Y., where the Catholic Scholars Program includes the possibility of study in Rome. Journalism is a possible major for Mosca, the lead anchor on in-house TCHS TV.

A big fan of Jimmy Fallon, her “ultimate dream is to host The Tonight Show … once he’s ready to retire.”

Email Paul McMullen at pmcmullen@CatholicReview.org

Spring seasons at Maryvale Preparatory School, Sophia Antonopoulos played lacrosse, well enough to earn a scholarship to the University of Maryland, which recently won its 15th NCAA championship. In the winter, she was the point guard for its basketball team.

And before that, as leaves turned, Antonopoulos put on a Lion costume and cheered on Maryvale’s fall sports teams.

Like others in Archdiocese of Baltimore high schools who have played the part of an athletic mascot, Antonopoulos is an authority on school spirit.

“I don’t find myself in it (the costume) a lot,” she said, “but I’m a big fan of Maryvale and its sports teams. I encompass what the costume means.

“It’s a small school, everyone knows everyone. When you walk the halls, you smile at people you don’t even know.”

Her voice was heard loud and clear when she started a One Love Club, which educates the Maryvale community “on healthy relationships.” It’s affiliated with the One Love organization, which honors the late Yeardley Love, a graduate of rival Notre Dame Preparatory School who was a victim of domestic violence in 2010.

“When you go to NDP and see the field dedicated to Yeardley,” Antonopoulos said, “I took it upon myself to bring more awareness to Maryvale.”

She plans to major in biology and become a physician, following a path taken by several other Terps’ women’s lacrosse players. Having taken in a number of basketball and football games there, she’s already familiar with Testudo, the Maryland mascot,

Antonopoulos entered Maryvale Prep as an eighth-grader and worships at St. Demetrious Greek Orthodox Church in Parkville.

What’s in a Don?

Blessy Mbaya was a few days into his junior year at Loyola Blakefield when Logan Harvey, a member of student government, asked him to take on the persona that is a Don, in order to whip up the crowd at a forum.

“It’s so much more than a knight or conquistador,” Mbaya said. “It is so much more than a Spanish knight.”

He put on the elaborate costume “at least 20 times” at soccer, football, ice hockey and lacrosse games, putting to use the theatrical talents that had him cast by The Blakefield Players as the sheriff in “The Front Page” and the jury foreman in “12 Angry Men.”

Mbaya displayed leadership, as president of the Robotics Club, which twice went to national competitions, and the Service and Justice Club, which has gone to Camden, N.J., and the summer camp for children who are homeless in Baltimore that is sponsored by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

The son of parents who came to the United States from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mbaya attended St. Ursula School in Parkville before entering Loyola Blakefield as a sixth-grader. He’s headed to Loyola University Maryland to study Forensic Sciences.

Patriotic fervor

Kirstin Huggins has no qualms about taking on the persona of the Patriot, the mascot of The John Carroll School in Bel Air.

“I love representing John Carroll. I love everything about John Carroll. It’s been like another family to me.”

Huggins has been one of busiest members of that family.

At Stevenson University, she’ll play basketball, a sport in which she was a three-year captain for John Carroll. Huggins also played three years of varsity volleyball; was active in the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes; a member of student government; and as a senior was co-editor-in-chief of Pacificus, the yearbook.

With a 4.3 GPA and membership in the National Honor Society; the Spanish Honor Society; and Quill and Scroll, the honor society for high school journalists, Huggins was nominated for the Black & Gold Award, the highest honor for a John Carroll senior.

Her family has done its part to boost John Carroll by hosting two international students from China.

Email Paul McMullen at pmcmullen@CatholicReview.org

More than 2,260 students graduated from Catholic High Schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore this year, with 98 percent of them heading to college in the fall.

Learn more about this year’s graduations below and be sure to check back in the coming weeks for featured profiles of graduates. To view photos from select graduations, visit our Smugmug gallery here.

