Athletic Hall of Fame

List of 14 items.

• Conrad Bolston ’03

  A 2003 graduate, Conrad Bolston was a two-way starter who played both offensive tackle and defensive tackle. As a senior in 2002, he was a first team All-Met defensive selection and a first team All-WCAC selection, in addition to being named all-area by the Pigskin Club of Washington, DC. Conrad led his team in tackles and sacks and was part of a defense that held the opposition to an average 14.5 points per game. As a junior, he earned all-city honors on both sides of the ball and was named second team All-Met by The Washington Post. He also earned second team All-Met honors as a heavyweight wrestler in his sophomore year and first team All-Met honors as a junior.

   

  Conrad went on to anchor the middle of the defensive line at the University of Maryland from 2003-2006, where he was a three-year starter. He was a member of teams that went to the Gator Bowl and the Champs Sports Bowl. Conrad then played defensive tackle for both the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers during the 2007 season.

• Jim Burns ’81

  Jim Burns ’81 began his wrestling career like most boys at the time – by accident. When he was 6 years old, his father brought him to the YMCA in Silver Spring for a pre-gymnastics class called “tumbling.” However, Jim became bored and wandered upstairs to a beginner wrestling class, where the instructor was teaching basic moves that required the students to practice in pairs. Since there was an uneven number of participants, the instructor asked him to join the group. When his father saw him easily dominating his partner in the matchup, Jim was destined to be a wrestler for the next 12 plus years.

   

  The Burns family lived in Colesville, MD, so Jim joined the Olney Boys Club and wrestled for them successfully through the eighth grade, winning many tournaments and becoming a state finalist. He attended St. Andrew Apostle School through seventh grade and transferred to St. John’s for eighth grade, after touring the school with his good friend Bobby Myers ’81. Jim’s father had done his due diligence, checking to ensure the wrestling coach had respectable credentials. He was very satisfied to learn that Mike DeSarno was highly regarded and, debatably, the best coach in the area.

   

  The St. John’s wrestling program at that time was in its infancy; but through great, circumstantial, fate-related wrestling karma, it received an infusion of experienced student-wrestlers, including Jim, the Bordas (Frank ’80, Eddie ’80 and Jimmy ’82) and the Harrigans (Sean ’81 and Mike ’82). This infusion, coupled with a few of the existing talented wrestlers on the team, led to SJC’s first WMAC victory in 1979.

   

  Jim’s high school wrestling highlights include:

  • Undefeated in dual matches
  • Overall record of 120-3
  • 1980 National Prep champion
  • Four-time WMAC champion (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981)
  • Two-time National Prep runner-up (1979, 1981)
  • 1980 Washington Star first team All-Metropolitan (only prep school wrestler named)
  • Three-time St. Albans Tournament champion (1979, 1980, 1981); named outstanding wrestler of the tournament in 1979, earned the most pins of the tournament and defeated the previous year’s outstanding wrestler 19-3 in the finals
  • Two-time Jefferson, WV, (1979, 1981) and Mercersburg, PA, tournament champion (1980, 1981 and named outstanding wrestler)
  • High Point Tournament champion (1980)

  
  Jim graduated from James Madison University in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and political science. He spent most of his career working in the graphic arts industry, in both printing and currently in sustainable packaging. He took up motorcycle road racing in 1986 for several years and raced at tracks such as Daytona, Summit Point and Pocono Raceway. However, due to several crashes, he retired that hobby. Jim’s current hobbies include outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming and working on his golf game. He continues to work out at the gym a few days a week, so he can enjoy his favorite foods. He has two children, Jake, a recent Hampden-Sydney graduate with a physics degree, and Lauren, who is a sophomore at James Madison University.

• Shawntese Charles ’99

  Shawntese Charles ’99 was a four-year starter, and the first true female blue chip recruit to attend St. John’s. She led her team to the league’s title game her freshman year. According to Head Coach Marie Williams, Shawntese was the “mastermind” behind the most successful team in St. John’s girls’ basketball history, 1997-1998, who went 31-1 and were the WCAC and city title champions.

   

  Shawntese’s team record includes 108 wins and 20 losses; WCAC champions in 1998 and 1999; WCAC runner-up in 1996 and 1997; and DC city title champions in 1998 and 1999. Shawntese scored 1,993 points in her career, averaging 15.57 per game; 1,277 rebounds — 10 per game; 578 assists — 4.5 per game; and 317 steals — 2.4 per game. Shawntese’s honors included WBCA High School All-American Top 40 — 1999; Street & Smith All-American — 1997, 1998 and 1999; USA TODAY Top 50 nationally — 1999; Nike All-American — 1998 and 1999; High School Sports Top 70 — 1998 and 1999; WCAC first team 1997, 1998 and 1999; WCAC second team 1996; Washington Post first team All-Met 1999 (honorable mention 1996, 1997 and 1998); and all-tournament or MVP in every high school tournament.

   

  St. John’s was ranked 13th nationally in 1998 by USA TODAY, locally as #1 in 1998 and in the Washington Post Top 20 since Shawntese started at St. John’s. Shawntese had dozens of scholarship offers, but decided to stay close to home and play for Georgetown University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2003. She also earned a master’s degree in social work from Howard University in 2006.

   

  Shawntese began her career in real estate and then turned to social work. She has been a licensed social worker for the past eight years, first working with children and youth in foster care, where she helped finalize 20 adoptions in Prince George’s County. She later served as a supervisor for the Family Preservation Bureau. Currently, she works for an outpatient mental health clinic as a clinical manager. Shawntese and her husband, Muniru, have two sons, Saaka and Solomon, and live in Bowie, MD.

