Prior to the varsity girls’ basketball championships, the GCHSAA crowned two diocesan champs in the junior varsity ranks.
In the ‘A’ game, Msgr. McClancy H.S., East Elmhurst, captured its second straight diocesan title with a victory over Fontbonne Hall Academy, Bay Ridge. In the ‘AA’ game, St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows, earned the victory over Xaverian H.S., Bay Ridge.
The following junior varsity student-athletes and coaches received special awards this season:
Sophia Gabriel: St. Francis Prep, John Pinierio Sportsmanship Award
Samantha Ferris: Bishop Kearney H.S., Bensonhurst, Marie Sisti Sportsmanship Award
Fiona Mullen: The Mary Louis Academy, Jamaica Estates, John Moran Sportsmanship Award
Daron Hernandez: Xaverian, Division ‘AA’ Coach of the Year
Robert Atanasio: Fontbonne Hall, Division ‘A’ Coach of the Year
The Catholic Youth Organization of Brooklyn and Queens crowned its 2018-2019 girls’ basketball diocesan champions on Feb. 24. The following teams won their respective divisions:
Pee-Wee
Division I: Our Lady of Hope, Middle Village
Division II: American Martyrs, Bayside
Novice
Division I: St. Kevin, Flushing
Division II: Immaculate Conception Monastery, Jamaica
Bantam
Division I: St. Rose of Lima, Rockaway Beach
Division II: St. Adalbert, Elmhurst
Rookie
Division I: St. Stanislaus, Maspeth
Division II: Mary’s Nativity-St. Ann, Flushing
Intermediate
Division I: Our Lady of Lourdes, Queens Village
Division II: St. Columba, Marine Park
Xaverian H.S., Bay Ridge, captured the varsity hockey league ‘A’ Division title with a two-game sweep of Kellenberg Memorial H.S., Uniondale, L.I.
The following diocesan student-athletes were named CHSHL ‘A’ Division All-Stars:
First Team
Forwards: John Lundy, St. Edmund Prep H.S., Sheepshead Bay; Daniel Gomez, Msgr. McClancy H.S., East Elmhurst
Defensemen: Chris Kasakolski, Msgr. McClancy
Goaltender: Nicholas Arcati, Xaverian
Second Team
Forwards: Thomas Waldron, Holy Cross H.S., Flushing; Joe Lachase, Holy Cross; Robert Farr, Xaverian
Defensemen: Richard Gibbons, St. Edmund Prep; Michael Vesbland, Xaverian; Nicholas Lercara, Holy Cross; Joseph Viola, St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows
Goaltenders: Nicholas Guadagno, Holy Cross; James Bond, Msgr. McClancy
Two women’s basketball players from St. Joseph’s College Brooklyn, Clinton Hill, were named to the All-Skyline Conference first team. Senior Victoria Porcasi and sophomore Kelly O’Donnell became the first All-Skyline First Team selections in program history.
O’Donnell, last year’s Skyline Rookie of the Year, is a Marine Park native and graduate of St. Edmund Prep H.S., Sheepshead Bay. She finished second in the conference with a scoring average of 18.5 pts. per game and also pulled down 10.7 rebounds per game.
She scored 20-plus points in 12 games this season and recorded 14 double-doubles. On Dec. 6, she notched the first triple-double in program history with 29 pts., 14 rebounds and 10 assists in a victory over Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, N.Y.
Porcasi averaged 17.7 pts. per game and finished her Bears career with 1,647 pts. – the most since the program joined the NCAA and the third highest total in program history.
The Bears ended their season at 16-10 overall, their first winning season since 2014-2015 and their first since joining the Skyline.
