Winter Sports Updates

Varsity Track: 12/22/09 Brockton High School(at Reggie Lewis) Away v Brockton
Individual winners included Ed Colvin '10 (1-mile), Donovan Henry '12 (Long Jump, 300-meter), Tim McLaughlin '10 (Shot-put), Ryan Malone '11 (High jump), Connor Muldoon '12 (2-mile).

JV Hockey 12/22/09 Hingham High School (Neponset) Home W 2-1
Nick Barker '11 scored in he first period and Ryan Curley '11 netted the game-winner with 5 minutes left in regulation time.

Frosh Hockey: 12/21/09 *Xaverian Brothers High School(at West Roxbury) Home W 4-1
The Knights got 2 goals from Jack Kilty, a goal and an assist from Tom Barrett and two assists from Jack O'Hear. Shane Starrett had his shutout bid broken up with just 30 seconds left in the game.

JV Hockey 12/18 - 12/19/09 Belmont Hill School Tourney v Belmont Hill W 2-1
Goals by John Mildner '11 and Tom Stanton '12 in the third period helped the Knights come back after being down 1-0 after two periods.
v Malden Catholic L 6-3
Two goals by Ryan Curley 11' and one goal by John Mildner 11' could not hold off MC.

Frosh Hockey: 12/19/09 Cardigan Mountain School (Belmont HIll Holiday Tournament) Away L 3-1
CM got on the board first with a shorthanded goal by Jack Kilty from Jack O'Hear and John Allaire, Cargigan came back to tie it 1-1 before the end of period number one. In the second frame, Cardigan kept the pressure on. Shane Starrett was great in the CM net, but could not prevent the two goals that made the score 3-1 going into the third period. CM's offense, led by Kilty, O'Hear, Tom Barrett, J.J. Barrett, Michael Cusato and Connor Meagher stormed the Cardigan zone but could not get any closer.



Read more on the Winter Sports Feed.

Speech Team places 4th at prestigious "Holly Fest" Tournament

Thirteen students on the CM Forensics team made the finals in the annual Natick High School "Holly Fest" on December 19th. Jhovani Vonleh '12 won the top speaker prize for receiving nothing but 1st place in every individual competition through the tournament.

Other winners on the 4th-place CM team included:
John Federico '11 (1st - Radio)
Chris Masterson '10 (2nd - Original Oratory)
Jhovani Vonleh '12, Thomas Foley '12, Nick Leney '11, and Ryan Lemoie '12 (2nd - TV News Team)
Frank Theodat '11 (3rd - Novice Reading)
Dave Consigli '12, Andrew Rogantino '12, Kevin Donnelly '12, and Mark Woodall '12 (3rd - TV News Team)
Jhovani Vonleh '12 (4th - Declamation)
Pat Simas '10 (4th - Dramatic Performance)
Laroy Streat '12 (5th - Prose)
Kevin Donnelly '12 (6th - Declamation)
Kevin Gill '13 (6th - Radio)
Kevin Verity '10 (6th - Original Oratory)
Chris Traynor '13 (7th- Declamation)

"The team should be proud of the success we shared at the Holly Fest," said head coach Rob Croteau '93. "Our team demonstrated great strength in the prelims, and this performance put us within points of being in the top 3 at a major tournament. Congratulations to the entire team for a week of great focus and a willingness to put in long hours."

Croteau also thanked the assistant coaching efforts of CM Forensics alumni Steve Murphy, Greg Cunningham, Joe McLean and Brian Murphy, who worked with many of the students during weekly practices. Alumni who judged at the tournament included John Labelle, Tim Sullivan, Ryan Sullivan, Michael Giovanucci, Brian Murphy, Mike Macchi, Mark Macchi, Brendan Ahern, Derek Powell, and Liam Concannon.

"It was great to see our alums come back and give back to the program," said Croteau.

The team was also grateful to Cindy Murphy, Maureen Donnelly and Elizabeth Traynor for judging.

Merry Christmas from Catholic Memorial School

On behalf of the entire Catholic Memorial School family, I wish you and your familya very blessed and Merry Christmas and happy new year.

Sincerely,

Paul E. Sheff '62
President


In keeping with the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers of North America's call to recognize and command better stewardship of our ecological footprint, we have foregone the printing and shipping of a school Christmas card this year in favor of this electronic equivalent. This video was co-produced by CMTV's Francis Hawley '11 and Austin Bannister '12, under the supervision of Mr. William Hahn.

Immigration and expansion: Middle School students get a new view of Boston

For the seventh and eighth grade classes, there was no better way of kicking off their interdisciplinary units on immigration than visiting downtown Boston on December 15. The Middle School Program took them to the Museum of Science for an Omni Theater presentation of "Great Journey West" and to the Prudential Center's top-floor exhibition of immigration history in Boston.

Although at first it might not seem like either stop on the students' tour of Boston Tuesday had directly to do with immigration, one only needed to here them report on it to make the connections.



"Lewis and Clark mapped out what would be the future of our country," said Douglas DePaola '14. "After they mapped it out, that would bring more immigrants here."

"The Prudential [exhibit] showed us how people immigrated to Boston, and it showed us the view of the way people would come through to these parts," said Matthew Chipman '15.

Mike Tomaino '14 reflected that afternoon on his own family's journeys west from Europe. "I'm looking forward to seeing how people came to this country," he said. "My grandparents came from Italy, and i'm wondering how they came to be citizens."

Chipman said he enjoyed the whole day--from the Museum of Science to lunch to the afternoon skyline view of his city. "It was pretty fun, walking around the city with my friends," he said.

Of the view at the top of the Pru, DePaola added, "It was pretty cool. I'd never seen all of Boston like that before."

CM Life in Photos: NHS Blood Drive

Brandon Pierce '10 strikes a pose before signing up for the National Honor Society's annual Blood Drive at CM on December 11. At the registration desk are (l-r) Troy Starrett '10, Brian Besinger '10, Matthew Dalton '10 and Eric Anderson '10. In all, over forty individuals donated blood.

"We Saw His Star": Talents delight at annual Christmas Concert

CM's Kevin Beazley '11 has a voice most choruses long for. With deep baritone notes that can fill a cathedral space, Beazley showed hundreds of listeners why this week. That began for him in his own church--St. Theresa's in Dorchester, where Beazley performed portions of Handel's Messiah alongside Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians.

And on Wednesday evening, Beazley again brought a hush among several hundred listeners in the cavernous space of Holy Name Church. Singing "Have yourself a merry little Christmas," Beazler was one of many soloists who showcased their talents in the annual CM Christmas Concert.

Arranged and conducted by Music Director Craig Spaner, the annual concert featured the CM JazzMen, CM Chamber Ensemble, eighth grade chorus, and a variety of other talented musicians performing for parents, teachers, friends and the public at Holy Name Church, the annual venue for the concert.

Those assembled felt the advent of Christmas more fully thanks to Dan Masterson '08, who opened the evening with song and accompanied many of the younger performers on piano. Several selections by the eighth grade chorus set the stage for CM's finest performers in grades 7-12, like Seung Eun Park '10 on cello, Ethan Madden '11 on vocals, Brendan MacNabb '10 on guitar, Matthew Young '15 on flute, and Angelo Conto '15 on vocals.

"Having watched the annual Christmas Concert evolve over the past twelve years, it is a credit to Mr. Spaner the way he has inspired our students to showcase their varied talents," said Middle School Head Teacher Don Cormier. "CM is fortunate to have him leading our Fine Arts Department."

Mr. Paul Sheff closed the evening with brief remarks, thanking the faculty and staff involved in putting on the concert, applauding the student talents, and praising Mr. Spaner for his fine conducting.

