Three Holy Name Football players earn All-Ohio Honors.
Joseph Laviano / November 30, 2011
Congratulations to HN Varsity Football standouts Dan Draher, Joe Duff, and Jake Schaeffer. They all have been select for All-Ohio Division III Special Mention Honors.
Holy Name hockey team wins holiday tournament
Published: Wednesday, November 30, 2011, 10:24 AM
Steve Novak / Sun News Correspondent
How many hockey coaches who lost 10 graduating senior players from last year’s team will admit to still being excited about the prospects for this year?
Let’s start with at least one. There’s Holy Name head coach Tim Sullivan.
Sullivan readily admits that the 10 seniors he lost contributed about 300 points in goals and assists during their playing days. It’s a lot to make up, but Sullivan feels he still has a core of returning veterans who can shape this season’s team.
Seniors on this year’s team include forward Alex Kurowski and defenseman Matt Cepis.
Juniors on the team include forward David Perry, goalie Sam Pikus, along with defensemen Justin Kosicki, Eric Fietle and Andy Minidis.
Sullivan said sophomore forwards Jamie Bucell, Joe Meehan and Tim Higgenbotham will see a lot of ice time this season, as will sophomore goalie Marcus Wolk.
Sullivan said he is optimistic that his returning veterans can help to shape another winning year. Last season, Holy Name finished with a record of 28 wins and eight losses.
“I’m very happy with our talent. We have 35 kids in our program,” he said. “We have a large amount of talented underclassmen. It’s exciting to be back with these young players.”
He said Holy Name basically has the same schedule as it did last season, meaning several matchups with a lot of tough Division I teams in the Greater Cleveland area.
“We’re in the Red South (Division),” he said. We don’t have an easy game on the schedule.”
The Green Wave didn’t waste time getting the new season off to a good start, as they won last weekend’s Walsh Thanksgiving Tournament, held at Kent State University’s arena.
Holy Name won two of its three preliminary games in the tournament, which was enough to get the team into the title game.
In the team’s opening game on Friday night, Holy Name lost to Serra Catholic of Pennsylvania by a score of 3-0. However, Holy Name won its two games on Saturday, defeating Brecksville by a score of 5-0, and then beating Bethel Park of Pittsburgh by a score of 4-1.
In the Bethel Park contest, Holy Name had two goals from junior Perry and one goal each from freshmen Tyler Albitz and Jeff Kett.
In the championship game held on Sunday, Holy Name defeated Toledo St. John’s by a score of 3-2. Holy Name had a 1-0 at the end of the first period, and a 2-1 lead at the end of the second period.
Bucell scored the first two goals for the Green Wave. The third and winning goal came on a short-handed shot by Kurawski with about eight minutes left in the game.
Coach Sullivan has several sophomores and freshmen on his team this year, and he said he was extremely pleased with their initial performances.
“To have this kind of an outcome in the first weekend of the season, I’m ecstatic,” he said. “But we still have a long season ahead of us. It’s going to be a fun year.”
Upcoming for Holy Name is the North Coast League Tournament, which begins Dec. 5 at Mentor.
Mount Union advances beating No. 25 Centre 30-10
FSOhio.com / November 26, 2011
The Purple Raiders (12-0) make their 20th straight trip to the quarterfinal round where they will host No. 9 ranked Wabash (12-0) next Saturday, Dec. 3 at noon at Mount Union Stadium in Alliance.
Junior running back Blair Skilliter (Curtice/Genoa) came off the bench and rushed for a career-high 78 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown, junior fullback Jake Simon (Parma/Holy Name) also rushed for a score and junior quarterback Matt Piloto (Rotonda West, Fla./Lemon Bay) threw for two scores to lead the Mount Union offense.
Junior defensive end Charles Dieuseul (Winter Haven, Fla./Lake Region) had a season-best 12 tackles along with 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble to lead the Mount Union defense which held Centre to its lowest scoring and fewest yards this season.
