The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1959-01-09
Diocesan Teams
Fnred Well in SO

Diocesan parochlal high school, athletic teams
again Jared well during 1858. Some squads turned IN OUT
standing performances.
Among the latter certainly should be listed Ros-
ary's mighty grid machine as well as the grid squads OF
Portsmouth Notre Dame, DennlSon st. Mary and New
Lexington st. Aloysius.
In basketball, Newark st. Francis (now Newark
Catholic) proved to be a big surprise in the tourna-
ment wars. st. Charles and Mt. Vernon st. Vincent
also turned in fine cage performances as did Den
nis0n st. Mary.
st. Charles, as per usual, dominated the Diocesan
baseball scene while New Lexington St. Aloysius GER
tainly had the best parochial high school track squad
in the Diocese.
To review briefly, Rosary's grid squad turned in an
almost incredible feat when it blasted through it's 1858
season ~unbeaten, united and NSCOR UPON. In
holding their opponents to zero points, the Crusaders
accomplished something no Columbus area team ever
had done in a regular eight-game season.
1t was Rosary's best football achievement in the
S2-year grid history of the school. 1t also brought
Coach Forest Sharrock's Crusaders the Franklin Coun-
ty League championship in their first try.
Another top event of the year was Portsmouth
Notre Danes surprising feat of winning the South
ern Ohio Conference championship.
The small Notre Dame team, long a doormat in
football circles, won its first SOC title despite the
fact that Coach Bill APPEL didn't have any more than
four or five substitutes during the season.
So astonishing was Notre Danes accomplishment
that writer's at the Portsmouth Times rated it as the
top sports feat of the year in Scioto County. One writer
classed it as the top Scioto County sports event in ten
years.
Dennison st. Mary rates mention because Coach
Paul Drotovick's grid squad owns the longest winning
streak in the Diocese-19.
New Lexington st. Aloysius went through it's
first full 11-man football season unbeaten under the
direction of Coach Bob Fowle.
Newark ST. Francis captured the imagination of
Diocesan fans when the Green Wave battled all the
way to State Class A finals although the team had
been classified as being in the rebuilding stage.
The Newark team also shared Central Catholic
title with st. Charles.
Mt. Vernon st. Vincent earned it's orchid by win
ming the Knox County League cage crown after a six
year absence from the loop.
Dennison st. Mary posted a 1872 basketball record
which was the best in the Diocese.
st. Charles, a perennial power on the baseball
diamond, thanks to Coach Jack Ryan and his assistants,
posted a 22-5 mark which was the best in Franklin
County and best among Diocesan teams. The Cardinals
also won the Metro League crown again.
Track honors were won by New Lexington st.
Aloysius which won the third annual Columbus Dioce-
san Invitational Track and Field meet.
As for individual stars, there were many. How
ever, rating special mention is Nick Weber who ran
wild for Notre Danes grid squad and scored 14S
points.
Certainly his one-man show in the Piketon game
In which he scored SO points and threw a conversion
pass for two more will not soon be forgotten. Against
Portsmouth East he also scored all "a of Notre Danes
points.
Other notable events: Rosary and st. Mary be-
gan participating in Franklin County League events;
Chillicothe Central Catholic admitted to the Ross
County League; Springfield Central Catholic began
participating in the Central Catholic League; intro
duction of 11-man football at Mt. Vernon st. Vincent,
New Lexington st. Aloysius and Newark Catholic.
Also plans were made for bringing football back
to Lancaster st. Mary after a 25-year lay-off.
The year 1858 saw expansion of athletics under
the Catholic Youth Council.-LVF.