Reading Central Catholic High School

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Reading Central Catholic High School is a small Roman Catholic high school located at 1400 Hill Road in Reading, Pennsylvania. The average number of students at the school usually falls between 300-400 students. The school's biggest rival is the only other Reading-area Catholic High School, Holy Name. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown.

1 History
2 Notable sports achievements
3 Administration
4 External links

[edit] History

The current building used for Reading Central Catholic High School consists of what was once one of William H. Luden's mansions. William H. Luden was the founder of Luden's throat drops. It is also stated that Mr. Luden's son committed suicide by hanging within this mansion, hence it is often suspected to be haunted. The staircase where the act was committed has been removed, and a different coloration of wood paneling in the old third floor hallway is the only evidence left within the school of this hidden suicide and staircase.

The Luden's mansion eventually became Reading Central Catholic High School in 1939 with an initial class of 75 students, and an addition was made to the building in 1941, bringing it to its current size. However, plans are in motion to build a different, larger school building for Reading Central Catholic, expected to be completed before 2010. To date, no finalized construction plans have been made as of this writing.

[edit] Notable sports achievements

Reading Central Catholic High School is synonymous with great basketball. The sixth man at the school has been named, The Cardinal Crazies. The group is unofficially led by an enthusiastic student each year. Students, much like the Dukies, have been known to paint their faces and dress up, while loudly cheering their team on. The "Cardiac Cards" is what the boys' team has been coined in the past. The team is well-known for pulling out seemingly impossible victories.

In 1985, CCHS boys' basketball team won the PIAA Class A Championship. Then, in 1992, the team made a reemergence on the District and State basketball scene. This group of "Cards" appeared in the District 3 Championship, as did the girls' team. This was a first in CCHS history. Keith Uhrig (1974-1995) and Kelly Krawcyzk, both seniors at the time, scored 1,000-points during this historic season. Uhrig and Krawcyzk were then named Berks County Athletes of the Year for their stellar efforts, on and off the hardwood. This particular girls' team also fostered the growth of Erin Hurleman and Alicia Yapsuga, who followed in Krawcyzk's path by each scoring 1,000 career points and leading teams over the next three years to numerous playoff appearances.

Twice the boys' team placed second in the PIAA boys state championship basketball games. Both at the hands of George Junior Republic. The first lost came in 1996, after the team, led by Joseph Linderman and Shawn Swavely, went 32-0, until that fateful State Championship Game in Hershey. The next loss came in 1998, after a roller coaster season, led by Bruce DeLauder, John Sharkey, and Jared Mills.

In 2005, both the boys and girls basketball teams were District 3 and Berks County champions. Seniors Kelly Wrobel and Alexander Franklin reached the 1,000 career points mark. Franklin was the first Central Catholic Basketball player, since Joey Linderman (Drexel) in 1996, to receive a Division 1 basketball scholarship.

Finally, in 2007, the boys' team, still coach by Ken "Snip" Esterly, won its first PIAA Class A Championship since 1985. The team defeated DuBois Central Catholic, and finished the season 30-4. This group was led by Matthew Ashcroft and Colin Naugle, who both reached the 1,000-point mark.

The girls basketball team is very succesful as well. In 2008 they made it to Berks County playoffs and also won District 3 championship for the 3rd time in 4 years. Krissy Wrobel and Casey Hoffmann led the team and scoring as well as Rachel Schleicher.

Central Catholic's girls volleyball team has also met with a great deal of success in the past few years. They won the 2007 District 3-A and PIAA Class A Gold Medals in 2007, making it their 7th straight district crown and giving them back-to-back state titles. Krissy Wrobel, class of 2008 led the team both physically and emotionally. She has been recruited to play Division 1 volleyball at Seton Hall University.

Central Catholic's track and field program held past stellar performances also. The 4x800 meter relay team placed at the PIAA AA State championships two years in a row in 02 and 03. Perhaps the most famous track athlete was Central's Michael Coe. He won the PIAA District 3 200m title in 2004, and placed 2nd at the PIAA AA State championship in the 400m missing the gold by 0.02 from the winner from Biglerville. That same year he false started at the County championships which kept him off the podium, but he redeemed himself at the District and State level. In 2005 even after suffering from a broken toe, Coe went on to win the County Championship in the 400, placed third at the PIAA District AA meet and placed fourth at the PIAA AA State meet. He was Berks Best in the 400 two years in a row as well as team MVP and school record holder, as well as All County, and All State.

The boys' soccer team at Central Catholic is one of their newest sports teams, and has not seen much success. During the 2002 season, the Central Catholic boys soccer team, led by captains Mathew Stuber and Joshua Blair and goalkeeper Alexander S. Lloyd, posted its only winning record in team history and distinguished itself as being the only wild card team in the District 3-A playoffs to advance past the first round, defeating Biglersville 2-0.

The boys' volleyball team also had its first season of true success in 2007. The team finished the regular season 9-6 and qualified for County and District Playoffs. They lost in the quarterfinals of the county playoffs to Governor Mifflin High School. In Districts the Cards finished second in pool play only losing to Spring Grove High School who was ranked #2 in the state. The boys then lost in the quarterfinals to eventual state runner-up Northeastern High School. In the state qualifying match they failed to defeat Eastern York High School ending their season. Middle Hitter Aaron Bobb was named to the All-Division Team and Outside Hitter Charles Lloyd was named an Honorable Mention for All-Division.

Joseph DiCerchio who is James Campbell's grandchild received new shoes. In memory of James Campbell, one of Central's original sports boosters, Central Catholic always plays its last regular season football game against its cross-town rivals, Holy Name, for the Campbell trophy. On November 3rd, 2006, the Campbell trophy returned to Central for the first time since the year 2000. Central defeated Holy Name at Central Catholic's St. Lawrence Stadium by a score of 49-6.