• Kristen Dozier ’06

  Born into an athletic family, Kristen Dozier ’06 always knew that sports would play a big part in her life story. Her great-grandfather played in the historic Negro Baseball League in New Orleans, and numerous uncles and cousins were collegiate athletes. As a former college player at Tulane University, her father was her first coach. He taught her the fundamentals of basketball with St. Mark’s CYO and subsequent AAU teams.

   

  She was first introduced to St. John’s when she and her older sister, Jourdan ’05, attended its summer basketball camps. Although Kristen considered herself a basketball player, her mother knew she would have a knack for volleyball and insisted she try out for the team as a freshman.

   

  Kristen quickly exceled, amassing blocking and hitting records. In 2004, her athletic ability factored heavily in St. John’s winning its first WCAC conference title. Her training continued at Metro American Volleyball Club. As a senior, Kristen was voted captain and led her team to a Maryland state title. During her SJC tenure, she racked up numerous blocking, hitting and service stats, which quickly caught the attention of every major college program in the country.

   

  Alongside her years as a volleyball player, Kristen was also a three-year varsity basketball player on SJC’s top-10 nationally ranked team. Playing forward, her athleticism and notable jumping ability augmented a stellar SJC program that won the WCAC girls’ basketball championship in 2004.

   

  At SJC, Kristen accumulated many distinguished volleyball honors: Prep Volleyball Senior Aces, Gatorade Player of the Year 2006, Washington Post All-Met 2006, two-time first team WCAC All-Conference and member of the USA volleyball team, among others. Ranked as the #2 high school middle blocker recruit in the nation, she received more than 100 full scholarship offers. One of those offers led her to The Ohio State University.

   

  Kristen was a four-year starter at Ohio State. In her first NCAA game, she tied an OSU blocking record with 13 bocks in three sets, setting the foundation for a successful career. She was twice named to the All-Big Ten team and set numerous records throughout the conference. She was named Defensive MVP in 2006 in a Big Ten/Pac Ten annual challenge, one of many prestigious tournament accomplishments. She competed in the NCAA Sweet 16 Tournament, and her team maintained an NCAA Top 25 ranking in 2006, 2008 and 2009. In 2008 and 2009, she was selected to the All-Big Ten academic team, and she was an Ohio State scholar-athlete from 2007-2009. Kristen also had the honor of being a two-time recipient of the highly coveted Ohio State Athlete of the Week, a singular distinction among the more than 1,000 OSU student-athletes.

   

  After graduating, Kristen enjoyed a professional career abroad. She began playing for an historic Spanish club, then moved to Israel, where her team won the mid-season cup. In 2011, she was the second-highest team scorer in an elite Puerto Rican league. In Germany, she maintained the highest hitting percentage on her team and played two positions simultaneously. In 2014, she competed in the International Challenge Cup, while also winning the silver medal in a top Polish league. The crowning touch came in 2013, when she was selected as a member of the USA volleyball team.

   

  After retiring from volleyball, Kristen earned her MBA in 2016 from the University of South Carolina. She then accepted a position as a senior consultant in the strategy practice at KPMG in New York City, where she currently lives and works.

   

  Kristen is passionate about sharing the skills and life lessons she has learned and passing them on to future generations. Her younger sister, Darian ’12, benefitted from her volleyball tutelage and earned a full athletic scholarship to the University of South Carolina. Kristen was also helpful in sharing her training skills with younger brother Ellis, who earned a full basketball scholarship to Ohio University.

   

  Building upon the foundation that began at St. John’s, Kristen and Jourdan founded Dozier Performance, a volleyball training and consulting company, in 2010. DP mentors young volleyball players through skill training. Kristen and her sisters are also currently working with St. John’s to build a scholarship for students in need.

• Tommy Graham ’78

  Tommy Graham ’78 was part of the first eighth grade class at St. John’s College High School and played on the varsity soccer team for five years, lettering four of those years. In his senior season, he switched from midfield to goalkeeper, where he was recognized as an honorable mention All-Metropolitan selection. Additionally, Tommy ran track and was a clarinetist in the concert and marching bands. In his senior year, he was selected to the DC Youth Orchestra.

   

  He attended the University of Tampa, where he was a four-year letterman. In 1981, UT won the school’s first national championship, finishing 15-0-3. At the time of his graduation, Tommy held all career and single-season goalkeeping records. He continues to hold several of those records today. His team established two NCAA records for most consecutive wins without a loss (34) and lowest goals against average in the NCAA tournament (0.00). In 1988, his national championship team was inducted into the University of Tampa Athletic Hall of Fame, and in 2014, Tommy joined the team with his own induction. He was a two-time Sunshine State and All-State selection. He was also selected to participate in the 1982 US Olympic Sports Festival. During his career, his record as a starter at the University of Tampa was 48-5-3.

   

  Tommy went on to play professional soccer for the Jacksonville Tea Men in the American Soccer League, where they won the 1983 league championship. After concluding his professional career, he played for the Fairfax Spartans Soccer Club, which won the 1985 US

  Open Cup Eastern Region and 1986 US Amateur Cup championships. Tommy played locally for the Jamaica Nationals Soccer Club, where he was awarded numerous tournament MVP and best goalkeeper awards, until he retired from playing in 2005.