Archbishop Curley High School, Baltimore
Graduates: 121
Ideal Curley Man of the Year: Anthony S. Dragisics

Archbishop Spalding High School, Severn
Graduates: 311
First in Class: Stephen Shin
Second in Class: Jenna Snead

Bishop Walsh School, Cumberland
Graduates: 38
Valedictorian: Bella Rose Biancone
Salutatorian: Rose Andrea Duncan

Calvert Hall College High School, Towson
Graduates: 258
Valedictorian: Brennan Kelly
Salutatorian: Andrew Sontag

The Catholic High School of Baltimore
Graduates: 59
Valedictorians: Brooke Mosca and Bayley Lindsay
Salutatorian: Christina Giska

Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Fells Point
Graduates: 76

St. Frances Academy, Baltimore
Graduates: 37
Valedictorian: Jo’Nai Duncan
Salutatorian: Kyle Jennifer

Institute of Notre Dame, Baltimore
Graduates: 78
Valedictorian: Alexis Poindexter
Salutatorian: Maura McCarthy

The John Carroll School, Bel Air
Graduates: 180
Valedictorian: Pierce Berger
Salutatorian: Caroline Smith

St. John’s Catholic Prep, Buckeystown
Graduates: 67
Valedictorians: Julie Brisbane and Emily German
Salutatorian: Victoria Geitner

Loyola Blakefield, Towson
Graduates:  184

St. Maria Goretti High School, Hagerstown
Graduates: 48
Valedictorians: Elizabeth Patterson and Fizah Yousuf
Salutatorian: Jacob Kornilow

Maryvale Preparatory School, Lutherville
Graduates: 76
General Excellence: Theresia Keppel

St. Mary’s High School, Annapolis
Graduates: 98
Valedictorian: Aidan Doud
Salutatorian: Rylei Smith

Mercy High School, Baltimore
Graduates: 70

Mount de Sales Academy, Catonsville
Graduates: 132
Valedictorian: Theresa Balick
Salutatorian: Colleen Roche

Mount St. Joseph High School, Irvington
Graduates: 206
Class Prayer: Zachary Brotzman
Class Speaker: Anthony Bibbo

Notre Dame Preparatory School, Towson
Graduates: 174
General Excellence: Grace Oakey

Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, Essex
Graduates: 50
Valedictorian: Ashley Conway
Salutatorian: Katherine Kovalick

To view photos from select graduations, visit our Smugmug gallery here.

At Calvert Hall College High School in Towson, athletes expect to play into late spring.

That was never more evident than this year, when historic runs by the lacrosse and baseball teams capped a memorable season for the Christian Brothers school’s varsity programs.

Calvert Hall had more than 200 athletes participate in six varsity sports, and each performed well in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association postseason. In addition to the top-ranked baseball and lacrosse teams, its golf, tennis and track and field sqauds all earned second-place finishes, and rugby lost in the semifinals.

It called to mind the winter enjoyed by Mount St. Joseph in 2016-17, when the Gaels ruled the MIAA A Conference in basketball, ice hockey, indoor track and field, and wrestling.

The building blocks are in place for continued success at Calvert Hall.

“No. 1, you have to win and we have a great winning tradition here,” said Lou Eckerl, athletic director and baseball coach. “When you add the great facilities that we have, why wouldn’t a kid want to come here and play? It’s great facilities, great tradition and a chance to win a championship every year.”

Calvert Hall’s success is a mix of attracting top athletes and developing them. There are more in the pipeline, as the junior varsity teams in soccer, cross country, indoor track and outdoor track won MIAA titles. The freshman-sophomore soccer and lacrosse teams also brought home titles.

“We have a great tradition here,” Eckerl said. “Everyone knows it’s such a great school. We have everything a kid needs as far as a support system academically.”

Christian Brother John Kane, president of Calvert Hall, noted that athletics are just one part of extracurricular activities that, in the Lasallian tradition, aim to develop the whole person.

“For some it is robotics or music or stage, or speech, and for some it is in sports,” he said. “Students learn to be part of a team, the value of hard work and sacrifice for the good of all. They also learn to deal with setbacks and defeat as well as success.”

In this social media age, all that success has resonated.

“This has been a great spring for us and certainly has energized our community, including students, parents, faculty/staff and alumni,” Brother John said.

A breakdown of spring highlights follows.

Baseball

The Cardinals won their first MIAA title since 2013 with a 4-2 victory over Gilman May 20. Calvert Hall has been to the A conference playoffs in each of the 18 years Eckerl has served as the head coach. It was their 16^th championship game appearance in that time, and eighth title.

