Taking Flight

Celebrating the Class of 2021 !

OUR SENIORS faced unprecedented challenges with resilience, gratitude, and a clear focus on their goals. We can proudly say that even through the ups and downs of a pandemic year, the Class of 2021 was able to enjoy all the events traditionally enjoyed by seniors. We thank everyone who worked harder than ever to make it all happen!

On June 3, 2021 Pope Francis Prep honored the 78 members of the Class of 2021 with a beautiful commencement ceremony on our turf field. Each of the three commencement ceremonies celebrated since arriving on Wendover Road have been celebrated in different locations on campus. The turf field proved to be the ideal setting and we look forward to celebrating many more commencement ceremonies there!

HIGHEST IN ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Valedictorian

Julia Isabella Calderon

Salutatorian

Anna Maria Kelly

TOP TEN STUDENTS

(listed alphabetically)

Kyle T. Butler Julia Isabella Calderon Joseph Slate Caproni Elizabeth Maria Goncalves Robert M. Gourde Anna Maria Kelly Hannah Frances Moran Ethan Arden Rivers Eric T. Tran Brittney Zheng

CONGRATULATIONS CARDINALS!

(List of all graduates)

i=♥ Ana Victoria Accordino Michael Beaudry i=♥l Olivia Bernice Beck Matthew Bernard Burke i=♥ Kyle T. Butler i=♥l Julia Isabella Calderon Kenneth MH. Cao i=♥ Joseph Slate Caproni i Alejandro Caraballo Pelaez ♥ Anthony Joseph Robert Chafer Christopher William Collins Genesis Connors ♥ Colby Howard Corriveau Lydia Theresa Craig Daijon Elijah Davis Nathaniel Davis Coleson Bryan Cadieux-Delude Morgan Elizabeth DeMar i= Maximilian John Dewey ♥ Anthony J. Ekmalian i=♥ Madalyn Katherine Ferreira i=l Elizabeth Maria Goncalves i=♥l Elizabeth Leigh Gonet i=♥ Robert M. Gourde Jacob M. Guzzo i=♥ Drew Daniel Hamel Evan James Hanifan Madilyn Ann Hernandez i Jacob P. Iby i=l Asjha Taina Jimenez i= Anna Maria Kelly Bushra Khan i=♥ Carolyn Renée LaCroix i=♥ Marissa Nicole Laprade i=♥ Norah Grace Lavallee i James D. Le Lauren Katherine LeCours i Ethan Marc Lichwan Maxwel Myles Maddox i Giana Marin Maggi i= Andrew W. Mason i=♥ Regina Maria Mastrangelo i= Mikayla Rae Messier i=l Hannah Frances Moran ♥ Joseph Gerald Morando ♥ Victor Bruno Morando Thomas John Murphy Brian Alan Nelles i=l Ethan C. Nguyen NgocThuy Lam Nguyen Patrick V. O’Malley i=♥ Timothy Ochola = Evan James Phaneuf ♥ Sarah Rose Poole Brandon W. Powell Thomas C. Powers i Meredith Marie Ravizza Luc R. Remillard Shalom Love Richard i=♥ Ethan Arden Rivers il Angelina Marie Rodriguez i Christina Carmella Roncarati i=♥ Stephen David Rougeot Jack W. Roy i=l Olivia Diana Schonagel i=l Hayley D. Sliwa i= Brandon Denis Spaulding Anh Thi Ngoc Tran i=♥l Eric T. Tran i=♥ Elita Helena Vale i=♥ Stephen Kristopher Ventura i= Michelle Le Vu i Bennett William Walsh, Jr. i=♥l Adam Joseph Walters Tyrone E. Wolf i=♥ Anthony James Yacovone Benjamin M. Zaranek i=l Brittney Zheng

i Graduating with Honors = Member of the National Honor Society ♥ K-12 Catholic School Attendee l Pathways

REMEMBERING THE PAST, CELEBRATING THE FUTURE!

