St. Pius X Catholic High School Headlines Channel

Students Represent St. Pius X at Catholic School's Week Mass

On February 1, eight students represented St. Pius X Catholic High School at the Catholic Schools Mass for Catholic School’s Week. Each school within the diocese presented a stained glass window on behalf of their school. Below you can see the stained glass window (made by Mrs. Marsha Free) presented by St. Pius X. Seventy-five years ago stained glass windows were installed in the Cathedral to represent the faith of those who built the Cathedral. Today, the windows we created represent the continuation of our Faith and our mission as a Catholic school and as a Church. Below is the message senior Wayland Swann read on behalf of St. Pius X:

Our stained glass window from St. Pius X Catholic High School illustrates our school mascot, the Golden Lion. This is the same golden lion, the lion of St. Mark, which can be found on the Papal Coat of Arts of our Patron, Pope St. Pius X. The Church many times symbolizes St. Mark as a lion for Mark's description in the Gospels of the roar of St. John the Baptist crying out in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. At St. Pius X Catholic High School, our motto is Domini Sumus, We are the Lord's. Through our motto and our mascot, we are reminded daily that in all that we do and in all that we are, we are Christ's and we too are called to prepare the way of the Lord, boldly and courageously whether on the field, on the stage, in the classroom, or in our families and communities. We find strength in the words of St. Pius X who said, "God's goodness is infinite, and if my trust is in Him, I shall not be abandoned."

Football, Soccer hold Signing Day Ceremonies

St. Pius X Catholic High School hosted National Signing Day ceremonies for several sports on Wednesday, February 1 at 3:15pm. The football signing ceremony was held in the Young Center Auditorium, while boys’ and girls’ soccer hosted a ceremony in the Donnellan Center.

Football had seven student-athletes sign:

Aaron Avant-Mercer University
Joseph Crochet-The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina
Jake Delaney-Mercer University
T. J. Holloman-University of South Carolina
Logan Rosborough-Campbell University
Geno Smith-University of Alabama
Trey White-The Citadel

Five members of the girls’ soccer team will signed on Wednesday::

Alexis Connors – Campbell University
Molly Donehoo – Georgia Southern University
Taylor Glenn – Elon University
Kate Ward – Appalachian State University
Aarika Znosko – Shorter College

Two boys’ soccer student-athletes took part in the ceremony as well:

Devin Hurley-Birmingham-Southern College
Drew Morgan-Rutgers University

In addition, Mattie Gereben signed with Birmingham Southern College to play soccer.

Congratulations to all Golden Lions furthering their playing careers in college.

Middle School Baseball Teams Announced

Thanks to all of the boys who tried out and congratulations to those selected. The 1st Practice for both teams will be Tuesday, January 31st @ 7:00 pm in the Hitting Facility at St. Pius X Catholic High School. A parent meeting will be held during practice. We will be covering practice / game schedules, uniforms, sweat packages and fees. Please contact your coach if you have any additional questions.

8th Grade (SPX – White)
Chad Garrison cgarrison@spx.org

7th Grade (SPX – Gold)
Kelly Ludwick kelly.ludwick@chick-fil-a.com

St. Pius X to Host Parochial Schools and Senior Night

St. Pius X will hold Senior Night and Parochial Schools Night the evening of Friday, Feb. 3. In keeping with a time-honored tradition, Golden Lion seniors from all winters sports will be honored, along with their parents, at the final regular season home basketball games versus North Atlanta.

The ceremony celebrating the seniors will take place immediately following the girls' basketball game and will feature the Class of 2012 members of the basketball teams, cheerleaders, dance team, swimming & diving team and wrestling team.

In addition to Senior Night, SPX will also host Parochial Schools Night. Parochial School students will be admitted for free.
The Golden Lion girls' squad will tip off at 6pm, while the boys' team will play at 7:30pm.

Alumnus Breaks Penn State Record

St. Pius X graduate and former captain of the National Championship soccer team, Andrew Wolverton '11 made an immediate impact in his freshman campaign, anchoring a defense that broke the Penn State record for shutouts in a season with 12. A starter of all 22 games in 2011, he led the Big Ten in goals against average (0.60), save percentage (.821), shutouts, and shutouts per game (0.55). Nationally, Wolverton ranked ninth in the NCAA in goals against average and 20th in save percentage.

During the season, Wolverton earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (September 12) and TopDrawerSoccer.com National Team of the Week honors (September 19) and was named Soccer Savings.com/Philly Soccer News College Player of the Week on October 30. In recognition of his standout season, he was selected Third Team All-Freshman by College Soccer News.

During the 2010-2011 season, Andrew was called into camp with the US U-18 Men’s National team on multiple occasions. He also competed in tournaments in Argentina, Chile, Portugal and Israel with the U-18 team. In 2012 he has also participated in camps with the US U-20 team. Presently the U-20’s are conducting tryouts for the team that will compete in the U-20 World Cup Tournament in 2013 in Turkey.

In addition to a great season on the field, Andrew has been equally successful in his academics by making the Dean’s List at Penn State.

We are all very proud of Andrew and wish him the very best of luck with his future endeavors.

Juried Arts Exhibit Submission Forms Available

Click here to download the the form

NHS Shoe Drive Begins Jan. 17

National Honor Society Shoe Drive

It’s been two years since the tragic earthquake hit Haiti, and the Haitians are still struggling to recover. Many children do not have shoes, so they cannot walk to school. Without an education it is almost impossible to break the crippling cycle of poverty.

Now is your chance to make a difference and help those suffering in Haiti. The St. Pius X National Honor Society will be collecting athletic and dress shoes (of a reasonable height) to send to the people of Haiti. Members will be collecting shoes Tuesday, January 17 through Friday, January 20, before and after school in Ms. Roy’s room (506). Please clean the shoes, rubber band them together, and write the size in black sharpie on the tongue or underside of the shoe.

Thank you for your help!

Junior Receives Award from Georgetown

Congratulations to junior Catherine O’Neil for winning the prestigious Georgetown University Writing Award. With this honor, the Georgetown Club recognizes Catherine as one of the best writers in Atlanta and provides a significant scholarship.

Well done, Catherine!

2012 SPX Christmas Classic Results

Thank you to all who participated in this year's event!

Girls Final Standings:

Oakland Catholic (PA)
St. Pius X (GA)
Xavier (LA)
St. Hubert's (PA)
Charlotte Catholic (NC)
McGill-Toolen (AL)
Tri-Cities (GA)
Pinecrest (GA)

Boys Final Standings:

Archbishop Carroll (DC)
St. Pius X (GA)
Charlotte Catholic (NC)
St. Joseph's (SC)
Archbishop Alter (OH)
Pinecrest (GA)
Brother Martin (LA)
Prince Avenue Christian (GA)

12th Annual SPX Christmas Classic Tips Off

The 12th Annual St. Pius X Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament presented by Coca-Cola, Dixie Seal & Stamp, and Employbridge starts today at 1:30pm. The tournament has 16 teams (8 girls and 8 boys) coming from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Washington, DC.

The tournament includes several past champion and runner-up teams.

Boys Teams:

Archbishop Alter (Kettering, OH); 2006 & 2002 Champion, 2005 Runner-up
Archbishop Carroll (Washington, DC)
Brother Martin (New Orleans, LA); 2009 & 2007 Champion
Charlotte Catholic (Charlotte, NC)
Pinecrest Academy (Cumming, GA)
St. Joseph's (Greenville, SC); 2010 Runner-up
Prince Avenue Christian (Bogart, GA)
St. Pius X (Atlanta, GA); 2005 Champion, 2002 Runner-up

Girls Teams:

Charlotte Catholic (Charlotte, NC)
McGill-Toolen (Mobile, AL)
Oakland Catholic (Pittsburg, PA)
Pinecreat Academy (Cumming, GA)
St. Hubert's (Philadelphia, PA)
Tri-Cities (East Point, GA)
Xavier (New Orleans, LA)
St. Pius X (Atlanta, GA); 2007, 2005, 2004 & 2003 Champions, 2010, 2002, 2001 & 2000 Runner-up

Tickets are $5 per day, or a 3-day tournament pass can be purchased for $12.

The boys' bracket, girls' bracket, and more information can be found on the SPX Christmas Classic website.

Spring 2012 SAT Prep Class

Registration is now open for the Spring 2012 SAT Prep Class. The class is offered outside of the regular school day for juniors and seniors who want extra preparation for the SAT tests. The course consists of four hours of class on four consecutive Saturdays. Students will work two hours on the verbal sections of the test with Mrs. Jan Collier and two hours on the mathematics section of the test with Mrs. Dena Peck.

Instruction is given on strategies for taking the test as well as the actual content of the test. Students take practice tests each week and will have the opportunity to discuss the questions they answered incorrectly.

Classes will be held on January 21, 28 and February 4 and 11. The cost of the class is $200 if registered on or before January 6, 2012 and $225 if January 7 or after. For more information or to register for the class, please visit www.spx.org/SATprepclass.

SPX Vinyl Records Swap Meet

Join us on January 20 for Mr. Chad Paetznick's first Vinyl Records Swap Meet. Bring your old records (33's, 45's and 78's) to the swap meet to donate to vendors, trade for other records, or even sell! Come and shop from a huge selection of music by various artists. For more information about this event, please click here. Please note that this event is not open to the general public.

Buckhead Pizza Co. Supports SPX Christmas Classic

Buckhead Pizza Co. will be helping to support the 12th Annual St. Pius X Christmas Classic by offering diners a discount on their meal and a donation to St. Pius X.

If you visit the Buckhead or Cumming locations of Buckhead Pizza Co. for some "Atlanta Style Pizza" from December 26th to 30th, 2011, you will receive 10% off of your total bill and the restaurant will donate 10% of your total to St. Pius X!

Buckhead (Next to the Grand Hyatt)
3324 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 869-0678

Galleria (In cobb Galleria Mall)
1 Galleria Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30339
(770) 405-0722

Cumming (Across from The Avenue)
415 Peachtree Parkway
Cumming, GA 30041
(770) 781-0304

Offer valid valid for dine-in at the Buckhead, Galleria, and Cumming locations only.

Please mention the SPX Christmas Classic to your server.

Dads' Morning of Recollection with Msgr. Lopez

21st Annual Dads' Morning of Recollection

Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 8:30 a.m.

St. Pius X Catholic High School

"A child is not likely to find a father in God, unless he finds something of God in his father."

- George MacDonald

Dads' Morning of Recollection, currently in its twenty-first year, is open to all past, present and future St. Pius X alumni, fathers, grandfathers and friends. Please consider joining us to share insight on the pleasures and rigors of fatherhood, faith and work, as well as reflection on Monsignor Richard Lopez’s treasured humorous anecdotes and spiritual teachings.

The event begins at 8:30 a.m. with Mass and a reflection on the theme of the year, "How a Father Took Care of God: St. Joseph and You." It is followed by meditations and discussions and concludes with the opportunity for confessions at 12:30 p.m.

Men of all ages will benefit from the insightful presentation. They are challenged to learn how to be better fathers, husbands and spiritual leaders by incorporating laughter, prayer, fellowship and Scripture readings into family life.

For more information or to register for the event please send an email to DadsMorning@spx.org or visit the Web site.

Students to Perform for District Honor Band

Congratulations to several St. Pius X band students who have auditioned and been selected to perform for this year's District Honor Band on February 10-11, 2012:

From Concert Band (9-10^th grade):

Spenser Stewart – Oboe

Martinique Edwards – Trumpet

Kate Stauduhar – Trombone

From Symphonic Band (11-12^th grade):

Molly Hildreth – First Chair Flute

Kaleb Parks - Clarinet

Furthermore, three of these band students scored high enough on their audition to pass the first round of All-State band auditions and will attend the final round of All-State auditions on January 7, 2012. Congratulations to Molly Hildreth, Spenser Stewart, and Kate Stauduhar! We wish them the best of luck in January!

St. Pius X Spreads Christmas Joy

For the fifth consecutive year, the St. Pius X Catholic High School community teamed up with Dresden Elementary School to adopt families and help share in the celebration of Christmas. The partnership is coordinated by the St. Pius X Mothers’ Club as a way to help those in need have a memorable holiday season.

This year, St. Pius X helped 169 Dresden Elementary students from 57 families. All of the children in the family received gifts, including older or younger siblings who may not attend Dresden. The main focus of the project was to provide articles of clothing for the children. Each child, on average, received two outfits, a coat, shoes, fleece blanket, a hygiene kit and several toys. In addition to the individual gifts, each family received a gift card for groceries as well. The youngest child this year was 3 months old and the oldest was 17-years old.

“This project exemplifies the community of St. Pius X. It is not just giving of money and gifts, the SPX community comes together and gives from their hearts to help their less fortunate neighbors to brighten their holiday,” Mothers’ Club member and Dresden Partnership Co-Chair, Debra Coheley said.

St. Pius X students and parents purchased, sorted and wrapped all of the gifts and either staffed the pick-up station or delivered the gifts to the parents. Twenty-six St. Pius X sports teams, clubs and fine arts groups participated, in addition to the numerous SPX families, groups of students and corporate offices of SPX parents.

Coheley added, “The outpouring of support from the St. Pius X community has been tremendous. Every time we receive a request for assistance from Dresden, there is such a wonderful response from the Pius community.

St. Pius X and Dresden Elementary have partnered for several years both through the school and the Mothers’ Club. In addition to the Christmas Project, other activities include: teacher luncheons and coffees, a school supply drive, a used coat drive, a used uniform drive, and book drive. St. Pius X students also provide tutoring two days a week, Spanish translators for various events, and a movement and dance program for the students.

Join the SPX Youth Honor Band

Meeting at 4PM today in the Pius band room.

Download the flyer

SPX Freshman Participates in Parade

St. Pius X freshman Lauren Dinges participated in the Johns Creek Founder’s Day Parade on Saturday, December 3. Lauren was recently named America’s Jr. National Teenager for 2012 and is also the reigning Miss Georgia Jr. National Teenager. Lauren is active in student council, and participates in cheerleading and dance team. She is also the recipient of two Presidential Service Awards and recently returned from a trip to New York, where she visited the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem. Lauren has logged over 200 hours of community service through various organizations and is a member of the National Charity League. To read more about her achievements, please click here.

Freshman Student Study Session 12/7

The Lion Leader/Study Session for freshmen students only will be held on Wednesday, December 7th from 3:30-5:00pm in the first floor classrooms in the math and science building. Although Lion Leaders will be available for tutoring, the freshmen can also use the event for additional exam study time. We will be serving cookies and cocoa for "brain power" and stress-relief... and the freshmen students do not need to sign-up to attend.

Lion Leader Application Deadline

Applications are now being accepted for the 2012-2013 Lion Leader program! Application forms for junior students are available outside the Lion Leader office, (located in Campus Ministry), and can be downloaded from the Lion Leader webpage. The application due date is Friday, December 9th. Anyone with questions should contact Mrs. Reynolds, the program coordinator.

2011 SPX Christmas Classic Posters

The 12th Annual St. Pius X Christmas Classic will be tipping off on December 27th. To show your support of this great event, we would be happy to send you a free 11x17 poster for you to display at your business location.

Please send your business name and mailing address to Dale Stanley before December 16th and he'll send you a poster!

For more information about the tournament, including brackets, teams, sponsorship information, and history, please visit: www.spx.org/SPXChristmasClassic.

Applications for Film, Visual Arts, Holocaust classes are due Dec 12

Applications for Film , Visual Arts class, and Holocaust class are due to appropriate teacher by Dec. 12, 2011 for enrollment consideration for the 2012-2013 Academic Year

Timeline for 2012-2013 School Year Course Registration

Christmas Concert 2011

Golden Lions to Host Quarterfinals Friday, Nov. 25

St. Pius X advanced to the State Quarterfinals with a 31-6 victory over Henry County, and will host the Cairo Syrupmakers next Friday November 25 at 7:30pm at George B. Maloof Stadium. The Golden Lions won the coin toss for home field earlier this morning.

Pre-sale game tickets will be available in the Roar Store on Monday and Tuesday during regular business hours. Ticket price is $10 as set by the Georgia High School Association for state quarterfinal contests.

Football Shuttle Parking Information: http://www.spx.org/AthleticsFootballShuttleParkingInformation

Read more about our Football team here: http://www.spx.org/Football

If you can't make it, be sure to check out the WEBCAST: http://www.ghsa.tv/stpius/events/25356

Dresden Christmas Project Update

We have had an outpouring of support for the project this year and will be helping 166 children. Even if you are wrapping on one of the wrapping dates, please send in your items on the collection dates of Wednesday, November 30 and Thursday, December 1 at St. Pius X Campus Ministry’s conference room. ALSO PLEASE REMEMBER TO LABEL YOUR ITEM WITH THE RECIPIENT CHILD'S NAME AS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE ITEMS TO THE CORRECT CHILDREN. Gift tags should be attached to all items, to make copies of the tags, please click here.

Still interested in helping? We have several volunteer options below and can also use folks to make last minute purchases, donate fleece throws or make a monetary donation for grocery cards.

Volunteer opportunities:

Parent Volunteer Opportunity: We will need several parent volunteers to help sort and stage the items on Thursday, December 1 and Friday, December 2. Times are flexible.

