By Andrew Donnelly ‘20
Green Bay Packers’ coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” With playoff season on the horizon, our Flyers are determined to continue on the path to excellence and success.
The varsity wrestling team has been remarkably successful on the mats so far. Led by Coach Scott Cole ‘95, the team has traveled around Long Island to compete in various tournaments. Early on, the Flyers took first place at the Ed Solosky Tournament at Kellenberg Memorial High School. The team’s out scoring league rivals, including Massapequa, led to the very impressive victory for Chaminade. On January 5th, the team made a trip to Island Trees in Levittown for the Ted Peterson Tournament. After many hard-fought battles, the varsity Flyers edged out a first-place victory there as well.
Although the team suffered a tough league loss to St. Anthony’s, they defeated St. John the Baptist, contributing to a respectable 1-1 start in league play. Standout wrestlers thus far include seniors John Boccardo ‘19 and Ryan Bihasu ‘19, juniors Davis Luckner ‘20 and Michael Semeraro ‘20, as well as sophomore Michael Sanfilippo ‘21. The rest of the season looks extremely bright for Chaminade’s talented varsity wrestling team.
The Chaminade Varsity Winter Track Team has also started on a good note, with each runner showcasing his skills throughout New York in a number of competitive meets. The team sent its top groups of runners to travel to the USATF qualifier at Ocean Breeze, Staten Island. Coach Brian Hayes ‘99 and Coach Kevin Beirne ‘00 entered two teams each for the 4×200 and 4×800 relays.
The 4×200 relays fared especially well, as Team A posted a 1:32, and Team B achieved a season high of 1:36. On January 12, three of the leading varsity relay teams had stellar performances against some of the toughest schools in the state. The track team at Chaminade hopes to continue its success at the freshman and sophomore CHSAA Championships on Saturday, February 2nd.
Similarly, the varsity hockey team is off to a phenomenal start. They are on a roll to start the season—undefeated with three ties. In December, the illustrious Flyers hit the ice with enthusiasm by defeating the second-place Fordham Rams by a score of 3-2. The Flyers then went on to pummel Iona Prep by a whopping seven-goal margin. After these enormous victories, the momentum continued, and the Flyers managed to shut down Monsignor Farrell twice before playing St. Anthony’s in Dix Hills.
The Chaminade hockey team successfully vanquished their league rival both times by scores of 5-1 and 3-1 respectively. These wins cemented the Flyers’ top spot in the standings. The varsity hockey team, led by captain Aidan Umhafer ‘19, hopes to carry this momentum into the playoffs, and eventually toward winning a championship trophy.
The basketball program at Chaminade has become a perennial powerhouse that never fails to impress. This year, not deviating from that reputation, the varsity basketball team started the season on the right foot. The Flyers squad has remained undefeated in league play—a perfect 4-0. They have garnered multiple notable wins at home, including games against St. John the Baptist and Iona Prep.
On January 8, the group played the Friars at St. Anthony’s, concluding the game with a double-digit victory. For the next game, the team traveled to St. Dominic’s and utterly stunned the Bayhawks; Chaminade won the game by 22 points, putting up an astonishing 83 points as a team. The exceptional Flyers team even handed the well-established Lawrence-Woodmere Academy their only loss of the season. So far, the Chaminade Varsity Basketball Team looks nothing short of superb.
The winter athletic programs at Chaminade High School have historically put in exceedingly strong performances. The teams this year have certainly stuck to this tradition through their hard work, dedication, and fantastic showcases of ability. With playoffs quickly approaching, the Flyers continue their hard work towards the quest for excellence.
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