Badyrka helps lead Holy Cross to strong start

Posted on January 1, 2025 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

The Holy Cross Crusaders won four of its first five basketball games this season and one of the big reasons is sophomore center/forward Adam Badyrka.

Poised and confident, Adam scored 20 points in each of the first two games this season and has been consistently in double figures in scoring. He also averages about eight rebounds per contest.

Son of Daniel and Johanna Badyrka, Adam last season averaged over 10 points per game for the Crusaders. This season he is averaging over 17 points per contest.

His brother Peyton Badyrka, now 21 and a senior at Penn State, was an All Region kicker at Dunmore.

Adam, always a hard worker, attributes his and the team’s strong improvement to the coaching staff.

“The coaching staff as well as teammates push us in practice. We have come together as a team. We bought into it. My coaches and teammates make me better.”

Adam talked about what it takes to excel at the forward and center positions. “It really depends on how the game is going,” he said. “You get rebounds, post, and transition. Some games you need to score more. You drive to the basket, kick and find your open teammates. You score when you have the right shot.”

The sophomore scholar-athlete has a highly impressive 4.1 grade point average at Holy Cross. He is a member of the chess club. His best academic subject is math.

Adam also is an excellent soccer player. He was a second team all-star as a striker for the Holy Cross soccer team.

Mult- talented, he is also a member of the Holy Cross golf team and plans to be on the track and field team this season.

Adam said he is not sure where he will attend college yet, but would like to study radiology. He would also like to play college basketball. His dream college is the University of Tennessee.

“My goal right now,” he said, “is to help this team get back to the state title game. Only this time we want to win it. We have a solid team and can win it all. That’s the goal.”

Adam has high praise for Holy Cross basketball coach Al Callejas Jr., and his assistant Corey Joyce.

“Coach Callejas has made a big impact on me,” he said. “He is a phenomenal coach. He built up my game. He has a high basketball IQ. He is very hard on us when he needs to be. He tells us we need to realize our mistakes.

“He also teaches us discipline and the human side of things. It’s kind of like learning life lessons.

“Corey Joyce has a lot of energy. I learn a lot from him too. He’s a really cool guy too.”

Personable and outgoing, Adam gives a lot of credit to his parents.

“My parents taught me discipline,” he said. “They told me to hold my emotions. They tell me not to worry about being better than everyone else. Just be kind to people.”

The sophomore stalwart said he loves listening to music in his spare time and saw John Fogerty in concert at Bethel Woods last summer. “He was great. I definitely want to go see him again. He was amazing.”

Adam said he is thoroughly enjoying his experience at Holy Cross.

“It has been nothing but perfection,” he said. “The school has shown nothing but kindness and love to me. I especially appreciate it coming from a public school. I have made lots of friends here. The teachers and faculty are great. The education is great. It’s just been a great experience and good choice for me so far.”

Dunmorean of the Month: Gemma Eckersley Bistran

Posted on December 4, 2024 by The Dunmorean

Holy Cross sophomore winning the race to beat cancer

By Steve Svetovich

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Take Holy Cross sophomore student-athlete Gemma Eckersley Bistran, for instance.

In the spring of 2022, Gemma, now 16, was a 13-year-old student-athlete at St. Mary of Mount Carmel School, Dunmore. She was a fierce competitor in swimming and track and field.

However, during one swimming meet she struggled to breathe.

Her parents, Tristan Eckersley and John Bistran, raced to find a reason. Medical doctors involved in the case initially diagnosed long-haul COVID. However, after a chest X-Ray, it was determined Gemma had pneumonia.

Her Dickson City-based pediatrician, April Troy, MD, had a “gut feeling” something more serious was missed. She suggested Gemma’s parents take her to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to have her lungs drained.

With this procedure, it was determined Gemma did not have COVID or pneumonia. Gemma’s chest cavity was being ravaged by primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), an extremely rare, relentlessly aggressive blood cancer. About 2,500 people are diagnosed with PMBCL annually.

The Holy Cross sophomore is now in remission and back to swimming and also running cross country and track. She and her parents credit the support of family, friends and strangers for keeping them focused and hopeful throughout their ordeal.

Last year Gemma raised money for cancer research in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Lehigh Valley and NEPA’s Student Visionairies of the Year campaign.

If a student visionary for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society raises $50,000, then he or she can name a grant. Gemma raised about $103,000, so she named two grants. One grant was for pediatric cancer research and another specifically for lymphoma research. Gemma named them in honor of Sonny Crotti and Thomas Zelno who lost their battles with cancer.

