2014-2015 NORTH COAST LEAGUE - WHITE DIVISION CHAMPIONS Game Number 27 DAY OPPONENT TIME / RESULTS Saturday, March 12, 2016 Canton Regional Final NOVEMBER Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas Knights (19-8) 27 EUCLID PANTHERS W 77-57 Vikings (21-5) Canton Memorial Fieldhouse Tip-off: 7:00 PM DECEMBER 5 LAKE CATHOLIC COUGARS W 52-51 11 at Cleveland Central Catholic Ironmen ** L 56-64 17 at Richmond Heights Spartans W 60-29 18 at Valley Christian School Eagles ** W 63-20 23 JOHN HAY HORNETS W 79-56 29 vs Shenandoah (W.Va.) Jefferson Cougars W 88-43 30 (Polar Bear Holiday Classic; Fairmont, W.Va.) vs Fairmont (W.Va.) Polar Bears W 56-51 (Polar Bear Holiday Classic; Fairmont, W.Va.) JANUARY 8 9 15 16 22 23 29 30 THE SCHEDULE Overall (NCL) Record 21-5 (8-2) WARREN JOHN F KENNEDY EAGLES ** W 54-46 ST. EDWARD EAGLES L 65-68 TRINITY TROJANS ** W 86-58 at Benedictine Bengals L 59-64 at Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas Knights ** L 56-59 WILLOUGHBY CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN PATRIOTS W 65-51 VALLEY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL EAGLES ** W 90-41 LUTHERAN EAST FALCONS W 78-43 FEBRUARY 5 at Warren John F. Kennedy Eagles ** W 63-40 6 at Mentor Cardinals L 60-68 9 at Gilmour Academy Lancers W 54-53 12 at Trinity Trojans ** W 62-47 19 LOUISVILLE ST. THOMAS AQUINAS KNIGHTS ** W 61-51 20 CLEVELAND CENTRAL CATHOLIC IRONMEN ** W 83-62 26 (VASJ Senior Night) Kirtland Hornets (Sectional Final) W 86-55 THIS WEEK IN THE VILLAGE One thing about the upcoming final four has already been determined - the North Coast League White Division will be represented in the Division III state tournament. League rivals VASJ and St. Thomas Aquinas meet on March 12 in the D-III regional championship game at the Canton Memorial Fieldhouse. The Vikings and Knights split two games during the regular season with each winning on their home court. On Jan. 22 in Louisville, Aquinas had a 13-point lead evaporate before rallying for a 59-56 win. Gino Pellegrene scored 16 points and Logan Newman had 12 points and six rebounds to lead Aquinas. Pellegrene hit four straight free throws to help the Knights end the game on a 7-3 run. The Knights led the Vikings, 34-23, at halftime and were up as many as 13 before VASJ rallied in the second half. VASJ caught Aquinas early in the fourth quarter and grabbed a 51-48 lead with 5 minutes left. Layups from Jaret Knox and Andrew Duplin put Aquinas back on top, 52-51. A month later. Sherman hit four 3s and finished with 17 points, while Jerry and Kevin Roberts each chipped in with 11 for the Vikings in a Feb 19 victory over the Knights, 61-51. VASJ outscored Aquinas, 20-13, in the decisive fourth quarter. Jacob Paul is coming off a 37-point effort in a double-overtime win vs. Oberlin in the regional semifinals for Aquinas. Roberts - a key defender for the Vikings - will be among the players who draw the challenging assignment of slowing down Paul. Jacob Stauffer and Danny McGarry have played key roles in the current VASJ 8-game winning streak and will be needed vs. Aquinas. The winner advances to the Division III state semifinals on March 17 at 10:45 a.m. vs the Lynchburg Clay/Marion Pleasant winner. MARCH 1 4 9 12 17 19 Warrensville Hts Tigers (District Semifinal) W 64-62 Beachwood Bison (District Final) W 53-52 Newton Falls Tigers (Regional Semifinal) W 58-28 Lousiville St. Thomas Aquinas (Regional Final) 7:00 PM Division III State Semifinal (Schottenstein Center) # 10:45 AM Division III State Final (Schottenstein Center) # 10:45 AM ** - - North Coast League - White Division Game # - - If necessary 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 CANTON MEMORIAL FIELDHOUSE Seating: 4,800 Surface: 90'x50' playing; a practice floor that measures 84' Press Box: Newly built two-level press box houses all media and VIPs Opened in 1950, the 58-year-old Canton Memorial Field House is home to the McKinley basketball and volleyball teams. Located at the site of McKinley High School, Fawcett Stadium, and the CT Branin Natatorium, the Field House boasts a seating capacity of 4,800. Home to all Canton City School basketball teams the facility has an unmatched tradition in Ohio basketball. The Field House has hosted countless OHSAA tournament games, concerts, and community events. A string of renovations during 2003 and 2004 ushered in a new parquet floor, new lighting, new paint, new seating everywhere in the arena, new baskets, new scoreboards, and new message displays. These projects helped keep the Field House a proud Canton landmark. As the venerable arena soon enters its seventh decade of use, it continues to be at the very heart of athletics in Canton.
