Two Catholic school graduates earn preseason baseball honor
SALISBURY, Md. – Kyle Hayman, a 201 graduate of St. Elizabeth High School, was named recently to the D3Baseball.com Preseason All-American second team, while Brett Collacchi, who graduated from St. Mark’s High School, received honorable mention. Hayman, an outfielder, and Collacchi, a pitcher, are seniors at Salisbury (Md.) University.
Last season, Hayman led the Seagulls in several offensive categories, including hits, runs and at bats. His average was .416, and his on-base percentage was .495, while his slugging percentage was .511. He also stole 28 bases to lead the Gulls.
Collacchi started 15 games for Salisbury, recording a 12-2 record with an earned-run average of 2.57 and striking out 59 to lead the team. Both players were selected to the D3Baseball.com All-Region and the All-Capital Athletic Conference first teams.
Salesianum graduate earns Eagle Scout award
Alexander Gamble, a 2014 graduate of Salesianum School and a freshman at Seton Hall University, recently earned his Eagle Scout award, the highest honor available in Boy Scouts. Gamble received his award during a ceremony Feb. 8 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church.
For his Eagle Scout project, Gamble reorganized the set and construction materials room at the Delaware Children’s Theatre in Wilmington. He also built shelving units to store new and existing wood and construction materials. He completed the project in September.
Gamble is a member of Troop 285, sponsored by St. Elizabeth Church in Wilmington.
St. Mark’s Academic Challenge Team ends Archmere’s run
WILMINGTON – The Academic Challenge team at St. Mark’s High School defeated Archmere Academy in the battle for the diocesan Academic Bowl on Jan. 29, ending Archmere’s nine-year hold on the trophy.
Junior Jake Schepers correctly answered a 15-point question at the end of the final round to clince the five-point victory for the Spartans.
In addition to Schepers, this year’s team members included Michael Gonzalez, Ashley Hoback, Seyed Naqvi, Brittany Walls, Ben Dahgir, Zack Hopkins, Nathan Spagnolo, Max Downey, Kevin Orzada, Ally Walls and Nicole Kirk.
St. Mark’s students provide warmth for homeless
WILMINGTON – A group of St. Mark’s High School students provided a warm meal and comforting night for the homeless in Newark in an overnight Code Purple shelter on Jan. 30. Code Purple nights are designated when the temperature falls below 20 degrees.
Eight Newark churches take turns opening their doors on these nights. St. Mark’s science teacher Tom Parkins serves as a Code Purple coordinator at Calvary Baptist Church and spends many such nights with the homeless. He said a group of students offered their help in late January.
The 13 students, all of whom are seniors, organized the evening and recruited friends to assist. They prepared salads, baked ziti, macaroni and cheese, and fettucini alfredo, along with dessert. They also talked with the 22 people who came to the church and watched movies with them.
Gabrielle Casalena, one of the students, said the homeless enjoyed the food and the chance to talk with the students.
“We even went into the music room and played with some of the instruments,” she said. “It was a great experience.”
