Baltimore Catholic League players team up with Catholic Charities

 

 

TOWSON – Some of his friends spent Presidents’ Day lounging, but Chris Wallace gave a chunk of it in the form of service to Catholic Charities of Baltimore.

Wallace is the senior captain of the Calvert Hall basketball team, one of eight members of the Baltimore Catholic League. For the fourth straight year, the BCL partnered with Catholic Charities to brighten the day of some of its clients.

Calvert Hall and Loyola Blakefield can be the bitterest of rivals, but players from the two schools teamed up the afternoon of Feb. 17 to share basketball, fellowship and pizza with residents of Gallagher Services, which serves adults with intellectual disabilities.

“You don’t get to do this every day,” Wallace said. “It’s fun. You get to meet new people.”

Billy Plunkett, a senior from Loyola Blakefield, reconnected with a guest he met last year during the service day.

“Randy remembered me right away,” said Plunkett, whose regular service includes being an usher at his parish, St. Margaret in Bel Air.

Mike Jones, 58, a Gallagher Services client who resides not far from Calvert Hall, regaled some younger Cardinals with his sports knowledge.

“It’s a pretty good day,” Jones said. “I’m playing basketball. That’s a plus right there.”

Stevie McDonald, the coordinator of spiritual development for Gallagher Services, cited the timing of the outreach.

“With this winter being so confining, this is wonderful for our clients,” she said. “They love it.”

William J. McCarthy, executive director of Catholic Charities of Baltimore, was among those who stopped by Calvert Hall.

“This is a reminder of what makes our community unique, the compassion, the caring, the loving spirit,” McCarthy said. “We’ve got players at My Sister’s Place and St. Vincent’s Villa, among other sites. It’s a transformative day.”

Players from the eight BCL teams gathered the night of Feb. 17 at Snyder’s Willow Grove in Linthicum for their annual awards banquet.

Mount St. Joseph senior Phil Booth, who is headed to Villanova, was honored as Player of the Year.

The assorted honors follow, along with the pairings for the 43rd annual BCL tournament.

 

 

“Jerry Savage” Player of the Year: Phil Booth, Mount St. Joseph, Senior

 

Drew Edwards, Calvert Hall, Junior; Kimbal Mackenzie, John Carroll, Junior; Dwayne Morgan, St. Frances Academy, Senior; Nico Clareth, Calvert Hall, Junior; Jourdan Grant, Archbishop Spalding, Senior; Jaylen Adams, Mount St. Joseph, Senior

 

Martin Geben, St. Maria Goretti, Senior; Daquan Bracey, St. Frances Academy, Sophomore; Jordan McNeil, Mount St. Joseph, Senior; Khalil Richards, St. Frances Academy, Sophomore; Will Jenkins, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Junior

 

Ryan Fields, Loyola; David Erebor, Our Lady of Mount Carmel; Gary Jefferson, Archbishop Spalding; Mike Tertsea, John Carroll; Frank Webb, Our Lady of Mount Carmel; Donovan Walker, St. Maria Goretti; Toby Christensen, St. Maria Goretti; Elijah Long, John Carroll.

 

Nico Clareth, Calvert Hall

Evan Phoenix, Calvert Hall

John Bauersfeld, Calvert Hall

 

John Gilliland, Archbishop Spalding; Darius Ables, Calvert Hall; Jordan Martin, John Carroll; Billy Plunkett, Loyola Blakefield; Johnny Rhodes, Our Lady of Mount Carmel; Zander Wear, Mount St. Joseph; Quantaye Battle, St. Frances Academy; Uvan Stewart, St. Maria Goretti.

 

All games at UMBC

Seeds in parentheses

 

Mount St. Joseph (2) vs. St. Maria Goretti (7), 3:30 p.m.

St. Frances Academy (3) vs. Mount Carmel (6), 5:15 p.m.

Calvert Hall (1) vs. Loyola Blakefield (8), 7 p.m.

John Carroll (4) vs. Archbishop Spalding (5), 8:45 p.m.

 

1-8 winner vs. 4-5 winner, 1 p.m.

2-7 winner vs. 3-6 winner, 3 p.m.

 

7 p.m.