Utah Catholic high schools excel in winter and spring sports, earning state championship titles
SALT LAKE CITY — State championship and region titles were earned by the three Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Salt Lake City in winter and spring sports during the 2012-2013 school year. The Judge Memorial hockey team won back-to-back UHSAA 3A State Championship titles Feb. 26 with a 5-2 victory over Viewmont High School, and extended its winning streak to 32 games. Eleven hockey players were named Academic All-Stars. The Juan Diego Catholic High School lacrosse team was undefeated this season and won a second consecutive state championship title May 18 in an 8-4 victory over Lone Peak High School. Tommy Maddox was named an Academic All-American, Luke Graney was All-American. Nick Grogg, Carter Mannix and Luke Graney were First Team All-State and Graney was also Most Valuable Player. Mara Gronseth was a First Team All-State girls’ lacrosse player. The Juan Diego boys’ tennis team was undefeated this year winning both the region championship and the UHSAA 3A State Championship title. Juan Diego junior Brendan Kempin and his brother, freshman Ryan Kempin, led a sweep of the No. 1 singles titles in St. George May 18. Juan Diego junior Brenton Reyner won the No. 2 singles title. The Juan Diego Cheer Squad was the State Competition Cheer Champions.
Saint Joseph Catholic High School
The Saint Joseph Catholic High School girls’ golf team won the Region 17 championship and went on to win the 1A State Championship title May 15 at Rose Park Golf Course for its third state championship in five years under coach Lou Eddy. Senior Greta Schneider capped her perfect season by winning the 1A individual medal with an 88, eight strokes ahead of the second place finisher. The Jayhawks finished with three women golfers in the top 10. Mady White was third with 96, and Kristen Carney placed sixth with a 103.
The boys’ golf team finished second in Region 17. In the state championship at Rose Park Golf Course, Jarred Kenny shot 146 in a two-day state championship tournament to win the individual championship.
The St. Joseph girls’ basketball team also won the Region 17 and State Championship titles. "The girls were magnificent; they went undefeated all season," said Alex Salvo, St. Joseph athletic director. Senior Katie Panushka, a guard, was All-State Most Valuable Player. Junior Liz Tomon, a forward, was First Team All-State, and Mady White, a sophomore, was Second Team All-State.
The St. Joseph boys were second in Region 17 in basketball and made it to the first round of the state tournament.
The boys’ soccer team won the Region 14 championship and made it to the state semi-finals, "where they lost in a heart-breaker to Manti," said Salvo. "They were tied through regulation play and went into two overtime periods. The game was decided by two penalty kicks, "and we lost in penalty kicks."
The boys’ tennis team finished in fourth place in the northern division 2A classification. Alex Henabray was the St. Joseph number one singles player and he went to the first round of the 2A state tournament.
Both the boys and girls placed second in Region 17 in track and field. Senior Lyna Garcia finished third in the 1600 meter at the state championship at Brigham Young University May 17-18.
Overall this has been another great year for St. Joseph Catholic High School athletics, said Salvo. "Our athletes have excelled and represented the school in high fashion with state championship titles and individual state championships. We have three teams who placed second in the state tournament as well, which is incredible. Not only do the students conduct themselves as role models, but they also show good sportsmanship on the field, the court, the track or wherever they are competing."
Juan Diego Catholic High School
Juan Diego had 23 Academic All-Region athletes. Riley Rose, student-body co-president, was First Team Academic All-State in golf and swimming, and Jeppeson Feliciano was First Team Academic All-State in swimming.
The track and field team had eight First Team All-State athletes who placed in the top six at the state tournament. Senior Ben Hick placed third in the shot put, and David Alexander placed fourth in the javelin, while sophomore Monique Mills placed fourth in the long jump, fifth in the 100 hurdles and fifth in the 100 meter.
The girls’ basketball team won their second consecutive region championship and coach Natalie Williams was the Girls Basketball Coach of the Year. Monique Mills was second team All-State; "she averaged 15 points and four steals per game," said Chris Long, Juan Diego athletic director.
On the boys’ basketball team, Gabe Colosimo was second team All-State. The boys’ baseball team was second in region, "the first time they haven’t won the region since 2000," said Long, adding that this team has gone to the state tournament since the school opened.
Justine Connell qualified to play in the girls’ golf state competition.
The girls’ softball team won its third consecutive region championship.
Senior Maddy Davis was the KUTV 2 Prep of the Week in softball.
"There is a sense of togetherness and a support system at Juan Diego that I am proud of," Davis said. "Our softball team is really close."
Judge Memorial Catholic High School
Both the Bulldogs boys and girls basketball teams went to the state tournament. "A few team members were held back with injuries that knocked us out of the tournament early, but overall the teams did quite well," said Dan Quinn Judge Memorial athletic director.
Junior Kailie Quinn was named the Salt Lake Tribune’s UHSAA 3A Girls’ Basketball Most Valuable Player for the 2012-2013. She recorded five triple-doubles and led the state in scoring. The 5-foot-9 guard averaged 20 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. She also passed out 3 assists and averaged 6 steals per game. Kailie Quinn was named "Prep of the Week" twice by various media outlets.
Senior Joe Cremer, a guard, was named second team All-State in boys’ basketball as was senior Patrick Neville, a forward.
Defending champion Judge Memorial Catholic High School girls swim team placed second in the UHSAA 3A State Championship Tournament at Brigham Young University. The boys’ team placed sixth. The Judge girls’ 200 medley relay claimed the state championship title with team members: Allison Witte, Marcela Vasquez, Kaley Banyai and Emileeann Moran. In the 200 IM, senior Kaley Banyai finished first and sophomore Allison Witte was second.
Swim coach Matt Finnigan was named the Utah High School Athletic Association Girls Coach of the Year, and he decided to retire as coach, "which will be a loss for Judge with his winning record," said Dan Quinn.
In track and field, Judge Memorial competed well, said Quinn. Most notable was Julia Wheatley, who placed second in the 100 meter hurdles and eighth in the high jump. Also, the 1600 relay team moved up from ninth place to third place.
In boys’ tennis, Brandon Reemsnyder and Luke Ropner were second in the state tournament in the No. 2 doubles match.
The girls’ golf team "is young," said Quinn, "but freshman Grace Nakamura was the top scorer for Judge with a round of 91 in the state final match."
"Overall the year in sports has been good, with a couple of state titles in tennis and hockey," said Quinn. "We are getting excited to move into the 4A classification, where we are enthusiastically looking at the challenges ahead of us."
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