Monthly Archives: February 2017

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Swimming Wrap-Up

Swimming late nights in the pool, pasta parties, bagel parties, and of course, dance parties, from early November to late February, the girls swim team has been training six days a week with frequent meets against other teams. All while making the most of every moment. Although many would think that swimming is an individual sport, it is actually all about the team. In order to score as many points you need to win, each swimmer has to give it their all in each race. The sport is about each other.
The team finished their regular season with a winning record this year consisting of six wins and five loses; a phenomenal winning seasons for the girls. Also, their post season consisted of one win and one loss. The team also made an amazing effort toward Monmouth Counties, Shore Conference, and the State Tournament.
A previous 200 Free Relay record time from 2013 stood at 1:46.53. But this year, that record changed, twice. Sophomores Brenna Harold, Emma Gould, Abi George, and freshman, Molly Moore, broke that record at Counties by a second setting a new record of 1:45.8. The fantastic four beat the record again at Shore Conference 1:44.43. With this record breaking swim and the rest of the team’s efforts the girls came in ninth at Shore Conference. With the girls only in their first and second years of high school, they’re predicted to beat the record again.
This year the girls swim team was ranked 5th in the State Tournament. The team was rewarded with a first round bye, following with a second round upset to the number 4 seed, Gloucester Catholic. This earned the Purple Roses a spot in the semi-final round of states. This was the first time in school history that the girls swim team made it that far.
Without a doubt, it has been a season filled with improvement, motivation and fun. The swim team bond is unlike any other. The St. Rose girls swim team has completed an extremely successful and memorable season. It is now up to the coaches and swimmers to see where their next victorious efforts take them in the seasons to come.

By: MK O’Malley ’17, Staff Writer

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Boys Basketball

The Boys Basketball team had a very successful season.  The ended the season with a record of 15 wins and 11 losses. Their division is considered one of the hardest divisions in the Shore Conference. The boys played both the  number one team, Mater Dei, and the number two team, Ranney,. The boys gave both teams a run for their money.

The boys have been playing in the MAAC since Thanksgiving.; constantly working on their defense, free throws, and three pointers. All of their work did pay off in some crucial games this season. They opened their season in their annual WOBM tournament where they played very well and ended up reaching the semi-finals. This was a huge accomplishment because they have not reached the semi-finals in the recent years. They kept the ball rolling by defeating Marlboro 56-54.  Additionally, St. Rose had many non-division wins that boosted their seeding for the Shore Conference Tournament. The boys were seeded 18th and played Long Branch. The boys upset Long Branch and went on to play Ranney. They lost a close game to Ranney with the score being 68-71. The boys will open in the state tournament against St Mary Elizabeth’s where they will try and make a run in Non- Public B South. Good luck to the boys’ team and congratulations on all your accomplishments.

By: Pat Gates ’17, Staff Writer

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Girls Basketball Still Going STRONG

It has been said that the New Jersey’s Shore Conference is one of the best conferences in the country for girl’s high school basketball and the St. Rose Girls Varsity Team are climbing the ranks and are headed to the Shore Conference Finals on Saturday, February 25th at Monmouth University. They will be versing St. John Vianney’s Lady Lancers who won a hard fought game against the Red Bank Catholic Caseys in the Semifinals. The Purple Roses and the Lady Lancers have some history, two years ago they met in Tournament of Champions semifinals where the Purple Roses prevailed on (then) freshman Mikayla Markham’s buzzer beater three pointer; last year SJV got the victory when they met in the shore conference tournament. As we anticipate this exciting match-up between the two talented teams we cannot forget the teams St. Rose defeated on their way.

Fifth seeded St. Rose received a bye in the first round of the tournament and breezed by Marlboro High school in the second round with a commanding score of 72-30. In the quarterfinals the Roses beat the Bulldogs of Rumson Fair Haven by 14 points, Tori Hyduke of RFH was the leading scorer of the game with 28 points and Lovin Marsicano of St. Rose was in close second with 20 points. St. Rose went into the only overtime game in the Shore Conference Tournament this year when they played their rival school Manasquan; their first meeting was one of the best games of the year and this one was no different. St. Rose defeated the Manasquan Warriors by 9 points the final score being 68-59.

“We are really excited to be back in the shore conference finals and excited to play St. John Vianney,” Co- Captain Mikayla Markham reported before their last practice going into the weekend. “We worked hard all spring, summer, and fall in preparation for this game; we arrived early and stayed late and we know we can bring home the trophy!”

By: Alex Pendergrass ’17, Staff Writer

 

 

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Hockey Wrap-up

With the 2016-2017 Ice Hockey season recently ending, let’s take a look at the season as a whole. This year, the expectations were once again very high. Graduating a dozen seniors last year was definitely a challenge the boys were ready to face, working very hard during the preseason to be ready to compete night in and night out. Weekly team runs, ultimate frisbee matches, and workouts in the gym run by team captains not only made the team physically prepared, but mentally ready to go through the season relying on the bonds built to succeed.

