10 minute read
Alumni News
The Pilot Bar Association
Currently, the Bar Association has more than 100 members and is continuing to grow. The Bar Association will host its next general meeting on Thursday, November 7, at 6 p.m., at Villa Penna, on 43985 Hayes Road in Sterling Heights. Mike Kus ‘69,. Dennis Koch ‘94, Peter Lucido ‘78, Alan Rudziewicz ‘69, Greg Esler, Jay LaBarge ‘93.
The Pilot Medical Association
The Medical Association is a way to network, socialize with other alumni in the medical field, connect with De La Salle, and help current and recently graduated Pilots. The group’s inaugural meeting is Thursday, November 14, at the Caucus Club, 150 W. Congress, Detroit, from 6-9 p.m. Dr. Charles Lucas ‘55 is the keynote speaker.
Dr. Charles Lucas, at left, joined The Pilot Medical Association Planning Committee for a meeting at Da Francesco’s in Shelby Township.
The Pilot Business Association
The Pilot Business Association will begin its 2019-20 season with a meeting on Monday, October 14, at Fifth Avenue, 215 Fifth Avenue, Royal Oak, from 6-10 p.m. Alumni are invited for food, fun, networking, and Detroit Lions football. The Business Association is led by Anthony Rubino ‘01, and To participate in any of these
Joe Zuccaro ‘08. De La Salle Collegiate Alumni Professional Associations, be sure to pay your alumni dues, and contact Dennis Koch, Director of Alumni Relations, at 586.541.6221 or dkoch@delasallehs.com
College visits
Saturday, October 12 - Grand Valley AND - watch Twitter and Instagram for 1 p.m. - Lunch info on visits to these colleges this fall: 7 p.m. - Attend a GV Football Game
Sunday, October 13 - Ferris State
12 p.m. Lunch/NFL watch party
Thursday, October 17 - Central Michigan
7 p.m. Dinner/ Thursday Night Football Watch Party
Saturday, October 26 - Northwood
1 p.m. Football Game 6 p.m. Dinner
Tuesday, November 5 - Albion/Western
11:30 a.m. Lunch at Albion College 5:30 p.m.- Dinner with Western Michigan students 7 p.m. - Western Michigan Football Game
Thursday, November 6-7 - Chicago Alumni Visit
6 p.m. - Hotel Chicago 333 N. Dearborn St., Chicago IL 60654
26th Annual Mass for Commerce
Fellow Members of the Pilot Associations are invited to join the Southeast Michigan business and professional community and celebrate the Eucharist in thanksgiving for God’s gifts of love and grace. WHEN: Mass will be celebrated on October 23, 2019 at 8:00 a.m., with breakfast following. WHERE: Sacred Heart Major Seminary, 2701 W. Chicago Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48206 REGISTRATION: The Event is free, but please RSVP. Go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/26th-annual-mass-for-commerce-tickets-58592817695 QUESTIONS: Contact Dan Marsh at 810-300-3074 or dan@danielpmarsh.com
Save these Dates! December 5, 2019 Senior Alumni Luncheon at Barrister Gardens. January 16, 2020 Career Day at De La Salle. April 30, 2020 Christian Brothers Dinner at Penna’s of Sterling. June 22, 2020 Christian Brothers Classic Golf Outing at the Detroit Golf Club.
Alumni Davey, Rescigno join CHSL Hall of Fame
De La Salle Collegiate alumni Mickey Davey and Giovanni Rescigno were enshrined into the Detroit Catholic High School League Hall of Fame at an induction ceremony on June 10 at Fern Hill Golf Club in Clinton Township. A distance runner, Davey, graduated from De La Salle in 2015. He was a standout cross-country and track star for the Pilots, earning seven region al, five Catholic League, and four Macomb County championships. “He was a very hard worker. Dedicated to the sport; self-motivated, and went out and gave it his all every meet, every practice,” Pilots track coach Dominic Reid said. As a senior at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Davey was one of the Falcons’ top distance runners. A two-time all-Mountain West selection, the Troy native clocked the fifth-fastest 10,000-meter time in Air Force history (29:15.24) to finish 10th at last year’s Stanford Invitational. Davey still holds De La Salle track records in both the 1600-meter run (4:15.36) and 3200-meter run (9:11.23). Reid believes both marks won’t be passed anytime soon. “It’s going to take another special athlete to break those records,” he said. Rescigno was a two-sport athlete during his days at De La Salle, but it was football where he excelled most. A 2014 graduate, he quarterbacked the Pilots to a 6-4 record in his senior season, passing for 1,238 yards and 14 touchdowns. Rescigno accepted a scholarship to Rutgers University, where he played in 23 games over the past three seasons. “The hall of fame is a well-deserving honor for Gio,” Pilots basketball coach Greg Esler said. “He represents what a student athlete should be: class, caring and lots of talent.” Rescigno played basketball for the Pilots until his senior when he decided to concentrate on his football career. “I wish he would have gone out his senior year,” Esler said. “That hurt us. But he scrimmaged with us his senior year and some of his practices with us were legendary. He would go out and hit six threes in a row. Amazing kid. Great versatility, but a better person than player. “I really believe he could have gone to a Division II school to play basket ball. He was athletic and could shoot the three, plus he played physical.”
