2015-16 VASJ Game Notes Week 14 – Kirtland

Villa Angela-St Joseph

2015 - 2016 Basketball Game Notes

-

February 26, 2016

Six-Time State Champions - 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2015

THE SCHEDULE Overall (NCL) Record

Five-Time State Runner-Up - 1979, 1989, 1997, 2006, 2014

THIS WEEK IN THE VILLAGE

17-5 (8-2)

2014-2015 NORTH COAST LEAGUE - WHITE DIVISION CHAMPIONS

Game Number 23 DAY

OPPONENT

TIME / RESULTS

NOVEMBER 27 EUCLID PANTHERS

W

77-57

Friday, February 26, 2016 Garfield Heights Disctrict - Sectional Final

Kirtland Hornets Villa Angela-St Joseph Vikings Viking Village

Tip-off: 7:00 PM DECEMBER 5 LAKE CATHOLIC COUGARS 11 at Cleveland Central Catholic Ironmen ** 17 at Richmond Heights Spartans 18 at Valley Christian School Eagles ** 23 JOHN HAY HORNETS 29 vs Shenandoah (W.Va.) Jefferson Cougars (Polar Bear Holiday Classic; Fairmont, W.Va.) 30 vs Fairmont (W.Va.) Polar Bears (Polar Bear Holiday Classic; Fairmont, W.Va.)

JANUARY 8 WARREN JOHN F KENNEDY EAGLES ** 9 ST. EDWARD EAGLES 15 TRINITY TROJANS ** 16 at Benedictine Bengals 22 at Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas Knights ** 23 WILLOUGHBY CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN PATRIOTS 29 VALLEY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL EAGLES ** 30 LUTHERAN EAST FALCONS

FEBRUARY 5 at Warren John F. Kennedy Eagles ** 6 at Mentor Cardinals 9 at Gilmour Academy Lancers 12 at Trinity Trojans ** 19 LOUISVILLE ST. THOMAS AQUINAS KNIGHTS ** 20 CLEVELAND CENTRAL CATHOLIC IRONMEN ** (VASJ Senior Night) 26 Kirtland Hornets (Sectional Final)

W L W W W W

52-51 56-64 60-29 63-20 79-56 88-43

W

56-51

W L W L L W W W

54-46 65-68 86-58 59-64 56-59 65-51 90-41 78-43

W L W W W W

63-40 60-68 54-53 62-47 61-51 83-62

Villa Angela-St. Joseph opens defense of its 2015 Division III state title with a sectional championship matchup against Kirtland at Viking Village on Feb. 26. The Hornets (15-8) defeated Lutheran West, 63-61, in a sectional semi on a buzzer-beating layup by Evan Madde - the team's top player and offensive threat. Owen Lewis and Palmer Capretta are also players to watch for Coach Nick Gallo's crew. Kirtland got a late start to the season after the football team won its third state championship in the past five years in December. VASJ finished the regular season with a 17-5 record despite an entirely new starting lineup. The Vikings have been led all season by senior guard Sherman Dean and sophomore point guard Jerry Higgins - both first team All North Coast League White Division selections. Jacob Stauffer is a major post presence and is playing the best ball of his career for VASJ. Alonzo Gaffney and Kevin Roberts are also key contributors for the Vikings. The winner of the VASJ/Kirtland sectional final advances to the D-III Garfield Heights district semifinal on March 1 against either Warrensville Heights or Cleveland MLK.

LAST TIME THESE TWO TEAMS MET IN POSTSEASON 7:00 PM

The Hornets and Vikings aren’t postseason strangers. VASJ defeated Kirtland, 54-47, in a 2010 district semifinal game. MARCH OHSAA State Tournament Games ** - - North Coast League - White Division Game

HORNETS ARRIVE AT VIKING VILLAGE AFTER STINGING LUTHERAN WEST With its 63-61 last-second win over Lutheran West on Tuesday Kirtland set up a showdown with the Vikings.

FOLLOW THE VIKINGS

For full schedules, statistics, and upcoming events of the VASJ Basketball team, visit www.vasjvikings.com and www.vasj.com.

@babekwas @vasjbasketball @VASJ_HighSchool @Vikings_AD @RealChalkTalk

The Hornets needed a layup from Evan Madden as time expired to get past the Longhorns, who had tied the game with just 11 seconds left in regulation. Kirtland was down early to LW, but regrouped to take a 31-29 halftime lead and kept it close until Madden’s game winner. The Hornets’ postseason win was their first since 2013.

Villa Angela-St Joseph

2015 - 2016 Basketball Game Notes

-

February 26, 2016

Six-Time State Champions - 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2015

POLLS AND RANKINGS CLEVELAND.COM / PLAIN DEALER (FINAL Poll) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NEWS-HERALD TOP OF THE CROP (Feb 19 poll) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2015 - 2016 VASJ VIKINGS ROSTER 0 1 3 4 5 10 12 14 15 21 22 31 35 50

Akron St Vincent-St Mary Irish Beachwood Bison Garfield Heights Bulldogs Lorain Titans St. Ignatius Wildcats St. Edward Eagles East Tech Scarabs Benedictine Bengals Copley Indians Brunswick Blue Devils

Five-Time State Runner-Up - 1979, 1989, 1997, 2006, 2014

Phillip Bessick Chad Porter Kevin Roberts Noah Newlon William Butler Terrance Lawler Danny McGarry Andre George Gene Higgins ** Sherman Dean, III ** Anthony Turk ** Alonzo Gaffney Graham Koppelman Jacob Stauffer **

Sr Jr Sr Jr Jr Jr Jr Jr So Sr Sr Fr Fr Sr

Forward Forward Guard Guard Guard Guard Guard Guard Guard Guard Forward Forward Forward Center

6-2 6-2 6-1 6-2 5-11 5-10 6-3 5-9 5-7 6-2 6-4 6-7 6-3 6-6

175 175 170 170 235 175 170 160 150 155 190 165 170 235

Holy Spirit Academy CVCA Cleveland / Apex Academy Mayfield Middle Our Lady of the Lake St. John of the Cross Our Lady of the Lake St. Stans Wickliffe / Wickliffe Middle Euclid / St. John of the Cross Euclid / St. John of the Cross St. Jerome Chardon Middle Euclid / St. Paschal Baylon

** denotes 2015-16 VASJ captain

Beachwood Bison Benedictine Bengals Mentor Cardinals VASJ VIKINGS Chagrin Falls Tigers Perry Pirates South Rebels Lake Catholic Cougars Cornerstone Christian Patriots Berkshire Badgers

Head Coach

Babe Kwasniak ' 94 (5th season - 109--36)

Hired May 4, 2010

Assistant Coaches

Tedd Kwasniak, TJ Kwasniak '96, Ashen Ward '08, Gary Wilson '94, Rich Newlon, Rollie Smith '99.