   

  In 1986, Tommy began his coaching career as goalkeeper coach for Georgetown University, where he served for nearly 20 years under Maryland Soccer Hall of Fame member Keith Tabatznik. During that time, Georgetown won the Big East regular season championship

  in 1994. Tommy also served on the Maryland Olympic Development staff for 10 years. He coached five Maryland State championship teams as a travel team coach in Bethesda, Potomac and Columbia. In 1996, his most successful team, Columbia Darby, were national finalists.

   

  In 2016, Tommy retired from Pepco after a 30-year career. For eight years, he served as region president, while concluding his career as vice president of human resources and people strategy for Pepco Holdings, Inc. Pepco was the largest electric power delivery company in the mid-Atlantic region, serving 2.1 million electric and gas customers. During his career, he served on boards for the Maryland Chamber of Commerce (chair), DC Chamber of Commerce (vice chair), Center for Energy Workforce Development (chair), American Association of Blacks in Energy (DC chapter president), Leadership Prince George’s (chair) and the Country Club at Woodmore (president), in addition to several other local non-profit organizations. Currently, he serves on the board for Old Line Bancshares, Inc., the Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners (chair) and the Greater Prince George’s Business Roundtable and Green Branch Foundation (chair).

   

  Tommy graduated from St. John’s in 1978. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Tampa in 1982. He went on to complete the Senior Executive Leadership Program at Georgetown University in 2005. Tommy resides in Prince

  George’s County, MD, with his two sons, Jordan (28) and Jeff (23). In his free time, he is an avid golfer and enjoys mentoring the youth in his community.

• John Haley ’57

  John Francis Haley ’57, aka “UJ” or “The Fox,” was the youngest of four sons and the sixth of seven children born to Pete and Grace Haley. Family lore has it that John was arguably the most talented and heralded in the family, which is saying something considering Peter Haley, Sr., is in Wilson’s HOF, Billy Haley is in Gonzaga’s HOF and Pat Haley is in Georgetown Prep’s HOF. Gifted with speed and agility, he was also extremely bright and knew how to win. These talents caught the attention of Michigan, Army, the University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown, Catholic, Manhattan, Duke, Colgate and Maryland, who all offered him football scholarships. Ultimately, he decided to attend Michigan.

   

  There aren’t many three-sport athletes in SJC’s Athletic HOF, and John excelled in football, baseball and track.

   

  FOOTBALL

  • Three-year letter winner, starting QB ’55, starting halfback ’56
  • 1955 first team All-Metro
  • 1956 second team All-Metro (injured most of senior season and came back to win league and city titles)
  • Starter on 1954 and 1956 city and Catholic League championship teams
  • 1956 senior captain
  • Lauded by Coach Joe Gallagher ’39 as “One of the best in the area. For a youngster, Johnny makes fine decisions. He calls most of our plays. He’s the fastest player on our team, and he has learned to pass and fake exceptionally well.” He was moved to fullback senior year to capitalize on his speed coming out of the T formation.

   

  BASEBALL

  • Four-year letter winner and four-year starter (outfield)
  • 1956 and 1957 first team All-Metro
  • Scholastic Sports Association Baseball Player of the Year finalist (5) 1956 and 1957
  • 1954 and 1957 Catholic League champions
  • 1957 senior captain

   

  TRACK

  • Two-year letter winner
  • 1956 and 1957 Catholic League champions
  • Only dual-event winner in 1956 and 1957, with records set in the 100-yard dash and 220-yard dash (broke his own records in ’57)
  • Mile relay winner in 1956 and 1957
  • 1956 and 1957 state champion in 100- and 200-yard dash

   

  John’s athletic achievements speak volumes and should be enough. However, this gentle man was also one of the most selfless and most giving. John worked with Eunice Shriver to bring the Special Olympics to the DC area in the early 1970s. He dedicated years to running the annual track and field competition and enlisted many nieces, nephews and their friends as meet volunteers. John also founded the St. Elizabeth CYO track program in 1973, through which he coached hundreds of children and champions for two decades. In later years, he became a transplant counselor at John’s Hopkins Medical Center, helping patients and families navigate the transplant process.

   

  John raised five children, Kenny, Jeff, Gina, Johnny and Gerry, and is survived by dozens of Haley, Ricca, Gilmore and Teare relatives, who this evening honor and celebrate not just a great athlete, but a great and giving man.

• LJ Hoes ’08

  Jerome “LJ” Hoes is a member of St. John’s Class of 2008. During his time at SJC, he was a three-year varsity member of the boys’ basketball team and a four-year varsity member of the baseball team. He appeared in two WCAC championship games in both sports. LJ was also a member of the 2005 WCAC championship baseball team.

   

  Although basketball was always a love for LJ, he knew his true talent was on the baseball field. His high school baseball accomplishments would include honorable mention All-Met as a freshman, four-time first team All-WCAC, two-time WCAC Player of the Year, three-time first team All-Met, DC Gatorade Player of the Year, two-time team member of Team USA Baseball and a host of others.

   

  LJ received a scholarship to further his educational and baseball careers at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. However, on June 2, 2008, he was selected in the third round (81st overall) of the amateur draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He would later sign and begin his career on the Orioles rookie team in the Gulf Coast League. During his minor league career with the Orioles and later with the Astros organizations, he garnered prestigious awards, such as the Brooks Robinson’s Minor League Player of the Year, Player of the Month and MiLB.com Organization All-Star and Mid-Season All-Star.