Revved Up: CM Car Club heads to New England Auto Show

The CM Car Club’s first excursion of the year brought it to the New England Auto Show at the Boston Convention Center December 3. Moderator Mr. Tegan and a dozen students made the trip, one of at least four after-school trips they make through the year to area auto shows.

“Kids and cars, it’s a natural connection,” says Tegan. “Whether it be tinkering with them or admiring the worksmanship. The Car Club fills that need.”

With over twenty car aficionados in its ranks each year, the Car Club heads to the Larz Anderson Auto Museum and the Bayside Expo’s “World of Wheels Show.” On trips like these, members meet and talk with engineers and car manufacturers and see real-world applications of science and math skills.

The Club began ten years ago when Mr. Tegan noticed a freshman, Matthew McGonagle ’03, paging through Car and Driver during his study halls. Tegan and McGonagle struck up a conversation each week, and soon invited more and more students to join them in exploring the intricacies of automotive design each week. Matthew’s father, Ed McGonagle ’76, graciously continued to sponsor the Car Club’s outings well beyond Matthew’s graduation.

This past week, the Car Club’s acting president Tom Flaherty ‘10, a member since his freshman year, enjoyed seeing both mass-marketed and custom-built designs at the New England Auth Show. Flaherty thinks about studying diesel mechanics and design after CM.

Beside the newest Chevy Corvette (complete with GPS and DVD systems) was a custom-pinstripe airbrush paint job of ghostly figures on a 6-door pickup truck. Both caught his eye.

“I wanted to be able to get into the new models and see what new technology is coming out,” said Flaherty. “We all do. There’s definitely a bond between all of us who have the same passion for cars.”

Donnelly leads Speech and Debate to 1st Place Finish

Kevin Donnelly '12 took home three first place trophies in the categories of Declamation, Duo Interpreation, and Multiple Improv at the Lincoln Sudbury Showdown on December 5, leading the CM Forensics team to a 1st place team win. Laroy Streat '11 and Brendan Shea '11 were named finalists in two categories each, and the following students earned 1st place trophies as well:

Andrew Rogantino '11 (Duo Interpretation)
Nick Leney '10 (Radio)
Joe Kain '11 and Michael MacKenzie '11 (Public Forum Debate)
David Consigli '12, Ryan Lemoie '12, Andrew Rogantino '12, and Kevin Donnelly '12 (Multiple Improv)

"This was a record-breaking showing at the Showdown," said team coach Rob Croteau '93, "and the team's first Sweepstakes Championship of the year. We congratulate all the winners who made it possible, and thanks to all the parents who volunteered."

Studio Art coursework showcased at Wellesley's Davis Museum

Ms. Malachowski's Studio Art class saw their photography on display at Wellesley College's Davis Museum on December 2 as they visited "Cell Tango," an exhibition of creative photography taken by cell-phone cameras.

A project by artists George LeGrady and Angus Forbes, Cell Tangois an interactive installtion featuring a large-scale projection of phone images contributed by the public. The project intrigued Ms. Malachowski, who encourages her Studio Art students to think differently about their involvement in the art world and the broad definition of "the arts" each year.

"It's an experience for these boys to see their artwork in a museum," said Malachowski. "We decided that we would take pictures, contribute them to Cell Tango, visit and see their artwork live, and tour the museum and gardens."

In addition to seeing the art museum and meeting exhibit curator Jim Olson, students toured the campus, around which were installed serveral other larger pieces of scultpure.

Studio Art is an elective course at CM for students in grades 9-12.

BC High 28, CM 17

In the annual CM VS BC High Thanksgiving day game you could feel the tension in the air. CM came out emotionally charged and took a small lead into halftime, BC came out in the second half with no intention on conceding and that was evident when they outscored CM 14-0 in the second half to keep the Pumpkin Trophy in their possession.

Armani Reeves came out early and made a statement on a bone-crushing hit to force a fumble, which he also recovered. On CM’s first possession quarterback AJ Doyle hooked up with Donald Bland on a play action pass for a 20-yard gain. The Knights would get on the board first as Keshaudus Spence broke a 28 yard touchdown run on a well executed draw play. On the next BC High possession Cam Williams recovered a fumble on the Eagles’ one-yard line, an AJ Doyle run put CM ahead 14-0. The Eagles finally joined the party halfway through the second quarter when a 5-yard touchdown run put them down 14-6 after a failed two-point conversion. A costly pass interference call gave CM the ball on the Eagles’ 29-yard line, CM couldn’t force their way into the end zone and were forced to settle for a field goal. It looked as if the Knights were going to be able to enjoy a big halftime lead until the Eagles connected on a long touchdown pass to keep themselves in striking distance of the Knights. A successful two point conversion made the score CM 17- BC 14 heading into the break.

The Eagles came out and sent a message on their first drive in the second half when they immediately took the lead on a long touchdown pass. BC pulled away on a 58 yard run from Preston Cooper who then punched in a short touchdown run to put the Eagles up 28-17, which would hold up as the final score. CM still didn’t quit, Spence willed his way for a first down with about six minutes left in the game. The game wasn’t completely out of reach until miscommunication between Doyle and his receiver resulted in an ugly interception with just 3:46 left. The biggest reason why the Eagles were able to totally shut down the Knights’ offense was their relentless pressure on AJ Doyle. Play after play the Eagles busted through the Knights’ offensive line and put Doyle on his back.

It has been a long season for the Knights who have been plagued by injuries since day one. Right now the only good news is that the Knights have a long list of talented underclassmen including one captain from this year who will be returning next year.


Mike Slonina '11

Soccer wins State Championship

Congratulations to the CM soccer team, who won the MIAA Division I State Championship on Sunday afternoon with a 1-0 win over Western Mass champion Ludlow. In leading the Knights through an impeccable six-game postseason win-streak, Coach John Finn earned his first state championship in his fifth season as head coach.

A solid all-around team, the Knights let in only one goal during regulation in the entire tournament. They fought against elimination in five sudden-death overtime periods and one penalty-kick showdown.

The team earned a berth in the title game by defeating Weymouth, Greater New Bedford, King Philip Regional, Brockton, an undefeated North champion Lexington squad. They defeated Lexington on Thursday night for the EMass Championship, 2-1 (OT) at Weymouth H.S.

Henri Jean-Claude '12 scored for CM to tie it in the 2nd half, and senior co-captain Will Donovan '10 netted the sudden-death overtime goal to give CM the win. Nick Leney '10 assisted on the winning goal. Connor Askins '10 was once again solid in goal. In five postseason games, the Knights' opponents have scored only twice against them.

NHS welcomes its newest members

CM inducted its newest class of National Honor Society members on November 19 in the Ronald Perry Gymnasium. To help inspire the newest inductees, Peter Trovato '00, who earlier in the month earned the first Vince in Bono Malum Award for Outstanding Young Alumnus, gave the keynote address.

Trovato, founder of the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund, spoke of his years at CM a decade earlier, and of his most poignant memories as a student.

"Congratulations to the juniors being inducted here tonight. You should be proud," said Trovato. "It's an honor and achievement. However, I want to stress that too many times achievements...are simply used as filler for your college application or resume. I urge you tonight to challenge yourself more as a member of the NHS."

After hearing Andrew Fanikos '10, Gjergji Evangjeli '10, Dominic Montalbano '11 and Chris Stathopoulos '11 each lit a candle in the induction ceremony speak on the NHS pillars of scholarship, leadership, service and character, Trovato further reflected on these characteristics of the NHS member and on the motto of his school.

"'Conquer evil by doing good.' Tonight the service, character and leadership and academics all come together for you to promote causes here, for you to be leaders, and for you to not forget of other people and their sacrifice," he said.

CM President Paul Sheff gave the closing remarks. "Congratulations to our newest inductees into the National Honor Society. I know how hard you worked to earn this recognition. You should be proud of yourselves and I know your parents are proud as well," said Sheff.

