DeMatha Catholic High School: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox School |
{{Infobox School |
Revision as of 02:40, 8 May 2009
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DeMatha Catholic High School | |
---|---|
Address | |
4313 Madison Street , , 20781 | |
Coordinates | 38°57′29″N 76°56′32″W / 38.95806°N 76.94222°W |
Information | |
Type | Private, Coeducational |
Motto | Gentlemen & Scholars |
Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
Established | 1946 |
Principal | Daniel McMahon |
Faculty | 82 |
Grades | 9-12 |
Enrollment | approx 1,000 |
Average class size | 25 |
Student to teacher ratio | 18:1 |
Color(s) | Red, White and Blue |
Athletics | 13 Varsity Teams |
Athletics conference | Washington Catholic Athletic Conference |
Team name | Stags |
Dean of Students | David Gardiner |
Admissions Director | Mike Jones |
Athletic Director | Ed King |
Website | http://www.dematha.com |
DeMatha Catholic High School is a four-year Catholic high school for young men located in Hyattsville, Maryland, USA. Known both for academic achievement and athletic prowess, DeMatha is a member of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, and is as a Catholic, college-preparatory high school administered under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.
History
DeMatha was founded by the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, or Trinitarians, in 1946. Originally, the school was designed to cater to the needs of Catholic seminarians from the Trinitarian order. Many local families, however, desired a Catholic secondary school for their children, and DeMatha's location in the Maryland suburbs of Washington proved ideal for this goal. As a result, the school began admitting more students, and expanded its academic and athletic programs while constructing the "old wing," or original school structure.
In addition to the original building, the school erected a state-of-the-art second wing, completed in 1990. The former band practice facility, known as "Fort Necessity," burned down in the 1970s. This building was refurbished and became the Anthony Fotos Arts Center, named for a beloved teacher of mechanical drawing and other architectural and engineering courses and a 30-year veteran of the school.
Recently, the school purchased more property adjacent to the original campus along Route 1, or Baltimore Avenue, in downtown Hyattsville. DeMatha seeks to develop the land acquisition with the direction and input of alumni, community leaders and the board of trustees of the school itself.
Catholic tradition
Pictured is a unique feature of the DeMatha Chapel, located on the second floor of the new wing. The stained glass depicts images central to the Catholic faith and the Trinitarian order, and the chapel serves as the site of Masses, prayer services and other faith-based communal exercises.
The Catholic faith remains central to DeMatha's education, and the chapel reflects this fact, as does the shrine to the Virgin Mary, commissioned and completed in 2001 and located outside the DeMatha Monastery.
Although DeMatha remains Catholic and Trinitarian by tradition, students of various denominations attend DeMatha, and several faculty members are members of other faiths. Their presence adds to the rich diversity of the school.
Athletic legacy
DeMatha's athletic teams, the Stags, have received national recognition for achievement in a variety of sports, from golf and baseball to basketball and football. The Stags first gained national recognition in 1962 with their initial national championship in basketball with a fabulous five led by John Austin and Johnny Jones, Gary Ward, John Carroll,"Big" Bill McDermott, coached by Morgan Wootten. The 1965, the DeMatha basketball team defeated Power Memorial High School of New York, with then Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar), for its second national championship in a game called "The Greatest High School Basketball Game Ever".
Sports Illustrated recognized DeMatha as the #2 high school athletic program in the United States in 2005, and again in 2007.
DeMatha exacted some revenge on the #1 school, Long Beach Polytechnic Institute, by defeating them in a swim meet in California in early 2006. A popular explanation for the school's ranking among DeMatha students is that the school is only ranked #2 because of their "cheerleaders" - it is an all-boys school.
DeMatha's basketball program has produced many championships in the school's WCAC (Washington Catholic Athletic Conference) league, and the team often wins the City Title game against opposing schools from the District of Columbia. In addition, DeMatha's former head basketball coach, Morgan Wootten, earned a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame for his achievements as the Stags' coach. In 2005, DeMatha's Varsity Basketball team finished with the #1 ranking in the Washington Post, and finished as the third-best high school squad in the country, according to USA Today even after winning the National Championship in 2005.
The DeMatha varsity football team won the 2006 WCAC championship for the fourth consecutive year and finished ranked #1 in the DC area by the Washington Post. They were featured in the Sporting News in their publication "High School Football". Head Coach Bill McGregor is quoted in the article featuring the school's profile. In addition, DeMatha football logos were featured in a recent Nike commercial, where actors dressed in Stag football jerseys compete against a team of professionals coached by legendary Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula.
In addition to football and basketball success, the DeMatha soccer and wrestling programs have also enjoyed critical acclaim. The varsity soccer team have won several WCAC championships and recently had their 67-game undefeated streak broken. The DeMatha wrestling team is known as a national powerhouse, with 23 consecutive WCAC championships. DeMatha has produced several All-American wrestlers.
