Chaminade High School 340 Jackson Avenue, Mineola, New York 11501-2441 (516) 742-5555 www.chstarmac.com Vol. LXXXIV, No. 2 Christmas 2017

Journalism in the Digital EraPage 5

Remembering Fr. Paul Landolphi, S.M.Pages 8 and 9

Tarmac’s Guide to Christmas ClassicsPage 14

An Eagle Among FlyersPage 6

T r i f e c t a !by Chris Mercadante ’18

Follow us @Chaminade_HS Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/ChaminadeHighSchool

Senior Tarmac editor Chris Mercadante ’18 was a defender for the 2016 and 2017 varsity soccer teams, starting at left-back this past season.

The wind was biting on November 18, 2012 as I sat in the stands of Belson Stadium at St. John’s University in Queens. I can still see the play unfold. After beating archrival St.

Anthony’s in penalty kicks just one week prior, the Flyers of Chaminade, led by captain Kevin Mer-cadante ’13, my broth-er, sought to win the fifth state champion-ship in school his-tory and first since 2010. However, the C a n i s i u s C r u s a d -ers of the Diocese of Buffalo ended their march towards his-tory. I watched as the Crusaders scored the game-winning goal with 10 minutes left in the second overtime, crushing the Flyers’ state championship hopes.

Fast-forward five years to 2017. On a s i m i l a r N o v e m b e r d a y, I o n c e a g a i n found myself at Bel-son Stadium. Howev-er, this time, I stood on the turf, celebrating Chaminade’s seventh CHSAA New York State title, its third such championship in as many years. The arduous road to this historic moment was paved by the players and coaches whose commitment and dedication helped assert Chaminade as one of the elite high school soccer programs in the United States.

After the devastating loss in 2012, the Flyers returned to the 2013 NSCHSAA Finals, where they faced archrival St. Anthony’s. After playing to a scoreless draw through regulation and two overtimes, the Flyers fell 4-1 in the penalty shootout that followed, handing the Friars the league championship.

In 2014, Chaminade was determined to avenge the previous year’s loss. Seeking to bolster their offense, the coaches called up then-sophomore Matthew Vowinkel ’17, who had recently set a scoring record at the freshman level. The Flyers went on to finish the regular season undefeated and untied for the first time since

1995, suffering only two non-league losses. In the 2014 playoffs, the Flyers defeated Kellenberg Memorial to set up yet another NSCHSAA showdown against St. Anthony’s.

As the rain thundered down on a dreary November night at Adelphi’s Motamed Field, the Flyers played through 120 min-utes without a goal scored or conceded, resulting in yet another penalty shootout. Yanni Rigos ’17 was tremendous in net for the Flyers, but after 20 penalty kicks, the Friars triumphed by a score of 10-9, handing Chaminade its second consecutive NSCHSAA

loss.The 2015 team would

prove to be the perfect combination of deter-mined youth and vet-eran leadership. Led by Vowinkel, now a ju-nior captain, and senior captains Kevin Lee ’16 and Nick Lavinio ’16, the 2015 squad sought to finally exorcise the playoff demons plagu-ing the program and capture the school’s fifth state title. The Fly-ers dominated league play with a NSCHSAA record of 11 wins, one tie, and zero losses. Once again, the Fly-ers reached the league championship match. This time, however, Chaminade was able to break through the Friar

defense, as Vowinkel rocketed a volley from 25 yards out that clipped the underside of the crossbar and ricocheted back down and across the goal line to propel the Flyers to a 1-0 victory. After three long years of waiting, the Flyers were once again league champs.

“Losing in 2014 was heartbreaking,” admitted Vowinkel. “Scor-ing that goal and bringing us back to the state tournament in 2015 was everything. It felt great to get Chaminade what it finally de-served, plus a little redemption.”

The junior continued his excellent form in the CHSAA state semifinal, scoring two goals in a 3-0 win over Archbishop Molloy. In a rematch of the 2012 title match, Chaminade faced Canisius in the CHSAA state final. With the memory of 2012 still clear in the minds of the coaching staff, the Flyers rolled past the Crusaders in dominating fashion, winning 5-0, an appropriate final score for their fifth state title. Continued on Page 12

The varsity soccer team poses with its third consecutive CHSAA New York State championship plaque.

Chaminade Soccer Nets a Historic Third Consecutive State Title

by Nicholas Plante ’18

A Reminder to Leave No Gifts Unwrapped This Christmas’ T i s T h e s e a s o n

“We need

to stop and

reflect to

ensure no

gift goes

unused

and no

giver goes

unthanked.”

Every Advent, my church is beautifully adorned with decorations to welcome the coming of Christ. From big wreaths and ribbons to holly and ivy, there’s a lot

more going on in there than usual. Most prominently, though, stands a tall tree on the side of the altar. However, this isn’t an ordinary Christmas tree; it doesn’t have lights, ornaments, or a glowing star on top, and there are no presents underneath it. Instead, the “giving tree,” as it’s called, is simply covered with white cutouts that parishioners are welcome to fill with their prayer intentions.

One of the goals of this practice is to remind us that, in the midst of all those wish lists to fulfill and sales to take advan-tage of this season, we need to go beyond the material aspect of life and refocus ourselves on something deeper. I’m sure we’ve all heard it before, but this really is the perfect time of year to reflect on all the spiritual gifts in our lives, in addition to the physical ones.

In my household, we can’t wait to run downstairs on Christ-mas morning and tear open every last present under the tree. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this tradition; the problem arises when we make these material goods the sole focus of the day. We need to extend that eagerness to both give to and receive God.

The first step in doing this is simply to recognize that we have been given so much more than we might think.

Beyond what we find inside the wrapping paper, God grace-fully offers us countless gifts throughout our lives. Whether it be our talents, new opportunities, or even other people, all that we have is ultimately from Him. Admittedly, it’s not always easy to remember this. When there’s no tangible manifestation of a gift, it can be especially hard for us not to take it for granted. In many cases, we fail to understand the fullness of what we have been given.

Consider how it would feel if you somehow missed one of the presents under the Christmas tree. Silver and gold wrapping paper, with a big red bow on top, all shining right there on the floor. It sure looks great, but it’s never been opened. Therefore, it’s essentially useless to you or anyone else. But worst of all, since no one ever opened the gift, the one who gave it remains unappreciated, as well.

How, then, could we possibly praise God for a spiritual gift, the contents of which are still a mystery to us? We must stop and reflect to ensure no gift goes unused and no giver goes unthanked.

St. Peter wrote that God’s gifts are given to us, but for others. Regardless of what exactly we’re dealing with, when we use God’s gifts to us, we tend to help the people around us thrive. So, think about what your strengths are. Try to identify where you find yourself most comfortable in serving others. Perhaps it’s when you lead your team to victory on the field, or maybe it’s when you volunteer at a soup kitchen over Christmas break.

Personally speaking, I started playing guitar about six years ago. I’d spend hours in my bedroom covering whatever songs came to mind and even trying to create some of my own tunes. However, when my teacher moved to Texas at the beginning of my freshman year, I lost my sense of urgency as a guitarist. Soon, I basically had stopped playing altogether. It was some-

thing I loved to do, but I eventually let all the other noise in my life drown out my music.

I failed to fully recognize a gift that God had given me.In the middle of my junior year, there was an ad in my church

bulletin looking for music directors to start a new youth choir. My friend Dan, knowing that I had some musical experience, asked me if I would be interested in taking on this responsibility with him. After considering the idea for a bit, I decided I’d join him, but on one condition – I wanted to play guitar as little as possible, if at all.

Once we got our feet off the ground, however, it became clear that the songs we were performing at Mass needed more sound. It was up to me to fill the spaces as Dan kept the rhythm with his chords. As I began to play new parts on my guitar, I found myself able to handle more difficult songs than ever before – in front of my first public audiences, no less. I quickly picked up new techniques and finally learned how to read sheet music. A year later, I’m now at the point where I can handle all of the guitar parts to our music, even in Dan’s absence.

Don’t get me wrong; I still have a long way to go in my experi-ence as a guitarist. By no means do I consider myself to be great at the instrument. However, I can’t deny that I’ve been given a gift from God – that He has blessed me with the ability to lead others in song through my playing. And if I had not stepped up when Dan and the choir needed me, who knows if I ever would’ve realized this present was still under the tree, waiting to be unwrapped?

Enjoy the things you receive this Christmas season, but don’t forget that you’ve been given far more than what meets the eye.

