What's Happening in Cougar Country

On a memorable evening this past weekend, Lake Catholic High School proudly hosted its inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, honoring seven extraordinary individuals whose contributions and achievements have left an indelible mark on our school's athletic legacy.

Mark Sullivan ('78), a standout defensive lineman and wrestler, was recognized for his exceptional athletic prowess. As a First Team All-Ohio defensive lineman and an All-Ohio wrestler, Sullivan's high school career set a standard of excellence and determination.

Rich Severino was celebrated for his remarkable 28-year tenure as the Cougar Volleyball program's head coach. Under his leadership, the team achieved 548 career wins, made six state trips, and secured the school’s first girls' team state title in 2010, following a runner-up finish in 2009.

Jess Sabath ('03) was honored for her stellar volleyball career, where she earned first-team all-district honors four times. A force on the court, Sabath was a second-team All-Ohio selection as a sophomore and a first-team All-Ohio pick in her junior and senior years, leading the Cougars to their first State Final Four appearances.

Sean Kelly ('98) was recognized for his exceptional cross country and track career, culminating in a state championship in both sports. Notably, Kelly remained undefeated in cross country during his senior year, recording the best time at the state meet across all divisions.

Meghan Gaydos ('98), the girls basketball program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,175 points, was honored for her remarkable career. Despite missing half of her freshman season due to a torn ACL, Gaydos led the Cougars to the regional finals during her senior year, demonstrating resilience and skill.

Dan Welly ('81) was remembered as the first-ever three-sport captain in football, basketball, and baseball at Lake Catholic. Welly’s legacy extends beyond his athletic achievements; his character and impact on his teammates and community continue to resonate long after his passing in 2011.

Sam Colacarro, the longtime Athletic Director whose name is synonymous with Lake Catholic’s athletic department, was celebrated for his 50 years of dedicated service. Though semi-retired, Colacarro remains a familiar and cherished presence at Cougar home games.

* * * * * *

With the more than 300 attendees in their seats, the evening kicked off with each inductee being escorted to their seats by our current student-athletes, who were dressed in their team’s uniform, as The Script’s Hall of Fame played over the sound system.

Principal Tom McKrill ('07) opened the ceremony by reflecting on the integral role athletics play in shaping character and community. 

"Athletics have always been the heartbeat of Lake Catholic," McKrill said. “Today, we honor those who have set the bar high and inspired future generations with their extraordinary achievements.”

After the benediction from Fr. Dave Woost, President John Morabeto also welcomed everyone and announced that the school will create an Honor Wall as a place to celebrate our Hall of Excellence and Athletic Hall of Fame members, with this class serving as the first to be highlighted on the Wall.

Next to the stage was the emcee for the evening, Tim Armelli. He announced that “the five distinguished members previously inducted into the Hall of Excellence for their athletic achievements have been welcomed into our new Athletic Hall of Fame.”

Those five members are Coach John Gibbons, Dave Youdath (’80), Linda Oster (’83), Dave Rastoka (’83), and Joe Jurevicious (’93).

As we celebrate this historic occasion, Lake Catholic High School proudly acknowledges the enduring impact of all these distinguished individuals. Their achievements and dedication continue to inspire and elevate our athletic programs, reminding us all of the power of perseverance, leadership, and community spirit.

The ceremony concluded with the Cougar Pride Marching Band’s rendition of the Lake Catholic Alma Mater, and it led everyone out of the auditorium with the playing of the Fight Song.

Congratulations to our inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class—your legacy will forever be a part of Lake Catholic’s storied history.

The Hall of Fame induction videos and photos from the event can be found on our Athletics Hall of Fame page.
 

On August 23, Lake Catholic proudly celebrated the grand opening of its newly renovated locker rooms, marking a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to providing top-notch facilities for our student-athletes. This impressive $1 million renovation project, which commenced in May, was fully funded by the generosity of our benefactors, demonstrating their unwavering support for our school's athletic programs.

“Our student-athletes deserve facilities that reflect their hard work and achievements,” said John Morabeto, President of Lake Catholic High School. “This renovation is a testament to the generosity of our benefactors and the collective dedication of our community to our mission. We are thrilled to provide our students with an environment that supports their growth and success.”

The renovation, which started in May at the end of last school year, introduces a range of state-of-the-art features designed to enhance both functionality and comfort. The boys' locker room now boasts 100 brand-new lockers, including distinct areas designated for the football and boys' soccer teams. The girls' locker room, which accommodates 35 new lockers, is currently divided between the volleyball and girls' soccer teams, as well as the cheerleaders. To ensure that all teams have optimal access, locker room rotations will be organized according to the sports seasons.

