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Kennedy Catholic Football Opens 2-0
It was an auspicious start for Kennedy Catholic football as both the varsity and junior varsity squads opened their respective seasons with victories on the Main Athletic Field on Sept. 8.
The junior varsity team kicked things off in the early game with a 20-0 shutout of Peekskill. Sophomores Chris Aaron, Marc Palmer and Dylan Schuck all reached the endzone, while sophomore quarterback J.T. Flanagan led the Gaels on scoring drives of 70 and 90 yards, respectively. Defensively, Kennedy Catholic was led by sophomores Aaron, Mickey Connolly, Joe Lulgjuraj, John Manzo, David "Boomer" Odell, Palmer, Schuck and Dylan Tragni. Freshmen Tom Angelilli, Dan Girolamo and Noah Gitta also had a huge impact, said coach Robert Schwartz. The junior varsity football team will next play at Pleasantville on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 9:30 a.m.
Not to be outdone, the varsity football team won its season opener 22-14 behind a stalwart defense that put together an impressive stand with just under four minutes to play and an offense that literally ran over the Panthers in the second half after being held scoreless for the first two quarters. Senior Andrei Schipor and junior Eric Mercado each ran for more than 100 yards and combined for 265 total yards on the ground. Schipor had 13 carries for 129 yards, while Mercado recorded 135 yards on 21 touches, including three touchdowns. Senior quarterback Brendan Dodge completed six of 19 passes, all to senior wideout Edmund O'Connell, who had 68 yards receiving an scored all four of Kennedy Catholic's conversion points. The varsity football team is home again on Sunday, Sept. 16, to take on Briarcliff at 3 p.m.
Strong Showing For KCHS Cross Country At Somers Invitational
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The Kennedy Catholic girls' cross country team put together yet another outstanding meet, finishing second to Brewster in total points at the Somers Invitational this past weekend. Jessica Kendzor came in third overall and Breeda Mannion finished in the sixth spot, while Emily Novak and Tina Kendzor rounded out the Lady Gaels top-20 finishers, placing 16th and 17th, respectively.
Not to be outdone, the boys' team, picked to finish second to Byram Hills in a preseason ranking, ran as if it was second to none. Nick Lopilato took home the eighth spot, with teammate Brandon Wynne finishing in 18th place. "They have two very strong runners who deserve credit for their dedication and talent, but matched up to our top five runners, I am confident we have the will to make this a very successful season," boys' coach Jacob Bergmeier said. "Personally, I feel Byram Hills has a tough job ahead of itself if the team wants to beat the Kennedy Catholic boys."
Girls' Cross Country Now Ranked 14th In The State
The Kennedy Catholic girls' cross country team is now ranked 14th among all Class B teams in New York State. Check out the rankings online at Armory Track.
Swim Team Topples Keio, 86-77; Now 2-0
The Kennedy Catholic girls swimming team followed its season-opening victory against Ossining on Monday with an 86-77 win against the Keio Academy Unicorns at Manhattanville College on Sept. 19, marking the first time in more than four seasons that Kennedy Catholic has opened a swimming season 2-0.
For the second straight meet, Kerri Knippenberg finished first in all four of her events, as did tri-captain Alexandra Panzarino. Knippenberg finished with a strong 2:20.40 in the 200 Freestyle, and then blew the field away with a staggering 5:50.24 in the 500 Freestyle (a Kennedy record for that distance). As she did all last season, Panzarino dominated both the 200 IM (2:24.28) and 100 butterfly (1:04.61). Knippenberg and Panzarino combined with rising freshmen stars Lindsie O’Hagan and Laura Krasniqi to win the 200 Medley Relay and 400 Freestyle Relay. Krasniqi was a solid second to Panzarino in the IM and the fly, as well. O’Hagan came in first in the 100 free and second in the 100 back.
Tri-captain Emily Krizek had another fine meet, earning points in the 200 Medley Relay, 50 free and 100 back. Kathryn Windas built on her fine performance against Ossining, placing second in the 200 free and third in the 100 free, as well as gathering relay points. April Mante courageously took on the difficult 200 IM and scored in the Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay and 100 back. Katrina Healy swam a fine 50 free. Senior sparkplug Krista Kroslowitz took second in the grueling 500 Free and was part of the third place Medley Relay. Megan O’Connor scored in two relays (200 Medley, 200 Free), while also competing in the 100 Free (4th) and 100 Breaststroke. Gabrielle Spalvieri took third in the 50 free and fourth in the 100 breaststroke, while also scoring in the 200 Free Relay.