Junior wide receiver Jasper Collins (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva) returned after missing the last four game and went over a defender to catch an 11-yard touchdown pass that capped a 97-yard scoring drive and gave the Raiders a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Mount Union extended the lead to 14-0 on a Skilliter two-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter. On the very next drive, Centre pinned inside its own 10-yard line was called for a holding penalty in the end zone which resulted in a safety and made the score 16-0.
Centre (9-2) got on the board just before halftime as Jordan Gay kicked a 47-yard field goal as the score was 16-3 heading to the lockers.
The Colonols took the opening possesion of the second half 63 yards on seven plays and quarterback Tyler Osterman hit brother Jason Osterman on a 17-yard touchdown pass to get within six points 16-10.
The Raiders then answered with an impressive seven-play, 80-yard drive that saw Piloto complete a 37 yard pass to senior A.J. Claycomb (Medina/Medina) and a 22-yarder for a score to senior Brandon Brown (Merrillville, Ind./Cincinnati Harmony Prep) that ended the third quarter with a 23-10 lead.
Mount Union put the game away with just under three minutes left as Simon ran in from seven yards out for the 30-10 final.
Season looks bright for Holy Name girls basketball team
Published: Friday, November 25, 2011, 11:04 AM
By Steve Novak
Correspondent
The 2010/2011 version of the Holy Name girls basketball team looks a
lot like it did the previous season. In this particular case, that’s a
very good thing.
Last season, coach Kim Jones’ Holy Name team won 18
games and lost only six. Among the Green Wave’s victories last season,
there were three sectional and district wins which propelled them into
the Division II district finals.
However, that’s where the season ended. Holy Name lost to Keystone
by a score of 48-36. After four quarters of back and forth play, Holy
Name finally lost in overtime, one game short of making it to regional
play. .
“They’re not happy with the way things turned out at the end of the
season. It came down to foul shots, and then we went into overtime and
we lost the game,” Jones said, talking about her players this season.
“We have high expectations for this season. We have a lot of talent
coming back.”
Coach Jones only lost four members of last year’s team due to senior
graduation. There are several returners with loads of varsity
experience.
Seniors on this year’s team include Hayli Pinero (5-feet, 6-inches), Taylor Krusinski (6-0), Becca Bode (5-11), Laura Digeronimo (5-4) and Elissa Day (5-7).
Other returners from last year’s team include junior Meghan Adams (5-10), and sophomores Emily Lachowski (5-7), Kim Cook (5-10), and Erica Davis (5-10).
Krusinski was one of the leaders of the team last year, in her
junior year. She averaged 16 points per game, and nearly seven rebounds
each contest. She recently announced her intention to play college ball
at Mercyhurst.
ELYRIA — Times will not be so tough for Elyria Catholic someday.
The Panthers should get veteran defensemen Jack Walter and Alex Nielsen back on the ice eventually. Nate Wilkie’s hand injury should heel. Rookie goalie Bret Zak will get a few more games under his belt and, with time, should be steadier.Until then, Elyria Catholic will sail on rough waters. Holy Name skated over and around the Panthers for a 12-3 victory in a Red South division game Wednesday night at North Park.
“I can’t make excuses,” Panthers coach Rick Montgomery said. “All teams at some time in the season will have injuries. But when you’re missing two of the four defensemen who you planned to play most of the time, and you have a first-time goalie, and your right wing (Wilkie) just isn’t ready, it’s tough.
Elyria Catholic (1-3, 0-1 Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League) made it interesting. The Panthers scored three goals in a row to cut Holy Name’s lead to 5-3 with 4:35 left in the second period.
Holy Name (4-1, 1-0) spent the rest of the evening making the game uninteresting. The Green Wave put in a goal with 3:15 left in the second period and scored six times in the third. Holy Name scored three times in the first 6:26 of the final period and got a power-play goal with 7:20 remaining.
