Villa Angela-St Joseph

Transcription

1 Overall (NCL) Record OHSAA DIVISION III STATE RUNNER-UP 7-4 (3-0) Game Number 12 Tuesday, January 24, 2017 Viking Village DAY OPPONENT TIME / RESULTS Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas Knights VASJ Vikings DECEMBER Tip-off: JANUARY THE SCHEDULE at Euclid Panthers W at Columbus Northland Vikings L Game Number 13 (Clark Kellogg Classic, Columbus, Oh.) Friday, January 27, 2017 at Lutheran East Falcons W at Cleveland Central Catholic High School CLEVELAND CENTRAL CATHOLIC IRONMEN ** W VASJ Vikings vs Benedictine Bengals L Cleveland Central Catholic Ironmen (Scholastic Play by Play Classic, Cleveland, Oh.) Tip-off: RICHMOND HEIGHTS SPARTANS W Game Number 14 Saturday, January 28, 2017 at The Nest - St Edward High School vs LaPorte (Ind.) La Lumiere Lakers L VASJ Vikings (Cancer Research Classic, Wheeling Jesuit Univ., Wheeling, W.Va.) St. Edward Eagles vs Fairfax (Va.) Paul VI Panthers L Tip-off: 7:30 PM (Burger King Classic, Cathedral Prep High School, Erie, Pa.) vs Erie (Pa.) Cathedral Prep Ramblers W (Burger King Classic, Cathedral Prep High School, Erie, Pa.) YOUNGSTOWN VALLEY CHRISTIAN EAGLES ** W at Trinity Trojans ** W LOUISVILLE ST. THOMAS AQUINAS KNIGHTS ** (Military Appreciation Night at Viking Village)+ at Cleveland Central Catholic Ironmen ** at St. Edward Eagles 7:30 PM at Warren John F. Kennedy Eagles ** FEBRUARY 3 at Youngstown Valley Christian Eagles ** 4 MENTOR CARDINALS 7 GILMOUR ACADEMY LANCERS 10 WARREN JOHN F. KENNEDY EAGLES ** 15 at Akron St. Vincent-St. Marty Fighting Irish 17 TRINITY TROJANS ** (VASJ Senior Night) 24 at Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas Knights ** 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM THIS WEEK IN THE VILLAGE A busy, difficult week for VASJ begins Jan. 24 at Viking Village. The Vikings take their current three-game winning streak into a home game against NCL White rival St. Thomas Aquinas to kick off a stretch of three games in five days. After the home game vs. the Knights, VASJ (7-4, 3-0 NCL) heads out on the road to play Cleveland Central Catholic on Jan. 27 and Division I power St. Edward on Jan. 28. St. Thomas Aquinas is 8-5 and 2-2 in league play coming off a loss at Cleveland Central Catholic on Jan. 20. The Knights have good size, led by Jaret Knox and Drew Duplin. Guards Michael Sommers and Logan Newman are also key contributors. VASJ routed a short-handed CCC team the first time the teams played, but the Ironmen have rebounded from early struggles to emerge with a 7-5 record and a 3-1 mark in the NCL White just behind the Vikings in the standings. Delshawn Jackson, Tyler Golphin and Miryne Thomas are all potent scorers for CCC. The Eagles welcome VASJ to the Nest in Lakewood for a top-tier independent matchup. St. Edward was held to 43 points in a loss to St. John s Jesuit in its last outing. Tommy Schmock, Kelvin Calhoun, Grant Huffman and Jack Sullivan are all steady contributors for Coach Eric Flannery. The road games at CCC and St. Edward also are the start of a four-game road trip for the Vikings that continues with NCL games at Warren JFK and Valley Christian. MARCH 3-4 OHSAA Sectional Tournament 6-11 OHSAA District Tournament OHSAA Regional Tournament OHSAA State Tournament ** - - North Coast League - White Division Game FOLLOW @RealChalkTalk For full schedules, statistics, and upcoming events of the VASJ Basketball team, visit and TBD TBD TBD TBD VIKES AT THE MIC It was good to be back home finally after playing some of the top teams in the country. It was a very-well officiated game. The referees should be commended because they let the kids play the game of basketball. We have big games coming up and the guys were focused and played hard tonight. - - Vikings Head Coach, Babe Kwasniak, following the win against Valley Christian on Jan. 17 Terrance Lawler, Jhalen Hill and Oliver Carson all played hard and brought a lot to the floor. I think the win at the Burger King Classic over Erie Prep was huge for us because after a brutal schedule it got us going again. We just need to maintain that level of effort and focus with this week coming up. - - Kwasniak, after the Vikings defeated Trinity on Jan 20

2 POLLS AND RANKINGS VASJ VIKINGS ROSTER CLEVELAND.COM / PLAIN DEALER (Janaury 23, 2017) # % Player Position Height Year Grade / Previos School 0 0 Alonzo Gaffney Forward 6-8 SO St. Jerome 1 St Ignatius Wildcats Chad Porter Forward 6-2 SR CVCA 2 Akron St Vincent-St Mary Fighting Irish Anthony Dinunzio Guard 5-11 JR Wickliffe Middle 3 St Edward Eagles Noah Guard 6-3 SR Mayfield Middle 4 Lorain Titans William Butler Guard/Forward 6-1 SR Our Lady of the Lake 5 Garfield Heights Bulldogs Terrance Lawler Guard 5-10 SR St. John of the Cross 6 Cleveland Heights Tigers Oliver Carson Guard 5-8 JR Hudson Middle 7 Akron Archbishop Hoban Knights Danny ** Forward 6-4 SR Forrest Park 8 Benedictine Bengals Andre ** Guard 5-9 SR St. Stanislaus 9 Holy Name Green Wave Jerry ** Guard 5-9 JR Wickliffe Middle 10 Copley Indians Stefan Weems Guard 5-8 JR Our Lady of the Lake Jordan Calhoun Guard 6-0 SO Saints Robert and William Jhalen Hill Center 6-3 SR Success Tech Academy NEWS-HERALD TOP OF THE CROP (January 20, 2017) Khalil Mitcham Center 6-5 SO Our Lady of the Lake Graham Koppelman Forward 6-3 SO Chardon Middle Mentor Cardinals Benedictine Bengals Brush Arcs Cornerstone Christian Patriots VASJ VIKINGS Madison Blue Streaks ** denotes VASJ captain # denotes uniform number, when Vikings wear BLACK/WHITE or BLUE uniforms % denotes uniform numbers, when Vikings wear RED and WHITE uniforms 7 Gilmour Academy Lancers Lake Catholic Cougars 6-5 Head Coach Babe Kwasniak ' 94 (7th season ) Hired May 4, Hawken Hawks Beachwood Bison 10-2 Assistant Coaches OHIO ASSOCIATED PRESS - DIVISION III (January 23, 2017) Managers Collin Green (Head Manager), Adam Stauffer (Manager) 1 Cincinnati Summit Country Day (13) Leavittsburg Labrae (4) Video Chris Harris 3 Oak Hill Versailles Haviland Wayne Trace Cincinnati Roger Bacon (2) Proctorville Fairland (1) Brookville OPP CLEVELAND VASJ VIKINGS Columbus Grandview Heights Euclid Others receiving 12 or more points: North Lima South Range 20. Martins Ferry VASJ VIKINGS STARTERS Northland Lutheran East Cleveland CC Benedictine Richmond Hts La Lumiere Paul VI Cathedral Prep Valley Christian Trinity St Thomas Aq Cleveland CC St Edward Warren JFK Valley Christian Mentor Gilmour Warren JFK Akron SVSM Trinity St Thomas Aq Tedd Kwasniak, Maurice Haynes '07, Ashen Ward '08, Rich, Gary Wilson, Anthony Turk '16 (Graduate Asst) Gaffney 1-0 Lawler Gaffney 1-1 Lawler Porter 2-1 Lawler Gaffney 3-1 Lawler Lawler Gaffney Gaffney Gaffney 4-3 Butler 4-4 Butler 5-4 Butler 6-4 Hill 7-4 Hill ** Hill ** Hill ** 5 Rec ** - Projected Starters