As in the Ossining meet, the win against Keio was a team effort, with every swimmer playing a part in the victory. The team hopes to carry that pattern over into next week with three difficult meets against Beacon, Croton-Harmon and Eastchester. Working in the Lady Gaels’ favor is that all 14 swimmers (including tri-captain Kim Brown, sprinter Kara Lyon and the very versatile Kaitlin Rohonczy) will all be available. That will allow new head coach Paul Alvarez greater flexibility and more options with his line-ups.
The Lady Gaels opens its difficult week in its home pool at Westchester Community College against the always-tough Beacon Bulldogs on Sept. 24 at 5 p.m.
Read about the Lady Gaels at Lower Hudson Online, powered by The Journal News.
8 Event Victories Not Enough To Overcome Lack Of Depth As Swim Team Falls To Beacon Bulldogs, 102-82
Despite winning two of three relays and six of eight individual events, the Kennedy Catholic girls’ swimming team lost a competitive meet to the Beacon Bulldogs, 82 – 102, on Sept. 24. Although not as disparate as the last two seasons when it was 11 KCHS girls against 35 Bulldogs, a lack of depth—12 swimmers vs. about 20—proved to be the Lady Gaels’ undoing.
Alex Panzarino remained undefeated in all twelve of her events this season, winning both the 200 Medley and 400 Free Relays, while continuing her individual dominance in both the 200 IM (2:25.51) and 100 Butterfly (1:05.68). Kerri Knippenberg also maintained her perfect mark as she was on the same two relays and also had impressive firsts in the 200 Free (2:16.96) and 500 Free (5:51.09).
Competing in the 50 Free for the first time on the high school level, Lindsie O’Hagan sprinted to a 28.92 first place finish, while being narrowly edged out for 1st in the 100 Free and being part of a first and second-place relay. Kara Lyon returned in fine fashion with a first and second in relays, plus third in the 100 Breaststroke and fourth in the Fly. Laura Krasniqi had an excellent 1:11.50 to win the 100 Backstroke, while also taking second to Alex in the IM and gathering two relay firsts.
Perhaps the most noteworthy accomplishment of the night, however, was Kaitlin Rohonczy’s debut as the first Kennedy diver in recent memory. She scored a valuable two points for the Lady Gaels, accumulating 94.90 diving points for her six attempts. Kaitlin also came in second in the Breaststroke, while doing two relays, as did most of the girls.
Kathryn Windas actually took part in all three relays, while also scoring in the 100 Free. Emily Krizek nailed a point in the 50 Free, while also battling in the Backstroke. Megan O’Connor took fifth in the 200 Free and third in the Back, having a fine meet on the whole. Katrina Healy swam the 100 Free and worked very hard in both Freestyle relays, taking on the 400 for the first time. April Mante competed in the 100 Breaststroke (and had to go right to the 400 Free Relay), plus did the Medley Relay. Gabrielle Spalvieri did the 200 IM for her first time, as well as the 50 Free and relays.
Kennedy’s initial loss does not dim the excellent start to the 2007 season. There have been great individual performances and team effort in all three meets to date. The Lady Gaels hope to ground the Eastchester Eagles at home this Friday at Westchester Community College starting at 5 p.m.
Swim Team Loses Battle With Eastchester, 95-75
The Kennedy Catholic girls’ swimming team lost a hard fought meet to Eastchester on Sept. 28, coming up on the short end of a 95 - 75 Eagles victory. The meet was much closer than the final score reflects, with the Lady Gaels only trailing by eight going into the final event. Unable to enter a 400 Free Relay squad with four swimmers missing due to illness, Eastchester took an uncontested 12 points to yield the final result.
Coach Paul Alvarez, after assessing the shorthanded situation, decided to experiment by having swimmers try different events for times and to see what they might accomplish. There were some pleasant surprises, such as Katrina Healy coming in third in the 200 Free, her best individual score to date. Megan O’Connor and Gabrielle Spalvieri took on the tough 500 Free for the first time, with both scoring points in the event. Megan also swam the 100 Breaststroke, earning a point. In addition to capturing the 200 IM for the fourth straight meet, Alex Panzarino also placed a strong second in the 100 Breaststroke. Kerri Knippenberg dominated the 500 Free once again and turned in a fine 28.42 in the 50 Free, good for second.
Laura Krasniqi won both the 100 Free (1:03.60) and 100 Back (1:11.92). Lindsie O’Hagan finished second to Laura in the Back, while also taking second in the 100 Fly. Kara Lyon took fourth in the Fly and also handled the difficult 200 IM. April Mante scored in the 50 Free.