Pilot’s Seat2

FROM THE Pilot’s Seat

T a r m a c

Established 1934Published by the students of Chaminade High School

Editors-in-ChiefColin Capece, Nicholas Plante, Aidan Fitzgerald

Senior Editors3 Up, 3 Down Editor Layout Editor

Tom DalyJaden Ombres

moderaTorMr. Patrick Reichart

assisTanT moderaTorsMr. Salvatore Garofalo

Ms. Heidi HafnerMr. Matthew Kaplan

PhoTograPhyChaminade H.S. Photo Service

PrinTingRosemont

Press

EditorsCopy Editors

Layout Editor

Art EditorScience &Tech Editor

Pat GrindelCraig HirschDean VayiasAndrew DonnellyWill Birkdale

Copy Editors Chris MercadanteMichael TsuiOscar MatosOwen Barthel

Social Media Editor Graphics/Design

Contributors

Rory Mahon Mike MulhernJacob WoodPeter CamporealePat ConklinDominick Pizzonia Nicholas Sathi Philip KelleherPatrick Turansky

Ndubueze OkonkwoRyan O’Connor

Flight Path 3

ON THE Flight Path C r o w n e d !

sport athlete, won a total of five CHSAA varsity champion-ships (two apiece in lacrosse and basketball, one in football). He attributes his smooth transition to college life to the academic rigor that Chaminade provided, saying that “going through Chaminade, with the demanding academics, made the transi-tion into college academics much more manageable, and it has helped me balance studying and lacrosse.”

The hard-working defensive midfielder has indeed found that balance, as he attained honor roll and dean’s list status last year. Additionally, he has been named a member of the Puerto Rican National Team for the 2018 Men’s Lacrosse World Championship in Israel.

Over the course of the 2017 season, O’Connell made his presence felt for the Terps, making plenty of impact plays and forcing ground balls with regularity. While O’Connell’s focus is on delivering another championship to Maryland, he also has an eye on the future.

After graduation, O’Connell intends to pursue his MBA in finance before working on Wall Street. Although Tom’s lacrosse career will be put to bed upon leaving Maryland, what he’s learned from his successes as a student-athlete will live on.

If their professional careers are anything like their time as Terps, both Muller and O’Connell are set for big things in the future.

After falling short of their championship goal in 2016, the Maryland Terrapins defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes on May 29 to capture the school’s first men’s lacrosse

title since 1975. Integral to the Terps’ victory were two Chami-nade graduates, senior captain Tim Muller ’13 and sophomore Thomas O’Connell ’15.

Winning certainly isn’t anything new for Muller, who helped lead the Flyers to multiple lacrosse championships, as well as a football title as a quarterback and later a safety, while he was in high school. Tim entered Maryland ranked as the 10th-best defender recruit in the nation, and he exited as the best at his position on entire the collegiate level. In each of his years as a Terp, Muller had at least made it to the Final Four. This time around, though, he helped lead the team to the ultimate victory. In addition to being named the 2017 NCAA Defensive Player of the Year, Muller received several other national honors to round out his decorated career, including the William C. Sch-meisser Award for the country’s top defender and the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player Award.

To top it all off, Muller was chosen by the Florida Launch as the 10th overall pick in the most recent Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft.

But this spring wasn’t O’Connell’s first taste of champion-ship glory, either. During his time at Chaminade, Tom, a three-

by Oscar Matos ’18

Chaminade graduate and Floral Park native Nick O’Malley ’15 is currently participating in a research project at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia to

learn more about treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other similar conditions.

Nick’s passion for the sciences dates back to his time at Chaminade. Although he was not involved in any science-based extracurricular activities because of his dedication to the crew team, he stated that Mr. Andrew Corcoran ’01 and Mr. Robert Paul ’92 sparked his interest in scientific research.

“I have always wanted to be a part of a research team,” Nick explained. “For me, research is a way to better under-stand the world around us and maybe even change it for the better. In this regard, my respect for and interest in the people behind the science drew me to this project.”

Nick’s work focuses on TimeSlips therapy, which is a type of treatment that involves storytelling as a means of expression for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Nick and the research team at St. Joseph’s are working to find out if TimeSlips can be used to help increase social interaction and decrease anxiety in children with ASD.

“I was drawn to this project because I have always been very interested in applied behavioral analysis,” said Nick. “Understanding the interactions of individuals on the au-

tism spectrum is a truly fascinating topic, and figuring out how to lessen their anxiety involving these interactions is a worthwhile goal.”

Nick has some prior experience interacting with autistic children, as he worked for multiple summers as a lifeguard at the Floral Park pool, often providing swimming lessons for children with special needs.

“I always made sure I set aside time to help these children, and invariably these were some of the best lessons I ever received. Not only were these kids a lot of fun to work with, but they were always very eager to learn and excited to be at the pool,” he reflected.

According to Nick, the driving force behind this project is not so much scientific discovery, but rather the idea that the team could make a difference in the lives of children with ASD.

“The sad reality is that sometimes these kids get bullied at school or denied from a job when they grow older because they are ‘different’ or ‘awkward,’” he explained. “The truth of the matter is these kids only seem that way because so many of them have some form of social anxiety. If we can figure out a way to mitigate those symptoms, I believe it could be a first step towards a wider social acceptance of people with autism.”

w o r k i n g T o w a r d s a C u r e

by Colin Capece ’18

Tim Muller ’13 and Thomas O’Connell ’15 Win NCAA Lacrosse Title

Nick O’Malley ’15 Researches a New Form of Autism Therapy

Thomas O’Connell ‘15 (left) is all smiles with teammateTim Muller ‘13 (right)

Nick O’Malley ’15

4 Science & Tech

A u g m e n t e d R e a l i t y H a s J u s t B e g u n t o L e a v e I t s M a r k

Tarmac’s Science and Tech Editor, Ryan O’Connor is an avid software developer whose work earned him an invitation to Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in San José, California this past June. Ryan’s latest project, a new-and- improved “Chami-nade High School” mobile application, is currently available to the public via the Apple App Store.

It’s not too often that an essential new technol-ogy emerges – one that changes our work, entertainment, and daily routines. Such

notable technological breakthroughs in recent years include the evolution of portable computers, the development of social media, and, of course, the explosion of smartphones. But with all of these innovations well-ingrained in our society by now, one must begin to won-der – what’s next?

Here’s my bet. Augmented reality, or AR,

is a technology that seamlessly blends virtual objects with the real world. While this technol-ogy has been around for a few years, it is becoming increas-ingly practical and important.

You may have heard of another emerging technol-ogy called virtual reality (VR). The two “realities” can seem similar at a first glance; both change what we see using vir-tual scenes, after all. But, looking deeper, differ-ences quickly become apparent. VR completely removes users from the real world, immersing them in a whole new environment through a headset and controllers. Such technology is cer-tainly interesting; however, its limitations make AR the more practical and accessible technology to the average user.

VR requires very powerful computers and other equipment, adding up to a high cost. AR, however, is already being used on the portable devices that we use every day. Although aug-mented reality doesn’t give users a 360-degree experience, it places virtual objects in the real world, which users can then see on their device’s screen.

AR certainly has taken some time to reach the level of precision it currently enjoys. The technology relies on a device’s accelerometer (which detects movements), gyroscope (which detects how the device turns), and cameras. In 2017, all of these instruments are already part of your smartphone!

Fusing all of these technologies together produces amazing scenes, blending anima-tions with real objects right in front of users. Developers are already coming up with countless applications for AR, ranging from new ways to game to a virtual tape measure on the iPhone. Chances are you’ll soon find yourself using AR in one way or another – if you haven’t already, that is.

An entire category of video games has come from AR. One of the earliest and most suc-cessful examples is Pokémon Go. Although this game’s release brought with it some un-intended controversy over safety issues, the app, released in the U.S. in July of 2016, dem-

onstrated the capabilities of AR well before big tech companies such as Apple and Google released frameworks for it. Sure, Pokémon Go’s developers might have made some sig-nificant oversights regarding where the game would bring users, but its popularity and functionality cannot be denied. Much of its complex technology went unnoticed by most players, but the app combined a user’s loca-tion and augmented reality to place Pokémon models in the real world. Players interacted with these characters on their mobile devices as they walked around public places.

Pokémon Go’s accurate object anchoring and placement was certainly impressive, and it has paved the way for many more projects. (Don’t worry, though; not all of these AR games involve running around the streets with your phone in front of you, as Pokémon Go did!) Some of the best products thus far have been made with Apple’s ARKit, a framework which allows developers to easily create AR apps, focusing less on the technicalities and

more on the experience and content. With AR, users control a character’s point of view as the user physically moves his or her device around. Thus, a game’s scene can easily be laid out on a table or similar flat surface.

If games aren’t for you, there are other stun-ning uses for AR from which almost anyone can benefit. For instance, I experimented with making a virtual tape measure this summer. Playing with Apple’s ARKit framework made me realize firsthand the great deal of possibili-ties that await. Just a few lines of code were needed to initialize the AR scene, and it only took a few math calculations to generate an accurate measurement.