Sheff offered one model of an ideal scholar in discussing the famed 16th century writer Erasmus. After becoming the first writer to translate the New Testament into Greek, Erasmus became controversial in his refusal to support either the Protestant or Catholic cause in the Reformation, earning the scorn of both.

"Be honest and humble in your intellectual exploits, and keep your eyes and hear open to the great big world that beckons you. You would do well to be a disciple of Erasmus," said Sheff.

Mr. Malionek, advisor to the NHS, announced the following inductees from the Class of 2011:

Nelson Alvarez
Nicholas Barker
Joseph Botsch
Patrick Carney
Ryan Curley
Christian Durham
John Federico
John Gaffney
Michael Gallagher
James Golding
John Gorman
Aram Gurekian
Francis Hawley
Marc Hetnik, Jr.
SeungJin Hong (Philip)
Brendan Hughes
SungHo Jun
Nicholas Leney
Ryan Malone
Dominic Montalbano
Christopher Moriarty
Christian Mowles
Daniel O’Hear
Gwontaek Rho
Ryan Shanahan
Brendan Shea
Nicholas Sitar
Ryan Skiba
Christopher Stathopoulos
Sean Sweeney
Elliot Simmons-Uvin
Michael Techiera
Stephen Twerago
Jake Uminski
Sean Vitello
Peter White

Soccer team wins Eastern Mass Championship

After a third consecutive overtime win in three postseason games, the CM Varsity Soccer team will vie for a Division I State title this Sunday. They earned a berth in the title game by defeating North champion Lexington for the EMass Championship on Thursday night, 2-1 (OT) at Weymouth H.S.

Henri Jean-Claude '12 scored for CM to tie it in the 2nd half, and senior co-captain Will Donovan '10 netted the sudden-death overtime goal to give CM the win.

The Knights will face West champ Ludlow on 11/22 at 1:30pm at Worcester State College for the Division I State title.

CM Life in Photos: Thanksgiving Food Drive

After the Mass of Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 19, members of the Peer Ministry program at CM, accompanied by Director of Campus Ministry Mr. Brian Scott (right) packed up over one ton (2,000 lbs.) of Thanksgiving food donated by the CM community. The food will go to 200 needy families in Boston through St. Patrick's Parish in Roxbury. Below, (l-r) Christian Mowles '11, Nolan Schmidlein '11 and Andrew Rogantino '12 load the food onto a CM bus for delivery.

South Sectional Champs!

The Soccer team is the MIAA Division 1 South Sectional Champion after defeating Brockton in the sectional finals Tuesday night. After two scoreless overtimes against #4-seeded Brockton, they won in a penalty-kick shootout. The Knights face North champ Lexington on Thursday night at 7pm at Weymouth H.S. for the Eastern Mass Championship title.

Click on the photo to see more pictures.

"This is a great win for them," said head coach John Finn '89. "For the seniors in particular, this win bookends their four years of varsity play with two South Sectional titles."

After battling through 80 minutes of regulation and two ten-minute overtimes, the soccer team captured the championship with a dramatic 4-3 penalty kick shootout Tuesday night. The game ended in a 0-0 stalemate before the shootout was needed to determine the champion.

Goalkeeper Connor Askins '10 made two crucial saves in the shootout and scored the game-winning penalty kick goal himself. In additions to Askins's goal, Hamadi Cantave '10, Will Donovan '10 and Stephen Twerago '11 routinely converted their spot kicks for the Knights.

CM didn't need a fifth kick, as Askins kept out Brockton's last effort to set off the championship celebration.

The win marks CM's second Division I South Championship in four seasons, having previously captured the prestigious title in 2006.

The seventh-seeded Knights improved to 16-3-3 on the season and advance to the EMass championship game against Lexington with a berth in the Division I state championship game at stake.

CM Soccer v. King Philip, S. Sectional semis

Click here to see more photos from CM v. King Philip soccer in the S. Sectional semifinals, at Veterans Stadium, Quincy, Nov. 15, 2009.

CM Falls Just Short of Monumental Upset, 30-28

On Sunday the Catholic Memorial Knights marched into Xaverian Brothers High School ready to give the number one ranked team in the state their first loss of the season. The Knights stayed in the game throughout but fell just short in the end losing 30-28.

Xaverian got on the board first with a one-yard touchdown run about halfway through the first quarter. On the next drive, once CM was finally forced to punt the kick was returned for a touchdown. The Knights, now down 14-0 knew that Xaverian's momentum needed to be stopped immediately or they were going to be looking at a blowout. Apparently Sophomore Armani Reeves knew this because he returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. Joey McCarthy fumbled the snap on the extra point but he made up for it by running into the end zone, which put the Knights down only 14-8. After their returned kickoff the Knights defense stepped up with solid tackling as well as a fumble which was caused by Lorenzo Warren hitting the Xaverian quarterback from his blind side. The game score would stay at 14-8 heading into halftime.

In the second half no impact plays were made until Warren recovered a fumbled snap to give the Knights the ball in excellent field position with 6:09 left in the third quarter. Keshaudus Spence then broke free for a 25 yard touchdown run to put the Knights in position to take the lead, however a blocked punt kept the game tied at 14. The Hawks broke the tie on the first play of the fourth quarter with a touchdown run. Knights' quarterback AJ Doyle then threw a costly interception deep in CM territory which would have buried the Knights if not for excellent defense to force the Hawks to kick a field goal. Xaverian helped the Knights' cause when their kickoff went out of bounds, which gave the Knights the ball on their 40-yard line. The play of the game was a reverse to Joey McCarthy who, after looking to pass downfield, maneuvered his was for a 35-yard gain. The Hawks would once again hurt themselves with a costly pass interference penalty, which gave CM the ball on the 9-yard line. Lorenzo Warren kept CM in the game when he muscled his way for a touchdown to put CM within three, down 24-21. Much to the disappointment of the Knights' bench, the Hawks connected on a huge pass play to put themselves on the CM's 9-yard line and in excellent position to make it a two-possession game. Xaverian scored their final touchdown of the afternoon with 3:17 left, a blocked extra point made the score 30-21. The Knights marched all the way from the 8 yard line into the end zone but time was not on their side, Doyle finally hit McCarthy in the end zone with only :04 remaining.

With their performance in this game the Knights have nothing to hang their heads about, they gave the number one ranked team in the state the biggest scare they've seen this season. Still, that doesn't mean that it hurts any less. The Knights gave everything they had and if a few things went differently then who knows, maybe they pull it out.

CM's final game of the season is their annual Thanksgiving day game against BC High. Every year the Pumpkin Trophy is put on the line in this age old Catholic Conference rivalry. The Knights' final mission of the season is to bring the trophy back to Baker Street for the first time in four years.

Mike Slonina '11

CM Soccer heads to South Semis

The CM Varsity Soccer team will face King Philip Regional High School in the Division I South Sectional semifinals on Saturday evening at 7pm at Weymouth High School.

The Knights earned the semifinal berth after handily defeating #2-seed Greater New Bedford on the road on Wednesday afternoon. In that matchup, Ryland Foster-Gorbach ’11 opened the scoring for the Knights, while Nick Leney ’11 and Kevin Butler ’10 rounded out the scoring in the second half. Will Donovan ’10 assisted on all three goals.

After Wednesday's quarterfinal matchup, head coach John Finn encouraged the team. "Continue the way you're playing hard ball and playing your game," he said.

As for upsetting Greater New Bedford, Coach Finn never took a chance in getting optimistic about being up 1-0 or 2-0.

"We just capitalized on opportunities when they missed," he said. "They definitely had two or three good opportunities in the first half, and when they missed, we got our chances and scored on them. Once we got that second goal, I knew it would change the tempo of the game, and it did."

