Holy Cross Cancels Football Season

Posted on August 7, 2019 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

A drop in participation as summer practice emerged forced Holy Cross High School officials to suspend its varsity football program for the 2019 season.

Dave Gatto was scheduled to coach the team for his third season.

Ben Tolerico, school principal, announced the decision Tuesday, July 30.

He informed District 2 chairman Frank Majikes and Lackawanna Interscholastic Athletic Association president Ron Collins.

“Hopefully,” said coach Gatto, “we are teaching our kids more than just football. Problems will come up in your lifetime and you need to be prepared to deal with them.

“We are not pouting and getting upset. We are addressing our problem and our kids are working hard to get more players out for the team. We will overcome this and hopefully be back on the field next year.”

There were 12 to 14 players, mostly underclassmen, who came out for the Crusaders team this season. Practice was to officially begin August 5 and a scrimmage was scheduled August 17 against Nanticoke. The season opener was scheduled Saturday, August 24, at home against Holy Redeemer.

At this time, Tolerico said, the school is eliminating the program. Tolerico coached the team from 2008 to 2010.

“In an effort to educate the whole child (mind, body and spirit), Holy Cross prides itself on having a rigorous academic program and robust extra curricular program for its students, ” Tolerico said in a statement.

“Each year we evaluate all the programs at Holy Cross to determine the best programs that will meet the needs and interests of our students. While we have one of the largest freshmen classes registered at Holy Cross, we currently have only 12 players signed up to play football, which is not enough to safely and competitively field a team.”

Tolerico added the football program will be re-evaluated for the 2020 season and beyond.

Teams scheduled to play Holy Cross this season will have their district playoff power rating calculated based on a nine-game schedule. There will be no forfeits.

Tolerico guided Holy Cross to its best season in 2010, which included an appearance in the Eastern Conference Class 1A final. The Crusaders were 6-6 in 2010.

JVfootball Last season, Gatto, after a winless 2017 season, led the Crusaders to wins in its first two games over Holy Redeemer and Montrose. The team finished 2-8.

The Holy Cross football program began in 2007 when the team finished with a respectable 4-7 record. Holy Cross emerged in the 2007-2008 school year after the closings of Bishop Hannan and Bishop O’Hara.

A total of 12 of the 22 players from last year’s team graduated.

Players who were slated to return this season were junior linebacker/fullback Brandon Ludovici, senior lineman Logan Bocker, junior lineman Robert Kane and senior wide receiver/defensive back/quarterback Andrew Weiner.

Other key players were expected to be sophomore tailback Gavin Crems, a transfer from Dunmore, and 6-1, 190-pound defensive end Logan Tierney.

Weiner was expected to be the quarterback. “He is very athletic, smart, with a strong arm,” said coach Gatto. “He would have been a strong leader.”

Ludovici and Crems were scheduled to be the running backs.

“Ludovici already had two good years with us. He is a tough player who works hard and loves football.

“Crems is a hard worker with great potential. He was probably the fastest kid on the team.”

Gatto and his staff also had great promise for freshman defensive end Tierney. “He is a big kid and was expected to make a huge impact.”

Coach Gatto’s assistant coaches were slated to be Vince Coviello, Chris Coviello, Joe Giorgio and T.J. McDonnell.

“We were looking forward to the challenges,” said coach Gatto, a University of Scranton business management graduate. “We will see what happens with the program next year.”

Gatto served seven years as an assistant coach at Dunmore under the legendary Jack Henzes who recently retired. He served five years as an assistant at Holy Cross before taking over the reign in 2017.

Congratulations to the Holy Cross High School Class of 2019!

Posted on June 5, 2019 by The Dunmorean

graduation Holy Cross High School in Dunmore held its commencement ceremonies on May 31 at the Sette La Verghetta Center for the Performing Arts at Marywood University with 98 students graduating.

Commencement speaker and honored guest was Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton. Benjamin D. Tolerico is school principal.