Following this, I was invit-ed to beta test MeasureKit, an ARKit app decorated with intelligent features that essentially did what I wanted to, but on a higher level. With this, one can simply measure the width of a table or the height of a refrigerator as I described previously. The developers of MeasureKit went even further and incorporated an intelligent mode that de-tects the person’s head and almost instantly displays his or her height. Give this a try for yourself and download MeasureKit on the App Store. You’ll be blown away.

We’re about to see soft-ware even more impressive than that, though. IKEA has

developed an app that lets you skip a visit to the furniture store, allowing users to preview life-size models from their catalog right in your home. Other developers are already working on apps that can generate floor plans of a room – simply tapping on the corners around the room generates wall measurements, square footage, and a visual representation of the room. Because of ideas like these, big-time companies know that AR isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, Apple recently an-nounced that it will be releasing an AR-specific device by 2020.

And it doesn’t stop there. Imagine going to a restaurant, and instead of receiving a menu, you open an app that allows you to preview your food before ordering it. Imagine a heads-up display for walking and driving directions that guides you to your destination through your camera.

Paired with other up-and-coming innova-tions, AR is bound to redefine how we interact with our devices on a daily basis.

I T ’ S T H E R E A L D E A Lby Ryan O’Connor ’19

Editorial

Unf it to Pr int ? T h e M e d i a I s L o s i n g I t s F o c u s i n a n I n c r e a s i n g l y D i g i t a l S o c i e t y

In this digital age, online news outlets have become prolific sources of information. As web-based media increasingly becomes

the norm, streams of online articles are con-stantly published to keep the modern audi-ence engaged. The American Press Institute notes that the rise of digital media has caused a generational shift in which 18- to 34-year-olds subscribe to online news at a higher percentage than any other demographic. As a result, media outlets are now gearing their news coverage towards the fast-paced modern consumer who demands minute-by-minute updates of even the smallest details – and this isn’t necessarily a good thing.

As the value of the print media industry has decreased by an average of approxi-mately $1 billion annually since 2011, the revenue from digital advertisements through news websites has increased by an average of 20% per year to a re-corded value of $59.6 billion in 2015 (as indicated by an extensive Pew Research Center study). Traditional ad revenue, on the other hand, now sits just under $30 billion.

As communications have become al-most instantaneous, control of the news has been taken from the hands of journal-ists and big-time media corporations, as there is a much larger degree of public participation in media coverage than ever before. In fact, research by the University of Southern California notes that “[fewer] people are actually watching the broadcast journalism firsthand; instead, they are hearing about it through social media.” In other words, during this digital age, a trend towards reliance on second-hand information has developed.

The past year or so has been witness to a storm of “fake news” circulating online. For example, a story about Pope Francis’ supposed endorsement of Donald Trump for the presi-dency spread like wildfire on social media, gar-nering nearly one million Facebook views. And it certainly got people talking – even at school. Many people accepted the report as accurate, at least to some extent, without ever checking other sources about the pope’s remarks. Pope Francis later explained that as the Bishop of Rome, he is to stay impartial regarding po-litical elections. The website “WTOE 5” had originally published the story about the false endorsement, which was nothing more than a fantasy. According to a Buzzfeed News report, WTOE 5 – although it has been shut down fol-

lowing this and a few other inaccurate reports – was just one of at least 43 sites in a network responsible for 750 recent articles containing substantial inaccuracies.

Similarly, in an article published by The Po-litical Insider (a name that could make a web-site or publication sound like it’s trustworthy), Hillary Clinton was accused of selling arms to ISIS in Libya, and controversy exploded on social media as a result. However, the original

story explained that the State Department under Clinton had sold arms to Libyan rebels during the 2011 insurrection which took place in the country. (By nature of the political insta-bility of Libya, the same weapons managed to make their way into the hands of members of the Islamic State.) For whatever reason – be it a desire for more page views, flat-out careless-ness, or political motives – an inaccurate story was spread far too wide.

While the duty of a journalist has historically been to report important stories as accurately as possible, the modern journalist now has the added obligation to ensure that a story remains factual during its circulation. It is amazing how easily we can communicate these days, but verity should not be disregarded to facilitate quick dissemination of stories. At the same time, readers shouldn’t assume what they are reading is correct unless that have good reason to be making such an assumption. This is not to say that passivity has been the media’s only

problem in recent years. Even those who do not rely on this second-hand news are neverthe-less at the whim of various media biases from various outlets.

The most popular stories of a given day are often showcased in a “Trending” section on news sites, and these stories tend to quickly gain traction. Such articles, however, are pro-moted based on their page views, not neces-sarily their merit. Thanks to online advertising,

clicks are directly proportional to revenue – the aim of every viable company. While the most popular stories, by definition, draw the most traffic and money, how an online news outlet decides to cultivate this popu-larity can cause some questions to arise.

Many members of the media strayed from ethical principles and capitalized on the sudden boom in ratings leading up to the most recent presidential election, continu-ally harping on relatively trivial matters like some of President Trump’s impromptu com-ments or Hillary Clinton’s faux pas of label-ing his supporters as “deplorables.” Report-ers blowing things out of proportion isn’t anything new in and of itself. However, in many cases, social media posts were made within a couple of hours (and sometimes even minutes) of these occurrences. Intense debates were initiated all over social media, yet people barely had the time to seriously reflect on what had happened. Journalists are certainly free to support a political party or candidate privately, but in the quest for revenue, the border between criticism and pure sensationalism is becoming increas-ingly blurred.

Without a trained eye and research savvy, uncovering inaccuracies or fabrications can be an elusive task for many people. The problem is that digital news develops at such a fast pace that it often lacks balance; the sheer volume of online posts satisfies the basic human condi-tion of relating volume to verity. However, we shouldn’t be so quick to accept any story we read, even if it is enticing or well-written. It’s healthy for us to question what we read in search of the truth; we shouldn’t settle for ignorance, even if it is often most convenient. Sometimes, the whole story might not even lie within just one report, so why shouldn’t we, as informed readers, keep searching until we have the full picture?

The rise of digital media has brought with it an immense amount of potential – but with it comes far greater responsibility on the part of both the journalists and the public. The time has come for both parties to start living up to it.

5

by Peter Camporeale ’18

News

F l y e r s o a r s T o e a g l e s C o u TA d a m B r a u n ’ 1 8 R e s t o r e s C e n t u r i e s - O l d C e m e t e r y

It began as a normal morning for Adam Braun ’18.

He was walking his German shepherd, Roxie, before school one day last fall when the dog suddenly veered off the sidewalk and into the woods. Roxie evidently smelled something worth pursuing, but Adam was unaware of what that might have been. As he followed Roxie through the green landscape, however, Adam did notice something peculiar himself.

As he peered between the trees, he noticed part of an ivy-covered head-stone illuminated by the early morning sun. When he moved a little closer, Adam found that his dog had led him to an old, abandoned grave – practi-cally in his own backyard!

Curious as to what this could be, Adam immediately wanted to explore the site. Due to the grave’s inaccessibil-ity, though, he had to wait until that afternoon.

“Right when I got home after school that day, I had to go straight back to check this out,” he recalled.

After navigating through the roots and shrubbery surrounding the grave, Adam was amazed to find several other headstones just like the one he initially saw. Some of these were buried or com-pletely covered with foliage, but Adam brushed them off to the point that he could see that he had stumbled upon an antiquated burial ground for the Tilley family, with some headstones dating as far back as the 1700s. As he closely examined each stone, an idea began to fester in Adam’s thoughts – this would make for the perfect Eagle Scout project!

Adam began his time with Boy Scout Troop 962 of Locust Valley in first grade, and he knew that he wanted to become an Eagle Scout early on. In order to attain that goal, he would need to earn 21 merit badges in a wide range of fields before conducting his own service project to benefit his local community.

Ten years later, Adam was still searching for a project idea to tackle as the culmination of his scouting journey when his answer came in a way he never would have imagined.

“I felt kind of weird because I had no idea that the cemetery was so close to my house,” explained Adam. “But I was awestruck by the discovery and excited by the opportunity it presented as a project.”

Adam ran back home after his shock wore off and discussed the finding with his father, who is the scoutmaster of Troop 962, and his fraternal twin brother, Matthew ’18. Both family members shared Adam’s feelings about the graveyard and agreed that restoring the cemetery was a project

they should take on. “I was really surprised because we

walked down that same road every day for practically our whole lives, yet we never noticed it,” recalled Matt. “A cemetery outside our house? That’s the last thing I would have expected.”

“Just because the Tilleys were not ex-tremely rich or famous does not mean their graves should be forgotten,” explained Adam. “It turned out they were some of the earliest settlers here, so they were probably respected during their lives. They should still be respected now.”