Parent and Student Volunteer Opportunities:

We will have wrapping in two shifts: (9-11 a.m.) morning and (1-3 p.m.) afternoon on Saturday, December 3 and one after school (3:30-5:30) on Monday, December 5. These are all opportunities for the SPX students to complete the service hours in order to obtain their Works of Mercy. We also need parents to help with this effort; so please let us know if you are interested in helping.

We will man a pick-up booth from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at SPX for families to pick up their items on Monday, December 5 and Tuesday, December 6 .We need several parents with large vehicles in case the families need a ride home (several walked to SPX last year). We also need students to carry items to the Dresden families vehicles. This is also another opportunity for students to obtain their WOM hours.

If you can help with any of the volunteer opportunities, please email Anne Lewis .

If you are interested in more information about the Dresden Christmas Project, please click here.

Academic Quiz Bowl Competes on WSB-TV

On November 15, the St. Pius X Academic Quiz Bowl Team led by Mrs. Marsha Free participated in WSB-TV Channel 2’s High Q. In its 25th year, High Q challenges Georgia high school students in an exciting question-and-answer trivia game show. The weekly show is hosted by Channel 2 Action News anchor John Bachman and displays the station’s commitment to education.

The team faced off against Woodward Academy on this week's show after much preparation. The students studyed various topics, including math, science, arts, current events and history, among others. Participating team members included Jacob Hambrick ’12, David Spratte ’13, Matt Angulo ’13, Ian Watt ’14, Andrew Tran ’13 and Katherine Pelli ’14.

This was the group’s second appearance on High Q as the SPX team competed during the 2009-2010 season. If your student is interested in joining academic quiz bowl please contact Mrs. Marsha Free at mfree@spx.org.

For photos of the show and more information, please click here.

To watch the show, please click here.

Vote St. Pius X vs. Henry County Game of the Week

The second round state playoff match-up between the Golden Lions and Henry County has been nominated for 11Alive Game of the Week. Make sure to click on the link below to vote early and often. Voting ends Wednesday evening at 7pm.

To vote, click here.

State reaches funding limit for GRACE Scholars program

The State of Georgia announced on November 9th that the $50 million cap for funding SSO’s (Student Scholarship Organizations) has been reached. If you have been approved for a 2011 tax year contribution to GRACE Scholars, you are in the pipeline and will be allowed to make your contribution. Because the overall state limit has been reached, no new approvals will be made as of the 9th of November. Thanks to all of you who have made contributions to GRACE Scholars this year.

Boys' Cross Country Wins AAA State Championship

The Golden Lion boys’ cross country team won its second straight AAA state title, edging out North Hall by one point. The championship was the fifth state crown in school history. Austin Sprague paced the Golden Lions, finishing in 3rd place, while Calvin Tirrell completed the course in 7th. St. Pius X placed five runners in the top 27 with Andrew Anastasiades coming in 18th, Joseph Ferrugia was 25th and Chris Beach placed 27th. Sergei Templeton and Paul McNeil also competed in the event for the Golden Lions.

The St. Pius X lady harriers completed the 2011 season on Saturday as state runners-up. Devon Dabney led the Golden Lions as she finished 11th with Tessa Schwarze placing 18th. Emily Thurston finished the race in 25th place, while Katy Gilbert completed the course in 32nd. Sarah Fristoe, Elizabeth Pettit and Taylor Glenn participated for St. Pius X.

Three St. Pius X Volleyball Players Named 1st Team All-State

Congratulations to Ella Anadastasiades, Emily Morrison and Leah Hardeman who were selected to the AAA All State volleyball team. Additional congratulations to Alex Bidgood who was named honorable mention to the All State team. This is the second consecutive All State selection for Morrison. All four had previously been named to the all area 5AAA team with Hardeman being selected Area 5-AAA player of the year. This is only the second time St. Pius X has had more than one player selected to the team, and the first time that four players have been mentioned. The Golden Lions completed their season as state runners-up and 49-6, the most wins in school history.

National Honor Society Food Drive Begins

The National Honor Society will be holding its annual Thanksgiving Food Drive from November 7-11. Canned food can be dropped off in the breezeway or behind the school outside by the Roar Store any morning that week between 7:30 a.m. and 7:55 a.m. Please help us make the Thanksgiving holiday brighter for those in need. There will also be prizes for the students who bring in the most cans each day. Thank you!

'11 Alumna Named Athlete of the Week

Congratulations to Morgan Peterson '11 who was recognized by the College of St. Benedict as their Athlete of the Week. Morgan receives the recognition as a first-year swimmer. To read more, please click here.

Football Shuttle Parking Information

With the upcoming region championship and state playoff games, the St. Pius X athletic department would like to encourage your use of the Free Shuttle Parking. For your benefit, there are signs showing where the Shuttle Parking Lot is located. Shuttle service will begin at 5:30 PM and will run continuously for the entire game. Shuttle service will continue after the game until the demand ends. Below are directions to the overflow parking lot:

ST. PIUS X CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
DIRECTIONS TO HIGHWOODS PROPERTIES
FOR SHUTTLE PARKING - FROM I-85

South on I-85:
Take Exit 93, Shallowford Road exit.
Proceed across Shallowford Road on the Access Road.
Proceed approximately 1.5 miles on the Access Road to Highwoods Properties.
Highwoods Properties is on the right just before you get to Century Center.

North on I-85:
Take Exit 93, Shallowford Road exit.
Stay in the left lane and make the U-Turn onto the south Access Road.
Proceed approximately 1.5 miles to Highwoods Properties.
Highwoods Properties is on the right just before you get to Century Center.

Varsity Basketball Teams to hold Blue-Gold Scrimmage

Get the first look at the varsity boys' and girls' basketball teams on Thursday, November 3 at 6pm as the teams will host an intra-squad scrimmage.

The girls' team will open up the event at 6pm, with the boys' following at 630pm.

The Golden Lion boys' basketball team will be entering its first campaign under head coach Aaron Parr '06 as it looks to move up the Region 5-AAA standings with solid defense and motion offense.

The girls' team returns all five starters, and nine seniors, from last season's squad which finished 25-6 and advanced to the state quarterfinals, after capturing the region championship.

The teams will scrimmage at Duluth on Thursday, November 10 beginning at 6pm. The girls' will travel to Houston, Texas to open the season with games against St. Pius X (TX) and John Paul II (Corpus Christi, TX) on Nov. 18 and 19, while the boys' open up the season at Westminster on November 29 at 7:30pm. The girls' game at Westminster will preced the boys' game at 6pm.

Volleyball Team Earns Trip to State Championship Game With 3-1 Victory Over Woodward Academy

The volleyball team made the key plays all night long in a 3 set to 1 victory over three time defending state champion Woodward Academy this evening. Led by the outside hitting of Leah Hardeman and Emily Morrison and outstanding defense by Ella Anastasiades the volleyball team won their state semi-final matchup. The first set saw the Golden Lions jump out to a four point lead early only to have Woodward slowly work their way back into the set. The War Eagles took their first lead of the set at 23-22, but it was the last point they would score. Pius ran off three straight to take the pivital game 25-23. The Lions played a very flat set two that was never really close, so the War Eagles pulled the match even at 1-1. Refocused after the intermission the team rolled to an easy 25-16 win in set three. Woodward did not quit however and they came back in set four to within two after a big block of Leah Hardeman won them a point. Grace McGoldrick took the opportunity of Woodward keying on the Pius outside hitters to find Alex Bidgood and Kelli Terricino for two devistating tip shots that pulled out the victory in the set and the match. After staying around to watch Sandy Creek easily beat Riverwood in the semis, a rematch between St. Pius X and Sandy Creek will be played for the state championship on 1:30 pm Saturday at Marietta High School

Volleyball at Woodward in State Semifinals Wednesday

The St. Pius X volleyball team advanced to the Final Four of the State Playoffs for the fourth time in five years last week by defeating Gainesville, 25-9, 25-13 and 25-13.

With that win, the Golden Lions will travel to Woodward on Wednesday at 5pm to take on the War Eagles. St. Pius X, ranked No. 2 in the state polls, defeated the third-ranked War Eagles earlier this season in the only match-up between the two schools.

If the Golden Lions win, they will play the winner of the Sandy Creek-Riverwood semifinal on Saturday at 1:30pm at Marietta High School.

SPX @ Washington Football Time Changed to 5:30pm

The football game between St. Pius X and Washington has been re-scheduled to 5:30pm on Friday, October 28. The game will still be played at Grady Stadium.

New Game Time-October 28
SPX @ Washington (Grady Stadium) 5:30pm

St. Pius 49, Grady 16

By Jeff Haws, for the AJC

If there’s one truism about football, it’s this – without the ball in your hands, you can’t score.

St. Pius scored three touchdowns before Grady ran its second offensive play Friday, turning a battle of unbeatens into an early rout during a 49-16 win.

In a season when the Class AAA No. 2 Lions ran out to a 7-0 record, outscoring their opponents by an average of 35 points per game, this was supposed to be the big test to see just how good they were.

On this night, though, No. 7 Grady (7-1, 4-1 in Region 5-AAA) wasn’t up to the challenge, allowing the Lions to gain 387 rushing yards, along with the inside track for the region’s No. 1 seed.

Read the whole story here.

Smith Featured by North Fulton Prep Rally

Senior cornerback Geno Smith was recently featured by North Fulton Prep Rally. Smith, who verbally committed earlier this fall to the University of Alabama, has also been ranked the No. 1 cornerback prospect and no. 19 overall prospect in the nation.

To view the video, click here.

Blazers 'Pierce' Tigers

Junior Matt Pierce records two interceptions, helping VSU win, 22-21

Ed Hooper The Valdosta Daily Times

VALDOSTA — VALDOSTA — Besides punter Jack Fulford, Valdosta State cornerback Matt Pierce has the most starts of any player on the Blazer roster.

On Saturday, Pierce’s experience came up huge for the Blazers, as the junior defensive back recorded two key interceptions in VSU’s 22-21 victory over the West Alabama Tigers.

Pierce’s second interception was the game changer, intercepting a Karl Birkenfeld pass and returning it 85 yards for the Blazers’ go-ahead touchdown with 5:25 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The whole story...

Speech & Debate Team Receives Awards

Congratulations to the St. Pius X Speech and Debate team, who opened their 2011-12 season with solid performances. With two events in the books, the group collected several team awards as well as the top speaker at each of the debates.

Coach Sean Hiland said, “We’re off to a great start this year with our varsity delivering fantastic performances. Our novices are also doing extremely well. This year seems to be exceptional in that we are not only in a good position to hopefully go far in state this year; we are also laying the groundwork for future success in the coming years.”

Senior Keller Sheppard has taken the first place speaker award at both of the events at Warner Robins and at Johns Creek High Schools.

On October 15 at Johns Creek, Sheppard and partner Katie Mannen were the Public Forum Debate Tournament Champions. Matt Angulo and Salome Kakalashvili teamed to make the semifinals in the Public Forum. Also at the Johns Creek event, the team captured five individual speaking awards including Alex Pradhan, Sean Fahey, John Weber, Mannen and Angulo. Team awards went to the pairings of Madison Eaglen and Pradhan, Candace Siegworth and Fahey and Schulyer Morales and Weber.

Along with Sheppard’s first place speaker award at Warner Robins, Katrina Schweitzer, Pradhan and Weber took home individual speaking awards. Alberto Bolet and John Cardoso partnered to win first place in the Novice Debate Forum, while the teams of Latisha Hamilton and Schweitzer, Eaglen and Pradhan and Morales and Weber were recognized with awards.

The team is a member of the National Forensics League and participates in NFL sponsored tournaments that include a variety of events such as dramatic and humorous interpretation, extemporaneous speaking and original oratory as well as traditional forms of debate. Unlike most team events, however, there is no team win-loss record. Individuals are awarded based on their performances at a given tournament rather than an accumulation of tournaments.

Congratulations and we look forward to the rest of the season!

Katie Mannen and Keller Sheppard wield the first place Public Forum Debate Sword, as well as the first place speaker award from the Johns Creek Debate Contest

My Coke Rewards Doubled for St. Pius X

Did you know that your My Coke Rewards donations can help St. Pius X? This week only (through October 20), the program will match all donations in the name of our school. Through these points, it is possible for St. Pius X to receive rewards like sports equipment, art supplies, educational tools and more! To find out more, please click here. And remember, the deadline is this Thursday, October 20!

Newfield '10 Continues Torrid Pace for Bulldogs

St. Pius X alumnae Alexa Newfield continues to find the back of the net for the University of Georgia Women's Soccer squad. Newfield assisted on the first goal of the match and scored the eventual game-winner in yesterday's 2-1 victory over Kentucky. The win moved the Bulldogs into a four-way tie atop the Southeastern Conference.

Newfield scored her 13th goal of the season, moving her into a tie for fourth most goals in a season at Georgia. Her 21 career goals are tied for seventh all-time.

For more on Newfield, click here.

SPX Athlete Selected for All-American Bowl

Senior Geno Smith has been selected to play in the 2012 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, on January 7, 2012. This honor is received by a select group of students, the top 90 high school football players in the country. Last year, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl drew a crowd of 38,000 who came out to view potential college and NFL stars. To read more, please click here.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Army.

'09 Alumnus Recognized at UGA

Each week, the University of Georgia highlights one of their current students in an online feature named "Amazing Students." This week, 2009 St. Pius X alumnus Daniel Guidot has been recognized for his accomplishments and involvement at UGA. To read more, please click here.

Congratulations, Danny!

Bleachers On Demand on Xfinity

Volleyball Team Wins Area 5AAA Title

The volleyball team showed how it has learned to deal with adversity in winning the area 5AAA championship tonight. Led by the hitting of Alex Bidgood and Leah Hardeman and the strong defensive play of Ella Anastasiades and Bianca Borough, the Lions came back from losing the first set to win the best of five match 3 sets to 1 over Riverwood for the area 5AAA crown. Riverwood came out strong and dominated the first set 25-17, but the Lions would not be denied. They made all the big plays down the stretch in the last three. The Raiders struggled to defend the middle attack of Alex Bidgood and Kallen Arvidson, with Alex making the big play to close out game two. Jessie Place came up big on game point of game three, and great placement hitting by Emily Morrison and Leah Hardeman helped finish things up in the final game. The setting of Grace McGoldrick and Amanda Stitt helped spread out the ball to all of the offensive weapons. Despite tenacious defense and some amazing hustle plays by the Raiders, the Lions were able to control the ball down the stretch for their 4th consecutive area title. This was the most challenging match in an area final during that streak, and that made this a big character win for the Lady Lions.

Softball wins Region Championship - Again!

The softball team won their fourth consecutive Region Championship by defeating Woodward in the Region Tournament. The championship game was a strong performance by the Lady Lions. The offense collected numerous hits and scored 10 runs, led by three hits from Natasha Sherrod. Rebecca Ponce de Leon was masterful from the mound, allowing only two hits, striking out 8, while walking only 1.

The Lady Lions advance to the State Tournament and host a doubleheader on Wednesday, October 12th starting at 2 pm. Come out and support the team after the early dismissal from school!

Senior Recognized as Superior Writer

Congratulations to senior Alison Denzer-King who has been named a finalist for superior writing by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) in the 2011 NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing. Over 1,600 students from across the nation were nominated by their teachers to participate in the competition. Of that number, 520 students were selected as outstanding writers. Alison is one of ten students from the state of Georgia to receive the honor.

The NCTE also commended the St. Pius X English Department for “excellence in its instructional program, as revealed by its evident contribution to the high quality of writing” of Alison in the program.

Congratulations to Alison for this high honor and to her English teachers, Mrs. Carrie Stockard, Mr. Mike Scirocco, Mrs. Jan Collier and Ms. Mary Martha Spear, as well as the entire English Department for this wonderful accomplishment!

Sign Up Now for Dresden Christmas Outreach

St. Pius X has a partnership with our neighbors at Dresden Elementary, a kindergarten through fifth grade DeKalb county public school. Many of these children come from low income families, who are not in the position to provide much of a Christmas celebration for their children. One of the wonderful programs conducted each year by the Mothers’ Club is the Dresden Christmas Outreach Project. Last year, we had a tremendous response from the St. Pius X community and were able to make Christmas brighter for 151 children from 44 families. A total of 28 SPX organizations, clubs, and teams participated in the project, along with faculty and staff, families of existing students and alumni, corporate offices of the school’s parents and community friends. The main focus of the project is to provide clothing along with a few toys for these students.

We are currently in the process of determining the number of Dresden families that we can sponsor. If you are interested in sponsoring a child or buying a gift, please contact Anne Grabowski (anne.grabowski@choa.org). We also need SPX student and parent volunteers to help with wrapping and the project in general. Students can receive a Work of Mercy if they follow the guidelines. For more information and volunteer opportunity dates, please click here.

Governor's Honors Participants Named

One of the highest honors a sophomore or junior can receive is to be selected to participate in the Governor's Honors Program. Sponsored by the Georgia State Department of Education, this program brings together the finest students in academics and the arts for a four week summer program.

Congratulations to the following students, as they will represent St. Pius X at the January statewide Governor's Honors interviews.

