Sports

A close match featuring two highly regarded basketball teams from
Catholic schools in the archdiocese didn't disappoint those who attended
the Coaches vs. Cancer Shootout at Scottrade Center in Downtown St.
Louis Jan. 26. The tournament featured 16 teams from Missouri and
Illinois, including a third Catholic school here.

Heavy defensive pressure and accurate shooting were cited as factors
as Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory High School handed St. John
Vianney its first loss of the season. The 69-66 win brought Cardinal
Ritter's record this year to 12-4.

Scott Highmark would not have been a member of St. Louis University's Billiken Hall of Fame if it had not been for a three-letter word from his new coach, Charlie Spoonhour -- fun.

Highmark's basketball experiences had been focused mostly on winning and losing, and he'd been on the winning side until his freshman year at SLU. The team started out 5-5 and ended up 5-23. The coach, Rich Grawer, whose son was Highmark's best friend and roommate, was fired after that season. Highmark was ready to transfer to Mizzou until he sat down with the new coach, Spoonhour.

ALTOONA, Pa. -- Although Joe Paterno will be remembered as "a legend throughout our region and throughout our country," Bishop Mark L. Bartchak said the iconic football coach will be best remembered in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown as "a good Catholic, a family man and a friend to many."

Bishop Bartchak made his comments Jan. 22 at a news conference at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona, prior to a prayer service celebrating Respect for Life.

The soccer program at St. Louis University, which competes in the NCAA's top division, has a long and distinguished history.

This year the men's team went 6-10-1. Mike Roach, a graduate of Chaminade, was third in scoring for the team, which featured seven players from Catholic schools in the archdiocese.

The Catholic Youth Apostolate's Catholic Youth Council (CYC) sports program has announced winning teams and final scores of the 2011 archdiocesan soccer and volleyball playoffs. The sports start with midget (fifth grade) and go up to junior (11th and 12th grades).

Volleyball

High school basketball fans had their fill the last two weeks of
December with Christmas tournaments across the archdiocese, including
two of the biggest and longest-running tournaments won by Catholic
schools here.

St. John Vianney High School defeated Christian Brothers College High
School 66-57 on Dec. 30 to win the Meramec Holiday Festival high school
tournament, Vianney's first championship in the 34 years of the Meramec
tourney.

Tony Cochran had 17 points in the win for Vianney while Jordan
Barnett had 19 points for CBC. Vianney was 18-for-18 at the free-throw