   

  At the age of 22, the Orioles promoted LJ to the Major Leagues, and he made his debut on Sept. 25, 2012. He would go on to spend part of the next four seasons in the MLB, two years with the Orioles and two years with the Houston Astros. In 2017, he played with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

   

  One of LJ’s most memorable MLB accomplishments was a 2014 opening day homerun off New York Yankee CC Sabathia. During his minor league assignment with the Astros, he was fortunate to experience winning the 2015 Triple-A National Championship game.

   

  LJ has been in professional baseball for 11 seasons; all but three have been with the Orioles. Throughout the ups and downs of his professional career, his love for the game has continued. He looks forward to helping the next generation of baseball players fulfill their dreams and aspirations. During the off-season, while playing with the Orioles, LJ found a way to give back to the community. He hosted a toy drive that collected toys and donations for the St. Ann’s Center for Children, Youth and Families, so the children would have presents to open on Christmas.

   

  When not playing baseball, LJ has found his way back to his first love — basketball. He coaches and mentors high school female athletes who want to elevate their game. He is an assistant coach for a 17u women’s AAU basketball team of the New World Organization. With his help, the team has won tournaments and has had several of the athletes commit to colleges. In addition to coaching basketball, LJ holds private lessons for young baseball players who dream of going on to play professional baseball.

   

  LJ resides in Bowie, MD, with wife Ciara ’10 and daughter Jaxen. He is currently taking courses through Grand Canyon University in order to obtain a degree in sports management. His ultimate life goal is to become a coach at either the college or professional level. With all of the opportunities and experiences he has had throughout his life, he is very thankful and will continue to follow God’s plan.

• Brian Keller ’64

  Brian Keller ’64 was born and raised in the Cleveland Park section of Washington, DC, by Jane and Joe Keller. He is one of six children, with one brother and four sisters; he is three minutes younger than his twin, Jane. His father ran track at the University of Maryland and introduced the children to team sports by taking them to Maryland and Georgetown basketball games, as well as to Redskins and Senators games at Griffith Stadium. The entire family played on various teams year-round, starting at an early age. However, Brian’s favorite sport was basketball.

   

  When he was in the fourth grade, he used to walk to and from St. Thomas Apostle Elementary School dribbling a basketball. His eighth-grade basketball team, which consisted of the entire six boys in the class, won the 1960 Catholic Youth Organization championship played at Catholic University.

   

  Brian received athletic scholarships from all of the Catholic League high schools, as well as Georgetown Prep and Landon; the exception was Gonzaga, since they were not permitted to offer scholarships. However, against his brother Kevin’s wishes, Brian chose St. John’s because of its excellence in academics and athletics. Kevin was playing basketball for archrival Gonzaga at the time.

   

  Brian played three years for legendary Coach Joe Gallagher ’39, from 1962-1964. During his first two varsity seasons, he had the privilege of playing alongside Bobby Lewis ’63, who was instrumental in helping him improve his basketball skills. When Lewis left to attend North Carolina, Brian assumed a more active leadership role and broke several of Lewis’ scoring records. He scored 48 points and had 27 rebounds against the La Salle College freshman team and was the leading scorer in the Washington Metro area for most of the 1964 season.

   

  A 1964 first team All-Met selection, he received 50-75 athletic scholarships from Division 1 programs and was the first athlete to sign a written athletic grant in aid contract at Notre Dame. Since freshmen were not eligible to play varsity sports in the 1960s, he played all three years for Notre Dame. Brian was a starter all season, and the second-leading scorer with the highest field goal percentage during sophomore year. Since Notre Dame was not affiliated with a conference, they played a very difficult schedule against top national teams such as UCLA, Kentucky, Duke, Houston and most Big Ten Conference teams, traveling throughout the USA from Hawaii to New York City. However, he was hampered by injuries during his junior and senior seasons, spending more time with the team doctor than on the court due to an assortment of broken bones and torn ligaments. Despite the injuries, he continued to enjoy basketball and helped Notre Dame establish a Washington connection in recruiting other great players such as Austin Carr (Mackin), Bob Whitmore and Sid Carlett (DeMatha) and Collis Jones ’67 (St. John’s). The Notre Dame DC pipeline has continued throughout the last 50 years, and it currently has two players on the 2018 roster, DJ Harvey (DeMatha) and Prentiss Hubb (Gonzaga).

   

  During the summer of 1966, before Brian graduated from Notre Dame with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1968, his roommate introduced him to Sue Carroll, who had just graduated from Marymount College in Virginia. Three years later they would marry in New York and go on to raise four beautiful children: Kristy, Katie, Kim and Brian.

   

  In New York, Brian begin work as a special agent in the United States Secret Service. He was assigned to the Kennedy family’s protective detail (Caroline and John, Jr.) for five years and had temporary assignments with Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Bush and Reagan, as well as numerous foreign heads of state, prime ministers and country presidents throughout the world; he also had investigative responsibilities specific to the US Treasury Department.

   

  After 12 years, he decided to leave the Secret Service and began working in the corporate security departments of Fortune 500 companies, including Pfizer, American Home Products, Xerox Corporation, Aventis Pharma and Perri-Quest Defense Research Enterprises.

   

  Brian retired in 2009, and he and Sue live in Madison, CT. They are fortunate to have their four children and eight grandchildren close by, and when not on the golf course, they see them just about every day, both on and off the green. Life is good!