3 VASJ QUICK FACTS Location East 185th & Lakeshore Blvd, Cleveland, Ohio Founded Villa Angela (1878), St Joseph (1950) Federated in 1990 Affiliation Roman Catholic (Diocese of Cleveland) Conference North Coast League (White Division) Enrollment 447 (co-educational) Colors Columbia Blue and Scarlett Red Nickname Vikings Home Arena Viking Village Capacity 1,250 President Bill Cervenik Principal David Csank Athletic Director Nate Zavorek '94 Athletic Phone extension 224 Head Coach Babe Kwasniak '94 (7th season ) Assistant Coaches Tedd Kwasniak, Maurice Haynes '07, Ashen Ward '08, Rich, Gary Wilson, Anthony Turk '16 (Grad Asst.) Sports Information Liasion Bill Tilton VASJ Basketball - By The Numbers District Championships 30 Regional Championships 15 State Runner-ups 6 State Championships 6 NCAA Division I Players 48 NCAA Division II & III Players 38 NBA Players 5 European Professional Basketball Players 9 Basketball Players in the NFL 9 Located on the shores of Lake Erie, Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School began in July of 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 ( ) with Saint Joseph High School ( ). Villa Angela Academy was the oldest Catholic institution of learning in the Diocese of Cleveland, founded by the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland in 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 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. In 1989, the students of VASJ selected that same mascot and school colors for their new school. 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 VIKINGS SEASON PREVIEW SEASON BEGINS WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS BUT TEMPERED RESTRAINT The boys basketball season holds a lot of promise for the Villa Angela-St. Joseph Vikings. Coach Babe Kwasniak also is holding back any unrestrained and unrealistic expectations for VASJ until the Vikings can prove themselves worthy of the hype. VASJ closed last winter as the Division III state runner-up, losing in the state championship game to Lima Central Catholic with a team that not many thought would be in Columbus. It was a tremendous season of overachievement, and with the return of a few key pieces, the murmurs surrounding Viking Village are again loud and exciting. However, the leader of the team has reserved exuberance for his squad. If we re going to listen to people tell us how good we are, that would be as dumb as if we listened last year to people tell us how bad we were. That s what I am telling these guys, Kwasniak said. First of all, people are acting like we didn t lose anything when we lost a first team all-state player in Sherman Dean. We lose a kid from a leadership standpoint that took 28 charges and went to West Point in Jacob Stauffer. Kevin Roberts was a tremendous finisher for us. So we did lose some big pieces. I think last year was the last time we will be under the radar, which is what made last year so enjoyable. VASJ enters the campaign as a talented and experienced group, but with a schedule that is grueling to say the least and a long grind to get to the postseason. Junior point guard Jerry returns off a sophomore season in which he was named a Division III All-Ohio honorable mention selection. Freshman center Alonzo Gaffney will be counted on to produce on both sides of the court with scoring, rebounding and defending the paint. Senior swingman Danny is a versatile athlete and a leader who will see an increase in his role this winter. Kwasniak lauded senior Andre as one of the top on-the-ball defenders in the area. Noah is a dangerous 3-point shooter. Will Butler, Terrance Lawler and Chad Porter could be key role players for the Vikings this season as well as some younger players emerging with significant varsity minutes. The schedule for the Vikings includes games against Ohio heavyweights St. Edward, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, Mentor, Columbus Northland (Clark Kellogg Classic) and NCL White rival Cleveland Central Catholic. In addition, VASJ will travel to West Virginia in early January for the Cancer Research Classic Invitational to face the No. 1 team in the country in La Lumiere. Our schedule is as good as any team in the state of Ohio. It s not just a good Division III schedule, it is all the heavyweights in the regular season and then we play whoever they tell us to play in the tournament, Kwasniak said. Kwasniak likes the make-up of his team, including several players who have had a chance to grow and improve and experience success from their freshman season. When I think about this team one thing that is really irregular is we had so many guys who started on our freshman team. The reality is at this program usually guys will play up, so to have several of our core guys have that experience as starters on the freshman team is unique, Kwasniak said. The strength of the Vikings, aside from the obvious talent of and Gaffney, lies on the defensive side of the court. We have the ability to be as good defensively as we have been in a long time, Kwasniak said. Last year was our best defensive team since we have been here from a statistical standpoint and this year might be better. Defense will be our calling card, as well as our speed. We know what we have in Jerry, but will need Danny to be more aggressive. We need Alonzo to double his numbers from his freshman season. But, we also need to lock in and defend the daylights out of people and turn defense into offense.

