2023 Spring Previews

The Lions will look to build on last year’s season, which resulted in a third-round playoff exit. This year’s squad features two captains, who are both returning to the team: Senior Jacob Lenau, a catcher and outfielder, and Junior Hunter Alten, a right-handed pitcher.
 
Aside from Alten and Lenau, the team features eight additional returning players. Returning seniors are outfielder Dillon McDonald and infielder Brady Ryan. Returning juniors are first baseman Tim Adams and catcher Brady Meyer. Sophomores returning for another year are outfielder/pitcher Colin Buckley and pitcher/middle infielder Tyler Ross. Freshmen returning are pitcher/infielder Brian Mancinelli and centerfielder/pitcher Logan Our.
 
The team also has eight new additions this year: two juniors, three sophomores, and three freshmen. New juniors are infielder Jesse Affonso and outfielder/pitcher Coltan Henderson. Newcomers in the sophomore class are catcher/infielder Tim Cronin, corner infielder Owen McGrath, and pitcher/infielder Ty Reed. Lastly, our three new freshmen are infielder/pitcher Ryan Amerault, infielder/pitcher Drew Richards, and outfielder/pitcher Henry Roy.
 
The 2023 Ladies Lions Lacrosse team is led by senior captains Maggie Crofford and Delaney Burrell. Both are returning for their fourth year on varsity and are three-year starters. Maggie leads our team in the face-off circle, while Delaney leads our defense. Charlotte Sturgis, a returner on varsity, was named our third captain and will be joining Maggie as a starter at mid-field. Midfield will be rounded up with returning starters Sophie Philbrick, Kaylee Anthony, Akira Umbrello, Sam Curley, and Cami Ward. Our defense will be anchored by returning starters Meah Dalrymple and Lili Crofford and returning varsity players Shea Ryan, Winnie Hatch, Anna Corsi, Hanna MacDonald, and Jenna Item. Sitting between the pipes is returning varsity player Kiera Nakachi. Kiera has earned the starting position after much hard work in the off-season. We have returning starters Katelyn Lawson, Emma Tucker, and Mia Curley at attack. Raegan Dillion will join them to wrap up the starters and will be supported by Kyle Heywood, Brooke Wright, Sophie Stanley, Emily McGrail, and Paige Sassone. The Lady Lions are poised to have a great season!
 
The JPII Girls Tennis has started the season with passion and talent! Roseanna Sullivan leads the team as Team Captain and our first singles position, followed by Lily (team prayer leader) and Grace Walker in the second and third singles positions. Our dynamic duo, Bridget Moran and Kayla Katziff hold our first doubles position and leadership roles of Head of Social Engagement and Assistant Team Captain. Remarkable juniors Isabella Kostecki and Jillian Perry played incredibly well with our impassioned eighth graders, Emily Desruisseaux and Sophia Martins. Go Lions!
 

2022/2023 Winter Previews

The Boy Lions will be led by their Senior captains this year in Zane Thomas, Quinn Mayo, and Liam Powell.  These guys should bring a leadership mentality to this team along with great energy.  Thomas was an all conference forward last year and this year we expect nothing less from him as he is the teams returning leading scorer.  Look for Quinn Mayo to have a solid season as he will be huge for the Lions against a zone and should haul in a healthy amount of rebounds anchoring the Lions at the center position.  Liam Powell brings great leadership to this team and has great vision on the court.  He will be starting at guard this year. 

Junior Daniel Cordeiro brings a ton of energy into the lineup.  His energy and hustle are contagious and he will be a starting forward for the Lions, providing a big scoring punch.  To round out the starting five we have Freshman Logan Our.  Our provides excellent ball handling and athleticism to this team and is one heck of a defender.  He will be leaned on heavily as a freshman guard.  Matt Curley and Owen Enright are two juniors that will come off the bench and play lockdown defense at the forward position.  Curley is also a high percentage shooter from three and Enright attacks the basket with force.  Now for some sharpshooters off the bench we have a few.  Another freshman guard in Sam Scioletti will have his number called on quite a bit to provide some solid shooting for the team. 

Two other guards that will provide shooting for the Lions are Sophomores Ty Reed and Tim Cronin.  Cronin is a spot up, knock down shooter and will be huge for the Lions when they need a three.  Reed brings a plethora of talents as he can ball handle, drive, and shoot.  The Lions big men off the bench this year are Senior Rhyese Stump and Juniors Maki Gordon and Leo DeSouza.  Stump brings a hardworking attitude to the court every day and will be a great spark of rebounding and energy off the bench.  Gordon And DeSouza will be our bruisers off the bench providing hard interior defense along with solid rebounding.   Rounding out the bench for the Lions will be Junior Jack Kennedy who can do a little bit of everything on the floor.  Kennedy is an important utility piece for the Lions as he can be plugged in at a multitude of positions on the floor. 