The beginning of the season was forgettable for the Roses, with injuries plaguing the team on their way to a 2-5 start. It was very evident the team was not playing up to their potential, and the only way out of the hole was to dig deep and go to work. Junior Will Lemonie remembers the week of practice that followed, “I remember coming to practice after we went 2-5 and coach didn’t bring pucks because we needed to get back to the basics. It was all conditioning, but after that our entire mentality changed.” The record after this wake up call reflects this. After their skid, the boys turned the season around, and got their record back to .500. Getting healthier as the season progressed, the first win that started the teams ascent was a dominating 7-1 win against Howell. Howell is known to have one of the top goalies in the shore, so when the Frozen Roses were able to score seven goals, it was a testament to their potential when they played as a cohesive unit. Going into the toughest stretch of their season on a high, the team managed a 4-2 record in the last six games, with momentous program wins against Wall, the first ever in team history, and Saint John Vianney. The team managed to secure low seed in the Shore Conference tournament, and faced a tough Point Boro team in the first round. The Roses put forth a strong effort, but lost 3-2 ending their title hopes, with no guaranteed state playoff bid. A strong showing against Toms River North solidified their standing, and the Roses were granted an at large bid to make the state playoff against Notre Dame. After a week of practice, the team was well prepared for the prep school, and traveled up to Lawrenceville to play them. The game was very evenly matched, with the Roses holding the lead for the majority of the game. A bad bounce late tied it up, and overtime was needed to settle the score. After a fourth period, the teams were still tied, and a 6 round shootout was needed to end the game. Unfortunately the Roses did not come out on top, but it was a valiant effort. Coach Dan Grothues had some very high praise for the boys after the game. “We fought hard. I’m very proud of the boys. It took a humongous effort to make it to this point, and we left everything out on the ice. We worked our tails off, played as a team. We showed a lot of character today.”

The St. Rose Boys Ice Hockey team showed their work ethic in the last game, and the entire season. They exceeded expectations and had one of the most successful season in program history. All eyes look toward years to come as the team continues to make strides forward, and with the core group of young talent on the team, the future is bright.

By: Alex Phipps ’17, Staff Writer

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Kairos XLIV

Kairos is a retreat held at the Marianist Retreat Center in Cape May, New Jersey. Students spend four technology ­free days learning more about themselves and how to strengthen their relationship with God.
There are three sessions in which the students have the opportunity to attend: October, February, and May. The fall and winter sessions are for seniors only, however in the Spring, Juniors who are chosen by the faculty are invited to attend the life­changing experience, along with the Seniors.
This February, thirty­two students attended Kairos XLIV along with their leaders Sister Kathleen, Ms. Berman, Mrs. Fallon, Ms. Mantlick, Mr. Petrillo, and Father Walter. Although the students and faculty who attend change with the season, Kairos is always guaranteed to have an extraordinary effect on each individual.


I attended this past Kairos for my second time, this time as a leader. Although I
thought I had already experienced all that could have been experienced, I was wrong. My
second time on Kairos stirred indescribable emotions in me, which put my life into
perspective. Due to the confidentiality of the events that occur on Kairos, I cannot speak
of how or why I see the world in a very different light. However, the element of surprise
that occurred each day as I participated in the different events, even as a leader, deepened
my experience. I truly believe that I have been changed for the better and I encourage
everyone to take the opportunity that is being given to them to change their lives, as well.
Many people shared their experience on how Kairos affected them: Sydney Daniel said, “To be honest, I was a little apprehensive at first. I did not know what to expect. I almost didn’t go, which would have been one of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made. Kairos was honestly some of the best four days of my entire life. I made friendships and memories that will last forever. It was amazing.” Drew Reilly shared, “The greatest impact it had was the insight given into the lives of people that I would have never known. It allowed new perspectives to form.” Lastly Hannah Gammond said, “Absolutely the best four days of my life. It honestly changed who I am as a person and my outlook on life. It also brought me so close to new people and I’m so grateful for the bonds I share with my Kairos group.”
Kairos is a time of self­reflection and honesty. It is a time where no one cares about looks, or the typical high school drama. At Kairos, all judgment and worries are forgotten and the main focus is on yourself and on God.

By: Julia Renna ’17, Photo Editor

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Winter Track Wrap-up

This year our 2016-2017 boys and girls track team had another successful season. Starting off strong with the Monmouth County Relays, Monmouth County Championships, and the NJCT, the team was confident and well prepared for the state meet.

