Fall Coaches Provide Season Summaries (11/13/07)

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BOY'S SOCCER MIAA State Tournament / 2nd Place CCL 2nd Best Record in Team History (8-7-2) The 2007 Varsity Boy's Soccer Season was quite a roller-coaster-ride! At the end of last season many of the coaches had the Trinity Catholic Falcons favored to win the league and maybe more. August 23rd, 2007 was the first day of preseason, and there were only 15 players. Noticeably absent were the top goal scorers from the previous season and a key defender. Needless to say coach Turick & Denning said some prayers, as every catholic coach does, and slowly but surely those prayers were answered. We think that some of the "football & soccer" prayers may have been mix-up in the translation as well, because by September 1st we had 27 boys made up of 9 seniors, 2 juniors, 7 sophomores and 9 freshmen participating in the success of the soccer team. It is important to note that the soccer program here at Trinity is only 9 years old, and this year had a few milestones. We went to the MIAA Div III State Tournament for only the 2nd time in school history. The Varsity team finished with the second best overall record we have ever had. These are all results of hard work and dedication from coaches and athletic directors past and present, as well as the hard work and commitment of these 27 young men. This season was special for a number of reasons, but it is important to note that coach Turick has been the head coach for this special group of seniors for all four years. In addition, it is important to note that the last time the soccer team went to the post season there were two older brothers (Jake Cabrera & Nick Caruso) of current seniors. The Falcon soccer program continues to grow, and we look forward to building on the success that has happened this year. Similar to last season there was a number of new faces that joined the squad this year, but one of the major difference was the clear and present leadership by the upper classmen. The tri-captains of Devin, Jack and Jesse were elected by their teammates. Devin, returned to his post at defense, and continued to shut down the leagues top attackers. Unfortunately, his season was cut short with a complete tearing of his ACL. Devin started all 16 games last year, and is one of the players responsible for bringing TC soccer to the next level. Jack, earned First Team All Conference for the second year in a row, and continued his leadership in the mid-field. Jesse, is a constant workhorse, and will do anything for the team. He proved this by playing goalie in the beginning of the season earning 1 shutout. Then, when Devin got hurt he moved to defender and even helped out in the midfield. Patrick Enderlin no longer the new kid in town; made it clear to all attackers that it was going to be a long game for them. He leads by example, never slows down and was a constant offensive threat with his throw-ins. More then just his coaches noticed his hard work and sportsmanship, as he too was selected as an CCL First Team All-Star. Sean Lydon is another young man that leads by example. He played a number of roles this year, from scoring goals, controlling the midfield, or earning 4 shutouts in net with a 1.25 GAA in 10 games. Nick, in his second year stepped into a starting role at outside fullback. His hard work in the off-season paid-off, as he baffled attackers and kept the other team at bay. HyunSeung Lee provided a spark off the bench, and improved greatly in his second season. Kevin's broken hand did not keep him sidelined for long, and he had another strong season in the midfield. Anthony Kontos became a soccer player over night, and set the league on fire with 6 goals and 7 assists. His work ethic, tenacious defense and drive helped lead his team, and we only wish he had come out sooner. Jimmy Tice stepped up his game in his third season, and continued to put pressure on all defenses. Robert continued to anchor the defense, and had another wonderful season. He was selected as an CCL First Team All-Star, and for the second year in a row was selected as an Eastern Massachusetts Coach's Association All-Star. Andrew, David, ChoongSoo, SunKyu, Anthony Olivier, Dante, SungMin, David and SungJae made large strides this year, and represent what it means to be a teammate. Sophomore sensation Daryl Thomas had the season that players dream of, with 15 goals, 6 assists, was selected as an CCL First Team All-Star. When you ask him about this season he'll tell you that it was not for him, but for his older brother Devin who's season was cut short with an injury. He is a leader on and off the field, and represents his family and Trinity with class and pride at all times. Chulyoon and Sung-Hyuk were a blessing, as they brought a great deal of skill and speed to the mid-field and defense. Freshmen forwards, Patrick Alfama and Anh (Juan) Tran, had fantastic inaugural seasons, and represent the future of the Falcons attack. Juan shocked offenses, and pumped in 6 goals and had a few assist. Scott Pero was our manager this year, and he defines what it means to be a teammate, and is someone who made an impact on every member of the team. Boy's Coaching Staff, Coach Turick & Coach Denning GIRL'S SOCCER MIAA Academic Excellence - Gold Award After suffering a devastating loss of eight out of 11 