Archdiocesan youth awarded for outstanding sportsmanship on and off the athletic field
The Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry hosted the third annual Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) Sports Recognition Ceremony at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart on April 23. The ceremony recognized 99 elementary-aged youth and 48 adult participants across 61 parish- and school-based sports programs of the Archdiocese of Newark.
The ceremony included Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael A. Saporito, and the presentation of youth and adult awards.
The Archdiocesan Youth Parish/School Sportsmanship Award is presented to athletes who display outstanding sportsmanship through service or actions on and off the athletic field within their parish or school community.
The Archdiocesan Adult Discipleship Award is presented to express appreciation and gratitude to adults who have demonstrated a commitment to young people and athletics in their parish or school community.
The young athletes were presented with congratulatory medals and adults received commemorative pins.
“I feel happy and honored,” said Helen Gevedon, one of the Youth Parish/School Sportsmanship Award recipients from Our Lady of Częstochowa School in Jersey City. Gevedon has been playing volleyball for the school team for the past two years.
She said that she exemplifies Christian sportsmanship while on the athletic field through “respect [for] the other team and trying to be a good sport.”
Carlo Reyes, one of the awardees from St. Michael School in Newark, said that practicing sportsmanship on the basketball court has been a challenge for him in the past, but he is proud to be recognized for improving. “Although I may slip up from time to time, following Christ’s example, I always try to keep a fair and understanding attitude on and off the court.”
The recognition program was started in 2020 to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of young athletes and adult volunteers across the archdiocese, according to Tom Conboy, Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. In 2020, the ceremony was held remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions. This year marks the second year that the ceremony has been held in-person following the pandemic.
“The CYO Sports Recognition Ceremony gives us the opportunity to honor our outstanding athletes who lead by example and embrace their faith on and off the competition field,” Conboy said. “It also allows us to thank our adult volunteers who give their [time and talent] to coach and lead these young people.”
The 2023 Archdiocesan Youth Parish/School Sportsmanship Award recipients are:
Theodore Santos and Elizabeth Canela from All Saints Catholic Academy in Bayonne
Jayden Mandio and Olivia Jesolosky from Saint Thomas the Apostle School in Bloomfield
Elizabeth Bolen and Michael Maceri from Saint Catherine of Siena School in Cedar Grove
Brais Santos from Saint Agnes Parish in Clark
Alyssa Martel and Andrew Quiroz from Saint John the Apostle Parish in Clark
Sparrow Smith and Eftihia Giannikos from Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest
Tyler Glasgow and Vincent Horace from Saint Joseph School in East Orange
Francesca Tompkins and Matthew Barrios from Saint Leo’s School in Elmwood Park
Oliver Storr and Robyn Milsap from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy in Tenafly
Sebastian Kiselow-Sanchez from Saint Anne Parish in Fair Lawn
Mario Fernandez and Analia Veliz from Academy of Our Lady of Grace in Fairview
Sean Benneh and Lorenzo Guarino from Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Franklin Lakes
Maeve Dorfler and Nathaniel Rodriguez from Academy of Our Lady in Glen Rock
Simone Gambino and Shane Uglione from Our Lady of Victories Parish in Harrington Park
Jacob Metcalfe and Charlize Robayo from Corpus Christi School in Hasbrouck Heights
Emma Fowler and Tyler Parks from Saint John’s Parish in Hillsdale
Brandon McMillan and Vivienne Ujhely from Hoboken Catholic Academy in Hoboken
Shubham Baruwal and Chrissa Gumtang from Saint Joseph School in Jersey City
Grace Curtis and Aine Britton from Saint Nicholas Parish in Jersey City
Logan Geoghegan and Helena Gevedon from Our Lady of Częstochowa School in Jersey City
Eve Forenza and Michael Adelson from Saint Theresa School in Kenilworth
Josiah Emogene and Kyle Boyle from Aquinas Academy in Livingston
Alice Cox and Gionni Valentin from Sacred Heart School in Lyndhurst
Genet Sheridan and Brendan Kouyoumdjian from Saint Joseph’s in Maplewood
Colin Patterson and Juliana Natoli from Church of the Nativity in Midland Park
Carlos Reyes and Jaylene Candelaria from Saint Michael School in Newark