4 HEAD COACH BABE KWASNIAK '94 Babe Kwasniak is a 1994 graduate of Villa Angela- St. 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 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 He coached the Armed Forces team to an international gold medal in Brussels, Belgium in 2001 and 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 In 2010, Kwasniak came back to VASJ and became the head basketball coach. He is assisted by his Hall of Fame Father, Tedd. Under Kwasniak the Vikings have won over 100 games and two state championship ( , and ). 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 VASJ VIKINGS ASSISTANT COACHES Tedd Kwasniak Coach Kwasniak says: My Dad is an iconic figure in the Viking Village. He has to be one of the only high school assistant coaches that head college coaches come to for advice. He is a pivotal part of our players development as young men. Every person in our program learns something from Coach Kwas every day. He has just as much impact on our coaches as he does our players. Ashen Ward '08 (Junior Varsity Head Coach) Coach Kwasniak says: Coach Ward has a magnetic enthusiasm that permeates throughout our program. I m excited to watch him take over our JV team after being with the Freshman the previous two years. He always has his finger on the pulse of our guys. He knows when they need to be pushed or when they need to be hugged. A former first team all state performer at VASJ, Coach Ash has a bright coaching future. Rich Coach Kwasniak says: I truly believe Coach is one of the best high school coaches in NE Ohio, just happens that we have him as an assistant on our staff. He has an astute attention to detail that manifests itself in the way we play. We talk all the time about outworking everyone, Coach Juice shows our players exactly what that looks like. Gary Wilson '94 (Assistant JV Coach) Coach Kwasniak says: The one word that best describes Coach Wilson is loyalty. His loyalty to our kids is always his first priority. I ve been blessed to coach with him for the last 7 years and call him a friend for the last 25 years. No one has ever been prouder to be a part of our program (player or coach) than Gary Wilson. If you cut him open he would bleed red and baby blue. Maurice Haynes '07 (Freshman Head Coach) Coach Kwasniak says: I m ecstatic about Mo taking over our Freshman Team. Mo was a great player at VASJ and played in college for Viking Legend Coach Mike Moran at John Carroll. Coach Haynes will team up with our graduate assistant coach (Anthony Turk) to teach our kids the Viking Way. Anthony Turk '16 (Graduate Assistant) Collin Green (Head Manager) Adam Stauffer (Manager) Chris Harris (Manager) Tonica Johnson (Academic Advisor)

5 COVERING THE VIKINGS VIKINGS NEWS, NOTES, & HEADLINES VARSITY CHALK TALK 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. 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. 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. 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. Student-athletes and coaches are available for interview before or after practice when arranged through the VASJ Atheltic Department or Sports Information Liaison. POST-GAME INTERVIEW POLICY 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. GRAND SLAM FOR TEDD KWASNIAK VASJ assistant coach Tedd Kwasniak is now a trivia question answer. Kwasniak is the only coach in Ohio to be on the bench for a state championship in ALL FOUR divisions. Kwasniak was an assistant on the Vikings D-I state title team in 1991 and the D-II state championship team in He has been an assistant for his son as the Vikings have won state titles in 2013 (D-IV) and 2015 (D-III). He was the head coach for the Vikings Division III 1997 state qualifying team and was an assistant on the 2014 and 2016 state runner-up squads. BUTLER EARNS NEWS-HERALD POW VASJ senior guard Will Butler has been named player of the week by the News-Herald after his performance in a win at Lutheran East on Dec. 9. Butler came off the bench to score 19 points and dish out five assists. He also went 8 of 8 at the foul line, including crucial free throws in the fourth quarter of a tight game. GAFFNEY MATCHES PARDON Sophomore forward Alonzo Gaffney recorded doubledoubles in back to back games this season * 13 points, 13 rebounds vs Col Northland * 16 points, 11 rebounds vs Lutheran East Gaffney is the first Viking to record back to back double-doubles since Dererk Pardon in the spring of 2015, when he did it in three consecutive games MAKING THE GRADE VASJ is getting it done in the classroom as well as on the hardwood. Coach Babe Kwasniak announced on Twitter that the team earned a 3.36 GPA for the second quarter. SHINING ON ESPN Despite losing to the #1 team in the country on ESPN earlier this month, junior guard Jerry HIggins had an impressive game against the LaLumiere Lakers. dropped in 16 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, leading the Vikings in both categories. McGARRY PICKS UP A WEEKLY AWARD Senior forward Danny has been selected as a player of the week by the News-Herald. In a win over Euclid, scored 16 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, dished out five assists and had three blocks. He is the first Viking to lead team in all four categories in a game since Duane Gibson in McGARRY SHADOWS PARDON Senior Danny grabbed 15 rebounds in a win over the Euclid Panthers on Dec. 2. His is the first Vikings player to clear the glass 15 or more times in a single game since March 21, 2015, when Dererk Pardon ( now at Northwestern) had 18 against Youngstown Ursuline. DOUBLE - DOUBLE TO START THE SEASON The Vikings have started the season with a player recording a double-double in each of the first four games. Danny has a 16 point-15 rebound game vs Euclid on Dec. 2; plus a 20 point-13 board game vs CCC. And Alonzo Gaffney had a 13/13 slash line in a loss to Columbus Northland on Dec. 3 followed by a 16/11 game vs Lutheran East NEW TEAMS AND PLENTY OF SKILL COMING TO 2017 BURGER KING CLASSIC The 34th version of this tournament, the Burger King Basketball Classic will tip off in Erie on Friday, January 13th and Saturday, January 14th, 2017 at the Joann Mullen Gymnasium at the Prep and Villa Events Center. This year s tournament features two schools making their first trip to town and another from down the road that is trying to win another championship. The event continues to garner the attention of the top high school websites in the country, as MaxPreps and Hoops USA called the Burger King Classic the number one fourteam tournament in the nation. The field for the 2017 Classic is complete with programs that have had great success at the state and national level and features a slew of players that are attracting the attention of college coaches nationally. On the first night on Friday, January 13th at 6pm, Villa Angela-St. Joe s will be making their fifth trip to the Classic and they are searching for their second tourney title. VASJ will match up with a strong national power on night one. Paul VI has won three state championships in Virginia since 2009 and is coming off a 20-win season. With 65 players having gone through this program earning a college basketball scholarship and 13 grads that have played professionally, Paul VI is always one of the top programs in the land. The 7:30pm nightcap will have Westerville South from Ohio against the host school Cathedral Prep. Making a return to the Classic for the 34th straight year will be the host Cathedral Prep Ramblers, a three-time winner of this event.