Communicative Arts: Catherine O’Neill

Dance: Emma Duke

Latin: Brian Quinn Peragine and Amalia Pedersen

Mathematics: Cavan Hayes

Students Honored in National Hispanic Scholarship Program

The National Hispanic Scholarship Program recognizes the top two percent of all Hispanic students nation-wide who have taken the PSAT examination. This year, St. Pius X commends two members of the Class of 2012 for being named National Hispanic Scholars. Congratulations to Rebecca Ponce de Leon and Isaac Suarez-Nugent for their hard work and dedication to their studies!

Softball Wins First Game in Region Tournament

The Lady Lions won the first game of the Region 5 softball tournament in a convincing fashion, defeating Cedar Grove 15-0. Rebecca Ponce de Leon struck out the team, whiffing nine batters in a 3 inning game. She allowed only one hit. Every St. Pius player batted in the game. Jessie Landes singled to drive in Aubrianne DiPietro with the final run. The Lady Lions contine tournament play with a game against Riverwood on Monday, October 3rd, at 530 pm at Riverwood High School.

Faith & Reason Series Continues at SPX

The first annual Msgr. Lopez Faith & Reason Speaker Series will continue Monday, September 26, 2011 at 7 p.m. in the Flannery O’Connor Library on the campus of St. Pius X. Ben Clare will present “No One Sees God: Religious Indifference and Atheism.”

The first installment of the series was September 19 and featured St. Pius X Chaplain Msgr. Richard Lopez. Msgr. Lopez discussed salvation in his talk “Are You Saved: Catholics and Salvation” with the more than 50 people in attendance.

Future Speakers include St. Pius X Alumnus Rev. Neil Dhabliwala and Rev. Brian Higgins in addition to Msgr. Lopez and Clare. This series is free and open to all St. Pius X students, faculty, family, and friends. Subsequent presentations will be held on October 17, October 24, November 7, and November 14. For more information please click here.

Filter School Calendar by using Custom Calendar

Too much information and text on the SPX.org full calendar? When viewing the full calendar click on "Modify Custom Calendar". From there you can select which categories you would like and the dates. Then you can refer to this "Custom Calendar" in the future to see just the categories you want to see.

Interim grades will be available September 19

Attention all parents! Interim grades will be available September 19 on NetClassroom only. No paper copies will be distributed. Be sure to check your student’s grades, and if you have concerns, parent-teacher conference night will be held on September 27. Conferences will be scheduled in 15 minute increments starting at 6 p.m. with the last conference scheduled for 8:15 p.m. Scheduling will begin on September 19 and will end September 22 at 2:30 p.m. Parents should email conferences@spx.org with the student and teacher name(s). Any requests after Thursday at 2:30 must be sent directly to the teacher’s email. Every attempt will be made to accommodate conference requests; however due to time restrictions it is best to get requests in as early as possible.

St. Pius X Baseball Has a Home Field

St. Pius X has its own baseball field for the first time, and while there is a long list of benefits to be gained by practicing and playing home games at the spiffy new spread just north of the school, all plusses can be summed up in short order:

The age-old idiom, “Out-of-sight-out-of-mind,” is finally dead here.

SPX baseball is about to move out of the dark and into the light, from after-thought status to center stage on what is believed to be the first completely synthetic high school field in Georgia.

Call it a dream come true, and please forgive varsity head coach J.T. Gilbert if you see him dancing a jig any time soon, like perhaps on Sept. 24 when the field is “christened” with a baseball alumni game (8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.).

“I teach ninth grade, and soon after I started at St. Pius we had a game and I explained to my class that I had to leave early and a substitute would be coming in,” recalled Gilbert, who has been head coach since 2004. “I told them we had a [home] game and we had to travel.

“Some of the kids said, ‘What are you talking about? Pius has baseball?’ They had no idea that we had a team, a program, in part because they’d never seen a field.”

St. Pius has usually had a baseball team, beginning in 1959 when legendary football coach George B. Maloof skippered the squad. There was no team from ’65-’70.

A great many people deserve a tip of the cap for making SPX’s “Fields of Dreams” a reality. One of Gilbert’s predecessors is among those eager to offer heart-felt congratulations.

Now the head coach at Blessed Trinity, where the Titans won the Class AA state title in 2006, Andy Harlin was the Golden Lions’ head coach from 1994-2001. He guided SPX to the state playoffs in three of his final four seasons, and compiled a record of 44-11 over his last two.

“When I first started, the varsity was at Mercer and ninth grade and JV practiced at Shamrock or Sequoyah middle school,” Harlin said. “Then we couldn’t use Mercer any more so we converted St. Judes to home for varsity, and ninth and JV practiced at Dresden Park.

“Students are going to be more apt to go to the games. I went and saw the field over the summer, and it almost brought me to tears. That place is Cadillac now, and with the indoor facility [built behind the softball field in 2006] they’re going to be up there with anybody.”

More recently, the Golden Lions played varsity home games at Oglethorpe University while the middle school teams have been based at Dunwoody Park.

One need not go far to find testimonials for the new field, which is part of an $8 million upgrade that included purchase of property north of the school.

Mark Hoban, a former Golden Lions pitcher who struck out a school-record 18 batters against Tucker in 2006 and then pitched a no-hitter against the Tigers a year later, predicts multiple positive trickle-down effects.

“It’s beyond words what it will do,” Hoban said. “It will help gain recognition. Baseball has kind of had its drawbacks [at St. Pius X], like where you had to drive every day. I played a lot of summer ball, and the schools that have fields on campus were able to use those for summers while some kids didn’t even know about St. Pius. Now, it’s like a recruiting tool.”

Gilbert said that this is the first freshman class in his tenure that he believes did not lose a player who had previously been in the SPX middle school baseball program for sake of the lack of a field.

He said, “I don’t think baseball was ever intended to be the red-headed step-child, so to speak, at Pius, but it kind of felt that way at times because of the lack of a home field.”

Dylan Knight, a senior at Ole Miss, played football and baseball at St. Pius X from 2005-’08. His father, Joe, is an architect and designed the indoor batting/pitching tunnel. That is now used chiefly by the baseball and softball teams in poor weather, and by the wrestling team to practice.

The new field has sparked Knight’s sense of the Golden Lions’ future.

“For the program I think it’s huge,” said Knight, who hit for the cycle in a 2008 game against Columbia. “When a kid shows up at a school that he’s thinking of attending, sports are a big part of it. That looks gorgeous. Now, they don’t have to go far to play baseball. Now that it’s there, I think it’s going to be a huge draw.

“I think that’s going to increase . . . the number of kids who want to go to Pius. When I was at Pius, the main focus for every baseball player was another sport first. We didn’t have a field, or a locker room. It felt like our focus was maybe 80 percent football and 20 percent baseball. Now, it might be more like 50-50.”

The new field features Deluxe Athletics DXT SystemTurf everywhere, even in the infield and batters’ boxes (where it’s tan in color). It has drainage capabilities that Gilbert said will make it playable -- or good for practice – 15 minutes after a heavy rain.

There is, in fact, a storm water retention pond built under the adjacent utility field currently being used for practice by the freshman football team. That pulls water quickly from the baseball field.

Deluxe guarantees the field for 10 years in the event of a turf tear or anything like that, and there are testimonials of similar athletic surfaces lasting considerably longer than that before replacement.

There will be no need to chalk baselines; they’re painted permanently. Never mind fertilizer, or mowing grass, or baseballs getting scuffed up, or uniforms getting dirty (unless pitchers develop a habit of falling down on the dirt mound). Forget about an irrigation system, a water bill, or frozen or broke pipes.

“My old pitching coach from the University of Minnesota [Mike Dee] is now head coach at Illinois-Chicago, and he installed it,” Gilbert said. “We’ve kept in contact, and he knew our situation. When we purchased the land, he said, ‘J.T., you really need to consider this. It’s going to save you a lot of money in the long run.’ ”

Some work remains.

St. Pius X officials hope to raise funds for and build dugouts, a press box and concessions/rest rooms.

Gilbert said he hopes that the field will become a source of revenue, perhaps as a destination for the Sunbelt League. That is an emerging college summer wood bat league that is based in Atlanta. Perhaps SPX will field summer teams as well.

Regardless of what happens in future summers, future SPX seasons are going to be a lot different – and for the better – beginning soon.

“At Dresden Park, those fields are pretty dilapidated and small,” Hoban said. “It would have been nice to have a home field. It was a hassle. We had no locker room, and nowhere to change, and it was hard to get our friends to come watch. It was really kind of a pain when all of the teams would practice at the same time at Oglethorpe; there was less room to move around.

“I loved my four years, and I went onto play in college [at Piedmont and Oglethorpe], but I know that [field] was something that my parents and the parents of others were really striving to have.”

Now, the Golden Lions have it.

There will be no more loading up buses for baseball practice or home games, often mucking up the schedule for other spring sports teams, nor will the Golden Lions have worry about late-night practices/games at Oglethorpe because the University team needs the field first.

As pointed out, thanks go to many people, including SPX principal Steve Spellman, athletic director Mark Kelly, and SPX graduate Andy May among others. May has coached Golden Lions middle school teams for many years, and his construction firm helped build the, “The Field of Dreams,” and the hitting tunnel before that.

“My hat’s off to coach Kelly and Mr. Spellman for getting that done; that’s not easy to do,” Harlin said. “You’ll get no complaints from me about my time at St. Pius; I enjoyed it immensely. Great school, great people . . . I have great memories over there. That field is just going to be so great for the kids and their families.”

Once again, a reminder: don’t be shocked if you see the SPX coach walking on air at the thought of his players playing and practicing on the Golden Lions’ new turf.

“Not only did the school build a baseball field, we built a beautiful athletic complex for the future of St. Pius,” Gilbert said. “James Earl Jones was right [when his character said in the movie Field of Dreams], if you build it they will come!”

Walk-off Home Run defeats Marist

Middle School Lady Lions were down to Marist 5-3 and down to their last at bat. We scored 2 runs to tie the game and with 2 outs and a runner at first - Sierra Orzech hit a walk off home run to win the last game of the season. Sierra finished the game with a triple and a home run - and folks - she is only a 7th grader. Lions win 7 to 5!

The middle school team also had home runs this year from Denise Teague (6th grader) and Emily Pearson (7th grader). Catcher Emily Chambers (7th grader) threw out 4 base runners attempting steals and Kylie Burke (7th grader) had 44 strike outs in 6 games. What a fabulous year by the Middle School Lady Lions with a final record of 9-1-1.

National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist

The National Merit Scholarship Program provides opportunities for scholarships to outstanding students throughout the country who succeed in their studies and perform with excellence on the PSAT examination.

We are proud to announce that St. Pius X has three semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program and three semifinalists in the National Achievement Scholarship Competition.

Congratulations to the following students:

Semifinalists in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Competition
Erin Cavalli
Mattie Alison Denzer-King
Rebecca Ponce de Leon

Semifinalists in the 2012 National Achievement Scholarship Competition
Mason Mariney
Chukwuka Obiofuma
Katani Ostine-Franklin

Newfield '09 captures SEC Offensive Player of Week Honors

Alexa Newfield '09 was recently selected as the Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Week in women's soccer. The University of Georgia sophomore scored four goals, and assisted on two other scores, to lead the Bulldogs to a wins over Mercer and Georgia State last week. Newfield currently leads the conference in total points (15), tied for first in goals (6), first in shots (31) and shots per game (4.43).

Newfield was also featured in the "Five Questions" segment by SEC Digital Network. To view the article, click here.

First Annual Mission Trip Spaghetti Dinner

The first annual Mission Trip Spaghetti Dinner will be held on Friday, September 23 from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM in our cafeteria prior to the Homecoming Game versus North Atlanta. According to Director of Athletics Mark Kelly, it will feature the finest spaghetti this side of Naples. The décor will get you ready for the contest, but make you think you are in Venice. Simply put, you will have a great time, a great meal, and you will be supporting our wonderful Mission Trips. Couple this with a Golden Lion victory and that’s one great night! Hope to see all of you there!

For more information, email Gayle Ohrenberger, Director of Campus Ministry. For a ticket order form, click here. All proceeds go to the St. Pius X student mission trips.

Wrestling Squad Participates in 9/11 Event

Several members of the wrestling team at St. Pius X Catholic High School particpated in the Dunwoody-Manhattan Twenty-Six Story Memorial Stair Climb on Saturday, Sept. 10 at The Manhattan Condominiums in Dunwoody. The event was in memory of the 343 firefighters and 60 police officers that lost their lives in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001.

“One of my goals for our wrestling program this year is to participate in a meaningful, charitable event as a team. I want this year to be special and memorable, not only with success in competition, but because we live out the mission of our school and Catholic faith in a tangible way. Commemorating the tenth anniversary of September 11th together as a team is our way of honoring the memory of the victims and the heroic service of the first responders,” said head wrestling coach David Sabino.

Members of the team that participated were Steven Mann, Frank Lentini, Brian Lentini, Joe Twiner, Nick Twiner, John Garner, Dalton Scoggins, Robbie Martin, Ryan Holmes, Connor Laubenthal, Harris Woodward, Ty Mascara, Quinn Peragine, Nicholas Glass, Eamon Quinn, Cole Waldron, Brian Rainwater, Conor Croft, Colin Taylor, Patrick Taylor and Ben Cogburn.

'83 Graduate Featured in Georgia Trend

Class of 1983 graduate Raymond King was recently featured in Georgia Trend’s article “Power Players: Overseeing Atlanta’s Animal House.” King is Zoo Atlanta’s President and CEO, overseeing the animals, employees and facilities. A local product, the businessman just completed his first year on the job at Zoo Atlanta. According to the article, King feels his first year was a successful one and explains the importance of zoos by stating, “Today, the No. 1 mission of the organization is educating people on conservation issues and having an impact on wildlife. There are more species under threat of extinction than ever before.”

To read the full article, please click here.

Varsity Softball is Red Hot!

The Varsity softball team is read-hot. After starting the season slowly, the Lady Lions have won 10 of their last 12 games. They are 2 and 0 in the region and play their 3rd region game this Tuesday against North Springs. At they end of the week they travel to Chattanooga to play a weekend tournament against some of the best competition in the state. Go Lions!

Softball completes Hat Trick

The Lady Lions Softball Program completed a Hat Trick on Thursday, September 1st. The Middle School Team continued their winning ways by defeating Marist 14 to 4. Our Junior Varsity team beat Blessed Trinity 13 to 2. Finally, the Varsity defeated Druid Hills 11 to 0 in a home game. Congratulations to all our players and coaches. Go Lions!

Lions run past Benedictine, 35-0

Savannah Morning News

By JOSHUA PEACOCK

The St. Pius Golden Lions out of Atlanta brought a fierce offense with them Friday as they paid a visit to the Benedictine Military School Cadets and ran away with a 35-0 victory at Memorial Stadium.

Leading the Golden Lions (2-0), was standout quarterback Trey White, who put up three of the five touchdowns, as well as running back and Alabama-committed Geno Smith, who combined to help put up impressive numbers, outgaining the Cadets 430-88 in total rushing yards.

“We knew coming in, as coaches, this was going to be a real challenge for them,” Benedictine head coach Danny Britt said. “I think the boys knew it, too. St. Pius is great and has a great program. They’re a great football team. I am proud of the boys’ efforts. We’re going to go back to work. And we’ve gotten so much better. We’re going to keep fighting.”

The Cadets’ (0-2) first drive netted them only 5 yards against the tough Golden Lion defense. St. Pius took over and finished an 11-play, 85-yard drive that ate much of the first stanza up with a 6-yard TD run from quarterback Trey White.

Welcome Freshmen!

The Guidance and Counseling Department is happy to welcome the class of 2014 to St. Pius X! We are very excited to meet you and work with you and your families. In order to make the transition from middle school to high school seamless, every freshman is assigned a counselor. Counselors will be in touch with their students during August and September.

Though the first meeting between counselors and students is a planned one, we encourage students and their parents to contact our office at anytime if questions or concerns arise. We are here to listen and help in any way we can. Whether it be to discuss trouble with a friend, help with a class or teacher situation, answer questions about college, or give advice and tips on time management and organization, we love seeing the students and enjoy getting to know them. The more we have contact with the students the better we get to know them and can help them through their time at St. Pius X.

In order to make sure your child is starting the year off right, please share with him/her these helpful tips:

Your Lion Leader is a good source of information. Use him/her to help direct you to whom you need to go to get answers to your questions.
Get involved at school. Try to find something you enjoy doing. In addition to our arts and athletics programs, St. Pius X offers a wide variety of clubs and organizations from which to choose. Joining a club or organization is a good way to meet people and to feel like you are part of the community. All clubs and organizations are listed in the student handbook.
Do not neglect your school work. When you get your syllabi, get organized. Use your planner to mark due dates and to plan out your time. Homework is a big part of your grade. Make sure you do what is required for each class. Binders can be a good way to keep all of your classes organized. If you need help with organization or time management, visit the Guidance and Counseling Department. Your counselor can help you.
Make sure you check your SPX student e-mail account. You will receive a lot of information at that e-mail address. If you miss the announcements at the end of the day, they are always sent to your e-mail.

As the school year progresses, keep in mind that we are one of the many resources on campus to help freshmen adjust to their new high school environment. Please do not hesitate to contact our office for anything you need.