“The new locker rooms are a game-changer," said football coach Marty Gibbons ('11). "They provide our players with a space that reflects the hard work and dedication they put into their training. The upgrades will undoubtedly boost team morale and performance.”

Each locker in both facilities is equipped with padded seats, two separate lockable compartments, and multiple hooks, combining convenience with security. Additionally, both locker rooms feature a dedicated coaching area complete with whiteboards for pre-game strategies and in-game instructions.

The renovation also includes new amenities for physical education classes, with extra lockers added to both locker rooms. The upgrades extend to the shower facilities, with eight individual shower stalls installed in each locker room, including one designed for handicapped accessibility. New bathroom facilities complement these enhancements, ensuring that the locker rooms meet the highest standards of comfort and accessibility.

“The renovation is a fantastic upgrade for our volleyball team," said new coach Tess Connolly-Alcantara ('16). "The added amenities and improved facilities will give our girls the edge they need and make a real difference in their daily training and preparation.”

The newly renovated locker rooms are part of the larger Zappitelli Family Athletic Performance Center. The Zappitelli family has been instrumental in funding previous improvements, including the weight room and softball field renovations. Their ongoing contributions underscore a deep commitment to enhancing Lake Catholic's student-athletes experience and performance.

The team room, generously donated by the Pecjak family in 2020, remains a centerpiece of our athletic complex. This addition exemplifies the spirit of community and support that defines our school's approach to fostering athletic excellence.

The opening of the new locker rooms is not just a celebration of our past achievements but a look forward to an exciting future. With these enhanced facilities, Lake Catholic reaffirms its commitment to providing our student-athletes with the best resources to excel both on and off the field. Thank you to all our benefactors for making this transformation possible and for continuing to support our mission of excellence in athletics and beyond.

Here’s to many more victories and memorable moments in our upgraded locker rooms at the Zappitelli Family Athletic Performance Center!

Photos and videos of the new spaces can be found on our athletics page

Lake Catholic is pleased to welcome home Tess Connolly (Lake Catholic Class of 2016) as its next head volleyball coach.

“We are very excited to announce Tess Connolly as the next head coach for the Lake Catholic volleyball program,” said Athletic Director Erik Schroeder. “Tess brings a ton of experience from her playing days here, playing Division I college volleyball, and coaching at her current school. She has demonstrated great leadership skills as both a player and a coach. It’s exciting to have an alum carry on the strong tradition of Lake Catholic volleyball for our players, school, and community.”

Connolly takes over for Kara Oster (’10) who stepped down after leading the Cougars to back-to-back Division III state championships to commit more time to her career and her family.

“Coming back to Lake Catholic means so much to me,” Connolly said. “I feel like I’m coming home. Lake Catholic gave me so many tools that helped me become the best person, student, and athlete I could be. I would not have had the same success in life without the guidance and support I received while at Lake Catholic.” 

Connolly was a four-year starter for Lake Catholic, earning all-conference first-team honors her senior season, before receiving a full scholarship to Iona College (New Rochelle, New York), where she was also a four-year starter. While at Iona, she was honored as Iona College Female Rookie Athlete of the Year (2016). During her junior season (2018), she was named Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Player of the Week, helped lead the Gaels to the MAAC regular season and MAAC tournament championships, while advancing to the NCAA Division I tournament. She was also named a team captain for her senior season (2019).

Since August of 2021, Connolly has been a teacher and volleyball coach at St. John’s Preparatory High School in Astoria, New York. She’s taught algebra, computer science, physical education, and child psychology. As a coach, she began the Red Storm’s boys’ volleyball program and serves as its head coach. She was also the head JV/assistant varsity coach for the girls’ team.

Connolly said she will finish out the school year at St. John’s before moving back to the area, where her parents and brother still reside. She said she plans on coming back to Lake Catholic for a few days later this month to meet the girls on the team in person.

The following is a brief Q&A with Connolly.

Why did you apply? Why was now the right time for you to come home?
I applied for the coaching position because I wanted to give back to Lake Catholic, my community and be closer to my family. When I heard about the open position, I got a gut feeling, and I could not stop thinking about it. Lake Catholic has a tremendous tradition, and the volleyball program has been very successful, and I want to help continue the positive impact that the school and the program have. I want to help all my student-athletes remember their time at Lake Catholic and be filled with fun and happy memories.

The program has such a strong tradition and successful history, what will you bring to the program?
I will bring skill/technique development, mental toughness, and leadership to the whole Lake Catholic volleyball program. I was taught by some of the best coaches in Ohio and New York, and I will teach those same skills to our players. I bring a history of success in high school, JO, and college. I know what it means to play in meaningful games, to play in front of hundreds and thousands of people, and to succeed in those situations.

