Athletes of the Month-December

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

Renee Bak

Bishop Eustace Preparatory School, Pennsauken

Swimming

Renee Bak has had no trouble keeping up with the competition, whether it’s against girls or boys. Bak, a freshman freestyler, led Bishop Eustace to a perfect start to its co-ed season as the Crusaders defeated Holy Cross, Paul VI and Gloucester in the month of December; the team now stands at 4-0 overall.

Bak first-place finished with fast times in the 50-meter freestyle (25.56), 100 free (56.54), 200 free (2:05.55) and 500 free (5:39.14). Her times in the 50, 100 and 200 were the fastest female times in those events among South Jersey Catholic schools.

Jurius Clark

Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill

Wrestling

Jurius Clark is riding some good momentum into the new year. The Camden Catholic senior captured eighth place at 170 lbs. at the prestigious 29th Annual Beast of the East tournament on Dec. 19, which brings together more than 100 of the best wrestling programs from all over the country.

Clark followed that up by winning the 165 lbs. bracket at the Mustang Classic on Dec. 28 by winning all four of his matches. He held a 10-3 record through the month.

Alexandria Graffius

Holy Spirit High School, Absecon

Wrestling

Alexandria Graffius made history for the second year in a row. Last year, she became the first female wrestler in Holy Spirit High School to compete in a match. This year, as a sophomore, she became the first female champion at the school.

Graffius won the 120 lbs. weight class at the Gloucester City Tournament on Dec. 30 by pinning both Juliet Heller and Hailston Virgillo of Eastern High School to win the bracket. Graffius is now 4-2 on the season with four pins, which includes a 2-2 showing at the Queen of the East tournament in Pennsauken.

Hannah Hidalgo

Paul VI High School, Haddonfield

Basketball

The Paul VI High School girls basketball team has high expectations this season, and it is banking on Hannah Hidalgo to lead the way. Hidalgo, a junior, averaged 32.4 points per game in December, which included a career high 43-point effort against Caravel Academy of Delaware, as the Eagles ran a perfect 5-0 record into the new year.

Hidalgo notched her 1,000th career point Jan. 9 as the Eagles raised their record to a perfect 9-0 with a win over Cardinal O’Hara.

Tobe Nwobu

Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill

Basketball

It’s been quite a debut for Tobe Nwobu.

The Camden Catholic freshman burst onto the scene in December and has quickly become the Irish’s most dangerous scorer. Nwobu averaged a team-high 16.8 points per game in December as Camden Catholic raced out to a 6-0 record. Nwobu’s best scoring effort came in an 84-52 win over Pennsauken three days after Christmas when the freshman knocked down 28 points.

Billy Sheridan

Gloucester Catholic High School, Gloucester

Ice Hockey

Playing in the Bill Gordon Division is as tough as high school ice hockey can get, and Gloucester Catholic’s Billy Sheridan hasn’t shied away from the competition.

The Rams’ junior forward led the team in goals (five), assists (six) and points (11) through a tough stretch of hockey in December, lining up against the state’s best teams. Sheridan factored in 11 of the Rams’ 14 goals in their first five games, and he has already tied his point total from last season.