Home & School Association presents an evening with J.Tom Morgan

J. Tom Morgan Book Available for Sale:

Mr. Morgan served as the District Attorney of DeKalb County for 12 years and is currently a trial lawyer in private practice in Decatur, GA specializing in criminal and civil litigation. He educates young people and their parents about the law and how to avoid becoming victims or perpetrators of crime in his well-received book Ignorance is No Defense; A Teenager’s Guide to Georgia Law. For your convenience, the St. Pius X Home and School Association has his book available for purchase. If you are interested in a copy, send an email to Ask A Parent on the St. Pius X website under the Parents tab on the gold toolbar on the top. Copies are available for $15 and we will request authorization to bill your FACTS account.

St. Pius X Blood Drive Information

St. Pius X will host it's annual blood drive through the American Red Cross on October 4, 2011. Students and parents are invited to participate in the gym from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Every minute of every day, someone needs a blood donation. Currently, only three out of every 100 people in America are donors. Please consider making a donation on October 4.

Parents who are interested can sign up by sending an email with their contact information and preferred appointment times to spxblooddrive@yahoo.com.

Thank you!

Dresden Elementary Christmas Outreach Project: Sign Up now to buys a gift for a child or to sponsor a child or children.

St. Pius has a partnership with our neighbors at Dresden, which is a K-5^th grade Dekalb county public elementary school located on Dresden Road and this specific project is coordinated through the SPX Mothers’ Club. As you may be aware, many of these children are from low income families and are not in a position to provide much of a Christmas celebration for their children. The main focus on the project is to provide clothing but we do get a few toys and/or school supplies for the students. Last year we had 28 teams, clubs, organizations and the band, along with SPX students and their families, SPX faculty and staff, corporate offices of SPX families and alumni, participate in the project. We helped 151 children from 44 families.

We are in the process of determining the number of Dresden families that we can sponsor. If you are interested in buying a gift for a child or sponsoring a child or children, please contact Anne Grabowski. We also need SPX students and parents to volunteer to assist with the project. SPX students can receive a Works of Mercy if they follow the attached guidelines. See the attached information sheet for more details on the project to include volunteer opportunity dates.

Lions' late drive seals win

By Chris Coheley For The Crier

After an early two touchdown lead on the road, The St. Pius X Golden Lions had to fight back in the end to hold off the Westminster Wildcats 28-21 in the season opener.

“Our effort was great but we have a lot of work to do with our execution on both sides of the ball,” said senior quarterback Trey White. “Driving 80 yards in four minutes to win the game showed this team’s grit and determination.”

Pius began the game with all the momentum, as it forced Westminster into a punt on its first drive and then methodically moved the ball downfield for a touchdown on its own opening drive. Senior running back Geno Smith made key first down plays on this drive for Pius. He capped the drive off with a 14-yard touchdown run around the outside. Smith finished the game with 135 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

An Unexpected Target - SPX's Kevin Cone

By: Jay Adams

Undrafted free agents come into NFL training camps with an uphill battle ahead of them. Take away a week of practice and add in the fact that the coaching staff is asking you to do something you’re not used to and it really gets challenging. That’s the world undrafted rookie wide receiver Kevin Cone is living right now.

Pardon Kevin Cone if he acts like a real receiver in his pro days. He hasn’t had much of a chance to previous to this.

The undrafted rookie from Georgia Tech was denoted as a wide receiver in college with the Yellow Jackets and also with Shorter before that, but Cone might as well have been referred to as a glorified lineman.

Every team Cone has been a part of — even in high school — has run the triple option. Every single one.

Archbishop Gregory Dedicates Fields

On Monday, August 22, 2011 one day after the feast day of St. Pius X, Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory stepped on the St. Pius X Catholic High School campus to celebrate Mass and dedicate the new Seaver Family Sports Complex. Superintendent of Schools Diane Starkovich was in attendance, along with members of the facility’s namesake, James ’64 and Susan Seaver ’64, their son Chris ’95, his wife Cara and their young son Charlie. Special guests and contributors to the campaign were also present to mark this special occasion.

The Expanding Our Legacy Capital Campaign began in 2007 when a task force began a search for appropriate property to expand the school. The complex includes a synthetic turf baseball diamond as well as a synthetic turf multi-purpose field. The two fields will be used by numerous groups within the school, including physical education classes, athletic teams and marching band members. Construction on the fields wrapped up in June 2011. The complex contributes 7.38 acres to the campus and is the first addition to the footprint of the school since it’s opening in 1958.

Following an all school Mass, the Archbishop walked over to the new fields for the dedication. Attendees listened to speeches and prayer intentions from Principal Steve Spellman, Athletic Director Mark Kelly and Head Baseball Coach J.T. Gilbert. Archbishop Gregory took to the podium and with the help of Monsignor Richard Lopez, they blessed the fields.

Those in attendance enjoyed a light reception following in the ceremony. It was a proud moment for St. Pius X as the Fields of Dreams became a reality, thanks to the vision of a core group of hardworking people and the generosity of the school community. The campaign will continue as students enjoy the convenience of the complex until all debts are paid.

In closing, as the Archbishop stated, it’s now time to “Play ball!”

Alumna Establishes Non-Profit Group

Dr. Dwana Bush ’72 was recently featured in the August 11, 2011 article “Passing on the Memories” in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Dr. Bush is certified in hospice care and runs a family medical practice. She also established the non-profit Life Legacy Box Project.

After her father’s passing, Dr. Bush conceived the idea of building a keepsake box to contain memories and mementos that could be passed on to loved ones. The Life Legacy Box Project works with volunteer woodworkers and hospice groups to give patients small wooden boxes in which they can store their most cherished memories.

According to the article, Dr. Bush states, “In our society, we help patients all the way up to the moment of acknowledging that cure is no longer possible. But we have not found a helpful tool to help people finish their lives well, to acknowledge their contributions or to help them stay connected in spirit and in stories to those they leave behind.”

Dr. Bush was the recipient of the 1991 St. Pius X Catholic High School Distinguished Alumni Award.

To read the full article, please click here.

Smith to play at Alabama

St. Pius X Catholic High School senior cornerback Geno Smith announced today that he would sign a letter-of-intent to play collegiately at the University of Alabama. The announcement was made at 3:15pm in the Young Center on the campus at St. Pius X.

Smith said, “I just felt really comfortable at [Alabama]. I knew I wanted to play at a high level, and also become a broadcaster after college. Alabama has a great school [for broadcasting]. It was just the perfect situation.”

Smith is rated the #2 cornerback in the nation and is 31st -rated player in the ESPNU Top 150. Rivals.com listed him as the fourth best cornerback, and the 47th-ranked prospect in the country. Smith was also recently named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 team.

St. Pius X head coach Paul Standard said, “Not only is Alabama getting an outstanding football player, but they are getting an outstanding young man. We are so proud of Geno and happy for him and his family.”

Smith led the Golden Lions with seven interceptions during the 2010 season, returning one for a touchdown. He also rushed for 752 yards and eight touchdowns in his dual role as a wingback, as St. Pius X reached the second round of the state playoffs finishing the season ranked #5 in the state in AAA.

“I knew that I wanted to make the decision and get it over with before the season started, so that I could focus on my school work, football and just have fun my last year,” said Smith.

St. Pius X opens the 2011 season August 26 at Westminster.

For WXIA 11Alive video click here.

For AJC story click here.

Number 1 Goes Down to the Lions .... Twice

It is not often you get to even play the number one team in the state. In an unusual occurance the volleyball team played two team ranked #1 in the state on the same night. Blessed Trinity opened the 2011 season ranked number one in A/AA and Woodward Academy in AAA. The Golden Lion volleyball team managed to pull out both matches. In the opener Kelli Terracino had the best match of her life with six kills on only seven swings and a solid blocking effort to help shut down the BT offense. Grace McGoldrick returned to action after sitting out the weekend with her sore knee and helped run a well balanced Pius offense. The team defeated the Titans 25-18,25-19 in a comfortable win. In the night cap the Lions played their nemesis Woodward Academy, who have seemed to have St. Pius' number over the past few years since they played in the state finals in '08. In all three games the Golden Lions got off to early leads. In set 1 they gave the lead back and allowed the War Eagles to pull out the set. Set 2 looked like a mirror image of set 1 until Woodward got the score to 24. The Lady Lions then faced six match points against them and won them all, finally getting a match point of their own that was decided on a disputed referee's call. After the 29-27 set 2 win the team put the petal to the metal and dominated game three by a 25-14 tally. The last game was the best display of "team" volleyball that this group has ever put together. Ten kills by Leah Hardeman, 8 by Alex Bidgood, 7 for Emily Morrison and five for Kallen Arvidson showed the strength of the Pius offensive attack. But what won the match was that the Lions matches the War Eagles defensive intensity and hustle, led by 22 digs from Ella Anastasiades. The team is back in action Thursday where they continue their trek through Georgia's best teams by playing two teams ranked #2 in the state, GACS (A/AA) and Harrison (AAAAA) at Harrison High School.

Bentz Makes National Junior Team

Congratulations to sophomore Gunnar Bentz on his recent success in California at the Senior and Junior National Swim Meets. The first week of August, Gunnar competed against the top swimmers in the nation, including many Olympians. Gunnar met his goal of making finals and qualifying for the National Junior Team.

In the 200m breast stroke, Gunnar took second place, breaking the Georgia state record for boys ages 15-16. He placed third in the 400 IM and came in first in the 200 IM, breaking state records in both events. At the meets, Gunnar broke a total of four Georgia state records, also excelling in other events.

Within the National Junior Team, there are two levels of winners, first, the top six and second, the top two competitors in any event. Within these groups, the top six winners will move on to participate in meets in Germany, while the top two will compete in Germany and Lima, Peru. While Gunnar made both levels, he unfortunately is three days too young to be eligible to participate in Peru.

Among these many achievements, Gunnar also received the Male High Point Award. This award is presented to the most valuable male swimmer once points are combined.

The award is a great acknowledgment of his personal success and that of his team, Dynamo Swim Club, who went on to win the Junior National Meet.

Congratulations to Gunnar on these incredible achievements and we wish him continued success in his swim career!

Smith named to AJC Super 11 Team

Senior cornerback Geno Smith has been named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 football team. Smith becomes the first player in school history to be selected.

In addition to his seven interceptions, Smith also rushed for 752 yards and eight touchdowns on offense his junior season and was named first-team all-State.

For more information on the AJC Super 11, click here.

Volleyball Team Reaches Semifinals of Sequoyah Tournament

St. Pius X rode the outstanding offensive effort of Leah Hardeman, Emily Morrison and Alex Bidgood to their strongest finish in the Sequoyah tournament in many years. The team was champions of their gym and ended up losing in the semi-final match to Whitewater High School, last years AAAA state runner-up. The key victories in the tournament were over Oconee County. Oconee was ranked 3rd in the state in AAA behind Pius' second place ranking. In the first matchup the Warriors got off to a strong start leading game 1 by a score of 9-1 before holding on for a victory. The Lady Lions then played their best volleyball of the tournament taking game 2 by a 25-13 tally. Pius then held on to win the three game match. In the first round of the tournament playoffs St. Pius X got by a strong Lassiter team 25-19,25-19 in anticipation of seeing Blessed Trinity for the first time in three years. That matchup will have to wait for 3 more days as Oconee defeated the Trojans to make the gym final. They were a tough match for the Lions in the final, but the scoreboard would go St. Pius' way 25-21,25-17. The team then travelled to Sequoyah for the final four and ran into the Whitewater steamroller. Game one was a tight hard fought affair that Whitewater took 25-23, then Whitewater turned in the best single game performance of the tournament and blew out the Lions in game 2. Other outstanding performers for the Lions in the 5-1 tournament were made by Ella Anastasiades and Amanda Stitt, who were the teams leading passer and setter respectively.

2011 St. Pius X Fall Sports Preview

With the beginning of classes at St. Pius X comes the start of the fall athletics campaign. The Golden Lions will field six fall sports, all of which advanced to the state playoffs last season. Five of the programs took region or area crowns in 2010. As the 2011-12 school year commences, St. Pius X will also look to win its fourth consecutive Regions Director’s Cup. If successful, SPX will be only the third school in Georgia to take home the Cup four straight years since the honor began in 1999.

On the gridiron, Paul Standard (84-33) enters his 11th season as the second winningest coach in St. Pius X history behind the legendary George B. Maloof. The Golden Lions return six offensive and five defensive starters from the 2010 team which finished 9-3, advanced to the second round of the state playoffs, and was ranked seventh in the final polls. SPX has advanced to the playoffs five straight seasons, and will open the 2011 slate at Westminster on August 26.

Key returnees for the team include seniors Geno Smith, T.J. Holloman, Trey White, Logan Rosborough and Joseph Crochet. Smith led the defense with seven interceptions, while also rushing for 752 yards and eight touchdowns. Holloman made 43 tackles, rushed for 490 yards and had seven total TDs. White passed and rushed for 9 TDs, as Rosborough rushed for 571 yards and found pay dirt 11 times. Crochet is the leading returning tackler for the Golden Lions with 93.

Coach John Frederick (361-194) also begins his 11th campaign and is the winningest volleyball coach in school history. The Golden Lions finished last season 32-18 and took home the area title for the third consecutive year, while posting their eighth straight 30-plus win season. SPX finished ranked #5 in the state in the final polls and will open the regular season August 12 at Creekview High School in a team tournament.

The Golden Lions return junior Emily Morrison (Norcross), the team leader in kills and an All-State selection. Sophomore Leah Hardeman was second to Morrison in kills with 276 while senior Grace McGoldrick was the team leader with 553 assists, and senior Ella Anastaides had 427 digs. SPX also returns senior Alex Bidgood, who was the team’s leading hitter in 2009, but missed most of 2010 due to injury.

Boys’ Cross Country will look to repeat as AAA State Champions, as the Golden Lion harriers return four runners that are currently in the school’s all-time top ten times. Ryan McClay begins his third season with two runners, sophomore Austin Sprague and junior Calvin Tirrell, who finished ninth and 12th, respectively, at the state meet last season. Also returning are seniors Chris Beach and Paul McNeil, who own two of the top ten times in SPX history. The Golden Lions are the top ranked school in AAA in the pre-season rankings and compete for the first time in 2011 in the Stage Races at the River Green Complex in Duluth on August 27.

Debbie Guilbeau enters her 17th season as head coach of the Girls’ Cross Country program. The 2010 edition of Golden Lions won the region championship, and placed third in the state meet. The Golden Lions return several key runners this season including seniors Taylor Glenn, Katy Gilbert and Holly Kilpatrick. They will be joined by junior Devon Dabney and sophomore Victoria Patronis. Under Guilbeau, the program has two state titles, nine state runners-up and five individual state champions. The lady harriers will race at the Bob Blastow Invitational at Clinton Farms in Douglasville to lift the lid on the 2011 campaign on August 27.

The Golden Lion softball team led by fourth-year coach Joe Winland, return both the 2010 Region Player of the Year and Region Offensive Player of the year in 2011. In addition to taking Region POY honors, senior Liz Schneider was also selected to the All-State Second Team and first team All-Region. Schneider batted .569 as she collected 56 hits and drove in 37 runs on the year. Offensive POY, junior Natasha Sherrod was selected to the All-Region 1st Team along with seniors Rebecca Ponce de Leon and Becca Schaaf. Schaaf was named first team All-State, and Ponce de Leon received an All-State Honorable Mention.

St. Pius X softball won the region championship for the third consecutive season and advanced to the state playoffs for the fourth straight season. The Golden Lions finished the season 24-11-1. They will open the regular season when they travel to Blessed Trinity on August 16.

Competition Cheerleading captured its sixth region title in 2010, and finished in the top 16 at the state meet. Under the direction of Alison Bruckert, the competition cheerleading squad is coached by Kathryn Winland, who is in her fourth season with the team. Winland bleieves this could be one of the most talented in school history. Making the overall accomplishments of their 12-year history even more impressive is the fact freshmen are allowed to compete at the varsity level, which is unusual for most competition cheer squads in Georgia. The first meet for the ladies is September 17 at Mill Creek in a multiple team event.

'11 Graduate Performs on America's Got Talent

Recent St. Pius X graduate Piper Brownlee ’11 will be featured with her clogging dance group TNC Elite on the television show America’s Got Talent this Tuesday night. Clogging is a type of percussive dance in which the dancer’s feet create rhythms as they strike their heels and toes against the floor.

The television show America’s Got Talent partnered with YouTube in May 2011 for the second time to open auditions up to the entire country. TNC Elite uploaded a video from a recent competition and America voted their video as one of the top twenty submissions. From that point, the field was narrowed down to fourteen groups, who were invited to fly out to Los Angeles to perform for the producers of the show. Piper’s dance team was again included in the top acts and will be featured on the show on August 9. All twelve acts will perform and be critiqued by the judges (Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel) and then it’s up to America to vote! The results show will air on Wednesday, August 10.

Piper has been involved in clogging since she was four years old. She is currently preparing for her first year of college at Georgia Tech, where she intends to major in architecture or industrial design. Piper also directs a younger group of cloggers in Loganville, Georgia.

We wish Piper and her team the best of luck Tuesday night! Be sure to watch and vote at 9 p.m. on NBC.

Support SPX Athletics with Program Ads and Sponsorship

Advertisements in the SPX Athletic programs (sold at all home athletic events) are still available! Sponsorship packages are also still available!

Help support Golden Lion Athletics for the 2011-12 school year.