DREW HAMEL

Well, I made it! I am now a Pepperdine Wave in beautiful Malibu, California. I am certainly a long way from home, but I feel good knowing that I’ll always be able to call Pope Francis Prep my home. Without my four years spent at Pope, I would not be here at Pepperdine, or as prepared to have a successful and fulfilling college career. Looking back at my time spent at Pope, I can say that some of my favorite memories were our class retreats. Our class retreats were just one of many once in a lifetime experiences I had as a Pope student. Not many high schools put such great emphasis and effort into making their students feel like a family, and I am so thankful I was able to be a part of that.

I am currently studying Business Administration and plan to participate in many volunteer opportunities, as well as internships. Although I do not specifically know where my career will take me, I have confidence that I’ll find a career that is fulfilling to me, and will be beneficial to the world around me.

JULIA CALDERON

One of the highlights of my high school experience would have to be my time on the cross country team. From my very first practice freshman year, I felt so welcomed by all my teammates and went on to make some of my best friends whom I have remained close with even after graduating. One of my most vivid memories is from my sophomore year, when me and two of my teammates claimed first, second, and third place at one of our races. It was a great moment — I can still remember the sound of my parents cheering for me in the crowd, and the pride I felt in myself and my team. We always pushed each other to work hard, and we were rewarded with beautiful fall scenery, apple picking, laughter-filled rides on the “Pope Mobile”, and many more memories that we will always cherish! To me, that’s the spirit of cross country.

Today, I am studying neuroscience at Boston College! I may eventually pick up a minor in studio art or history, because I am very passionate about those fields as well. I plan to pursue a career as a physician assistant someday. For now though, I am trying to soak up every moment that I spend here and make the most of every day!

ERIC TRAN

My favorite memory from PFPS was organizing and leading the Climate Crew with one of my closest friends, Asjha Jimenez and the best teacher advisor we could’ve asked for, Mr. Ilson. I’ve said it before, but Pope does give students the opportunity to explore their passions. My passion was tackling climate change and being able to start a club that focused on climate change awareness. This opportunity not only helped me develop leadership skills but remains one of my favorite memories at PFPS.

Currently, I’m a biology major with a specialization in neurology at Boston University. After receiving my

undergraduate degree, I plan on attending medical school so that I can work in the field of medicine as a doctor in the future.

OLIVIA BECK

One of my favorite memories at Pope Francis was the honors geometry field trip to New York City during my sophomore year. We went to the Museum of Geometric Design, explored the city, and went to dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp. I’m not the biggest fan of geometry, but I really enjoyed the field trip and opportunity to connect what we had learned to real life.

I’m currently majoring in nursing at Elms College. I hope to study abroad for at least one semester during my time at Elms. After I graduate, I see myself specializing in labor and delivery, and possibly going back to school to become a nurse practitioner.

STEPHEN ROUGEOT

I have so many great memories from my four years at Pope! Some of the memories that stand out to me are the times spent in Christian Leadership with Mr. Anziano. Since the start of my freshman year, I always looked forward to becoming a member of the Christian Leadership team. I remember looking up to those students and being impressed with their leadership skills and how they positively interacted with the entire student body. I was honored to be a part of this program during my senior year. I was blessed to be in this program with many of the friends I made during freshman, sophomore, and junior year. Leading other students and facilitating faith-filled retreats was a great experience that I won’t soon forget. Other indelible memories I have of PFPS that will last a lifetime were created on the sports fields, ice rinks, and turf. I will never forget the lifelong friendships formed, the camaraderie, and the amazing and unwavering support from classmates, faculty, staff, administration, and all the Pope fans. Being a part of the soccer team, hockey team, and lacrosse team during my four years at Pope has given me countless fond memories of practices, coaches, locker rooms, scrimmages, games, and continually uniting as a team for one common goal. I am currently attending Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. I intend to pursue a career in the medical field. I plan to continue my education beyond obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree from St. Anselm in 2025.

