Montgomery Catholic Holds Athletic Banquet to Honor 2018-19 Athletes

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School honored varsity athletes from the 2018-2019 year at the annual Varsity Athletic Banquet held at the RSA Activity Center on May 13, 2019. Montgomery Catholic fields 19 varsity team sports throughout the year. The evening started with a blessing by the Reverend Nicholas Napolitano, Parochial Vicar from St. Bede Catholic Church and theology instructor at the MCPS high school campus. Mr. Justin Castanza, High School Principal, recognized the female winner of the Jimmy Hitchcock Award, Isabelle Cochran, as well as the nominees for the award, Checardo “C.J.” Person and Amaris Tyynismaa. Also recognized were Montgomery Catholic's ninth grade nominees, Lily Bachl, Ethan Binns, Mallory Hildebrand, and Ella Newell.

Montgomery Catholic has four awards which honor individual team members for their hard work and dedication to their sport. Three of these distinguished awards honor individuals who have had a tremendous influence on our athletic program: Coach Jack Kresek, Father Patrick Delahunty, and Mr. Joe Fields.

The Coach Jack Kresek Coaches Award, named for a much-beloved football coach who led the Knights (then the "Saints") from 1956 until 1961, recognizes the athletes who exhibit strong determination, team effort, dependability, and a winning attitude. The Jack Kresek Coaches Award winners were Zy'Keria King (fall cheerleading), Creed Thomas (football), Melody Taylor (volleyball), Manny Caceres and Katie Galvin (cross country), Christian Friday and Nick Bowden (wrestling), Myles Butler and Jamya Henderson (basketball), Ellie Talbot (winter cheerleading), Sam Leslie and Lily Bachl (indoor track), Auburn Wilcoxson (softball), Garrett Rentfro (golf), Dean Johnson (baseball), Ella Newell (tennis), Megan Bourke and Thomas McLaughlin (soccer), and Lily Bachl and Manny Caceres (outdoor track).

The Father Pat Delahunty Sportsmanship Award, named for the founder of our athletic program, honors the athletes who demonstrate outstanding sportsmanship. The Fr. Delahunty Sportsmanship Award winners were Sarah Rose Burden (fall cheerleading), Cole Faucheux (football), Kate Koontz (volleyball), Sam Leslie and Grace Leslie (cross country), Burke Rothstein (wrestling), Darian Riley and Ella Newell (basketball), Devan DeRamus (winter cheerleading), Zac Kroeger and Ann Cobb (indoor track), Katherine O'Connor (softball), Adam McClellan (golf), Luke Voorhies (baseball), Rachel Rodriguez (tennis), Claire Mills and Judd Osten (soccer), and Jimmiah Fenderson and Sam Leslie (outdoor track).

The Joe Fields Leadership Award, named for an outstanding student-athlete from the 1970s who displayed outstanding leadership while attending Montgomery Catholic, honors the athletes who demonstrate exceptional leadership skills to their teammates. The Joe Fields Leadership Award winners were Anna Sadie (fall cheerleading), Drew Smith (football), Melody Taylor (volleyball), Grant Walker and Isabelle Cochran (cross country), Luke Voorhies (wrestling), Jalen Fountain and Nona Johnson (basketball), Alexis Weber (winter cheerleading), Grant Walker and Katie Galvin (indoor track), Nona Johnson (softball), Drew Smith (golf), Creed Thomas (baseball), Ella Newell (tennis), Kate Koontz and Rhys Holifield (soccer), and Katie Galvin and Hollis “Hojo” Johnson (outdoor track).

DJ Carter, winner of the Coach Ralph Furlong Scholarship

Each varsity sport names one Most Valuable Player. Montgomery Catholic's MVPs were Samantha Hodge (fall cheerleading), Checardo “CJ” Person (football), Lorren Pharrams (volleyball), Hollis “Hojo” Johnson, Zac Kroeger, Amaris Tyynismaa, and Lily Bachl (cross country), Jack Burt (wrestling), DJ Carter and Lorren Pharrams (basketball), Kacey Lyn (winter cheerleading), Hollis “Hojo” Johnson, Amaris Tyynismaa, and Isabelle Cochran (indoor track), Alanna Aiken (softball), Grant Smith (golf), Christian Ivey (baseball), Angela Gier (tennis), Bethany White and Tanner Carter (soccer), and Amaris Tyynismaa, Isabelle Cochran, and Grant Walker (outdoor track).

Montgomery Catholic awarded two scholarships for school tuition. The first was the Coach Ralph Furlong Scholarship, established in 1998. Initiated by a member of his 1946 football team, the intent of this scholarship is to honor one of Catholic's greatest coaches who to this day maintains the standing school record of 24 straight wins from 1947-1949. The Furlong scholarship is a partial tuition scholarship given to a high school student who demonstrates a commitment to both extra-curricular and his or her studies. The 2019 recipient of the Coach Ralph Furlong Scholarship was D.J. Carter.

Nona Johnson and Megan Bourke receive the Caitlyn

Marianne Wiggins '08 Memorial Scholarship from the 

Wiggins family

The Caitlyn Marianne Wiggins '08 Memorial Scholarship, established in December of 2013, is awarded to honor Caitlyn Marianne Wiggins, a 2008 MCPS graduate and varsity athlete who was killed in an automobile accident in 2013. Caitlyn’s family and friends endowed this scholarship to give another child at the high school campus the opportunity to achieve the type of success that Caitlyn enjoyed in life. Two students received the Caitlyn Marianne Wiggins '08 Memorial Scholarship this year: Nona Johnson and Megan Bourke. Both scholarships were presented by Caitlyn's aunt, Andrea Hause Durbin.

The boys and girls cross country teams were recognized for winning the AHSAA state championship. Led by Mr. Ed Wright and Mr. Hollis Johnson, it was the first time in school history that the boys and girls teams have simultaneously won the state championship, and both teams were presented with championship rings to commemorate their victory.

The 2018 boys and girls cross country team, AHSAA 4A state champions

Knights of the Round Table nominees: Grant Walker,
CJ Person, Thomas McLaughlin, Amaris Tyynismaa,
Isabelle Cochran, and Claire Mills

The top athletes from each sport are nominated for the Knights of the Round Table Award, an honor which recognizes the top male and female athlete of the year. These students both excel in their sports and display leadership that sets an example for their peers. The nominees were Isabelle Cochran, Thomas McLaughlin, Claire Mills, CJ Person, Amaris Tyynismaa, and Grant Walker. The winners of the Montgomery Catholic 2019 Knights of the Round Table award were CJ Person and Amaris Tyynismaa.

Our athletes are exceptional, and we are thankful for the dedication of the coaches and families who support their achievements. Montgomery Catholic is proud of all of the students who demonstrate what it means to be “Built By Catholic.”

Knights of the Round Table winners: CJ Person and
Amaris Tyynismaa with high school principal
Justin Castanza and athletic director Daniel Veres