“We’ve won half of the championship games we’ve been in,” Eckerl said. “No one is even close to that.”

Senior shortstop Jose Torres, a prospect in next month’s draft, was a main cog for the Cardinals (24-6). He has accepted a scholarship to play at North Carolina State, while first baseman/pitcher Pete Marchineck is headed to Towson University, catcher Parker Landwehr to Boston College and outfielder Garrett McIlhenney to Misericordia University.

Those seniors played a key role, as Eckerl called Mcllhenney a “catalyst” after he collected three hits, two runs and three stolen bases in the championship game.

“The key with us is the guys finally bought in to playing as a team,” Eckerl said. “They have to root for each other. They have to sacrifice for each other. There are little things you need to do to win and they did them. The seniors were really hungry. They understood they had to play as a team. If they didn’t, it wasn’t going to happen.”

Lacrosse

Calvert Hall became the first team in MIAA history to win three consecutive A Conference titles when it ran past St. Mary’s 15-7 in the title game May 17 at Towson University’s Johnny Unitas Stadium.

It was the Cardinals’ fifth MIAA title, also a record. Coach Bryan Kelly said this year’s squad, which went 17-1 overall and unbeaten in MIAA play, continued to impress him each week.

“Our theme this year was gratitude and we just wanted to play with gratitude and thankfulness,” Kelly said. “I thought our guys showed up every game and they competed. And I’ve never been a part of a team that has been this – I don’t mean it arrogantly – but we were dominant. I don’t know if that will ever happen again.”

Senior Jack Sawyer typified the Cardinals’ unselfishness with a goal and five assists in the title game. His 67 points, on 39 goals and 28 assists, were second on the team behind junior Daniel Kelly’s 72 (42 and 30). Cole Herbert, a junior, had a team-high 39 assists, and freshman Truitt Sunderland collected 35 goals.

Headed to the University of Maryland, Sawyer is part of a senior class that will send the Mitchell twins, Connor and Grant, as well as defender Jacob Snyder, to Ohio State.

Golf

While the Cardinals fell to Loyola Blakefield in the A Conference team final at Caves Valley, junior Michael Crowley won the MIAA individual tournament in late April with rounds of 73-71 at Eagle’s Nest Country Club.

He was part of a young lineup that included freshman Lorenzo Sanz, who went 9-1-2 and was the highest-scoring ninth-grader in coach Drew Forrester’s seven years at Calvert Hall.

He cited offseason preparation for building the Cardinals’ staying power.

“We put in six really good weeks of fitness training before the season,” Forrester said. “We played well down the stretch in several key matches. We didn’t always get off to great starts, but we played the final three or four holes well, as a team, in almost every match.”

Austin Steckler finished sixth in the individual tournament, and teamed with Lorenzo in the 3-4 pairing, where they went unbeaten. After playing in just two matches as a sophomore, junior Matt Cover played in 10 this season, winning the “Coach’s Distinction Award” for his excellent play and clutch putting in wins over Loyola and Arcbishop Spalding.

After splitting with the Dons in the regular season, Calvert Hall was bested in the final.

“We knew going in that Loyola was going to be challenging for us,” Forrester said. “We beat them once during the regular season and they beat us once, but we had great respect for them.

“We did everything we set out to do at the start of the season except win that last match at Caves Valley. That’s the only goal that eluded us.”

Track and field

After claiming their first-ever indoor title, the Cardinals’ bid for their first outdoor crown in 20 years came up 16 points short against Gilman in the championship meet at Archbishop Spalding May 11.

Coach Peter Frein’s team got wins from freshman Thomas Smith in the 300 hurdles (39.18 seconds), Lehigh University-bound Amondo Lemmon in the 400 (50.29) and Luke Whitty in the discus (143-9). Smith and Whitty are among the football players on a roster where the assistant coaches include football coach coach Donald Davis.

Junior Owen Johnson, the MIAA cross country champion, was among those taking a back seat to Loyola Blakefield’s Camden Gilmore, but he had a solid distance triple, taking second in the 3,200 (9:20.67), third in the 1,600 (4:17.78) and fifth in the 800, 1:57.72.