CHRISTINA RONCARATI

My favorite memory from my four years at Pope Francis was when I was a senior and our lacrosse team faced an undefeated Belchertown. I was most nervous for this game because my college coach was in attendance. During the game I got my hundredth goal, and our team defeated Belchertown by a score of 17-13! Being there, under the lights, and with a huge crowd cheering us on was truly memorable. I played the game of my life and the entire team was so determined to win, so together we played our hearts out. It was such a memorable night for me and our team that I will never forget!

My plan for the future is to have a great four years here at Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania, playing lacrosse and studying criminal justice. I intend to excel in the classroom and on the field. After college, I hope to see myself as a police officer to help keep my community and loved ones safe.

Mr. Brodeur’s HONORS BIOLOGY students worked on a platform called Zooniverse, which is a citizen science platform where individuals can volunteer to help read and record data on field studies the scientists are performing. >

ACADEMICS IN ACTION

ACADEMIC RIGOR is frequently cited as one of the top reasons students and families choose Pope Francis Prep. We are grateful to our teachers who create the best learning environment possible and to our students who embrace every challenge and opportunity that comes their way. They are problem solvers, self-motivated explorers, and curious thinkers who thrive in and out of our classrooms.

A highlight of the Underclassmen Award Ceremony is the receipt of BOOK AWARDS by PFPS juniors. In some cases, if the student is admitted and enrolls, there is a merit scholarship attached to the award. The total amount awarded this year to the Class of 2022 reached $861,000 SENIOR MALCOLM MAHONEY was selected as a finalist for the International Social Sciences Conference for Youth. The ISSCY is a research competition for high school students around the world, sponsored by the World Federation of the United Nations. In an effort to promote the study of humanities and social science among secondary students around the world, the ISSCY invites young minds to submit their research papers to a panel of judges for consideration. Students who submitted a proposal for the preliminary round and, if selected, were invited to submit their full papers. After a careful screening by esteemed judges, 80 young researchers were selected as finalists and were given the opportunity to publish their work in the ISSCY’s Online Journal. Malcolm’s paper is entitled, "A Uniquely American Epidemic: A Brief History and Current Analysis of Minorities’ Voting Rights in the Southern United States and its Pragmatic Solutions." Well done, Malcolm!

Congratulations to Madalyn Ferreira ’21 for being the recipient of the LUDLOW LIONS SCHOLARSHIP. The scholarship is named after the late James O’Neil and his wife the late Mary (Flynn) O’Neil, both of whom worked for Ludlow Manufacturing Associates during the early 1900s. Applicants for this scholarship must be attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst and be a resident of Ludlow. Also pictured are the Ludlow Lions Club Scholarship Committee members, Maureen Beauregard, President; Charlie Gravelin, BOD; Lorraine Czpienski, 2nd Vice President; and Joyce Riley, 1st Vice President.

CHEMISTRY LAB with Mrs. Perez. Students worked with balloons to illustrate the concept of a limiting reagent in a chemical reaction. The English Department held its annual APRIL IS POETRY MONTH contest to crown the 2021 PFPS Poet Laureate. Three gradelevel class poets were chosen, along with one poet laureate. Our 2021 poet laureate is Ethan Rivers for his poem "The Bird Calls Still". Other winners included Megan Smith ’22, Emmeline Perry ’23, and Hannah DiMauro ’24.

EVENING OF THE ARTS

returned in 2021. The event showcased the amazing talents within our art program. Thank you to Mrs. Kinsey, Mrs. Campbell, Mr. Ilson, and all of our incredibly talented students! Honors Aquaculture students carefully study the tilapia they raised throughout the semester.

SIX FEET APART. CLOSER THAN EVER.

Key Club sponsored a GARDENING SERVICE DAY at Holy Name Parish in Springfield during our spring break. A week off from school but not from serving our community! SINCE THE BEGINNING of the pandemic, our Cardinals have continued to participate in impactful service projects that help us serve our community and also bring us closer together. Our commitment to volunteering and making a difference in our community continues to be at the forefront of what being a Cardinal is all about!

Our first ever EARTH WEEK celebration was sponsored by our Climate Crew and held during the week of April 12-16. The week was student-led and included a variety of activities that helped to emphasize the importance of our Earth and strategies to better protect it. Mrs. Campbell's students record music that was shared at our EVENING OF THE ARTS event on May 19.

Elizabeth Gonet ’21 and Sophia Roselli ’22 dropped off boxes full of KEY CLUBBY BEARS at the Springfield Fire Department, Station 5. The teddy bears will be given to children who are facing difficult situations in hopes that the bears will ease their stress and lift their spirits. >

On a beautiful SENIOR SERVICE DAY, the Class of 2021 had the pleasure of serving alongside the great people at Gardening The Community (GTC). Our seniors assisted in many ways to clean, weed, and prepare the gardens for planting. With our shared values to put others first, GTC is committed to youth development, urban agriculture, and sustainable living here in Springfield.

PROM returned in 2021! We were thrilled to dress to the nines and spend a fun evening at the Log Cabin.

We celebrated NATIONAL SCHOOL NURSE DAY with our very own Nurse Jackson! She has been our backbone since the start of the pandemic. We are very grateful for all that she does for us.

The POPE

FRANCIS QUIZ

TEAM had its As Schools Match Wits competition at Westfield State vs Frontier Regional. The episode was aired on May 1st and was a great win for our PF team!

We were blessed to once again be able to celebrate our seniors and their families at BACCALAUREATE MASS on June 2 at St. Michael's Cathedral.

A new tradition at PFPS! The CATHOLIC SCHOOL CORD was given to 30 members of the Class of 2021 who attended Catholic schools from grades K-12. The schools represented include St. John the Baptist School, St. Stanislaus School, Mater Dolorosa Catholic School, St. Michael’s Academy, St. Martha School, St. Thomas the Apostle School, St. Mary’s Academy, and Blessed Sacrament School.

UNITED IN OUR FAITH

We are so grateful to the women and men religious who visited with our students to share their personal journeys of discernment and prayer which lead them to a RELIGIOUS VOCATION. It was a joy to witness their devotion to the faith and it serves as a warm invitation to our young women and men. Thank you to Sr. Eileen Sullivan, Sr. Lucero, Fr. David Darcy, Fr. Jonathan Reardon, Fr. David Aufiero, and Fr. Matthew Barone. >

Our GOLF TEAM gathers in our St. Joseph Chapel to pray and receive a blessing. This great tradition will continue with each of our sport teams at the beginning of their season.

PFPS students and faculty join Bishop Byrne at the PRO-LIFE

OF PIONEER VALLEY

BREAKFAST on September 18, 2021.

BLESSED ARE WE.

WHEN STUDENTS ARRIVED at Pope Francis Prep’s new campus on Wendover Road in 2018, so too did Fr. Mark Mengel. Although he fantasized about being a high school student again, this time he joined the school community as campus chaplain. Graciously sharing his retirement days with our students, faculty, and staff, Fr. Mark offered weekly Mass, heard confessions, celebrated all school liturgies and Baccalaureate Masses, blessed the animals, and engaged with our students. Fr. Mark graduated with the Class of 2021 and we pray in thanksgiving for his healthy and happy retirement.

With the blessing of Bishop William Byrne, Pope Francis Prep welcomed Fr. Stanislaus Achu this fall as the new chaplain. Fr. Stan was born in Nigeria. He is the oldest of seven children and he is a twin. He attended St. Joseph Major Seminary in Ikot Epkene, AI, Nigeria; Providence College, Providence, R.I.; and St. John’s Seminary, in Brighton, Mass. During his time in Western Mass, he has served at St. Mary’s Parish in Longmeadow and he is the parochial vicar at Holy Name Parish in Springfield. Fr. Stan is on campus four days per week. This regular presence allows Fr. Stan to really get to know the students. He shared that it is his goal to personally meet with each student this year. In addition to finding Fr. Stan celebrating Mass or hearing confessions, you will find him working with our Christian Leadership students, attending athletic events, collaborating with our theology teachers, and preparing students for the sacrament of Confirmation. Fr. Stan has fully embraced his role as chaplain and we extend him a very warm welcome.