POLLS AND RANKINGS 2015-2016 VASJ VIKINGS ROSTER CLEVELAND.COM / PLAIN DEALER (FINAL Poll) 0 Phillip Bessick Sr Forward 6-2 175 Holy Spirit Academy 1 Chad Porter Jr Forward 6-2 175 CVCA 1 Akron St Vincent-St Mary Irish 3 Kevin Roberts Sr Guard 6-1 170 Cleveland / Apex Academy 2 Beachwood Bison 4 Noah Newlon Jr Guard 6-2 170 Mayfield Middle 3 Garfield Heights Bulldogs 5 William Butler Jr Guard 5-11 235 Our Lady of the Lake 4 Lorain Titans 10 Terrance Jr Guard 5-10 175 St. John of the Cross 5 St. Ignatius Wildcats 12 Danny McGarry Jr Guard 6-3 170 Our Lady of the Lake 6 St. Edward Eagles 14 Andre George Jr Guard 5-9 160 St. Stans 7 East Tech Scarabs 15 Gene ** So Guard 5-7 150 Wickliffe / Wickliffe Middle 8 Benedictine Bengals 21 Sherman, III ** Sr Guard 6-2 155 Euclid / St. John of the Cross 9 Copley Indians 22 Anthony Turk ** Sr Forward 6-4 190 Euclid / St. John of the Cross 10 Brunswick Blue Devils 31 Alonzo Gaffney Fr Forward 6-7 165 St. Jerome 35 Graham Koppelman Fr Forward 6-3 170 Chardon Middle NEWS-HERALD TOP OF THE CROP (FINAL poll) 50 Jacob Stauffer ** Sr Center 6-6 235 Euclid / St. Paschal Baylon 1 Beachwood Bison ** denotes 2015-16 VASJ captain 2 Benedictine Bengals 3 Mentor Cardinals Head Coach Babe Kwasniak ' 94 (5th season - 113--36) Hired May 4, 2010 4 VASJ VIKINGS 5 Chagrin Falls Tigers Assistant Coaches 6 Perry Pirates 7 South Rebels 8 Lake Catholic Cougars Managers Collin Green (Head Manager), Dominic Blatnik (Scorekeeper) 9 Cornerstone Christian Patriots 10 Berkshire Badgers Video Adam Stauffer OHIO ASSOCIATED PRESS - DIVISION III (FINAL poll) Tedd Kwasniak, TJ Kwasniak '96, Ashen Ward '08, Gary Wilson '94, Rich Newlon, Rollie Smith '99. 1 Lima Central Catholic (14) 194 19-1 2 Massillon Tuslaw (6) 189 21-0 3 Cincinnati Purcell Marion (1) 132 18-3 4 Beachwood 127 19-2 5 Dayton Northridge 104 20-2 6 Berlin Hiland 86 18-4 7 Milan Edison 81 19-2 8 VASJ VIKINGS 56 15-5 9 Worthington Christian 28 18-4 10 Proctorville Fairland 26 18-4 Others receiving 12 or more points: 11, Casstown Miami E. 20. 12, Leavittsburg Labrae 15. 13, Findlay Liberty-Benton 13. 2015-2016 VASJ VIKINGS STARTERS OPP 1 2 4 5 Euclid McGarry Stauffer 1-0 Lake Cath McGarry Stauffer 2-0 CCC McGarry Stauffer 2-1 Richmond Hts McGarry Stauffer 3-1 Valley Christain John Hay McGarry McGarry Stauffer Stauffer 4-1 5-1 Jefferson McGarry Stauffer 6-1 Fairmont McGarry Stauffer 7-1 Warren JFK Butler McGarry Stauffer 8-1 St Edward McGarry Stauffer 8-2 Trinity McGarry Stauffer 9-2 Benedictine McGarry Stauffer 9-3 St Thom Aquinas Gaffney McGarry Stauffer 9-4 Cornerstone Gaffney McGarry Stauffer 10-4 Valley Christain Turk McGarry Stauffer 11-4 Lutheran East McGarry Stauffer 12-4 Warren JFK McGarry Stauffer 13-4 Mentor McGarry Stauffer 13-5 Gilmour Roberts McGarry Stauffer 14-5 Trinity Roberts Stauffer 15-5 St Thom Aquinas Roberts McGarry Stauffer 16-5 CCC Roberts Turk Bessick Stauffer 17-5 Kirtland Roberts McGarry Stauffer 18-5 Warrensville Hts Roberts McGarry Stauffer 19-5 Beachwood Roberts McGarry Stauffer 20-5 Newton Falls Roberts McGarry Stauffer 21-5 St Thom Aquinas 3 Rec