Tennis

Russell Wilenborg, a junior, won the No. 1 singles in the MIAA individual tournament, and classmate Ian Hewes and Tyler Mast were finalists in the No. 2 and 3 flights, respectively, as were both of the Cardinals’ doubles teams, No. 1 Jordan Aparece/Paulo Gonzal and No. 2 Finn Gaudreau/Josh Orozco.

“The goal is to always win the championship,” said coach Joey Atas, of a team title won again by Gilman. “We have made it to the championship the last three years, and my guys are hungry for a win.”

Paul McMullen contributed to this article.

TOWSON – Calvert Hall lacrosse coach Bryan Kelly gathered his players to tell them a story about Jesus walking on water.  

It was a lesson they needed about staying focused and grounded.  

That was especially important during a week with so much hype surrounding the Cardinals heading into the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A conference championship game against St. Mary’s of Annapolis. 

“When Peter asked Jesus, ‘Can I walk on water in the storm?” Jesus said ‘yes,’” Kelly told his players. “When Peter starting focusing on the storms and all of that stuff he sunk. When you start focusing on people saying how good we are, how great we are, you’re going to sink. When you start focusing on what people say negatively about us, you’re going to sink. Focus on doing your job, and having fun and playing lacrosse and you’ll stay on the water.” 

The speech resonated with his players, and with a chance to make history within their grasp, the Cardinals had one of their finest performances of a remarkable season.  

Calvert Hall ran past St. Mary’s, 15-7, before 3,231 at Towson University’s Johnny Unitas Stadium May 17, becoming the first team in the history of the MIAA to win three consecutive A Conference championships. 

St. Paul’s was the last school in the conference, formerly the Maryland Scholastic Association, to win three straight titles outright, way back in 1951-1953. The Crusaders also won three straight championships from 1969-71 but shared the title with Gilman (1970) and Calvert Hall (1971) the latter two years.  

It was the Cardinals’ fifth MIAA title, also the best in the history of the conference. Both Loyola Blakefield and Boys’ Latin have four championships.  

Grant Mitchell and Daniel Kelly led Calvert Hall with three goals apiece. Cole Herbert had two goals and three assists, while freshman Truitt Sunderland also finished with two goals and two assists. 

This night was all about the team effort.  

The Calvert Hall lacrosse team embraces the Christian Brothers ethics of selflessness and respect. That philosophy translated onto the turf by the way the Cardinals share the ball. 

Calvert Hall opened a 7-1 lead early in the second quarter with a different player scoring each time. St. Mary’s never recovered from that barrage.  

“We practice like we play each and every week,” said Mitchell, who added a pair of assists. “We play free and can move the ball to each player. Anybody can have their day. Today, we had several players with points. People found the cage because of our ability to play with gratitude and share the ball.”  

Since losing to Hill Academy of Canada on March 13, the Cardinals reeled off 15 consecutive wins. Calvert Hall scored 265 goals total and allowed 99 goals.  

“Being in the championship the last two years helped a lot of us to just be loose,” said senior Jack Sawyer, who had a goal and five assists. “We didn’t have the nerves a lot of people have coming in this game.”  

St. Mary’s (13-6), which beat Boys’ Latin, 11-5, in the semifinals, won the conference title in 2015 and 1996. Calvert Hall won the regular season matchup with the Saints, 13-9, on April 9 and was just too strong to overcome, leading 14-2 late in third quarter.  

Scout Ripley had three goals for St. Mary’s, while B.J. Burlace scored twice. Goalie Wes Schmidt finished with 14 saves.  

“St. Mary’s lacrosse 2019 had a successful season,” Saints coach Victor Lilly said. “We lost the championship here tonight. But all and all for the program’s sake, you get up to the pinnacle of the A conference championship game, and we come up on the short end, but we’ll see if we can do better for next year.”  

Archbishop Curley 12, Glenelg Country 3 

Archbishop Curley junior midfielder Nate Rollins set the tone and the rest of the Friars followed his lead.  

Coach Chris Ogle did not expect any less.  

Rollins scored three goals with one assist, and won seven of 13 faceoffs, leading Curley to a 12-3 victory over Glenelg Country School in the MIAA B conference championship game at Johnny Unitas Stadium. 