Rivals Team Up for Summer Training

This past summer, rival girls’ cross country teams St. Pius X and Marist School worked together toward a common goal: bettering their teams. The past few months, every Monday morning, members of the teams and their coaches arrived at the Marist campus for an early morning speed workout.

Over the past few years, Marist has generously offered St. Pius the use of their campus for cross country practices. While great competitors throughout the athletic season, the teams realize they both have the same aspirations and are wise enough to realize they have the ability to learn things from each other.

Students who attend private or Catholic schools commute from numerous places throughout Georgia, making consistently large practices difficult. By working together, coaches have the ability to instruct a larger group of runners at one time. This not only creates more competition, but also benefits both teams. The rival runners have gained a sense of camaraderie and have also developed great relationships through their common interests.

Head Coach Debbie Guilbeau enjoyed the variety of the workouts and said, “This is not a mandatory practice, but the girls want to be a part of this and as a result of these practices, our turnout has really improved.” The competitive workouts pushed the girls to run faster and build stronger teams.

Eric Heintz, head coach at Marist explained that when he first began coaching, St. Pius X and Marist raced in the same region, and he was told of the great rivalry between the two teams. He realized, “More than that, we found that we have more in common than anything else, we can only benefit and come out stronger by working together.”

Students from both high schools felt that it was “nice to get to know people from different schools.” They said that the dual workouts “push both teams to go faster and make us better.” Both coaches felt that the joint effort of all runners this past summer was highly beneficial and look forward to training together again next summer!

'09 Graduate Participates in X Games

Class of 2009 graduate Joseph Burke has been invited to participate in the 2011 Summer X Games in Los Angeles, California. The annual sporting event was founded in 1995 by ESPN to focus on extreme action sports.

Joseph grew up around rally car racing as it was his father’s passion as well. As soon as he passed his driving test at 16, he began racing. Shortly after his official entry into the sport, Joseph garnered nationwide attention as he won 2010 Rookie of the Year and was invited to participate in the X Games.

He will be competing in the rally car racing event on Saturday, July 30 (should air on ESPN at 4 p.m.) as well as the rally cross event on Sunday, July 31 (should air on ESPN at 5 p.m.).

Joseph is currently attending Auburn University and studying Mechanical Engineering. He intends to graduate in 2013. For more information, please visit his Web site at: www.josephburkemotorsport.com or for minute to minute updates, like Joseph Burke Motorsport on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/josephburkemotorsport.

We wish him the best of luck at the games!

SPX Grads Recognized By Rep. John Lewis

Recent St. Pius X graduates Madeline Driscoll-Miller and Connor Ratcliffe were recognized by Representative John Lewis for their appointment to military service academies. Madeline received a primary nomination for the United States Naval Academy while Connor was appointed to the United States Military Academy. Best of luck!

To read more, please click here.

Geno Smith Ranked #2 cornerback in the Nation

Geno Smith is currently ranked the #31 prospect in the nation and #2 in his position.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/recruiting/top150prospects/_/class/2012

ESPN Names SPX Soccer Team National Champions

Congratulations to the St. Pius X Catholic High School Boys’ Soccer Team who has been named the POWERADE FAB 50 national champions. The Golden Lions became the first team in Georgia to complete the season on top of the POWERADE FAB 50 which is compiled by ESPN Rise for High Schools.

St. Pius X ended the season 20-0-1 and captured the AAA state championship for the second time in three seasons. Sophomore Tyler Alexander (Tucker) tallied 18 goals this season to lead the Golden Lions, while senior goaltender Andrew Wolverton (Snellville) recorded 13 shutouts during the season. Junior Drew Morgan (Atlanta) added 13 goals and sophomore Alex Kowalski (Smyrna) chipped in 11 for St. Pius X. The Golden Lions started seven underclassmen in the state title game, a 5-4 decision over Region 5 rival, Woodward Academy.

First-year head coach David O’Shea said, “The team thoroughly deserves the award based on the hard work and effort that they have put in throughout the season. They work hard for each other and display a real sense of team unity both on and off the field. As well as their obvious talent, it is their drive and character that has propelled them to such a magnificent accolade.”

The boys’ program becomes the second soccer program at St. Pius X to be recognized as national champions in the previous three years. The girls’ soccer program was named national champions by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in 2009.

For more information, please click here.

St. Pius X Captures Third Consecutive AAA Regions Directors Cup

St. Pius X has been named the 2010-11 AAA Regions Directors Cup winner for the third consecutive year. The girls’ athletic program also won the AAA Girls’ Directors Cup for the third year in a row. Awarded by the Georgia Athletic Directors Association, the Cup recognizes the athletic departments in each Georgia High School Association classification who have excelled in the previous school year.

“Everyone associated with St. Pius is thrilled with the recent announcement that our athletic program was once again named the recipient of the Georgia Athletic Director’s Association “Directors Cup” signifying that for the third year in a row, we were the best overall program in the state in our classification. This award is significant as it validates the effort put forth by our coaches in maintaining an exemplary program in every sport,” said St. Pius X Principal Steve Spellman.

The award caps off another successful athletic year for the Golden Lions. Girls’ Soccer won the AAA State Championship for the third consecutive year, while Boys’ Soccer took home the state crown for the second time in three seasons. Boys’ Cross Country raced to the state title for the first time since 1995. Girls’ Track finished as State Runners-Up, as did Boys’ and Girls’ Tennis. Girls’ Basketball reached the Quarterfinals of the State Playoffs, with Football, Volleyball, Boys’ Lacrosse and Softball advancing to the second round. Boys' Swimming finished 4th in the state, while the Girls' Swimming squad took home third place. Baseball and Girls’ Lacrosse also made the state playoffs.

St. Pius X Athletics Director Mark Kelly said, “To even be in contention to win this award takes a collaborative effort of everyone in the community. Winning this award highlights the fact that our great students, coaches, parents and alumni are all working together with a common goal and purpose. The awards honor us for being a great ‘family.’”

St. Pius X collected 10 Region 5-AAA titles in 2010-11. The Golden Lion Softball team won its third region championship in a row, while Volleyball took the area title. Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country, Girls’ Track joined Boys’ Golf programs with titles, while Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer continued its dominance of Region 5-AAA. Girls’ Basketball and Boys’ Lacrosse completed the season with a championship each.

2011-2012 Football schedule now available

Varsity Football schedule now available click here

Griffin Benedict '05 Returns to Atlanta with San Diego Padres

Griffin Benedict (SPX '05), a former stand out baseball player at St. Pius X and Georgia Southern is now a bullpen catcher for the San Diego Padres. After playing two years in the Padres minor league system, Benedict accepted his current role this spring.

Benedict had the chance to come home this week (May 30 - June 1) when the Padres visited Turner Field to play the Atlanta Braves. He is interested in a coaching as a career and is learning all he can from the Padres coaches.

St. Pius X graduate looks forward to her future in the US Air Force

St. Pius X graduate Noelle Richards looks forward to her future in the United States Air Force. To read more about this 2011 graduate who was recently featured in a story published in The Georgia Bulletin, click here. We wish her all the best and congratulate Noelle on her recent graduation!

http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2011/05/26/seniorsrichards/

Recruiting Geno Smith says leaders are Notre Dame, Alabama, Auburn, Texas and Tennessee

AJC -by Michael Carvel

St. Pius cornerback Geno Smith, who is a candidate to be the state’s No. 1 overall prospect.

Geno Smith, who is among the state’s leaders in scholarship offers with nearly 40, confirmed to the AJC that his five leaders (in no order) are:

* Notre Dame
* Alabama
* Auburn
* Texas
* Tennessee

Smith said those five are his “leaders and not my five finalists.” He plans to focus on the five over the summer and visit them, including his first-ever trips to Notre Dame and Texas. Smith has offers from both Georgia and Georgia Tech, and said the Bulldogs are No. 6. Smith said he has no leaders among his five. “Everybody is even.”

Read the rest of the story at the AJC

Fields of Dreams Nearing Completion

The initial phase of the Expanding Our Legacy Capital Campaign, the Seaver Family Sports Complex, is nearing completion and is projected to be completed by mid-June.

Dedication of the fields is slated for August 22, 2011, Feast Day of St. Pius X.

For updates and aerial photos, click here.

Soccer Sweeps two State Titles

The Golden Lion Soccer teams took both games from Woodward at Maloof Stadium on Saturday, May 14 to claim the AAA State Championships. The title was the third consecutive for the girls' program, while the boys' took their second title in three years. Both programs have seven state championships overall, respectively.

Head Coach Sara Geiger's girls' squad defeated the War Eagles, 4-0. Tiffany Rodriguez, Diana Soloaga, Kelsey Keown and Kaitlyn Orman all tallied goals for the Golden Lions. St. Pius X completed the season 20-2-1.

First-year head coach, David O'Shea saw his team knock off Woodward, 5-4 with Tyler Alexander finding the back of the net twice. The Golden Lions finish the year with a 20-0-1 record.

Lacrosse & Golf Announce All-State Awards

St. Pius X boys' lacrosse team had four players selected to All-State teams, with one also being named an All-American. Senior Rick Lewis was voted to the All-State 1st team and was also named an All-American. Senior TJ Bickes and junior Kyle Larkin were voted 2nd team All-State, with junior Brittain Gilbert was named to the All-State Honorable Mention squad.

The Golden Lion girls' lacrosse program had two student-athletes selected to the 2011 GHSA All-State Squads. Senior Claire Rosenberg was named 2nd team All-State, while junior Anna Paulino was added to the Honorable Mention team. Nominees for the All-State teams were voted on by GHSA head coaches.

In addition to the athletic awards, four student-athletes were named to the All-Academic team by the Georgia Chapter of U.S. Lacrosse. Rosenburg and Paulino are joined by juniors, Maya Pino and Morgan Waikel on the team. Consideration was made not only for grades but also for academic honors earned, and contributions beyond participation on athletic teams.

The Golden Lion girls' lacrosse team advanced to the playoffs for the third consecutive season while finishing 12-5.

Both Golden Lion golf teams were represented on the AAA GHSGCA All-State team. Junior Wallis Fairvalley of the girls' golf team and Garrett Bernhardt from the boys' squad were selected.

The boys' golf team captured the region title and finished seventh at the state championships, while the girls' finished second in the region and fourth in the state championships.

Summer Baseball Team Cancelled for 2011

Dear St. Pius X Baseball Parents:

It is with great sadness that I inform you that St. Pius X Baseball program will not have a summer team. We did not have enough commitment from either level to form a team. I apologize to those families who were counting on being on the St. Pius team this summer and I hope you can find a team to play on. I also want to clear up any misunderstanding about travel baseball-please know that the coaching staff does not want to discourage our players from playing on a travel team in addition to the school summer team.

I was extremely excited about this summer since we now have our own field to practice as well as play in tournaments. My earlier communication may not have explained fully the purpose of our summer program. The summer program (the month of June) has been a great way for the coaching staff to instruct the younger players making the transition to the varsity, and a great way to bond the returning varsity players with the younger players. In addition to these objectives, the coaching staff believes that the summer program actually starts the “new season”. The coaching staff has historically used this time to further evaluate players for the upcoming season. Unfortunately we will not have this opportunity and the only evaluation period for the upcoming season will be the 3-5 day (weather permitting) tryout session in February. This obviously will make our jobs as coaches more difficult to try to evaluate and make cuts in this short period of time.

The summer program is a great time for the coaching staff to get to know our players in a more relaxed environment where the pressure of winning is not quite as high as the spring season. The summer league has been more about instruction and teaching our players how to play the St. Pius way.

Thank you,

J.T. Gilbert
Head Baseball Coach

Devon Dabney Selected to Junior National Triathlon Team

Devon Dabney has been selected to represent the United States at the Pan-American Triathlon Confederation (PATCO) Junior Pan American Championships in Edmonton in July. Dabney is one of 16 junior women and men selected to the national squad that will be competing for the right to compete in the Junior World Championships in September in Beijing, China.

Dabney, a member of the cross country, swimming and track & field teams at St. Pius X, was named one of five Female Youth Elite All-Americans by USA Triathlon (USAT) earlier this year. She captured the Bronze Medal in the USA Youth Elite National Championships in San Diego last year after winning the Southeast Triathlon Junior Development Race Series for the second consecutive year. Dabney is also a member of the USA Triathlon’s Southeast Junior High Performance Triathlon team.

Dabney competes in the Sprint Triathlons. These triathlons are shorter than Olympic level events, as they consist of an 800-meter swim, 16-mile bike rides, and a five kilometer race as the last leg of the event. Dabney has been competing in sprint triathlons since she finished second in her first event at the age of ten. That same year, she took first at the Iron Kids Nationals, and followed that up by being the top-rated 11-year-old.

According to the USAT press release, Dabney will be competing for one of 15 slots designated for PATCO athletes at the World Championships later this year. Each nation can earn a maximum of three spots per gender based on the results. The event in Edmonton will also serve as the first qualifier for the U.S. team for the 2011 Junior World Championships.

Baseball Team to Play Decisive Game 3

In the first round of the AAA state playoffs, the Golden Lions baseball team split a doubleheader tonight with Allatoona. St. Pius X won the first game 3 to 1 and the Bucaneers took game two by a score of 14 to 4.

The final game of the series will be played tomorrow, Saturday, May 7th at Oglethorpe University. First pitch is at 3:30pm.

The winner will advance to the second round (May 11-12).

Sidenote: The game one victory marked the 135th win for Coach J.T. Gilbert as the Golden Lions head coach. This ties him with Andy Harlin for the most coaching wins in school history. Congratulations Coach Gilbert!

Two SPX Students Named Athletes of the Week

Congratulations to Rick Lewis and Madeline Driscoll-Miller who were named DeKalb Neighbor Newspaper Athletes of the Week! Madeline is a dedicated member of the St. Pius X tennis team and Rick is a leader on the lacrosse field. For more information, please view the links below.

http://dunwoody-neighbor.com/stories/DeKalb-Male-Athlete-of-the-Week,171010?content_source=&category_id=9&search_filter=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=&town_id=&page=

http://dunwoody-neighbor.com/stories/DeKalb-Female-Athlete-of-the-Week,171015?content_source=&category_id=9&search_filter=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=&town_id=&page=

Nova 2011

Novo 2011 is a choreography and benefit project which support the St. Pius X missions. Come join us on Tuesday, May 3rd at 6pm in the Monsignor Terry W. Young Center for the Performing Arts.

Admission is free. Donations for the SPX missions are appreciated.

View poster

NOVO Choreography and Benefit Performance

Don't miss the annual NOVO Choreography and Benefit Performance on Tuesday, May 3 at 6:00 p.m. The performance will be held in the Monsignor Terry W. Young Center for the Performing Arts. Admission is free. All donations will benefit the SPX Missions.

Golden Lions Baseball to Face Allatoona

The St. Pius X baseball team will open the AAA state playoffs vs. the Allatoona High School Buccaneers.

The three game series will be played on the Golden Lions home field at Oglethorpe University. A doubleheader is scheduled for Friday, May 6th, with the first game starting at 5:00pm and the second game starting 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. The third game (if necessary) will be played on Saturday, May 7th at 3:30pm.

The Golden Lions finished in 2nd place in region 5-AAA with a 14-11 record, while the Buccaneers took 3rd place in region 7-AAA with a 23-3 record.

The complete GHSA Class AAA State Baseball Tournament Bracket can be found on GHSA.net.

Annual Teacher Jam held on April 29th

On Friday, April 29, St. Pius X students enjoyed the annual Teacher Jam.　 During all lunch periods, students were able to enjoy the beautiful weather while listening to the musical talents of their teachers.　 Students sang along to "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Mine" by Taylor Swift and "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen, among other popular hits.　 Click here to see the photos of the event. 　

Golden Lions Baseball Team Earns Region Runner-Up

The St. Pius X Golden Lions (14-10) baseball team has advanced to the state playoffs for the fifth straight season. The team fell to Woodward Academy (20-3, 8th in AAA PrepCountry/GACA Coaches Poll) in the region championship series yesterday.

The Golden Lions will host the first round of the state playoffs at Oglethorpe University on May 6th and 7th. The opponent and game times for the best of three series are not yet known.

Please check the baseball schedule for updates.

Region 5-AAA teams advancing to the state playoffs:

Woodward Academy
St. Pius X
Riverwood
Arabia Mountain

SPX French students take national and state honors

Congratulations to the students honored by the American Association of Teachers of French for their aptitude on the 2011 National French Contest. Forty students were recognized as either national or state winners in the annual Le Grand Concours competition.

St. Pius X had 17 students receiving national honors, including seniors Diana Destin and Kaitlin Walsh; juniors Marirose Allen and Catherine Korizno; sophomores Lindsay Cameron, Alejandro Espinosa, Grayson Klinger, Annette McDermott, Grace Mendzef, Keefe Osment and Anees-Carl Ragy; freshmen Joshua Beck, Stephanie Benzur, Molly Dowell, Della Pennachi, Leah Rosenberg and Jack Walsh.

In addition to the national winners, St. Pius X had 23 state honorees. Seniors Andrew Korizno and Gabrielle Hobbs, as well as freshmen Martinique Edwards, Katelyn Hambrick, David McNabb and Cecilia Probst were recognized at the state level. The state honorees also included the national winners.

According to their Web site, the American Association of Teachers of French sponsors the National French Contest, or Le Grand Concours. The competition is held annually across the nation, and abroad, for students of French in Grades 1-12. Students take a written test and are competing against students with equal educational backgrounds.