DeMatha also fields very competitive teams, each with a number of conference titles, in other sports, such as swimming, tennis, hockey, golf, lacrosse, cross country, rowing (crew), rugby, and track. The lacrosse team have won several championships in an area known for an abundance of talent in the sport, particularly at schools such as the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University, both of which have recruited DeMatha lacrosse players in the past.
DeMatha's athletic championships
<font=helvetica> DeMatha Sports Teams' League Championships | ||
SPORT | YEARS OF LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP | TOTAL |
---|---|---|
Baseball | 1957, 1968, 1970, 1975, 1978-81, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994-98, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008 | 24 |
Basketball | 1961-1966, 1968-1976, 1978-1984, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994-1998, 2001, 2002, 2005-2007, 2009 | 34 |
Cross Country | 1988, 1996, 2006 | 3 |
Golf | 1981, 1983-1985, 1989, 1993-1999, 2004, 2008 | 14 |
Football | 1964, 1966, 1967, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1991-1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003-2008 | 19 |
Hockey | 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008 | 10 |
Lacrosse | 1988-1991, 1994-1996, 1999-2006, 2008 | 15 |
Soccer | 1974, 1987, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005 | 6 |
Softball | 1974-1982, 1984-1987, 1990, 1992 | 15 |
Swimming | 2005 | 1 |
Tennis | 1996-2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007 | 9 |
Track | 1991, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006 | 9 |
Wrestling | 1986-2008 | 23 |
Crew | 2007 (All Varsity 4 Events) | 1 |
Academics
In addition to these athletic achievements, DeMatha's academic record ranks highly among all-male Catholic high schools. The school offers a variety of honors and Advanced Placement courses, as well as various academic clubs and societies. Also offered are opportunities for study abroad and service within local Maryland communities, in keeping with Trinitarian tradition. The school emphasizes the importance of being both "a gentleman and a scholar".
The U.S. Department of Education recognized the school as a National School of Excellence twice, in 1984 and 1991. In DeMatha's 60-year history, the school has graduated over 6,000 young men. The school supports the Valois chapter of the National Honor Society, with a large percentage of upperclassmen participating in the group. The DeMatha chapter assists with food drives, fundraisers, and cleaning efforts of local parks, including the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C.
DeMatha fields competitive scholastic competition teams. For example, DeMatha routinely appears on It's Academic, the Washington-based television quiz show. DeMatha has emerged victorious several times during their television appearances. Outside of the DC area, DeMatha won the Myrtle Beach Ball Classic competition in 1998, and has also finished as champions or semi-finalists in many local quiz bowl competitions.
DeMatha routinely fields a strong Mock Trial team. Consisting of academically talented students, and coached by faculty and alumni mentors, the team has enjoyed great success and exposure over the years, being featured in publications such as the "Catholic Standard" and arguing before the Maryland Court of Appeals. The team regularly makes a showing in Maryland state semifinals, winning the statewide Maryland championship in 2001.
While DeMatha continues its tradition of all-male secondary education, when Regina Catholic High School, an all-girls school in Adelphi, Maryland, closed in 1989, DeMatha welcomed 21 members of the junior class who expressed a desire to finish their last high school year at DeMatha. Therefore, the class of 1990 contains the only female graduates in school history.
Music program
DeMatha's music program was founded in 1970 by John Mitchell. The school's Wind Ensemble was named the top Catholic High School Band in 18 of 20 years by the National Catholic Bandmaster's Association. In addition, DeMatha performing groups have received 25 gold medals at international festivals in Chicago, Toronto, Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville, Myrtle Beach, Virginia Beach, and Daytona Beach. Each year, the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Concert Band II, the Voices of DeMatha, Dematha Harmonics and the DeMatha Singers perform at a major music festival. The bands and choruses have received consistent superior ratings for the past 25 years at District, Archdiocesan, and State Band festivals. In 2007, the Dematha Choruses, under the direction of Jim Turk, won Grand Champion in the 2007 Atlanta Festi-val. Over 400 students have been chosen to perform in All-State bands since 1974.
DeMatha's music programs feature both academic and extracurricular performing groups including the Pep Band, Jazz Lab, Jazz Ensemble, Advanced Percussion Ensemble, Intermediate Percussion Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, String Ensemble, Chamber Strings, Concert Band II, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble. In addition, the school maintains a choral program focusing on performance music, which includes the DeMatha Singers, the DeMatha Harmonics, the Voices of DeMatha, and Power of the Cross (Gospel Choir). Many graduates continue to perform with major symphony orchestras and Washington, DC-based service bands.
Notable alumni
1950s
- Frank Fuqua, 1951, DeMatha's first All Prep/ All Met Basketball selection.