The team practices five to six times a week after school despite their lack of a facility. Hurdling in the 500s, throwing up the stairs,  and running up and down flights of stairs coupled with great coaching from alumni Coaches Megan, Kaitlyn and Ali and Coaches Cassagrande, Verga, and Jasko.  The coaches prepared this team with a positive attitude and great preparation for the season.

Some of this season’s highlights include the meets at the Jersey City Armory, Ocean Breeze, and the State Relays (with seniors Garrett Jordan and Andrew Huisman finishing first for the shot put relay). Finishing off strong over the weekend at the Non-Public B State Championships, senior Alexandra Preckajlo took first in the Shot Put, Junior Sheila Magrini took sixth in the High Jump, and senior Megan Theobald placed third in the 55 hurdles and sixth in the pole vault.  Junior Connor McKowen took fourth at the meet in high jump and tied the school record with an outstanding jump of 5’10. Senior Drew Reilly took 6th place in the 800, senior Billy Tencza placed 6th in the 55 hurdles, senior Garrett took fifth in the shot put, and senior Sean Breushe took sixth in the 55 meter dash.

After finishing such a great season, the winter track team is getting ready for the spring. Many of the team members are looking forward to the change from indoors to outdoors as it practice becomes easier to get to a facility to practice and there are more events for the field (including the long jump, triple jump, discus, and the javelin). Senior Megan Theobald said, “ I’m so excited to start spring! After a great end of winter (she placed 3rd in the 55 hurdles in the division), I look forward to preparing for outdoors. The team is great and I’m eager to running with them outside again.” The spring season starts soon after the meeting held this Wednesday after school which is open to all who are interested.

By: Alex Preckajlo ’17, Staff Writer

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Bowling Wrap-up

The St Rose boys bowling team had a superb year coming  in third place in the division, which is a big improvement from last year. The bowling team this year had the most wins in program history and the team made the Shore Conference Tournament for the second year in a row. Additionally, they had two individual bowlers qualify for the tournament. To qualify for the tournament an individual must maintain an average of 195 throughout the entire season; the two bowlers that qualified were Joe Ocello and Jarret Toth. In the Shore Conference Tournament Joe Ocello finished second, Jarret Toth finished in sixth and the team finished in 12th.  Billy Tenzca shared, “This was a huge accomplishment for these two boys and there is only room for improvement next year.”
The team was led by Joe Ocello who had a perfect game this season which is very hard to do in this sport. Joe also bowled the highest three set series in program history with a score of 799. On the JV side Pat Gates, Nick Schmidt and Billy Tenzca all bowled over 200 this season, which is a big improvement from last year. All the boys got to bowl varsity at one point in the season which is very hard to do in other sports. This builds confidence in the boys to bowl better next season both on JV and varsity. Anthony DeMaio described the team as a brotherhood, “We won as a team and we lost as a team. Even if we lost we still had a good time.”

The bowling team is participating in the state tournament for the first time in program history. The boys have a good chance of winning their state section. Recent polls have place the team in the top 20 teams in the state. Another great accomplishment for this bowling team. They are only losing three seniors this year so they are confident they can win their division and make a far run in states next year. With all their hard work it is finally starting to pay off.

By: Pat Gates ’17. Staff Writer

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Course Selection for Sophomores

When choosing classes for next year, sophomores going into their junior year have a wide variety of options to explore.  It is usually the first time the students have more freedom in their selections, but the process is still the same as it is for the freshmen.  The sophomores have a chance to take electives and AP classes to enrich their learning experience and their schedules.  On her advice for the sophomores, Mrs. Phister-Brown says, “Although it is exciting to finally pick an elective, they are a great opportunity to explore non-traditional core courses and students need to take them seriously.”

Similar to freshmen year, there are certain requirements for students if they want to move up a level in a subject.  These grade requirements are all outlined in the Course Selection Guide that will be introduced in the grade’s meeting with the guidance counselors.  The sophomores also have the option of appealing for a course at the end of the year with the appropriate form.  It is important to keep the appeal process in mind because it provides an opportunity for students to continue working on improving grades before the school year ends.

Junior year is especially important because colleges really focus on these grades and the strength of a student’s schedule.  Guidance always advises to take the most challenging course available, and junior year is the perfect time to really expand on learning.  There are options for AP classes for students who have a desire to excel in a certain subject if their grades allow.  Also, there are a variety of half-year electives to match up with junior year CPR and health.  Some of these options are psychology, current issues, computer programming, mixed PE, and many more.

Sophomores should also take advantage of the one-on-one meeting with their counselor after they have made their selections online.  Counselors can assist in choosing the right electives and deciding whether an AP class is the right fit.  Remember to write down any questions or concerns a student may have about the process.