SISTER DIANE

On September 19, Pope Francis Prep celebrated the retirement of Sister Diane Tetreault and the contributions of more than 400 Sisters of Saint Joseph who served the Catholic secondary schools in the diocese for the past 135 years. From Sacred Heart, to Holy Rosary, to St. Jerome’s to Holyoke Catholic, to Cathedral, to present day at Pope Francis Prep, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Springfield shared their mission to live and work that all people may be united with God and one another. Sister Diane’s teaching career spanned 52-years, with 49-years dedicated to fulfilling the missions of Cathedral High School and Pope Francis Prep. On behalf of our students and tens of thousands of alumni, we extend our sincerest congratulations and gratitude to Sister Diane and all the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

CARDINAL NATION

HIGHLIGHTS

AFTER THE DISAPPOINTMENT of a canceled Spring 2020 season, the return of baseball, softball, outdoor track, lacrosse and tennis in 2021 made us tremendously proud. We were thrilled to have our Cardinals back in action!

SPRING SPORTS

BASEBALL finished the season 9-4, and won their first round playoff game against East Longmeadow before a tough loss at home against Longmeadow in the quarterfinals. During the regular season, the Cardinals led their league in run differential at +43. The team was led by Joe DiMichele ’23, Ryan Leonard ’23, Jack Moltenbrey ’22, Connor Niemiec ’24, Ryan O’Leary ’23, each earning All-Western Mass and All-League honors.

For the first time, the PF SOFTBALL program included a JV team. The teams are very young and show great promise for the future!

BOYS LACROSSE played a tough regular season schedule and finished with a record of 4-6. The team won their first round playoff game before losing by a single goal in the quarterfinals. Brandon Spaulding ’21 was named First Team All-Western Mass.

GIRLS LACROSSE had their best season yet! They finished with a record of 11-2 before a tough quarterfinal loss in the postseason. Audrey Mason ’23, Maeve O’Sullivan ’23, Meredith Ravizza ’21, and Christina Roncarati ’21 were named First Team All-Western Mass.

BOYS TENNIS finished with a winning record of 5-4 in their first season, but opted not to participate in the postseason.

GIRLS TENNIS finished with an undefeated regular season, posting a record of 11-0. The team lost in the quarterfinals of the WMass tournament. Chloe Stevens ’22 was named AllWestern Mass, First Team Singles, and Madalyn Ferreira ’21 and Mikayla Messier ’21 were named All-Western Mass, First Team Doubles.

BOYS AND GIRLS SPRING TRACK had several individuals perform well in the postseason, including Sarah Poole ’21 (8th in the 200 meters), Brenna Sears ’23 (6th in the 400), Meghan Sullivan ’22 (7th in the 2 mile), Vonntae Martin ’22 (8th in the triple jump), and the 4 x 400 relay team of Hannah DiMauro ’24, Siobhan Walsh ’23, Allison Moloney ’22, and Brenna Sears ’23 finished fourth overall.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!

POPE FRANCIS PREP congratulates our boys Hockey players and coaches who proudly represented Massachusetts playing for the Springfield Cardinals in the 2021 USA Hockey National Championships in Omaha, Nebraska and returned home as Division 1 National Champions!

Upon our return from spring break, we were thrilled to welcome the National Champions back to school with a special breakfast at Nathan Bills with Congressman Neal and former Hampden County Sheriff Michael J. Ashe, followed by a surprise victory parade at PFPS.

The celebrations did not end there! A few days later, Mayor Sarno issued a proclamation, making April 29, 2021,

“Pope Francis Boys Hockey Day”. The team was also joined by Springfield Councilors Malo Brown, Tim Allen, Attorney Michael Fenton and Massachusetts State Representatives Bud Williams, Angelo Puppolo, and Brian Ashe who congratulated and recognized the amazing accomplishments of the team. Go Cardinals!

THE ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP...