1960s
- Stephen Greene, 1961, former Acting Chief for the United States Drug Enforcement Administration
- Michael Mewshaw, 1961, critically-acclaimed novelist
- John Austin, 1962, former NBA and American Basketball Association player
- John Jones, 1962, former NBA player
- Garrett Ford; Brendan McCarthy,1964, DeMatha's All Met backfield tandem that led Stags to undefeated '63 season.
- Bernard Williams, 1965, former NBA player, former ABA player
- Ernie Austin; Bob Whitmore; Sidney Catlett; Mickey Wiles; Bob Petrini, 1965, the "Fabulous Six" who defeated Lew Alcindor's unbeaten Power Memorial at Cole Field House.
- Michael "Mickey" Wiles, 1965, member of 1965 National Championship High School Basketball Team, played for the University of Georgia 1967 and University of Maryland 1969-1970. President of The Wiles Group.
- Sid Catlett, 1967, former NBA player
- Bill Collins, 1968, telecommunications executive
- James Brown (TV personality), 1969, sportscaster for CBS
- Thomas Daly, 1965, Vice President for Loss Prevention, Hilton Hotels, Beverly Hills, California
1970s
- Adrian Dantley, 1974, former All-Star with the Utah Jazz during 15-year NBA career, member of 1976 gold medal-winning United States Olympics team, inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.
- Kenny Carr, 1974, former NBA player, member of 1976 gold medal-winning United States Olympics team
- Peter Bay, 1974, conductor/music director of the Austin Symphony Orchestra
- Steve Farr, 1974, former Major League Baseball pitcher 1984-1994 (Minor League 1977-1984)
- Mike Brey, 1977, current men's head basketball coach at University of Notre Dame
- Sidney Lowe, 1979, point guard on 1983 NCAA Champion NC State Wolfpack, former NBA player and coach, current men's head basketball coach at North Carolina State University
- Dereck Whittenburg, 1979, shooting guard on of 1983 NCAA Champion NC State Wolfpack, current men's head basketball coach at Fordham University
1980s
- Tony Paige, 1980, former NFL player
- Jim Nelson, 1981, Editor in Chief, GQ
- Adrian Branch, 1981, former NBA player and current play-by-play announcer for the Charlotte Bobcats
- Terence "Terry" Jackson, 1981, former NFL player
- André Action Jackson, 1982, Track & Field athlete
- David Aldridge, 1983, NBA reporter affiliated with television's TNT, writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer
- Danny Ferry, 1985, former NBA player with the Cleveland Cavaliers and NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs
- Bobby Houston, 1985, former NFL player with the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers and Minnesota Vikings.
- Mark Maske, 1986, writer for The Washington Post, reporter for the NFL
- Todd Randolph, 1987, current Executive Officer of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
- Mark Smith, 1987, pilot for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flying squadron
- Jason Bishop, 1988, Sports Junkies radio personality
- Jerrod Mustaf, 1988, retired NBA player (New York Knicks 1991, Phoenix Suns 1992-1994)
- Eric Bickel, 1988, Sports Junkies radio personality
1990s
- Heath Schroyer, 1990, head basketball coach for the University of Wyoming
- Derek Mills, 1990, Olympic Medalist, Track and Field
- David DeArmas, 1991, USA Today 1st Team All-American / Football
- Coy Gibbs[1], 1991, former NASCAR driver and assistant coach for the Washington Redskins; son of former Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs
- Clyde Davis Jr, 1993, President, Team Spirits Imports Company
- Steven Williams, 1994, photojournalist for "WTTG Fox 5 News Washington D.C."
- Todd Beckerman, 1996, Assistant coach for University of Maryland College Park Wrestling team
- Brian Westbrook, 1997, running back for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles since 2002
- John Owens, 1998, tight end for the NFL's Detroit Lions
- Keith Bogans, 1999, current NBA player with the Orlando Magic organization
- Joseph Forte, 1999, NBA player
- H'cone Thompson,1999 Bahamian Davis Cup tennis player
2000s
- Stephen Looney 2000, 3 time All American lacrosse player at US Naval Academy. Professional Lacrosse player
- Byron Westbrook, 2002, defensive back for the NFL's Washington Redskins
- Paul Rabil, 2004, Johns Hopkins Lacrosse, midfield, 2007 and 2008 Tewaaraton trophy finalist, 2007 McLaughlin Award, 2 NCAA Division I lacrosse national championship rings
- Mamadi Diane, 2005, current NCAA Basketball player for the University of Virginia
- Austin Freeman, 2007, Current NCAA Basketball player for Georgetown University
Notable faculty and staff
- Morgan Wootten,[2] History, Former Varsity Basketball Coach, inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame
- Thomas Park, Soccer coach, economics teacher, and DC United Coach
References
- ^ Coy Gibbs at Washington Redskins site, accessed August 12th 2007
- ^ Morgan Wootten accessed August 12th 2007