Student honored with AATF Outstanding Senior in French Award

Congratulations to senior Gabrielle Hobbs who has received the AATF Outstanding Senior in French Award. Recipients of this award must have completed at least three years of French and be non-native speakers. They must exhibit excellence in the study of French as well as a commitment to the language and culture. Gabrielle, a student of Mrs. Liliana Hagiopol, has studied French at St. Pius X for four years. She has also participated in the National French Contest as well as National French Week activities.

The AATF, founded in 1927, recognizes the achievements of outstanding students and their teachers with the hope of motivating students to continue their studies through teaching careers or other related fields. Their mission is the promotion of the study of French language and French-speaking literatures and cultures at all levels.

Congratulations, Gabrielle!

Freshman Courtney Lonsway to compete with her robotics team...

Freshman Courtney Lonsway will be competing with her FIRST (For Recognition and Inspiration of Science and Technology) Robotics team at the World Championships in St. Louis later this week. Her team won the Rookie All-Star award at the Peachtree Regional Qualifier in March.

Earlier this school year, Lonsway and her team competed in a regional competition at Auburn University. Sixty-one teams from around the nation competed in the event. Each team set up a booth, displaying the abilities of their robots and advertisements. Her team was ranked 16th out of the 61 teams. The team earned a spot at Auburn by placing well enough in the Georgia BEST Robotics Challenge, held in October.

Lonsway has been involved with the Science Night Out at the Fernbank Science Center since she was in third grade. The Science Night Out program teaches children how science can be interesting and fun, as well as how it affects their daily lives.

Click here to read more.

SPX Summer Baseball Team

Well, here we are again! It is never too early to start thinking summer baseball and all of the other activities in which your son is involved with. I know that many of our players participate in other sports. I know that many of them have other responsibilities. In the past, Pius baseball players and all athletes have shown remarkable commitment.

This is the commitment we need for this summer. This year we will play in 4 tournaments, every weekend in June (Wed. or Th.- Sat. or Sun). We will lift and condition in June and July on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays 7:00-9:00 starting Wednesday June 1st. This is extremely important and we need 100% commitment and turnout for the weight room. It is the next step in building this program to a state contender. The lifting will continue in the month of July after the GHSA mandatory Dead Week July 3rd -10th , and we will continue to lift Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00-11:00. Once the field is finished we will practice Monday’s and Wednesday’s from 10:00 – 1:00 if we are not playing a game except the week of June 13th – 17th because we will be hosting our youth fundamental camp.

The Travel Ball Issue: Some of our players will make additional commitments to a travel team of their choice. All we ask is that you play with the Pius Team first. We need the commitment of everyone in order to continue building the St. Pius X Catholic High School baseball program. Even if there is a conflict with a travel team, I expect you to choose your high school teammates and classmates before a squad who you may never play with again. We are only talking about 4 tournaments in the beginning of the summer.

Try outs for the summer team will be held Wednesday May 26th from 2-5 and again on Thursday May 27th from 2-5. Teams will be posted Friday May 27th and the first tournament will start Tuesday May 31st. The cost for the summer team will be $200. Please remember that I try to keep the cost as low as possible. The teams will be involved with 8 tournaments this summer.

The summer season will be treated just like the High School season. Player’s behavior and expectations will be the same as it is during the High School season, as well the summer season will be an evaluation of players. Remember the heat of the summer can be extreme so be sure to bring drinks and at times an extra t-shirt.

Once again allow me to thank you for your time, effort, and commitment. This season is going by quickly and we need to start getting organized for next season with a strong summer commitment. Each player needs to meet with Coach JT Gilbert before May 20 to discuss their commitment to St. Pius X Baseball.

Thank you,

J.T. Gilbert
Head Baseball Coach
St. Pius X Catholic High School

St. Pius X and Stand present Carl Wilkens

Tuesday, April 19
Carl Wilkens "Witness to Genocide"
6th period (Library)
3:15pm (in the auditorium)

see flyer

Sophomore Emily Morrison awarded Soph 79

Emily was selected for the "Soph 79" by PrepVolleyball.com.

Information from PrepVolleyball.com

"Emily Morrison, 5-11 OH, St. Pius X (Atlanta, Georgia) -- Morrison was named to the Georgia Volleyball Coaches Association all-state team for Class AAA recently. Morrison was one of only two sophomores selected for the honor. She helped lead the Golden Lions to a 32-win season and an area championship. Morrison led St. Pius X in kills. She was also a 5AAA all-area selection."

Congratulations! Go Lions!

Six SPX students involved with the Girls' Scouts of America...

Congratulations to six St. Pius X students involved with the Girl Scouts of America who have been honored with awards given by Archbishop Wilton Gregory. On April 9 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Archbishop Gregory celebrated the Annual Scout Mass and handed out several awards. The Spirit Alive Medal is given to a Girl Scout in high school who understands the Holy Spirit in their lives and who the Spirit is calling her to be.

Girls are asked to consider their call and vocation in the church and opportunities for ministry. This award was given to freshman Kristina Going. The Marian Medal is an award given to girls who “Proclaim the greatness of the Lord” with activities bringing them to an understanding of Mary as the model of openness and spirituality in the Church.

The following freshman were honored with this award: Jennifer Richter, Savannah Tulley, Ashley Hogan, Emily Werner, Justine Taylor and Kristina Going.

Mission team inspired by recent trip to Jamaica

During spring break a group of teachers and students traveled to Mustard Seed Communities in Kingston Jamaica on behalf of St. Pius X Catholic High School. Mustard Seed cares for over 600 children in Jamaica that have severe mental and physical handicaps and have been abandoned by their families.

Your generous support of St. Pius has helped to raise over $20,000 that will go directly back to the care of the children at Mustard Seed.

Brendan Pilger '06 Sets Oglethorpe Homerun Records

Congratulations to St. Pius X alumnus Brendan Pilger '06 for setting the single season (9) and career (19) homerun record for the Oglethorpe University baseball program.

Pilger, working on his second degree (BS, Business Administration) after earning his first (BA, History) last spring, is in his fifth year at Oglethorpe University and has been a member of the Stormy Petrels baseball team since his freshman year. In addition to the season and career HR marks, Pilger also holds the career records for doubles and stolen bases. He is on the verge of setting more marks, including: RBI for a season, career stolen base percentage, and career runs scored.

For more information, click here.

Alumnus named as one of the nation's top Mechanical Engineers

Congratulations to Dr. Tom Nosker ’75 who has received the high honor of being named by Inventors Digest as one of the nation’s top Mechanical Engineers. Six engineers were selected based on peer recognition, societal impact of their work and commitment to the craft. Dr. Nosker recently took on the challenge to create an inexpensive, yet environmentally safe bridge for Fort Bragg, in North Carolina. He used recycled milk jugs and combined polystyrene and high-density polyethylene to build a bridge capable of supporting heavy military tanks. His latest work is also being used to make erosion-resistant railroad beams, pilings, planks and bulkheads. In an interview with Business Wire, he states, “It’s a great honor for any group of peers to recognize one’s work, and this is no exception. Since my undergraduate days I’ve dedicated my career to finding a solution to the large amounts of waste that normally end up in landfills. If we can continue to search for innovative ways to convert garbage to useful products or energy, we’re going to find ourselves a lot closer to solving some of the world’s most pressing environmental and sustainability issues. And the solutions aren’t hard to find. They just take creativity, dedication and sometimes a little luck. Okay, maybe a lot of luck.” Dr. Nosker is a 1975 graduate of St. Pius X. He received his Bachelors degree from Georgia Tech and his Ph.D. in Mechanics and Materials Science from Rutgers University.

For more information, please see the link below.

http://www.inventorsdigest.com/archives/6131

http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=BW&Date=20110411&ID=13292896

Ucinski Selected to GACA All-State Squad

Golden Lion Junior guard Emma Ucinski was selected to the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association AAA All-State team. Ucinksi was also voted to the 5-AAA All-Region team by the region coaches. She joins twenty-three other players selected to the GACA squad. Ucinski was also one of only seven members of the team that are not graduating this spring.

Ucinski started all 31 games of the season for the Golden Lions, leading the team in three-point field goals made, and assists. She was also the second leading scorer, and third leading rebounder on the season. She scored her season-high 20 points against Lovett, and lead the team with 14 games in double figures.

The Golden Lions finished the season with a 25-6 record, including a 12-0 mark in the sub-region. SPX knocked off Columbia for the Region 5-AAA Championship, and completed the season with an appearance in the State Quarterfinals before losing to eventual state runner-up, Dalton.

Quantcast AJC College Sports Recruiting St. Pius linebacker T.J. Holloman commits to South Carolina

April 11, 2011, by Michael Carvell, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

St. Pius linebacker T.J. Holloman committed to South Carolina on Sunday night. On Monday, he said his next order of business was recruiting his high school teammate for the Gamecocks — cornerback Geno Smith, who is a candidate to be Georgia’s No. 1 college football prospect for next year.

“I want to help South Carolina in recruiting by having the best 2012 class, starting by working on my teammate Geno,” Holloman said.

Holloman gave three reasons for picking the Gamecocks: “No. 1, Coach Spurrier stresses the importance of graduation and, as an athlete, it is important for me to excel in the classroom first. I believe in order to do well on the field, it starts in the classroom. No. 2, South Carolina has a winning record for the past two years and made it to the SEC Championship, showing the program is a great competitor in the best conference in the country. No. 3, when I attended the Spring Game I observed the number of fans there. I realized football is important to the fans in South Carolina and I am really big on fan support.”

The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder is being recruited by the Gamecocks at linebacker. Holloman also had scholarship offers from Louisville, Illinois and North Carolina State and was being evaluated by North Carolina and Vanderbilt, among others. He recently attended one of the Junior Days at Georgia, and had some early interest from Georgia Tech.

Read the full article on the AJC

SPX Mission Team travels to Mustard Seed Communities in Kingston, Jamaica

This Sunday morning (4/03) a group of teachers and students will travel to Mustard Seed Communities in Kingston Jamaica on behalf of St. Pius X Catholic High School. Mustard Seed cares for over 600 children in Jamaica that have severe mental and physical handicaps and have been abandoned by their families. Your generous support of St. Pius has helped to raise over $20,000 that will go directly back to the care of the children at Mustard Seed.

During our time at Mustard Seed Jamaica our group will be helping with the children, laying pipes, helping to build a new laundry facility, painting, and renovating a storage facility.

From 2010 Mission Trip:

Two SPX students selected as 2011 Governor's Honors

Two of our students were selected as 2011 Governor’s Honors Finalists.

Congratulations!

Taylor Halbig will represent St. Pius X in Spanish

Rebecca Ponce de Leon will represent SPX in Communicative Arts

Shakespeare comes to life through the
magic of film!

Mr. Scirocco's Sophomores use the magic of film to make Shakespeare come alive!

SPX Latin III Honors students to host
chariot race TODAY!

The Latin III Honors Students of St. Pius X Catholic High School will host and participate in a chariot race on Tuesday, March 29. The second annual event will be held at Maloof Stadium on the campus of St. Pius X at 9:45am. Gates will open at 9:30am. In the event of inclement weather, March 31 will serve as the make-up date.

The students of Susan Belmonte have designed and built their chariots. The event features five “factions” consisting of one charioteer and three “horses.” The “horses” are students in the class. There will be two heats of one half-lap around the track, with the championship as the Premiere Event.

The project also incorporates a video element as the event will be webcast at www.GHSA.tv/stpius. St. Pius X Director of Athletics Mark Kelly will announce the event.

The chariot race will kick off with a procession and music. There will also be a winner’s circle in which the victors will receive a laurel wreath to wear on their head in the Ancient Roman tradition. Fans will consist of other members of the St. Pius X student body, as well as family members of the chariot race participants.

The Second Annual St. Pius X Chariot Race

The Second Annual St. Pius X Chariot Race was held Tuesday, March 29 at Maloof Stadium. Students from Susan Belmonte’s Latin III Honors class put on a fabulous display of engineering ability, athletic prowess and unique creativity as they raced toward victory and the laurel wreath crowns. Students were broken into five factions: The Golden Snitch, The White Lion, The Fast and the Furious, The Smurfin’ Smurfs and The Godly Green Gorgeous Gang; each creating their own chariot. One person from the group was designated as the charioteer while two others acted as “horses.” Students from many classes came to cheer on their friends as they raced around the track in two heats. The first heat was a tough race between the white, red and gold factions, where team White Lion prevailed. The second heat was a close race until the final turn where the blue faction lost their charioteer and the green team was able to pull ahead. At the final heat, “Albus Leo” (translated “White Lion) and the Godly Green Gorgeous Gang fought a tough race to the finish, with the white faction prevailing. The entire race can be found online at www.ghsa.tv/stpius.

Dance performances at OLA

The Dance III and Dance Company classes performed a show for the entire student body at OLA on Tuesday, March 29.

AP Biology class holds its fourth annual trout release

Mr. Matt Lammers’ AP Biology class held its fourth annual trout release through the Trout in the Classroom program. Sponsored by Trout Unlimited, students were given the opportunity to raise Rainbow Trout from egg to fry. Through this project, they are given hands on experience throughout the semester, studying animal behavior, analyzing data and writing reports. On Saturday, March 26 students met at the Chattahoochee River to view macro-invertebrate samples, listen to a short informative speech from a member of Trout Unlimited and try their hands at fly fishing. To wrap up their day, students saw their hard work pay off as they release the fry they have so carefully raised throughout the semester.

Kirillov sets new pole vault record

Senior Nikita Kirillov set a St. Pius X record for the pole vault at the Coaches' Invitational at Georgia Tech last weekend. His vault of 17'2" broke his previous SPX record; a mark Kirillov has now broken ten times during his four years at St. Pius X.

While the vault is the top vault of all-time in Georgia, it is not officially recognized as the official state record. According to Georgia High School Association rules, the official state record must be set in the state meet. The vault is the top-ranked outdoor vault in the United States this season.

Archdiocesan Teen of the Year - 3 SPX Students named!

Three SPX students have been named Teen of the Year at their parish for their service and exemplary witness of their Catholic Faith.

Cole Grisham – Cathedral of Christ the King

Angela O’Donoghue – Our Lady of the Assumption

Dennis Walton Jr – Church of the Holy Cross

SPX Graduate Brendan Pilger Named SCAC Offensive Player-of-the-Week

Brendan Pilger (SPX '06), a senior at Oglethorpe University, was selected as the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Offensive Player-of-the-Week for March 14-20.

Pilger helped the Stormy Petrels win four straight games during the week, including one over number 3 ranked Wisconsin Stevens-Point (D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top 25 rankings for week 3). At the plate, Pilger batted .500 (7-14), scoring 11 runs, 5 runs batted in, 2 home runs, 5 doubles, and 4 base on balls. Pilger also stole 3 bases during the week.

For the season (through March 22), Pilger is hitting .391 with 5 HR, 20 RBI, 8 2B, and 15 SB. He leads the team in games played, runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs, runs batted in, slugging percentage, hit by pitch, on base percentage, and stolen bases.

Follow Pilger and Mark Hoban (SPX '07) on the Oglethorpe baseball website.

The Finish Lion 5K and Family Fun Run

The Finish Lion: 5K and Family Fun Run
Saturday, March 19
7am Registration 8am Race start

For more info click here

Closing the GAP through POSSIBILITIES

SPX Boys Soccer

THe SPX varsity soccer team recently completed a team service project preparing and delivering food to the Atlanta Central Night Shelter.

The Central Night Shelter is a ministry of hospitality and compassion to homeless men in downtown Atlanta. It occupies space in two churches, Central Presbyterian and the neighboring Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

For further information about how to volunteer see below:

http://www.cpcatlanta.org/night_shelter

NHS is offering tutoring

NHS is offering tutoring on Tuesday and Thursday mornings in the library viewing room in core subjects. For complete information please click here.

Ashe sets National Record

Senior Shelby Ashe set a national record in the weight throw this weekend at the New Balance Indoor Nationals in New York. Her throw of 20.79 meters, shattered her old mark of 19.93 meters.

For more on Ashe's accomplishments, click here.

"Soul to Sole"-Spring Dance Concert

Girls' Basketball finishes season #4 in AJC poll

After a season which saw a region championship, a playoff run to the Elite Eight, and undefeated sub-region, the Golden Lions varsity girls' basketball team concluded the season ranked #4 in the Final Atlanta Journal-Constitution AAA Poll.

The Golden Lions completed the season with a 25-6 record, and the first region championship in four years. SPX knocked off defending state campion, Columbia, 43-40 on a last second shot by junior Anne Lloyd Bean in the finals. The wins were the most in a season since the 2006-07 State Championship campaign. SPX also defeated rival Marist for the first time since that same season.

Junior Sydni Payne led the Golden Lions in scoring, with juniors Emma Ucinski and Anna O'Donnell being voted to the All-Region team by region coaches. O'Donnell also took the Region Tournament Most Valuable Player award. All five starters, including Elizabeth Elliott return for next season. The Golden Lions graduate just one senior.

Other members of the team include: Taylor Krause, Dylan Krause, Mary Kate Standard, Lily Williamson, Aarika Znosko, Liz Schneider, Anna Kate Shepherd, Mackenzie Garrison, and Avery McKenna.

