Youth awarded for outstanding sportsmanship

The Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry hosted the third annual Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) Sports Recognition Ceremony at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart on April 23. The ceremony recognized 99 elementary-aged youth and 48 adult participants across 61 parish- and school-based sports programs of the Archdiocese of Newark.  

The ceremony included Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael A. Saporito, and the presentation of youth and adult awards. 

The Archdiocesan Youth Parish/School Sportsmanship Award is presented to athletes who display outstanding sportsmanship through service or actions on and off the athletic field within their parish or school community.  

The Archdiocesan Adult Discipleship Award is presented to express appreciation and gratitude to adults who have demonstrated a commitment to young people and athletics in their parish or school community.  

The young athletes were presented with congratulatory medals and adults received commemorative pins. 

“I feel happy and honored,” said Helen Gevedon, one of the Youth Parish/School Sportsmanship Award recipients from Our Lady of Częstochowa School in Jersey City. Gevedon has been playing volleyball for the school team for the past two years.  

She said that she exemplifies Christian sportsmanship while on the athletic field through “respect [for] the other team and trying to be a good sport.” 

Carlo Reyes, one of the awardees from St. Michael School in Newark, said that practicing sportsmanship on the basketball court has been a challenge for him in the past, but he is proud to be recognized for improving. “Although I may slip up from time to time, following Christ's example, I always try to keep a fair and understanding attitude on and off the court." 

The recognition program was started in 2020 to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of young athletes and adult volunteers across the archdiocese, according to Tom Conboy, Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. In 2020, the ceremony was held remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions. This year marks the second year that the ceremony has been held in-person following the pandemic. 

“The CYO Sports Recognition Ceremony gives us the opportunity to honor our outstanding athletes who lead by example and embrace their faith on and off the competition field,” Conboy said. “It also allows us to thank our adult volunteers who give their [time and talent] to coach and lead these young people.” 


Youth and adults from archdiocesan sports programs were honored at a Mass on April 23, where they received honorary medals in recognition of their commitment to sportsmanship and discipleship.

The 2023 Archdiocesan Youth Parish/School Sportsmanship Award recipients are: 

Theodore Santos and Elizabeth Canela from All Saints Catholic Academy in Bayonne  

Jayden Mandio and Olivia Jesolosky from Saint Thomas the Apostle School in Bloomfield 

Elizabeth Bolen and Michael Maceri from Saint Catherine of Siena School in Cedar Grove 

Brais Santos from Saint Agnes Parish in Clark  

Alyssa Martel and Andrew Quiroz from Saint John the Apostle Parish in Clark 

Sparrow Smith and Eftihia Giannikos from Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest  

Tyler Glasgow and Vincent Horace from Saint Joseph School in East Orange  

Francesca Tompkins and Matthew Barrios from Saint Leo's School in Elmwood Park  

Oliver Storr and Robyn Milsap from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy in Tenafly 

Sebastian Kiselow-Sanchez from Saint Anne Parish in Fair Lawn 

Mario Fernandez and Analia Veliz from Academy of Our Lady of Grace in Fairview 

Sean Benneh and Lorenzo Guarino from Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Franklin Lakes 

Maeve Dorfler and Nathaniel Rodriguez from Academy of Our Lady in Glen Rock 

Simone Gambino and Shane Uglione from Our Lady of Victories Parish in Harrington Park 

Jacob Metcalfe and Charlize Robayo from Corpus Christi School in Hasbrouck Heights  

Emma Fowler and Tyler Parks from Saint John’s Parish in Hillsdale  

Brandon McMillan and Vivienne Ujhely from Hoboken Catholic Academy in Hoboken  

Shubham Baruwal and Chrissa Gumtang from Saint Joseph School in Jersey City  

Grace Curtis and Aine Britton from Saint Nicholas Parish in Jersey City  

Logan Geoghegan and Helena Gevedon from Our Lady of Częstochowa School in Jersey City  

Eve Forenza and Michael Adelson from Saint Theresa School in Kenilworth  

Josiah Emogene and Kyle Boyle from Aquinas Academy in Livingston  

Alice Cox and Gionni Valentin from Sacred Heart School in Lyndhurst  

Genet Sheridan and Brendan Kouyoumdjian from Saint Joseph's in Maplewood  

Colin Patterson and Juliana Natoli from Church of the Nativity in Midland Park  

Carlos Reyes and Jaylene Candelaria from Saint Michael School in Newark  

Gaven Clancy and Joseph Biro from Queen of Peace in North Arlington  

Giuliana Parelli and Noah Tan from Good Shepherd Academy in Nutley  

Sabrina Santee and Ikaika Moler from Saint Joseph School in Oradell  

Michael Lee and Gabrielle Magpantay from Notre Dame Academy in Palisades Park  

Laetitia Miksishado and Ryan Ditchfield-Agboh from Visitation Academy in Paramus  

Raegan Hynes and Jonathan Griffith from Our Lady of Mercy in Park Ridge  

Damien Moccia and Bridget Hardy from Koinonia Academy in Plainfield  

Brogan Facinelli and Lindsay Ursich from Saint Paul Academy in Ramsey  

Kyle McLaughlin and Abby Rostkowski from Saint Paul Parish in Ramsey  

Gabriella Winn and Gavin McCrone from Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Ridgewood  