Managers

Collin Green (Head Manager), Dominic Blatnik (Scorekeeper)

Video

Adam Stauffer

OHIO ASSOCIATED PRESS - DIVISION III (FINAL poll) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Lima Central Catholic (14) Massillon Tuslaw (6) Cincinnati Purcell Marion (1) Beachwood Dayton Northridge Berlin Hiland Milan Edison VASJ VIKINGS Worthington Christian Proctorville Fairland

194 189 132 127 104 86 81 56 28 26

19-1 21-0 18-3 19-2 20-2 18-4 19-2 15-5 18-4 18-4

Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Casstown Miami E. 20. 12, Leavittsburg Labrae 15. 13, Findlay Liberty-Benton 13.

VIKES AT THE MIC VIKINGS HEAD COACH BABE KWASNIAK FOLLOWING THE WEEKEND WINS OVER ST. THOMAS AQUINAS AND CLEVELAND CENTRAL CATHOLIC “This group is special. The seniors have never known what it is to not get to Columbus (Final Four), and their spirit and their intelligence and their will to win is contagious. The way we won the two games this weekend, and we are pretty darn good on the tile (at Viking Village) is unique and something I hope gives us momentum for the tournament.” “I just thought we took their spirit, took their soul. I told the kids that it is fun not being the most talented team on the floor, and I thought we made up for it tonight by being the smartest team on the floor.”

VIKINGS SENIOR CENTER JACOB STAUFFER, AFTER HE WAS HONORED ON SENIOR NIGHT “I wasn’t really happy with the way I was playing earlier in the season. So in practice I put in the work, I got a little upset with myself. I let it fuel me, and I pushed myself harder,” the 6-foot-6 senior said. “If I’ve come this far in one week, I can only imagine what I can do in the next month.”

2015 - 2016 VASJ VIKINGS STARTERS OPP

1

2

3

4

5

Rec

Euclid Lake Cath CCC Richmond Hts Valley Christain John Hay Jefferson Fairmont Warren JFK St Edward Trinity Benedictine St Thom Aquinas Cornerstone Valley Christain Lutheran East Warren JFK Mentor Gilmour Trinity St Thom Aquinas CCC Kirtland

Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Butler Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Higginis Roberts

Lawler Lawler Lawler Lawler Lawler Lawler Lawler Lawler Lawler Lawler Lawler Lawler Gaffney Gaffney Turk Lawler Lawler Lawler Roberts Roberts Roberts Dean

Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Turk

McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry McGarry Lawler McGarry Bessick

Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer Stauffer

1-0 2-0 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 6-1 7-1 8-1 8-2 9-2 9-3 9-4 10-4 11-4 12-4 13-4 13-5 14-5 15-5 16-5 17-5

Villa Angela-St Joseph

2015 - 2016 Basketball Game Notes

-

February 26, 2016

Six-Time State Champions - 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2015

VASJ QUICK FACTS

DIVISION III - GARFIELD HEIGHTS DISTRICT

Location Founded

East 185th & Lakeshore Blvd, Cleveland, Ohio Villa Angela (1878), St Joseph (1950) Federated in 1990 Affiliation Roman Catholic (Diocese of Cleveland) Conference North Coast League (White Division) Enrollment 438 (co-educational) Colors Columbia Blue and Scarlett Red Nickname Vikings Home Arena Viking Village Capacity 1,250 President Richard Osborne '69 Principal David Csank Athletic Director Nate Zavorek '94 Athletic Phone 216-481-8414 extension 224 Head Coach Babe Kwasniak '94 (6h season 109-36) Tedd Kwasniak, Dale Thomas '97, Ashen Assistant Coaches Ward '08, TJ Kwasniak '96 Rich Newlon, Rollie Smith '99 Sports Information Liasion Bill Tilton VASJ Basketball - By The Numbers District Championships Regional Championships State Runner-ups State Championships NCAA Division I Players NCAA Division II & III Players NBA Players European Professional Basketball Players Basketball Players in the NFL

Five-Time State Runner-Up - 1979, 1989, 1997, 2006, 2014

29 14 5 6 48 37 5 9 9

#9

Beachwood Bison

#12

Independence Blue Devils

#5

Gates Mills Gilmour Acad Lancers

Wickliffe

#12

Independence

#5

Gilmour Acad

2-26; 7 PM at Beachwood HS

2-29; 7 PM at Garfield Hts HS

#6

Trinity

#4

Elyria Catholic

#11

Horizon Science

2-26; 7 PM at Higher Seed

#4

Elyria Catholic Panthers 3-4; 7 PM at Garfield Hts HS

#8 #3

Brooklyn

#7

Kirtland

#10

Cleveland MLK Knights

Warrensville Hts

#8

2-26; 7 PM at Higher Seed

#3

Warrensville Hts Tigers

#7

Kirtland Hornets

#2

VASJ VIKINGS

3-1; 7 PM at Garfield Hts

Lutheran West 2-26; 7 PM at Viking Village

DIVISION III - WARREN DISTRICT

#6

Located on the shores of Lake Erie, Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School began in July of 1990. It has a rich past and is celebrating over 130 years of educational excellence in the Diocese of Cleveland. VASJ resulted from the merging of Villa Angela Academy (1878-1990) with Saint Joseph High School (1950-1990).