Athletic Association Board Meeting Notes

Highlights from the Board Meeting on March 7, 2011

Aaron Parr has been named the Head Varsity Boys' Basketball Coach.
Spring Coke Sale Pick-up is scheduled for Saturday, March 26 and volunteers are still needed due to the numerous athletic events scheduled for that day
If you are interested in serving on the Board, contact Bob Remmes or Mark Kelly.

Re-enrollment forms are now available

2011-2012 Re-Enrollment Forms

Download All Forms at Once, or download individually below.
Re-enrollment fee coupon 2011-2012
Tuition Payment Intention 2011-2012
Clinic Card
Clinic Card Confidential Family Student Info
Families In Action Pledge

[These documents and others can be found here: http://www.spx.org/ParentsDocumentsandForms]

SACS visits SPX for five year accreditation review

On February 28 through March 2, St. Pius X will be hosting it's five year accreditation review. St. Pius X is dually accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS). This dual accreditation was achieved five years ago during a comprehensive review and is an accomplishment of which we are very proud and would like to continue.

The six-member visiting team will be chaired by Mr. Jim McIntyre, the President of Father Ryan High School in Nashville, Tennessee. He will be assisted by five educators from around the South, with four of those coming from other Catholic schools. The team will spend three days on campus analyzing our data and interviewing faculty, staff and parents with the goal of validating our successes, and with “fresh eyes” offering suggestions for improvement.

7th Annual Juried Arts winners

On February 18, the Fine Arts Department held their Seventh Annual Juried Arts Exhibit. The pieces (in such categories as: Painting, Drawing, Mixed-Media, Photography, Ceramics, 2D Design and 3D Design) were judged by Ms. Lisa Guyton and Mr. Bill Collier. Ms. Guyton is currently an art instructor at Chamblee Charter High School and received her MFA in painting from American University. She also holds a B.S. in journalism from Ohio University. Mr. Bill Collier is a trained painter who attended the University of Augusta and Georgia State University. He has judged many art shows in DeKalb County and is also the husband of our very own English teacher, Mrs. Jan Collier.

A special thanks to all of our artists and parent volunteers who helped make our show a great success! The artwork will be on display through March 25, please feel free to come see the work of our talented students today!

Congratulations to our winners:

Category
Student Class Title Place

3-D Design
Gaffney Taylor 2013 Lady and Child 1st
Jessica Mall 2013 Sail boat 2nd
Alee Oliveri 2011 Life's Delicate Balance 3rd
Colin O'Leary 2011 Dark Space Taken by Life HM
Jenna Ferrara 2011 Cheetah HM

Ceramics
Courtney Wesa 2012 Minoan Marine Bowl 1st
Courtney Wesa 2012 Twig and Squirrel Box 2nd
MadelineDriscoll-Miller 2011 African Woman clay pot 3rd
Robbie Martin 2012 Kylix 3rd
Courtney Wesa 2012 Psalm Vase HM
Melanie Latty 2011 Untitled HM

Photography
Simone Savoie 2014 Winter Hawk 1st
Emma Cramer 2012 Take the Plunge 2nd
Grayson Holt 2013 Green Aspens 3rd
Cameron Cassan 2012 Memorable Moment HM
Cameron Cassan 2012 Deception for Your Pleasure HM

Painting
Justin Baker 2011 Engine 1st
Max Williams 2011 El Roy 2nd
Kate Morris 2012 Just Stopping By 3rd
Reid McArthur 2012 Bullwinkle HM
Meghann Girard 2011 Self Portrait HM

2-D Design
Mara Suarez 2012 Alice 1st
Mara Suarez 2012 Out of Place 2nd
Amanda Yestrumsky 2011 Just for Kicks 3rd
Emma Cramer 2012 Closed In HM

Drawing
Meghann Girard 2011 Sheets 1st
Gabrielleb Mancini 2014 A Guitarist's Expression 2nd
Reid MacArthur 2012 Sheets 3rd
Justin Baker 2011 Justin Baker and Shades HM
Meghann Girard 2011 Jerry HM

Mixed Media
Max Williams 2011 Stars and Stripes 1st
Alee Oliveri 2011 Fantastic Flight 1st
Kate Morris 2012 Composition 2nd
Andrea Papania 2011 Collage 3rd

Best In Show
Gaffney Taylor Lady and Child 1st
Simone Savoie Winter Hawk 2nd
Meghann Girard Sheets 3rd

Click here to view the photo gallery

Today's Season Opener

This week we play at Druid Hills and Alpharetta.

Go Lions

Athletic Association Board Meeting Notes

HIGHLIGHTS OF ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION BOARD MEETING (1-31-11)

Varsity Girls' and Boys' Basketball Host Marist this Saturday, Feb. 5 at 6pm & 7:30pm. Please get the word out.
Spring picture day is scheduled for Saturday February 19th. Time slot info to be distributed soon.
Coke sale pickup date March 26th...plan ahead for staffing
Please get the word out about the Boys/Girls Swimming and Diving State Finals on Saturday February 12th at Georgia Tech. Having lots of fans in the stands would be a real boost for the athletes.
Please be thinking of folks who would make a good addition to the Board for next year and pass along names/thoughts to Bob Remmes or Mark Kelly.

20th Annual Dad's Morning of Recollection with Monsignor Lopez

Once again, Monsignor Richard Lopez will be providing inspiration and guidance to fathers at a “Dad’s Morning of Recollection” on Saturday, January 29th at St. Pius X Catholic High School. Monsignor Lopez, a renowned speaker and religion teacher at St. Pius X, will meet with fathers to discuss pertinent and timely issues.

Fr. Dan Ketter of St. Jude parish will assist Msgr. Lopez in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) for the dads.

All past, present and future St. Pius X alumni, fathers, grandfathers and friends are invited to celebrate our shared faith and commitment to fatherhood. The morning starts at 8:30 AM with Mass, followed by a doughnuts and coffee. This is followed by a presentation by Monsignor Lopez, discussion, and question and answer sessions. Lunch and the sacrament of reconciliation conclude the event at about 1:30 PM.

To register please send an email

Devon Dabney named All-American by USA Triathlon

St. Pius X sophomore, Devon Dabney was named one of five Female Youth Elite All-Americans by USA Triathlon. In addition to her honor, Dabney also captured the Bronze Medal in the USA Youth Elite National Championships in San Diego last year.

Dabney, a member of USA Triathlon’s Southeast Junior High Performance Triathlon team, won the Southeast Triathlon Junior Development Race Series for the second consecutive year in 2010. She was also named an All-American Triathlete in 2009. She competes in Cross Country, Track & Field and Swimming at SPX.

According to the press release by USA Triathlon announcing the honor, Dabney is considered one of the top “up-and-coming” triathletes in the United States. The award is also based on an individual’s performances in top junior and youth draft-legal events as well as being based on their final national ranking. USA Triathlon is the National Governing Body of the sport, according to their Web site.

William Brazell selected for Junior Olympic Team

St. Pius X senior William Brazell has been selected by USA Shooting to be on the 2011 Junior Olympic Team, which serves as the development team for the Olympics. William took home the gold medal at the 2010 Georgia State Tournament and recently won the bronze medal at the National Junior Olympics Shooting Championships in Colorado Springs. The Junior Olympic Team is selected annually based on an individual shooter’s performance in recent shooting events, volunteer activities, academic performance and the National Coach’s judgment on potential for future success.

7th Annual Juried Visual Arts Exhibition

Mark your calendars for the Seventh Annual Juried Visual Arts Exhibition that will take place on February 18th, 2011 at 7:00 pm in the arts wing. This celebration of St. Pius Visual Arts will include a juried student competition, awards for outstanding student art work, and an exhibition opening celebrating all the participating artists. Art work in the following categories will be exhibited: Painting, Printmaking, Photography, 2D Design, 3D design, Drawing, Mixed Media, and Ceramics. The deadline for students to submit their work to Mrs. Brannon, SPX Visual Arts Department, is February the 4th. Please check the Visual Arts website for a submission form. The awards ceremony on February 18th will be held in the Young Center for the Performing Arts at 7:00 pm. A reception in the art room will follow the award ceremony.

Click here to download the Submission Form

First Semester Principal's/Dean's List Mass and Reception -Thursday 1/20

First semester Principal's/Dean's list students and their parents are invited to attend Mass and a reception on Jan. 20, 2011.

Principal Deans List pdf

Homecoming Basketball Games this Friday

The annual Basketball Homecoming games will be held this Friday night, Jan. 21 as the Golden Lions host Region 5A opponent Washington. The girls' team will tip off against the Bulldogs at 6pm, while the boys' game begins at 7:30pm.

The Golden Lions will also have a "White Out" in conjunction with the games, and everyone wearing a white t-shirt will receive a free sno-cone. Be sure to wear white on Friday night.

The Homecoming Court, as well as King and Queen, will be introduced at halftime of the boys' game.

Earlier this season the girls' knocked off Washington, and the boys' lost a tight battle to the Bulldogs in early December. Wear white and cheer loud this Friday night.

Golden Lion Athletics Back in Action

After a week of inactivity last week, the Golden Lion athletic teams are back in action with Basketball and Swimming and Diving competing today, while Wrestling hosts a Mutliple Team Meet Wednesday, Jan. 19.

The Golden Lion cagers travel to Druid Hills for a Region 5A battle that begins with the girls' game at 5:30pm, with the boys' tipping at 7pm. Both teams return back home to meet Region 5A foe, Washington in the Winter Homecoming games. The girls' game will tip off at 6pm, and the boys' playing at 7:30pm. Be sure to wear white this Friday night.

Swimming and Diving take to the pool this afternoon at 5:30pm, facing rival Blessed Trinity at Marist. They will also take on Lakeside at Lakeside, Monday, Jan. 24 at 5pm.

Finally, Wrestling hosts a meet Wednesday, Jan. 19 at 5pm, and travel to the Southeastern Prep Meet on Friday afternoon at Holy Innocents' at 5:30pm.

Gunnar Bentz sets Swim Records

St. Pius X freshman Gunnar Bentz recently broke two school records. On December 18, at the Third Annual Madeleine Jude Brown Invitational, Bentz broke records in both the 100 meter butterfly (51.84) and the 200 meter individual medley (1:55.81).

Currently, he also holds two national records in the short course 200 meter breaststroke (2:01.7) and the long course 200 meter breaststroke (2:20.4).

We wish him continued luck and look forward to what the rest of this season will hold!

St. Pius X Honored by Atlanta Magazine

St. Pius X was featured in the January 2011 issue of Atlanta Magazine as one of the top all-around schools. The magazine ranked each high school by comparing course offerings, facilities, extracurricular activities and awards. St. Pius X was positioned at the top of the list in language arts, math and science, fine arts and sports. This is a fine tribute to the entire St. Pius X community.

SPX Debate Team featured on patch.com local newspaper article

SPX Christmas Classic Tournament Wraps Up

The 11th Annual St. Pius X Christmas Classic has been a great event that showcased some great basketball talent from around the United States.

The girls championship was won by St. Pius X (TX) as they held off St. Pius X (GA), 57-50, while Tampa Catholic (FL) defeated St. Joseph's (SC) in the boys' final.

Final results for the tournament are shown below.

Girls:

St. Pius X (TX)
St. Pius X (GA)
Notre Dame (NY)
Xavier (LA)
St. John Villa (NY)
Mercy (NE)
St. Joseph's (SC)
Pinecrest (GA)

Boys:

Tampa Catholic (FL)
St. Joseph's (SC)
St. Pius X (TX)
Pinecrest (GA)
Brother Martin (LA)
St. Pius X (GA)
Belen Jesuit (FL)
St. Thomas More (DE)

Special thanks to all the volunteers who have worked tirelessly to make this even possible, as well as our sponsors - especially Coca-Cola, Dixie Seal & Stamp, and Employbridge.

Middle School Baseball Tryouts Announced

[Updated on January 19th, 2010]

The St. Pius X Golden Lion baseball program is proud to announce tryouts for the 2011 middle school teams. The league, now in its 12th year, has grown from six teams to thirty teams and includes three levels of competition. All games are conducted at Dunwoody Park on Roberts Road, in Dunwoody. St. Pius X traditionally forms two teams but the number of players available will ultimately determine the number of teams. Practice will begin in the second week of February and the playoffs end the 3rd week in April.

Please plan to attend tryouts on January 29th from 1:00pm – 5:00 PM registration and then tryouts, also January 30th from 2:00pm – 5:00pm at Rehoboth Baptist Church fields. If you cannot attend any or all the tryouts and you are an 8th grader please e-mail Andy May at andy@mmpconstruction.com; if you are a 6th or 7th grader please contact Chad Garrison at cgarrison@spx.org and we will try our best to accommodate you. Prospective players should dress in full uniform including hat, long baseball pants, cleats and protective cup. Please bring a glove, bat and helmet if possible. Catchers are encouraged to bring gear if available. Interested players should plan on attending both days. These teams are for players planning on attending St. Pius X Catholic High School; if you do not have an application turned into the school or are not planning on attending St. Pius X you will not be allowed on the team. To help expedite registration, please fill out the player information form and mail to St. Pius X Catholic High School Baseball, 2674 Johnson Rd. NE, Atlanta GA 30345 by Wednesday January 19th.

Extended Spring/Summer Season – Historically, we have offered a spring season of baseball for our middle school ballplayers. Like last year we'd like to offer an additional summer season for our players. This will include playing local tournaments throughout the months of May and June. Why join another summer team when you can capture the St. Pius experience and play on one team?

This is great opportunity to play competitive baseball and get to know your future teammates and classmates.

See you at Tryouts!

Avant and Smith made All-County Team!

Congratulations to Alex Avant and Geno Smith who have been chosen for the DeKalb County Football Coaches Association All-County Team.

SPX Football, 7th place ranking in the State Class AAA

Congratulations to the St Pius X football team who ended the season with at 9 & 3 record and a 7^th place ranking in the AJC poll of the State Class AAA.

CLASS AAA

Sandy Creek (15-0)
Carrollton (14-1)
Peach County (13-1)
Cairo (12-1)
Burke County (11-3)
Grady (11-2)
St. Pius X (9-3)
Baldwin (10-2)
Cedar Grove (8-5)
Gainesville (10-2)

Open Hitting and Pitching Dates

The hitting facility will be open for hitting and bullpen sessions during Christmas break and in January for pre-season workouts.

December

Monday December 20th – Thursday 23rd 12:30 to 3:30
Monday December 27th – Thursday 30th 12:30 to 3:30

January

Wednesday January 5th 4:00 to 6:00
Saturday and Sunday January 8th and 9th 12:30 to 3:30
Tuesday January 11th 4:00 to 6:00
Saturday and Sunday January 15th and 16th 12:30 to 3:30
Wednesday January 19th 4:00 to 6:00
Saturday and Sunday January 22nd and 23rd 12:30 to 3:30

Gap Year Fair

There will be a Gap Year Fair at Pace Academy on December 9, 2010, 6:30 - 8 PM. For more information, please click on the link below:

http://www.usagapyearfairs.org/index.html

Directions to Pace: https://www.paceacedemy.org/admissions/directions?rc=1

Meghann Girard and Max Williams who were both recognized at The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Congratulations to Meghann Girard and Max Williams who were both recognized at The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. This event is hosted annually by Georgia State University and is in affiliation with educational publishing company, Scholastic. Meghann won an Honorable Mention for her painting on a skateboard, titled “Noah,” and Max won a Silver Key Award for his submitted portfolio.

Golden Lion Middle School Holiday Hitting Clinic Announced

The St. Pius X Catholic High School Golden Lion baseball program is proud to announce the second annual Holiday Hitting Clinic for middle school baseball players.

The clinics will be held on Sunday, December 19th, 2010.

Players will work with the St. Pius X coaches in the state of the art hitting facility on the SPX campus for three hours to get their swing ready for the upcoming spring season.

Download the brochure and register today! (PDF)

2010 SPX Christmas Classic Posters

The 11th Annual St. Pius X Christmas Classic will be tipping off on December 27th. To show your support of this great event, we would be happy to send you a free 11x17 poster for you to display at your business location.

Please send your business name and mailing address to Dale Stanley before December 17th and he'll send you a poster!

For more information about the tournament, including brackets, teams, sponsorship information, and history, please visit: www.spx.org/SPXChristmasClassic.

Golden Lions Release Baseball Schedules

The 2010 5-AAA region champion St. Pius X Catholic High School Golden Lion baseball team has released the Spring 2011 schedule.

The team will open up the campaign with a scrimmage at Marist School (2010 AAAA state champion) on February 16. The region 5-AAA schedule will commence on March 14, when the team travels to Riverwood High School to take on the Raiders.

The Golden Lions will get a rematch with the team who eliminated them in the second round of the state playoffs last season, Ringgold (2010 AAA state runner-up), on March 5 at Carrollton High School as part of a 3 team round robin.

In addition to Marist and Ringgold, the non-region schedule includes games against three teams who advanced into the state playoffs last season: Forsyth Central High School (2010 AAAA state playoffs), Carrollton High School (2010 AAA state playoffs, 2nd round), and Blessed Trinity Catholic High School (2010 AA state semifinals).