Finn has been happy with the depth of his team as they head into the postseason against other tournament-ready teams. "This showed that we can play well on the road. And [senior captain] Will Donovan assisted on all three goals, but it showed that we don't have to have him scoring to win a game."

The Knights last made it to the semifinals in 2006, when they went on to the Eastern Mass finals.

CM Life in Photos: Soccer v. Weymouth

Photos from the CM/Weymouth soccer matchup in the first round of the Division I South playoffs, Sunday, November 8. Top to bottom: Will Donovan '10 tests Weymouth's defensive skills (courtesy Mike Gallagher '11); Donovan scores the first goal; celebrations after Donovan's goal; Sean Steinberg '10 celebrates his goal with teammates.

CM gets season back on track with 21-6 win over Plymouth South Panthers

The CM Knights traveled down to Plymouth South High School where they would try to get their season back on track against the Panthers. After a somewhat lackluster 3 quarters the Knights finally broke it open in the fourth, scoring 15 points and securing the win.

1st Quarter
The Panthers started the first half on an 8 minute drive which consisted of all run plays out of the exact same formation. They brought the ball all the way down to the 10 yard line where the Knights stopped the drive by stuffing a run up the middle. The only offensive highlight from the Knights in the first quarter was a 15 yard pass from AJ Doyle to Joey McCarthy across the middle of the field.

2nd Quarter
The Knights started their touchdown drive in the second quarter on a play action, Doyle rolled out as far as he could go and found Donald Bland who turned the 8 yard pass into a 20 yard gain. Next, the Knights ran a reverse from Armani Reeves to Joey McCarthy who ran for 13 yards. Doyle would then hook up with McCarthy on an 11 yard touchdown pass, after an unsuccessful extra point attempt CM lead the way 6-0. After another heavy diet of run plays from the Panthers, CM turned them over on downs to end the half.

3rd Quarter
The third quarter was for the most part uneventful. CM ran another reverse, this time to Reeves who ran for a 10 yard gain. The Knights drove the ball into field goal position but kicker Tom Byrnes didn’t have a chance as the Panthers penetrated the line to disrupt the play. All Byrnes could do was try to draw a penalty but there was not enough contact to justify it. CM got the ball back with 2:30 left in the quarter when Shane Smith jumped on a fumble, the first big mistake of the Panthers’ offense all night.

4th Quarter
After relinquishing the ball back to the Panthers this game looked like it could go down to the wire. In a sense the Panthers killed themselves in this game. Once again they turned the ball over when a botched pitch to the running back was recovered by the Knights on their own 12 yard line. This is where the Knights’ started to put the game away. When Doyle dropped back and realized that he had no receivers down field he tucked it and ran, after getting a couple of blocks he ran for 26 yards. Running Back Lorenzo Warren then broke free from a few tackles ran for a a 51 yard touchdown with 4:57 left in the game. A successful two point conversion put the Knights up 14-0 and in great position to get the win. However the game was not yet secured to the point where they could relax. On the Panthers’ first pass attempt of the game Paul Fahey stripped the Quarterback to force a fumble and give the Knights the ball back. A few plays later Warren forced his way into the end zone once again with 3:11 left to put the game away. The Panthers finally got on the scoreboard with :04 seconds left in the game and missed the extra point.

This was a great win for the Knights. All season in close games they have made big plays in the fourth quarter and this game was no exception. Great plays were made on both sides of the ball in the closing minutes of the game as the Knights improved to 5-3 on the season. Next Saturday they will travel to Xaverian and try to derail the number 1 ranked team in Massachusetts.

Mike Slonina '11

CM Life in Photos: NHS Clothing Drive

Above, Dennis Weir '10 and Jon Lott '10 load bags of clothing donated through the National Honor Society's annual Clothing Drive before they get delivered to St. Francis House in Boston. The NHS collected 90 bags of clothing in total in the last week of October.

CM Forensics on top again as season begins

Both the high school and middle school forensics teams are off and running this fall already, with students in grades seven through twelve earning high praise across the state.

At the Dighton-Rehoboth High School “Fall Fest” Forensics Tournament on October 24, the team earned a 3rd place team trophy. Sixteen Catholic Memorial students broke into the final rounds to win individual awards, including Kevin Donnelly '12 (1st), Andrew Rogantino '12 (3rd), Marcus Jackson '12 (4th), Jhovani Vonleh '12 (6th) in Declamation; John Federico '11 (1st), John Clarke '13 (2nd), Anthony Sears '13 (4th) in Radio Broadcasting; Andrew Rogantino & Kevin Donnelly (1st) David Consigli '12 & Myles McCarthy '12 (3rd) in Team Improv; Laroy Streat '11 (1st), Frank Theodat '11 (4th) in Novice Reading; Chris Masterson '10 (3rd) in Original Oratory; Aram Gurekian '11 & Raffi Grigorian '12 (4th), and Josh Hillard '11 & Brian Ziniti '11 (5th) in Duo Interpretation.

Coach Rob Croteau was proud of the Forensics team after the meet. “This was a great team effort at the beginning of our season,” Croteau said. “It was the type of performance that we needed to energize our team as we continue to shape and polish our pieces.”

At the Nashoba Brooks School tournament on the same day, the Middle School Program's speech team competed, with three students gaining recognition: Andrew Kerwin '14 (6th) in Declamation, and Brendan Fitzpatrick '14 and Dan Shulman '14 (honorable mention) in Novice Reading.

Sophomore Service Day helps 800 families in need

In the last week of October, over a hundred and fifty CM sophomores devoted hundreds of collective hours of service to help Quincy's Cradles to Crayons and The Greater Boston Food Bank. The day of service, an alternative retreat designed by the Campus Ministry program at CM, made it possible for over 800 individuals in need to receive clothing and food as winter approaches.

"We chose to serve at Cradles to Crayons, where a lot of our seniors work for their Senior Service Project each year," said Mr. Brian Scott, director of Religious Education and Theology Chair at CM. "Both Cradles to Crayons and the Greater Boston Food Bank work behind the scenes, day and night, to provide for so many families in need."

Making their way through the Cradles to Crayons warehouse last Wednesday, Jon Doris '10 and Sean Myers '10 loaded a grocery cart full of supplies. Nearby, Errol Hudson '12 checked items off a list. "We're picking out clothes and food for children that need it," he said. "Then we deliver it to the check out counter."

At the checkout counter, other volunteers sealed the bags together, and another group of students heaved bags down a ramp to the delivery truck.

On two other days that week, students did the same thing, slowly assembling materials that would make life at least a little bit easier for children with needs greater than themselves.

Over at the Boston Food Bank in the South End, students worked in groups as well, sorting thousands of pounds of food donations and assembling meals for families. In all, the forty-five CM students sorted 7,431 pounds of food (or 132 pounds per student). In doing so, each one of them made 102 more meals possible for the homeless or for families living below the poverty line in Boston.

Joe Harney '10 Wins State Championship

Joe Harney '10 knew he'd probably have to take some chances heading into the last nine holes of his high school career yesterday at Blackstone National Golf Club in Sutton.

Down by two strokes, Harney remembered what his coach, John Palermo '79, had told him the day before. "These guys you're going up against are always going to shoot a 75 [on the coure]. You've got to take a chance and get an 80 or take a chance and win it."

Harney did just that, hitting agressively, catching a little luck here and there, and making four birdies overall on the day to earn a 72 and take home the Division II State Championship. Harney's score beat the three second-place finishers by two strokes.

In his four seasons for the Knights, Harney has consistently been a contender in the Conference, according to Coach Palermo. As captain this year, he has been an outstanding leader for the team's younger, talented players.

"This was an outstanding effort for Joe, that caps off four great years of play," said Palermo.

Harney also captured the Catholic Conference Championship on October 17 at Indian Ridge Country Club in Andover. Harney shot a league-low 77 on the 72-par course.

