Volleyball Heading to Fourth Straight Final Four, Coach Gets Her First Shot
November 07, 2024
As a high school player, Tess Connolly-Alcantara (’16) never made it to the state volleyball tournament. Now, though, in her first year as the head coach at her alma mater, she’s finally getting that chance to be on the court for the state semifinals, and possibly finals.
“Every year in high school we lost to the eventual state champion, so I never made it this far,” Connolly-Alcantara said. “As the coach now, I’m excited about what we’ve achieved so far, but we have high goals to reach. I’ll enjoy all the wins after the season is over.”
The Cougars play Frankfort Adena in one of the Division V state semifinals today at 6p at Wright State University’s Nutter Center. A win this evening will put them in line for their third straight state championship against either Franklin Bishop Fenwick or Ottawa-Glandorf at 1p tomorrow (Friday) also at the Nutter Center.
A championship would also be the fourth overall for the program, moving it past the football program’s three state titles for most in school history.
“Some might think that coming in as a new coach to such a successful program is easy, but it does come with different pressures,” Connolly-Alcantara said. “These girls are so used to winning, so I didn’t want to come in and mess any of that up. I know, because I played here, what high standards the volleyball program has. So, I wanted to come in and implement some of my coaching philosophies, but most importantly, just continue the success of the program.”
So far so good for Connolly-Alcantara and the Cougars, who have been in lockstep almost since the first week of practice.
“I think we adjusted pretty quickly (to having a new coach),” senior captain Julia Oster said. Oster’s sister, Kara (’13), won state titles in both her years of coaching the Cougars. “They both played here. So maybe that’s why the transition was so easy. They come from the same system in high school and they both understand what this program is all about.”
The Cougars head to Dayton having won the new North Coast Conference title, and with a 22-4 record, with three of their four losses coming to teams in the Division III state semifinals.
This will be the fourth straight trip to the Final Four for the volleyball team. That’s the first time in school history a Lake Catholic team has made it to the state semifinals four years in a row. Oster, Natalya Bergant and Ava Budrys Rini have been a part of all four of those teams.
“It’s pretty cool that us seniors have always made it to Dayton,” Oster said. “But at the same time there was a lot of pressure to get there again. So, when we won (the regional final Saturday against Elyria Catholic) I did have a little sense of relief.
“But we do still feel some pressure, because we want to win so badly.”
Although it is the first team to make four straight trips to the state tournament, the school has had several individuals make in their sport all four of their years – Anthony Constantino (wrestling, 00-03), Brian Connelly (wrestling, 03-06), Je’Rica Sanders (track, 08-11), Jenna Krolikowski (swimming, 14-17), Silvija Taraska (swimming, 14-17), Kevon Freeman (wrestling, 15-18), Conor McCrone (wrestling, 16-18), Cole Hivnor (wrestling, 18-21), Brendan McCrone (wrestling, 19-22), and Joey Romano (wrestling, 21-24).
Despite this being the fourth straight trip, this team has heard doubters throughout the season after last year’s historic run when they went undefeated and only lost three sets all year.
“We lost so many great players from last year’s team, but we still have a lot of great players too,” Oster said. “There’s going to be so much satisfaction proving that we can still shine.”
Not only has this group of seniors continued to shine and its winning ways, maybe just as important is how this group of seniors carries themselves and what they’ve passed down to the rest of the team, Connolly-Alcantara said.
“They just carry themselves a certain way, and they want it to continue even when they’re gone,” she said. “They continue to show the expectations of what it means to be a Lake Catholic volleyball player. For example, (freshman) Lola (Loncar) is a great player, but she now knows what it takes to be a great Lake Catholic player.”
What it means to be a great Lake Catholic volleyball player seems to now include annual Final Four trips.
School Collects More Than 3,000 Pairs of Socks for Socktober Drive
November 06, 2024
Setting a goal is always a measuring stick of your progress.
For the Socktober sock drive held during the month of October, Lake Catholic had a modest goal of collecting 2,000 pairs of socks. It took some time, but eventually, the school blew right past that goal and ended up donating the most socks it ever has over the past five years of participating in this drive.
On Wednesday, November 6, Mrs. Kelly Wolf, the Visual Arts Department Chair and coordinator of the drive, announced the school had collected 3,364 pairs of socks.
According to the Socktober website – happysocktober.com – more than 600,000 people in the United States sleep on the streets each night. “This October, we want … to show that even a small act of love, such as donating a pair of socks, can make a big difference in the lives of our neighbors who are homeless,” the site states.
Wolf knows that what Lake Catholic has been able to collect will make a difference.
“This is the most we’ve ever collected here,” she said. “Eventually the weather is going to start getting colder and people will need these socks. I’m just so grateful for everything our community has been able to do.”
Lake Catholic students, faculty, and staff were motivated throughout the drive by two separate competitions - homerooms all competing against each other weekly, and the four grades competing against each other throughout the entire month.
The monthly competition, for the first time ever, was won by the faculty and staff with 1,438 pairs of socks. The classes followed: sophomores (763 pairs), seniors (466), juniors (300), and freshmen (258). Sixty-one pairs of socks were donated without a name or class designation.
The top donors were: sophomore Lily Long (662 pairs), staff member Mr. Jamie Simonis (500), senior Dakota Mudrakas (310), and junior Matt Florence (261). Each received a Got Socks? t-shirt and a pass for a free school lunch.
Wolf has worked with Ms. Julie Tinik for the past five years collecting socks. Tinik has a passion for helping the homeless and after reading about Socktober through Random Acts of Kindness started her own sock drive in Lake County.
During the five-year partnership, Tinik and Wolf have have collected 13,465 pairs of socks. Tinik also collects paper products and cleaning supplies to donate to Project Hope.