starters from last year (including three of our top goal scorers), 2007 offered the team yet another rebuilding season. We started the pre-season with about 14 players, and grew to our final count of 17 by the first game. Thankfully, Anne Hainley remained Assistant Coach and contributed significantly to the tutelage of the sport, both in practice and in games. Her positive attitude pervaded our sideline in even the most challenging losses. After a sidelining knee injury kept her from active participation in last year's season, Senior Terry-Ann Craig returned to lead the team as Co-Captain, along with fellow Senior Julie Wall. Together, they kept the team's spirit up, even while plagued by overwhelming defeats. Through their tireless encouragement, Craig and Wall governed an imperturbable sense of team enthusiasm and unity. Guided by her captains' model leadership, Junior Molly Stone stepped up as a voice of encouragement, as well. She was often the source of levity among her team, helping the girls bounce back from an otherwise difficult defeat. Her diligence in front of the net garnered her a spot on the CCL All Star team. She was also named "Most Valuable Goalie" by the coaches of CCL. While she fielded only one shut-out for the season, her saves vs. shots taken percentage was unrivaled. Averaging about 15 saves per game, Molly had a high of 32 saves in one game this season. Her out-of-goal play was a benefit, as well, usually contributing to significant ball possession while she was on the field. In addition to Stone, seven Juniors returned with yet another year of game experience and marked improvement across the board. Kristen DeGrechie provided both strong defense and improved back-up goalie play to the team. Kayla Solis showed remarkable maturity finding her niche as sweeper. Her leadership and fierceness in the backfield grew with each game. Maureen Stockman, after missing most of last season, came to play this year. She not only worked hard in practice, but brought a rugged agility to the forward positions. Her persistence up front finally gave her a goal in our final game against NCC. Jill Geib affirmed her position at fullback through consistently solid defense and an assertive step in each successive game. Geib showed impressive growth in her ability to confidently field the ball with either foot. Olivia Smith offered her strongest defensive presence since joining the team as a freshman, and portrayed improvement in all aspects of her game. Pam Bardhi remained the flexible player that she is, serving in both defensive and offensive positions. Bardhi's relentless enthusiasm and love of the sport was omnipresent. Christine Lai, whose stats do not adequately portray her invaluable importance to the team, served as a fierce warrior on the wing. It would be difficult to name another player who fought for the ball harder than she. Lai showed the true nature of a midfielder by playing the game from endline to endline. Ever the selfless player, she led the team in assists. And I understand she generously offered the team laundry services, as well. Sophomores Alex Kasper and Genevieve Noonan returned to solidify our offensive end of the field. Noonan shined with her signature "star" headers, as well as her aggressive play in the midfield. Kasper stepped up her game, achieving the position of lead goal scorer. Kasper also fought hard for the ball, often diving head first into the fray, while her unique game noises could be heard clear across the field. Newcomer Sophomore Shawna McGoldrick brought true athleticism to the team, applying it to both the defensive and offensive end of the line-up. McGoldrick provided helpful speed while serving in either the stopper or wing positions. Freshmen Nicole Civitarese, Melissa Herrera and Berdine Viaud rounded out the team nicely with impressive efforts despite their inexperience. Viaud showed promise in the forward, while Herrera offered a future of midfield dominance. Her winning goal in the first game against NCC promises a hope of goals to come. Civitarese proved to be a go-to gal, with a versatility unmatched in any other player. Often playing entire games without a break, she came through confidently in the back, as well as served playmaking passes in the midfield. With her solid touch and obvious sense of the game, she will remain a significant presence in future seasons. While winning only two games this season, the scores of their losses do not necessarily reflect their effort in those games. In most games, the girls played their hearts out, with their only deficit being their lack of goals scored. One game, in particular that remains a highlight of the season was their second game against Pope John. They held the number one team in our league to only one goal for about three quarters of the game. And no matter what happened, in any given game, the girls never gave up on each other. We retained every player with which we started, and their enthusiasm never waned. Looking forward to next year! Thanks girls : Coach Shiner 2007 Junior Varsity Volleyball MIAA Academic Excellence - Gold Award Game Faces ON!   