6 WILDCAT IMPACT DERERK PARDON'S VICTORIOUS RETURN TO COLUMBUS Northwestern sophomore Dererk Pardon contributed two points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks as the Wildcats won at Ohio State for the first time in 40 years with a victory. Pardon (2015 VASJ graduate)is certaintly comfortable playing at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus as he returned to the venue where he helped VASJ win the 2015 Division III state championship as a senior. He was named final four MVP for his performance in the Vikings semifinal and final wins that March. Pardon is averaging 7.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and almost 3 blocks per game for Northwestern this season. VIKINGS NEWS, NOTES, & HEADLINES MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT AT VIKING VILLAGE.The Ohio High School Athletic Association has been encourages all Ohio high schools to take part in a statewide military appreciation night at a home game in January 20, and the VASJ Vikings will honoring active and veteran United States Armed Forces members at athletic contests on January 27 at Viking Village. Education-based athletics in the great state of Ohio are far more than winning and losing, OHSAA assistant commissioner Jerry Snodgrass said. High school athletics encompass everyone. They are a school and community event. This entire school involvement helps develop student leaders on the courts and fields of play as well as in the classrooms and student groups that support their teams. This initiative is designed to emphasize these great student leaders in our schools and their support for our military. FIVE PLAYERS IN DOUBLE FIGURE On January 20, the VASJ Vikings had five players reach double figure in the win over the Trinity Trojans. Noah (15 points), Alonzo Gaffney (14), Terrance Lawler (11), Jhalen Hill (11) and danny (10). It was the first time in nearly TWO years that the Vikings had five players reach double figures. The last time was on January 30, 2015 in a win over the Holy Name Green Wave. The Vikings had some familiar names carry the team that night. Dererk Pardon (16 points), Carlton Bragg (15), Tre'von Williams (12), Brian Parker (11), and Simon Texidor (10). With plenty of friends, family and current Vikings on hand to watch in Columbus on Jan. 22, it was especially sweet for Pardon to be part of a win over the Buckeyes as Ohio State was not one of the schools who recruited Pardon in high school. More history could await Pardon and the Wildcats, as the school looks for its first-ever trip to the NCAA Basketball Tournament in March. 'GUINS PLAY FOR TITLE TRE'VON WILLIAMS '15 AND YOUNGSTOWN STATE FALL IN FCS TITLE GAME TO JAMES MADISON James Madison won its second Football Championship Subdivision title, beating Youngstown State on Saturday, January 7. The four-time champion YSU Penguins (12-4), who finished their second season with Youngstown native Bo Pelini as their coach, made it to the title game for the first time since Their four titles came during the 1990s under Jim Tressel, now the school's president after winning a national championship at Ohio State in VASJ alumni Tre'von Williams is a sophomore wide receiver for the nationally ranked Penguins In the home game against St. Thomas Aquinas, the Vikings will honor military members through public address announcements, designating military members as honorary captains, and dance and band performances that will honor our armed forces. Student sections can play a role in this event with creative themes that will honor military members while also showing school pride. The students can submit pictures and videos of their themes to the OHSAA and be considered for the 2017 OHSAA Battle for the Golden Megaphone contest by posting content to Twitter and Instagram, using #GoldenMegaphone. VASJ head coach Babe 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. CAREER HIGH FOR A TRIO OF VIKINGS In the win over the Trinity Trojans on Janaury 20, three Vikings set personal bests in scoring. * Terrance Lawler - 11 points * Jhalen Hill - 11 points * Oliver Carson - 6 points GAFFNEY FINDING HIS SHOTTING STROKE Sophomore forward Alonzo Gaffney, who is averaging 13.5 points per game, has posted four consecutive games in double figures. Gaffney is averaging almost 16 points per game over the four-game span. * 20 points vs Fairfax (Va.) Paul VI * 11 vs Erie (Pa.) Cathedral Prep * 17 vs Youngstown Valley Christian * 14 vs Trinity SEASON HIGHS VS TRINITY The VASJ Vikings posted a victory over Trinity on January 20, and the 91 points is a season high for the Vikings. Also, the 37 made field goals is a season high for the Vikings, and the fourth time this year VASJ has made 30 or more shots from the floor. MOVING THE BASKETBALL The Vikings has not only been piling up the points over the last two games, the team is also moving the basketball to generate the open shots. VASJ has tallied 53 assists on the 69 made field goals in the last two games - or a 77% rate of all made shots had an assist with it. OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT HAS HELPED THE VIKINGS After 11 games, the VASJ Vikings are 7-4 on the season, but a closer examination of the record shows that all four losses have come at Showcase Events. Playing regional teams - either at home or on the road - the Vikings are 6-0