The defending Cape and Islands Lighthouse Champion Lady Lions basketball squad will return all but three members from the 2021-22 squad.  The Lions will be led by senior captain Maggie Crofford, who led the Lions last season with 15 ppg and 10 rpg.  Freshman Devin Crofford should add scoring punch, as she was third on the team in scoring last season as an 8th grader.  Sharp shooter Rosanna Sullivan returns and should complement Maggie Crofford we up front with scoring and rebounding.  Junior guard Ella Cheney adds speed and athleticism and should be the Lions’ lockdown defender at the guard position.  Two freshmen should be able to compete for starting spots.  At the guard position, freshman Marlo Jumper has shown good playmaking skills as a point guard, and would likely facilitate for the returning scorers.  Freshman forward Michaela Enright should also be a strong force, as she demonstrates a nice balance of scoring, rebounding and defending.  Sophomore guard Shea Ryan returns with her tenacious defense and leadership capabilities.  Sophomores forwards Katelyn Lawson, Reagan Dillon and Julia Dunton return from last year’s squad and bring different talents.  Lawson possesses a knack for scoring, while Dillon uses her speed and hustle to wreak havoc on the defensive end.  Dunton gives the Lions size and effort off the bench.  Junior guard Erin Hatton could provide much needed perimeter shooting off the bench.  Classmate Bridget Moran will provide hustle and winning attitude.  Sophomore Anna Corsi and Freshman Riley Smith are newcomers to the squad.

The JPII Lions hockey team is eager to start the 2022-2023 campaign. The team’s balance, strong leadership corps, and hungry goaltending duo should gel into an MIAA tournament contender.

Senior defensemen Jack Homa, Mark Rogers, and Jamie Erikson will patrol the blue line with experience and bolster the offensive attack. Brian Mancinelli, Gabe Fitzpatrick, Sebastian Tropeano, Shane Heywood round out the back end.

Freshman Kelin MacAleese and Prep Cub Jacob Smith are eager to take over the goaltending responsibilities. Their hunger to contribute, and deep-rooted compete-level present as veteran varsity netminders.

The forwards are led by Senior Ryan Moriarity, and Juniors Colton Henderson, Brady Meyer, Jon Valiga, and Andrew Crapo. Sophomores Sean Willis, Bobby Clogston, Liam Monaghan, and Matt Desruisseaux are anxious to accept increased offensive roles. Freshman Chris Heywood, and Cubs Braden and Finin Shortt, and Liam Morrissey are anxious to prove themselves on the Lions’ front line.

The Lions have a challenging schedule, but are ready to exceed expectations this season.

2022 Fall Previews

The Girls’ Soccer Team begins its first-ever championship defense on September 6th with a ton of momentum and a chance for another truly memorable season. The team is coming off a 16-4 campaign and looks to challenge once again for the Cape & Islands title as well as to improve upon its 2nd round finish in the MIAA Tournament.

Despite graduating three excellent seniors, the Lions are stacked with talent, including Captains Maggie Crofford, Hannah Kalkus, Sophie Menyhart, and Ella Cheney. Cheney, the 2021 JP2 Fall Athlete of the Year, leads Sophomores Aniela Gallagher, Kayla Katziff, Emma Tucker, and Anna Corsi on the Lions’ attack along with standout Freshmen Raegan Dillon, Teagan Forde, and Elyse Giannakoulis.

The Lions’ impressive defensive unit includes Seniors Crofford, Kalkus, and Menyhart, along with Sophomores Meah Dalrymple and Natalia Traykovski, plus Freshmen Emma Collette, Devin Crofford, and Michaela Enright. Coach Palmer & Coach McPherson have planned a challenging schedule for the JPII Girls, including a series against Bishop Connolly, Nantucket, Carver, and arch-rival Sturgis West. Home games are played at Water District Field in Sandwich, and JPII Fans are always welcome! 

The 2022-2023 Volleyball team is looking strong this preseason. With Captains Sophia Tropeano, Delaney Burrell, Olivia Zapolski, and Molly Pulit at the helm of this team, they have set their goals high and are striving to achieve them.

Seniors Ava Item, Keyanna Foster, Ingrid Andrade, and Makeda Gordon are committed to achieving these goals in their final season with the Lions Volleyball Team. The JPII Volleyball team has gained three big assets this offseason, juniors Charlotte Sturgis and Molly Murphy, as well as eighth grader Zlata Alioshka.