Since accepting an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy, distance runner Mickey Davey has been a two-time All-Mountain West selection. (Photo courtesy of Air Force Academy Athletics) An electrical engineering major, Davey was a national AP Scholar at De La Salle, where he graduated among the top five in his senior class.
Giovanni Rescigno was named the Rutgers team captain last season. (Photo courtesy of Rutgers Athletics)
A team captain last season, Rescigno received the Paul Robeson Award for performance, leadership and dedication to the Scarlet Knights’ football program. De La Salle is represented by 26 former athletes already enshrined in the league’s hall of fame. They are; Bert Bondi, Giancarlo Brugnoni, Jack Brusewitz, Alan Budnick, Don DeDonatis, Sean Dobson, Chris Haag, Matt Handzo, Bruce Irvine, Allen Jefferson, Douglas J.S. Jolly, Matt Julien, Keith Karpinski, Tim Lieckfelt, Patrick Mahoney, Alex Marcotullio, Jerry McCabe, Shane Morris, Jason Okroy, Mike Peplowski, Alex Pierse, Tim Poley, Michael Schypinski, Vincent P. Thomas, John Vitale and Don Zelinski.
Paul Mandziara 1936-2019
Paul Mandziara, the last person to coach both varsity basketball and football at De La Salle Collegiate, passed away on September 4, 2019. He was 83 years old. Mandziara coached the Pilots from 1966-67 to 1968-69, re placing coach Tom Tramski on the gridiron and hardwood. The most-notable victory – perhaps in school history – came during the Mandziara era when, in the 1968 Class A state basketball tournament, the Pilots pulled off a remark able 68-60 upset win over defending state champs Detroit Pershing and Ralph Simpson, who later starred in the ABA and NBA. That season, Mandziara’s Pilots – led by all-state forward Frank Merrick – compiled a 12-1 regular-season record; 15-5 overall to capture the division championship. “He was a great character builder for me and my team mates,” said Michael McGavin, Class of 1968. “I thank him for those lessons. RIP, Coach.” Mandziara is a graduate of the University of Detroit, where he played football for the Titans. Besides De La Salle,
Jim Stiller receives advice from coach Paul Mandziara before checking into a game during the 1967 season.
Mandziara also coached at Detroit Saint Thomas the Apostle and Center Line. In his 3l years of coaching basketball, his teams compiled a 341- 218 record. He posted a 27-27 basketball record for the Pilots. In 1979, Mandziara was inducted into the Catholic League Hall of Fame, and in 1994 he was named Macomb County Basketball Coach wof the Year.
38th Annual Christian Brothers Dinner May 16, 2019
L to R; John M. Knight, President, Honoree Vicki Granger, Chairman Matt Loria ‘95 behind Vicki, Brother Bob Carnaghi, SJ ‘48, Brother Robert Deary ‘61, and Dennis Koch ‘94.
Dinner Committee Chairman Matt Loria ‘95.
John Elkhoury ‘02, Alec Fell ‘01, Dan Gallas ‘01, Lukas Kalliantasis ‘01, and Peter Lucido ‘00.
Justice David Viviano ‘90, Honoree Vicki Granger, and son Brian Granger ‘99.
Dan Rankin ‘93, Vicki Granger, Tim Rankin ‘80, and Alex Rankin ‘14.