7 ANOTHER VIKING ABOARD VASJ GRAD MAURICE HAYNES '07 HAS JOINED THE COACHING STAFF FOR THE SEASON Another Viking has returned to the Village. Maurice Haynes, who was a member of two state final four boys basketball teams in 2006 and 2007, has been added to the VASJ staff by Coach Babe Kwasniak for the upcoming season. Haynes, a 2007 graduate who went on to play for former Viking coach Mike Moran at John Carroll University, will coach freshmen basketball and assist with the varsity. It has been a while since I have been back at the school and in the Village and I wanted to wait until the time was right and with Coach Kwasniak and the way he puts the kids first ahead of even basketball I know this was the right time, Haynes said. I learned a lot from my time at the Village as a player and from every coach I played for or coached with and I want to bring that to the position I am so thankful to be in now. VASJ is a special place and you look around and the memories come back and I want these guys to experience what I did as a player. As a player, Haynes was part of the 2006 Division III state runner-up team that lost to Cincinnati North College Hill. In Haynes helped lead the Vikings back to Columbus as a senior on the final four squad. Haynes went on to play at JCU for Coach Moran and was a standout rebounder and defender for the Blue Streaks. One thing I want to do is emphasize to the kids that they can play to their strength. In my case, I wasn t a great scorer, but I could rebound and defend and block shots, Haynes said. It doesn t take a lot of talent to rebound or defend, you just have to have heart and effort and will. I want to pass along to the guys the will and the want to be tough and physical. It won t happen with every player, but hopefully it will get through to most of the guys. VASJ is coming off a 2016 Division III state runner-up finish, and Kwasniak is extremely certain that the addition of Haynes to an already stellar staff will strengthen the coaching lineup and lineage the Vikings have on board. He is an asset not only because he played here at VASJ, but also played at JCU for Coach Moran, Kwasniak said of Haynes. It really gives all of our coaches the same lineage. After we won both of our state titles (20013, 2015), I can recall Mo texting me saying how proud he was to be a Viking. That has always stayed with me. It was Ashen (Ward s) idea to get him re-engaged and he is going to be a great addition. Haynes, 27, is a supervisor for the United States Postal Office. He played with VASJ assistant coach Ashen Ward on the 2006 and 2007 state final four teams. VIKING VOYAGE TO THE NCAA Carlton BRAGG Kansas University (Sophomore) Sherman DEAN, III Villa Angela-St Joseph '16 Hiram College (Freshman) Demonte FLANNIGAN Villa Angela-St Joseph '13 University of Evansville (Senior) Duane GIBSON Villa Angela-St Joseph '13 University of Evansville (R-Jr) Tremayne HARVELL Notre Dame College (Sophomore) Ryan HOOPER Villa Angela-St Joseph '11 Marquette University Mo JOHNSON Mt Union University (Freshman) Dererk Pardon is standing tall in the middle of the Wildcats offense and PARDON defensive sets. He is averaging 7 points and 7 rebounds per game this season and leads the teams in blocked shots with 16 Northwestern University (Sophomore) in six games. Brian PARKER Marist College (Sophomore) Jacob STAUFFER Villa Angela-St Joseph '16 U.S. Military Academy (Freshman) Simon TEXIDOR College of Wooster (Sophomore) Bragg has appeared in 13 games for the #3-ranked Kansas Jayhawks. Bragg is averaging 16 minutes per game, shooting 52% from the floor. Bragg is averaging 7 points and 6 rebounds per game. Dean has played in 10 of the 11 games for the Terriers this season. He is averaging 3 points per game and has knocked down 10 of 20 three-point field goals this season. Flannigan is the lone senior on the CSU team; he is averaging 12 points per game. He is grabbing 5.5 rebounds per game and shooting 50% from the floor. He had 18 points vs Milwaukee. Gibson is bouncing back from an injury-shortened season, starting all 13 games for the Purple Aces. He is averaging 5 points per game. Harvell plays defensive back for the Falcons, who finished the season with a 9-2 record. The Falcons finished ranked #10 in the Super Region 1 and third in the Mountain East Conference. Hooper is the Student Manager for the Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball team. Marquette is off to 10-4 start this season, with four returning starters from last year's team. Johnson is a freshman on the Purple Raiders basketball team after attending Hillcrest Prep for one year. Johnson will have a double major in marketing and psychology. Parker is 2nd on the team in scoring, averaging 13.5 points. He also is first with 4 assists per game. Parker leads the team in rebounds, grabbing 6.5 boards per contest, for the Red Foxes. Stauffer was a three-sport letterwinner at VASJ (TE in football, PF in basketball, and discus thrower in the field events) and will be a member of the Cadet's Track and Field team in the Spring of 2017 Texidor is a key component off the bench for the nationallyranked Fighting Scots. Texidor is averaging 3 points per game and is shooting 31% from behind the arc early in seven games Tre'von Williams is a wide receiver for the nationally-ranked YSU WILLIAMS Penguins. The Penguins will play for the FCS Championship on Sat. Jan 7 in Frisco, Texas, against James Madison Univ Youngstown State Univ. (Sophomore)

8 VIKINGS TRENDS THE LAST TIME FOR THE VIKINGS... At Home (Viking Village) 3-0 TEAM ASSISTS On The Road 3-0 Scored 100+ points 1/29/ vs Benedictine 8 assists in game 3/9/16 - G (9) vs Newton Falls At Neutral Site 1-4 Scored 90+ points 1/20/17-91 vs Trinity 9 assists in game 3/9/16 - G (9) vs Newton Falls In Day Games 0-1 Scored 50+ points in half 1/29/15-61 (1st half) vs Benedictine 10 assists in game 2/26/16 - G (10) vs Kirtland In Night Games 5-3 Scored under 60 points 12/3/16-49 vs Columbus Northland 12 assists in game 3/6/15 - M Johnson (12) vs Cleveland MLK On Weekdays (Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri) 6-3 Scored under 50 points 12/3/16-49 vs Columbus Northland 8 assists in back-to-back games 2/20/16 & 2/26/16 - G On Weekends (Sat, Sun) 1-1 Scored under 25 points in half 1/6/17-13 (2nd) vs LaLumiere 8 vs Cleveland CC and 10 vs Kirtland Shot 60%+ FG 1/15/16-60% (30-50) vs Trinity When Leading At Halftime 6-1 Shot 50%+ FG 1/20/17-56% (37-66) vs Trinity When Trailing At Halftime 1-3 Shot 80%+ FT (min 8 FTA) 3/4/16-80% (8-10) vs Beachwood BLOCKS When Tied