Tireless and focused, Gemma spent six months sending letters, making videos, reaching out to businesses and foundations asking them to donate. Both St. Mary’s and Holy Cross held dress down days.

Gemma was selected student visionary of the year for the Lehigh and Northeast Region.

This past September Gemma helped raise $2,243.00 for childhood cancer. She was supported by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Parkway Run/Walk and members and coaches of the Holy Cross cross country team.

Gemma continues to use her platform to raise money for others fighting cancer.

Gemma has a highly impressive 4.2 grade point average at Holy Cross. Her favorite academic subjects are history, government and languages,

Gemma is hoping to eventually attend college at the University of Pennsylvania to study psychology and early childhood education. “I want to pay it forward,” she said. “They were very good to me there. I would like to become a child life specialist. A child life specialist helps the children in a hospital go through the process. You are assigned to a child to comfort them. I want to do that. It’s my way of paying it forward.”

Gemma and a Lakeland student, Juliana Grier, are also involved with “Gems and Jewels.” The two students get together to make calls and contact people for donations and community fundraisers for cancer.

Gemma, with a clean bill of health, recently qualified for states as a member of the Holy Cross cross country team. She is also a member of the track and field and swimming teams. Her swimming season started last month.

Gemma had an MRI and blood work last month and all went well. “It came back clear and I hit the three-year mark of being in remission. It is all good right now. I do feel different than most people expect, though. I have that fear of feeling sick again. I don’t want that feeling again.”

Positive and strong-willed, Gemma said her parents are always there for her. “They have been at every single treatment.”

Gemma is proud her fellow cross country runners and other students and runners took part in the 5K run in Philadelphia to raise money for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

“They got on a bus at 4:30 a.m. to go with me,” she said. “It was for a great cause. We will do it again. Everyone at Holy Cross is so supportive. It’s a great environment.”

“I want to pay it all back and raise money for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and for other cancer associations for children.”

Holy Cross names cast for upcoming production of “The Music Man”

Posted on October 2, 2024 by The Dunmorean

Members of the cast and crew for “The Music Man” at Holy Cross High School include, first row, from left: Sarah Sumski, Katie Apolinario, and Lila Tallo. Second row, same order: Sophia Triano, Elizabeth Coval, Christopher Rotell Tierney, who portrays Harold Hill, and Avah Boock, who plays Marian Paroo; Emma Triano, and Allison Romanchick. Third row: William Muir, Alexis Bilski, Madison Barlow, Michael Fredrickson, Thomas Gilchrist, Gavin Brennan, Clinton Muir, Jonathan Novak, and Alyssa Hartman.

Holy Cross High School will present “The Music Man” on November 22, 23 and 24.

Cast members include Christopher Rotell-Tierney as Professor Harold Hill; Avah Boock as Marian Paroo; Gavin Brennan as Marcellus Washburn; Liz Myers as Mrs. Paroo; Lila Tallo as Winthrop Paroo; Natalia Matrone as Mrs. Eulalia Schinn; C.J. Muir as Mayor Schinn; Michael Frederickson as Olinn Britt; Jonathan Novak as Ewart Dunlop and Thomas Gilchrist as Oliver Hix.

Also, Madison Barlow as Jacey Squires; Cameron Kelly as Zanetta Schinn; James Kennedy as Tommy Dijlas; Emma Triano as Alma Hix; Lily Turnbull as Maud Dunlop; Ally Bilski as Ethel Toffelmier; Neveah Harrington as Mrs. Squires; Juliana Dudley as Amaryllis; Sarah Sumski as Gracie Schinn; Gracie Gregorowicz as Constable Lock, and Wiliam Muir as Charlie Cowell.

Dance captains for the show are Cameron Kelly, Olivia Strazzeri and Lily Turnbull.

The High School Ensemble includes Olivia Byron, Elizabeth Coval, Grace Donahue, Mary Guiziewicz, Alyssa Hartman, Keira Lalli, Libby Lalli, Cole Lipinski, Grace O’Malley, Anna Polishan, Bridget Rasimovich, Allie Romanchick, Olivia Strazzeri, Sophia Triano, Miriam Valentine and Julie Walsh.

The River City Band includes Audrey Albert, Sadie Battenberg, Nina DeSantis, Diana Idhaw, Cameron Jezorwski, Jarys Jezorwski, Rowan McDonald, Max Meola, Sarah O’Brien, Andi Romanchick and Skylynn Williams.