Adam went to the Oyster Bay town hall to consult the tax map, where he found that the plot of land is actually owned by the Town of Oyster Bay, not by his family or his neighbors. The local historian of the

town knew that the graveyard existed, but not much research had been conducted on it due to its remote location.

Then, through the Abandoned Cemetery Program of Oyster Bay, Adam gained ap-proval to work on the publically owned land. Also, as a gesture of courtesy, he

contacted a living relative of the Til-ley family, who volunteered to adopt the cemetery and care for it after the work was complete.

Adam, Matt, their father, and other members of their troop began to work on the project in the early spring. Under Adam’s leadership, the group worked for six weekends to restore the area, which ended up covering over 5,000 square feet.

First, the group cleared out the small trees and bushes that origi-nally blocked people from walking through the area and seeing the land. Next, Adam and his fellow scouts trimmed down the larger trees to make the cemetery more open and well-lit. There was a dead tree leaning over the graves, so they contacted the parks department to cut it down. The area was also weeded, and spider webs and dirt were brushed off the graves. Adam decided the ivy he found at the site should be left on the ground for its aesthetic value, though. To top it all off, the group bought flowers and planted them by the road as a marker of the area. Adam chose not to move the headstones into place because he did not want them to be damaged, but the ones that were im-

mersed in the dirt were uncovered. A total of 17 graves belonging to the

Tilley family were found and restored, with some headstones over 240 years old, predating the American Revolution. The most recent dates to 1865.

While Adam’s dedicated effort earned him the rank of Eagle Scout on November 2, the value of his experience extends far beyond this title.

“Leaving the graves in their original condition for the most part shows a lot about the graveyard – it was forgotten, but restored,” said Adam. “People who walked or drove past the cemetery would never even know it was there. Now, ev-erybody who passes down Kaintuck Lane can see it.”

And that’s all thanks to Adam.

6

by Patrick Conklin ’18

Adam Braun ’18 uses a chain hoist to lift a monument stone into place, putting a finishing touch on the restored graveyard. (Photo Courtesy: Robert Braun)

Feature 7

Going Against the GrainW o o d w o r k i n g C l u b A i m s t o A i d O t h e r s

Whether the Chaminade woodwork-ing club is assisting in recovery efforts after a natural disaster or

participating in smaller acts of kindness and charity to live out the good news of the Gospel, this group of craftsmen consistently proves that there is much more to their work than one may assume at first glance.

Moderated by Fr. Garrett Long, S.M. ’62, this is a club full of ambi-tious students dedicated to develop-ing valuable skills during their time in the school’s wood shop. Students become self-reliant through learn-ing how to operate tools, building useful projects, and making various renovations. The members of this activity, however, answer to a much deeper call than simply working on crafts for themselves, as service is the focal point of the club.

Nearly every day, Chaminade’s woodworkers spend several hours in their shop as they practice their trade, working on a number of personal projects along the way. Examples of such work may include crafts like chess boards, shelves, and hat racks.

While crafting such items with one’s own hands is certainly a sat-isfying venture, the woodworking club generously partakes in many service projects over the course of the school year. One of the club’s goals is to help those in nearby com-munities who desperately need the service of individuals with these students’ specialized skill sets and qualifications.

“It is a great opportunity for guys to give their talents for others,” explained Fr. Garrett.

Safety, of course, remains the top priority for students, and such an environment is ensured through comprehensive training in the wood shop, completed in phases prior to any student becoming a full-fledged member of the club.

In addition to completing various projects in and around the school, the woodworking club also provides essential aid through its annual St. Joseph’s Mission projects, which are focused on providing help to people who live in areas desperate for assistance. Members of the woodworking club often stay at Meribah, Chaminade’s retreat house in Muttontown, NY, while participating in a

project located on Long Island. The young volunteers typically stay at Meribah over-night; then, during the day, they work on the projects and tasks to which they have been assigned. These dedicated carpenters have helped repair many homes and building all

across New York – particularly in the years following Superstorm Sandy.

The generous service provided by the indi-viduals in the woodworking club is unparal-leled, as students have even sacrificed parts of their winter and summer vacations for the purpose of helping others. One recent St. Joseph’s Mission, spanning from the end of the school year into summer vacation, tasked students with transforming an old rectory into an absolutely beautiful new convent for the Sisters of Life in Suffern, NY. The group worked exceedingly hard to renovate the brand new convent, performing a variety of difficult tasks for the sisters. This group of young woodworkers installed new laminate flooring, molding, and even divided walls

where necessary. All of these improvements not only helped the group of sisters who were in need of assistance, but they also allowed for many of the students to grow as young men as they found personal fulfillment in performing these acts of generosity.

“The service is an essential part of the club, and it feels great to use our talents to help those in need,” explained Conor Browne ’18, a four-year member of the club.

In 2012, when Hurricane Sandy devastated New York, approxi-mately 100,000 homes on Long Is-land were damaged. Hundreds of thousands people were robbed of shelter and electricity, left in what many felt was a hopeless situa-tion. The storm caused billions of dollars in damages in the Empire State alone. Where most saw ca-lamity, members the Chaminade woodworking club viewed the tragedy as an opportunity to help those in need, and they were com-mitted to doing their part to aid in the recovery efforts. In the storm’s aftermath, dozens of young men traveled to areas that were most severely affected by the storm, starting the process of rebuilding the homes that suffered damage. Working with a non-profit orga-nization known as the St. Bernard Project, Chaminade students hung new sheetrock and installed new insulation in countless structures. These generous acts helped many residents who had been devastated by the unrelenting storm get back on their feet.

“Carpentry is not only about completing the task, but also about building something with

your hands for someone else,” reflected club moderator Mr. Daniel J. Haslbauer ’11. “Carpenters are able to use their skills to bring a tangible, specifically requested gift to those in need, and exactly the way they want it.”

The fine craftsmanship of the wood-workers’ creative personal projects, as well as the generosity and diligence of their service projects, speaks for itself. For many years now, this devoted and ac-complished group has donated countless hours of hard work to those who are in need of help. When it comes to providing for others, the Chaminade woodworking club is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand.

by Andrew Donnelly ’20

Chaminade carpenters like Conor Browne ’18 (left) and John Schmitz ’17 (right), pictured here working at last year’s St. Joseph’s Mission, have spent hours on public service projects. (Photo Courtesy: Conor Browne)

8

to the Marianist community, and soon after, the Province of Mer-ibah welcomed him to Mineola.

In his five years at Chaminade, Fr. Paul affected the community in a number of ways, always leading with both his words and deeds. An expert on all things Marianist, Fr. Paul had a big computer on his desk and was always researching more about the order’s spirituality and history – even at 90 years old!

Vocations Director for the Prov-ince, Bro. Stephen Balletta, S.M. ’74, recalled the details surrounding a prayer service that Fr. Paul wanted to organize to commemorate the recent 100th anniversary of the ap-paritions of Our Lady of Fatima.

As the anniversary neared, Fr. Paul was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a form of leukemia that would ultimately lead to his passing. This diagnosis would require weekly blood transfusions, as well as an exhaust-ing treatment routine.

“I remember saying very distinctly to him, ‘Paul, you just got a very serious diagnosis. Are you sure you’re up to this? I don’t think this is a good idea,’” said Bro. Stephen. “But Fr. Paul was completely dedicated to making Mary the Blessed Virgin known, loved, and served, so he wanted to go forward with it.”

Bro. Stephen said he nearly decided against holding the service, but then Fr. Paul said to him, “Well, I know if Our Lady wants this prayer ser-vice to happen, it’ll happen.”

“He was very good at making me feel guilty,” admitted Bro. Stephen with a laugh. “So I said, ‘Okay, we’ll have it.’”

It came as little surprise to many that Fr. Paul was well-prepared for the service. Incredibly, he was still in possession of old notes he had taken in preparation for the 50th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima half a century prior. The notes were typed on an antique, manual typewriter, and Fr. Paul ended up using them as the basis for his script at the centennial prayer service.

Despite his failing health, Fr. Paul was able to preside at the prayer service, which was attended by over 200 people.

“His voice was strong, he was very alert, and he would not be deterred,” recalled Bro. Stephen. “That was [Fr. Paul] – when he was dedicated to something, he would pour his heart and soul into it.”

This commitment to prayer was evident in his everyday life, as Fr. Paul’s daily schedule revolved around it. Members of the Chaminade community noted that he was always 30 minutes early for any prayer service or Mass – even when

Devout. Faithful. Gentle.These are some of the

many words that mem-bers of the Marianist community used to describe Fr. Paul Landolfi, S.M., who passed into eternal life on November 16 at the age of 90.

Fr. Paul spent 73 years in the religious life as a teacher, chap-lain, and spiritual director, but his lifelong connection to the Blessed Mother dates back even further, as his childhood was spent in an orphanage run by members of the Society of Mary.

