Neil McNeil Catholic High School sports teams racked up three city championships last week, taking Toronto titles in track and field, lacrosse and rugby.
The rugby team racked up a perfect 7-0 season, winning the Toronto District Catholic (Colleges) Athletic Association (TDCAA championship game 42-0 over Cardinal Newman.
During the season, the Neil McNeil boys outscored their opponents 238-37.
They will be now be taking part in the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association (OFSAA) boys A/AA rugby championships June 6 to 8 in Brooklin.
The team is coached by Nicole Ross and community coach Iain McLeish, who is a rugby coach at the University of Toronto and the Balmy Beach Club.
Ross said a number of the Neil McNeil team members also play rugby at Balmy Beach, which helped the team put in such a strong showing this season.
Members of the Neil McNeil rugby team are Carmelo Addesi, Nic Collodo, Thomas Conrad, Ryan Doyle, Adam De Sousa, Jackson Gordon, Callum Kelley, Lucas Kelley, John Hargreaves, Darwyn Lewis, Liam Mahoney, Jaden McDonald, Zach Meyers, Miguel Moctezuma, Joseph O’Keefe, Patrick Oxley, Michael Piamonte-Tally, Damon Pizzuti, Josh Plant, Owen Porter, Will Sharpe, Kobe Switzer, Grant Tomin, Marshall Van Vliet, Chris Yang, Tyler Yankovich, and Jim Yao.
Good things continued to happen for Neil McNeil athletes as the lacrosse team beat Father John Redmond of Etobicoke 10-0 to take the TDCAA title.
That win qualified them for the OFSAA lacrosse championships taking place in Owen Sound on June 5 and 6.
Members of the lacrosse team are Callum Boyes, Brendan Brady, Garrety Chambers, Ben Gonsalves, Jesse Gonsalves, Jacob Hickey, Michael Hickey, Jake Jacques, Mark Janetta, Jacob Kinsella, Paul Ludwinski, Graeme MacLenna, Liam McKelvey, Ryan Moran, Jack Oldman, Michael Orlando, Will Palmer, Nick Parolin, Drew Perkins, Jack Platana, Patrick Saini, Christian Senarega, William Smith, Riley Wahlroth, and Malcolm Warcholak.
Coaches of the lacrosse team are Colin Molloy, Mark England and David Delle Fave.
Wrapping up the successful week was the track and field team which made history by winning its first ever TDCAA championship.
Since the TDCAA starting holding track and field championships they have been dominated by Michael Power (which won every title from 1963 to 1982) then St. Michael’s College (which won from 1983 to 2004). After St. Michael’s streak ended it was Michael Power again (2005 to 2009) then followed by Brebeuf in 2010 and 2011, and Chaminade College from 2012 to 2018. But the 2019 championship went to Neil McNeil.
Since the 1980s, the Neil McNeil team were perennial second place finishers, and they have been a strong challenger to Chaminade’s impressive program.
This year, however, Neil McNeil took the top prize.
Under the guidance of head coach Jason Wood and assistant coaches Abigael Layton, Ashley Masterson, Steve Masterson and Arnold Lopez, Neil McNeil began developing a wider array of events to compete in and to have more athletes involved in track and field.
That paid off this year with Neil McNeil taking the Midget Boys Title, the Senior Boys Title and the Overall Team Title.
Individually, Neil McNeil runner Liam McCullagh was named Outstanding Male Midget Athlete of the Meet for his victories in the 800, 1,500, and 3,000- metre races.
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