Malden Catholic 28, CM 26

In their first home game since September 25th, the Knights faced off against the Malden Catholic Lancers in their first Catholic Conference game of the season.

The Knights second drive of the game was highlighted by a Lorenzo Warren 54 yard run, and a 37 yard pass from AJ Doyle to Cam Williams. CM would miss a field goal to end the drive after three runs which were unsuccessful. The very next play Cam Williams recovered an MC fumble to give the Knights the ball back in prime scoring position. Doyle hit receiver Joey McCarthy deep in the red zone on a fourth down to continue the drive.

The first quarter ended with the Knights on the 2 yard line, and Doyle would run it in himself to start the second quarter. MC's rushing attack was sensational, their first drive in the second quarter started at the 20 yard line and took them all the way through the end zone. Once CM got the ball back they took a lot of time off the clock before drilling a field goal with 1:04 seconds left in the first half. It looked as if CM was going to be able to head to the locker room with a lead before MC's Quinn McDonough returned the following kickoff for a touchdown to give the Lancers a 14-10 lead heading into the halftime.

The third quarter was rough for the Knights as their offense was completely stalled, it looked as if the communication between Doyle and his receivers was off. It didn't help the Knights that McDonough would return an interception for a touchdown to give his Lancers a 20-10 lead. Another interception with 0:49 left in the third enabled the Lancers to start the fourth in great position to put the game away. They would once again break into the end zone with 8:56 left in the game, after a successful two point conversion the Lancers held a comfortable 28-10 lead.

CM never stopped playing, and as a result, they would put themselves back in the game. Doyle hit running back Lorenzo Warren in the end zone with 6:09 left, after a converted two point conversion the score was 28-18. The CM defense came up with a stop and the offense took advantage of their opportunity. In two consecutive plays Doyle connected with Donald Bland for a 40 yard play, and Joey McCarthy on a 39 yard missile to put the ball on the seven yard line. Donovan Henry punched it into the end zone to make the score 24-28. The Knights' two-point conversion featured a fantastic run from Warren putting CM down two after being down by eighteen just seven minutes earlier. The defense once again came up big and stopped the Lancers with 0:52 left in the game.

CM would then go four and out and in the process drop their second straight game.

It is important to note that the Knights were ridden by injuries Friday night. In addition to the already injured Armani Reeves, wide receiver Cam Williams and defensive back Keshaudus Spence both left the game with shoulder injuries in the first half. In the second half seniors Mark Glynn and Richard Errico also suffered injuries which would keep them sidelined for the remainder of the game. Not having Spence in the middle definitely hurt the Knights dearly. The Lancers' running game would have been as dominant as it was if Spence was there to hit anything and everything wearing a white jersey.

One piece of good news concerning the Knights' injuries is that junior captain John Gorman debuted in his first game of the season. A back injury had kept Gorman off the field since the end of August.

This game puts CM in an undesirable position concerning the playoff picture. In a ten-game season, two losses is a lot. Every game from here on out is an absolute must win for the Knights. One more loss and CM's playoff hopes are dead. They have a tall task in front them, the next few games are all against good teams and each game is probably going to be a dogfight. Next week the Knights will host the St. John's Prep Eagles and try to keep their postseason dreams alive.

Mike Slonina '11

Classrooms on Wheels: Walden Pond with Dr. Keane's English class

As part of their unit on transcendentalism, students from Dr. Keane's grade 11 English class visited Walden Pond and Concord on October 23.


Students read excerpts from Henry David Thoreau's Walden before walking the circumference of the pond and visiting the original site of Thoreau's house.


Students also toured the Old Manse and the Concord Battlefield.


Thoreau's grave at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord.


Emerson's grave.

Caricatures with Ms. Malachowski's cartooning class

Brother Cavet

View more caricatures done last year and this year by clicking here.

The 2009 Student Council

Congratulations to the following winners of the Student Council elections, held October 5.

Freshmen: John McDonough (President), David Colarossi (Vice President), Sean Sullivan (Treasurer). Representatives: Luis Blanco,, Peter Ngobidi, Jacob Hamilton, Eli Jean, Brian Kiley, Justin Walsh, Christian Coyne.

Sophomores: Mark Woodall (President), Armani Reeves (Vice President), Cam Williams (Treasurer). Representatives: Tony Quan, Joseph Todesco, Cullen Bosse, Thomas Foley, John Delano, Andrew Hart, Ed Murray.

Juniors: Brian Murphy (President), Ian Meschwitz (Vice President), Mike Carroll (Treasurer). Representatives: Tom Bent, Nick Barker, Patrick O'Mara, Ryan Johnston, Chris Stathopoulos, Stephen Pike, Richard Delvalle.

Seniors: Brad Jones (President), Brian Besinger (Vice President), Nima Masomi (Treasurer). Representatives: Todd Taylor, Kyle Donald, Tim McLaughlin, Brian Keeley, John Cooper, Connor Askins.

CM Life in Photos: the 50th CMI

Tom Meagher has coached or volunteered in 42 of the 50 Catholic Memorial Invitationals over the course of the race's history. Above, Meagher checks his watch before firing the gun to start the Division I boys' race at the 50th Annual CMI, Franklin Park. October 17, 2009.

Bishop Guertin 52 - CM 13

Bishop Guertin started off the game on a convincing first drive which ended in a touchdown. They would not slow down from there.

In the first quarter CM introduced its new wildcat offense, which on its first trial produced a decent sized gain. After punting later that drive, Donald Bland recovered a fumble to give the Knights the ball back only down 10-0. After a good drive down to the 10 yard line, Tom Byrnes was clearly run into on his field goal attempt but there was no call made by the officials, much to the absolute astonishment of the CM faithful.

The second quarter was highlighted by Donovan Henry's kickoff return which he brought back for a touchdown. The Cardinals added to their lead with a 2 yard touchdown run to give themselves a 24-7 lead. CM manufactured a stop late in the first half and after a screen pass from AJ Doyle to Joey McCarthy CM tried a 57 yard field goal. Kicker Tom Byrnes missed the field goal by about 3 feet which is amazing to even get that close. Most high school kickers don't have the power to even entertain the thought of attempting such a long field goal.

The second half spelled doom for the Knights' previously undefeated season as the Cardinals pulled away scoring four more touchdowns. However Donovan Henry would once again spark the CM sidelines with another touchdown on a kickoff return as the Knights' last memorable play of the night. In this game the Knights never quit for one second. Despite terrible calls, cheap hits, and freezing conditions the Knights still fought back for all 48 minutes. Keshaudus Spence and Mark Glynn were both very vocal on the sidelines trying to keep their team in the game. On defense Spence and Donald Bland delivered big hits with regularity as they have done all season.

Games like this are games when you learn about your identity as a team. When facing a huge deficit, do you give up? Coach Campea must be pleased with his team's effort throughout the game. Tonight was a mixture of the Knights having a sub par game, and Bishop Guertin executing with great consistency.

I'm not someone who likes to point out the refs, but in this case I don't feel like I would be doing Coach Campea or the football team justice by ignoring it. In the first half there were dozens of unbelievably bad calls or no calls. The one that sticks out the most in my mind was a late hit on wide receiver Joey McCarthy. He jumped for a catch and was cleanly hit in the legs. But then, after the whistle a Cardinal safety came in and it was blatantly obvious that he was trying to injure McCarthy. There was no call. Beyond the affect that the refs had on the final score, they have to realize that they have a responsibility to keep the players safe. Often times there are stories in the news about football players being paralyzed, well the hit on McCarthy is exactly how that happens.

No, the refs did not decide the game. But they did change the entire complexion of the game with their antics in the first half.

Next week the Knights look to get their season back on track as they return home to face the Malden Catholic Lancers.