VASJ QUICK FACTS OHSAA DIVISION III - 'SWEET SIXTEEN' Location East 185th & Lakeshore Blvd, Cleveland, Ohio CANTON REGIONAL (Region 9) Founded Villa Angela (1878), St Joseph (1950) Canton Memorial Fieldhouse (Canton McKinley High School) Federated in 1990 Affiliation Roman Catholic (Diocese of Cleveland) VASJ VIKINGS 58 Conference North Coast League (White Division) Enrollment 438 (co-educational) 3/9 at 6:15 PM VASJ VIKINGS (21-5) Colors Columbia Blue and Scarlett Red Newton Falls Tigers 28 Nickname Vikings Home Arena Viking Village 3/12 at 7:00 PM Capacity 1,250 Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas Knights 87 2OT President Richard Osborne '69 Principal David Csank 3/9 at 8:00 PM Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas Knights (19-8) Athletic Director Nate Zavorek '94 Oberlin Phoenix 80 2OT Athletic Phone 216-481-8414 extension 224 Head Coach Babe Kwasniak '94 (6h season 113-36) Assistant Coaches Tedd Kwasniak, Dale Thomas '97, Ashen ATHENS REGIONAL (Region 11) 3/17 at 10:45 AM Ward '08, TJ Kwasniak '96 Convocation Center (Ohio University) Schottenstein Center Rich Newlon, Rollie Smith '99 Sports Information Liasion Bill Tilton Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs 53 OT VASJ Basketball - By The Numbers 3/9 at 6:15 PM Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs (24-2) Chesapeake Panthers 48 OT District Championships 30 Regional Championships 14 3/12 at 7:00 PM State Runner-ups 5 Marion Pleasant Spartans 77 State Championships 6 NCAA Division I Players 48 3/9 at 8:00 PM Marion Pleasant Spartans (16-11) NCAA Division II & III Players 37 Sugarcreek Garaway Pirates 63 NBA Players 5 European Professional Basketball Players 9 Basketball Players in the NFL 9 BOWLING GREEN REGIONAL (Region 10) 3/19 at 10:45 AM Stroh Center (Bowling Green State University) Schottenstein Center 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). 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. Milan Edison Chargers 40 3/9 at 6:15 PM Lima Central Catholic Thunderbirds (25-1) Lima Central Cath Thunderbirds 71 3/12 at 7:00 PM Toledo Ottawa Hills Green Bears 55 3/9 at 8:00 PM Toledo Ottawa Hills Green Bears (22-3) Findlay Liberty-Benton Eagles 45 KETTERING REGIONAL (Region 12) 3/17 at 2:00 PM Trent Arena (Kettering Fairmont High School) Schottenstein Center Grandview Heights Bobcats 58 3/9 at 5:30 PM St. Bernard Roger Bacon Spartans (20-7) St. Bernard Roger Bacon Spartans 83 In 1989, the students of VASJ selected that same mascot and school colors for their new school. Cincinnati Purcell-Marian Cavaliers 52 3/12 at 7:00 PM 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. Cin Summit Country Day Silver Knights 71 3/9 at 8:00 PM Cin Summit Country Day Silver Knights (24-2)
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 1994. 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 2014-15). 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. 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. 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. Kwasniak is married to Dr. Laura Kwasniak. They have three sons, B.K., Quinn and Logan, and they reside in Highland Heights.