Two other highlights were Kaitlin Rohonczy winning the diving for Kennedy and the 200 Free Relay Team (Laura, Kara, Alex and Kerri) not only winning, but bringing in a sub-2:00 time (1:53.73). Kaitlin also took fourth in the Breaststroke.
The Lady Gaels take on Putnam Valley on Oct. 2 at Copper Beach Middle School, before traveling to Mark Twain Middle School to battle Yonkers the following day.
JV Football Remains Undefeated With 14-7 Win Over Putnam Valley
Following a disappointing tie against Byram Hills, the Kennedy Catholic JV football team remained undeafeted after posting a 14-7 victory over Putnam Valley this past Saturday.
Going into the fourth quarter tied, the offense put together an 85-yard, game-winning drive with Dylan Schuck plunging two yards for the go ahead score. Schuck was the true "workhorse" in Saturday's game, as he gained more than five yards per carry and was instrumental in the offensive game plan. J.T. Flanagan, Boomer Odell and Tyler Trodden also made significant contributions to the high-powered offense.
Defensively, the Gaels limited Putnam Valley to one score, while sacks by Dylan Tragni, John Manzo and Noah Gitta held the Valley in check. Nursing an injury, defensive captain Marc Palmer played through the pain and was a key factor in a second half shutout of the Tigers. Freshmen Dan Girolamo and Tom Angelilli were also huge in protecting the lead.
The Gaels' next game will be home this Saturday against Irvington at 9:30 a.m.
Lady Gaels Shine At KCHS Sterling Invitational
With five runners in the top 10, the varsity girls’ cross country team took home first place in its division at the annual Kennedy Catholic Sterling Invitational at the school on Sept. 29.
Jessica Kendzor, Breeda Mannion, Emily Novak, Tina Kendzor and Mary Anderson finished second, third, sixth, seventh and tenth, respectively, as the Lady Gaels literally ran away from the field for an 18-point victory. Freshman Emily Thomas also had an impressive outing, finishing second among the field’s ninth-graders.
Meanwhile, the varsity boys’ team continued nipping at the heels of top-ranked Byram Hills, finishing second to the Bobcats with Nick Lopilato taking first place among varsity runners. Brandon Wynne and Carlos Cartaya finished fourth and ninth, respectively, with Augie Iannotta and Eric DiNome rounding out the Gaels’ top 20 placers.
Boys Varsity Soccer Ends Draught With Back-to-back Victories
The boys’ varsity soccer team ended a one-year dry spell with a 4-1 win against Croton-Harmon on Oct. 2. Junior forward Luis Gonzalez recorded a hat trick, scoring three goals, while sophomore midfielder and defender Mike La Greca netted the fourth on a penalty kick. Gonzalez would put together an encore performance two days later, again scoring three goals in a 4-3 victory over Putnam Valley. And in a move that every goalie fantasizes about, senior netminder Erik Shum was moved out of goal to the forward position by coach Linda Efraimsen late in the game and ended up scoring the winner.
JV Outlasts Irvington; Varsity Falls To Putnam Valley On Homecoming
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Kennedy Catholic football earned a split on Homecoming Weekend, as the junior varsity Gaels ran past the Bulldogs of Irvington, 21-14, on the legs of David “Boomer” Odell, Dylan Schuck (right) and Tyler Trodden, while the varsity squad came up short against Putnam Valley in the afternoon game, 21-6. The junior varsity remains undefeated at 3-0-1.
Check back later in the week for the complete story, plus stats.
Girls Varsity Soccer Tops Putnam Valley 2-1
The Kennedy Catholic girls' varsity soccer team raised its record to 3-6 on Oct. 9, doubling up on Putnam Valley, 2-1. At the end of a first half that saw the Lady Gaels launch numerous shots on the Tigers goal, junior Jacqueline Kastberg (at left during a 4-0 win against Keio Academy last month; photo by Ellen Lee) was finally able to chip one in with junior Christina Lee on the assist, tying the score at 1. Putnam Valley did finish with 18 saves, but it wasn’t enough as Lee sealed the deal in the second half, scoring with 12 minutes left in the game. Junior Theresa Tolan was in on the assist. Lady Gaels senior goalkeeper Colleen Hickey recorded seven saves on the afternoon. The girls varsity squad is at Briarcliff today, Oct. 10, at 4:30 p.m.