On the first day of practice in August, a group of young woman sat before me eager for the season to begin. Natalie Michael was among those faces - as a junior, she had two seasons behind her and her experience proved to be essential in many of our close matches. The rest of the faces were new to the program - juniors Juliette Noonan and Sarah Bullwinkle had never played before but provided athleticism and most importantly, leadership to our many freshman and sophomores. Both were reliable, responsible, well-spoken captains - THANK YOU CAPTAINS! Sophomore "Tabisha, Tabisha…." Fleurinord decided to give volleyball a try for the first time as well and came a long way from the first day - by the end of the season, she could hit a ball with power and strength. Freshman present on the first day of practice included Julia Lombardo, Riddhi Jain, Kathryn Haggstrom, Yasmina LaPommeray, Brianna Ferrera, and Rachael Kerr. All were enthusiastic despite their inexperience and were quick to learn the game. Once school began, we had the late additions came from freshman and sophomores Coralie Casmir, Jessica Tully, and two students who recently moved from China - Lu Li and LuYi Zhang. All were eager to learn and found success early. Without a doubt, every single girl improved from the start of the season. There were many victories beyond just a record of 10 wins and 4 losses. Having games where over 90% of the serves went over the net, practices with girls hitting the ball hard, games where every single girl contributed to the win - all of these are the victories that are important. On Saturday mornings, the eight freshman played two games and ended their season at 8 - 2. It did not matter if they had to arrive at 7:45am - they always showed with smiles on their faces. We had a great time all season long. Before each game, we "put our game faces on" before we left the locker room. For many, this was not easy because they have a hard time not smiling. But in the end, they put on the game face, went out on the court and played hard from start to finish. For this, I thank each and every one of you ladies. The girls were a delight to coach - they are all such wonderful young women. GFO on three!! VARSITY VOLLEYBALL MIAA Academic Excellence - Gold Award / MIAA State Tournament 2nd Place CCL The 2007 Trinity Catholic High School volleyball season was one of the most successful in school history. With half of the team being returning varsity volleyball players, including seniors Jessica Nally, Christina Tully, and Cienna Wesley and juniors Stephanie Crane, Melissa McGrath, and Smarthine Vilfranche, the team looked to use their experience to expand on the accomplishments of a great 2006 season. Joined by a solid group of varsity newcomers, including seniors Gabby Silva, Sherleen Theodore, juniors Kate Tremarche and Jessie Trunfio, and sophomores Macda Gerard and Hannah McCaffrey, the team began the season with six straight wins, dropping only one game in a match. As the season progressed, Trinity continued their winning ways. The team refined their passing, hitting, serving, and blocking skills and learned to handle close situations with self-control and poise, rallying from a loss in game one and a 14-4 deficit in game 2 to come back and win the match at Bethany Christian and beating Mt. St. Joseph's on the road 25-23, 25-23, 25-19 in the final week of the regular season with late come from behind serving success. More importantly, the girls continuously displayed teamwork, sportsmanship, and unity. The season included not only 22 games and over 30 practices, but also a pre-season trip to the AVP Tournament in Quincy, 3 different daylong retreats on the weekends to teammates' beach houses, and countless team dinners. The girls all balanced dedication to the volleyball program with doing community service, holding leadership positions in many school organizations, and committing themselves to academic excellence, finishing the first quarter with a 3.63 team GPA, with the top students in the school in the senior and sophomore classes in Cienna Wesley and Macda Gerard. The team proved to be an example for the entire school community of what it means to be the ideal student-athlete. The most impressive and monumental highlight of the season came in the state playoffs. This season marked the volleyball program's fifth straight state tournament berth. Despite qualifying in previous years, Trinity Catholic had failed to find victory in the state tournament. With an outstanding 15-5 regular season record, Trinity drew a home game for the first round, hosting Tri-County Regional High School. The teams proved to be very evenly matched, with Trinity persevering in a 25-23 game one, and losing in game two with the same score. However, the girls showed great composure, maturity, and determination in pulling ahead in the match and never looking back, winning game three 25-15 and game four 25-17. Even more importantly, every player had positive contributions to help achieve victory in the state tournament. Although the team would lose in the second round of the state tournament to a tough Millis High School team, the season will be looked back on as one that helped bring the volleyball program to a new level and solidified the 2007 team as one of the most memorable in the history of the school. The season concluded with an overall team record of 16-6 and a league record of 8-4, giving Trinity a second place finish in the very balanced Catholic Central League Division II. We will greatly miss the leadership, dedication, and positive examples of our five seniors, Jessica, Gabby, Sherleen, Christina, and