#1

Leavittsburg LaBrae Vikings

#9

Mineral Ridge Rams

#5

Garrettsville Garfield G-Men

Brookfield

#9

Mineral Ridge

#5

Garfield

#10

#2

3-9; 6:15 PM at Canton Fieldhouse

2-26; 7 PM at LaBrae HS

2-29; 7 PM at Warren Harding HS

Y'Town Liberty 2-26; 7 PM at Champion HS

Villa Angela Academy was the oldest Catholic institution of learning in the Diocese of Cleveland, founded by the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland in 1850. For 110 years, Villa Angela was a witness to Christian education with more than 6,000 graduates. St. Joseph High School was opened in September of 1950. The Bishop had asked the Society of Mary (Marianists) from Dayton, Ohio, to administer the school. In St. Joseph's history, more than 10,000 students graduated from its comprehensive college preparatory or technical programs. The first students of St. Joseph High School selected the school colors of Columbia blue and scarlet. Because of the school's proximity to the lake, the students chose the Vikings as their school mascot.

Service to the community and social justice were core values of both Villa Angela Academy and St. Joseph High School and are strong traditions carried on at Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School today.

Warren Champion Golden Flashes

#1

Burton Berkshire Badgers

#8

Orwell Grand Valley Mustangs

3-4; 7 PM at Warren Wardings HS

#8

Grand Valley

2-26; 7 PM at Berkshire HS

#12

Rootstown

#7

Pymatuning Valley

#11

In 1989, the students of VASJ selected that same mascot and school colors for their new school.

#4

3-12; 7 PM at Canton Fieldhouse

3-1; 7 PM at Warren Harding HS

#7

Andover Pymatuning Valley Lakers

#3

Newton Falls Tigers

Cardinal 2-26; 7 PM at Newton Falls HS

Salem District Winner 3-9; 8 PM at Canton Fieldhouse

Wooster District Winner

Villa Angela-St Joseph

2015 - 2016 Basketball Game Notes

-

February 26, 2016

Six-Time State Champions - 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2015

HEAD COACH BABE KWASNIAK '94 Babe Kwasniak is a 1994 graduate of Villa AngelaSt. Joseph High School which was the first class of the merger between Villa Angela and Saint Joseph high schools. He was a member of the National Honor Society, peer ministry and student council while at VASJ. He played basketball for the Vikings, who won state titles in 1991, 1992 and 1994.

Five-Time State Runner-Up - 1979, 1989, 1997, 2006, 2014

2015-16 VASJ VIKINGS ASSISTANT COACHES Tedd Kwasniak Coach Kwasniak says: Is there another high school coach that has been on the bench for six state championships? He oversees our CYO program and runs our fundraising. Most importantly, my dad is a mentor to all of the players and coaches in our program. His input is always valued, but even more pertinent come March.

TJ Kwasniak '96 (Head JV Coach) Coach Kwasniak says: We are really excited about some of the young talent in our program. The J.V. team has showed some promise in the last two weeks. Coach T.J. knows better than anyone what it takes for a kid to make the jump from junior varsity to varsity. Due to extenuating circumstances he stepped up this year with varsity and did an outstanding job.

Kwasniak is a 1999 graduate of the United States Military Academy (West Point, NY) where he played four years of Division I college basketball (team captain for two years). He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army as an Infantry Officer. His assignments were: Athletic Officer and Platoon Trainer — Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Executive Officer, 2 Battalion 11th Infantry Regiment—Fort Benning, Georgia.Core Plan and Operations Officer, I Corps – Fort Lewis Washington. Captain Kwasniak was awarded the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Global War on Terrorism Medal. Kwasniak left the United States Army in May of 2004, where he achieved the rank of Captain. Coach Kwasniak led the All-Army service basketball team to a gold medal in 2001, 2002 and 2004. He coached the Armed Forces team to an international gold medal in Brussels, Belgium in 2001 and 2004. He was an assistant coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City from 2005 to 2007 and coached at St. James High School in Lenexa, Kansas in 2008. In 2010, Kwasniak came back to VASJ and became the head basketball coach. He is assisted by his Hall of Fame Father, Tedd and his younger brother T.J. Under Kwasniak the Vikings have won 100 games and two state championship (2012-13, and 201415). Kwasniak has now won two state titles as a player and two as a coach with the Vikings. Kwasniak is one of a select few high school coaches working with ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla at the Steph Curry Camp in California the past two years. Kwasniak is married to Dr. Laura Kwasniak. They have three sons, B.K., Quinn and Logan, and they reside in Highland Heights.

Ashen Ward '08 (Head Freshman Coach) Coach Kwasniak says: Coach Ash coaches our freshman team and helps Rollie with player development. His energy and enthusiasm are contagious. The kids on our freshman team learn the “Viking Way,” which means who they are as people far outweighs what they are as basketball players.

Rich Newlon Coach Kwasniak says: Rich took our preseason conditioning program to a new level this year. I think that was illustrated in our 10-4 start after losing eight seniors to graduation. We have been to Columbus every year since Coach “Juice” joined our staff. We tell our guys that discipline is a form of love, and therefore no one loves our guys more than Coach Juice!

Gary Wilson '94 (Assistant JV Coach) Coach Kwasniak says: Coach Wilson has proven to be a valuable asset to our staff. I’m constantly amazed, yet never surprised at the relationships he has with the players. I was once told in the Army that soldiers don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. I’ve never been around anyone that cares for VASJ kids like Gary Wilson.

Rollie Smith '99 Coach Kwasniak says: Rollie has been a welcomed addition to our staff. He has full control over our player development, which will prove extremely important with how young we are. Coach Rollie played in that million dollar basketball tournament on ESPN this past summer so he can obviously still play.

Villa Angela-St Joseph

2015 - 2016 Basketball Game Notes

-

February 26, 2016

Six-Time State Champions - 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2015

COVERING THE VIKINGS

Five-Time State Runner-Up - 1979, 1989, 1997, 2006, 2014

VASJ HEADLINES, NEWS AND NOTES

VARSITY CHALK TALK

TWO PLAYERS WITH 20-PLUS POINTS

30 POINTS VS MENTOR

Since 2009, former News-Herald high school sports reporter Bill Tilton has hosted a live weekly high school sports talk show featuring interviews with players and coaches, trivia contests and giveaways at Hooley House in Mentor on Monday nights.