Swim Team Falls Four Points Short Against A Combined Croton-Harmon And Hendrick Hudson Team, 49-45
In a wonderful team effort filled with close heats and drama, the Kennedy Catholic girls swimming team lost a heart-wrenching second straight meet, coming up four points short against a strong (and combined) Croton-Harmon and Hendrick Hudson squad at Mildred Strang Middle School in Yorktown on Oct. 9. The meet came down to the final event with the Lady Gaels trailing by only two. Kennedy Catholic, with only 11 swimmers, gave its all but fell short, 49-45.
Perhaps the most dramatic race was the 20-lap 500 Freestyle that often lasts more than eight minutes, yet was decided in a margin of little more than two seconds. Kerri Knippenberg remained unbeaten in this demanding event as she fended off the talented Gianna Braca by a difference of 5:41.44 to 5:43.78. Braca had earlier edged Knippenberg in the 200 Free by less than two seconds. Captain Alex Panzarino proved yet again why she is one of the top teir swimmers in Division Four, winning the 200 IM and the 100 Fly, bringing her individual record to 7-0 and 6-0, respectively, in those two events for the season. Lindsie O’Hagan had her unbeaten streak in the 50 Free snapped, but still competed hard in both that event, as well as the 100 Back, where she took third. Kara Lyon, improving in all strokes, captured third in the IM where she has been able second to Panzarino.
Laura Krasniqi won the Breaststroke in an excellent 1:19.73. This was the best time in this event by a Kennedy Catholic swimmer since Meredith Bannon went under 1:10.00 back in 2003 (Bannon, now competing at Duke, is one of five former Lady Gaels swimming in college. Tthe others are Rebecca Porteus ’04, SUNY Stony Brook; Danielle Ulanowski ’04, SUNY Oneonta; Kerry Coughlin ’07, Hamilton; and Hannah Fitzgibbons ’07, Pfeiffer. All these young women were Section One All-Division during their Kennedy Catholic careers.). Krasniqi also took second in the 100 Free and made her usual strong showing in the relays.
Gabrielle Spalvieri managed an exhausting second half of the program, swimming four of the final five events, including the 500 Free and 100 Breaststroke. Captain Emily Krizek battled in the 50 Free, as well as the Medley and 400 Free relays. Katrina Healy teamed with Krizek on both relays and did the 100 Back. Kathryn Windas again did all three relays, plus her usual 100 Free. Megan O’Connor worked hard in the 200 Free and scored points for KCHS in both freestyle relays. The courageous Krista Kroslowitz nailed third in the Fly and made her steady relay contributions as well.
The Lady Gaels are off until Oct. 17, when they take on Peekskill in Westchester Community College pool at 5 p.m.
JV Football Ends With Win Over Put Valley, Best Record In 8 Years
The Kennedy Catholic junior varsity football team wrapped up its season on Oct. 29 with a convincing 14-0 win over Putnam Valley on the Main Athletics Field. Sophomore Dylan Schuck carried the load as he ripped through the Putnam Valley defense, carrying defenders on his back en route to his sixth 100-yard game. He was joined by Boomer Odell, Tyler Trodden and field general JT Flanagan in leading the Gaels to its two scores. On the other side of the ball, Marc Palmer, Joe Lulgjuraj, John Manzo, Dylan Tragni and the rest of the defense preserved the shutout. “A total team effort,” remarked coach Schwartz.
The shutout victory comes on the heels of a 14-7 scare at Pelham on Oct. 22. Playing without two starters, Kennedy Catholic found itself down seven at the half. In the locker room, coach Augie Tieri ’00 challenged his players. Palmer and Odell responded. Behind key plays from Flanagan and Trodden, Odell found the end zone on two occasions and Matt Burke sealed the deal with his extra point kicks. Definsively, freshmen Dan Girolamo, Justin Scott, Noah Gitta and Tom Angelilli put forth a strong effort, while Palmer, Manzo, Trodden and Dylan Tragni continue to impress.
“This is how we roll,” Tiere ’00 said, and roll the junior varsity Gaels did, all the way to a 5-1-1 season, its best in more than eight years. “The Future” (a.k.a. the sophomore players) will finish up on varsity for the last two games. “Good luck,” said Schwartz, “and carry on that winning tradition.”
Swim Gives Undefeated Harrison A Scare Before Falling, 49-44
Finishing its 2007 regular season on a strong note, the Kennedy Catholic girls’ swimming team gave the Harrison Huskies (11-0 and first in Division IV) all it could handle before falling, 49 - 44.