2003 Classmates Joe Domanski, Peter Cracchiolo, and Ryan Olivero.
An Active Alumni Board is in Place
Alumni Relations Director Dennis Koch has been working hard with members of the Alumni Board. Board members have discussed items such as alumni dues, college visits, reunion planning, the Christian Brothers Dinner, the Christian Brothers Classic, and much, much more. If you have any thoughts or ideas and would like to share them with the Alumni Board, please contact Dennis Koch. Alumni Board Association Members
Dave Baumgart ‘76 Paul Brillati ‘90 Justin Browning ‘12 Kevin Carroll ‘12 Vito Chirco ‘11 Rob Ciaramitaro ‘08 Peter Cracchiolo ‘03 Andrew Grauzer ‘04 Darryl Jackson ‘09 Brendan Johnson ‘15 Paul Jozefczyk ‘83 Br. Ken Kalinowski ‘84 Dennis Koch ‘94 Brenden Kudla ‘11 Steve Laudicina ‘10 Jake Lepore ‘10 Brad Lepore ‘08 Jon Miko ‘15 John Monigold ‘66 Nate Nordstrom ‘14 Joe Novak ‘03 Jake O’Donnell ‘14 Jeff Resmer ‘94 Jeff Spicuzzi ‘08 Mark St. Peter ‘81 John Stano ‘04 Joe Zuccaro ‘08
Chicago area alumni gathering set for November 6
Chicago area alumni are invited to meet with De La Salle Collegiate staff on Nov. 6, from 6-8 p.m. at the Hotel Chicago, 333 N. Dearborn, in Chicago. President John Knight, Major Gifts Officer Greg Esler, Alumni Relations Director Dennis Koch, and Associate
Alumni Relations Director Brendan Johnson will be on hand. “We are excited to head back to Chicago,” Koch said. “We need to continue to engage our alumni in the Chicago area, and strengthen our relationships.”
1940’s Robert “Bob” Baumgart SJ ‘43. March 18, 2019.
Louis Brichetto ‘41. December 17, 2018.
Kenneth Cannestra, ‘49. August 14, 2019.
Larry Kramer SJ ‘43. July 28, 2018.
George Krausman ‘45. August 29, 2019.
Michael Kratochwill ‘47. April 7, 2019.
Edward J. Williams ‘47. December 6, 2018.
1950’s Donald Aller SJ ‘59. November 3, 2018.
Richard W. Bohan ‘58. December 10, 2018.
John Bork SJ ‘55. September 2, 2017.
Stanley Dobrzynski ‘52. February 22, 2019. Brother of Richard Dobrzynski (‘60), a retired DLS faculty member, and Eugene Dobrzynski (‘66).
James DuClos SJ ‘53. January 3, 2019.
John Erace ‘50. March 18, 2019. Father of Frank Erace (‘80). Grandfather of Anthony Erace (‘14).
Robert Fulford ‘57. November 29, 2018.
Roger Goebel ‘53. April 20, 2018.
Maurice Haezebrouck ‘SJ ‘51. May 10, 2019.
Allen Harper ‘55. May 7, 2019.
Thomas A. Jeszke ’61. October 24, 2018.
Victor “Buddy” Lams ‘52. September 29, 2019. Cousin of Al Callewaert ‘58.
Leon Merecki SJ ‘51. November 15, 2018.
Conrad Niezur ‘57. February 14, 2019.
Richard Gene “Dick” Rizer SJ ‘54. July 6, 2018. Brother of Gary Rizer (SJ ‘57).
James Shereda ‘58. December 11, 2018. Father of Anthony Shereda (‘84). Grandfather of Anthony Shereda Jr. (‘12).
John Schiltges ‘50. September 18, 2019.
1960’s Doug “Butch” Olejniczak ‘65. July 12, 2019.
Werner Vethacke ‘61. January 9, 2019. Father of Karl Vethacke (‘92). Brother of Herman Vethacke ‘48 and the late Theodore Vethacke (‘54). Brother-in-law of Robert Yazbeck, (SJ ‘55).
Dick Zdeb ‘60. April 23, 2019. Dick was an MHSAA Hall of Fame umpire who called several Catholic league and state final games, as well as many games for the American Legion League.
1970’s John Schaldenbrand ‘73.
1980’s Christopher Kasper ‘86. March 19, 2019.
2000’s Anthony Harris ‘15. May 18, 2019. Adopted son of George Sboukis (’89).
Denis Preka ‘15. March 19, 2019.
Nicholas Redmond ‘18. August 1, 2019.