• Floyd McCrory ’73

  Floyd B. McCrory ’73 began running track during his elementary school days at Nativity Elementary School in Washington, DC. It was clear that he would be a competitor in the sport. Floyd’s accomplishments while at St. John’s were beyond reproach. He demonstrated his athleticism in his freshman year, where he was highly competitive on the track field. Floyd finished first place in many of the races and was proud to represent St. John’s. He set and broke many records in multiple disciplines in the track and field arena, including cross country, meter races, 440-yard dash, 800-yard dash, relays and other track and field events. In 1971, Floyd was named All-Metropolitan during his sophomore year. During all four years at St. John’s, he competed against the best track and field athletes in the nation at the Penn Relays.

   

  Floyd not only excelled on the track field, he established a co-ed track team with St. John’s and Ursuline Academy. His leadership skills were recognized on and off the track, and he was elected president of the Catholic Youth Organization during his junior year.

   

  His love for track and field and his success in the sport continued after graduation, when he attended Boston College. While at Boston College, he qualified for and continued to race in the Penn Relays. Though he was unable to compete in track and field all four years due to injury, Floyd remained active in the sport as a high-level assistant on the team. He also turned his attention toward recruitment and became an instrumental force behind one of the most successful recruitment programs of minority students at Boston College. Following graduation, Floyd began a program at Boston College aimed at identifying and recruiting academically successful but financially challenged students.

   

  While working very closely with the administration, Floyd recruited several hundred minority students from local high school college preparatory programs in the Washington Metropolitan area, including St. John’s, for an all-expenses-paid tour of Boston College. Upon arrival, the students met with college recruiters, administrators, professors and the university president. The students slept in dormitories with other students so they could experience life on a college campus. Many of those students who went on to attend Boston College received financial aid because of their participation in the program. Boston College credited Floyd with conceiving, developing and running this program, which successfully recruited many talented minority students to the school for more than 15 years.

   

  In May 2000, Floyd faced medical challenges, which eventually caused him partial paralysis and confinement to a wheelchair. Although his mobility has been limited, he continues to be the same positive, full-of-life and fun-loving person he was at St. John’s. Moreover, he continues to stay in close touch with many of his St. John’s friends, friends who have been a source of inspiration for him. Floyd enjoys their frequent visits to the residential care facility, where he resides and continues his treatment.

• Chris Wright ’07

  Chris Wright ’07, son of Diane and Orlando Wright, came to St. John’s from Benjamin Tasker Middle School in Bowie, MD. He was recognized throughout the Washington metropolitan area as one of the best eighth-grade basketball players. Although he was very young for his grade level, his basketball skills and IQ were that of a seasoned veteran. His four-year career at St. John’s was remarkable, and many local basketball junkies feel that Chris is the best player to have ever played for the Scarlet and Grey.

   

  As a ninth-grader, Chris was the starting point guard, averaging 12 points per game. He played an integral part in helping the Cadets have a fine 18-9 season. That year, Chris made the All-Tournament team in the Celriver Classic in South Carolina. He was selected third team All-WCAC, but this was just the beginning.

   

  As a sophomore, Chris averaged 22 points, five assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. He was first team All- WCAC and first team All-Met (The Washington Post). He was the MVP of the Hollidaysburg Christmas Classic (PA) and made the All-Tournament team at the Red Cross Rotary Classic (SC).

   

  His junior year was even better. Chris again averaged 22 points with 5.5 assists and four rebounds per game. Again, he was first team All-WCAC and first team All-Met. He was the Most Outstanding Player at the GlaxoSmithKline Tournament (NC) and the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament (MD).

   

  However, Chris’ senior year was his best. He averaged 30.5 points per game. His four-year total of 2,580 points makes him the leading scorer in the history of SJC. Once again, he was selected first team All-WCAC. He was also chosen as first team All-Met (The Washington Post) for the third straight year. Prior to Chris, the last player to accomplish this was Adrian Dantley. Chris was a McDonald’s All-American, a Jordan All-American, a Parade All-American and the Gatorade DC Player of the year. During his senior year, he was the Most Outstanding Player at the Beach Ball Classic (SC) and the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament (MD). At the Hoophall Classic at the Basketball Hall of Fame game in Springfield, MA, Chris was the Most Valuable Player for his 39-point performance in the Cadet’s win over St. Andrew’s (RI).

   

  Upon graduating from St. John’s, Chris received a scholarship to Georgetown University, where he had an outstanding career. Throughout his college career, he was recognized as one of the top point guards in the Big East. Chris was selected captain of the Hoyas in both his junior and senior years. He finished his Georgetown career on the all-time leaders list in both scoring and assists. He is 18th in scoring, with 1,369 points, and sixth in assists, with 442. He averaged 12.4 points per game for his career.

   

  After graduating from Georgetown University with a bachelor’s degree in international relations, he began his professional basketball career in Turkey. He is currently playing in the top Italian league with Alma Trieste in Trieste, Italy. While Chris was playing in Turkey in 2012, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. It was thought that his basketball playing days were over. However, the qualities that made Chris such a great basketball player would serve him well, as he dedicated himself to fighting the disease and becoming a pioneer in educating people about MS. In 2013, Chris briefly played with the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. When he played for the Dallas Mavericks, he became the first known player in NBA history to have a multiple sclerosis diagnosis.

   

  Chris’ talent and skill set were evident during his SJC days. Coach Paul DeStefano has said it was his desire, work ethic and tenacity that made him such a special player. Coach DeStefano always felt that St. John’s had a chance of victory, regardless of the opponent or situation, as long as Chris was on the court; he referred to it as the “CW” factor.

   

  Today, Chris is married to his lovely wife, Erin. They have two beautiful children, 5-year old Christopher, Jr., and 2-year old Charlotte. They are currently enjoying life in Italy.