Junior Rosanna Sullivan and Sophomore Julia Dunton are back again to contribute to this team’s offensive lineup. Come out and help cheer on these lady lions!

2022 Spring Previews

St. John Paul II’s baseball program will look to make an even deeper tournament run after being eliminated in last year’s South semi-final game. The Lions will return Tim Adams, Hunter Alten, Shane Cummings, Sean Downs, Matt Garrett, Jacob Lenau, Brian Mancinelli, Richie Marchand, Brady Ryan, Mike Van Neste, and Jake Walman to the team this year.

Marchand, Van Neste and Walman are the team’s three captains this year, and are all seniors as well. Marchand, a middle infielder committed to Colby Sawyer, is out for the entire season after suffering an ACL tear during basketball. However, his presence and leadership from the bench will have a significant contribution to an overall young Lions team. Van Neste and Walman are presently at the top of the depth chart at shortstop and catcher, respectively, and will both look to contribute significantly to the team’s offense. Van Neste is committed to play baseball at Anna Maria, while Walman is committed to play baseball at the University of Maryland.
 
In the infield, junior Brady Ryan, sophomores Eddie Leary, Brady Meyer, as well as eighth grader Brian Mancinelli will compete for time at third base. At second base, both senior Shane Cummings and freshman Tyler Ross will look to win that positional battle. At first base, junior Brady Ryan, and sophomores Tim Adams and Hunter Alten will work to see playing time. Aside from Walman, the team features two catchers: junior Jacob Lenau and sophomore Brady Meyer.  

In the outfield, the Lions have significant depth with seniors Shane Cummings, Sean Downs, and Matt Garrett, juniors Jacob Lenau and Dillon McDonald, freshman Colin Buckley, as well as eighth grader Logan Our. Each of those players will look to earn and solidify their spots in the starting lineup as the season begins.
 
As far as the pitching staff goes, the Lions have some very young but talented arms. Garrett, Van Neste and Walman will likely have relief roles this season, while Adams, Alten, Buckley, Mancinelli and Ross will all look to compete for a spot in the starting rotation. Alten will be the Lions opening day starter against Mashpee on April 1st. 

Welcome to 2022 Spring Tennis at JPII.  The boys team will be captained this year by returning junior Liam Powell and returning sophomore Matt Curley. We had a strong team and an incredible record last year, considering we were down a player at every match.  This year we will start with a strong singles lineup and a wealth of new players to make a charge in 2022. At number one singles, returning 8th grader Alex Morin will lead off the team with his explosive style of tennis.  Returning 8th grader Harry Baroni will use his improved serve to slay competitors that at 3rd singles.  Captain Curley will round out the singles line up with intentions of another dominant year at the 2nd line.  The team will have plenty of players to choose from to complete the doubles lines, including Captain and most improved player from last year Liam Powell.  Liam will be supported this year by returning senior Ryan Crahan and a number of new players that will allow the team post a robust roster this year and build upon last year’s strong showing.

The girls team is looking to continue strong from the stellar undefeated 2021 season.  This year the team will be supported by a very deep and accomplished bench of players.  This will allow us to keep growing as a team and try some new doubles combinations to keep our competition guessing.  Our entire roster from last year is returning led by senior Kara Oldham.  Kara is the team captain again this year and will share those responsibilities with returning sophomore Rosanna Sullivan.  This years singles line up will start with Kara in first position leading the charge with her solid lefty play and tenacity.  Freshman Lily Walker, who was undefeated last year in matches at singles and doubles, will start the season in 2nd singles.  Starting the year at the 3rd singles position is team captain Rosanna Sullivan with her positive attitude and wicked top spin.  This provides a kick start to every match that will allow doubles to play aggressive tennis just like last year.  The team will start the first match of the season at Monomoy with returning 8th grader Chatham Bridge and new team member Chloe Fox at 1st doubles.  The second doubles line will come in strong with returning sophomore Bridget Moran and returning freshman Kayla Katziff.  Our doubles teams won a combined 20 matches last season, and with returning 8th grader Avery Lotuff, sophomore Isabella Kostecki and strong group of new players on the roster we are more than ready to take on the competition in 2022.

The 2022 JPII softball team is optimistic for the small but mighty program. After going through several coaching changes in the past few years, the Lady Lions are well prepared under the leadership of first-year coach Dan Silver who boasts 25 years of experience in coaching, covering, and recruiting women’s softball.

The two senior captains, Kaya DeAngelis and Ana Santos, have a combined ten years of varsity softball experience, which will be instrumental this season. Their leadership abilities are unquestioned, and will be counted upon to lead a youthful squad. DeAngelis has an elite understanding of the game, which allows her to excel at several positions, including the hot corner where she played last season. She will anchor the defense from shortstop as she looks to continue her softball career at the collegiate level. Santos has similar versatility, leading the defense from the middle infield last season, and her athleticism and quick glove will be featured at first base and in the pitching circle during her final campaign.