By Katie Considine ’17, Arts Editor

 

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Boys Wrestling Update

The Boys Wrestling team is wrapping up a successful season this week. Although the boys did not look good on paper, they accomplished almost all of their goals this year.  The boys were able to accomplish the biggest goal they set this season: qualify for state sectionals. Qualifying for sectionals is a huge deal for the boys especially doing it in only the second year. The Roses were led by seniors Mitch Reid, Zach Reid, Jake Rowohlt, Sonny Li, Jerry Werdann, Kyle Bacon, Sam Sun, and Alexi Nunez. The seniors really helped put the program together and develop the underclassmen to help make the most out of the season. There were many times the team got down on itself, but the seniors were always there to up the tone and get everyone focused on the task ahead of them. As Alexi Nunez said, “It was really nice to see how the team grew throughout the duration of the season. In the beginning we struggled a little but we really came together and were able to have some good performances at the end of the year.” Coach Connelly was also impressed with how the team ended the year. “They shocked me with how well they wrestled at the end of the year. I think we have a lot to look forward to in the coming years.”

 The Roses have a lot of talent from the underclassmen and it should show in the coming years. In just one year the program nearly doubled, which is a very good sign for the team. A key part to the growing program is how the wrestlers were developed throughout the year. Some students joined the program with no wrestling experience and came out of the season with plenty of experience and training to turn them into very good wrestlers. Congratulations to the boys wrestling team on a very successful season.  Many people are looking forward to the watching the program expand through the next couple of years.

By: Jack McDonough ’17, Staff Writer

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You Don’t Know Me Until You Know Me

On Monday, February 13, the St. Rose High School community gathered for an
assembly called “You Don’t Know Me Until You Know Me” staged by Dr. Mykee Fowlin. Dr.
Fowlin, both an actor and a psychologist, opened his presentation with the idea that his goal
was to make the audience uncomfortable. He claimed that he could never change anything in his life without feeling uncomfortable, and in order to obtain his goal of total inclusion, his aim was to put the students and faculty in awkward situations. With his intention clearly stated, Mykee Fowlin had St. Rose intrigued from the very beginning of his performance.

As a way to connect with the audience, Dr. Fowlin captured the personas of multiple
distinct characters. The characters included a young boy in first grade, a college football player, a biracial teenage girl, and a boy with cerebral palsy. Fowlin revealed to his listeners that he had hidden himself within each of these personalities and that he related most closely with the teenage girl who was insecure about her anxiety and racial differences. “It was really interesting how he linked all the different stories together,” said sophomore Fiona Cinquegrana. “I appreciated how unique, yet how realistic each person was.” These divergent characters offered the high school community valuable insight to what Dr. Fowlin meant about not knowing someone until one actually does know them.

Besides giving perspective through the eyes of various individuals, Mykee Fowlin also incorporated his own personal experiences into the performance. He gave the analogy of oysters and pearls. He stated that an oyster must go through some type of pain in order to
signal the process that creates a pearl. Fowlin then talked about his own pain, telling the
audience about the abuse he received when he was younger, his realization about the past, and what happened when he talked to his youth pastor. After he had called his youth pastor, Charlie had told him that he was destined to take his pain and use it to help other people. Mykee revealed that Charlie’s comment had saved his life and now he wants people of all ages to understand that it is okay to be hurting.

Dr. Fowlin next explained that everyone, especially those who are not affected by
prejudice and bias, must speak up for those who are currently tormented. He emphasized that is everyone’s responsibility to be uncomfortable with present standards and stereotypes and to change these attitudes in the world. He also stressed that one person can make the critical difference in another individual’s life. To elaborate on this claim, Fowlin told a story about a man who committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The man’s psychologist found a note in his apartment saying that if one person smiles at him on the way to the bridge he would not jump. The audience contemplated the thought that not one person bothered to acknowledge or smile at the man, making Mykee’s message truly resonate with students and faculty members.

To close his presentation, Mykee Fowlin reiterated the major themes of total inclusion,
accepting that pain is okay, and taking an interactive role in transforming the attitude of the
world. He then recited the poem “Still Here” by Langston Hughes, which encompassed the
essence of the performance. When asked about his overall impression of the assembly, Mr.
Thompson, a history teacher, said, “It was really well put together. I was really impressed at how powerful his message was and I even got teary-eyed at moments.” Principal Sr. Kathy thanked Dr. Fowlin for his wonderful presentation and message and the St. Rose students honored his performance with well-deserved applause. Overall, the assembly was marked as unforgettable and as a truly significant day during this school year. Below is a copy of Langston Hughes’s poem “Still Here.”

been scarred and battered.
My hopes the wind done scattered.
Snow has friz me,
Sun has baked me,
Looks like between ’em they done
Tried to make me
Stop laughin’, stop lovin’, stop livin’-
But I don’t care!
I’m still here!

By: Caroline Lowry ’17, Staff Writer