Hunter Barone and Emma Yeandle from Saint Peter’s Academy in River Edge  

Gianna Leonardi and Marissa Ramos from Sacred Heart Church in Rochelle Park  

Aubrey Mitchell and Joshua Petit-Day from Saint Joseph the Carpenter School in Roselle  

Patrick Denney and AJ Skara from Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Scotch Plains  

Max Markho and Eliana Rotondo from Saint Bartholomew Academy in Scotch Plains  

Gabriel May and Crystelle Clitus from Saint Rose of Lima Church in Short Hills  

Christina Paul and Nora D'Andrea from Our Lady of Sorrows School in South Orange  

Gino Galasso and Sahmir Charles from Saint Michael’s Parish in Union  

Charles Grube and Margaret Faherty from Saint Cassian School in Upper Montclair  

Benjamin Peterson and Sofia Sobreiro from Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Verona  

Liam Mitchell and Luke Samet from Holy Trinity Parish in Westfield  

Sabrina Capati and Talan Lewis from Holy Trinity School in Westfield  

Peter Cabrales from Saint Helen Roman Catholic Church in Westfield  

Cole Wiecenski and Jake Casimiro from Saint Andrew Church in Westwood  

Connor Grasso and Clare McCarthy from Saint Elizabeth School in Wyckoff 

 

The 2023 Archdiocesan Adult Discipleship Award recipients are: 

Craig Largmann from All Saints Catholic Academy in Bayonne  

Victor Mandio from Saint Thomas the Apostle School in Bloomfield  

Thomas Bolen from Saint Catherine of Siena in Cedar Grove      

Robert Martel from Saint John the Apostle Parish in Clark  

Megan Delasandro from Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest  

Crystal Washington from Saint Joseph School in East Orange  

Michael Raleigh from Saint Leo's in Elmwood Park  

Marc Celli from Mount Carmel Academy in Tenafly      

Mario Fernandez from Our Lady of Grace in Fairview  

Alexander Esteban from Most Blessed Sacramet in Franklin Lakes  

Michael Branagh from Academy of Our Lady in Glen Rock  

Dominic Casamento from Our Lady of Victories in Harrington Park  

Jerry Drennan from Corpus Christi School in Hasbrouck Heights  

Brian Fowler from Saint John’s Parish in Hillsdale  

James McMillan from Hoboken Catholic Academy in Hoboken  

Anissa Manocchio from Saint Joseph School in Jersey City  

Mark Blanco from Saint Nicholas in Jersey City  

Ashley Coates from Our Lady of Częstochowa School in Jersey City   

Nicholas Eversley from Aquinas Academy in Livingston  

Michael Cox from Sacred Heart School in Lyndhurst  

Danielle Walsman from Saint Joseph's in Maplewood  

Michael Gerald from Nativity in Midland Park  

Nancy Haug from Saint Michael School in Newark 

Mary Biro from Queen of Peace in North Arlington  

Mark McCormack from Good Shepherd Academy in Nutley  

Suzanne McFadden from Saint Joseph School in Oradell  

Paul Concannon from Notre Dame Academy in Palisades Park  

Janina Bucher from Visitation Academy in Paramus  

Jo-Ann Robinson from Our Lady of Mercy in Park Ridge  

Marc Postiglione from Koinonia Academy in Plainfield  

Joseph Barbara from Saint Paul Academy in Ramsey  

Nicole Lahr from Saint Paul Parish in Ramsey  

Doug Schoeler from Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Ridgewood  

Tony Arturi from Saint Peters in River Edge  

Jorge Ramos from Sacred Heart Church in Rochelle Park  

Latoya Mitchell from Saint Joseph the Carpenter in Roselle  

Mr. and Mrs. Mike Marranca from Immaculate Heart of Mary in Scotch Plains  

Shannon Pacheco from Saint Bartholomew Academy in Scotch Plains  

Jerry Cuomo from Saint Rose of Lima in Short Hills  

Sara D'Andrea from Our Lady of Sorrows in South Orange  

Justin Galasso from Saint Michael in Union  

Catherine Grube from Saint Cassian School in Upper Montclair  

David Peterson from Our Lady of the Lake in Verona  

Paul Collins from Holy Trinity Parish in Westfield  

Matt Steinwald from Holy Trinity School in Westfield      

Bryan Wiecenski from Saint Andrews in Westwood  

Tim McCarthy from Saint Elizabeth School in Wyckoff