• Bro. Andrew Schaefer, FSC

  Bro. Andrew Schaefer, FSC, served as St. John’s athletic director from 1944-1961. During that time, the school won championships in basketball, golf, football, baseball, swimming and track. In fact, two of those teams have already been inducted into St. John’s Athletic Hall of Fame: the 1953 football team and the 1953 golf team. A third team, the 1959 baseball team, is also being inducted tonight.

   

  He was responsible for adding many new sports offerings to St. John’s, including bringing baseball and golf back to the school, as well as for the addition of lower level programs. Bro. Andrew recruited many of the most successful coaches in St. John’s history, and he was a member of the initial group that founded the Catholic League. He was also heavily involved in the expansion of the school’s athletic programs to the Airlie campus.

   

  At one point in his career, Bro. Andrew was the moderator for several different SJC sports, including football, baseball, golf and bowling. He also served as the moderator for the Men of St. John’s.

• The 1959 Baseball Team

  It has been 59 years since the 1959 baseball team played championship ball. Although several of its players, managers and coaches have passed, including Bill Babbington ’60, Bill Bridgeman ’59, Joe Burke ’60, Kenny Claro ’61, Scotty Glacken ’62, Dick Gregorio ’60, Mike Southcomb ’60, manager Dick Whitty ’59 and coach Johnny Ryall, they are all remembered in a special way this evening.

   

  Much has changed since 1959. Back then, the students were all male and almost all the teachers were Christian Brothers. The young men didn’t know the Brothers had last names. That was also the last year the school for upperclassmen was located at 1225 Vermont Avenue in downtown DC. Freshmen attended school in a facility where the present school resides. In those times, the students drilled on Vermont Avenue come rain, snow, sleet or hail, and they marched in parades, usually behind the horses...

   

  Joe Cardaci, a St. John’s 1949 alumnus, was entering his third year as head coach, and the roster contained an odd mixture of experience and youth. Six starters from the 1958 team were returning, but no starting pitchers. Fortunately, the underclassmen had a wealth of pitching talent to fill the gap. The team would have faced significant challenges if they had to rely on senior hurlers — because there weren’t any.

   

  The 1958 team had compiled a 16-2 record, going undefeated in the Catholic League and losing only to Blair and Anacostia. The 1958 team had set a high bar. However, the 1959 Johnnies were up to the challenge. Again, the Cadets went undefeated in the Catholic League, matching the ’58 record of 16-2, only losing to Northern Virginia powerhouse Washington and Lee twice. Their pitching staff came through as though they were seasoned veterans. Cardaci bragged that the team’s batters were like the famous New York Yankees’ Murderers’ Row.

• The 1968 Football Team

  Following the 1967 football season, Head Coach Joe Gallagher ’39 retired from football. After 21 years of football, he would focus on coaching basketball until his retirement in 1990. New Head Football Coach David “Doonie” Waldron ’49 took control of the Johnnies with the help of coaches Bob Hampton, Branson Ferry ’55 and Bill Madero ’66. Coming off a difficult 1967 season, defending champion DeMatha and stalwart John Carroll were both considered “in the hunt” for the league championship. St. John’s most certainly was not, since according to the local newspapers, the school was “rebuilding” their football program.

   

  HIGHLIGHTS

   

  SJC 20 - ROOSEVELT 6

  The 1968 season opened against DC’s Roosevelt Rough Riders. The first score of the ’68 campaign was by Matt Dillon ’69, as he picked off a pass and raced untouched for a 40-yard TD. Touchdowns were also scored by Pete Grant ’69 on an eight-yard pass from QB Fred Glasgow ’69 and on a 15-yard run by FB Jim Ohlhaver ’69. Jack Harper ’69 had two XPs in the win. St. John’s led 20-0 well into the fourth quarter and won the game 20-6.

   

  SJC 27 — ALTOONA 7

  The Cadets traveled to central Pennsylvania to take on the Altoona Mountain Lions who, at that time, were one of the highly ranked teams in the state. This was the “coming out party” for FB Ohlhaver, QB Glasgow and, in fact, the entire team. Ohlhaver rang up 137 yards and two TDs on 25 carries, while Glasgow, described as “a smooth working quarterback who continually confused the Lions with his play-calling” (Altoona Mirror, Sunday, Oct. 6, 1968), led the charge. It was this game where the ’68 team realized how good they could be. With more than 8,500 in attendance, the Johnnies led the Mountain Lions 21-0 at half and 27-0 late in the game, when Altoona scored to make the final 27-7. Saturday morning, the Altoona Mirror printed: “Incredible, St. John’s Humiliates Lions 27-7.”

   

  SJC 14 — DEMATHA 13

  Behind 13-0, the Cadets rallied for 14 fourth-quarter points to beat the defending league champions 14-13. Harper returned a punt 28 yards to the Stags’ 20-yard line early in the fourth quarter. This got the team going! Ohlhaver scored from the 13, and Harper kicked the XPT. It was now 13-7. Defensive Guard Dennis Burke ’69, one of the two team captains, recovered a Stag fumble at the SJC 40. The underdog Cadets then had the resolve to march 60 yards for the 13-13 tie. Ohlhaver and HBs Ray O’Brien ’69 (SJC AHOF 2010) and Dillon accounted for those yards, with Dillon scoring from the three for the 13-13 tie. Under the enormous pressure of positioning the team to beat the then Catholic League champion, placekicker Harper heeded the “encouragement” in the huddle from the future ’68 Parade All-American guard Mike Cady ’69 to split the uprights for the 14-13 lead. However, DeMatha still had an opportunity to win. They drove to the SJC 20, where SJC All-Prep DE Dan Newman ’69 dumped the DeMatha QB for a 10-yard loss. A field goal attempt on the game’s last play fell short, and the Cadets secured their biggest win in several years.