What is your coaching philosophy?
I believe my coaching philosophy is surrounded by three key aspects: discipline, skill-based coaching, and motivation. Volleyball is a game, and it has to be fun. And it has to be a way for each player to grow and improve, both in volleyball skills and in life skills. My players learn volleyball, but they also learn teamwork and discipline. To be successful, each player has to develop skills around passing, hitting, communication, and defense, and, as a teacher, I take pride in teaching and developing those skills in each and every player.

Any added pressure knowing they are back-to-back state champs, have been to the state tournament three years in a row, and have a lot of talent returning?
Of course, I want to continue the great success the program has had over the years and in the past three years in particular. I have always been very competitive throughout my volleyball career, in JO, in high school, and at Iona College. I still have a strong competitive edge as a coach, and I believe that helps me to push myself and my student-athletes. I have seen how much talent the program has returning, and I am very excited to see what the future can bring for us. To improve as a team, each and every player has to improve, and I have the teaching skills across all positions to teach the proper fundamentals and to push each player to reach her full potential. Get better, every player, every day.

When will you get a chance to meet the girls on the team?
I will be traveling back to Mentor for a few days in February, and I will visit Lake Catholic to meet the girls on the team. I am very excited to meet them. I have heard amazing things about them all, and I can’t wait to help them grow both on and off the volleyball court.

Are you finishing out the school year in New York?
Yes, I will be finishing the school year at my current high school. As a teacher and coach, I strongly believe in finishing what you start and never leaving something unfinished. I have done a lot at my current school and could not imagine leaving all of my amazing co-workers, friends, students, and student-athletes without a proper goodbye.

Is your family still in the area? If so, how nice will it be to come home and be back around family and friends?
Yes, my family still lives in the area. My parents live in my childhood home, and my brother lives in Mentor. I truly missed my family and friends while in New York, and I cannot wait to be close to them again. I know they will continue to support me, and it will be easier for me to support them once I return to Ohio. Of course, a lot has changed since I left, but I am excited to have the support of my family and friends as I start the next chapter of my life.

Kate, Joe, and Nick Powaski have grown up in a tight-knit family. The three cousins were always together playing games, competing against each other and other family members in different sports. To this day, they are always supporting one another.

But now, in possibly the biggest week of their final year of high school, they won’t be able to be there for each other.

Kate, an outside hitter on the volleyball team, will be heading to Dayton with a chance to defend the Division III State Championship she and her teammates won a year ago. Meanwhile, Nick and Joe will be playing in a Division II state semifinal tonight with the boys soccer team with the hopes of playing for the school’s first state soccer championship.

And if they both win their semifinal games, the schedule gets even trickier.

Currently, the Division III volleyball state championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 11a in Dayton, and the Division II boys soccer state championship match is scheduled for Saturday at 1p in Columbus.

“I wish I could go see them, just be there to support Kate and the entire team. They’ve been to a few of our games this year,” said Nick, who starts on defense as the center back. “But we’re all working toward our goals. It would be absolutely awesome if we both came home with state titles.”

At the moment, Nick and Joe are focused on Richfield Revere, the No. 1 ranked team in Ohio in Division II. The Cougars are ranked No. 2. Revere is also the team that knocked Lake Catholic out of the playoffs last year. The game kicks off at 7p at Twinsburg High School.

“We have our team dinner tonight before we leave for Dayton, so I won’t be able to be at their game. Although I’d love to be there,” Kate said. “But we’ll definitely be watching the stream.” (The game can be seen on Twinsburg’s athletic streaming site.) 

A win tonight and the boys will be playing in the program’s first state championship game.

Meanwhile, the volleyball team is heading to the state semifinals for the third year in a row and trying for its second straight state title and third in the program’s history, which would tie the football program for the most in school history.

“It was exciting last year for the whole family when the volleyball team won states,” Joe said. “She didn’t say much to Nick and I. She didn’t do any bragging.”

The volleyball team plays on Thursday at 2p against St. Henry, the No. 3 team in the state in Division III. The Cougars have been the No. 1 ranked team all season. They are a perfect 27-0 and, in fact, have only lost three sets all year.

Regardless of the ultimate outcomes, both seasons will end this weekend, but Joe will still have work to do. After dipping his toe in the performing arts last year, he was cast as the lead – Ichabod Crane – in this year’s fall play, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The play runs from Thursday, November 16-Sunday, November 19.