“Boys who lived in the orphan-age with him 80 years ago came to his funeral. 80 years ago! It’s incredible,” said Marianist novice Bro. Patrick Cahill, n.S.M. ’11. “But that was the kind of person he was. If you met him, you couldn’t forget him.”

Even though Fr. Paul arrived at Chaminade just five years ago in 2012, he left an exceedingly strong impression on the Mineola-based Marianist community. Students, religious faculty, and lay staff all recall his uncanny ability to establish personal connections and make people around him feel wel-come and comforted. The bedrock on which Fr. Paul built such kindness was his spirituality, as well as his perpetual devotion to Mary.

Born in Brooklyn on December 17, 1926, Fr. Paul was one of four children, three of whom were boys. When he was just five years old, his mother died, and his family, like many others during the Great Depression, faced serious financial troubles. As a result, his father was forced to place the young Paul in St. John’s Residence for Boys in Rockaway Park, hoping to bring him back home when he had saved enough money to support the family. Unfortunately, his father passed away a few years after this, and Paul remained under the care of the Brothers of Mary, who had assumed control of the orphanage.

Although he was educated in public school, Paul was quickly drawn to the life of the Marianists. He started religious training at age 14, and in 1944, he professed his first vows. Af-ter graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Dayton in 1947, he continued his religious education, making his perpetual vows in 1950. Fr. Paul then attended a seminary in Switzerland and was ordained a priest on July 17, 1955.

Fr. Paul was a devoted academic and held two master’s degrees – one in administration from Villanova University and another in pastoral counseling from New York Theological University. He spent as many years teaching as he did learn-ing, serving as an educator at different Catholic high schools in the 1950s and 1960s. He returned several times to work at his boyhood home – the St. John’s Residence – as well.

When the Marianists withdrew from St. John’s in 2012, Fr. Paul asked to be moved wherever he “could be best of service”

Fr. Paul administers ashes to a student in homeroom to usher in the season of Lent.

Seen here ministering the Body of Christ during a Mass in Darby Auditorium, Fr. Paul lived out an unwavering devotion to the Eucha-rist into his final days on Earth.

E i g h t D e c a d e s o f D e v o t i o nB e l ove d Fr. Pa u l L a n do l f i , S . M . Re t u r n s t o G o d

by Owen Barthel ’19

9

that required him to get out of bed at 4:00 a.m. because his illness had made moving to the chapel a time-consuming chore.

Bro. Peter Sennert, n.S.M. ’11, another novice who spent significant amounts of time studying under Fr. Paul, said it was easy to see the ef-fects of his life of spirituality.

Fr. Paul was “such a gentle man,” said Bro. Peter. “To be that gentle while being so powerful showed just how much he was fueled by grace.”

Bro. Peter went on to explain that Fr. Paul showed many of the Mari-anist brothers what it truly means to be Marianist – namely, how these men are called by God to expand Blessed William Joseph Chaminade’s spiritual mission.

“Even though [Fr. Paul] might not have spoken to every student, I think that the way he deeply affected the brothers and how we approach our mission affects the whole school,” Bro. Peter explained. “If you influence the brothers, you influence the entire school.”

It seems that Fr. Paul truly affected everyone he encountered. Maintaining an office opposite Chaminade’s chapel, he came in frequent contact with many teachers and students.

“Whenever my friends and I visited him, he always greeted us with a smile and handshake,” recalled James Pham ’19, a member of the Faustino Club, a group of students considering religious vocations in which Fr. Paul was very active. “He always took the time to remember our names and to ask us how we were doing. He was a great man and Marianist who will surely be missed by us, the Chaminade community.”

Peter Camporeale ’18, on the other hand, met Fr. Paul just once – but that was still enough for Peter to feel his warmth and good humor.

“I sat with him at a communion breakfast sophomore year, and he was just really interested in what everyone else at the table had to say,” the current senior recalled. “I told him that I had lived in England for a while, and he jokingly replied, ‘At least you’re bilingual!’”

While on a retreat, Bro. Patrick also had a notable personal experience with Fr. Paul. During the retreat’s recreational period, Bro. Pat approached the priest, who was in his late 80s. In an attempt to teach him a card game, Bro. Pat soon came to realize that Fr. Paul was a major “card shark,” and the elder went on to beat him over and over. Bro. Pat remarked on how “crazy” it was that a 23-year-old could connect and have a great time with a man nearly four times his age. Because of Fr. Paul’s multifaceted character, though, connections like

this one came about rather easily for him.

As it became harder for him to physically move around, Fr. Paul still found ways to impact oth-ers on a spiritual level. In the five years he spent at Chaminade, he compiled a list detailing the birth-days of everyone who worked in the building. Not just the brothers; not just the teachers. Everyone. From teaching faculty to secretar-ies to coaches to maintenance men and the cafeteria staff, everyone got a message from Fr. Paul on his or her birthday. Many of these people expressed amazement upon receiving a “happy birth-day” email from an elderly priest, but to those who lived closely with him, the thoughtfulness and

thoroughness was not surprising.“That’s just how he was,” reflected Bro. Stephen.Fr. Paul spent the last three days of his life at the Queen of Peace

Residence in Queens Village, which is run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. Here, he continued to greet people with excitement and joy even though he was suffering through his final sickness.

“Right away, he was asking everyone who walked in the door – every Sister, every nurse, every cleaning person – ‘What’s your name?’ He would then take great delight when they returned an hour later, and he’d say, ‘Oh, you’re Veronica,’ or ‘You’re Sister Marie.’ Although he only spent a short time there, you could tell that many of the nurses were affected and saddened by his passing. He was just the kind of person who made very profound connections wherever he went,” said Bro. Stephen.

Surrounded by several of his Marianist brothers, Fr. Paul died peacefully while reciting the Memorare, a special prayer to the Blessed Mother.

Fr. Paul’s funeral Mass was held on November 20 in Darby Auditorium. Bro. Pat called it “a great celebration of life with a tinge of sadness.” Indeed, the funeral was somber because of the breadth of this loss to the Chaminade community. Yet, there remained a joyful feeling throughout, as all in attendance were confident that Fr. Paul was in Heaven.

The Chaplain of Kellenberg Memorial High School and assis-tant Marianist provincial Fr. Thomas Cardone, S.M ’73 presided over the Mass. His homily recounted Fr. Paul’s holy and com-passionate life and the example he has set in mentoring younger members of the Marianist order, like Bro. Pat and Bro. Peter.

In terms of how Fr. Paul will be missed, Bro. Stephen said it best:

“There’s a real sense of loss and sadness….Just in terms of someone who was an inspiration for Marianist life, [Fr. Paul’s] loss is deeply felt. On the other hand, I would say there was also an enormous amount of gratitude and happiness in that we had the privilege and joy of having him in our midst for five years.”

Fr. Paul delivers a homily during a Communion breakfast several years ago. Those who had the privilege of hearing him speak would know how truly committed he was to the mission of Mary and her beloved Son.

Fr. Paul administers ashes to a student in homeroom to usher in the season of Lent.

E i g h t D e c a d e s o f D e v o t i o nB e l ove d Fr. Pa u l L a n do l f i , S . M . Re t u r n s t o G o d

10

On September 17, 2017, the Islanders played their first (and last) game in the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coli-

seum since their controversial move to Brook-lyn. Despite it only being a preseason game, the team played to a sellout crowd of 16,170. Given one last chance to “rock the barn,” fans enthusiastically supported their native team and pleaded for them to return to Long Island, frequently chant-ing “Bring them Back!” throughout the game. Sadly, this dream is cur-rently an impos-sible one – without a new stadium to move into, the Is-landers are forced to play their home games at Barclays Center. However, if the Islanders win the rights to build a stadium in Belmont Park, they finally could return to the island permanently.

Despite the Is-landers being play-off contenders, av-erage attendance at Barclays Center dropped to the second-worst number in the NHL last year, at merely 11,700 people. Fan turnout has continued to be disap-pointing this year, even as the team proves to be a competent rival with the Rangers for the title of top New York team. If the Islanders are a playoff team that can sell out an arena for a preseason game, why is it that they can barely fill two-thirds of the seats at the Barclays Cen-ter? The answer lies in the stadium itself, as well as its location.

Barclays Center is a basketball stadium, not a hockey one. Its unique shape makes it ideal for Brooklyn Nets contests but an absolute nightmare for Islanders games. A ridiculous number of seats offer obstructed views of the rink. Large barriers block many fans from viewing parts of the game, and the seating ar-rangement can cause sizable areas of the rink to be blocked from view by other seats. In fact, a ticket in section 201 has been nicknamed “the worst seat in professional sports” by several fan groups. An entire quarter of the rink, including one of the two goals, is missing from view for the poor fans in this spot. The unlucky man,

woman or child who fails to read the fine print may purchase a full-price ticket and end up viewing only half of a game.