COVERING THE VIKINGS VASJ HEADLINES, NEWS AND NOTES 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 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 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. TWO PLAYERS WITH 20-PLUS POINTS In the 83-62 win over Cleveland Central Catholic on Feb. 20, Sherman and Jerry each had 20-plus points for the Vikings ( 22, 21) 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. VASJ AND DIVISION III BRACKET BUSTERS The Division III Canton Regional bracket doesn't look anything like what the so-called experts might have predicted two weeks ago. Of the four districts that send champions to the sweet 16 at the Memorial Fieldhouse, none of the No. 1 seeds advanced to the regional. Villa Angela-St. Joseph, Oberlin and St.Thomas Aquinas are all No. 2 seeds and Newton Falls was the No. 3 seed at Warren.. 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 record setting freshman campaign of Brian Parker Parker concluded the 2015-16 season by scoring more points than any freshman in Marist s 35 seasons as a Division I program. Parker, who scored seven points against Manhattan, finished this season with 462 points. That total eclipsed the 460 points scored bychavaughn Lewis in the 2011-12 season. Marist s all-time freshman record for scoring is held by Steve Smith, who tallied 486 points in the 1979-80 season. At Northwestern, freshman Dererk Pardon played in 20 games for the Wildcats (starting two) The 6-foot-9 Pardon wasn t supposed to play this year for the Wildcats, but he averaged 7 points and 4 rebounds this season. Freshman forward Carlton Bragg is averaging 9 minutes per game for the nation s number one-ranked team, the Kansas Jayhawks. Bragg averages 4 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest off the bench for Kansas. Junior forward Demonte Flannigan has started all 32 games for Cleveland State and finished second on the team in scoring, averaging close to 11.6 point and 5.3 rebounds per night for the Vikings. Evansville junior guard Duane Gibson (knee) has been injured much of the season and has only played in four games for the Purple Aces. 30 POINTS VS MENTOR There is something about the Mentor Cardinals and 30 points for the VASJ Vikings. On Feb. 6, guard Gene poured in 30 points against the Cardinals on 10 of 12 shooting. 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. A FULL 60 FOR THE DEFENSE A dominate defense has been a receipe for success during the 2015-16 season for the VASJ VIKINGS. When the Vikings defense holds opponents under 60 points in a game, VASJ is near perfect; posting a 19-1 record. The lone loss coming earlier this season in a 59-56 loss to the St Thomas Aquanis Knights. When the Vikings opponents score 60 or more points in a game this season, VASJ has just two victory, (2-4). In fact, over the last four seasons, when the Vikings hold an opponent UNDER 60 points, the team is 74-1. But when the opponent scores 60 or more in a game, VASJ is just 17-20. LOOKING AHEAD TO CANTON REGIONAL The Vikings have won 25 of the school's last 26 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
VIKES AT THE MIC An inside look at the VASJ Vikings from the perspective of the players and the coaching staff You always dream for it to happen on such a big stage. Luckily I made it and we re moving onto the next round. When you have great teammates and a great coach like (Babe Kwasniak) who believe in you, it makes it special. - - Vikings sophomore guard, Gene, on his game-winning shot in the District Championship game against Beachwood The past few years were a great learning experience, and now, I can t describe this. It means everything. - - VASJ senior guard, Sherman III, on winning the Garfield District title "I know I can get in trouble for this and it's almost impossible to pick one moment over another, but I think the (district final win over Beachwood) was my most memorable game even over the state championships. This is a special group that has worked so hard and waited their time." - - Vikings head coach, Babe Kwasniack, on the District Championship win against Beachwood Beachwood is so talented, I can t tell you how