Mike Slonina '11

CM Guts Out Win in Longmeadow to Stay Undefeated

In a game with the Longmeadow Lancers, the CM Knights came away victorious for their fourth win of the season on a heart palpitating 35-33 win.

The first quarter was dominated by the Lancers as they scored two quick touchdowns to start the game, a Keshaudus Spence touchdown put CM behind 13-7 heading into the second quarter.

CM took the lead late in the second quarter on another

Keshaudus Spence touchdown. Ahead 14-13, the Knights came up with an enormous goal line stop with 5 seconds left in the first half.

In the third quarter, the Knights added to their lead when AJ Doyle hit Cam Williams with a bullet for a 55 yard touchdown. This put the knights ahead 21-13, it looked like the Knights were ready to pull away judging by the momentum on the Knights side and the defeated body language of the Lancers.

The fourth quarter was as eventful and tense as any fourth quarter in CM history. The Lancers scored early in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 21-19 after a failed two point conversion. CM turned the ball over with 10:29 left in the quarter which lead to another Longmeadow touchdown, once the Lancers completed a two point conversion they found themselves up 27- 21 with about six minutes remaining. It looked as if CM was in serious trouble, they were having severe difficulties running the ball at that point and it seemed as if the air had been let out of their balloon. The Knights showed tremendous grit and determination in the following minutes. Quarterback AJ Doyle ran for a first down on a big third and ten play. A few plays later Lorenzo Warren ran for a first down with 2:35 remaining on a third and one. This is where Warren took over, the next play Warren ran for a 22 yard touchdown and after an extra point from Tom Byrnes, CM re-claimed the lead at 28-27. On the third play of the Lancers next drive Warren made a diving interception to give the Knights the ball back. But his heroics wouldn't end there, Warren then broke a 47 yard touchdown run to put CM up 35-27. So the game is over right? Wrong. The Lancers produced a incredible desperation 49 yard touchdown to keep themselves in the game, down two with 18 seconds left. This is it, the two point conversion which would likely force an overtime. The Lancers decided to run a full back blast up the middle which was stuffed at the line of scrimmage to give CM their fourth win of the season.

This game was a gut check for CM, for the first time this season the Knights had their backs against the wall late in the fourth quarter. As a unit CM showed tremendous poise and put an end to what could have been a magical night in Longmeadow. The Longmeadow Lancers will definitely be hurting over this game for awhile, but they should definitely find solace in the fact that they earned the respect of everyone there. There was not an ounce of quit in the Lancers and they pushed CM to the limit. Now 4-0, CM looks to continue their charge for the playoffs as they head to Nashua, New Hampshire, to go toe to toe with the Bishop Guertin Cardinals next friday night.

Mike Slonina '11

CM Life in Photos: College Mini-Fair

(l-r) Troy Starrett '10, Shane Walsh '10, and Eric Anderson '10 weigh their options at the second of three college mini-fairs hosted in the gym by the CM Guidance Department.

AP Scholars Announced

Catholic Memorial School's Guidance Department is pleased to announce that several graduates of the class of 2009 have earned special recognition by the College Board’s AP Program as Advanced Placement Scholars. Michael Lombardi, Nahed Lakkis, Russell Rioux, and James Schmidlein were named AP Scholars because they scored at least an average of 3 (out of a possible 5) points on three or more Advanced Placement exams taken in the Spring of 2009. Dino Cauteruccio was named an AP Scholar with Honor, having scored at least an average of 3.25 (out of a possible 5) points on all AP exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.

“We congratulate these young men on receiving this fine recognition,” said Guidance Department Director Bob Tegan. “We also congratulate the faculty members who have worked so hard with these students to maximize their potential.”

Through 37 different college-level courses and exams, AP provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit or advanced placement and stand out in the college admissions process. Each exam is developed by a committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that the exams are aligned with the same high standards expected by college faculty at some of the nation’s leading liberal arts and research institutions.

AP exam achievement is accepted by more than 3,600 colleges and universities worldwide for college credit, advanced placement, or both on the basis of successful AP Exam grades. Catholic Memorial School currently offers AP courses in 18 subjects for students who demonstrate talent in those academic areas.

CM Life in Photos: Olympic Day

Conor Askins '10 prepares to face off in arm-wrestling against an apparently aging Mr. Spaner while incredulous fans look on.

Knights Surge to 3-0, on 42-12 Victory over Hartford Hurricanes

The Hartford Hurricanes made the long trip down from Vermont to Baker street, it must have been a long bus ride back.

The first drive of the first quarter looked like the Knights were in for a tight game, but a red zone stop quickly turned the tides. AJ Doyle connected with Joey McCarthy on a 5o yard completion to set up a Keshaudus Spence touchdown run. In the second quarter Kashaudus would make his presence felt with a fumble recovery and yet another touchdown run to put the Knights in front 14-0 heading into halftime. The second half spelled doom for Hartford as an offensive eruption was waiting for them. William Earl started off the scoring with a 40 yard touchdown run. AJ Doyle had a touchdown run and would later connect with Chinedu Chukwu on a screen pass for a touchdown at the end of the third quarter. Nolan Powers was the highlight of the fourth quarter with a touchdown run, and would later break a 47 yard run which would be the Knights last big play of the night.

Heading into the bye week the Knights are in great position to make a deep postseason run. Hartford was the Vermont state champion and the Knights passed their test with flying colors. There is a lot of time left and it's far too early to start making predictions but if the Knights keep playing with this tenacity and hunger it is possible that CM will be making an addition to the football banner on the wall.

Mike Slonina '11

CM Life in Photos: Freshman Retreat

On retreat, Sept. 21 at Hale Reservation in Westwood, the freshmen engaged in a challenging ropes course and team-building exercises.

CM 27- Haverhill 6

In their home opener the Knight's methodically dismantled the Haverhill Hillies.

1st Quarter

AJ Doyle connected with Joey McCarthy on a screen pass, after reversing the field McCarthy worked his way to a 39 yard gain. AJ and Joey would hookup again later that drive on a beautifully lead 25 yard touchdown pass.

2nd Quarter

In the second quarter, the Hillies got in the end zone for their first and only TD. Their questionable two point conversion attempt was stuffed. The rest of the second half was highlighted by the defensive lineman Keshaudas Spence. He delivered crushing hits, one after another (including 2 sacks in a row) until the first half came to a close.

3rd Quarter

On the first play of the second half Armani Reeves brought back a kickoff for a 90 yard touchdown. This was just the beginning of the disaster that was about to ensue over Haverhill. Later in the third quarter AJ Doyle ran in a 16 yard quarterback keeper for a touchdown.

4th Quarter

After a long drive by Haverhill the Knights took any hope the Hillies had left when Donald Bland recovered a fumble in the end zone. Another screen pass, this time to Lorenzo Warren, set up another scoring threat for the Knights. Once again AJ Doyle hit Joey McCarthy for the Knights final touchdown. The Hillies made one final attempt to stay alive but John Filippides put an end to that when he recorded his first interception of the season.

Between the Knights first two games their defense has let up a total of six points. And the six was scored on possibly the luckiest catch ever. It's far too early to start talking about the state tournament but if the defense can keep this up with any kind of consistency then CM has as good of a shot at the title as anyone. Next week the Knights will try to keep their winning streak alive as they take on Hartford at home.

Mike Slonina '11

CM Life in Photos: Mass of the Holy Spirit

CM Life in Photos: Have Cello, Will Travel

Mr. Spaner and members of the CM Chamber Ensemble hoof it over to St. Theresa's Parish for the blessing ceremony of the residence on Monday, 9/14.

CM 17, Lynn Classical 0

It was a rainy and somber night at Manning field in Lynn, but still, CM came out of the fray victorious.

