Who says you need a big crowd to have fun? That was whatstudents were thinking at this year’s Spring Fling dance. Although the gym wasnot as crowed as it was for the Homecoming and Christmas Ball dances, thestudents truly made the most of this exceptional dance. The theme for this year’sdance was Secret Garden according to Student Government. They did a wonderfuljob transforming the gym from its usual bleachers, to a river filled with lilypads, frogs, and even a boat! The other side was filled with flowers and other springdécor. This dance had one very unique feature; underclassmen were encouraged toask upperclassmen to go to the dance with them! This dance was also different fromHomecoming and Christmas Ball because instead of the usual class separation, (freshmenin the back, seniors in the front), everyone was mixed together dancing thewhole night in front of the DJ. Senior Sean Hilsey, who attended the dance withfreshman Anna Cushing, said that, “It was fun going with a freshman. Anna is mysister’s friend, and my sister went with my friend, so it was nice to be ableto share my last LC dance with my sister and my friends.” Everyone who attendedthis dance seemed to definitely have a great time, and hopes that theunderclassmen/upperclassmen tradition will continue for years to come!

By Franco Giacomarra

The Lansdale Catholic 3 on 3 basketball tournament, originally scheduled for Wednesday March 6th, took place immediately after school on Monday the 11th. The tournament has been held annually for the last 7 years and this year’s event was organized by athletic director Steve Alpuche. The tournament serves as a fundraiser for Coaches vs. Cancer, an organization that has contributed over $87 million to cancer research in the United States. There is a fee of $25 per team and with 14 teams having competed this year, the total amount raised came out to $350. After 6 hours of knockout style play, the senior team consisting of Tom Gibbons, Steve Famularo, and Cole Sagan won the final game to take first place. Sagan and Famularo were both members of this year’s men’s basketball team who, despite a heartbreaking playoff loss to Archbishop Wood in the first round, posted their best season since entering the Philadelphia Catholic League in 2009. Steve Alpuche remarked “The tournament went well, everyone had a good time, and, most importantly, it was all for a great cause.” Complimentary Coaches vs Cancer T-shirts were provided for all participants as well as a trophy for the winning trio.

By Laura Fenerty, LC Arts Correspondent

The Lansdale Catholic Dance Company Choreographers' Concert kicked the month of March off with a colorful bang. Twenty five dancers participated in this electrifying portrayal of "Colors in Motion". Each dance was personally choreographed by an 11th or 12th grade student member and put to a song with a color's name in the title. All eighteen breathtaking performances were successfully executed, each requiring weeks upon weeks of rehearsal.

The Dance Company upheld their tradition of performing a Class Dance for each grade. The Senior members' performance of "Yellow" was perhaps the most emotional of the evening, as they all prepared to bid farewell to their high school families. Moments prior to this dance, each senior was given the opportunity to cross the stage with their loved ones, receiving flowers and good wishes from their directors.

One of the audience's favorites was "Gold Digger", a Hip Hop/Jazz number choreographed by Pearl Galido. "I thought I'd never be able to do it justice," Lauren Capili, a Junior dancer, recalled, "but it was my favorite because I had fun practicing it every time." An interesting twist in the show was watching dances choreographed by Lansdale Catholic Alumni. "Bleed Red", by Marla Wolfinger '12, was not only an experience for the audience, but it also affected the performers. Pearl Galido described her experience with "Bleed Red": "It was definitely the most emotional choreography I'd ever been blessed to learn and perform. Through dances like this one, I get into 'sync' with what dance really means and what it can do."

It seemed as if the whole Dance Company held similar assessments of their time on stage. The girls' level of passion and excitement was contagious among friends and family in the audience. The Choreographers' Concert was truly an unforgettable experience, serving as a reminder to all of the power of a Lansdale Catholic community.

By Sam Covais, Sports Correspondent

The JV Softball team, consisting of fourteen girls, competed in its first game last week. The team competed against Hatboro Horsham High School, led by Shannon Hill, Lansdale Catholic’s fantastic starting pitcher.

At the end of the first inning, the score was 1-0, with LC in the lead. LC’s team played well, with minimal errors and great hits. Their eventual loss to Hatboro-Horsham was more because of their opponent’s superior batting skills. Hatboro-Horsham eventually thoroughly beat the Crusaders, with a final score of 1-7.

Despite this loss, the team is not discouraged. Rather, in a key interview with one of the players after the game, one team member said that she is sure that “by the end of the season, I’m sure we’ll come out on top. Sure it was a tough game and a disappointing loss. But it’s only the beginning of the season. A lot can happen.”

