Ohio City - The Wildcats' coaches and Athletic Director Rory Fitzpatrick '88 join parents, family and friends in a night of appreciation and acknowledgement, as Cleveland's Jesuit Preparatory School presents its annual Winter Sports Banquet.
In what was a season to cherish, All-Ohio and All-Northeast Lakes District senior basketball standouts Francisco Santiago and Derek Sloan garner their team's co-Most Valuable Player awards, gifted senior post Alec Papesch is chosen as the 'Cats' Most Valuable Offensive Player, junior guard Kyle Berger is selected as the MVP on defense, junior post Eric Black is the recipient of the Most Improved Player award and the Sixth-Man Award goes to senior forward Austin Sterpka.
In what are three of the special honors presented by the coaching staff, the prestigious Coaches Cup went to devoted and ever-present senior Team Manager Patrick Gibbons, junior Danny Bova received the Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award and a true man for others, senior point guard Bryan Fisher, was presented with the AMDG, "For the Greater Glory of God," award.
Santiago, Sloan and Papesch will be playing together one last time when they compete in the annual Greater Cleveland Basketball Coaches Association's All-Star Night on Wednesday at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School. Wildcats head coach Sean O'Toole, who was recently honored as the Division I Coach of the Year in the Northeast Lakes District, learned on Monday night that he has been selected by the GCBCA as its Division I Coach of the Year.
Coach O'Toole '87, who will be entering his sixth season as the head coach of his alma mater's basketball program, has a career mark at Saint Ignatius of 87-30. Earlier this month the Wildcats completed a 21-4 winter that saw them win a school-best 19 regular-season games, earn the top ranking in The Plain Dealer's Top 25 seven-county poll and a seventh-place ranking in the Associated Press Division I state poll.
As we reported on the corner last month, "Cisco" (Santiago), the Division I Player of the Year in the Northeast Lakes District and a first-team All-Ohio selection, has been selected to play in next month's prestigious North-South Game. Cisco averaged 15.4 points and 4.6 assists, pulled down 63 rebounds and made 40 steals. Sloan, a first-team All-District selection and a Special Mention All-Ohio, averaged a team-best 16 points, grabbed 145 rebounds, blocked 37 shots and came up with 20 steals.
Santiago and Sloan finished with 169 and 168 total points, respectively, and Eric Black was next with 217 points. Papesch, who was sidelined for more than three weeks with a broken wrist, shot an amazing 72.8 percent from the field and junior post David Black, Eric's twin brother, was an impressive 86.7 percent from the foul line. Papesch, Eric Black and Berger were Special Mentions on the All-District team.
The Captains Awards went to Bova, Sloan and Santiago and the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association recognized 11 Wildcats with either Gold or Silver Certificates for their academic prowess, citizenship and sportsmanship.
Receiving Gold Certificates were Bryan Fisher, Alec Papesch, Austin Sterpka and the young man whom the late John Wooden would have loved to talk basketball with - Patrick Gibbons. Kyle Berger, David and Eric Black, Danny Bova, Ryan Napoli, Ogo Okolo and Stephen McDonnell were the recipients of Silver Certificates.
Third-year team trophies were awared to "Pappy" (Papesch) and Sloan. Second-year team trophies were presented to Fisher, Gibbons Santiago, Sterpka, Berger, Eric and David Black, Bova and the young man who can discuss every high school, college and professional sport on this great earth - sophomore Mike Berry, the other half of Coach O'Toole's 1-2 Manager punch.
First-year letters and pins were awarded to juniors Jim Abraham, Isiah Barbra, who honed his skills in Saint Ignatius of Antioch's legendary I.B.A. League, McDonnell, Napoli, Okolo, promising 6-foot-7 junior post Jake Strippy, gifted 6-6 sophomore forward Jaylin McDonald, Deven Stover, who is one the top freshman guards in Northeast Ohio, and sophomore assistant manager/player Bhisma Allen.