“Nate Rollins is a spark plug for us,” said Ogle, who was still dripping from his post-game ice bath. “His ability to not only win faceoffs, but play offense and also play defense, he is a true do-it-all type of middie. He really get us going.” 

After Glenelg (14-5) scored the game’s opening goal eight seconds into the game, the Friars never trailed again. Curley (14-3) put the game away with seven consecutive goals from the late in the first half through the fourth quarter.   

The teams split their regular-season series with the road team winning each time.  

“We just worked really hard,” Rollins said. “We focused more on practice than we did before and left it all out on the field.” 

It was Curley’s first lacrosse title since it won back-to-back championships in 2007 and 2008.  Glenelg County was looking for first MIAA championship in lacrosse.  

Lee Rock and Gage Coolahan had two goals apiece for Curley. Josh Knapp added a goal and two assists, while goalie Sean Roesener had 10 saves.  

“We have a good class of kids,” Ogle said. “We knew we’d be strong defensively, but we had a lot of parts to replace offensively. We just got better offensively throughout the year. We really focused on playing hard and playing smart.” 

This story was updated at 11:04 a.m. May 18 to correct an error in the reporting of the final score of the Calvert Hall-St. Mary’s game. This story was updated at 9:55 p.m. May 19 to correct the name of the head coach for Archbishop Curley. The Review apologizes for the errors. 

SEVERN – Prior to the 1,600-meter relay at the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland track and field championships, the Mount de Sales Academy quartet of Grace Flynn, Jordan Harris, Sydney Parsons and Bella Whittaker each placed a hand around the baton and said a Hail Mary.

The prayer is part of the program’s routine rather than an act of athletic desperation, as the Sailors had already clinched another IAAM A Conference championship.

Mount de Sales nonetheless went out with another first-place finish, to cap a 195-175 victory over McDonogh at the championship meet at Archbishop Spalding High School May 11.

The competition was not without suspense, as the Sailors trailed after 12 events. Over the last six, however, as a couple of injuries kept McDonogh from holding form, Mount de Sales pretty much met expectations for co-coaches Steve Weber and Gene Williams.

“I showed him the figures (projections) when we were down, which had us winning, but he didn’t believe it,” Weber said of his coaching partner. “I’ve been accused of being an ‘outright dreamer.’ I prefer ‘possibilist,’ if that’s a word. However you describe what happened, we became a powerhouse in those last six events.”

In order, here’s what the girls from De Sales did:

• Seeded third in the 400 relay, the Sailors saw senior Edeline Davies go from fourth to first on the anchor to win in 50.30.
• Third-fastest in the prelims of the open 400, Whittaker, a junior, broke a 14-year-old meet record with a personal best of 54.71.
• In the 300 hurdles, an event McDonogh expected to win, it settled for a fifth place while Alexis Boyko, Lexi Hamilton and Keelin Becker went 2-3-4 for the Sailors.
• Freshman Juliette Whittaker, Bella’s sister, won the 800 in 2:10.16, breaking the meet record set by the Sailors’ Jessica Harris (now at Notre Dame) in 2014. Samantha Facius finished fourth. (The two had already delivered maximum points in the 1,600 and 3,200, trading victories, and teaming on the 3,200 relay.
• Bella Whittaker and Davies went 2-3 in the 200, where the Sailors surprisingly outscored McDonogh.
• Finally, on the 1,600 relay, Whittaker got the baton in third but delivered a 56-second split to bring de Sales home in 4:03.24, completing a sweep of the relays.

“Our girls did a great job,” Williams said.

How deep is Mount de Sales?

It scored in every event, no small feat for a program which doesn’t have a track and has to shuttle to Mount St. Joseph High School for many of its workouts. The Sailors aren’t just deep, they are good, as Juliette Whittaker’s seasonal best of 2:07.96 in the 800 was the nation’s third-fastest at the time.

In other girls’ events, Suzie Albornoz of Notre Dame Preparatory won the pole vault with a clearance of 10 feet, 6 inches.

Day two of the IAAM championships was run concurrently with the boys’ Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association meet, which saw Loyola Blakefield senior Camden Gilmore sweep the distance races.

Two days after he had won the 3,200 in 9:18.65, the Georgetown University-bound senior took the 1,600 in 4:14.66 and the 800 in 1:54.27, both personal bests. Both races were highly competitive, as four boys went under 4:19 in the 1,600 and five broke 1:58 in the 800. Matt Jablonski executed the same triple for the Dons in 2010.