All socks collected this year will be distributed to Project Hope, Sub Zero, Forbes House, Little Annie's Hope Train, and City Mission.
* * * * *
Other figures
Over the last five years, Lake Catholic has collected and donated 10,881 pairs of socks!
- 600 pairs in 2020
- 2,021 in 2021
- 2,999 in 2022
- 1,975 in 2023
- 3,364 in 2024
Class of 2004 Honors Classmates with Scholarship Donation
September 27, 2024
As the members of the Lake Catholic Class of 2004 began planning their 20-year reunion, not only did they want to plan a party, but also come up with a way to give back to the school they called home for four years.
In the end, in addition to their reunion in August, they collected and made an impactful donation to the Erin (Gaydos) Carlisle Memorial Scholarship in memory of their classmates Erin and Mollie (Stanic) Hoar.
That scholarship was awarded earlier this month, with both the Gaydos and Stanic families on hand, to Lake Catholic senior Max Barnes (St. Mary of the Assumption).
“When the committee came together to decide how we wanted to honor Mollie and Erin with the funds we raised at our reunion, a scholarship was an easy choice, as their friendship left a lasting mark on many lives,” said Pam Schneider, from the Class of 2004 who helped plan the class reunion. “It was a true blessing to use the funds raised at our reunion to support a current student in their memory. This gesture reflects their enduring legacy and the positive impact they had on the lives of those who knew them.”
Erin passed away in 2011 in a boating accident, while Mollie passed away in 2018 after a battle with cancer.
Soon after Erin’s passing, her family began the memorial scholarship in her honor (as well as one at Gannon University, where Erin earned her master’s degree in occupational therapy in 2009).
Her favorite quote on her Facebook page at the time of her passing was, “I shall pass this way but once. Therefore, any good that I can do or any kindness I can show, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again.”
Erin’s mom, Marianne, said at the scholarship presentation reception that Lake Catholic played a key role in instilling this passion in Erin and her family is proud to see current Lake Catholic students follow in her footsteps. It’s in this spirit that part of the criteria for the scholarship remain – a student who has a positive attitude, discreetly shows kindness to others, and goes the extra mile to reach out to others when it might not be the most popular action to take. The student must live as an exemplary young adult consistent in living the Lake Catholic mission statement and core values.
“These are the values that others see in you Max,” Marianne said. “We are proud and honored that you are receiving this scholarship in Erin’s name.”
The Stanic family was gracious of her classmates including her in the donation they made, and reminded everyone of the great life Mollie had, but also the legacy she left behind in her three young daughters.
Mollie’s sister, Becky (Stanic) Cervenka (’05), said that Mollie continued to be a cheerleader in life long after Lake Catholic – that she loved organizing parties, especially one with a good theme, because she was able to gather friends, family, and strangers to celebrate someone or something she loved.
After graduating Mollie continued to strive to embody Lake Catholic’s Core Values, especially a willingness to serve. Becky said Mollie excelled at caring for others, particularly her family.
“She was born to be a mom, she was phenomenal at it,” Becky said. “There was nothing she loved more. She celebrated each of her girls for their unique personalities while fostering strong relationships between them. In the short time she had with them, she ensured their life was filled with love, family, and community. She always said it takes a village to raise a child and she made sure to build one for them before she left. I couldn’t think of a better way to honor her legacy and show her girls how much their mom meant to people than through this scholarship.
“Max we wish you all the luck in the world. Continue to work hard, be compassionate, and serve others, but do it like Mollie did. Make it a party.”
Lake Catholic Becomes First Lake County School with Howley Scholars
September 25, 2024
Lake Catholic became the first school in Lake County to partner with The Howley Foundation, whose mission is to create social and economic mobility and improve lives by providing quality educational opportunities.
Earlier today, five Lake Catholic freshmen who excel academically and in extracurricular activities were awarded renewable scholarships from The Howley Foundation.
Amarion Levitt (from St. Jerome School), Gabriella Rios (Urban Community School), Lilly Macek (St. Gabriel School), Finnigan Kilbane (Mater Dei Academy), and Mason O’Donnell (St. Mary of the Assumption) met with representatives from The Howley Foundation for lunch where they were presented with a congratulatory letter, a certificate, and their Howley Scholar pin.
“I came out last (academic) year to see what Lake Catholic was all about,” said PJ Reindel, the Executive Director and Chief Administrative Officer of The Howley Foundation. “I was really impressed with what the school does and the environment that the leadership and faculty have created. You can see the character formation. You see it when you pull in – Enter to Learn and Exit to Serve. It’s right there. You come here for academics, but it’s so much more than that. And that’s what made it a perfect fit for us to partner with Lake Catholic.”
Nick and Lorie Howley formed The Howley Foundation in 2001, with the intent of helping students, all students, regardless of financial means, receive the best education possible. The Howleys firmly believe that education is one of the most important catalysts for promoting positive change in individuals and society as a whole.
Starting with one student scholarship at a local Cleveland Catholic high school, they have grown the Foundation and the Howley Scholars Program to provide meaningful tuition assistance in 2024 to more than 1,400 scholarship students in Cleveland and Philadelphia, as well as in other high schools and colleges around the United States.
The scholarships are funded with a four-year pledge if the students meet the maintenance criteria – maintaining a 3.0 GPA, participating in, and meaningful contributions to, extracurricular activities, and remaining in good standing with the school.
“The partnership with Lake Catholic was formed just months ago and we are so excited to have the support of the Howley Foundation,” said Lake Catholic Director of Advancement Carla Ronnebaum (’00). “They have made such an impact on education here in Northeast Ohio, and we are grateful Lake Catholic students are now able to benefit from such a great foundation.
“Our hope is to continue this partnership every year culminating with a total of 20 students at Lake Catholic being honored as prestigious Howley Scholars.”
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