In the 83-62 win over Cleveland Central Catholic on Feb. 20, Sherman Dean and Jerry Higgins each had 20-plus points for the Vikings (Dean 22, Higgins 21)

There is something about the Mentor Cardinals and 30 points for the VASJ Vikings.

Regular guests on "Varsity Chalk Talk” have included the Vikings head coach Babe Kwasniak and numerous VASJ players. “Varsity Chalk Talk” airs live at Hooley House in Mentor on Mondays (7-9pm) and will be streamed live on ESPNCleveland.com.

The last time the Vikings had teammates each score 20 or more points in a game was on Jan. 23, 2015, when Carlton Bragg (25 points) and Brian Parker (25) accomplished the feat against.....Cleveland Central Catholic.

A FULL 60 FOR THE DEFENSE

Sherman Dean has been selected as News-Herald player of the week.

A dominate defense has been a receipe for success during the 2015-16 season for the VASJ VIKINGS.

The senior guard hit 13 3-pointers and scored 49 points in two games for the Vikings over the weekend, including a lopsided win over Trinity on Jan. 15. .

When the Vikings defense holds opponents under 60 points in a game, VASJ is near perfect; posting a 16-1 record. The lone loss coming earlier this season in a 59-56 loss to the St Thomas Aquanis Knights.

INTERVIEWS AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES All interviews and photo opportunities with VASJ student-athletes or coaches must be arranged through the Villa Angela-St Joseph Athletic Department and/or Sports Information Liaison. Please give at least 24 hours of advance notice for interview requests. Cell phone numbers for student-athletes will not be given out and studentathletes will be instructed not to speak with media (whether by phone or at the end of a class period) without first being contacted by a member of the VASJ Athletic Department, Sports Information Department or one of the student-athlete's coaches on behalf of the VASJ Athletic Department.

VIKING ALUMS CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPACT AT THE NEXT LEVEL Villa Angela-St. Joseph basketball is being well represented by its alumni at the Division I level, led by a breakout game in the Big 10 by Northwestern freshman Dererk Pardon. The 6-foot-9 Pardon wasn’t supposed to play this year for the Wildcats, but he has taken the conference by storm after scoring 28 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in a win at Nebraska.

Student-athletes and coaches are available for interview before or after practice when arranged through the VASJ Atheltic Department or Sports Information Liaison.

Overall,Pardon is averaging 7.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1 block per game for the Wildcats

POST-GAME INTERVIEW POLICY

Freshman forward Carlton Bragg is averaging 10 minutes per game for the nation’s second-ranked team, the Kansas Jayhawks. Bragg averages 4.2 points and 2.4 rebounds per contest off the bench for Kansas.

The VASJ basketball locker room is closed to the media, although studentathletes and coaches will be made available by request after a 10-minute cooling off period following the conclusion of the game. A representative of the Atheltic Department will gather requests from the media during the latter part of the game. Coach Babe Kwasniak will be available prior to player interviews. Interviews involving the opposing team are left to the discretion of the opposing team's athletic departments.

INJURY INFORMATION Villa Angela - St, Joseph High School and the Athletic Department and all personnel will fully abide by federal HIPPA standards with regards to release of injury information. If the student-athlete does not consent to the release of injury information, VASJ officials will be restricted in regards to informing media of the student-athlete's status.

Higgins is the first Viking to reach the 30-point mark in a game, since Carlton Bragg had 31 points - against the Mentor Cardinals - on Jan. 10, 2015.

DEAN DAZZLES AND IS NEWS-HERALD P-o-W CREDENTIALS Credential requests are to be made through the Villa Angela-St Joseph Athletic Department. Season credentials will only be granted to media outlets that cover VASJ on a regular basis. All other requests will be considered single-game requests. Please contact VASJ Director of Athletics Nate Zavorek with any questions.

On Feb. 6, guard Gene Higgins poured in 30 points against the Cardinals on 10 of 12 shooting.

Bragg has played in 26 games this year as a true freshman. Freshman guard Brian Parker is the only player to appear in all 25 games for the Marist Red Foxes this season. Parker is second leading scorer at Marist at 17 points per game. Parker has been over 20 points nine times this year, including a 30-point performance against Kent State on Nov. 21 Junior forward Demonte Flannigan has started all 27 games for Cleveland State and is second on the team in scoring, averaging close to 11.6 point and 5.3 rebounds per night for the Vikings. Flannigan set a career high for points - with 30 - in a road victory against Youngstown State on Saturday, February 13. Evansville junior guard Duane Gibson (knee) has been injured much of the season and has only played in four games after a solid sophomore season for the Purple Aces.

When the Vikings opponents score 60 or more points in a game this season, VASJ has just one victory, (1-4). In fact, over the last four seasons, when the Vikings hold an opponent UNDER 60 points, the team is 711. But when the opponent scores 60 or more in a game, VASJ is just 16-20.

LOOKING AHEAD TO GARFIELD HTS DISTRICT The Vikings have won 21 of the school's last 22 OHSAA post-season games dating back to the Sectional Final in 2012. The only loss in that time came in the 2014 state championship game against Lima Central Catholic. The Vikings have won state titles in 2013 and 2015.

VIKINGS AMONG ELITE PROGRAMS The OHSAA has sponsored a basketball championship tournament since 1923. In that time 159 schools have won 259 state championships. The VASJ Vikings are one of just FIVE schools to win FIVE or more championships: #1 – Middletown Middies (7 titles) 1944, 1946, 1947, 1952, 1953, 1956 and 1957 #2 (tie) – Cleveland VASJ Vikings (6 titles) 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2013 and 2015. #2 (tie) – Akron St. Vincent-St Mary Fighting Irish (6 titles) 1984, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2009 and 2011 #4 (tie) - Columbus East Tigers (5 titles) 1951, 1963, 1968, 1969, and 1979. #4 (tie) - Dayton Dunbar Wolverines (5 titles) 1987, 2006, 2007, 2010, and 2012

Villa Angela-St Joseph

2015 - 2016 Basketball Game Notes

-

February 26, 2016

Six-Time State Champions - 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2015