Cienna and wish the m the best of luck and look forward to their visits in future seasons. Coach Kmack FOOTBALL It has often been said that the true character of a team is present in times of adversity when victories and good breaks are few, and frustration and disappointment linger on. Make no mistake about it, the 2007 Falcons displayed great character this season in the face of ill fortune as they enter the Thanksgiving Holiday with a 2-8 record . After opening the season with a very difficult schedule the Falcons pleased the Homecoming Crowd at BC High with an exciting 14-12 win over Mystic Valley in overtime. Chaz Walker connected with Andy Medina for the first half touchdown and Nnamdi Nosike was the hero of the day with a game saving tackle in regulation as well as a TD rush and 2 point rush to secure the victory over the Eagles in OT. The following week witnessed an offensive shootout as Dom Della Pace cracked paydirt four times for the visiting Falcons in an exciting 34-26 win over Lowell Catholic. Bob Greenwood had 2 interceptions in this victory, Jeff Lai had a huge pick near the LC goal line, and Chaz Walker's interception clinched TC's second consecutive victory. Offensive guards Steve Burckardt and Bryan Fleurjuste helped to spring Nnamdi Nosike to a 100 yard effort. Tackles Jim Bullwinkle and Anthony Joyce were solid in helping Dom score 4 TDs , this feat earned him Boston Globe player of the Week in Division 4. Tom Donohue was steady in this game as the anchor of the line at center as well as the long snapper for our punt team. Week 8 saw the Falcons host long time rival Cathedral in a game that could bring TC their third consecutive victory at Chelsea Stadium. Greg Raye scored early in the game on a fullback screen and Chaz Walker scored on a QB sneak to give TC a 14-12 lead in the second quarter. Unfortunately, the Panthers marched downfield to close out the half with a touchdown pass to put CHS up 20-14 at the break. Cathedral closed out the scoring in the second half at 38-14 and the Falcons returned to BC High to host the powerful Pope John Tigers. John Lopes had a big interception in this game, and Jared Blount continued to improve with a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter. Adisa Shillingford played solidly as a corner as well as receiver on Senior Day as did Anthony DePina at linebacker for TC in Pope John's 33-6 win. This Saturday the Falcons opened the game against Matignon with an impressive 79 yard drive down the field. Unfortunately the goal line was 80 yards away as TC fumbled on the one yard line. The Falcons defense played much better in the second half forcing the Warriors to turn the ball over twice on downs in the second half. Nnamdi Nosike broke the 100 yard rushing mark again as Trinity lost a hard fought, respectable 22-0 decision. The Falcons will defend their trophy on the 22nd against a much improved St. Clement's team. At this time a BIG THANK YOU goes out to all the seniors: Bryan Fleurjuste, Steve Burckardt, Jim Bullwinkle, Jeremy Davis, Domenic Della Pace, Anthoney Joyce,Greg Raye,and Jack Tran. A BIG THANK YOU ALSO GOES TO THE CHEERLEADERS AND MRS. TREDDIN!- BEAT ST. C'S!!- HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! Coach Mac CHEERLEADING MIAA Academic Excellence - Gold Award The Trinity Catholic Varsity Cheerleading team started their season in mid-August. During pre-season meetings, the girls worked on aerobic and weight training conditioning. This year's team was led by junior, Katie Gordon. Katie, a three-year veteran, led the team by bringing a firm understanding and commitment to sportsmanship. She continued the tradition of teaching the team dances and cheers. As with all new squads, this team's strong point was stunting. With three returning veterans, the new members had to step up and meet the challenges of cheerleading competitions. The other two returning cheerleaders were Amanda Niver, senior, with four years experience and Janine Crossley, junior, with three years. Both girls stepped up and helped to teach the new girls our dances and cheers. Both Amanda and Janine returned this year greatly improved. As veteran's they took it upon themselves to help prepare the girls for our football games and cheerleading competitions. The new members of the team brought with them enthusiasm and a "can-do" attitude. Freshmen Brianna Bernadeau, Taylor McKenna, Nikki Santos Michaela Grenham were a welcome addition to the team. We also had Meaghan Cronis, a senior, join the squad. Meaghan stepped in as a big base for the team. She gave us the option for another stunt group. Brianna and Taylor became our "go-to" fliers. Both girls stepped into the position with fearlessness and determination. Although both took falls during practices, they continued "flying". Nikki Santos developed into the back position for the team. Without Nikki, we wouldn't have been able to train another stunt group. Michaela Grenham brought not only strength as a base with Meaghan Cronis but a level of enthusiasm which was contagious. She always gave 110% whether it was a practice, games or competition. Our season was very successful and I am certainly proud of each and every one them. The continued to train and work hard though disappointments and challenges. It has been a pleasure working with all of the girls this season. Coach Treddin