Lancaster Catholic High School

Lancaster Catholic High School

"Cor Sapiens Quaerit Doctrinam"
A Wise Heart Seeks Knowledge
Address
650 Juliette Avenue
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, (Lancaster County), 17601
United States
Coordinates 40°03′27″N 76°17′46″W / 40.0576°N 76.296°WCoordinates: 40°03′27″N 76°17′46″W / 40.0576°N 76.296°W
Information
Type Private, Coeducational
Religious affiliation(s) Catholic
Established 1929
School district Diocese of Harrisburg
Principal Terry Klugh
Chaplain Rev. Allan Wolfe
Faculty Approx. 72
Grades 9-12
Enrollment 785 (2010)
Color(s) Purple and Gold         
Athletics conference Lancaster/Lebanon League
Mascot Crusader
Nickname LCHS
Team name Crusaders
Accreditation Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[1]
Newspaper Rambler
Yearbook Rosmarian
Tuition $1,250-$6,079.99
Athletic Director Rich Hinnenkamp
Director of Fine & Performing Arts Tony Brill
Website http://www.lchsyes.org

Lancaster Catholic High School is a Catholic co-educational high school located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. The school is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg secondary schools.

Academics

Terry Klugh has been appointed interim principal since the departure of Thomas S. Fertal. The administration is traditionally structured with a Vice Principal and Dean of Students (Discipline). The school is coeducational and runs on a traditional quarter system. As a parochial school, LCHS requires all students to take one credit (full-year course) of religious study for each year of their duration at the school. LCHS offers levels of classes including general, academic, honors and AP classes on a minimum college prep level.

Good Samaritan Program

Service is an integral part of the educational process at Lancaster Catholic High School. The Good Samaritan Program has been established by James Rogers for all students to foster the proclamation of the Gospel, and to form good habits of service to others. The Good Samaritan Program is being promoted with two goals in mind: first, to help fulfill the needs of many community and civic organizations, as well as churches and parishes, who rely on volunteer hours to accomplish many of their own goals; and second, to give ALL students at Lancaster Catholic High School an opportunity to be OF SERVICE to the Church, school, and community.

Each student, as approved by Lancaster Catholic High School Board policy, will be required to perform 20 hours of non-remunerated (no salary or wages) service to school, church, or community per year. Accredited service must be performed at an approved location or have the approval of the Director of Service.

Athletics

LCHS is a member of the Lancaster-Lebanon League as part of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association primarily competing in Section 4 (Section 1, 2 or 3 in some sports). Richard Hinnenkamp is the schools Athletic Director.

PIAA Sports

Football

There is a history when it comes to the football program at LCHS. Beginning in 1950 when the team posted a 7-1-1 record and won the Central Penn Catholic Football League Championship, to the Edward Maley and Ben Charles (USC) guided 1956 Central Penn Catholic Football League Championship team which compiled a 10-0 record and the days of James Paul (1961–64) the first alumni to play in the NFL with the Denver Broncos, there has been a tradition of excellence when it comes to the football program.

In 1974, LCHS, led by phil kirchner and bob gramola, won the highly competitive Tri-County Football League Championship. It would be the last championship until a group of athletes under the guidance of coach Joe Mack and Linebacker Tom Burger (Duke), Chris Hogarth (William and Mary), Steve France (Ohio State), and Eric Baumgardner(Syracuse) to mention a few, returned the team to glory in the 1980s. The 1982 team won the inaugural District III AA title, and the 1983 team won a second consecutive title. That team beat a Bishop McDevitt team that was led by James Bryant (Ohio State), Sean Barowski (Penn State), and future NFL running back Ricky Watters(ND) 7-6.

In 1998, the team won a Section III title under the guidance of coach Tony DiPaolo, whose 156-97-6 record over a twenty-five-year coaching career makes him the winningest football coach in school history. After returning to the gridiron in 1993, DiPaolo stepped down in 2001. His teams consistently fronted strong defensive squads.

In 2003, Bruce Harbach took over for the Crusader football program. Through the 2009 season, his overall record stands at 78-23. During his tenure as Head Coach, the Crusaders have appeared in the District 3 AA playoffs 5 straight years. His teams appeared in 4 of the last 5 District 3 AA Championship games from 2004–08, taking home 2 gold medals in 2005 & 2008. The Crusaders made their first ever State playoff appearance in 2005 and in 2008 Catholic advanced to the Eastern Finals and State semi-finals losing to Philadelphia West Catholic. The Crusaders have won 4 straight Lancaster/Lebanon League Section 3 titles, have gone undefeated in the regular season in 2005 & 2006 (10-0) and set school records by recording the most wins in a season during the 2008 campaign at 13-2. Bruce has been named Lancaster/Lebanon League Section 3 Coach of the Year by his peers three times (2005, 06, & 07). Lancaster Catholic won 24 regular season games from 2004 to 2007. The Crusaders have won 34 of 35 Section 3 L/L League games and have finished in the top 10 in the state rankings the past 5 years in the State’s AA classification. In 2009, the Crusaders compiled a 15-1 record, losing only to Manheim Central in week 3. The team went on to claim the PIAA State AA Championship at Hersheypark Stadium in a driving snow storm by defeating Greensburg Central Catholic 21-14. QB Kyle Smith and WR Tyler Purvis were named to the all state AA first team, with K Geoffrey Arentz and HB Jordan Stewart capturing second team honors. The state title marked the first in the history of Lancaster Catholic's storied program.[2] In 2011, the team compiled a perfect 16-0 record en route to another PIAA AA State Championship. The 2012, the team moved from AA to AAA for PIAA competitions.