Captain Alexandra Panzarino concluded her 2007 campaign by finishing undefeated in both her primary events: 11-0 in the 200 IM and 10-0 in the 100 Butterfly. In fact, in her high school career to date, Panzarino is a combined 41-2 in these events. Kerri Knippenberg captured first in both the 200 Free and the 500 Free. Knippenberg was 10-0 in the latter, emerging as the premier distance swimmer in Division IV. Laura Krasniqi, who had a phenomenal freshman season, won the 100 Breaststroke and took second in the 100 Free. Lindsie O’Hagan swam all three relays (a first and two seconds), while coming in third in the 100 Backstroke.
In her final regular season meet for Kennedy Catholic, Kaitlin Rohonczy took third in the IM and fourth in the Breaststroke. Going against the tough Harrison sprinters, Kara Lyon managed third in the 50 Free and fourth in the 100 Free. Kathryn Windas came in fourth in the 200 Free and 100 Back. Megan O’Connor swam a respectable 7:52.77 in the 500 Free, while also working hard on relays. Gabrielle Spalvieri also played an important role on relays, while attempting the 100 Fly. Katrina Healy swam both Freestyle relays for the Lady Gaels, and senior Krista Kroslowitz, ever the trooper, battled in all three relays in her final meet for Kennedy.
Although this could have been considered a rebuilding year for Kennedy Catholic (with only four returning swimmers in Seniors Emily Krizek, Rohonczy, Kroslowitz and sophomore Panzarino), coach Paul Alvarez blended in nine new team members to form a cohesive unit. 2007 was quite a successful season, and the 2008 holds great promise for the Lady Gaels.
Divisionals were held on Oct. 27 (check back here for stats as they become available), and Kennedy Catholic will be sending three relay teams to Sectionals at Felix Festa Middle School in Nyack in early November. Panzarino (200 IM, 100 Butterfly) and Knippenberg (500 Freestyle) will be competing in individual events at Sectionals.
Undefeated Girls' Tennis League Champs For 4th Straight Year
It may be time to start talking dynasty as the KCHS girls’ varsity tennis team won its fourth straight regular season League V-A title this month. At 10-0, the Lady Gaels went undefeated for the third time in four seasons, doing it without having home courts.
“Not having home courts is a disadvantage,” coach Dr. Nancy Dellamonte said. “It takes the visiting team out of its comfort zone, and for the past three years, we have always been the visiting team.”
Yet Kennedy Catholic tennis has continued to roll, losing but a single match over the past four years that led to a shared title in 2005. Despite losing eight seniors from last season, the Lady Gaels maintained its dominance behind the strong play of junior Sarah Viebrock and seniors Lauren Race (above) and Lindsay Burke, the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 singles players, respectively. The team also got consistent play out of its doubles groupings of juniors Teresa Iacovino and Lauren Morales, and junior Samantha Conner and senior Ellen Ring.
Burke and Race also teamed up to finish third in the League V doubles tourney. Congratulations to the girls and especially coach Dellamonte, who tied the knot on Oct. 20 with fiancé Angelo Efthimiatos.
Girls' Cross Country Wins League, County Class B Titles
Heading into the Section 1 Championships earlier this month, the girls’ varsity cross country team had plenty of hardware in tow after winning their league and the county Class B titles in October.
Breeda Mannion ’10 led the Lady Gaels with her best time on the championship course at 16:25, which was good enough for 21stplace and a medal. It was to be a…ahem…running theme as three other girls would finish with personal bests on Oct. 25.
Captain Emily Novak ’08 came in 42nd with a personal best of 17:04, while Jessica Kendzor ’10 fought through some pain to finish 49th in a time of 17:17. Her sister, Tina Kendzor ’08, ran her personal best on the course in finishing 72nd, while Mary Anderson ’09 would be the 81st to finish the course with a personal best time of 17:57.
Collectively, the girls finished as the top Class B team in Westchester. Furthermore, the gap between the lead runner and the fifth runner on the team has narrowed from nearly four minutes to 1:32. For their efforts, the girls are now ranked 16th in the state and had peaked as high as 14th earlier in the season.
The Class B victory came nine days after the Lady Gaels held off Pleasantville, 41-42, to win the League III-A Championships at Byram Hills on Oct. 16. Again led by sophomore standout Mannion, who finished third with a time of 20.22, Kennedy Catholic placed six runners among the top 20 in taking the league title.
