2018 CM Fall Sports Digest

9/6/2018

CM Communications Staff

After a long summer, catch up on your CM varsity sports teams before they hit the field this fall season.

Football:

Team Record Last Year: 6-5 (Lost in Division II South Sectional Final)

Speed and youth hold the key to success in Coach John DiBiaso’s first year at the helm. The Knights feature a no-huddle, up-tempo offense led by junior quarterback Barrett Pratt and returning All-Scholastic wide receiver Khari Johnson. On defense, the Knights return All-Scholastic cornerback Hunter Tully and All-Scholastic defensive lineman Lucas Folan. Coach DiBiaso wants his returning All-Scholastics to provide leadership in the face of inexperience on both sides of the ball. Five sophomores project to start the season-opener against reigning Division III State Champion Saint John’s (Shrewsbury). With Catholic Conference rivals Xaverian and BC High looming later in the season, DiBiaso needs a quick learning curve.

Breakout Candidate: Owen McGowan, linebacker

Owen earned the coaching staff’s trust this past offseason. Coach DiBiaso praised Owen, a sophomore, for his intelligence and leadership on-and-off the field during training camp. He plans to start the underclassman at linebacker for Saturday’s season opener against Saint John’s High School (Shrewsbury). Expect to see Owen take over the middle of the Knights’ defense, playing right behind Lucas Folan.

Circle your calendar for…

Friday Night Lights

Xaverian @ CM

Friday, September 28^th at 7 PM

Soccer:

Team Record Last Year: 5-11-1 (Lost in Division II South Sectional Preliminary Round)

Where one sees inexperience, Coach John Finn sees opportunity. The Knights return one starter, junior defenseman Ronan Hurley, from last year’s playoff team. This year, the roster consists of 13 combined freshmen and sophomores. Coach Finn expects to see plenty of growth potential and raw talent in all three levels of the field. The team fields a 4-4-2 formation, relying on strong defenders to move the ball up field through the wings. Above all else, Coach Finn wants his team to compete in every game this season while growing into a cohesive unit.

Breakout Candidate: Ronan Greene, center back

Ronan, a sophomore, meets the criteria of an elite defenseman in the making. Tall, fast, and physical, he certainly looks the part. This year, Coach Finn needs him to step up and act it. Expect Ronan to take on a leadership role as a starting center back in Coach Finn’s starting eleven. He found a knack for frustrating strikers and fits into the team’s 4-4-2 alignment. With starting goalkeeper Declan O’Sullivan out for the season, the team needs stability on defense. Ronan presents a solution.

Circle your calendar for…

Cardinal Spellman @ CM
Saturday October 20^th at 10 AM

Cross Country:
Head coach Vincent Catano sees potential bursting at his roster’s seams. How much potential? So much that he made it an expectation for each runner to realize their peak performance before the fall season ends. The team returns a core group of four senior runners in Daniel Habermas, Patrick Lyons, Joseph Mongale, and Michael McCarthy. The four seniors must execute Coach Vin’s meet strategy. Coach Vin groups his runners together during each meet. If the senior core executes and stays in a pack, then the juniors, sophomores, and freshmen follow. Ideally, Coach Vin wants a unified and enthusiastic group of runners when the season begins on September 18^th against BC High at Franklin Park.

Breakout Candidate: Sean Donohue

Sean, a junior, arrived at camp in shape and ready to compete according to head coach Vincent Catano. No stranger to the team, the junior began his second varsity season ready to take on a leadership role. His team needs him to. Donohue belongs to a group of only six upperclassmen on the team. If a summer’s worth of hard work carries over into the fall, expect to see Sean running alongside the team’s core group of seniors during meets.

Circle your calendar for…

58^th Catholic Memorial Invitational at Franklin Park

Saturday, October 20^th at 9:30 AM

Golf:
Under new head coach Mike Marshall, the Knights want to establish a presence both on and off the course. Coach Marshall plans to play those who perform best in practice and those who act as gentlemen off the course. He takes over a young roster held together by its seven returning members. Seniors Anthony Borgonzi, Jack Curran, Patrick Creavin, and Jack Mang create a strong team chemistry and bring out the best of each player. The team loves to compete on a daily basis according to Coach Marshall.

Breakout Candidate: James Thomas

The varsity team called up James as an eighth grader at the end of his JV season last year. This year, Coach Marshall has high hopes for the sophomore. If James continues to develop at last year’s pace, he may play in every match this season. After losing a great senior class last year, the team gives its youth a great opportunity to step up into the spotlight. James may do just that.

Circle your calendar for…

BC High @ CM

George Wright Golf Course

Tuesday, September 25^th at 3 PM

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