Athletes of the Month- May

The Catholic Star Herald highlights the Diocese’s student athletes who stood out during the month of May.  

          

Maddie Abbott

Holy Spirit High School, Absecon

Lacrosse

Maddie Abbott powered her way to a team-best 67 goals as the Holy Spirit girls lacrosse team posted the most wins in their program’s history and ventured further into the playoffs than ever before.

Abbott kept the momentum going in the state playoffs, scoring 12 goals and adding seven assists in four postseason appearances as the Spartans appeared in the state championship game for the first time in school history.

Abbott, a junior, contributed 57 draw controls, 23 ground balls and 20 forced turnovers during the Spartans’ 16-6 season.

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Rebecca Cessna

Wildwood Catholic Academy, North Wildwood

Softball

Rebecca Cessna had proven to be clutch all season as both pitcher and cleanup hitter. It was all on display in Wildwood Catholic’s playoff victory over Burlington’s Doane Academy in the quarterfinal round of the South Jersey Non-Public B playoffs.

Down to their last out in the seventh inning and trailing by three runs, the Crusaders rallied behind Cessna, who delivered a three-run triple to extend the game and save the season as Wildwood Catholic eventually prevailed with a 6-5 victory in 10 innings. Cessna struck out 15 from the circle that day to record the biggest win of the season for the Crusaders (9-5 record).

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Noah Plenn

Saint Augustine Preparatory School, Richland

Lacrosse

Noah Plenn has scored some of the biggest goals in the history of the Saint Augustine boys lacrosse program.

The Hermits’ sophomore scored the tying and winning goals in the waning moments of the Non-Public A state semifinal game as Saint Augustine defeated Seton Hall Prep, 9-8, in thrilling fashion May 28. Four days later, Plenn scored the game-winning goal in a 6-5 win over Delbarton to hand the Hermits their first state championship in the school’s storied history. Plenn ended up with 21 goals and 17 assists this season.

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Sophia Schoenborn

Bishop Eustace Preparatory School, Pennsauken

Track and Field

After finishing in third-place a year ago at the state meet, Sophia Schoenborn’s throw of 114 feet, 4 inches captured the 2022 Non-Public B state championship in javelin at Middletown High School North.

Schoenborn’s season included a javelin victory at the Eustace Throwing Invitational and finishing in the top-three at the Haddonfield Invitational, Olympic Conference Championships and Camden County Championships.

Schoenborn will continue throwing the javelin at The Catholic University of America next year.

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Elijah Steward

Holy Spirit High School, Absecon

Track and Field

Elijah Steward is a state champion again.

Steward, who just graduated from Holy Spirit, successfully defended his Non-Public B state title in the 400 meter run by running a 50.11 at Middletown High School North, edging out teammate Luke Halbruner for a Spartans’ 1-2 finish.

Last June, Steward ran 49.62 at Neptune High School in the event to win the 400, and he furthered his dominance in the event by winning the Non-Public B indoor state championship in a time of 52.91.

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Damon Suriani

Gloucester Catholic High School, Gloucester City

Baseball

Damon Suriani’s breakout season is in the books. The Gloucester Catholic junior catcher is as sturdy a backstop as you’ll find in South Jersey, and this season, he added the offensive numbers to place him among the best hitters in the area.

Suriani hit .397 this season with a slugging percentage of .658 while leading the Rams with 35 RBIs as Gloucester Catholic pieced together a 21-win season. Suriani earned Tri-County Conference first team honors and was selected to play for Tri-Cape in the Carpenter Cup Baseball Tournament.