Jessica Kendzor ’10 came in sixth, while Novak ’08 and Tina Kendzor ’08 finished back-to-back in the ninth and tenth spots. Abby He.jpg)
nry ’09 and Anderson ’09 (top right) rounded out the top Kennedy Catholic finishers, coming in 13th and 14th, respectively.
nry ’09 and Anderson ’09 (top right) rounded out the top Kennedy Catholic finishers, coming in 13th and 14th, respectively.For their part, the boys took third behind Byram Hills and Croton-Harmon at the league championships. Nick Lopilato ’12 (bottom left) led the way with a second-place finish and a time of 17.13. The other Gael to end the day among the top 20 was Carlos Cartaya ’09, who came in 10th. Lopilato ’12 also medaled at the Westchester County Championships after finishing 26th with a time of 13:55.
Of the 28 runners selected for All-League Honors in League 3-A, eight were from Kennedy Catholic. This year’s recipients included Mary Anderson ’09, Carlos Cartaya ’09, Abby Henry ’09, Christina Kendzor ’08, Jessica Kendzor ’10, Nick Lopilato ’12, Breeda Mannion ’10 and Emily Novak ’08.
Runners Lopilato, Mannion Make States
Talk about off and running. Kennedy Catholic senior Nick Lopilato and sophomore Breeda Mannion qualified for states following their stellar individual performances at the Section 1 New York State Qualifier at Bowdoin Park on Nov. 2. Please check back for complete meet results and more details as they become available. Congratulations to Breeda and Nick!
Lady Gaels Swim Team Enjoys Best Divisional Finish In 4 Years
The Kennedy Catholic Girls Swimming team enjoyed its most successful Divisional meet in four years, garnering 196 points en route to a sixth place finish that included 13 medals (five for individual performances).
Sophomore captain Alexandra Panzarino won gold medals in the 200 IM (2:20.23) and the 100 Butterfly (1:01.76), earning 40 points for the Lady Gaels in the process, while dynamic freshman distance swimmer Kerri Knippenberg won two silvers in the 200 Freestyle (2:14.14) and 500 Freestyle (5:43.46).
Freshmen sensation Laura Krasniqi captured the bronze medal in the 200 IM (2:28.63). Krasniqi also finished 10th with a fine 1:02.09 in the 100 Free. Panzarino, Knippenberg and Krasniqi teamed up with talented freshman Lindsie O’Hagan to win two bronze medals in the 200 Medley Relay (2:06.81) and the 400 Freestyle Relay (4:04.27). O’Hagan also took 11th in the 100 Free (1:02.87) and 10th in the 100 Fly (1:20.32).
The drama did not stop with the medal winners, however. Freshman Gabrielle Spalvieri won her heat and took a full 10 seconds off her time (1:31.98) in the 100 Breaststroke, gaining a point for Kennedy, and also swam a competitive 50 Freestyle (0:31.71). Senior captain Emily Krizek concluded her Kennedy swimming career with season best times in the 50 Free (0:36.45) and 100 Free (1:21.99). Sophomore Kathryn Windas also won her heat in the 100 Backstroke with her seasonal best of 1:39.60.
Junior Kara Lyon was the sixth Kennedy Catholic swimmer (joining Panzarino, Knippenberg, Krasniqi, O’Hagan and Spalvieri) to garner individual point—last year there were only two scorers in Panzarino and Kerry Coughlin ’07—by taking 10th in the 50 Free (0:28.75) and 15th in the 200 Free (2:30.68). Sophomore Megan O’Connor brought in her best time of the year (7:50.70) in the demanding 500 Free, and swam a 1:45.01 in the 100 Breaststroke. Senior Krista Kroslowitz capped her fine career (and the tradition of being the third Kroslowitz sister to compete for Kennedy Catholic) by swimming a career best 2:49.85 in the 200 Free and 1:33.04 in the 100 Fly. Kroslowitz combined with Lyon, O’Connor and Windas to score 24 points for Kennedy in the 200 Freestyle Relay (2:14.59).
Coach Paul Alvarez could certainly take pride in the efforts of his team. Not only were there numerous individual awards and many swimmers beating their best times, but there was the great group effort that has characterized the Lady Gaels all season long.
Sectionals will take place at Felix Festa Middle School in West Nyack Nov. 5-7. Panzarino will be swimming the 200 IM and 100 Fly, Knippenberg will take on the 200 and 500 Free, and Krasniqi will swim the 200 IM. All three young women will do relays, as will O’Hagan, Lyon and Kaitlin Rohonczy (who was unable to make Divisionals, along with Katrina Healy and April Mante). Come to Rockland and cheer them on!