VIKINGS TRENDS At Home (Viking Village) On The Road At Neutral Site In Day Games In Night Games On Weekdays On Weekends When Leading At Halftime When Trailing At Halftime When Tied At Halftime In Overtime Games

THE LAST TIME FOR THE VIKINGS . . . 10-1 5-4 2-0 0-0 17-5 13-2 4-3 5-0 0-1 0-0 0-0

When Shooting 50% or Better From Field When Shooting Under 50% From Field When Shooting 40% or Better From 3 Point Line When Shooting Under 40% From 3 Point Line When Shooting 75% or Better From Free Throw Line When Shooting Under 75% From Free Throw Line

10-1 7-4 4-1 13-4 2-0 15-5

When Having More Assists Than Turnovers When Having A 2:1 or Better Assist to Turnover Ratio When Having More Turnovers Than Assists

14-5 4-0 3-0

When Having 20 or more total Rebounds When Having 30 or more total Rebounds When Having 40 or more total Rebounds

11-5 5-0 0-0

When Having 5 or more total Blocks

Five-Time State Runner-Up - 1979, 1989, 1997, 2006, 2014

TEAM 1/29/15 - 106 vs Benedictine Scored 100+ points 1/29/16 - 90 vs Lutheran East Scored 90+ points 1/29/15 - 61 (1st half) vs Benedictine Scored 50+ points in half 2-9/16 - 54 vs Gilmour Scored under 60 points 1/21/12 - 41 vs Huntington Prep Scored under 50 points 2/26/15 - 17 (2nd) vs St Edward Scored under 25 points in half 1/15/16 - 60% (30-50) vs Trinity Shot 60%+ FG 2/20/16 - 51% (27-51) vs Cleve Cent Cath Shot 50%+ FG 1/30/16 - 80% (12-15) vs Lutheran East Shot 80%+ FT (min 8 FTA) 1/29/16 - 8 - vs Valley Christian Had 8 or fewer turnovers 2/12/16 - 9 - vs Trinity Had 10 or fewer turnovers 2/20/16 - 19 - vs Cleve Cent Cath Had 12+ assists 12/5/15 - 7 vs Lake Catholic Had 7+ blocks 1/26/13 - WIN 68-59 vs Martinsburg (WV) Overtime Game Double Overtime Game

INDIVIDUAL SCORING information is unavailable Scored 40+ points 2/6/16 - G Higgins(30) vs Mentor Scored 30+ points 2/6/16 - G Higgins(30) vs Mentor Scored 25+ points 2/20/16 - G Higgins(21), S Dean (22) vs CCC Scored 20+ points 1/16 and 1/22 - S Dean Scored 20+ points in back-to-back games 26 points vs Trinity & 23 points vs Benedictine info unavailable Scored 20+ points in 3 consecutive games 2/20/16-Dean (22), Higgins (21) vs CCC Two players with 20+ points 2/20/16 vs CCC Three players with 10+ points

3-2 0-0 0-0 4-3 6-2 3-0 4-0

When The Opponent Score Under 40 Points When The Opponent Score 40-49 Points When The Opponent Socre 50-59 Points When The Opponent Score 60-69 Points When The Opponent Score 70-79 Points When The Opponent Score 80-plus Points

2-0 6-0 8-1 1-4 0-0 0-0

In Games Decided By 3 Points Or Less In Games Decided By 4 to 10 Points In Games Decided By 11 to 20 Points In Games Decided By 20 or More Points

2-2 3-3 2-0 10-0 1-0 6-1 5-3 5-1 0-0

2/19/16 vs St Thomas Aquinas

Higgins (11), Dean (17) Stauffer (11), Roberts (11)

Five players with 10+ points

1/30/15 - vs Holy Name

Bragg (18), Parker (11), Texidor (10), Pardon (16), Williams (12)

REBOUNDING 3/28/15 - D Pardon (12) vs Lima CC 10+ rebounds 3/21/15 - D Pardon (21) vs Ursuline 15+ rebounds 3/21/15 - D Pardon (21) vs Ursuline 18+ rebounds 3/21 and 3/26 D Pardon 10+ rebounds in back-to-back games 21 rebounds vs Ursuline and 10 rebounds Eastmoor

10+ rebounds in 3 consecutive games

2/14, 2/15 & 2/21 - D Pardon

14 rebs vs St Thomas Aquinas, 11 vs St Ignatius, 11 vs St Edward

Double-Double

3/28/15 - D Pardon vs Lima CC (15 points / 12 rebounds / 9 blocks)

Triple-Double

** some statistics on through 6 games

1-1 8-2 1-0 1-0 1-1 4-0 2-0

STEALS 3 steals in a game 5 steals in a game 6 steals in a game

FOULS Player Fouled Out 2 Players Fouled Out 3 Players Fouled Out Technical Foul

11/27/15 - A Gaffney (5) vs Euclid 3/28/15 - D Pardon (9) vs Lima CC

2/20/16 - G Higgins (4) vs St Thomas Aquinas 12/23/15 - G Higgins (8) vs John Hay 12/23/15 - G Higgins (8) vs John Hay

3/22/14 - Pardon & Johnson vs Lima CC 3/22/14 - Pardon & Johnson vs Lima CC

FIELD GOALS Made 8 FG in game Made 10 FG in game Made 12 FG in game Attempted 12 FG in game Attempted 15 FG in game Attempted 18 FG in game

3-POINT FIELD GOALS Made 4 3FG in game Made 6 3FG in game Made 8 3FG in game Attempted 8 3FG in game Attempted 10 3FG in game Attempted 12 3FG in game

2/6/16 - G Higgins (10) vs Mentor 2/6/16 - G Higgins (10) vs Mentor information is unavailable 2/20/16 - S Dean (15) vs CCC 2/20/16 - S Dean (15) vs CCC 12/11/15 - S Dean (22) vs Cleve CC

2/20/16 - S Dean (5) vs CCC 1/29/16 - N Newlon (7) vs Valley Christian information is unavailable 2/20/16 - S Dean (11) vs CCC 2/20/16 - S Dean (11) vs CCC 1/29/16 - N Newlon (12) vs Valley Christian

12/14/13 - B Parker vs Euclid 3/21, 3/26, 3/28 D Pardon

vs Ursuline (10-21), vs Eastmoor (13-10), vs Lima CC (15-12)