Before their move to Brooklyn, the Islanders were known as the local Long Island sports team. (One need look no further than the team name or logo to see this.) Traveling to games was easy for Islanders fans, who are primarily located in Nassau or Suffolk County. It was an easy drive, and the Coliseum always had am-ple parking. In addition, the team was known

for connecting to the community through events such as the annual meet-and-greet at Adventureland in Farmingdale. When sitting in the Nassau Coliseum, fans felt that they were a part of something special as their chants liter-ally shook the stadium. They were rooting for players who lived in their towns and they had met personally on multiple occasions.

After relocating to Barclays Center, the Is-landers lost their charm. The commute became a major hassle, as there is virtually no parking in Brooklyn, and garage parking is expensive. This forces Long Islanders to commute using the LIRR to Atlantic Terminal, a trek which is now infamous for frequent delays and equip-ment problems. The team no longer hosts many local events, and generally players feel disconnected from their fans. Star player John Tavares has even complained about the lack of interaction, and many speculate he may not re-sign with the team if they failt to win the Belmont bid.

A stadium in Belmont provides a solution to all of these problems. This new home could be built specifically as a hockey arena. In ad-

dition, the location would be more convenient for nearly every Long Islander. Fans would once again be able to drive to the stadium and partake in tailgating and similar community-oriented activities. The Islanders would once again be a part of our culture.

While this stadium would be the perfect place to house the Islanders, they face another profes-sional sports team in the bid for these rights - the New York City Football Club. With a passionate and growing fanbase, one may hastily assume

that a Belmont sta-dium would be an ideal fit for the Ma-jor League Soccer (MLS) team. That would be a false belief.

Many NYCFC f a n s a r e d i s -pleased with this bid, as the MLS team currently plays i ts home games in Yan-kee Stadium. Al-though it may not have been built specifically for the soccer team, the stadium provides an extremely easy commute for city-dwellers, along with world-class

food and an ambiance like no other. As some-one who has been to multiple NYCFC games alongside an avid fan, I can safely say that the rowdy fans in the bleacher sections truly believe that “New York City is [their] home.”

In addition, a hockey arena is a much more practical place for non-sporting events than the outdoor soccer arena NYCFC proposed. Most of the world’s best arenas (Madi-son Square Garden, Bridgestone Arena, STAPLES Center, etc.) double as hockey arenas. A rectangular-shaped outdoor field simply isn’t the ideal concert venue, so such a structure would probably be more limited in what it has to offer the community beyond soccer games.

Without question, the best use of the Belmont land would be a hockey arena for the New York Islanders. They are a playoff-bound team with a promising future but are currently plagued by their stadium’s shape and location. A hockey stadium at Belmont would allow for a much-anticipated return to Long Island and give die-hard Islanders fans like myself something to cheer for.

B r i n g t h e m B a c k ! PointT h e I s l a n d e r s D e s e r v e a n A r e n a a t B e l m o n t

Point

by Michael Tsui ’18

A B e l m o n t S t a d i u m I s W h a t N Y C F C N e e d s

After earning a place in the Major League Soccer (MLS) playoffs in each of the past two seasons, New York City

Football Club (NYCFC) has begun to build a sizeable fan base in the tri-state area. In fact, of the 22 MLS teams, NYCFC ranked fifth in atten-dance this past season. However, the club could attract even more sup-por ters i f it secures p r o p e r t y in Belmont Park to build a new stadi-um.

I t m u s t be acknowl-edged that I s l a n d e r s fans want their home-town team to r e t u r n to the Long Island area, and for good reason. After many years of mediocri-ty, the team has devel-oped a core o f yo u n g players who are hungry to bring the franchise its first Stanley Cup since 1983. How-ever, NYCFC is also a team on the rise, and soccer fans are recognizing that the squad will be a force to be reckoned with in Major League Soccer for years to come. With an intriguing new rivalry beginning to form between NYCFC and the Red Bulls, fans of the beautiful game in New York can be assured that they will continue to see some great soccer for many years to come.

Both teams are currently playing their home games in stadiums that were designed for other sports. The Barclays Center was originally built for the Brooklyn Nets, and a number of seats have obstructed views when the Islanders play their home games. Similarly, NYCFC plays on the grass at Yankee Stadium, a pitch that is cer-tainly not ideal for players or spectators.

The two clubs both need new venues badly,

but at least the Islanders are easily accessible for their Long Island fans. Supporters claim that they are not connected to their team, but the Barclays Center is just a short walk from Atlan-tic Terminal, a Long Island Railroad station in Brooklyn. The train provides an easy commute to the game and eliminates the hassle of trying to park on the outskirts of the stadium.

Fans of NYCFC, on the other hand, have a much more difficult time traveling to the game from Long Island. Taking the LIRR is more time consuming for them because there is no train that goes directly to a Yankee Stadium stop. Fans must first take the train to Penn Station and then hop on the subway to get to the Bronx. Driving to the game is also a nightmare because the parking situation is simply horrendous. You could very well find yourself paying as much to park as you do for tickets. When my friend and I went to a Yankees game this summer, it took us nearly two hours to get out of the garage after the game ended. A stadium in Belmont would allow for plenty of parking and make NYCFC games easily accessible for many fans.

Empire State Development, the firm that is spearheading the Belmont project, has also requested that the future owner of the prop-

erty pay for the construction of restaurants and shops that would be located around a stadium. NYCFC could attract supporters by creating a destination that appeals both to fans and Elmont community members. (Belmont Park is located in Elmont, NY.) Attending an NYCFC game could be a family-friendly experience if food and entertainment destinations were built in

addition to the soccer destina-tion.

While the Barclays Cen-ter is admit-tedly a terrible place to watch a hockey game, watc h i ng a soccer game in a baseball sta-dium is even worse. Fans who sit along the base lines do not face the center of the pitch and must turn in their chairs in order to see the action. NYCFC has also had a number of s c h e du l i n g conflicts this season because of Ya n ke e s p o s t s e a s o n

games, ultimately relocating two home games because of the American League Championship Series. The Yankees will be true contenders in the American League for the foreseeable future, as evidenced by their playoff run this season, and they will be playing plenty of games deep into October. so scheduling conflicts are sure to occur again.

As much as Islanders fans want their team to come back to Long Island, NYCFC needs the Belmont property more. With a fan base mostly concentrated in the five boroughs, a new sta-dium on Long Island would also help the team expand its reach to an area where thousands of kids and adults participate in youth soccer leagues.

A stadium in Belmont would provide a great opportunity for NYCFC to become Long Island’s new favorite team.

a P i T C h F o r a P i T C h

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Counterpoint

Counterpoint

by Colin Capece ’18

Sports12

Continued from Page 1After such a successful 2015 campaign, the

Flyers were ranked among the top 20 teams in the nation. Needless to say, expectations ran high in the 2016 season, with every op-ponent bringing their best against the defend-ing state champions. We opened our season with a hard-fought 3-1 loss to the defending national champions, St. Benedict’s Prep, and followed that with a decisive victory over tri-state rival Delbarton. The 2016 campaign would not prove as dominant as past years, however, as we fell to Christian Brothers Academy, 5-2, and suffered a late-season loss to St. Anthony’s. In the NSCHSAA playoffs, our team bested Kellenberg, 3-2, after a late overtime goal from Vowinkel sealed yet an-other Flyers vs. Friars matchup in the league final. In that match, Vowinkel scored early in the first half to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead, but the persistent attack from the Friars resulted in a second-half goal to bring the score level. Regulation ended with the two teams even, and sudden-death overtime was needed to determine a champion. A penalty shootout seemed imminent until John Murphy ’18 sent a booming clearance over the top of the St. Anthony’s defensive line.

I looked on from the bench as Vowinkel calmly ran under the bouncing ball, set his feet, and smashed a volley into the upper left-hand corner of the net to give Chaminade the league title. The dream of winning consecutive state titles, a feat only accomplished by the 2006 and 2007 teams, was now tangible to us. Another overtime goal, this time coming from Tim Davis ’17, secured the Flyers’ spot in the CHSAA state final for the second year in a row.

In the championship match, once again against Canisius, the Flyers showed no mercy in a 6-0 rout, as Vowinkel appropriately capped off his Chaminade career with a hat trick.

“[Playing for Chaminade] meant the world to me,” Vowinkel reflected. “Chaminade gave me a wonderful education and relationships

that will last a lifetime. Starting to put the program back to winning form was my way of giving back.”

Between 2016 and 2017, our team lost 17 seniors, including its lead goal scorer and starting goalkeeper.

“It was hard to basically start over after having a senior-heavy team last year, but the seniors really stepped up to take over that role,” explained captain Kevin Lynch ’18.