The team is motivated and driven by their intensity and competitive drive. Each captain brings skill and power to the batting lineup, with DeAngelis being a legitimate threat to lead the league in runs scored. Junior Olivia Zapolski brings excellent athletic ability and strong determination. Her versatility will enable her to play anywhere on the diamond, including catcher. The upper-level students will be relied on heavily this spring to lead the team both on and off the field.

The sophomore class is similar in terms of talent and experience. Haley Labdon is a highly-skilled, enthusiastic player who will play second base and is solid at the plate. Sophia Perangeli is a brick wall behind the plate and will be counted on as a starting catcher and a reliable source of power to spark the offense this season. Olivia Olsen is coming on strong as an infield candidate and has an admirable work ethic and drive to improve. Finally, freshman Julia Dunton is a natural-born athlete fresh to the game and is developing into a talented pitcher.
The dynamic Preparatory Division players are already showing strong aptitude and talent for the game. The team boasts six eighth-graders, who will add to a determined and athletic Lions team.  Kayla Alves is a multi-sport athlete who is new to the game but has shown promise to contribute strong leadership this season. Devlin Dumas is fearless and quick to get to the ball.

Ellie Kowal is a reliable infielder who will contribute to the team’s defense. Noe Kittila is developing as a pitcher and has a solid swing at the plate. Julianna Grygent brings natural power and is already pushing for a role in the starting lineup. Katie Murphy is a robust and tough athlete who will make her mark in the outfield. The youngest addition, seventh-grader Nina Burchill, brings an excellent work ethic and tenacity to the squad.

The girls will kick off a competitive 18-game season with their home opener against Mashpee on April 1st. The first pitch will be at 3:45 pm.

The 2022 Lions Girls Lacrosse team is coming off a tremendous season which ended in their first league championship.  The Lady Lions are very young with only four seniors on the team, but all will be huge in our success.  Led by returning starters and captains Lucy Barker and Sophia Anastos at midfield and defense respectively. Both have shown leadership skills that will help this young team. Our two junior captains, Hadley Crosby and Delaney Burrell, are both returners at midfield and defense.  Hadley was our second leading scorer last season and combined with Lucy at midfield will be a threat to all opponents.  Joining them at midfield is returning starter Maggie Crofford, who missed last season with an injury, and will round out that trio with her outstanding draw skills, defense and scoring threat.
 
The defense will be tough to crack with returning starters captains Delaney Burrell, Sophia Anastos and freshman Meah Dalrymple, their speed, ground ball skills and overall drive to get to the ball, will no doubt be an asset to the team. Rounding out the Lions strong defense is returning starter Goalie Flynn Kayajan who boasted an outstanding save percentage last season and with this group in front Flynn will continue to be a force in net.
 
The offense is led by returning senior and starter Ella Sassone and 8th grader Sophia Philbrick. Along with senior Alanna Dailey, this group will provide the needed ball control and scoring ability to put the Lions in great positions to succeed during the season.

The 2022 Lions Boys Lacrosse will be counting on its two seniors, six juniors, sophomore and 8th grader this season. Charlie Baroni, Ryan Moriarty and Mark Rogers are the captains this year.  Ryan Moriarty will be relied on the most this season in net, while Charlie controls the Midfield and Mark helps to the reliable goalie Ryan Moriarty on Defense and at Long Stick Midfielder. Eighth Grader Andrew Fox returns and will be starting at the X attacking position on the attacking side of the field, while Jack Hyde will provide inside control on the offensive side of the ball with shots and distribution with passes.  Kyle Jaquello is the lead faceoff man and will be controlling the midfield with Charlie Baroni this season.

The leading ten on the field before subbing on or off will be, at Midfielders: Senior Captain Charlie Baroni, Junior Kyle Jaquello, Junior Vinny Castano. At Attackers: Sophomore Jack Hyde, Eighth Grader Andrew Fox and Freshman Sean Willis, at Defensive D poles: Captain Junior Mark Rogers, Junior Jamie Erikson, and Junior Mike Hyde, and at Goalie Junior Captain Ryan Moriarty.  Sophomore Owen Enright, Junior Demetres Skordas, Junior Jack Kennedy, Junior Jack O’Keefe, Freshman Hurst Tasha, Junior Quinn Mayo, Junior Rhyees Stump, Freshman Liam Monaghan and Junior Thianin Milkey will look to bring energy and impact to the team this year.  

The Lions are now 1-2