2 players with Double-Doubles

12/13/14 vs Euclid C Bragg (30-13), D Pardon (16-14)

20 points & 10 rebounds Back to back 20/10

2/22/15 vs Akron SVSM - C Bragg 3/7/14 & 3/13/14 - C Bragg

vs Warrensville (27 pts / 13 reb) & Canton CC (22 / 11)

Vs The NCL-Blue Vs The NCL-White Vs Cleveland Senate Athletic League Vs Chagrin Valley Conference - Valley Vs Greater Cleveland Conference Vs Independents Vs Out of State Opponents

BLOCKS 5 blockes in a game 7 blocks in a game 10 blocks in a game

(24 points / 10 assists / 10 rebounds)

Back to Back Double-Doubles

In November Games In December Games In January Games In February Games In March Games

12 vs Cleveland MLK and 10 vs Elyria Catholic

Higgins (21), Dean (23) Stauffer (16)

Four players with 10+ points

When The Vikings Score Under 40 Points When The Vikings Score 40-49 Points When The Vikings Socre 50-59 Points When The Vikings Score 60-69 Points When The Vikings Score 70-79 Points When The Vikings Score 80-plus Points

ASSISTS 8 assists in game 2/20/16 - G Higgins (8) vs Cleveland Central Catholic 1/30/16 - G Higgins (10) vs Lutheran East 9 assists in game 1/30/16 - G Higgins (10) vs Lutheran East 10 assists in game 3/6/15 - M Johnson (12) vs Cleveland MLK 12 assists in game 3/6 & 3/9 - M Johnson 8 assists in back-to-back games

MINUTES PLAYED (when stat is available) 3/28/15 - D Pardon (31) & B Parker (31) vs Lima CC 30 mins played 12/6/14 - D Pardon (32) & C Bragg (32) vs A-B Carroll 32 mins played

FREE THROWS Made 5 FT in game Made 8 FT in game Made 10 FT in game Attempted 10 FT in game Attempted 12 FT in game Attempted 15 FT in game

2/12/16 - G Higgins, K Roberts (5) vs Trinity 2/6/16 - G Higgins (8) vs Mentor 1/19/15 - C Bragg (11) vs Oak Hill 2/6/16 - G Higgins (11) vs Mentor 1/24/15 - C Bragg (12) vs MacDuffie (Mass.) 3/7/14 - C Bragg (17) vs Warrensville

Villa Angela-St Joseph

2015 - 2016 Basketball Game Notes

-

February 26, 2016

Six-Time State Champions - 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2015

Five-Time State Runner-Up - 1979, 1989, 1997, 2006, 2014

THE WEEK THAT WAS

2015-2016 VIKINGS SEASON STATS

VIKINGS SWEEP THE WEEKEND; HAVE NOW WON 4 IN ROW AND 8 OF 9 HEADED TO POST SEASON

THROUGH 20 GAMES

VASJ 61, LOUISVILLE ST THOMAS AQUINAS 51 Villa Angela-St. Joseph started a busy and critical weekend in fine fashion with a 61-51 victory over St.Thomas Aquinas on Feb. 19. The Vikings (16-5) avenged an earlier loss this season to the Knights behind a balanced offensive effort and some key role players contributing in a big way. “Aquinas is very good. That is a very good team and we had some guys step up,” VASJ coach Babe Kwasniak said. “I thought Jacob Stauffer (11 points) played one of his best games for us. Will Butler, Danny McGarry, Andre George off the bench – all huge.” Sherman Dean hit four 3s and finished with 17 points. Jerry Higgins and Kevin Roberts each chipped in with 11 for the Vikings, who host rival Cleveland Central Catholic on Feb. 20. VASJ outscored Aquinas, 20-13, in the decisive fourth quarter.

PLAYER 21 Sherman Dean 15 Gene Higgins 31 Alonzo Gaffney 3 Kevin Roberts 50 Jabob Stauffer 12 Daniel McGarry 4 Noah Newlon 22 Anthony Turk 35 Graham Koppleman 5 William Butler 1 Chad Porter 10 Terrance Lawler 0 Phillip Bessick 14 Andre George TOTALS

GP 20 20 20 19 20 19 18 9 4 20 8 20 8 19 20

FG-FGA

3FG-3FGA

FT-FTA

107-222 (48%)

58-146 (39%)

23-33 (70%)

87-159 (55%)

6-14 (43%)

69-98 (71%)

76-157 (48%)

2-9 (22%)

23-47 (49%)

52-84 (62%)

6-12 (50%)

22-30 (73%)

46-80 (58%)

0-0

9-23 (39%)

37-63 (59%)

0-0

4-15 (27%)

23-65 (35%)

21-58 (38%)

5-9 (56%)

13-22 (59%)

1-3 (33%)

4-9 (44%)

6-7 (86%)

0-0

2-5 (40%

23-51 (45%)

8-29 (27%)

4-7 (57%)

6-17 (35%)

5-16 (31%)

3-6 (50%)

16-60 (27%)

8-32 (25%)

7-11 (64%)

6-17 (35%)

0-0

2-5 (40%

8-24 (33%)

1-8 (13%)

7-15 (49%)

506-1028 (49%) 116-327 (35%) 184-314 (59%)

Tot Pts 301 258 169 141 103 79 72 31 13 59 20 47 13 24

PPG 15.1 12.9 8.5 7.4 5.2 4.2 4.0 3.4 3.3 3.0 2.5 2.4 1.6 1.3

1326

66.3

Asst

OFF-DEF-Reb

35 (1.8)

7-28-35 (1.8)

98 (4.9)

20-39-62 (3.1)

25 (1.3)

35-54-96 (4.8)

28 (1.5)

22-31-53 (2.3)

6 (0.3)

27-27-56 (2.8)

42 (2.2)

29-42-71 (3.7)

8 (0.4)

1-10-11 (0.6)

4 (0.5)

6-9-15 (1.9)

4 (1.0)

5-6-10 (2.5)

46 (2.3)

7-21-31 (1.5)

4 (0.5)

0-5-5 (0.6)

23 (1.2)