“I’m in the band too,” Joe said. “With football still playing, we’re still performing. So after school, I have band, soccer, and then finally rehearsals. I’m usually at school from 8 in the morning until 9 at night.”

The play is still two weeks away though. There’s still work to be done this week on the field and on the court for the Powaskis.

But by Sunday, when the Cleveland Browns play the Baltimore Ravens at 1p, all the Powaskis will be at their grandparents’ (Kathy and Stan) house for that game.
“We see each other almost every Sunday during football season for the Browns games,” Nick said. “We’re always at our grandparents’ house.”

This Sunday though, there might be more celebrating Kate, Joe, and Nick than actually watching the Browns.

“I can’t even imagine what it would be like if both teams win,” Kate said. “It would be super crazy.”
 

Nick Brandt, a standout on the football and boys basketball teams, was recently named a winner of an Ohio High School Athletic Association student-athlete scholarship by the OHSAA's Northeast Athletic District Board's Scholarship Committee.

The award is a $1,000 scholarship, which Brandt can now use as he moves on to Miami University.

He is the second winner to be named from Lake Catholic since the scholarship's inception in 2007. Kennedy Newhart won a scholarship in 2018.

Recipients were selected based on a point system which rewards students for grade point averages; class rank; community service; varsity letters earned; and individual and team athletic honors. 

Brandt finished high school with a grade-point average higher than 4.0 and ranked in the top 5 in Class of 2023. In his time at Lake Catholic he earned eight varsity letters (three in football and basketball and two in track and field). 

This past season on the football field, Brandt was a jack-of-all-trades on offense. He had 51 receptions for 489 yards and two touchdowns as a wide receiver; he carried the ball 44 times for 179 yards and three touchdowns; and even played quarterback completing 11 of 22 passes for 109 yards and one touchdown. All told he accumulated 777 yards and accounted for six touchdowns.

“Nick was a constant leader for our program - academically and on the field - throughout the duration of his four years at Lake Catholic,” football coach Marty Gibbons said. “He strives to do well and we all look forward to seeing him do great things in the future.”

On the basketball court, Brandt was the starting point guard and captain for the district champion Cougars. He led the team in steals and assists, with his 166 assists making him one of the top assist leaders in Northeast Ohio. He was named to both the Northeast Lakes All-District and All-Crown Conference teams.

“It is very well deserved, but not surprising to me, that Nick Brandt has won the OHSAA Scholar Athlete Scholarship because I was fortunate enough to see daily how hard he works on the court and in the classroom," said boys basketball coach Matt Vespa. "Nick consistently demonstrated that he is not intimidated by hard work or willing to back down from a challenge. I have no doubt he will continue to demonstrate these admirable skills in the next phases of his life. It was truly an honor to not only coach Nick for this season but also to see someone receive the recognition they deserve for all of the hard work they have put into being successful academically and athletically.”

For winning the scholarship, Brandt will be honored along with the other scholarship winners at an awards presentation and dinner at Progressive Field prior to a Cleveland Guardians game later this summer.

photo courtesy of Full Stop Photography

Lake Catholic, along with Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, Beaumont, and Padua, will leave the Crown Conference after the 2023-24 school. The Cougars will join those three schools, as well as Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (CVCA), Elyria Catholic and Holy Name in the new North Coast Conference. The new North Coast Conference will begin in the Fall of 2024.

“The transition to the North Coast Conference is a great opportunity for Lake Catholic and our partner schools,” said Lake Catholic Principal Tom McKrill (’07). “Our students work very hard in the classroom every day, and this will be a great opportunity for our student-athletes to continue to compete with other faith-based schools in interscholastic athletics.”

Similarly, Lake Catholic Athletic Director Erik Schroeder is excited about the competitive balance between all the schools.

“We're excited to be a part of the seven schools forming the North Coast Conference,” Schroeder said. “The NCC is going to be very competitive across all sports and is made up of schools of similar size. We believe that the new conference is a great fit for our student-athletes.”

All the schools will compete in their current conferences during the 2023-24 school year with North Coast Conference play beginning in the fall of 2024. Football will be the only exception, as not every school will play each other as most of the 2024 schedules have already been completed. Even though there will not be a football league champion in 2024, all-conference honors will be awarded.

“We are looking forward to the opportunities the North Coast Conference presents,” said Marty Gibbons (’11), Lake Catholic head football coach. “From a football perspective, this move enables us to increase the volume of conference competition, while providing a rigorous challenge to our program as we prepare to compete for championships at the regional and state level.”

This past school year (2022-23), the Cougars won four Crown Conference titles – volleyball, boys soccer, girls swimming & diving, and boys swimming and diving; had three coaches win Coach of the Year honors; nine Players of the Year honors; and 47 first team all-conference selections.