relieved we are and how proud I am of these guys. We needed to play a great game and we were able to make one more play at the end of the game. They're as talented as any team in the state in any division. We re not a great zone team and we had to make adjustments. I think a lot of the credit has to go to my brother T.J. and what he and the staff were able to do with this group at the start of the season. These guys were so well prepared for a game like this. - - Kwasniak, following the 53-52 win over the #1-seeded and #2 AP ranked Beachwood Bison for the Garfield District title "We have guys that if I said you have to run through that wall in order to win the next game I honestly believe they would do it. They have bought in all the way and everyone knows and relishes their role on this team. That's critical to success." VASJ HEADLINES, NEWS AND NOTES VIKINGS EARN ALL CONFERENCE A total of six VASJ Vikings were honored this month with placement on the All-North Coast League teams. The League made the announcement earlier in March. Senior captain Sherman III and sophomore captain Gene were selected as First-Team All-NCL White. leads the Vikings in scoring this season, averaging 15.4 points per game and is connecting on more than three three-pointers per game.(78 in 25 games) leads the team with 5.1 assists per game and second on t he team in scoring, dropping in 12.6 points per game Two seniors were recognized with Second-Team honors. Jacob Stauffer and Kevin Roberts were 2nd Team All NCL-White. Stauffer averages 6 points and 3 1/2 rebounds per game, while Roberts is tossing in more than 8 points per game and leads the team in free throw shooting (73%) Alonzo Gaffney and Danny McGarry garnered Honorable Mention recognition. DIVISION III ALL NORTHEAST LAKES DISTRICT Six players from the Vikings earned All Northeast Lakes District Honors this week. * Sherman - 1st team * Jerry - 2nd team * Alonzo Gaffney - 3rd team * Jacob Stauffer, Danny McGarry, and Kevin Roberts - Honorable Mention TWO OUT OF THREE AINT BAD Over the last 12 years, the VASJ Vikings have won the district title eight times; or two out of every three titles. The Vikings have captured the district title in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. DEAN FOR THREE...AND A SCHOOL RECORD Sherman hit five 3-pointers in the D-III district final win over Beachwood. The first triple of the night tied the school record for 3s in a season (70) and the second one broke the mark previously set by Simon Texidor. DOUBLE-DOUBLE; NOT SO MUCH TROUBLE In 26 games this season, surprisingly, the VASJ Vikings have yet to record a double-double. Compare that number - zero - to last year when the Vikings recorded 15 double-doubles as a team (Carlton Bragg - 6; Dererk Pardon - 5; Brian Parker -3; and Mo Johnson -1). The last time a Vikings player recorded a double-double was in the Division III State Championship Game on March, 28, 2015 when Dererk Pardon scored 15 points and collected 12 rebounds in the 63-50 win for the Vikings over Lima Central Catholic. Pardon was one block away (he recorded 9) from tallying the first triple-double for the Vikings in more than two years. EFFICIENT FROM THE LINE In the Garfield Height District title game against Beachwood, the VASJ Vikings shot 80% from the free throw line (8-10). It marked just the third time this season the Vikings have been 80% or more efficent from the charity strip. VASJ has won all three games in which they shot 80% of better from the line. * January 8 vs Warren JFK - 100% (2-2) * January 30 vs Lutheran East - 80% (12-15) * March 4 vs Beachwood - 80% (8-10) WINNING IN TIGHT GAMES The VASJ Vikings are learning to win in close games. This season alone, VASJ has played in six games decided by one possession (3 points or less), winning four of those games, including the Garfield Heights District Championship with a Gene 's gamewinning shot as time expired. - - Kwasniak, on his 2015-16 team.