Calvert Hall, Mount St. Joseph and Loyola Blakefield followed Gilman in the team standings. For the Cardinals, Amondo Lemmon won the 400 in 50.29, Thomas Smith took the 300 hurdles in 39.18 and the two teamed on the victorious 1,600 relay. Teammate Luke Whitty won the discus with a toss of 143-9.

Mount St. Joseph got wins from juniors Teddy Wimberly in the 100 (11.01) and Donte Thornton in the long jump (22-2¾), and the two teamed on the winning 400 relay. Loyola Blakefield’s Aaron Ray took the 200 in 22.73.

Archbishop Curley junior Ian Hoffman cleared 13-9 in the pole vault to best Brandon Shin of Spalding, who went 13-6.

To see more photos or to order prints, visit our Smugmug gallery here. 

Email Paul McMullen at pmcmullen@CatholicReview.org

Kevin J. Parks contributed to this article.

ELLICOTT CITY – Sonya Heffernan, a sixth-grader from Trinity School, carefully traced each letter of the word centennial in the palm of her hand during the 2019 Archdiocese of Baltimore Spelling Bee May 8.

“Can I start again?” she asked the judges. They nodded and she confidently spelled out each letter, again tracing them on her hand.

“Correct,” announced facilitator Mary Gregorini.

Sonya giggled and quickly turned to shake the hand of second-place winner David Eluchie. David, a sixth-grader at St. Joan of Arc School in Aberdeen, was a fierce competitor, spelling with a clear and confident voice.

“My method seemed to work,” Sonya said, clutching her trophy.

Cade Suko, a fifth grader at St. Louis School in Clarksville, stayed with them through words like spaghetti, faze, subtle and microfiche. He took home the third place trophy.

The competition brought 38 middle school-age students from across the archdiocese – all winners of separate spelling bees at their respective schools – to Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Ellicott City.

As participants arrived with parents and teachers, they were greeted by Catherine Benchoff, a first-grader at OLPH School, who donned a bee costume, antennae and yellow gloves. “Welcome to the spelling bee,” she sang out. Beside her, Eli Dittmar and Nate Gracci held open the doors. The seventh-graders, members of the OLPH student council, wore beekeepers’ headgear.

The contest lasted nearly four hours. Students were called to the microphone in alphabetical order by first name.

In all, students spelled about 350 words, according to Gregorini, a teacher at OLPH, who said the words came from a Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt list of spelling and vocabulary words. The judges began with sixth-grade words and progressed to seventh- and finally eighth-grade words in the final rounds.

The children knew those lists.

Ayomide Odedina, a sixth-grader at St. Augustine School in Elkridge and veteran of the Howard County spelling bee, had help from her friends, including Olivia Ross, who came to cheer her on. She studied, figured out patterns and even cut up words and put them back together. Ayomide’s sister, Derin, also a bee veteran, recommended this course of study.

“I’ve been through a lot of spelling bees,” Ayomide said.

Aaliyah Perez was the very first student to spell. “I was really nervous, being the very first one,” she said. “Everybody’s eyes were on me.”

“We were praying the entire time,” said her mother, Marz Perez. “We couldn’t breathe.”

Rounds followed one after another in the hushed gymnasium. Allison Mehta, a sixth-grader from Monsignor Slade Catholic School in Glen Burnie, waved her hands just above her lap as each students spelled a word. Her quiet gesture was designed to support her fellow spellers. “I really like ‘jazz’ hands,” she explained.

It was after 3 p.m. when the competition came down to three spellers. Cade said his father went over the words with him every day for a month. “My dad made me practice, testing me on each of the words,” he said.

“I think he did very well. He worked very hard,” said his father, Scott Suko.

As David received congratulations from his parents and grandmother, he admitted to feeling nervous. “My classmates and teachers say I’m a really good speller,” he added.

Sonya said she learned her technique from other spellers. “Even if I know the word, I write it down,” she said.

In addition to their trophies and gift cards, Sonia won $1,000 in curriculum materials for Trinity School, which is also in Ellicott City, according to HMH representative Austin Byers.