April 15: Cardinals 16, Jesuit College Prep 1

April 16: Cardinals 12, North Broward Prep 0

April 17: Cardinals 5, Orange Lutheran 1

April 18: Cardinals 8, Brookings Rangers 0

April 18: Cardinals 7, Edina 3

April 19: Cardinals 3, New Trier 0

THE BONDS CROSS COUNTRY THROUGH THE YEARS THAT UNITE

STUDENT ATHLETES WHO HAVE BEEN A PART OF A CROSS

COUNTRY TEAM share a unique experience—an experience unlike other sports. For many, the sport of cross country is often misunderstood to be an individual sport. Of the many popular sports at the high school level, cross country is the only sport where all members of the team are performing the same task at the same time for the same goal.

Every workout and every competition presents a challenge that each runner has to work through. In cross country, this challenge comes with the territory. Team members often rely on one another for support on and off the trail. A cross country team’s success is very special because everyone on the team contributes to the result. Cross country is at its best as one team, with individuals competing to achieve a common goal. This shared experience builds camaraderie, often melds the team together as one, and forges lifelong friendships.

Cross country is a lifelong sport for Pope Francis Prep. Its history spans decades, with generations of sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and moms and dads hitting the trails. The common thread? Friendships and the familiar faces as coaches from our legacy schools unite as one, and continue to instill a love for running. We recently connected with more than 20 cross country alumni to reminisce about their fondest memories.

CHS 1981 XC team

SPECIAL BONDS ARE FORMED

Pat Markey CHS ’82: Even after all these years, when summer turns to autumn, temperatures begin to drop, and leaves begin to fall, I can’t help but think about cross country. We won the state championship my junior year and the Eastern Regionals at Van Courtland Park in NYC my senior year. I have fond memories of all of those meets, but what I most cherish about my CHS XC experience are the lifelong friendships that I made. High school cross country races last less than 20 minutes, but training runs are long. Many training runs are at a pace that allows for banter and joking. There was a lot of that in my years at Cathedral and I know there is a lot of that still. We had some very funny guys on our teams. Those long runs (especially the Saturday morning Wilbraham Mountain runs), the trips to away meets and the time spent together stretching, etc. are what I remember most. To this day, when I bump into a former CHS or HC XC

alum, the first thing either of us says is “You still running? The memories flood back.The camaraderie and the bonds last forever.

LESSONS ARE LEARNED

Quentin Donohue, HCHS ’81 reflects on freshman year: During those days, Catholic and Cathedral always tried to save money. So, when both schools traveled to invitational meets both teams would be crammed into a Longueil bus for the journey. For me, the first time was when we went to the Our Lady of Providence Invitation. Starting first on Surrey Road the Cathedral runners got on. Stopping in Holyoke, we all made our way to find seats. It was so crowded that freshman boys were pushed up into the luggage racks. What made it fun was that both Cathedral and Catholic boys had to go up. When I was getting ready a Cathedral senior, Joe Wolfe, saw me and asked my name. “Quentin Donohue,” I anxiously replied. He said, “Come here and sit in the back row.” The Cathedral seniors had claimed the last five seats. Joe squeezed me in between him and Garrett Mahoney while Garrett’s brother looked down from above. I wondered why I was getting special treatment. Later, he told me that my brother had been good to him when he was a freshman. That’s the way it worked. Family. I have carried this with me to today.

BEYOND JUST A GAME

Dave Cote HCHS ’81: One of my most heartfelt memories of XC didn’t happen on a cross country course. As background to this I’ll mention that I was the youngest of 4 kids raised by our single mother and I was the first in my family to attend college. I remember Coach Dan “Rudi” Lengieza sitting at my kitchen table with me, with my mother’s tax return and W2s spread out in front of us, helping me fill out my Financial Aid Form for college. Rudi did things for his runners. XC was a sport that kept giving.