VIKINGS TRENDS THE LAST TIME FOR THE VIKINGS... At Home (Viking Village) 11-1 TEAM ASSISTS On The Road 5-4 Scored 100+ points 1/29/15-106 vs Benedictine 8 assists in game 3/9/16 - G (9) vs Newton Falls At Neutral Site 5-0 Scored 90+ points 1/29/16-90 vs Lutheran East 9 assists in game 3/9/16 - G (9) vs Newton Falls In Day Games 0-0 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 21-5 Scored under 60 points 2-9/16-54 vs Gilmour 12 assists in game 3/6/15 - M Johnson (12) vs Cleveland MLK On Weekdays 16-2 Scored under 50 points 1/21/12-41 vs Huntington Prep 8 assists in back-to-back games 2/20 & 2/26 - G On Weekends 4-3 Scored under 25 points in half 3/4/16-20 (2nd) vs Beachwood 8 vs Cleveland CC and 10 vs Kirtland Shot 60%+ FG 1/15/16-60% (30-50) vs Trinity When Leading At Halftime 5-0 Shot 50%+ FG 3/1/16-52% (24-46) vs Warrensville Hts When Trailing At Halftime 0-1 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 3/9/16-7 - vs Newton Falls 5 blockes in a game 11/27/15 - A Gaffney (5) vs Euclid In Overtime Games 0-0 Had 10 or fewer turnovers 3/9/16-7 - vs Newton Falls 7 blocks in a game 3/28/15 - D Pardon (9) vs Lima CC Had 12+ assists 3/9/16-18 - vs Newton Falls 10 blocks in a game When Shooting 50% or Better From Field 12-1 Had 7+ blocks 12/5/15-7 vs Lake Catholic When Shooting Under 50% From Field 9-4 Overtime Game 1/26/13 - WIN 68-59 vs Martinsburg (WV) When Shooting 40% or Better From 3 Point Line 8-1 Double Overtime Game STEALS When Shooting Under 40% From 3 Point Line 13-4 3 steals in a game 3/4/16 - K Roberts (3) vs Beachwood When Shooting 75% or Better From Free Throw Line 3-0 5 steals in a game 12/23/15 - G (8) vs John Hay When Shooting Under 75% From Free Throw Line 18-5 INDIVIDUAL SCORING 6 steals in a game 12/23/15 - G (8) vs John Hay Scored 40+ points information is unavailable When Having More Assists Than Turnovers 18-5 Scored 30+ points 2/6/16 - G (30) vs Mentor When Having A 2:1 or Better Assist to Turnover Ratio 6-0 Scored 25+ points 2/6/16 - G (30) vs Mentor When Having More Turnovers Than Assists 3-0 Scored 20+ points 2/20/16 - G (21), S (22) vs CCC FOULS Scored 20+ points in back-to-back games 1/16 and 1/22 - S Player Fouled Out 3/22/14 - Pardon & Johnson vs Lima CC When Having 20 or more total Rebounds 15-5 26 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 6-0 Scored 20+ points in 3 consecutive games info unavailable 3 Players Fouled Out When Having 40 or more total Rebounds 0-0 Two players with 20+ points 2/20/16- (22), (21) vs CCC Technical Foul Three players with 10+ points 3/9/16 vs Newton Falls When Having 5 or more total Blocks 4-2 (14), McGarry (10), Roberts (11) Four players with 10+ points 3/1/16 vs Warrensville Hts FIELD GOALS When The Vikings Score Under 40 Points 0-0 (16), Stauffer (12), McGarry (12), Roberts (15) Made 8 FG in game 2/26/16 - A Gaffney (8) vs Kirtland When The Vikings Score 40-49 Points 0-0 Five players with 10+ points 1/30/15 - vs Holy Name Made 10 FG in game 2/6/16 - G (10) vs Mentor When The Vikings Socre 50-59 Points 6-3 Bragg (18), Parker (11), Texidor (10), Pardon (16), Williams (12) Made 12 FG in game information is unavailable When The Vikings Score 60-69 Points 7-2 Attempted 12 FG in game 3/9/16 - S (13) vs Newton Falls When The Vikings Score 70-79 Points 3-0 Attempted 15 FG in game 2/20/16 - S (15) vs CCC When The Vikings Score 80-plus Points 5-0 REBOUNDING Attempted 18 FG in game 12/11/15 - S (22) vs Cleve CC 10+ rebounds 3/28/15 - D Pardon (12) vs Lima CC When The Opponent Score Under 40 Points 3-0 15+ rebounds 3/21/15 - D Pardon (21) vs Ursuline When The Opponent Score 40-49 Points 6-0 18+ rebounds 3/21/15 - D Pardon (21) vs Ursuline When The Opponent Socre 50-59 Points 10-1 10+ rebounds in back-to-back games 3/21 and 3/26 D Pardon 3-POINT FIELD GOALS When The Opponent Score 60-69 Points 2-4 21 rebounds vs Ursuline and 10 rebounds Eastmoor Made 4 3FG in game 3/9/16 - S (4) vs Newton Falls When The Opponent Score 70-79 Points 0-0 10+ rebounds in 3 consecutive games 2/14, 2/15 & 2/21 - D Pardon Made 6 3FG in game 1/29/16 - N Newlon (7) vs Valley Christian When The Opponent Score 80-plus Points 0-0 14 rebs vs St Thomas Aquinas, 11 vs St Ignatius, 11 vs St Edward Made 8 3FG in game information is unavailable Attempted 8 3FG in game 3/9/16 - S (9) vs Newton Falls In Games Decided By 3 Points Or Less 4-2 Double-Double 3/28/15 - D Pardon vs Lima CC