Gaven Clancy and Joseph Biro from Queen of Peace in North Arlington
Giuliana Parelli and Noah Tan from Good Shepherd Academy in Nutley
Sabrina Santee and Ikaika Moler from Saint Joseph School in Oradell
Michael Lee and Gabrielle Magpantay from Notre Dame Academy in Palisades Park
Laetitia Miksishado and Ryan Ditchfield-Agboh from Visitation Academy in Paramus
Raegan Hynes and Jonathan Griffith from Our Lady of Mercy in Park Ridge
Damien Moccia and Bridget Hardy from Koinonia Academy in Plainfield
Brogan Facinelli and Lindsay Ursich from Saint Paul Academy in Ramsey
Kyle McLaughlin and Abby Rostkowski from Saint Paul Parish in Ramsey
Gabriella Winn and Gavin McCrone from Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Ridgewood
Hunter Barone and Emma Yeandle from Saint Peter’s Academy in River Edge
Gianna Leonardi and Marissa Ramos from Sacred Heart Church in Rochelle Park
Aubrey Mitchell and Joshua Petit-Day from Saint Joseph the Carpenter School in Roselle
Patrick Denney and AJ Skara from Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Scotch Plains
Max Markho and Eliana Rotondo from Saint Bartholomew Academy in Scotch Plains
Gabriel May and Crystelle Clitus from Saint Rose of Lima Church in Short Hills
Christina Paul and Nora D’Andrea from Our Lady of Sorrows School in South Orange
Gino Galasso and Sahmir Charles from Saint Michael’s Parish in Union
Charles Grube and Margaret Faherty from Saint Cassian School in Upper Montclair
Benjamin Peterson and Sofia Sobreiro from Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Verona
Liam Mitchell and Luke Samet from Holy Trinity Parish in Westfield
Sabrina Capati and Talan Lewis from Holy Trinity School in Westfield
Peter Cabrales from Saint Helen Roman Catholic Church in Westfield
Cole Wiecenski and Jake Casimiro from Saint Andrew Church in Westwood
Connor Grasso and Clare McCarthy from Saint Elizabeth School in Wyckoff
The 2023 Archdiocesan Adult Discipleship Award recipients are:
Craig Largmann from All Saints Catholic Academy in Bayonne
Victor Mandio from Saint Thomas the Apostle School in Bloomfield
Thomas Bolen from Saint Catherine of Siena in Cedar Grove
Robert Martel from Saint John the Apostle Parish in Clark
Megan Delasandro from Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest
Crystal Washington from Saint Joseph School in East Orange
Michael Raleigh from Saint Leo’s in Elmwood Park
Marc Celli from Mount Carmel Academy in Tenafly
Mario Fernandez from Our Lady of Grace in Fairview
Alexander Esteban from Most Blessed Sacramet in Franklin Lakes
Michael Branagh from Academy of Our Lady in Glen Rock
Dominic Casamento from Our Lady of Victories in Harrington Park
Jerry Drennan from Corpus Christi School in Hasbrouck Heights
Brian Fowler from Saint John’s Parish in Hillsdale
James McMillan from Hoboken Catholic Academy in Hoboken
Anissa Manocchio from Saint Joseph School in Jersey City
Mark Blanco from Saint Nicholas in Jersey City
Ashley Coates from Our Lady of Częstochowa School in Jersey City
Nicholas Eversley from Aquinas Academy in Livingston
Michael Cox from Sacred Heart School in Lyndhurst
Danielle Walsman from Saint Joseph’s in Maplewood
Michael Gerald from Nativity in Midland Park
Nancy Haug from Saint Michael School in Newark
Mary Biro from Queen of Peace in North Arlington
Mark McCormack from Good Shepherd Academy in Nutley
Suzanne McFadden from Saint Joseph School in Oradell
Paul Concannon from Notre Dame Academy in Palisades Park
Janina Bucher from Visitation Academy in Paramus
Jo-Ann Robinson from Our Lady of Mercy in Park Ridge
Marc Postiglione from Koinonia Academy in Plainfield
Joseph Barbara from Saint Paul Academy in Ramsey
Nicole Lahr from Saint Paul Parish in Ramsey
Doug Schoeler from Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Ridgewood
Tony Arturi from Saint Peters in River Edge
Jorge Ramos from Sacred Heart Church in Rochelle Park
Latoya Mitchell from Saint Joseph the Carpenter in Roselle
Mr. and Mrs. Mike Marranca from Immaculate Heart of Mary in Scotch Plains
Shannon Pacheco from Saint Bartholomew Academy in Scotch Plains
Jerry Cuomo from Saint Rose of Lima in Short Hills
Sara D’Andrea from Our Lady of Sorrows in South Orange
Justin Galasso from Saint Michael in Union
Catherine Grube from Saint Cassian School in Upper Montclair
David Peterson from Our Lady of the Lake in Verona
Paul Collins from Holy Trinity Parish in Westfield
Matt Steinwald from Holy Trinity School in Westfield
Bryan Wiecenski from Saint Andrews in Westwood
Tim McCarthy from Saint Elizabeth School in Wyckoff
Featured image: Young athletes and sports program volunteers at the Sports Recognition Ceremony at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart on April 23