   

  SJC 28 — JOHN CARROLL 6

  At that point in the season, undefeated Carroll scored first for a 6-0 lead. Tied 6-6 at halftime, the Cadets rallied around three second-half interceptions by LB Grant, as well as crucial TD receptions by Pat Brant ’69 (two each), captain Louie Baker ’69 and another by Dillon. The Johnnies scored 28 unanswered points for the 28-6 win. This enabled the ’68 team to avenge a 32-2 loss from the previous year. QB Glasgow’s play — four TD tosses and 216 yards through the air — was highlighted in The Washington Post, with mention of Glasgow and then Redskin QB Sonny Jurgensen in the same sentence. Jurgensen had taken an interest in QB Glasgow during his weeklong session at a football camp at Fork Union Military Academy of Virginia that summer, where Glasgow received special mentoring from old #9… Sonny!

   

  SJC 28 — BELL VOCATIONAL 0

  The Cadets ground game accounted for 245 yards with TDs by Baker, Dillon, Mike Bolger ’69 and Ohlhaver. The final tally certainly could have been more, but Coach Waldron was evidently content with scoring 28 and playing almost all players in the game. It was a great team win, which was only marred by the season-ending knee injury to placekicker and DB extraordinaire

  Harper.

   

  SJC 40 — GONZAGA 15

  St. John’s completed their season with yet another revenge game against archrival Gonzaga. The Cadets wasted little time jumping out to a 20-0 lead at half and a 27-0 lead in the fourth quarter. Ohlhaver slashed through the Eagles’ defense for 151 yards and three TDs. Glasgow was 7 for 11, including a 66-yard TD to Baker. Baker also had a running TD and booted three XPTs to complete his three years of playing varsity football for the Cadets. The result was a 40-15 Cadet victory and a league championship for the 1968 St. John’s football team.

   

  ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • 1968 team recognized by The Washington Post as the area’s “Catholic champions.”
  • Major upsets of Altoona, rivals Carroll and DeMatha and a decisive win over archrival Gonzaga — all teams that defeated the Cadets during the 1967 season.
  • End of season: #3 ranking in Washington metropolitan area.
  • Final Record: 6-2-1, reversing the previous season’s 2-6-1 record, and in those days, all games were away games.
  • Consecutive points scored in six wins: Roosevelt 14, Altoona 27, DeMatha 14, Carroll 28, Bell 28 and Gonzaga 27; 138 consecutive, unanswered points in six 1968 season wins.
  • In that 1968 season, St. John’s started 10 seniors on offense and nine seniors on defense. Nineteen of 22 starters were seniors.
  • Players receiving post-season recognition in The Washington Post or Evening Star: Dan Newman ’69 (E), Pat Brant ’69 (E), Dennis Burke ’69 (G) and Mike Cady ’69 (G); Parade All-American Team: Matt Dillon ’69 (B), Joe Marks ’69 (T), Jim Ohlhaver ’69 (FB), Fred Glasgow ’69 (QB), Louie Baker ’69 (LB), Pete Grant ’69 (LB), Ray O’Brien ’69 (DB) and Jim Galloway ’70 (C).
  • Players from the 1968 team who played in college: Dennis Burke ’69 (Guilford College), Mike Cady ’69 (Texas A&M University), Jim Ohlhaver ’69 (William & Mary and Catholic University*), Joe Marks ’69 (St. Mary of the Plain University), Ray O’Brien ’69 (Georgetown University*), Joe Norris ’69 (East Carolina University), Pat Brant ’69 (Xavier University* and University of Maryland*), Dan Newman ’69 (University of Pennsylvania), Fred Glasgow ’69 (University
  • of Pennsylvania), Phil Slagle ’69 (Shepherd College), Simeon Booker ’70 (Brown University), Jim Galloway ’70 (Brown University), Joe McNamara ’70 (Catholic University*), Dan D’Agostino ’70 (Catholic University, football and baseball), Matt Dillon ’69 (Montgomery College), Mike Bolger ’69 (Xavier University*), Jack Harper ’69 (St. Thomas College) and Richard Nolan ’71 (Catholic University*)

  *Indicates baseball as the sport of choice in college

   

  THE 1968 FOOTBALL TEAM TODAY

   

  Having lost teammate Matt Dillon ’69 to cancer in 2011, the team established the Matt Dillon Award, which has been given annually for the past seven years to the SJC football player(s) who excelled on the football field and in at least one other sport.

   

  The 1968 football team has also initiated the Matt Dillon Memorial Golf Tournament, held in September from 2012-2018. With 112-124 participants each year, the tournament has raised more than $100,000 for charity, with the majority of the donations going to St. John’s football and baseball programs, sports in which Dillon excelled while attending SJC.

   

  The 2018 St. John’s school year marks the 50th anniversary of the 1968 championship football season. The 1968 team would like to thank everyone for their support, particularly the Class of 1969 for honoring them with SJC’s most prestigious honor — induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame.

   

  In closing, the 1968 team remembers and honors our deceased teammates Matt Dillon ’69, Ollie Kiss ’69, Dennis Clark ’69, Mike Veith ’70 and Jim Galloway ’70, as well as coaches Doonie Waldron ’49, Branson Ferry ’55 and Bill Madero ’66.