A Baccalaureate Mass was held on May 30 at Cathedral of St. Peter, Scranton, with Rev. Cyril D. Edwards, Holy Cross High School chaplain, was principal celebrant.

Holy Cross Graduation - Valedictorian Caroline Kranick

Class of 2019 Valedictorian: Caroline Kranick

Caroline Kranick, daughter of Colleen and Robert Kranick of Jessup was valedictorian of the class. Caroline is vice president of the National Honor Society and has been a Student Council representative for four years.

She is a three-year member of the Mock Trial team which is two-time District and Regional Champions and the 2019 Pennsylvania State Champions. The team recently place ninth in the nation.

Caroline has participated in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science for five years and was a member of the Summer Service Trip to New Jersey during the 2018 summer bread. She is a four-year member of the Varsity Soccer, Basketball and Track teams, serving as 2018-19 captain for both soccer and basketball.

Caroline will be attending the University of Notre Dame, majoring in English, and hopes for a career in human rights or environmental law.

Holy Cross Graduation - Salutatorian Hannah Carr

Class of 2019 Salutatorian: Hannah Carr

Hannah Carr, daughter of Maurya and Thomas Carr of Throop, was salutatorian.

Hannah is an officer and four-year member of the History/Political Science Club and was both a Diocesan and an Immaculate Heart of Mary Scholar, in addition to her high school schedule.

A member of the National Honor Society and Holy Cross Tennis Team, Hannah is also a four-year member of the Foreign Language Club. she has been accepted into the Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program at the University of Scranton.

Members of the 2019 graduating class at Holy Cross High school are: Dominic James Arbie, Elizabeth Jane Arbie, Mary Margaret Elizabeth Arcuri, Denys Arkhypenko, Heather Elizabeth Bailey, Erik Jerome Bentler, Haley Elizabeth Bestrycki, Olivia Frances Bloskey, L. Matthias Boles, Gianna Jule Calciano, Annabelle Nicole Callis, Taylor Jordan Callis, Cang Ye Da, Hannah Mellody Carr, Alexandria Carter, Joshua Thomas Charles, Julia Elizabeth Cicco, Ryan Jeffrey Cole, William P. Craig, Geanna B. Cusmano, Matthew James Dowdell, Theresa Ann Dutter, Darlene Duverge, and Russell C. Dyson III.

Also, Hannah Elizabeth Ferenchick, Jeremy Kristian Fick, Anthony R. Fletcher, Marla Ann Gambucci, Megan Catherine Gashi, Jacob Michael Gatto, Santino Augustus Graziano, Serge John Grega, Logan A. Gregory, Alexander Ryan Hammer, Taylor Marie Hembury, Matthew Jacob Herne, Meghan Kathryn Keenan, Nicholas Daniel Klein, Kalley Nicole Kovaleski, Jonathan Paul Kowalski, Caroline Frances Kranick, Hunter Alan Wesley Krieg, Olivia Evelyn Krupski, Ryan Nicholas Lello, Alyssa Rose Liford, Elizabeth Ann Link, Joseph Fred Liuzzo Jr., Abigail Rose Lynott.

Also, Kaylee Magda, Guilia Rose Maiolatesi, Abbey Elizabeth Malinoski, Julia Elizabeth Mancuso, Brian Anthony Mariotti, Julie Ann Mazaleski, Kaitlin Ann Cecilia McDonnell, Jillian Josephine McDonough, Hailey Star McElroy, Zachary Michael Menichello, Thomas Anthony Montefour, Ismael Mikey Morales, Tyler Thomas Mozeleski, Lucia Penelope Nardelli, Nhien Phan Thao Nguyen, Sang T. Nguyen, Grace Pavlick Okrepkie, Olivia Lee Osborne, and Emma Kate Otis.