The first half was highlighted by (Senior) Lorenzo Warren's first rushing touchdown of the day. The action picked up in the second half where the Knights pulled away. After a fumble on a punt return by Lynn Classical, Lorenzo Warren punched in his second and final TD on a five yard draw play. The CM defense set the tone in the second half as Lynn had major difficulties moving the ball. Sophomore Armani Reeves delivered several big hits including a timely tackle on a fourth down to turn the ball over. After yet another turnover on downs by Lynn, Sophomore quarterback A.J. Doyle hit (Senior) Joey McCarthy on a slant to set up a scoring opportunity. After three failed attempts to get in the endzone Junior Tom Byrnes cemented the win with a field goal to put CM ahead 17-0. The exclamation point was put on when Lynn Classical's quarterback was served a bone rattling hit to force a fumble in the closing seconds.

The rainy terrain caused noticeable difficulties for both sides as fumbles were almost as common as completed passes. Fortunately for the Knights, a vast majority of these fumbles came from Lynn. In any football game the team that wins the turnover battle almost always wins the game.

They were dropping like flies for CM, many players had to come out due to leg cramps. Senior Mark Glynn came out of the game with what appeared to be a serious left knee injury, however he showed tremendous heart by returning and making his presence felt on a big hit in the backfield.

CM now turns their attention to Friday night where they will look to create a long winning streak as they aim to dismantle the visiting Haverhill in front of their home crowd.

Mike Slonina '11

CM Life in Photos: We Remember

Students in Mr. Hahn's first period Theology 9 class pause for a moment of silence at 8:48am to remember the victims of the terrorist attacks on 9/11/01.

CM Life in Photos: First Day

Shot at 8:02am on the first day of school.

CM Life in Photos: Safety First

Before doors opened on the new school year, several members of the faculty and staff partook in a CPR course on September 2, administered by Boston EMS staff.

Above, music teacher Mr. Craig Spaner practices CPR. Behind him is foreign language teacher Ms. Karen Hynes, EMT Kevin Shea P '11, and Dean of Students Mr. Tom Ryan.

CM Life in Photos: Getting orientated

Brendan Greene '11 gets his ID photo taken on orientation day, September 2.

Scholars and Performers: The Middle School Program's Awards Night

After all the fanfare of May has passed, with prom, final exams and commencement gone, the Middle School Program at CM had its fun at Canobie Lake Park, took in one last week of classes, then celebrated its achievements for the year at the annual Middle School Awards Night, held June 4 in the Perry Gymnasium.

The night, emceed by Dean of Students Mr. Thomas Ryan, honored the accomplishments of the best and brightest students in the Middle School Program this year. With academic awards in each subject area, and Presidential Fitness Awards, Monsignor Charles A. Donahue Awards, and special awards honoring Catholic Memorial's founders and beloved teachers, nearly a hundred students were recognized for their contributions in and out of the classroom this year.

To conclude the evening, Director of Admissions John Mazza recognized the Scholarship Award recipients for the coming year.

Catholic Memorial president Paul Sheff '62 acknowledged the work of those honored. Sheff also reflected on the similarity between the Christian holiday of Pentecost and the closing of the school year. "Pentecost is about the transformation of the followers of Jesus to people who thought of themselves as Christians, the first Christians," said Sheff.

"Middle school is also about transformation, as our young men ready themselves for high school," Sheff said. "Without question a great transformation takes place in our Middle School Program. Tonight we celebrate that transformation. I know your parents are proud of your accomplishments, and so are we."


Some of those honored included:

Brother Samuel A. Ryan Award for the Outstanding Scholar/Athlete: Sean Loftus '14, Shane Starrett '13
Brother Patrick C. Fleming Award for Leadership and Service to the Community: Thomas Quinn '14, David Colarossi '13
Brother Joseph A. Heeran Award for Determination and Dedication to Academics: John Chipman '14, William Byrne '13
Brother C.P. Ryan Award for Sincerely and Consistently putting Christian Values into Practice: Senan Gavin '14, Sean Sullivan '13
Albert M. Todesca, Jr. Award for Outstanding School Spirit: Michael Keane '14, Brandon Erwin '13
General Excellence Award, presented to the number-one ranked student after the first three quarters: Michael Tomaino '14, John Allaire '13

Scholarship Awards: John Allaire, Michael Brown, William Byrne, Sean Canty, Brendan Cheevers, David Colarossi, Nicholas Flanagan, Ross Furash, Jovan Jean-Louis, Cameron Klint, Joseph Lochran, Michael Narducci, Colin Norcross, Ryan Reid, Shane Starrett, John Torpey.

6-4 on 6/4: CM Baseball heads to the South Sectional Finals

CM Baseball earned a ticket to the South Sectional Finals with a win over Bridgewater-Raynham, 6-4 on 6/4. Phil Rossi '09 and Matt Goreham '11 (in relief) mounted a strong defense against the Trojans and big bats by Goreham, John Gorman '11, Brian Glasheen '09 and Devan Jones '09 gave CM the edge.



Watch highlights and hear from Coach Hal Carey by clicking on the video above. Read more in the Boston Herald.

CM in the News: Matt Goreham Lifts CM

[June 5, 2009] Matt Goreham Lifts CM
"Matt Goreham hadn’t pitched in relief this season, but the sophomore passed the test with flying colors."

CM Poets and Writers: Picturing America

The Catholic Memorial Picturing America Writing Contest concluded on Tuesday afternoon in the CM Board Room with an awards ceremony honoring some of CM’s top writers. On hand were judges Michael Connelly ’82, author of 26 Miles to Boston and Rebound: Basketball, Busing, Larry Bird and the Rebirth of Boston (non-fiction), as well as faculty member Craig Spaner (poetry) and faculty member Joe McGonegal (fiction).

The following students read their award-winning pieces and received $100, $25, and a bookstore gift, respectively, for 1st, 2nd, and Honorable Mention places.

Fiction winners:
1st place - Ethan Madden ‘11
2nd place - Josh Dyson ‘12
Honorable Mention - Connor Muldoon ‘12
Honorable Mention - Casey Hamel ‘14

Poetry winners:
1st - Jonathan Lott ‘10
2nd - Ian Meschwitz ‘12
HM - Brendan MacNabb ‘10

Nonfiction winners:
1st - Brad Beckles ‘12
2nd - James Donovan ‘10
HM - Ronald Claude ‘12

Author Michael Connelly '82, left, address students, faculty and guests.

“This contest was a good way to bring the arts together and encourage good writing to continue at CM,” said contest chair and school librarian Ann Magyar. “This spring’s theme of April events—[Grant Wood’s] Patriot’s Day ride of Paul Revere and [Leslie Jones’s] photo of Ted Williams gave us a good sense of how important sports is to the life of this city. I think a lot of students picked up on that theme.”

Celebrity alumni author Michael Connelly ’82, whose next book will focus on the 1963 Navy football team, praised the winners’ insights and creativity. “Writing was always a passion of mine,” said Connelly. “And the power of writing, in this day and age, and the value of writing…has slid in a lot of people's lives.”

“Your ability to write and communicate with the written word will allow you to move forward in life,” Connelly told the finalists. “Congratulations to all that not only won, but participated in this. The ability to write will carry you to a lot more places in life than you might know right now. There's a lot of different avenues you can take, but you'll be very surprised, as you get older, to find that writing will always be a part of your life.”

CM Poets and Writers: Picturing America

The Catholic Memorial Picturing America Writing Contest concluded on Tuesday afternoon in the CM Board Room with an awards ceremony honoring some of CM’s top writers. On hand were judges Michael Connelly ’82, author of 26 Miles to Boston and Rebound: Basketball, Busing, Larry Bird and the Rebirth of Boston (non-fiction), as well as faculty member Craig Spaner (poetry) and faculty member Joe McGonegal (fiction).

The following students read their award-winning pieces and received $100, $25, and a bookstore gift, respectively, for 1st, 2nd, and Honorable Mention places.