Questions about this year being a “rebuild-ing year” were raised after we suffered an uncharacteristic 7-2 loss to Amityville in the season opener. This loss served as a wakeup call for the squad, signaling that we needed to work much harder to succeed in 2017.

“Soccer is a weird sport. What we try to do is peak and play our best soccer in November and improve from August,” explained head coach Mr. Michael Gallagher, who entered his 20th season at the helm this year.

As players, we took our coach’s words to heart, improving each week and learning from losses to Delbarton, Christian Brothers Academy, and St. Benedict’s Prep. This led us to the NSCHSAA semifinals, where we defeated Holy Trinity 5-1, setting the stage for an epic showdown in the league final against none other than St. Anthony’s. After playing to a draw twice during the regular season, these two teams played a final match that was characterized by excellent performances from both the Chaminade back line and junior goalkeeper Anthony Rumfola ’19.

The contest remained level until the second half, when Tim de Meij ’18 broke through St. Anthony’s defenses with a right-footed rocket that found the back of the net to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. Chaminade would hang on over the final minutes to win by that score. For the third consecutive year, we were league champions! However, our work was far from over.

Next, we met St. Joseph’s of Buffalo in the CHSAA semifinal. The game began with a bang after I swung in a cross which was headed into the net by Kevin Lynch only five

minutes into the first half. T h a t l o n e goal would become the decider, as neither team was able to convert after the opening tally on that frigid night.

Thus, the state final was set – we were to play Re-gis at Belson Stadium on November 12 with history on the line.

A s t h e match began, it quickly be-

came evident that we were evenly matched. Kevin Lynch scored another of his trademark early goals to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead at halftime.

With their season now on the line, Regis threw everything forward, eventually con-necting on a cross halfway into the second half to draw the match even. Our situation seemed dire when Murphy, now the captain, went down with a head injury with minutes to go in regulation. Showing the true grit of a leader, Murphy would return to play with his head hastily bandaged.

We held on for the remaining minutes, forcing a sudden-death overtime. Just a few minutes in, Lynch won a corner kick. With that kick, Ben Szemerenyi ‘19 curled a cross into the box that somehow found the side netting.

What followed next can only be described as pure jubilation; my teammates and I sprinted to Ben, arms pointed to the sky with three fingers outstretched. We had become the first Chami-nade team to win three consecutive state titles. We had made history.

Our celebration was followed by the ritual hoisting of the state championship plaque. Af-ter the cheering had ended and the celebration subsided, I had a chance to reflect upon what we as a team had accomplished.

We overcame the adversity of losing such a large number of seniors, the hardship of a 7-2 loss, and the weight of expectation surround-ing the program to make high-school soccer history. At the close of the season, six players were selected to the All-League team, with Murphy and Brendan Slattery ’19 being named to the All-State team. Murphy was also named NSCHSAA League MVP, and Tim de Meij was named team MVP.

When one considers the immense suc-cess that the Chaminade soccer program has enjoyed over the past three years, it is only logical to wonder how exactly this was accomplished. After all, in high-school sports, the roster turnover between seasons makes it difficult to repeat championships, let alone “three-peat.”

I’m sure that if you were to ask the play-ers, they’d say the true secret to success lies in Coach Gallagher himself. Over his 20 years of service, Coach Gallagher has transformed Chaminade soccer into a nationally relevant program that has sent players to NCAA Division I programs and even on to MLS. His ability to draw the best out of his players is unparalleled, and I personally would not be the player I am today without him.

“Coach has a lot of knowledge and pas-sion for the game, but even more than all of that, he loves the team,” said Lynch. “He knew what each player was capable of and exactly how hard to push us. I can honestly say we would not have won without him.”

Through talented, hardworking play-ers and a determined coaching staff, the Chaminade soccer program persevered after heartbreak, rebounding to become one of the greatest teams in recent New York State history.

Ben Szemerenyi ’19 works the ball across the St. Anthony’s pen-alty area to Kevin Lynch ’18 in the 2017 NSCHSAA Final.

News

T w o o f a K i n d n e s sChaminade Twins Raise Money for Wounded Ukra in ian Vets

On a busy New York City street last year, twin brothers Andrey and Daniel Mychajlyszyn ’19

were getting ready to perform a traditional dance for the an-nual Ukrainian festival held at Saint George Ukrainian Catholic Church. There, they noticed a man in a soldier ’s uniform greeting a nearby crowd. He was missing a leg and clearly suffer-ing from other gruesome injuries received in combat. The brothers went to go meet him and were profoundly impacted by their encounter. He was just 22 years old – a young man with his whole life ahead of him – yet his world had been turned upside down by the tragedies of war.

“[My brother and I] were truly inspired by this interaction; more than ever, we really understood the horrors of what’s going on in Ukraine,” reflected Andrey.

Andrey and Daniel have always been in touch with their roots; they often partake in traditions like this dance, as their Ukrainian culture plays a large role in their lives. Dis-heartened by the ongoing military crisis in their family’s homeland – a conflict which has caused the deaths of over 10,000 people and left approximately 21,000 wounded – Andrey and Daniel have grown increasingly worried about the impacts of the events which have taken place in Ukraine over the past four years.

“We have been heavily connected to our heritage from a very young age, and seeing what’s happening over there has been heart-breaking,” said Andrey. “I talked to Daniel after [the dance], and we became inspired to help these courageous soldiers like the one we had just met.”

“Our parents always tried to instill in us the value of helping others,” added Daniel.

To the twins, this was a perfect chance to reach out to those in need.

The Mychajlyszyn boys joined with nine other students from Catholic high schools in New York, such as Regis and Archbishop Stepinac, who had established an organiza-tion called Relief United. The group’s initial goal was to provide assistance to individuals affected by the Syrian refugee crisis. Thanks to the twins, though, it has expanded to help-ing wounded Ukrainian veterans gain the

medical, financial, and moral support they need to get through their tough times. The goal of these 11 driven teenagers remains the same: “to spread the mission of helping

others,” according to an Instagram post from the Mychajlyszyns.

Andrey and Daniel began their philan-thropic work by helping three sponsored soldiers – Evgen Redka, Dimitri Kotov, and Sergei Bipan – all of whom risked their lives fighting in the Ukrainian conflict. Since each of these men required expensive medical operations to treat his injuries, Andrey and Daniel utilized various plat-forms to raise money to help fund these procedures.

The twins first published a GoFundMe page, which raised nearly $2,000 for Evgen and Dimitri. However, they knew that they needed to do more to help their friends in need. Their next idea was to team up with the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), a nonprofit group based in New York City. (Andrey and Daniel’s uncle is currently a representative on the

Committee.) The UCCA seeks to empower Ukrainian-Americans, giving them stron-ger voices within their local governments and communities. Drawing upon their

traditional Ukrainian roots, An-drey and Daniel decided to sell pierogies (Eastern European dumplings filled with either meat or potato) through the UCCA. The sale took place at St. Vladimir Parish Center in Uniondale, and it brought in another $500.

The brothers’ next project proved to be their most produc-tive so far. They decided to host a benefit concert filled with sing-ing, dancing, and art demonstra-tion – all based on the Ukrainian culture. The event took place on October 29, 2017, also at St. Vladimir, and it proved to be a tremendous success.

Famous Ukrainian singers ac-cepted invitations to perform, and the two brothers danced with their ensemble, Yunist. A work of art by well-known Ukrainian painter Oksana Tanasiv was even auctioned for $200.

Several veterans were present, making the event even more spe-cial for Andrey and Daniel. They personally thanked the former soldiers for their service with a touching speech in front of the audience which commemorated the soldeirs’ sacrifice and de-votion to their homeland. The speech also recognized the recent 75th anniversary of the forma-

tion of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army that fought in World War II. The event raised more than $7,000, bringing the twins’ total contribution to an impressive $9,600. This amount is enough cover the majority of the costs for the aforementioned medical procedures, and some money will be put towards additional medical aid, as well.

“We are very humbled to be able to help these brave men who were fighting to protect [Ukraine]’s freedom,” explained Andrey.

Daniel echoed his brother’s sentiments, saying, “After helping people on such a large scale, we felt a real sense of accom-plishment. Andrey and I look forward to organizing more projects and hosting similar events to this one in the future.”

To keep up with Andrey and Daniel in their continuing mission to serve, be sure to follow @reliefunited on Instagram.

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by Nicholas Sathi ‘20

Daniel (left) and Andrey (right) stand with Sasha, one of the young, wounded veterans whom their charity work has helped serve. (Photo Courtesy: @reliefunited on Instagram)

by Aidan Fitzgerald ’18

T a r m a c ’ s O f f i c i a l G u i d e t o C h r i s t m a s M o v i e sF i l m s b y T h e F i r e P l a C e

“Christmas

movies always

seem to con-

tain an infinite

amount of

heart, mixed

in with plenty

of laughs, and

they’re always

a surefire

way to truly

feel the joy

of a white

Christmas.”