12-12-28 (1.5)

4 (0.5)

5-6-10 (1.3)

15 (0.8)

4-10-13 (0.7)

334 (16.7) 170-288-476 (23.8)

Stl/Blk* 20 48 33* 16 5 20* 6 4 0 5 1 15 0 8 164-69

VASJ 83, CLEVELAND CENTRAL CATHOLIC 62 If you were to script a perfect ending to a regular season, it would be hard to write anything better than the 24 hours at Viking Village over Feb. 19 and Feb. 20. Following a 10-point win over St. Thomas Aquinas on Friday night, VASJ followed that effort up with a dominating 83-62 victory over North Coast League rival Cleveland Central Catholic on Feb. 20. Led by two seniors with the most experience from last year, shooting guard Sherman Dean and center Jacob Stauffer, VASJ hammered NCL White champion Cleveland Central Catholic on Feb. 20 on Senior Night at Viking Village to wrap up the regular season. It was the lone loss in conference this season for the Ironmen, and the Vikings avenged two of their five losses this season in back-to-back nights. Trailing midway through the second quarter, 30-26, the Vikings – defending Division III state champs and 2014 state runner-up – closed the first half on a 16-0 run to take a 4230 lead into the break. VASJ (17-5, 8-2 NCL White) closed the third quarter up 61-43, and reached the biggest margin of the night, 81-53, with 3 minutes remaining in the game. Once the lead reached 28, the Vikings sent their seniors back into the game for a minute before emptying the bench. Kwasniak said he decided to start all five of his starters, including Kevin Roberts, Anthony Turk and Phillip Besick, all non-regular starters, earlier in the day on Feb. 20. VASJ was rewarded by the move with the energy brought forth by the seniors, especially from Bessick, who drew the assignment of Ironmen standout Tervell Beck to start the game. CCC’s 6-foot-8 forward finished with 12 points after scoring 29 in the Ironmen’s 64-56 win over the Vikings on Dec. 11. Dean led all scorers with 28 points, followed by sophomore Jerry Higgins with 21,including several acrobatic moves the basket. But it was Stauffer who stood out, stepping up for the second consecutive night. After a 61-51 win over St. Thomas Aquinas in which he scored 11, Stauffer again came through with a 16-point, eightrebound night. The Vikings used multiple defensive sets that forced 16 turnovers and numerous fastbreak points. Kwasniak said the win was satisfying because he felt the Ironmen (15-7, 9-1 NCL White) were a more talented team on paper, though Dean felt the Vikings are just getting started.

VASJ vs OPPONENT 1 Euclid 2 Lake Catholic 3 Cleveland CC 4 Richmond Heights 5 Youngstown Christian 6 John Hay 7 Jefferson 8 Fairmont 9 Warren JFK 10 St Edward 11 Trinity 12 Benedictine 13 St Thomas Aquinas 14 Cornerstone 15 Youngstown Christian 16 Lutheran East 17 Warren JFK 18 Mentor 19 Gilmour 20 Trinity

GP 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

FG-FGA

3FG-3FGA

FT-FTA

Tot Pts

Asst

TO

OFF-DEF-Reb

Stl/Blk*

29-44 (66%

7-12 (58%)

12-22 (55%)

77

18

14

27

8-5

16-33 (48%)

2-9 (22%)

16-30 (53%)

52

6

11

5-7-12

7-7

18-59 (31%)

7-25 (28%)

9-13 (69%)

56

10

7

14-6-20

2-2

26-70 (37%)

3-24 (13%)

7-13 (54%)

60

10

12

16-22-38

15-3

24-57 (42%)

3-15 (20%)

12-24 (50%)

63

12

14

11-14-25

22-2

28-68 (41%)

6-21 (29%)

15-25 (60%)

79

17

15

15-18-33

18-3

35-63 (56%)

11-21 (52%)

5-9 (56%)

88

26

12

14-20-33

7-4

21-43(49%)

3-8 (38%)

11-19 (58%)

56

15

11

6-15-20

6-2

23-42 (55%) 6-21% (29%)

2-2 (100%)

54

15

5

7-9-16

5-1

28-46 (61%)

1-7 (14%)

8-12 (67%)

65

21

18

8-21-29

4-4 4-3

30-50 (60%)

15-26 (58%)

9-19 (47%)

86

28

7

5-15-20

20-49 (41%)

9-15 (60%)

6-11 (55%)

59

15

9

8-16-22

4-7

23-47 (49%)

4-14 (29%)

4-7 (57%)

56

16

14

7-12-19

9-2

24-49 (51%)

4-12 (33%)

9-13 (69%)

65

16

14

6-12-18

8-4

35-63 (56%)

13-34 (38%)

6-10 (60%)

90

27

8

8-13-21

10-2

30-61 (49%)

5-14 (36%)

12-15 (80%)

78

19

17

16-21-37

9-4

25-44 (57%)

7-15 (47%)

6-13 (46%)

63

22

19

7-27-34

11-5

22-45 (49%)

2-11 (18%)

13-20 (65%

60

15

13

5-19-24

3-6

22-47 (47%)

5-14 (36%)

5-10 (50%)

54

16

11

13-12-20

3-3

21-37 (57%)

3-10 (30%)

15-22 (68%)

62

15

9

4-15-19

9-0

1326

334

236

170-288-476

164-69

21 22

TOTALS

20

506-1028 (49%) 116-327 (35%) 184-314 (59%)

Villa Angela-St Joseph

2015 - 2016 Basketball Game Notes

-

February 26, 2016

Six-Time State Champions - 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2015

Five-Time State Runner-Up - 1979, 1989, 1997, 2006, 2014

2015 - 2016 VASJ VIKINGS PLAYER PROFILES

0

PHILLIP

BESSICK Senior Forward

Height: 6-2 Weight: 175

Coach Kwasniak says: Phil came over to VASJ when St. Peter Chanel closed. He was cut as a junior and persevered to make the team as a senior. We have never had anyone do that, and it is a great example of resiliency. In practice he is a junkyard dog who goes hard and makes us better.