Basketball

The boy's basketball program had varied success up until the late 1990s and the 2000s (decade). Since the 1970s LCHS has qualified for the LL League Championships 14 times (4th most in league history), earned 5 second place finishes (2nd most in league history), and captured the title in 2003. From 2000-2010 the program recorded 9 out of 11 section championships, which included a string of 7 straight, numerous District III playoff appearances with a title in 2003 and 2011 and a 2nd place finish in 2010. Since 2001 LCHS has qualified for the PIAA Championships 7 times. The 2003 boys basketball team which posted a record of 35-0, the greatest in state history on their way to the PIAA AAA state championship. The Crusaders had previously competed at the AA level. Lancaster Catholic defeated Oxford 87-76, Allentown Central Catholic 61-57, Harriton 74-69, Steelton-Highspire 66-60 in the PIAA playoffs, before downing Perry Traditional Academy of Pittsburgh in the finals 75-59. The 75 points was the most scored in a Class AAA championship since Pottstown beat Valley, 85-66, in 1993. Their season total 2509 points ranked #1 in Pennsylvania in 2003. Greg Testa (Millersville University- basketball) played a big role in the win with his ballhandling and shooting, while Ryan Purvis (Boston College- football), a 6-5 junior center, made 10 of 15 shots from the field, scored 25 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds. Head Coach Bill Southward was named the state's Triple-A Coach of the Year by the Associated Press. He is the first basketball coach from Lancaster County to receive the AP's state Coach of the Year award, and he is believed to be the first county coach from any sport to earn an AP State Coach of the Year award. Southward retired after 11 years at Catholic, six as the head coach. He posted a 144-36 record. The boy's program compiled a winning streak of 46 straight games from 2002–2004, which is known to be in the Top 20 basketball winning streaks in state history.

Led by Lamar Kauffman, who in his 26th season at the helm of the Lady Crusaders, the girls basketball team has seen great success and is noted as one of the premier programs in the PIAA. The team has 13 District 3 AAA championships to their credit and the 1996 team won the PIAA state AAA title one of three under his guidance. Kauffman is known for his high pressure defense and intense off season conditioning. The program boasts the most state titles of any in the school and the 1974 team which went 27-0, winning the PIAA Girls State Basketball Championship, the first state championship title for any team sport in school history. In 2002 Katie Hayek graduated LCHS to become a co-captain for the University of Miami Women's Basketball team. During her four-year high school career, she became LCHS's second-leading all-time scorer with 1,510 career points. She averaged 20.6 points, four rebounds and four assists per game her senior season and also led her team in assists and steals. She earned All-Star honors from the Intelligencer Journal, Harrisburg Patriot News and the New Era and was named to the Pennsylvania All-State Second Team by the Associated Press her senior year.

Track and field

The boys track team in the 1980s under the tutelage of coaches Andy Benko, Tom Simpson, Joe Bering, and Lou Portas posted some of the schools most impressive win records. From 1980 to 1986 the team lost just one dual meet; in 1985 it had its finest season ever, as the team captured the PIAA State championship, the first ever for LCHS's boys Track & Field team. Since then the success has been down. However, in the past decade the track and field teams have captured several men's/women's section titles, and have sent competitors to the Penn Relays under the Coaches Sandy Guilfoyle and Maureen McElrone; also repeatedly sending athletes to Districts, and State Track Meets bringing home numerous medals.

Wrestling

Also having success over the years is the wrestling program. Current Lancaster County commissioner Scott Martin was a state champion for the Crusaders in the 1990s and under coach Tom Vargo, from 1972-1987 the program's overall record was 184-61-3, with one Central Penn Catholic League Championship in 1974, L-L League Section II Championships in 1980 and 1981 and an L-L League Section I Co-Championship in 1983. In addition, LCHS teams won PIAA District III AAA Championships in 1982 and 1983 and a PIAA District III AA Championship in 1985. The current coach is Tom Blaszczyk .

Non-PIAA Sports

Marching Unit

The Lancaster Catholic High School Marching Unit has excelled for well over the past decade, competing in the COB, TOB, and now USSBA. Capturing first place at Atlantic Coast Championships within the Tournament of Bands several times, they have recently begun competing within the USSBA league, and took second place at their championships in 2008. The Marching Unit's website is LCHS Music.com

Parochial Feeder Schools

Lancaster Catholic draws a large portion of the student body from the local parochial school system. Additionally, the parishes of the local deanery support the financial aide efforts of LCHS to make Catholic education available to all.

Alma mater

O Catholic High, we hail thy name, Loved guardian of our youth. O Radiant the holy flame That lights thy lamp of truth. We pledge you our firm loyalty, O Alma Mater dear. We'll cherish, love and honor thee And thy great name revere, We'll cherish, love and honor thee And thy great name revere.

Bright colors waving in the sky, The purple and the gold; Proud banner of dear Catholic High For all men to behold. We'll pledge you our firm loyalty, O Alma Mater brave. We'll boldly stand for purity Where'er thy banners wave. We'll boldly stand for purity Where'er thy banners wave.

O Catholic High, thy name we sing We lift our voices high, And clear and strong let our song ring Of love that will not die. We pledge you our firm loyalty, O Alma Mater true. We vow to always honor thee And thy great goal pursue. We vow to always honor thee And thy great goal pursue.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ MSA-CSS. "MSA-Commission on Secondary Schools". Retrieved 2009-05-26.
  2. ↑ http://www.crusaderfootball.vicid.com/custpage.php?cid=56
  3. ↑ http://www.theologyofthebody.org/page.asp?ContentID=23

External links