Attempted 10 3FG in game 2/20/16 - S (11) vs CCC In Games Decided By 4 to 10 Points 3-3 (15 points / 12 rebounds / 9 blocks) Attempted 12 3FG in game 1/29/16 - N Newlon (12) vs Valley Christian In Games Decided By 11 to 20 Points 2-0 Triple-Double 12/14/13 - B Parker vs Euclid In Games Decided By 20 or More Points 12-0 (24 points / 10 assists / 10 rebounds) Back to Back Double-Doubles 3/21, 3/26, 3/28 D Pardon In November Games 1-0 vs Ursuline (10-21), vs Eastmoor (13-10), vs Lima CC (15-12) FREE THROWS In December Games 6-1 2 players with Double-Doubles 12/13/14 vs Euclid Made 5 FT in game 3/4/16 - G (5) vs Beachwood In January Games 5-3 C Bragg (30-13), D Pardon (16-14) Made 8 FT in game 2/6/16 - G (8) vs Mentor In February Games 6-1 20 points & 10 rebounds 2/22/15 vs Akron SVSM - C Bragg Made 10 FT in game 1/19/15 - C Bragg (11) vs Oak Hill In March Games 3-0 Back to back 20/10 3/7/14 & 3/13/14 - C Bragg Attempted 10 FT in game 2/6/16 - G (11) vs Mentor vs Warrensville (27 pts / 13 reb) & Canton CC (22 / 11) Attempted 12 FT in game 1/24/15 - C Bragg (12) vs MacDuffie (Mass.) Vs The NCL-Blue 1-1 Attempted 15 FT in game 3/7/14 - C Bragg (17) vs Warrensville Vs The NCL-White 8-2 Vs Cleveland Senate Athletic League 1-0 MINUTES PLAYED (when stat is available) Vs Chagrin Valley Conference - Valley & Chargin 3-0 30 mins played 3/28/15 - D Pardon (31) & B Parker (31) vs Lima CC Vs Greater Cleveland Conference 1-1 32 mins played 12/6/14 - D Pardon (32) & C Bragg (32) vs A-B Carroll Vs Lake Erie League 1-0 Vs Independents 4-0 Vs Out of State Opponents 2-0 ** some statistics on through 6 games
THE WEEK THAT WAS VIKINGS ADVANCE TO THE REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP; LOOK FOR SCHOOL'S 15th REGIONAL TITLE 2015-2016 VIKINGS SEASON STATS THROUGH 26 GAMES VASJ 58, NEWTON FALLS 28 Defense, defense and more defense. The defending Division III state champions are trying to defend their title with a monumental defensive effort on the way back to Columbus. Villa Angela-St. Joseph is one win away from a fourth straight trip to the state final four after a 58-28 dismantling of Newton Falls in the Division III regional semifinal. The Vikings jumped out to an 11-0 lead and never looked back on March 9. VASJ will take on NCL White rival St. Thomas Aquinas for a third time this year in the regional championship on March 12 at the Canton Memorial Fieldhouse. VASJ got a big lift from All Northeast Lakes District guard Sherman, who scored 14 points and hit three early 3s to lead the Vikings. Kevin Roberts added 11 and Danny McGarry added 10 for VASJ. PLAYER 21 Sherman 15 Gene 31 Alonzo Gaffney 3 Kevin Roberts 50 Jabob Stauffer 12 Daniel McGarry 4 Noah Newlon 35 Graham Koppleman 5 William Butler 22 Anthony Turk 1 Chad Porter 10 Terrance 0 Phillip Bessick 14 Andre George GP FG-FGA 26 140-293 (48%) 26 108-213 (51%) 25 90-182 (49%) 25 80-128 (63%) 26 66-113 (58%) 25 54-85 (64%) 23 25-77 (32%) 6 8-9 (89%) 26 32-67 (48%) 12 14-26 (54%) 11 8-20 (40%) 26 17-66 (26%) 11 8-21 (38%) 25 11-29 (38%) 3FG-3FGA FT-FTA Tot Pts PPG Asst 82-193 (42%) 32-48 (67%) 400 15.4 45 (1.7) 6-17 (35%) 81-117 (69%) 320 12.3 136 (5.2) 4-12 (33%) 26-58 (45%) 202 8.1 28 (1.1) 9-19 (47%) 27-37 (73%) 207 8.3 40 (1.6) 0-0 17-35 (49%) 151 5.8 10 (0.4) 0-2 (0%) 11-23 (48%) 122 4.9 65 (2.6) 23-68 (34%) 6-11 (55%) 79 3.4 11 (0.5) 0-0 2-5 (40% 17 2.8 4 (0.8) 9-36 (25%) 6-12 (50%) 81 3.1 60 (2.3) 1-4 (25%) 6-12 (50%) 34 2.8 4 (0.3) 6-17 (35) 3-7 (43%) 22 2.0 4 (0.5) 9-36 (25%) 7-11 (64%) 50 1.9 26 (1.0) 0-0 2-5 (40% 17 1.5 5 (0.5) 1-8 (13%) 8-17 (47%) 31 1.2 17 (0.7) OFF-DEF-Reb Stl/Blk* 12-47-59 (2.3) 29 23-49-75 (2.9) 62 41-61-109 (4.4) 38* 33-44-77 (3.1) 38-47-87 (3.3) 29 8 34-55-89 (3.6) 22* 2-14-16 (0.7) 6 6-8-13 (2.2) 0 8-31-42 (1.6) 6 6-10-16 (1.3) 4 0-6-6 (0.5) 1 12-16-32 (1.3) 15 7-9-15 (1.4) 1 5-13-17 (0.7) 11 The Vikings jumped out to an early 11-0 lead thanks to, who connected on a pair of 3-pointers in the run. But Newton Falls went on a 9-0 run of its own to finish out the corner and trailed by a basket after one quarter. TOTALS 26 661-1329 (50%) 150-412 (36%) 234-398 (59%) 1733 66.7 446 (17.2) 214-393-625 (24.0) 216-80 McGarry scored six quick