• The 2000 Boys' Basketball Team

  The 1999-2000 SJC boys’ basketball year was definitely a “season to remember,” highlighted by the Cadets beating DeMatha for the WCAC championship. It was a long time coming — the last time St. John’s won the Catholic League championship was 1977.

   

  The team was very fortunate to have the support of a great group of parents and guardians, who were always there to help. Also, Athletic Director John Ricca, Assistant Athletic Director Carol Howley and Team Moderator Bro. Martin Zewe, FSC, provided the leadership and guidance needed by all good teams.

   

  This team, although small in stature (no player was taller than 6’3”), played with a tenacity and cohesiveness that more than made up for its lack of size. The team played with a swagger and dared opposing teams to underestimate them. The Cadets marched to the tune of, “It’s not how big you are; it’s how big you play.” The 1999-2000 SJC team played really big.

   

  The team started the season in an uneventful fashion, splitting their first four games. Then, the Cadets went a whole month undefeated, winning 12 straight games. During this winning streak, St. John’s won the Bullis Holiday Classic and the Northeast Catholic Tournament in Trumbull, CT. In the Bullis tournament, the Cadets defeated St. John’s Prospect Hall, Good Counsel and Gonzaga on three consecutive days to win the championship. Then it was off to Trumbull, CT, where the Cadets defeated Paterson Catholic (NJ), St. John’s Prep (NY) and La Salle (PA) to capture the prestigious Northeast Catholic Tournament title.

   

  As most teams do, the Cadets hit a slight mid-season slump. Their resiliency and perseverance were tested, and the Cadets answered the bell. During this time, St. John’s was preparing to play Paul VI on Feb. 11, 2000. At the time, Paul VI was 17-3 and ranked #1 by The Washington Post. They were led by their 6’10” center, Rob Little, who went on to play at Stanford. The Cadets responded to the challenge in true SJC fashion. Despite playing the game with a limited roster, the undermanned Cadets won a gut-wrenching 47-46 victory on a late Jeff Palumbo ’00 three-point shot. The late Dick Ellinger, who was the video coordinator for athletics at St. John’s for many years, called it the best game he had ever seen at St. John’s, considering the circumstances. This victory seemed to be the spark that the team needed. The playoffs were right around the corner, and the team was ready for a four-day run that will never be forgotten.

   

  Back at full strength, the rejuvenated Cadets entered the playoffs hungry and determined. St. John’s finished the WCAC regular season at 7-7. Up first for the Cadets were the #2 seed Carroll Lions. The game was at Carroll on Feb. 24. The last regular season game was the senior game against Carroll on Feb. 21. The Cadets prevailed 49-48 in overtime. Then the Cadets traveled to the Lions’ den to play in a win-or-go-home game. Once again, the Cadets won in dramatic fashion. A Luke Martin ’00 free throw with one second left gave St. John’s a 69-68 victory.

   

  Next, it was off to the semifinals at the Show Place Arena to face the #3 seed Paul VI Panthers. The Cadets felt confident going into this game — maybe because of the emotional victory against Paul VI earlier in the month. However, now the Cadets were at full strength. It was

  close for a half, but St. John’s pulled away for a 60-43 victory. Up next for the Johnnies was the #1 seed DeMatha Stags — for all the marbles!

   

  Would SJC win its first Catholic League championship since 1977? The Stags had beaten the Cadets twice during the regular season — both competitive games with DeMatha outplaying St. John’s in the fourth quarter to win. But this time, it would be different. DeMatha led 32-24 at the half, and 45-40 after three quarters. The Cadets kept fighting and trailed by four with 1:30 remaining. Steve Leven ’01 hit a three to cut the lead to one. A steal by William Jawando ’00 led to another Cadet three by Martin. Now, SJC was up 59-57 with a little over a minute left. Billy Edelin tied it for DeMatha at 59-59 with 45 seconds left. The Cadets held for the last shot (there was no shot clock), and Palumbo hit a floater over 6’10” Jordan Collins with 1.6 seconds left. The Cadets had their first Catholic League championship since 1977!

   

  That tells the story of this memorable season. Now, it’s important to know the cast of characters. It was a true family of individuals with high character, a will to win and SJC pride.

   

  STARTERS

  • Jeff Palumbo ’00 – scored 1,033 points in his varsity career with 14.3 ppg; first team WCAC; MVP of the Bullis Holiday Classic, Northeast Catholic Tournament and city title game
  • Luke Martin ’00 – 10.1 ppg and seven assists per game; second team WCAC; All-Tournament team – Bullis Holiday Classic and Northeast Catholic Tournament; selected to play in the Capital Classic
  • William Jawando ’00 – 7.2 ppg; honorable mention WCAC; All-Tournament team – Bullis Holiday Classic and Northeast Catholic Tournament
  • Frank Petersen ’01 – 7.7 ppg; honorable mention WCAC; All-Tournament team – Bullis Holiday Classic; Slam Dunk Champion in Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament
  • Steve Leven ’01 – 14.3 ppg; second team WCAC; All-Tournament team – Bullis Holiday Classic

   
  Reserves: Mike Bonistalli ’00, Ryan Cenac ’01, Brian DeStefano ’01, Justin Harrison ’01, Brandon Hill ’01, Marcus Hudson ’02 and Steve Segears ’02
  Manager: Kathryn Bonistalli ’00
  Scorekeeper: Roger O’Neal
  Coaches: Paul DeStefano – WCAC Coach of the Year, Al DeStefano, Austin Hatch and Dennis Murphy