Coaches of the Year

Volleyball – Kara Oster ('13)
Boys Soccer – Kevin Pitorak
Girls Swimming & Diving – Matt Trem
Boys Swimming & Diving – Matt Trem

Players of the Year

Volleyball, Setter of the Year – Hannah Pattie
Volleyball, Libero of the Year – Emma Briganti
Boys Soccer, Defensive Player of the Year – Marko Odorcic
Girls Cross Country, Runner of the Year – Kelly Ward
Girls Swimming & Diving, Swimmer of the Year – Zoe Pesek
Boys Swimming & Diving, Swimmer of the Year – Owen Pesek
Girls Lacrosse, Offensive Player of the Year – Rylee Anderson
Girls Lacrosse, Defensive Player of the Year – Alexa Udovicic
Girls Track & Field, Runner of the Year – Claire Duricky

What's wrong with a little competition amongst friends?

Well on Friday, April 21st, it was all about competition amongst classes. 

The classes of 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 all competed throughout the school day in the Third Annual Cougar Games - an Olympic-style competition in which the classes compete in certain games to determine an overall winner. The was finished off with the Annual Powder Puff game - pitting the senior girls against the junior girls in flag football. 

For the second time in three year, the Class of 2023 (the seniors) won the Cougar Games. 

But they fell to the juniors, who came from behind, scored on the last play of regulation and then won the Powder Puff game in overtime, 36-30.

COUGAR GAMES

The seniors won four of the eight competitions to score 28 points on the day-long event and outpace the rest of the school. The juniors (Class of 2024) finished second with 24 points. The sophomores (2025) were third with 20, and the freshmen (2026) were fourth with 8.

The seniors won the inaugural Games back in 2021 as sophomores and were runners-up to the Class of 2022 last year.

They got off to a hot start winning the first four events - dodgeball, basketball, speedball and the obstacle course. The juniors got their first win in soccer, and the sophomores got their only victory in kickball.

The juniors also won Mario Kart and the donation drive - a week-long competition to see which class could collect the most donations to benefit Birthright Lake.

The final results of all the competitions were:

• Dodgeball: 1. Seniors; 2. Juniors; 3. Sophomores; 4 Freshmen
• Basketball: 1. Seniors; 2. Juniors; 3. Sophomores; 4 Freshmen
• Speedball: 1. Seniors; 2. Sophomores; 3. Juniors; 4. Freshmen
• Obstacle Course: 1. Seniors; 2. Sophomores; 3. Juniors; 4. Freshmen
• Soccer: 1. Juniors; 2. Sophomores; 3. Seniors; 4. Freshmen
• Kickball: 1. Sophomores; 2. Seniors; 3. Freshmen; 4. Juniors
• Mario Kart: 1. Juniors; 2. Seniors; 3. Seniors; 4. Juniors
• Donation Drive: 1. Juniors; 2. Sophomores; 3. Seniors; 4. Freshmen

POWDER PUFF

When a team gets the football back with only 11 seconds left and needs to score to just get to the game to overtime, it needs quick-strike capabilities. Luckily for the Class of 2024, that's all its offense was. 

It took the juniors just two plays (calling a timeout between them) to tie the game up as the final horn had sounded.

Once in the extra periods, both teams took turns scoring during the first two overtime sessions. The third session say a new set of rules come into play - one play from the five-yard line. The only way to score was to pass. 

Despite two players in the area, the seniors possession saw their pass fall to the turf. The juniors play developed slowly, but their pass found a receiver, who was shielding her defender, just over the goal line for the winning score.

The touchdown capped off a 12-point comeback for the juniors. 

The seniors moved the ball methodically down the field on all three of their possessions in the first half - all resulting in touchdowns, including the last one with just less than two seconds left in the half. The juniors scored twice on only two plays, getting their fast athletes in space and letting them just run for the endzone. They might have scored on their last possession as well, but their final attempt ended as their runner stepped out of bounds.

The seniors started the second half on defense, but scored on a fumble recovery on the first play of the new period. 

From there, it just the start of the comeback for the juniors.
 

The Cleveland Browns played the Cincinnati Bengals last night on Monday Night Football, but prior to that Lake Catholic girls flag football coach Dan Brugh received recognition on the ESPN pre-game telecast.

Each week on NFL Live, ESPN helps the NFL shine the spotlight on high school coaches. The Browns selected two coaches - Brugh and Kirtland girls flag football coach Tiger LaVerde (who also coaches the Hornets boys football team). Lake Catholic and Kirtland met in the Flag Football Championship last spring at First Energy Stadium.