points for the Vikings to start the second quarter as VASJ (21-5) built a 17-9 lead.noah Newlon knocked down a 3-pointer to increase the lead to 27-11, and Alonzo Gaffney scored on a layup to give the Vikings a 33-20 lead at the half. The second half was all Vikings as VASJ outscored the Tigers, 25-8. We were outstanding defensively, especially in the second half, VASJ coach Babe Kwasniak said. We were suffocating them defensively. That made a difference. Kevin Roberts and Danny McGarry I though were really good. St. Thomas Aquinas survived a scare from Oberlin to advance to the elite eight. VASJ split the season series against the Knights with both teams winning at home. 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 21 St Thomas Aquinas 22 Cleveland CC 23 Kirtland 24 Warrensville Heights 25 Beachwood 26 Newton Falls GP FG-FGA 3FG-3FGA FT-FTA Tot Pts Asst TO OFF-DEF-Reb Stl/Blk* 1 29-44 (66% 7-12 (58%) 12-22 (55%) 77 18 14 27 8-5 1 16-33 (48%) 2-9 (22%) 16-30 (53%) 52 6 11 5-7-12 7-7 1 18-59 (31%) 7-25 (28%) 9-13 (69%) 56 10 7 14-6-20 2-2 1 26-70 (37%) 3-24 (13%) 7-13 (54%) 60 10 12 16-22-38 15-3 1 24-57 (42%) 3-15 (20%) 12-24 (50%) 63 12 14 11-14-25 22-2 1 28-68 (41%) 6-21 (29%) 15-25 (60%) 79 17 15 15-18-33 18-3 1 35-63 (56%) 11-21 (52%) 5-9 (56%) 88 26 12 14-20-33 7-4 1 21-43(49%) 3-8 (38%) 11-19 (58%) 56 15 11 6-15-20 6-2 1 23-42 (55%) 6-21% (29%) 2-2 (100%) 54 15 5 7-9-16 5-1 1 28-46 (61%) 1-7 (14%) 8-12 (67%) 65 21 18 8-21-29 4-4 1 30-50 (60%) 15-26 (58%) 9-19 (47%) 86 28 7 5-15-20 4-3 1 20-49 (41%) 9-15 (60%) 6-11 (55%) 59 15 9 8-16-22 4-7 1 23-47 (49%) 4-14 (29%) 4-7 (57%) 56 16 14 7-12-19 9-2 1 24-49 (51%) 4-12 (33%) 9-13 (69%) 65 16 14 6-12-18 8-4 1 35-63 (56%) 13-34 (38%) 6-10 (60%) 90 27 8 8-13-21 10-2 1 30-61 (49%) 5-14 (36%) 12-15 (80%) 78 19 17 16-21-37 9-4 1 25-44 (57%) 7-15 (47%) 6-13 (46%) 63 22 19 7-27-34 11-5 1 22-45 (49%) 2-11 (18%) 13-20 (65% 60 15 13 5-19-24 3-6 1 22-47 (47%) 5-14 (36%) 5-10 (50%) 54 16 11 13-12-20 3-3 1 21-37 (57%) 3-10 (30%) 15-22 (68%) 62 15 9 4-15-19 9-0 1 23-45 (51%) 5-17 (29%) 9-13 (69%) 61 18 11 8-20-28 10-0 1 27-53 (51%) 6-17 (35%) 15-24 (63%) 83 19 10 5-22-27 9-1 1 36-62 (58%) 8-19 (42%) 6-11 (55%) 86 28 6 9-21-30 10-1 1 24-46 (52%) 4-9 (44%) 12-18 (67%) 64 19 15 6-17-22 10-0 1 19-39 (49%) 5-8 (63%) 8-10 (80%) 53 11 9 7-14-21 6-1 1 25-46 (46%) 6-15 (40%) 0-8 (0%) 58 18 7 11-14-25 8-6 TOTALS 26 661-1329 (50%) 150-412 (36%) 234-398 (59%) 1733 446 291 214-393-625 216-80
2015-2016 VASJ VIKINGS PLAYER PROFILES 0 PHILLIP BESSICK 1 CHAD PORTER Senior Height: 6-2 Junior Height: 6-2 Forward Weight: 175 Forward 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. 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. 3 KEVIN NOAH ROBERTS 4 NEWLON Senior Height: 6-1 Junior Height: 6-2 Guard Weight: 170 Guard 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. 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 has done. 5 WILLIAM BUTLER 10 TERRANCE LAWLER Junior Height: 5-11 Junior Height: 5-10 Guard Weight: 235 Guard Weight: 175 Coach Kwasniak says: Will (after Gene ) 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. 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.
2015-2016 VASJ VIKINGS PLAYER PROFILES DANIEL 12 McGARRY ANDRE 14 GEORGE Junior Height: 6-3 Junior Height: 5-9 Guard Weight: 170 Guard Weight: 160 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. 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. 15 HIGGINS 21 CAPTAIN GENE SHERMAN DEAN Sophomore Height: 5-7 Senior Height: 6-2 Guard Weight: 150 CAPTAIN Guard Weight: 155 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. 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. 22 CAPTAIN ANTHONY TURK 23 ALONZO GAFFNEY Senior Height: 6-4 Freshman Height: 6-7 Forward Weight: 190 Forward Weight: 165 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. 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.
2015-2016 VASJ VIKINGS PLAYER PROFILES GRAHAM 35 KOPPLEMAN JACOB STAUFFER 50 Freshman Height: 6-3 Senior Height: 6-6 Forward Weight: 170 CAPTAIN Center Weight: 235 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. 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.