Fiction winners:
1st place - Ethan Madden ‘11
2nd place - Josh Dyson ‘12
Honorable Mention - Connor Muldoon ‘12
Honorable Mention - Casey Hamel ‘14

Poetry winners:
1st - Jonathan Lott ‘10
2nd - Ian Meschwitz ‘12
HM - Brendan MacNabb ‘10

Nonfiction winners:
1st - Brad Beckles ‘12
2nd - James Donovan ‘10
HM - Ronald Claude ‘12

Author Michael Connelly '82, left, address students, faculty and guests.

“This contest was a good way to bring the arts together and encourage good writing to continue at CM,” said contest chair and school librarian Ann Magyar. “This spring’s theme of April events—[Grant Wood’s] Patriot’s Day ride of Paul Revere and [Leslie Jones’s] photo of Ted Williams gave us a good sense of how important sports is to the life of this city. I think a lot of students picked up on that theme.”

Celebrity alumni author Michael Connelly ’82, whose next book will focus on the 1963 Navy football team, praised the winners’ insights and creativity. “Writing was always a passion of mine,” said Connelly. “And the power of writing, in this day and age, and the value of writing…has slid in a lot of people's lives.”

“Your ability to write and communicate with the written word will allow you to move forward in life,” Connelly told the finalists. “Congratulations to all that not only won, but participated in this. The ability to write will carry you to a lot more places in life than you might know right now. There's a lot of different avenues you can take, but you'll be very surprised, as you get older, to find that writing will always be a part of your life.”

CM Poets and Writers: Picturing America

The Catholic Memorial Picturing America Writing Contest concluded on Tuesday afternoon in the CM Board Room with an awards ceremony honoring some of CM’s top writers. On hand were judges Michael Connelly ’82, author of 26 Miles to Boston and Rebound: Basketball, Busing, Larry Bird and the Rebirth of Boston (non-fiction), as well as faculty member Craig Spaner (poetry) and faculty member Joe McGonegal (fiction).

The following students read their award-winning pieces and received $100, $25, and a bookstore gift, respectively, for 1st, 2nd, and Honorable Mention places.

Fiction winners:
1st place - Ethan Madden ‘11
2nd place - Josh Dyson ‘12
Honorable Mention - Connor Muldoon ‘12
Honorable Mention - Casey Hamel ‘14

Poetry winners:
1st - Jonathan Lott ‘10
2nd - Ian Meschwitz ‘12
HM - Brendan MacNabb ‘10

Nonfiction winners:
1st - Brad Beckles ‘12
2nd - James Donovan ‘10
HM - Ronald Claude ‘12

Author Michael Connelly '82, left, address students, faculty and guests.

“This contest was a good way to bring the arts together and encourage good writing to continue at CM,” said contest chair and school librarian Ann Magyar. “This spring’s theme of April events—[Grant Wood’s] Patriot’s Day ride of Paul Revere and [Leslie Jones’s] photo of Ted Williams gave us a good sense of how important sports is to the life of this city. I think a lot of students picked up on that theme.”

Celebrity alumni author Michael Connelly ’82, whose next book will focus on the 1963 Navy football team, praised the winners’ insights and creativity. “Writing was always a passion of mine,” said Connelly. “And the power of writing, in this day and age, and the value of writing…has slid in a lot of people's lives.”

“Your ability to write and communicate with the written word will allow you to move forward in life,” Connelly told the finalists. “Congratulations to all that not only won, but participated in this. The ability to write will carry you to a lot more places in life than you might know right now. There's a lot of different avenues you can take, but you'll be very surprised, as you get older, to find that writing will always be a part of your life.”

CM Poets and Writers: Picturing America

The Catholic Memorial Picturing America Writing Contest concluded on Tuesday afternoon in the CM Board Room with an awards ceremony honoring some of CM’s top writers. On hand were judges Michael Connelly ’82, author of 26 Miles to Boston and Rebound: Basketball, Busing, Larry Bird and the Rebirth of Boston (non-fiction), as well as faculty member Craig Spaner (poetry) and faculty member Joe McGonegal (fiction).

The following students read their award-winning pieces and received $100, $25, and a bookstore gift, respectively, for 1st, 2nd, and Honorable Mention places.

Fiction winners:
1st place - Ethan Madden ‘11
2nd place - Josh Dyson ‘12
Honorable Mention - Connor Muldoon ‘12
Honorable Mention - Casey Hamel ‘14

Poetry winners:
1st - Jonathan Lott ‘10
2nd - Ian Meschwitz ‘12
HM - Brendan MacNabb ‘10

Nonfiction winners:
1st - Brad Beckles ‘12
2nd - James Donovan ‘10
HM - Ronald Claude ‘12

Author Michael Connelly '82, left, address students, faculty and guests.

“This contest was a good way to bring the arts together and encourage good writing to continue at CM,” said contest chair and school librarian Ann Magyar. “This spring’s theme of April events—[Grant Wood’s] Patriot’s Day ride of Paul Revere and [Leslie Jones’s] photo of Ted Williams gave us a good sense of how important sports is to the life of this city. I think a lot of students picked up on that theme.”

Celebrity alumni author Michael Connelly ’82, whose next book will focus on the 1963 Navy football team, praised the winners’ insights and creativity. “Writing was always a passion of mine,” said Connelly. “And the power of writing, in this day and age, and the value of writing…has slid in a lot of people's lives.”

“Your ability to write and communicate with the written word will allow you to move forward in life,” Connelly told the finalists. “Congratulations to all that not only won, but participated in this. The ability to write will carry you to a lot more places in life than you might know right now. There's a lot of different avenues you can take, but you'll be very surprised, as you get older, to find that writing will always be a part of your life.”

"I worked too hard"--Mr. Hurley's Last Class

The first class that Joe Hurley taught at CM was in September 1972, thirty-seven years ago.

His last class was Thursday afternoon.

Even in his final classes this week, one could see what Mr. Hurley had come to consider a “teaching philosophy” over the course of his career. It included being soft-spoken and patient with students, treating each student’s individual needs, setting students up for success, and above all, having a sense of humor.

“Alright, get those tests out, I’m coming around,” Mr. Hurley told his English 9 students the day before his last day of classes.



With the alacrity of the younger teachers who share a classroom with him, Mr. Hurley ventured into the aisles and checked that tests were signed and corrected. “Alright, write this down somewhere,” he then said. “I didn’t put Of Mice and Men on your final exam, because if I did, you just wouldn’t have time to finish.”

Mr. Hurley then went over some grammar exercises with his students that he’d given them on a final exam study guide. With all the same diligence he’d showed over thousands and thousands of classes through four decades, he guided the students through the review.

“In line 1, you have to have a period after 'Sumatra.' When I say have to, there’s just no other way you’re gonna do it.”

“I’m presuming you guys aren’t raising your hands because you guys know why you got something wrong.”

Students casually tested the teacher as though he were in his first year and not his 37th. "I don’t understand," one said, and another, "How’d you grade this?"

Mr. Hurley would likely scoff at anyone searching for meaning in some of his final words to his students:

“Be careful: sometimes you need to follow more than one rule at a time.”

“There were a thousand and fifty points this quarter. I worked too hard.”

One student—let’s call him Phil—joked about Mr. Hurley’s age under his breath. After teasing him right back, Hurley continued with the lesson.

“Therefore is just like however. It doesn’t introduce subordinate clauses—remember that. I’m not saying that it’s going to be on the final...and remember, you don’t have to write the rules on the final. You won’t have time.”

Acting as though he had plenty of time left with them, Mr. Hurley launched into a few stories of his youth—about playing basketball in college, a fictitious war story, and about how he got the horrible scar on his arm.

How did he get the scar on his arm? After thirty-seven years on the job, he left his students guessing.