HCHS 1981 XC team

Coach Goda with the Powell Sisters >

Coach Walsh and Danny Markey

THE JOURNEY TO BECOMING A CROSS COUNTRY ATHLETE

Mike Salvon CHS ’82: My Cathedral Cross Country journey began in March 1979, during the Spring of my Freshman year. I had not run cross country in the Fall 1978, but went out for baseball in Spring 1979. After promptly getting cut during tryouts, and coming home thereafter, my mother said, “Well, I’m sorry to hear that, but you’re not coming home every day just to hang around until supper. Go back tomorrow and find something else.” The next day I approached the legendary Paul “The Whip” Whitlock and asked if I could run track. He looked me up and down, concluded quickly and correctly that I was not a sprinter, and sent me off to run with the distance guys. At the end of the season, he asked what my plans were for the following Fall. I said I was thinking of going out for football. He said, “No, you’re better suited for cross-country. We have a meeting to discuss summer miles tomorrow. See you there.” I showed up the next day, ran my summer miles and developed a lifelong habit that I still do 40+ years later weekly (mostly) with a class/team mate, Pat Markey. We even still run the same Forest Park cross country trails, albeit a little more slowly and carefully!

THE LEGACY CONTINUES

Cliff Bourie CHS ’70: Coach Walsh had huge shoes to fill after Coach Whitlock, but both are in the Massachusetts Cross

Country Coaches Hall of Fame for a reason. Danny Walsh took the solid lessons and foundation that Paul Whitlock set and just kept building one great floor on top of another. What a tremendous legacy both coaches have created over such a long period of time!

A POPE FRANCIS PREP COACH REFLECTS

Coach John Goda CHS ’87, PFPS Girls Cross Country: I have lots of memories from HCHS. The 2014 Western Mass Championship at Northfield Mountain was really special for me—Gina Powell was a senior that year, and she was the last of her family to run for me. I coached her and all 6 of her sisters, and they all came to support her that day. In the 20 years I coached for HCHS, I had at least one Powell on the team for 15 of those years. They (and their entire family) were a huge part of my experience. One of my favorite memories of PFPS is running back to the finish at the WMass Championships in 2018 to find out that Emily Boutin had won. I was about half a mile from the finish, in the woods, when she went by me, and she was about 20 yards behind the leader (a girl she had lost to twice during the season already). I was really surprised and really happy when she told me she won—I still think it's one of the best races I've ever seen.

COMMITMENT AND GRATITUDE

Haley HCHS ’17 and Meghan ’22 Sullivan: Thank you Coach Goda for everything you have done for us on and off of the track. From giving us rides to and from home, just so we would be able to attend practice, to helping us with homework, to listening to all the drama we complain about, and finally, for instilling in us a love for running that we are positive will never go away. We know that you will always be there for us, supporting us in and out of running, and having such a close relationship with you means the world to us. We are so lucky to have you in our lives as a coach, a friend, and a running buddy. Thank you for everything!

Emily Boutin ’20, Coach Goda, Meghan Sullivan ’22 >

Pat Markey CHS ’82: One more year!! Toward the end of every XC season for at least the last 10 years, Dan Walsh has been hinting at retiring. Another class of seniors who started as a rag tag and talentless collection of freshmen are now good runners and good people. Job well done. Time for a rest. Year after year though, as his seniors prepare to move on, Dan sees the next group of up and comers. He can't help it. They look up to him. They have goals. He loves these kids. And, as certain as summer is to turn to fall, Dan is back for another season of cross country. Some year, Dan Walsh will retire for real. Will it be this year, or next year, or the one after that? Who knows? Maybe Dan and his wife Colleen don’t even know. Whenever that day comes, however, Dan Walsh can move on to the next phase of his life with Colleen, his kids and grandkids knowing that he has had an immeasurably positive character forming impact on generations of CHS and Pope XC runners.

Haley Sullivan and Coach Goda

THE BONDS THAT UNITE

Dave Cote HCHS ’81: Joe Markey, CHS ’85 and I are friends, neighbors, and former co-workers. When we first met at work it took about 10 minutes for us to figure out that we had both run XC; Joe for Cathedral a few years after my time at Holyoke Catholic. We compared notes on our teammates, where everybody was now and about our memorable races. He introduced me to Don Keavany ’85, a Cathedral grad who also lives in Hopkinton. The Holyoke Catholic and Cathedral runners of the past were close cousins with great mutual respect. Today with the legacy schools coming together, we are brothers and sisters.

PFPS 2019 Boys XC team