As the living symbol of the Catholic Church united, the Pope is one of the most powerful and important figures in geopolitical affairs. For Catholics, he is the leader of the faith, the Vicar of Christ, who cannot teach a falsehood when preaching ex cathedra or from the Chair of St. Peter. Needless to say, the successor to Saint Peter bears huge responsibilities when he takes on the role, but also wields great power and authority.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013, saw the election of the first non-European pope since the Middle Ages (the last one was from Syria in the 8th century). As a representative of the New World and of the new growing Catholic demographics, Pope Francis I’s election shows a shift of position of the Catholic hierarchy, which under Pope Benedict seemed fixated on the re-evangelization of Europe. While Francis claimed he would certainly continue this mission, his past works with the poor as well his connections to South Americans and Latinos worldwide proves that his papacy most likely will focus largely on these demographics as well- something that is entirely necessary. As a Jesuit, Francis, while socially conservative, also is part of a traditionally progressive order of the Catholic Church who should certainly see the areas of reform necessary for the thriving of the Church in the modern era.

Speculations have run rampant, even within the first day of his election, about the changes, or lack thereof, that Francis will offer to our ancient institution. We’ve also heard stories of his kindness, his concern for the poor and his simplicity. These characteristics are all promising, but time and history will tell what type of leader Francis will prove himself to be. But, as Catholic we owe him our loyalty and our prayers to our new pontiff, who will certainly face criticism and skepticism from an overly critical and skeptical world. As students, we owe our respect to him and patience to hear the lessons he will offer to the faithful.

By Nick Maloney

On Wednesday, February 13th, the Lansdale Catholic boys’ basketball season came to a close. Despite a heroic effort against archrival Archbishop Wood, the Crusaders fell to the Vikings by a final score of 38-36. However bitter the final loss was, the 2012-2013 basketball season was one to remember. The Crusaders boasted a 12-12 record, including 4 wins in the Philadelphia Catholic League, one of the elite divisions in the state. Here is a few of the more memorable moments from this season.

• December 11th vs. Upper Moreland: Junior Corey Kirk connects with fellow Junior Kyle Pavlick, who nets a game winning finger roll layup at the buzzer. This thrilling win got the Crusaders off to a 2-0 start to the season.

• December 13th vs. William Tennent: Senior Chris Rudisil goes block for block (and arguably outplays) Tennent’s sophomore “phenom” Horace Spencer. The Crusaders extend their win streak to 3 games.

• December 19th vs. Neumann Goretti: Lansdale Catholic , after a buzzer beating shot by Senior Jim Rock, outplay the Neumann Goretti Saints, a team ranked highly in the state. With Rock’s shot, the Crusaders took the lead to end the 1st quarter, and continued to challenge the Saints throughout most of the matchup.

• December 21st vs. Pope John Paul II: Juniors Kyle Pavlick and Corey Kirk’s gritty defense kept the PJP offense stagnant for the majority of the game. Junior Brendan Schneider provided offense of the bench in the victory.

• December 28th vs. Harry Truman: Behind Junior Ander Riviello’s spectacular shooting performances, Lansdale Catholic goes 2-0 in the Wissahickon Holiday Tournament to capture the title. Riviello is named tournament MVP.

• January 7th vs. Bonner - Prendergast : Junior Brian Rafferty’s three point shooting and great passing elevates the Crusaders to their first Catholic League victory.

• February 8th vs. West Catholic: Seniors Matt Angelone, Dave Eckroth, Steve Famularo, Sean Hilsey, Jim Rock, Chris Rudisil, and Cole Sagan are honored at LC’s senior night. Dan Baker, the voice of the Philadelphia Phillies, made the night extra special by acting as honorary PA announcer, as well as reading the introductions for the seniors. Jim Rock rose to the occasion by scoring 13 points, while Steve Famularo capped off the night by netting a long three pointer as the game came to a close.

• February 10th vs. Conwell Egan: Needing a win to force a playoff to decide the final spot in the Catholic League playoffs, the Crusaders came through with a gutsy, team performance. Brian Rafferty set up teammates Andrew Riviello and Jim Rock for big three pointers, as LC spoiled Egan’s senior night with a clutch victory.

• February 11th vs. Conwell Egan: In their biggest game of the year, where a loss would signal the end of their season, the Crusaders faced Conwell Egan for the second game in as many days and responded to the pressure in a big way. Andrew Riviello’s early shooting catapulted LC to a huge early league, which they never relinquished. Led by spectacular team defense (they held Egan to 35 points for the game) the Crusaders played their way to a resounding 15 point victory. This win gave the Crusaders their first Catholic League playoff berth in school history.

• February 13th vs. Archbishop Wood: Facing their rival Archbishop Wood in hostile territory, Lansdale Catholic played their gutsiest game of the year. To outsiders, the Crusaders were steep underdogs, but they played with confidence and poise for the majority of the game. Jim Rock’s three point shooting and Brian Rafferty’s acrobatic layups silenced the crowd, as they rose to a nine point lead in the early part of the fourth quarter. However, a couple unlucky breaks followed by Vikings three pointers gave Wood a slight two point victory and handed LC an emotional end to their 2012-2013 campaign.