Also, Lauren Rosario Richards Palmiter, Chloe L. Pearce, Ericka Anne Pica, Jacob Francis Rasimovich, Eric David Rine, Jennifer Christine Robinson, Kyle Michael Rusinko, Gianna Sacchetti, Maria Teresa Sacco, Kiearra Saldi, Mia Gabrielle Sandy, Anthony Scartelli, Carl John Schuster IV, Dana Leigh Sebastianelli, Abigail Ann Sempa, Noah C. Somers, Kristen Ann Swierczek, Victoria Lynn Tanana, James Brien Thornton Jr.

Also, Declan Mark Tokash, Karli Tolerico, Shannon Elizabeth Tone, Jack Patrick Torquati, Kirsten Mary Van Louvender, Joshua James Walker, Justin Richard Walker, Abigail Theresa Walsh, Colin M. Walsh, Jake Wiercinski, Brenden Manfred Willsch, and Olivia Aneta Catherine Zehel.

Holy Cross Girls Win Third Straight District Softball Title

Posted on June 5, 2019 by The Dunmorean

Front row, from left: Gianna Sacchetti, Olivia Krupski and Olivia Zehel. Second row, same order: Kaitlyn Idhaw, Emma Clause, Mia Schimelfenig, Carly Wywoda, Meghan McDonnell, Meghan Nidoh, Priscilla Grill and Grace Murtagh. Third row: Autumn Miemiec, Tia Polizzi, Julia Goetz, Aleena Sandy, Jenna Bradley, Kaci Kranson, Keelin Schimelfenig, Allison Pavlowski and Erin McGee. Coaches are Joe Ross, Rev. Cyril Edwards, Brian Knoww, Dan McGee, Neil Hochreiter and Barry Fitzgerald.

By Steve Svetovich

Three is a charm.

Junior stalwart Jenna Bradley homered and fired a complete game five-hitter, striking out 11 and walking none and Carly Wywoda hit a three-run double as the Holy Cross Lady Crusaders earned a third straight District 2 title, 10-2, over Northwest Area Thursday, May 30, at the University of Scranton Magis Field.

The Lady Crusaders scored five runs in the first and never looked back with its ace pitcher on the mound. Bradley, who is committed to the University of Massachusetts for the fall of 2020, gave up only one earned run.

“This is just a great group of kids,” Holy Cross veteran softball coach Joe Ross said. “We are absolutely thrilled with the victory and the district title. The girls worked very hard for this. Now off to the state playoffs.”

Holy Cross freshman Kaci Kranson took a two-strike pitch and laced a triple to right-center to start the game. Olivia Krupski, always clutch, followed with a sacrifice fly.

An Erin McGee single came between walks to Bradley and Wywoda.

A Northwest throwing error, RBI fielder’s choice from Gianna Sacchetti, bases loaded walk to Kaitlin Idhaw and Olivia’s Zebel’s sacrifice fly gave the Lady Crusaders a 5-0 lead.

Bradley whacked her eighth homer of the year on the first pitch of the fourth inning. Idlaw doubled and Kranson drove in a run after another Northwest error.

With two outs and two strikes, Wywoda hit a three-run double down the right field line.

“She hit a two-strike pitch and went with it,” said Ross.

Kranson, McGee and Bradley all had two hits in the game. Bradley scored three runs and McGee scored two.

The win brought Holy Cross to a 17-5 record entering the state playoffs. Northwest fell to 14-9.

Holy Cross defeated Mountain View, 2-0, in the district semifinal win. Bradley hurled a complete game shutout, striking out 16.

Bradley has a 1.02 ERA with 283 strikeouts this season. She is hitting .540 with eight homers.

Kranson is batting over .400 with two homers. Krupski and Wywoda are both hitting over .350 with five homers each.

“It all starts with our pitching,” coach Ross said. “Jenna Bradley has been stellar all year and was again against Northwest.

“Kaci Kranson started us off with a great two-strike triple. And then she was driven in by a sac fly by Olivia Krupski. That was probably our best offensive performance. We were patient, hit the ball where it was pitched and were aggressive with our base running.

“We played good defense, strung together quality at bats. Combine that with excellent pitching and we are a tough team to beat.”