Although the teams broke up into different rooms for their annual awards, the corner wanted to be sure to recognize the special honors that were bestowed upon the Wildcats' other winter sports teams.
Coach Pat O'Rourke's hockey team, which garnered the top ranking in the coaches' state poll, recognized its outstanding senior captain and center Miles McQuinn as its Offensive MVP, four-year letter winner Joe Malone received the Defensive MVP award, the Most Improved awards went to junior Beck Schultz and sophomore Jack Wiegandt, the prestigious Father Styles Coaches Cup was presented to junior Harry Smith and receiving the Captains' Plaques were McQuinn, Malone and one of the most underrated players in the area - senior Alex McNulty.
Coach Mark Sullivan's wrestling program, which has made tremendous strides under his leadership and guidance, recognized senior state qualifier Jim Ferritto (113 pounds) with the program's prestigious Coaches Cup. Jim, one of the classiest young men this seasoned reporter has ever dealt with, also received the Marilyn A. Sullivan Award, which is named in honor of Coach Sullivan's late mother.
Senior Tommy Zeigler, a three-time state placer who finished third in Ohio at 126 pounds this winter, was the Wildcats' Most Valuable Wrestler and the Wildcat Award went to gifted 170-pound junior Anthony McLaughlin, who placed sixth in the state this year.
Tommy came away with one of the toughest and most impressive victories in the entire state tournament by defeating Chance Driscoll of St. Edward, 1-0, en route to third place.
And last, but certainly not least, Saint Ignatius' Most Improved Wrestler Award went to gritty, talented and hard-nosed senior district qualifier Isen Vajusi (195).
Coach Jeff Ridler's swimming and diving team, which placed third overall in Ohio last month, established new varsity school records in the 200 medley relay (Peter Simcox, Derek Hren, Nathan Christian and Charlie Pophal), a time of 1:31.97, and the 100 breaststroke (Hren), a time of 55.57.
Coach Ridler's program received Automatic All-American performances from the 200 medley relay, the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke (Hren), the 200 free relay and the 400 free relay. Consideration for All-American performances went to Christian in the 50 free and 100 free, Pophal in the 50 free and Simcox in the 100 fly.
The High Point Awards were earned by Hren (370.50), Simcox (273.50), sophomore Nate Stahl (54.50) and freshman Jacob Pilawa (54.50); the Captains Awards were presented to Hren and Pophal, the 'Cats' Most Valuable Swimmer was Hren; the Most Valuable Diver was Pilawa; the prestigious John B. Lewis Award was presented to Simcox; the Most Improved Awards were garnered by Nolan Lehto, Matt Galla and John Reagan; the Newcomer of the Year was Rayon Artis and the other yearly prestigious award - the Coaches Cup - went to Pophal.
All-Ohio Swimmer Awards from the state were awarded to Hren (third place in both the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke); Christian (fourth place in the 50 free); Pophal (seventh place in the 50 freestyle); Simcox (fourth place in the 100 fly); the 200 free relay (third place- Christian, Simcox, Artis and Pophal) and the 200 medley relay (Simcox, Hren, Christian and Pophal) and 400 free relay (Christian, Simcox, Pophal and Hren), which brought home state championships in those events.
The corner would again like to pass along a huge congratulations to Coach John Kastanis' bowling program, which knocked 'em down to the tune of Scratch and Handicap Division championships in the Greater Cleveland Interscholastic Bowling League.
Among Coach Kastanis' major award winners were senior Andy Maykut, a four-year award and this winter's team MVP; junior Phil Criswell, who earned a third-year award; junior Anthony Giancola, a district qualifier, a third-year award winner and the Coaches Award recipient; third-year award winning juniors Billy Farr and Sean O'Brien; second-year award winner and recipient of the Most Improved Award, sophomore Garrett Forst; second-year award winning sophomore Antonio DiFranco; and first-year award winners (all freshmen) - Gianni Schaefer, Ralph Deadwyler, Cedric Crawford, Austin Venczel and Ethan Hynds.