Although the result of the final game of the season leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of the LC faithful, the basketball program certainly has a bright future and high hopes for next year. Four of the five starters from this past season are returning, highlighting a stellar class of 2014. Second year coach Ed Enoch has seen his team improve by leaps and bounds, emerging from their tough previous season to storm into the Catholic League playoffs. Look forward to many more highlights and successes from the Crusaders for years to come.

By Vicki Razzi

The Lansdale Catholic swim team ended their season with a splash during championships. The event were held at Lasalle University and all of the swimmers performed well. Some exceptional races were swam by Nicole Marshall (senior) and Cassidy Fries (freshman); both girls will be moving on to a more challenging competition. 

It's now time for the swimmers to bid farewell to their seniors and get ready for a new season which begins fall of this year. Mary Cate Coyle (sophmore) says, "It was so much fun and I'm really going to miss it. I can't wait for next year!" The swim team had a great season and is now looking forward to many more to come.

And the PCL champions are…LANSDALE CATHOLIC VARSITY!

The LC Varsity cheerleaders recently won the PCL championship and were able to go to the States competion in Hershey! After a long ride, and even longer competition, which ran from about 10am to 9pm, the girls made it to the top ten out of forty other teams. In the end, they placed 9th in the entire state. Freshman cheerleader Gabby Lippincott said that she was not expecting to go to states at all. She explained that it was one of the goals for the season, but she was so surprised when the cheer team finally achieved their goal.  Like any athlete before a big event, she said the whole team was nervous, especially when a few warm-ups went wrong. Despite all this, the adrenaline kicked in when the team stepped out on the mat and they hit a perfect routine.

Lippincott said that she hopes to make it to States again next year because “It was a great experience... it was really fun and interesting to see all of the teams and the talent on each team.” This was not the end of the season for the cheerleaders, however. On Saturday, February 16th, the LC cheerleaders hosted their own competition, and met some incoming freshmen cheerleaders.

They are truly showing just how great LC is everywhere the students go, and the community hopes for the best for the LC Cheerleaders during the rest of the season!

Pictured: A mixture of faculty and students watch as the games play out.

Each year, the Church in the United States celebrates all Catholic schools, typically during the last week of January. Catholic Schools Week is all about celebrating our identity as a Catholic school. The schools focus on celebrating our faith and making the week fun for both the students and the faculty and staff. Every year, there is a different theme for Catholic Schools Week. This year, the theme was “Raise the Standard.” Lansdale Catholic spent a lot of time trying very hard to take time to appreciate everyone.

Each day of Catholic Schools week, there was a different event going on at Lansdale Catholic. On Monday, we celebrated Mass as a school community. This was a perfect start to Catholic Schools Week because Mass is the heart of our Catholic faith and it unifies us in Christ. On Tuesday, John Cassidy, a famous magician and balloon artist came in to do a show for the students and faculty. The performance was filled with fun, humor and excitement. The students loved it and even the staff thoroughly enjoyed it. Wednesday was Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day, where everyone took the time to recognize all that the administration has done for the students of Lansdale Catholic. The Home and School Association cooked a breakfast for the faculty and staff, to show our appreciation. In addition, the Career Fair was held in the gymnasium during lunch periods.

On Thursday, students had the chance to come to school dressed in their Catholic grade school uniforms. This was to reflect where we came from as Catholic students. Friday was Student Appreciation Day. At lunch periods, free snacks and drinks were given to students and later in the day, the Senior-Teacher Olympics took place. This was when senior students were given a chance to go up against the teachers in sports contests such as basketball and volleyball. According to Mr. McCarthy, “Every year, the faculty always wins.” He was proven to be correct, as the faculty managed to defeat the seniors again this year.

The week turned out to be a great success, as the students and faculty members all had a great time.

Article by: Matthew Coakley

Photograph by: Christine Nieman

Pictured: Seniors Megan Maskornick, Sammi Gerhard, Ryan Smith, and David DeRosier decorate their tiles.

One of Lansdale Catholic High School’s main goals is to create a legacy of men and women who have the skills and knowledge to become successful in their future lives. On Wednesday, January 30th, 2013, Lansdale Catholic gave the seniors an opportunity to leave their own legacy on the school. Students were given an 8-inch by 8-inch tile that will be a part of a mural that is displayed in the school. Students had the opportunity to express themselves on their tile anyway they pleased. Many students chose to decorate their tile with images to represent the sports they play; their hand print, and inspirational quotes. Nearly all the students put a “2013” or “13” somewhere on their tile to signify graduation, which is only four months away.

“I think creating a tile is a cool and interesting idea,” Megan Maskornick said, who was one of 26 seniors that participated in the project. “I like how a part of our class will remain the school even after we graduate. I hope Lansdale Catholic continues this tradition.”

It’s always exciting to leave a lasting impression. As Lansdale Catholic shaped and modeled the senior class, the senior class has left a mark on the school. The seniors are preparing to leave LC and move on to their futures, but this school will always be their home.