At Halftime 0-0 Had 8 or fewer turnovers 1/6/ vs LaLumiere 5 blockes in a game 12/9/16 - D (5) vs Lutheran East In Overtime Games 0-0 Had 10 or fewer turnovers 12/16/ vs Cleveland CC 7 blocks in a game 3/28/15 - D Pardon (9) vs Lima CC Had 20+ assists 1/20/ vs Trinity 10 blocks in a game information is unavailable When Shooting 50% or Better From Field 3-0 Had 7+ blocks 12/9/16-10 vs Lutheran East When Shooting Under 50% From Field 4-4 Overtime Game 1/26/13 - WIN vs Martinsburg (WV) When Shooting 40% or Better From 3 Point Line 3-0 Double Overtime Game STEALS When Shooting Under 40% From 3 Point Line steals in a game 1/20/17 - A (6) vs Trinity When Shooting 75% or Better From Free Throw Line steals in a game 1/20/17 - A (6) vs Trinity When Shooting Under 75% From Free Throw Line 6-2 INDIVIDUAL SCORING 6 steals in a game 1/20/17 - A (6) vs Trinity Scored 40+ points information is unavailable When Having More Assists Than Turnovers 6-1 Scored 30+ points 2/6/16 - G (30) vs Mentor When Having A 2:1 or Better Assist to Turnover Ratio 2-1 Scored 25+ points 2/6/16 - G (30) vs Mentor When Having More Turnovers Than Assists 1-4 Scored 20+ points 1/14/17 - J (21) & A Gaffney (20) vs Paul IV FOULS Scored 20+ points in back-to-back games 1/16 and 1/22 - S Dean Player Fouled Out 3/22/14 - Pardon & Johnson vs Lima CC When Having 20 or more total Rebounds points vs Trinity & 23 points vs Benedictine 2 Players Fouled Out 3/22/14 - Pardon & Johnson vs Lima CC When Having 30 or more total Rebounds 5-1 Scored 20+ points in 3 consecutive games info unavailable 3 Players Fouled Out When Having 40 or more total Rebounds 1-0 Two players with 20+ points 1/14/16 - J & A Gaffney Technical Foul vs Fairfax Paul IV. (21) and Gaffney (20) When Having 5 or more total Blocks 2-0 Three players with 10+ points 1/20/17 vs Trinity (15), Gaffney (14), Lawler (11), Hill (11), (10) When The Vikings Score Under 40 Points 0-0 Four players with 10+ points 1/20/17 vs Trinity FIELD GOALS When The Vikings Score Points 0-2 (15), Gaffney (14), Lawler (11), Hill (11), (10) Made 8 FG in game 12/30/16 - A Gaffney (10) vs Richmond Hts When The Vikings Socre Points 0-1 Five players with 10+ points 1/20/17 vs Trinity Made 10 FG in game 1/14/17 - J (10) vs Fairfax Paul VI When The Vikings Score Points 2-1 (15), Gaffney (14), Lawler (11), Hill (11), (10) Made 12 FG in game information is unavailable When The Vikings Score Points 4-0 Attempted 12 FG in game 1/17/17 - A Gaffney (14) vs Valley Christian When The Vikings Score 80-plus Points 1-0 Attempted 15 FG in game 1/14/17 - J (19) vs Fairfax Paul VI REBOUNDING Attempted 18 FG in game 1/14/17 - J (19) vs Fairfax Paul VI When The Opponent Score Under 40 Points rebounds 1/14/17 - D (10) vs Fairfax Paul IV When The Opponent Score Points rebounds 12/2/16 - D (15) vs Euclid When The Opponent Socre Points rebounds 3/21/15 - D Pardon (18) vs Ursuline 3-POINT FIELD GOALS When The Opponent Score Points rebounds in back-to-back games 12/3 & 12/9 A Gaffney Made 4 3FG in game 1/20/17 - N (5) vs Trinity When The Opponent Score Points rebounds vs Euclid, and 11 rebounds vs Lutheran East Made 6 3FG in game 12/16/16 - W Butler (7) vs Cleve CC When The Opponent Score 80-plus Points rebounds in 3 consecutive games 2/14, 2/15 & 2/21 - D Pardon Made 8 3FG in game information is unavailable 14 rebs vs St Thomas Aquinas, 11 vs St Ignatius, 11 vs St Edward Attempted 8 3FG in game 1/20/17 - N (10) vs Trinity In Games Decided By 3 Points Or Less 1-1 Attempted 10 3FG in game 1/20/17 - N (10) vs Trinity In Games Decided By 4 to 10 Points 1-1 Double-Double 12/16/16 - D vs Cleveland CC (20/13) Attempted 12 3FG in game 1/6/17 - W Butler (12) vs LaLumeire In Games Decided By 11 to 20 Points 0-1 (13 points / 13 rebounds) In Games Decided By 20 or More Points 5-1 Triple-Double 12/14/13 - B Parker vs Euclid (24 points / 10 assists / 10 rebounds) In December Games 4-2 Back to Back Double-Doubles 12/3/16 and 12/9/16 A Gaffney FREE THROWS In January Games 3-2 vs Northland (13-13) and vs Lutheran East (16-11) Made 5 FT in game 12/27/16 - G (7) vs Benedictine In February Games players with Double-Doubles 12/13/14 vs Euclid Made 8 FT in game 12/9/16 - W Butler (8) vs Lutheran East In March Games 0-0 C Bragg (30-13), D Pardon (16-14) Made 10 FT in game 1/19/15 - C Bragg (11) vs Oak Hill 20 points & 10 rebounds 12/16/16 vs Cleveland CC - D Attempted 10 FT in game 12/9/16 - A Gaffney (10) vs Lutheran East Vs The NCL-Blue 0-1 Back to back 20/10 3/7/14 & 3/13/14 - C Bragg Attempted 12 FT in game 1/24/15 - C Bragg (12) vs MacDuffie (Mass.) Vs The NCL-White 3-0 vs Warrensville (27 pts / 13 reb) & Canton CC (22 / 11) Attempted 15 FT in game 3/7/14 - C Bragg (17) vs Warrensville Vs Greater Cleveland Conference 1-0 Vs Chagrin Valley Conference - Valley 1-0 Vs Columbus City League - North 0-1 MINUTES PLAYED (when stat is available) Vs Independents mins played 3/19/16 - G (31) & S Dean III (31) vs Lima CC Vs Out of State Opponents mins played 12/6/14 - D Pardon (32) & C Bragg (32) vs A-B Carroll

9 VIKINGS REWIND VIKINGS EXTEND WINNING STREAK TO THREE GAMES DOMINATE TWO NCL RIVALS VIKINGS SEASON STATS THROUGH 11 GAMES VASJ 78, VALLEY CHRISTIAN 51 VASJ returned to Viking Village on Jan. 17 with an emphatic win over Valley Christian in an NCL White Division game. The Vikings played a solid game at home for the first time in 2017, led by sophomore Alonzo Gaffney s 17 points, junior point guard Jerry 14 and senior captain Danny s 13. Senior guard William Butler scored three points, but played a strong game overall. Will Butler did a lot of things well and was able to spread the floor for the rest of the team, VASJ coach Babe Kwasniak said. It was good to be back home finally after playing some of the top teams in the country. It was a very-well officiated game. The referees should be commended because they let the kids play the game of basketball. We have big games coming up and the guys were focused and played hard tonight. VASJ (6-4) played top-ranked La Lumiere and Paul VI (top 10 nationally ranked) over the last few weeks. This was the first home game for the Vikings since VASJ defeated Richmond Heights on Dec. 30. PLAYER 15 Jerry 0 Alonzo Gaffney 5 William Butler 12 Danny 4 Noah 14 Andre 3 Anthony Dinunzio 10 Terrance Lawler 1 Chad Porter 23 Jhalen Hill 21 Stefan Weems 33 Khalil Mitcham 11 Oliver Carson 35 Graham Koppelman 22 Jordan Calhoun TOTALS GP FG-FGA 3FG-3FGA FT-FTA Tot Pts PPG Asst Off-Def-REB Stl/Blk* (52%) 6-17 (38%) (85%) (3.8) (3.7) (43%) 1-5 (20%) (53%) (1.1) (6.2) 17* (37%) (35%) (80%) (3.1) (2.9) (58%) (85%) (3.0) (9.0) 14* (32%) (31%) (1.1) (1.4) (43%) 3-9 (33%) 6-6 (100%) (1.7) (2.1) (80%) 2-9 (22%) (0.7) (1.2) (38%) 8-21 (38%) 4-8 (50%) (2.1) (1.7) (56%) 2-9 (22%) (0.7) (1.2) (59%) (28%) (0.6) (2.2) (25%) 2-5 (40%) 2-3 (67%) (0.3) (1.0) (100%) (0.5) (40%) 2-8 (25%) 1-2 (50%) (0.3) (0.5) (67%) 2-3 (67%) (1.2) (25%) (50%) (1.1) (0.2) (45%) (33%) (67%) (16.6) (29.5) 109 / 39 VASJ 91, TRINITY 53 Numbers don t always tell the story of a basketball game, but there were some very important numbers that came out of VASJ s win over host Trinity on Jan Vikings played and scored in the victory. 3 Three VASJ players recorded career highs in points in Terrance Lawler, Jhalen Hill and Oliver Carson. It was also the third win in a row for the Vikings, who improved to 7-4 on the season and have three huge games coming up next week vs. St. Thomas Aquinas, Cleveland Central Catholic and at St. Edward. VASJ is also now 3-0 in NCL White Division play and on top of the conference standings. We had three guys with career highs and everybody who played scored so there was a lot of good that came out of this game, VASJ coach Babe Kwasniak said. Terrance Lawler, Jhalen Hill and Oliver Carson all played hard and brought a lot to the floor. I think the win at the Burger King Classic over Erie Prep was huge for us because after a brutal schedule it got us going again. We just need to maintain that level of effort and focus with this week coming up. Lawler hit three 3s and finished with 11 points. Hill started and also scored 11, eight in the first quarter. Carson had six points in the fourth quarter for the Vikings. VASJ vs OPPONENT 1 Euclid 2 Northland 3 Lutheran East 4 Cleveland CC 5 Benedictine 6 Richmond Hts 7 La Lumiere 8 Paul IV 9 Cathedral Prep 10 Valley Christian 11 Trinity 12 St Thomas Aquinas 13 Cleveland CC 14 St Edward 15 Warren JFK 16 Valley Christian 17 Mentor 18 Gilmour 19 Warren JFK 20 Akron SVSM 21 Trinity 22 St Thomas Aquinas GP FG-FGA 3FG-3FGA FT-FTA Tot Pts Asst TO OFF-DEF-Reb Stl/Blk* (41%) 4-15 (27%) (77%) / (27%) 5-21 (24%) 6-11 (55%) / (55%) 3-10 (30%) (74%) / (49%) (30%) 2-6 (33%) / (48%) 4-14 (29%) (71%) / (44%) 8-26 (31%) 6-10 (60%) / (28%) 9-26 (35%) 3-4 (75%) / (46%) 4-20 (20%) 3-4 (75%) / (43%) 3-16 (19%) 5-9 (56%) / (52%) 6-15 (40%) 6-9 (67%) / (56%) (43%) 5-10 (50%) / 6 Lawler also had a career-high six assists. Hill added nine rebounds and three assists in the win also both career highs. TOTALS (45%) (33%) (67%) 747 (67.9) / 39 Noah hit five triples and finished with 15 for VASJ. Alonzo Gaffney added 14 points and Danny chipped in 10 for the Vikings, who rolled to a lead at the half nd were never threatened in the second half.

10 VASJ VIKINGS PLAYER PROFILES 0 ALONZO GAFFNEY 3 ANTHONY DINUNZIO Sophomore Height: 6-8 Junior Height: 5-11 Forward Red/White Jesery: 0 Guard Red/White Jesery: 31 Coach Kwasniak says: We will need Zo to make a big jump from last year in order to compete against elite competition. He is working on utilizing his size and speed to best help us score and defend. He has come a long way and has a long way to go. Due to who has gone before Zo I feel like he gets some hefty expectations. I m most proud of his progress in the classroom Season * Double-Double vs Columbus Northland on Dec. 3 (13 & 13) * Double-Double vs Lutheran East on Dec. 9 (16 & 11) * Posted a 17 point / 7 rebound game vs Benedictine on Dec. 27 * Led team in scoring vs Richmond Hts - 21 points * 21 points on 9 of 11 shooting vs Paul VI * Posted a 17 point / 7 rebound game vs Valley Christian on Jan. 17 Coach Kwasniak says: A hard working neighborhood kid who can shoot. Anthony is another exemplary student who embodies our program (consistently a first honor student). We will need our junior class to emerge as leaders if we are to make another deep tournament run Season * Scored a career-high 5 points vs Cleveland Central Catholic * Matched a career-high 5 point vs Valley CHristian on Jan CHAD NOAH PORTER 4 NEWLON Senior Height: 6-2 Senior Height: 6-3 Forward Red/White Jesery: 1 Guard Red/White Jesery: 3 Coach Kwasniak says: Chad is a senior that has just been a joy to coach. He s the type of kid I think differentiates our program, for Chad it s always about the team. Chad is a high level student that will have a chance to play soccer in college. This young man has the it factor. He will be successful I can t wait to watch him take off. Coach Kwasniak says: Noah hit some enormous shots for us in last year s state tournament. He has come along way since starting for our freshman team 4 years ago. Noah is as fundamentally sound as anyone I ve ever coached at VASJ and consistently a first honor student. Those are great things for our underclassman to emulate Season * 90% of his FGs this season are from behind the arc * Season-high 15 points vs Trinity on 5-10 shooting behind arc