3

KEVIN

ROBERTS Senior Guard

Height: 6-1 Weight: 170

Coach Kwasniak says: "Bootsy" has played in three state championship games in three years (scoring in two of them). Undoubtedly, our best athlete, I'm most proud of Kevin for some things he has accomplished off of the floor. For example, Mr. Neary (Property Manager) has employed Kevin for two years during the summer at VASJ. During that time he claims Kevin has been one of his hardest workers, an attribute that no doubt will serve him well later in life.

5

WILLIAM

PORTER Junior Forward

Height: 6-2 Weight: 175

Coach Kwasniak says: Chad is one of the most popular kids at VASJ. He does it all choir, soccer, student council. You name it Chad does it, all while carrying over a 4.0 GPA. He is proof that you don't have to be a guy who gets a lot of minutes to lead. Chad is most definitely a team leader. Our energy is Chad's energy.

4

NOAH

NEWLON Junior Guard

Height: 6-2 Weight: 170

Coach Kwasniak says: Noah won us the Euclid game with a barrage of 3-pointers in a short span of time. He is a good golfer and a 4.0 student. Noah puts the extra work in ALL the TIME. Due to that, I expect him to help us this year and possibly have a break out year next year similar to what Sherman Dean has done.

TERRANCE

BUTLER Junior Guard

1

CHAD

Height: 5-11 Weight: 235

Coach Kwasniak says: Will (after Gene Higgins) is the guy we want with the ball in his hands the most. He's a playmaker and a good outside shooter. He's a neighborhood kid who grew up playing with most of the guys on the team and worshipping VASJ.

10 LAWLER Junior Guard

Height: 5-10 Weight: 175

Coach Kwasniak says:Terrance gives us a level of toughness, especially on defense. He was mentored by Dererk Pardon (Northwestern) and it shows. He's a vocal leader of our team, and a solid guard who can make shots. My favorite thing Terrance brings is his charisma, he's a guy the young guys look up too - and he's always up for a good laugh.

Villa Angela-St Joseph

2015 - 2016 Basketball Game Notes

-

February 26, 2016

Six-Time State Champions - 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2015

Five-Time State Runner-Up - 1979, 1989, 1997, 2006, 2014

2015 - 2016 VASJ VIKINGS PLAYER PROFILES DANIEL

12 McGARRY Junior Guard

Height: 6-3 Weight: 170

Coach Kwasniak says: The McGarry family is synonymous with VASJ. His brother, Mike, played for me in 2012, his cousin Pat won a state championship with us in 2013, and his other brother Marty was a legendary manager for us last year. Danny does it all for us - scores, rebounds, defends, distributes. What we need most is for him to lead.

GENE

15 HIGGINS CAPTAIN

Sophomore Guard

Height: 5-7 Weight: 150

Coach Kwasniak says: The “Waterbug” is what we call Gene because he can be such a pest on defense. Make no mistake about it - this young man was a vital part of last year’s state championship team. He learned so many valuable lessons from the veterans on last year’s squad. I knew when he came to our school last year that we had the best point guard in the city for the next couple of years. This kid is going to be special, I’m not sure I would trade him for anyone.

ANTHONY

22 TURK CAPTAIN

Senior Forward

ANDRE

14 GEORGE Junior Guard

Height: 5-9 Weight: 160

Coach Kwasniak says:Andre has been a pleasant surprise. He played for Coach Newlon on the freshman team and really learned there how to guard the ball. He might be our best defensive player. Another great student (3.7), Dre is a big part of our future plans. I fully expect his defensive intensity to win us a game in March when it matters the most.

SHERMAN

21 DEAN CAPTAIN

Senior Guard

Height: 6-2 Weight: 155

Coach Kwasniak says: I don’t want to put a jinx on Sherm, but he is having about as good of a year as you possibly can. He is EVERYTHING that is right about high school sports. He works hard, is humble, puts God first and loves his teammates. No matter how this ends for us, he will go down as one of the best Vikings I have ever coached. He is a model of resiliency and how to be a part of something bigger than yourself. He waited a LONG time for this moment, and instead of getting ready, he has STAYED ready.

ALONZO

Height: 6-4 Weight: 190

Coach Kwasniak says: It’s going to be hard for Anthony to top the feeling of being on the bottom of the pile in the state championship photo (last year), but I imagine he is going to try. MVP of our golf team and a 4.0 student, Anthony is the type of kid we want ALL students at VASJ to emulate. When thinking of the kids who I’ve coached who love our school the most: Duane Gibson, Mo Johnson, Jeff Grudzinski, Patrick Mastalski … yes I think Anthony rounds out my starting 5.

23 GAFFNEY Freshman Forward

Height: 6-7 Weight: 165

Coach Kwasniak says: “Zo” is as talented as anyone we have had here at this age, which is obviously high praise. How good he gets depends on how hard he works and how much he is willing to sacrifice. It is amazing how much better he is now compared to the first game. That’s a testament to his grade school coach at St. Jerome’s - Matt Galinac. Check out the list of freshmen that has started games at VASJ/St. Joseph: Kellogg, Miller, Lighty, Levett, Thomas, Flannigan, Parker, Bragg and Gaffney.

Villa Angela-St Joseph

2015 - 2016 Basketball Game Notes

-

February 26, 2016

Six-Time State Champions - 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2015

Five-Time State Runner-Up - 1979, 1989, 1997, 2006, 2014

2015 - 2016 VASJ VIKINGS PLAYER PROFILES GRAHAM

35 KOPPLEMAN Freshman Forward

Height: 6-3 Weight: 170

Coach Kwasniak says: Graham earned a varsity uniform by having a great preseason and getting it done in the classroom (3.8). He is a staple of our J.V. team and is a big part of our future at VASJ.

JACOB

50 STAUFFER CAPTAIN

Senior Center

Height: 6-6 Weight: 235

Coach Kwasniak says: I told Jake going into this season that he should have all the confidence in the world. How could you not after playing against the likes of Demonte Flannigan, Dererk Pardon and Carlton Bragg every day in practice for three years. Jake is about as “All American” a high school student as they come. You will be hard pressed to find a coach, teacher, parent or administrator as VASJ that does not rave about him. He will more than likely try to play football in college. Whoever gets this young man has no idea how much better he will make their organization.