Panzarino Leads KCHS In Swimming Sectionals
By Jim Coughlin
Concluding a sensational sophomore year, captain Alexandra Panzarino ‘10 led the Kennedy Catholic girls’ swim team to a 27th place finish in Section 1, as Sectionals concluded on Nov. 7.
Panzarino ’10 had already enjoyed a marvelous season in which she was undefeated in both the 200 IM (11-0) and 100 Butterfly (10-0), was named a Journal News “Star of the Day,” and racked up the most individual points at Divisionals while being the first choice overall on the All-Division IV Team. She capped it off by advancing to the Sectional finals, swimming a season best 2:17.95 in the 200 IM (good enough for 10th-place and 7 points) and 1:01.23 in the Fly (12th, 5 points). In doing so, Panzarino ’10 narrowly missed qualifying for States. Kennedy managed to finish ahead of nine of its Division IV rivals, including league champ Harrison. Only Nyack (25.50) and Putnam Valley (15) earned more points than the Lady Gaels (12).
On the first night of individual preliminaries, three Lady Gaels swimmers competed. Kerry Knippenberg ’11 was the only Division IV swimmer to qualify in the 200 Free, where she placed 28th in a time of 2:10.84. Knippenberg ’11 just missed the cut for finals in her primary event, the 500 Free, coming in 17th (16 was the cutoff) in the great time of 5:37.36. Only one other Divisional swimmer qualified in this tough event. Laura Krasniqi ’11 was 26th in the 200 IM with a time of 2:26.78. Panzarino ’10 was 12th in the 200 IM in preliminaries at 2:18.94. She also advanced in the Fly, coming in 9th in 1:01.26.
On Tuesday, Kennedy entered three teams in the Relay preliminaries. The 200 Medley Relay team of Lindsie O’Hagan ’11 (back), Krasniqi ’11 (breaststroke), Panzarino ’10 (fly) and Kara Lyon ’09 (free) swam a strong 2:08.20, which was good for 25th overall. The 200 Freestyle Relay squad of Krasniqi ’11, O’Hagan ’11, Lyon ’09 and Knippenberg ’11 finished in 1:55.16, which was 26th in the Section.
In the final event, the 400 Freestyle Relay, the team of Lyon ’09, Knippenberg ’11, Krasniqi ’11 and Panzarino ’10 came in at 4:08.89, which placed them 25th of 37. In this relay, the Lady Gaels beat every team in their division except Eastchester, and also edged upper division squads like White Plains, John Jay-Cross River, East Ramapo and Clarkstown.
The 2007 swimming season was a successful one for Kennedy Catholic, with the promise of greater things in the seasons to come. Thank you to coach Paul Alvarez and Mr. Michael Panzarino for all their work on behalf of the team. Major thanks to the parents for so many contributions, including driving, timing, scoring and supporting their daughters’ efforts. The Lady Gaels themselves—captain Emily Krizek ’08, captain Alex Panzarino ‘10, Krista Kroslowitz ‘08, Kaitlin Rohonczy ‘08, Kara Lyon ‘09, Kathryn Windas ‘10, Katrina Healy ‘10, Megan O’Connor ‘10, April Mante ‘10, Kerri Knippenberg ‘11, Lindsie O’Hagan ‘11, Laura Krasniqi ‘11 and Gabrielle Spalvieri ’11—deserve accolades for all their hard work, dedication and determination. Congratulations to these fine and talented young women who have made Kennedy Catholic proud!
Shum ’08, LaGreca ’10 Earn All-Section Honors For Boys’ Soccer
Captain Gene O’Driscoll ’08 Makes All-League
BY DENISE LAGRECA
Senior goalkeeper Eric Shum was rewarded for a fine season in the net by being named to the 2007 All-Section 1 team. He was joined by sophomore midfielder and defender Mike LaGreca, reportedly the only tenth-grader to make the list, who received Honorable Mention. Shum ’08 and LaGreca ’10 will be formally recognized at the Section 1 awards dinner on Saturday, Nov. 20.
Meanwhile, the Gaels held its own dinner at the Old Lantern Restaurant in Mahopac on Nov. 8. Coach Linda Ephraimsen applauded the efforts of each player, noting that the varsity team would likely be section contenders in two years time if it continues on its current pace of development.
In addition to acknowledging Shum ’08 and LaGreca ’10, an All-League award was presented to team captain Eugene O’Driscoll ’08. O’Driscoll and fellow senior John Delfino each delivered speeches honoring their outstanding coaches.