“For as shorthanded as we are we took it to them in the second,” Montgomery added. “We had a poor first period. We were sluggish. We didn’t hit anyone. In the second our guys played hockey the way I know they can play it. We won the race to the puck every time.
The furious second period took its toll, however.
“It’s tough to play that way when you only have two lines and they’re using four,” Montgomery said. “In the third period our feet were in cement. We were gassed. You just have to fight through it. Things don’t get easier for us from here.
“We just have to keep working hard in practice and make the most of our opportunites,” said Stephan Donat, who scored two of the Panthers’ goals. “We have to build on what we did in the second period, keep doing the good things we did, and get off to a quicker start.” Zak, who had never played goalie before approaching Montgomery last month and offering to try the position, had 29 saves.“Bret made a couple of nice saves, but he let in some easy ones,” Montgomery said. “It’s concentration.”
Zak’s most impressive save happened with 30 seconds left in the second period when he smothered Jamie Bucell’s attempt to score on a breakaway.
The Green Wave needed just 4:14 to take a 3-0 lead. They added two more goals late in the first period for a 5-0 lead at the first rest.
Dustin Myles ended the shutout by scoring in close off a pass from Collin Lester at 13:25 of the second. Donat’s first goal, off Luke Williams’ assist, came at 11:44. Donat took a pass from Seth Wechter to score his second goal and breathe some life — if only temporarily — into the Panthers.
Elyria Catholic had two other good chances to score. Shots by James Baker in the second period and Donat in the third hit off the pipes and bounced to the wrong side of the net.
Holy Name 12, Elyria Catholic 3
FIRST PERIOD: 1. Holy Name, Ross Genetti (Joe Meehan), 2:24; 2. Holy Name, Genetti (Tim Higgenbotham), 3:28; 3. Holy Name, Alex Kurowski (Jamie Bucell), 4:14; 4. Holy Name, David Perry (Kurowski, Bucell), 10:53; 5. Holy Name, Higgenbotham (Perry), 14:16. Penalty – Elyria Catholic, Steve Donat (head contact), 3:48.
SECOND PERIOD: 6. Elyria Catholic, Dustin Myles (Collin Lester), 1:35; 7. Elyria Catholic, Donat (Luke Williams), 3:16; 8. Elyria Catholic, Donat (Seth Wechter), 10:25; 9. Holy Name, Meehan (Perry, Bucell), 11:45. Penalties – Holy Name, Justin Kosicki (slashing), 6:59; Holy Name, Meehan (head contact), 7:21; Holy Name, Marcus Wolk (roughing), 7:50; Holy Name, Kosicki (hooking), 12:29.
THIRD PERIOD: 10. Holy Name, Troy Mazzena (Tyler Albitz, Kyle Canda), 1:57; 11. Holy Name, Higgenbotham (Kosicki, Eric Fiehl), 3:39; 12. Holy Name, Perry (Kurowski, Bucell), 6:26; 13. Holy Name, Kurowski (Higgenbotham, Fiehl), 7:40; 14. Holy Name, Perry (Canda), 11:46; 15. Holy Name, Fiehl (Paul Baker), 12:29. Penalties – Elyria Catholic, James Baker (holding), 7:23; Holy Name, Fiehl (head contact), 8:34; Elyria Catholic, Nate Wilkie (boarding), 10:07; Holy Name, Kosicki (slashing), 12:57; Holy Name, Wolk (tripping), 13:04; Elyria Catholic, Donat (tripping), 14:38
Shots on goal – Holy Name 20-8-13—41, Elyria Catholic 4-9-5—18. Goalies – HN, Marcus Wolk (18 shots, 15 saves); EC, Bret Zak (41 shots, 29 saves). Power-play opportunities – Holy Name 3 of 3, Elyria Catholic 1 of 5.
Contact Steve Byrne at 329-7135 or stephenbyrne@att.net.