11 VASJ VIKINGS PLAYER PROFILES 5 WILLIAM OLIVER BUTLER 11 CARSON Senior Height: 6-1 Junior Height: 5-8 G / F Red/White Jesery: 5 Guard Red/White Jesery: 11 Coach Kwasniak says: Will is a versatile player, we will utilize him at all 5 positions at some point this year. I love coaching CYO kids like Will (Our Lady of the Lake). Will is arguably our most skilled player, his ball skills and IQ will be invaluable for us this year Season * Led team in scoring vs Lutheran East on Dec points, was 8-8 from the free throw line * Earned News-Herald Player of the Week honors for game vs Lutheran East Coach Kwasniak says: Ollie is not going to pass the airport test in terms of looking like a great player. However the intangibles he brings is what our program values. Being a good teammate, heart, the desire to be part of something all things that we see that can t be measured like height and weight. Ollie is also honor roll student Season * Scored a career-high 6 points vs Trinity on Jan TERRANCE DANNY LAWLER 12 McGARRY Senior Height: 5-10 Senior Height: 6-4 Guard Red/White Jesery: 10 CAPTAIN Forward Red/White Jesery: 12 Coach Kwasniak says: Terrance is a rugged defender that will be able to provide needed leadership to our young guys. Like Butler and, Terrance grew up watching guys like Johnson, Texidor, Pardon, Parker, Bragg, Grudzinski and developed their habits. I ve loved coaching this young man for the last 4 years Season * Scored a career-high 11 points vs Trinity on Jan. 20 Coach Kwasniak says: Danny surreptitiously had a break out year last season. He might not be our best guy in any one category, but he might be our best all around player and our motor. Danny plays the game with a fire and passion---the way the game should be played. As a 6th grader I told Danny I would coach him in Columbus, we have done that twice already. Watching this young man turn into the leader he has become has been special. Coaching as many kids as I have has been one of my favorite aspects of coaching at VASJ Season: * Named News-Herald Player of Week on Dec 4. * On Dec 2 against Euclid, pouring in 16 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out five assists and had three blocked shots * Had 16 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 blocks vs Lutheran East. Was 7-7 from the field vs the Falcons * Collected 10 rebounds vs Richmond Hts on Dec. 30 * Grabbed 10 rebounds vs Paul VI on Jan. 13 * Posted 13 points and 6 rebounds vs Valley Christian on Jan 17 * Filled up stat sheet vs Trinity on Jan points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 block shots

12 VASJ VIKINGS PLAYER PROFILES 14 CAPTAIN ANDRE GEORGE 21 STEFAN WEEMS Senior Height: 5-9 Junior Height: 5-8 Guard Red/White Jesery: 14 Guard Red/White Jesery: 21 Coach Kwasniak says: Dre was voted a captain by his peers, a great tribute if you know how quiet of a kid he is. He leads by example and gets it done in the classroom and on the floor. Andre could be as good of an on the ball defender as there is in the city. That element will be crucial to our success. As a freshman Coach told me this young man was going to help us, wow was he ever accurate Season: * Recorded a career-high 7 steals vs Richmond Hts on Dec. 30 * Posted 6 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds vs Valley Christian on Jan 17 Coach Kwasniak says: Stef has a solid season our our JV squad last year. He s a quick guard that can give us some stability. Another quality student, Stef was on the honor roll this past quarter. On good teams every kid not only knows but embraces his role, we need Stef to do just that Season: * Scored a career-high 5 points vs Valley Christian on Jan CAPTAIN JERRY HIGGINS JORDAN 22 CALHOUN Junior Height: 5-9 Sophomore Height: 6-0 Guard Red/White Jesery: 15 Guard Red/White Jesery: 50 Coach Kwasniak says: The Waterbug has really improved his skill set, I m excited for him to display how much better I think he has made himself. In our district finals he made an acrobatic shot to beat Beachwood at the buzzer last year, a play that will be forever remembered in VASJ history. Like all the great ones Gene wanted the ball in his hands when it mattered the most. He wasn t afraid to fail. I love that. has some Tony Miller, Desmond Howard, Reggie Adams, Brian Parker in him. He s our catalyst, we will go as he goes. He hovers around a 4.0 and puts the student in student-athlete. Jordan is getting his first crack at varsity as a sophomore, not easy to do at the Viking Village. He is uber-talented and needs to learn how to control the tempo of a game. We are expecting big things from him Season: * Scored 15 points vs Euclid in the season opener * Missed two straight games with a leg injury * Shot 88% (7-8) from FT vs Benedictine on Dec. 27 * Swiped 8 steals vs. Richmond Hts on Dec. 30 * Scored 16 points and grabbed 6 rebounds vs #1 LaLumiere on ESPN * Had a 22 point, 3 assist, 3 rebound slash line vs Paul VI * Scored 14 points - team high - vs Valley Christian

13 VASJ VIKINGS PLAYER PROFILES 23 JHALEN GRAHAM HILL 35 Senior Height: 6-3 Sophomore Height: 6-3 Center Red/White Jesery: 23 Forward Red/White Jesery: 35 KOPPELMAN Coach Kwasniak says: Jhalen has worked his way into our rotation by giving us some beef on the interior. He loves contact and give us a physicality we desperately need. He will be a key as we try to replace Jacob Stauffer who took an astounding 28 charges a year ago Season: * Scored a career-high 11 points (5-8 FGs) vs Trinity on Jan. 20 * Made his first varsity start of the season vs Trinity on Jan 20 Coach Kwasniak says: Graham is a cerebral kid, I jokingly call him the Hamster because the wheel is always turning. Graham has been on the honor roll every quarter since being at VASJ. He played varsity as a freshman, another honor that we don t take lightly around here. We need him to knock down shots and to continue to develop as a player Season: * Scored a season-high 7 points (3-3 FGs) vs Richmond Heights M COLLIN GREEN Senior Head Manager Coach Kwasniak says: Collin is Mr. Everything from our program. He handles Under Armour Gear, mentors young kids, coaches, tutors, and does whatever else it takes to be successful. There is a common misconception that managers hand out towels and water bottles---i cannot emphasize enough what Collin Green means to our program. Even though he doesn't play our players consider him a leader of our program, as do I. Collin is another student who is consistently on the honor roll.