Roll Call: KCHS Releases First Quarter Honor Roll
Forget about college football’s BCS Standings or People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People; this is the list to be on. Download the First Quarter Honor Roll now and see who made the President’s List, Principal’s List, First Honors and Second Honors.
JV Football Announces Year-end Awards
The Kennedy Catholic Football Program held its annual awards dinner on Nov. 30. During the course of the evening, the JV team was recognized for its outstanding 5-1-1 season. Individual awards were giving to the following students:
Dylan Schuck, Team MVP
J.T. Flanagan & David “Boomer” Odell, Offensive MVPs
Joe Lulgjuraj & Marc Palmer, Defensive MVPs
Mickey Connolly, Most Improved Player
Matt Burke, Special Teams MVP
John Manzo & Tyler Trodden, Coach’s Award
National Honor Society Inducts 34 New Members
The following students were inducted into the National Honor Society on Dec. 4 during a formal ceremony at the school. Congratulations to all the new members.
JUNIORS: Megan Morris, Anthony Pais, Jessica Figa, LeeAnn Lisella, Michael Omboni, Jacqueline Kastberg, Frank Visovsky, Elyse Perez, Paige Hoffmann, Christina Marino, Nicholas Modico, Chelsea Dwyer, Mardi Mazzari, Victoria Kintish, Tiffany Mazzacone, Jennifer Cicchetti, Catherine Heinzinger, Rebecca Curran, William Ledley, Daniel Carinci
SENIORS: Christina Kendzor, Teresa Spaziani, Daniel Roche, Laura Choma, Caroline Craig, Zachary Stearns, Richard Podlovits, Christina Mozeleski, Chelsey Alfredo, Anthony Saitta, Krista Kroslowitz, Anne Ledley, Kaitlin Kearns, Elissa DeSanctis
Gaels Football Now Has Its Own Web Site
Well, the New York Giants are in the Super Bowl. But if you just can’t wait another two weeks to feed your football fix, click the following link to visit Kennedy Catholic Football on its new Section 1 site.
Gaels & Yankees Team Up To Tackle Tuition
In what has become an annual pairing, the New York Yankees are teaming up with the Kennedy Catholic Gaels to help raise money for the school by having alumni, parents and students work one of the merchandise booths outside Gate 2 at Yankee Stadium. In return, the Bronx Bombers will donate 10 percent of all sales back to Kennedy Catholic.
In order to work the booth, you must have your ID picture taken at Yankee Stadium on either March 1 or March 8. Those interested will need to bring copies of their Driver’s License and Social Security card.
For more information or to make travel arrangements, please contact Maureen McSweeney or Bob LaMarche at (845) 528-2258.
Track Enjoys 2 Firsts, 2 Thirds At Westchester County Championships
Trouble, they say, comes in twos. Well the Kennedy Catholic track team certainly posed a great deal of trouble to the rest of the Class B field at the Westchester County Championships at The Armory on Jan. 20.
Breeda Mannion ’10 and Jessica Kendzor ’10 each stole first place in their events. Mannion ’10 finished her mile in five minutes, 1.5 seconds, while Kendzor ’10 ran the 1,000-meter dash in 3:14. As for the boys, Nick Lopilato ’08 placed third in the mile with a time of 4:41.7.
But the story as of late has been the emergence of Rich Suñè ’08, who was recently featured in the North County News. Suñè ’08 finished third in the triple jump with a distance of 37 feet, 6 inches at the County Championships, following his first place performances in both the triple jump (38’00.00) and long jump (18’02.00) at the League Championships the weekend prior.
Congratulations to the entire track team!
Freshman Mike Salerno To Play The Chance In Poughkeepsie
Catch freshman Mike Salerno and his band, Resolution, play The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. To get yours, call Alex at (845) 531-8664 or Mike at (845) 787-6694. Come out and support KCHS Rock Ensemble member Mike Salerno as he rocks out lead guitar.
Second Quarter Honor Roll Released
Kennedy Catholic's Second Quarter Honor Roll has been released. Please download the file in PDF format below. Congratulations to all of our hardworking students.
Girls’ Varsity Lax Looks Ready In 2-1 Scrimmage Loss To Somers
Despite dropping a 2-1 scrimmage to rival Somers on March 29, the girls’ varsity lacrosse team looked good as it geared up for its April 2 opener at Putnam Valley at 4:30 p.m. (followed by the JV game). Clare McLaughlin scored for the Lady Gaels on an assistant from Jessica Kendzor. The team’s home opener will be on Friday, April 4, at 4:30 p.m., with the JV game to follow.