While visions of sugar plums dance in your head this Christmas season, the best way to immerse yourself in the sentimental spirit is to watch – and rewatch –

Christmas classics. Christmas movies always seem to contain an infinite amount of heart, mixed in with plenty of laughs, and they’re always a surefire way to truly feel the joy of a white Christmas. Members of Tarmac hereby suggest our readers once again enjoy these holiday flicks that are guaranteed to fill you with plenty of Christmas spirit and remind you of the true reason for the season:Home Alone

One of the high-es t -g ross ing com-edies o f a l l t ime, Home Alone has been a fixture of Christ-mast ime f i lm and television since its re l ea se. The Wet Bandits think they’ll have an easy time robbing the homes of wealthy vacationers during Christmas, but unfortunately for them, Kevin McCal-lister was left home alone. The elaborate booby traps Kevin uses to ensnare his two bumbling enemies make clear that he is a formidable nine-year-old – and these tricks can also make audience members fall out of their chairs laughing. Despite Kevin’s clear ability to look after himself, his Christmas apart from his family teaches him to not take the people he loves for granted, wrapping a warm and fuzzy bow on a hilarious holiday hit.Elf

Elf, possibly the funniest and most quotable Christmas story put to film, is an instant classic to all viewers. Will Ferrell star-ring as the lovable Buddy, a human accidentally raised in the North Pole who sets out on a quest to find his father in the big city. Intense comedy and heartwarming moments abound throughout the film, as many jokes from the movie live on via the internet 14 years after its release. This humor adds to the film’s deeper theme of the importance of family, a mes-sage critical to be reminded of during the Christmas season. The Polar Express

For anyone trying to regain that magical feeling associated with Christmas, The Polar Express is the perfect film. This movie was actually the first film ever to be shot entirely in motion-capture, and it shows in the enthralling animation, which creates an almost haunted, magical feel. Josh Groban’s featured song “Believe” is a perfect (and very underappreci-ated) Christmas tune, which, like the rest of the movie, will remind you of nights spent turning over in bed, trying your hardest to fall asleep in anticipation of the most wonderful morning of the year.

A Christmas Story “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!” This line has practically become

synonymous with Christmas movies in popular culture, and it’s hard to flip through the channels during the Christmas season without hearing this famous line or catching a glimpse of the infamous leg lamp. Despite its seemingly simple plot of a young boy wanting to get his first BB gun for Christmas, A Christmas Story has remained relevant and beloved through its accurate and relatable portrayal of familial

love in all its many forms. A Christmas Carol

One of the greatest les-sons in morality ever told, the power of A Christmas Carol has withstood the test of time for almost 200 years. Since being written by Charles Dick-ens in 1843, this story has been adapted to the silver screen several times, most notably in 1938. Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey from selfishness to selflessness is both fantastical and heart-warming, as ghosts reveal to him the importance of treating others with kind-ness. His complete trans-formation is summarized in spirit by the words of

Tiny Tim: “God bless us, every one!”Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas

This somewhat quirky live-action adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ famous children’s book has Jim Carrey in a role he was practically born to play. The pages of Dr. Seuss’ world come to life on the big screen, recalling the feeling of being a kid during the holidays. The addition of the melancholic song “Where Are You Christmas?” keeps this movie memorable long after the end credits. Even if he can be campy and a little silly at times, Jim Carrey’s Grinch is undeniably hilarious, and it is impossible not to feel your heart swell as the cynical Grinch’s own heart triples in size.It’s a Wonderful Life

It’s a Wonderful Life, contrary to its name, has a seemingly grim prem-ise, as it follows a suicidal man walking around during Christmastime in a world in which he never really existed. There’s a reason, however, that the American Film Institute has declared this Christmas favorite to be the most inspiring movie of all time. The joyous affirmation of purpose and love that this movie gives its audience is deeply touching and uplifting. For anyone who has never seen this classic, Christmas is the perfect time to view it and experience the immense gratitude it brings to the viewer.

Amid the hectic family parties and last-minute presents, Christmas can become a very stressful time of year. During these anxiety-filled days, relaxing with family members and taking a break from our responsibilities is of the utmost importance, and there is perhaps no better way to feel the joy of this wondrous season than by sitting down with a blanket, finding an old copy of one of these beloved Christmas movies, and clicking the play button.

Airstrip Analysis14

Airstrip Analysis

“The one-and-

done rule hurts

those play-

ers who are

talented and

physically ma-

ture enough to

make the leap

straight from

high school to

the pros.”

The NBA is currently in talks to revamp its re-lationship with the NCAA as it pertains to the annual draft; Commissioner Adam Silver is con-

sidering the elimination of the “one-and-done” rule, which essentially forces NBA prospects to attend one year of college before declaring for the draft.

If the NBA does go through with its plan to eliminate the one-and-done rule, it would likely be replaced with a system similar to that of Major League Baseball, wherein players can declare for the draft directly out of high school. If they choose to go to college, they must stay there for at least two years before declaring for the draft.

If implemented, this new system would help all involved and put an end to an era that failed the players, the NCAA and the NBA itself.

By its very nature, the NCAA product will never come close to matching the tal-ent levels seen in the NBA. The Associa-tion is comprised of professional athletes, while the NCAA is made up of still de-veloping college players. However, there is a certain charm to college basketball, one that keeps it incredibly popular year in and year out.

College basketball thrives where the NBA does not, as the NBA is driven by stars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James. Many pay money to see these players (as evidenced by fans’ collective outrage when a player like James takes the night off) as opposed to buying tickets to watch a particular team. However, at the college level, the product is driven by the universities themselves. Fans aren’t necessarily paying to see Duke’s senior guard Grayson Allen as much as they’re paying to see Duke itself. The selling points of college basketball include a frenzied, fun-filled atmosphere, as well as a sense of tradition. There is also more attention paid to legendary coaches like Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski and Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim. As such, the constant personnel turnover that the one-and-done rule provides has little effect on the NCAA’s popularity.

The one-and-done rule hurts those players who are talented and physically mature enough to make the leap straight from high school to the pros. Take, for example, Duke’s freshman forward Marvin Bagley III. Bagley is one of the most highly touted prospects in recent memory, and likely would have been a top pick in this year’s NBA draft had he been eligible. The

one-and-done rule forced him to attend Duke for at least a year before he jets to the NBA.

Bagley, for all intents and purposes, is little more than a mercenary for Duke; to Bagley, Duke is just a pit stop on his path to superstardom. What’s worse is that, despite the otherworldly talent NBA-bound freshmen like Bagley possess, a lack of experience stops most freshmen from being able to step onto a col-lege court and dominate right away. Rather, the most dominant college players are, historically speaking, upperclassmen. As a result, many of these freshmen

are coming away with little of value from their year on campus. They aren’t staying long enough to earn a degree; the only thing they are really do-ing is risking injury, something that would almost certainly hurt their draft stock.

By not being al-lowed to enter the draft after high school, many of these college freshmen are wast-ing a year of their ca-reers playing against inferior competition for no pay. Instead of

spending their first year out of high school surrounded by NBA-level coaches and league veterans to show them the ropes, both on and off the court, they spend it treading water.

Take, for example, Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons. Simmons is a second-year player who played one year at Louisiana State University and was subsequently selected with the top pick in the 2016 draft. He recently spoke about his experiences at LSU, saying, “I don’t really know what I learned, financially, or just being a person at LSU. I think I’ve learned a lot more this whole year in Philly, just being a pro, than I did at LSU.”

Had Simmons declared for the draft after high school, he would have received an extra year of top-tier coaching and overall life training that college just didn’t provide.

As far as the NBA is concerned, ending the one-and-done rule will improve their product in an unmistak-able fashion. The players will get a head start, so to speak, on their careers – an extra year of dominance before their bodies start to decline as they cross over on to the wrong side of 30 years old.

Why have elite players waste their time in college when they could be helping an NBA team? For Com-missioner Silver, there is no question that the NBA should eliminate the one-and-done rule.

Sports 15

PARA Chutestrings

by Oscar Matos ’18

T h e N B A S h o u l d S c r a p I t s O n e - a n d - D o n e R u l ea F a i l e d e x P e r i m e n T

Non-Profit Organization US Postage

PAID Mineola, NY Permit #54

Chaminade High School340 Jackson Avenue

Mineola, NY 11501-2441

Christmas16

Merry Christmas!from the Tarmac Staff

Students share in a joyful moment as Albert Severini ‘19 is hoisted into the air to put the finishing touch on homeroom 3L’s Christmas tree.

The Angel Gabriel is illuminated as he watches over the Nativity scene in the Chapel of Our Lady’s Assumption.