The Golden Lions will hit the road during spring break to play four games. On April 2, they will play Benedictine (Savannah), then head further south to Florida to play Bartram Trail High School (St. Johns) on April 4, Bishop Kenny High School (Jacksonville) on April 5, and conclude the trip with Fernandina Beach High School (Fernandina Beach) on April 6.

The 5-AAA region playoffs are scheduled for April 27 and the AAA state playoffs start on May 6.

Schedules for the Junior Varsity and Freshman teams are also available. Schedules for the Middle School teams will be available in February.

Trey White Named DeKalb Neighbor Athlete of the Week

Putting up a lot of statistics is part of Trey White’s game, but Pius’ junior quarterback calculates more than numbers for the Golden Lions.

White, who missed about half the season with various injuries, sliced up the Allatoona defense for 149 yards rushing, 40 yards passing and two touchdowns in the St. Pius’ 24-17 victory last Friday.

Pius head coach Paul Standard said White’s value is not in his scrambling or throwing ability.

"He is a competitor and a winner," Standard said. "His leadership (against Allatoona) was evident when things started getting a little haywire. He was the one who settled them down."

Read the full article on the DeKalb Neighbor website.

National Spanish Exam at SPX

St. Pius x is pleased to offer the National Spanish Exam (for levels 1st-4th year). The exam will be administered 16 March 2011 in the morning at Pius. Students who are interested must sign-up with Mrs. Debbie Guilbeau in person in room 219. It is free to take the exam but space is limited. Students are to see Mrs. Guilbeau in person before December.

St. Pius Runs Past Allatoona

By Chip Saye, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

St. Pius gave Allatoona a rude welcome to playoff football for a quarter and a half Friday in their first-round Class AAA game.

By the time Allatoona got settled in, the damage had been done.
Quarterback Trey White ran for one touchdown and passed for another as the Golden Lions (9-2) built a 21-0 lead and then held on for a 24-17 victory to advance to the second round. Allatoona, a third-year Cobb school making its first appearance in the playoffs, finished the year at 8-3.

Read the full article on the AJC website.

View the photo gallery on the AJC website.

Chris Philpott class of 2008 named Academic All-American

Chris Philpott, SPX class of 2008 and member of the University of Louisville football team was recently inducted as an Academic All-American and member of the Golden Key International Honor Society at the University of Louisville.

NHS Food Drive Kicks off Nov. 8th

Get ready--the annual NHS Thanksgiving Food Drive is upon us so start collecting canned goods for St. Vincent de Paul. Boxes will be placed in every homeroom beginning on Monday, November 8 and will be collected on Friday, November 12. The homeroom that gathers the most will get Chik Fil A breakfast the following week. There's a great need this year so please be generous.

Competition Cheerleaders head to State Competiton

Competition Cheerleaders capture the Region at the Region Championship
Meet at Starr's Mill High School. The team will be going to State Competition
this Friday and Saturday in Columbus.

11th Annual Christmas Classic Sponsorships Available

The 11th Annual St. Pius X Christmas Classic (December 27-29, 2010) brings together sixteen basketball teams from eight states. The three day event has become one of the premier Catholic school tournaments in the country.

The St. Pius X Athletic Association is currently looking for sponsors of this event.

Sponsorship packages are available for families ($100) and businesses ($300+). The packages offer great advertising for organizations looking to reach out to the Catholic community.

For more information about the tournament and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.spx.org/SPXChristmasClassic.

Boys' XC Captures State Championship

The Golden Lions boys’ cross country team captured the state championship this past weekend with a record breaking year. The team ran the five fastest times in St. Pius X history. Senior Brendan Hoban placed second overall with a time of 15:48 and is currently one of the fastest runners in Georgia. Among the top runners, Austin Sprague, Calvin Tirrell, Lee Kaufman, Chris Beach, Paul McNeil and Casey Shaw. Despite conditions at the race and losing favorite Colin O’Leary to an emergency appendectomy days before the race, the team still prevailed.

After the St. Pius X girls’ cross country team captured the Region 5-AAA win, the team was hopeful for a second consecutive state championship. The girls’ faced a tough season, battling numerous injuries to top runners, including Devon Dabney, Holly Kilpatrick, Katy Gilbert and Ellen Osment. The team placed third, behind Columbus and North Hall in the final race of the season, with frontrunner Erin Osment, placing fourth overall.

Emily Morrison named to AAA All State First Team.

Emily Morrison was named to the Georgia Volleyball Coaches Association All State Team for AAA on Saturday. The team is announced each year at the state senior all-star game. Emily was one of only two sophomores selected for this honor after a season where she led the Golden Lions to a 32-18 record, the area championship and a final ranking of 5th in the state coaches poll. Emily was the team leader in kills for the season.

Also announced was the all area team for 5AAA. Selected for that honor were libero Ella Anastasiades, setter Grace McGoldrick, outside hitter Emily Morrison and middle hitter Chelsea Onuorah. This team was selected by the area coaches so you had to be noticed by your opposition in order to gain this honor. Congratulations to these ladies on a fine season!

Athletic Association Fall Golf Outing

The 25th Annual Athletic Association Fall Outing was held, Monday, November 1 at Northwood Country Club. With Robert Maloof, the founder of the event 25 years ago serving as the Honorary Starter, several foursomes teed it up, as well as enjoyed good food, fun and great auction items. No one captured the hole-in-one prize of a 2011 Lexus RX350 SUV from Hennessey Lexus. Presenting Sponsors of the event were Chick-fil-a and Wolverton and Associates.

For a slideshow gallery, click here.

SPX Alumnus Authors Children's Book

Christopher Eck ('84) has authored and illustrated his first children's book. The book, The Story of Gumbo Yah-Yah the Blue Alligator and the Big Storm, revolves around the story of Gumbo the Blue Alligator. Gumbo runs away from home after the constant teasing from his 13 brothers. Gumbo arrives in New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina and realizes that his plights pales in comparison to those of the Crescent City. He goes about trying to help others in need during the events after the Hurricane.

Eck is donating all proceeds from the book to four charities rebuilding New Orleans neighborhoods, educating children and preserving the culture and sense of place in the Big Easy. For more information, visit www.gumboyahyah.com.

Boys' & Girls' XC Capture Region Titles

The Golden Lion boys' and girls' cross country teams ran away with the Region 5-AAA titles this past weekend at the Mercer University Course. Seniors Brendan Hoban and Erin Osment won both individual crowns, while sophomore Devon Dabney took region runner-up on the girls' side.

Both teams will compete in the State Meet this weekend in Carrollton. The girls' harriers will be looking to take home the State Title for the second consecutive year under veteran coach, Debbie Guilbeau. The boys' squad, ranked #1 in AAA in the State, under second-year coach Ryan McCley look to win the State Championship for the first time since 1996.

St. Pius DB Geno Smith is candidate for Mr. Georgia Football for 2011

By Michael Carvell, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Barring an unforeseen set of circumstances, Carver-Columbus tailback Isaiah Crowell will likely wrap up Mr. Georgia Football honors for this year, along with several national awards. He is — pure simply — nothing short of greatness. Really, the only thing that will stop Mr. Crowell’s ascension is a serious injury or his team’s early exit from the state playoffs.

I hope Mr. Crowell has a lot of space somewhere in his home because a lot of awards project to fall his way.

What about the state’s No. 1 junior? I’m really liking St. Pius cornerback Geno Smith, who has about 10 major-college offers, including Georgia Tech, UGA and Florida. (Note: Auburn, the first school to offer, appears to be the favorite).

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Smith was matched up this past week against Booker T. Smith WR Zack Witchett (committed to UGA) and had one interception, along with 5 tackles and 2 pass breakups.

While Smith is set on playing defense in college, he helps out St. Pius on offense in high school. Against a speedy Washington defense, Smith had 11 carries for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns

Geno Smith Candidate for Mr. Football 2011

St. Pius X junior Geno Smith has been listed as a contender for Mr. Football 2011 in the state of Georgia. Smith, who is rated the number one junior in Georgia by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is a starting defensive back and running back for the Golden Lions.

For more on Smith, read the blog by AJC High School beat writer, Michael Carvell, here.

11th Annual Christmas Classic

While most students and parents will celebrate an extended Christmas during the Holiday break, the St. Pius X boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball teams will take to the court in the 11th Annual St. Pius X Christmas Classic, December 27-29. The event, which is widely known as the one of the premier Catholic School tournaments in the nation, featured eight boys’ and eight girls’ basketball teams from eight different states, including defending boys’ champion Brother Martin (LA). In addition, fans may think they are seeing double as there will be two St. Pius X teams participating in the tournament. St. Pius X High School from Houston, Texas will be participating in each division.

The tournament will officially begin with a Mass and banquet for the participating teams on Sunday night, December 26. Opening up the games on Monday at 1:30 p.m. will be a girls’ division game between Mercy (NE) and Notre Dame Academy (NY). Other girls’ games include Xavier Prep (LA) vs. St. John Villa (NY), St. Pius X (TX) vs. Pinecrest, and the Golden Lions tipping off at 6 p.m. against St. Joseph’s (SC).

The boys’ division starts with Pinecrest taking on St. Thomas More Prep (DE) at 3:30 p.m. Defending champion Brother Martin (LA) battles Tampa Catholic at 4 p.m., while St. Pius X (TX) matches up with Belen Jesuit (FL). The nightcap at 8 p.m. features the Golden Lions taking on St. Joseph’s (SC).

Play will resume on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. with eight games in both gyms and again on Wednesday at 11 a.m. The girls’ championship game will begin at 5 p.m. on Dec. 29, while the boys’ final tips off at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 per day or a 3-day tournament pass can be purchased for $12.

The title sponsors for this year's tournament are Coca-Cola, Dixie Seal & Stamp, and Employbridge. For more information about the tournament, including advertising in the tournament game program contact Mark Krause at mkrause@ups.com or Dev Maguire at dmaguire@bbandt.com.

Baseball Tryouts Announced

The St. Pius X Golden Lions baseball coaching staff is pleased to announce the 2011 baseball tryouts schedule.

Tryouts will be held from Monday, January 31, 2011 to Saturday, February 5, 2011. Team rosters will be posted on the website on Sunday, February 6, 2011.

Students who are interested in trying out should download the documents below:

The most up-to-date information will always be available at www.spx.org/Baseball so please check back often.

St. Pius defeats Washington

By Michael Carvell, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - St. Pius rebounded from last week’s loss with a 40-6 victory over Booker T. Washington on Friday.

AJC.com

Size isn't everything in high school football

By Michael Carvell, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Size isn't everything in high school football. Here are some smaller players having success in the sport: William Kennon, St. Pius: The 5-8, 160-pounder starts at offensive guard.

Softball Earns 5 Region Honors

The Varsity Softball Team ended a successful season, winning two thirds of their games and finishing with a record of 24-11-1. The Lady Lions also won a third consecutive region championship, the first time any fast-pitch softball team at SPX has won 3 region titles in a row. The team again advanced to the second round of the State Tournament - the "Sweet Sixteen" round. The 2010 season was highlighted by outstanding pitching, productive offense, and stellar defense.

Five members of our program also earned All-Region recognition this year. The All-Region First Team included Rebecca Ponce de Leon (pitcher), Natasha Sherrod and Becca Schaaf (outfield), and Liz Schneider (third base). Liz Schneider was also named the Region 5-AAA PLAYER OF THE YEAR! Coach Joe Winland was once again chosen as the Region 5-AAA Coach of the Year. Congratulations!

School Calendar

The St. Pius X Calendar can be found here: http://www.spx.org/calendar_list.asp?ViewType=MonthGrid&Go=Go&c=1

Email Addresses

To email Faculty and Staff, please go to our Faculty and Staff page: http://www.spx.org/FacultyStaff
and click on the Faculty/Staff members name. You will then see an option to email them.

Employment

St. Pius X Catholic High School is operated by Catholic Education of North Georgia, Inc. which establishes policies governing the programs and administration of diocesan schools.

Catholic Education of North Georgia, Inc. is an integral part of the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

For all employment opportunities, please go to www.archatl.com

Blue Angels visit SPX

On Friday, October 15, St. Pius X High School was honored to have hosted the Navy Blue Angels. The Navy Blue Angels performed Saturday and Sunday in front of over 200,000 people at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta. About 350 students and teachers attended the assembly and were treated to a demonstration video and talk by AME1 Keith Neville and Blue Angel # 2 pilot, Lt. Jim Tomaszeski of Jacksonville, Fl. The students were really inspired and honored that the Blue Angels came to Pius.

L-R: Gy Sgt Johnnie Mack, LCDR Jim Tomaszeski, AME1 Keith Neville, CDR Dave Koss

Lt. Jim Tomaszeski and AME1 Keith Neville spoke to approximately 350 SPX students and teachers who were in attendance. Lt. Jim spoke about his desire to join the Navy for adventure after he graduated from FSU in Creative Writing. He said after college, he didn’t know what he wanted to do.

Softball wins First Round of State Tournament

The Varsity softball team swept a doubleheader to win the first round of the State Softball Tournament. They now advance to second "Sweet Sixteen" round and will play a doubleheader here at St. Pius X on October 20th. The Lady Lions advanced by defeating the Gilmer County Bobcats, winning 2 - 0 and then 12 - 4. In the first game, Natasha Sherrod pitched a 3-hit shutout, striking out 9 Bobcats in the process. The Bobcat pitcher was almost as tough. The Lady Lions finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth with a bunt single by Trish Feeney, who later scored on a single by Liz Schneider. Rebecca Ponce de Leon added an insurance run with her fourth home run of the season.

In the second game, the Lady Lions fell behind 4 - 0, but the bats ROARED back in the third inning as we batted around and scored seven runs to take the lead. Rebecca Ponce de Leon, pitching in relief, stifled the Bobcats by not allowing a hit. Our final runs were scored in fifth inning, capped off by a GRAND SLAM HOME RUN by Sarah Rawls.

Senior Phuong Ninh has been named one of the nation's outstanding writers...

Senior Phuong Ninh has been named one of the nation’s outstanding writers through the 2010 NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing program. This program was established in 1957 to encourage and recognize high school students’ writing abilities; mainly their ability to demonstrate effective and imaginative use of language to inform and move an audience. Assessments of student writing are also based on students’ samples of their own best prose or verse and on impromptu themes written under supervision. Students are nominated in their junior year for the award and entries come from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Canada and American schools abroad. Entries are judged by a team of English teachers.

Phuong, who has been taught by Carrie Stockard, Mike Scirocco, Jan Collier and most recently, Mary Martha Spear, was one of twelve Georgians named and has received a certificate of accomplishment. This honor has been received by only 35 St. Pius X students since 1969. This year, St. Pius X was one of eight Georgia schools whose student(s) won the award.

More information can be found on the NCTE website at http://www.ncte.org/awards/student/aa.

Congratulations!!! Savannah Tully and Jake Henderson selected as finalist on Doodle 4 Google Competition

Freshman Savannah Tully was selected as 1 of 400 State Finalists. There were a total 33,000 entries across the country.

She joins Freshman Jake Henderson also was a State Finalist in Doodle 4 Google winner '08. He and Savannah both attended St.John Neumann. Congrats to Tech teacher Mrs. Mintz at SJN for entering the students.

Fields of Dreams Reaches Goals

Fields of Dreams Reaches Goal

On September 29, Principal Steve Spellman addressed the student body with an update on the Expanding Our Legacy Campaign. With overwhelming response, the St. Pius X community has pulled together to reach the Fields of Dreams interim goal of over $5 million in gifts and pledges, bringing us closer to the $8 million campaign goal.

Officials have secured short term financing from the Archdiocese of Atlanta to begin the construction process while pledges continue to be filled and additional support is secured. Looking to the future, additions have been made to the sports complex, such as an underground detention pond and synthetic turf surface. The preliminary estimate for the construction of the fields stands at approximately $2 million. According to Director of Development David Buechner, “While we are very proud to announce we have reached our interim goal, we must continue to gather financial support for this project.”

We are moving forward with the faith that our St. Pius X community will continue to support this project through gifts and pledges through construction. There are still plenty of opportunities to donate. For more information, please visit the web site at www.spx.org and click “Support SPX.”

Thank you to all who have made donations and offered prayers for this great project. Our Fields of Dreams will soon become a reality.

Lady Lions Capture Area 5AAA Volleyball Crown With 3-0 Win Over Riverwood

Dominating sets 1 and 3 and coming back from a big deficit and making the key plays down the stretch, the Golden Lion Volleyball squad defeated Riverwood 3 sets to love today. The victory was the teams 3rd straight area championship and set them up to host games for at least the first two rounds of the state tournament. Grace McGoldrick did an outstanding job of distributing the ball with 27 assists and Emily Morrison (9 kills), Leah Hardeman (6 kills), & Kallen Arvidson (4 kills) kept the Raiders on their heels all match. Outstanding passing by Sam Hebda, Catherine Evelyn and Ella Anastasiades also helped to propel the Lions to victory. Catherine Evelyn also had the mojo working from the service line with 21 service attempts and 3 aces. Led by Chelsea Onuorah with three, the Lions had six different players pick up blocks in the match. The team's first state playoff match will be on Saturday, October 16th. The team will honor its seniors following the match. The opponent and time of the match are still to be determined by results of other area tournaments this weekend.

Softball Wins Region Championship!

The Varsity softball team won their third consecutive Region Championship by finishing undefeated in the region tournament. The Lady Lions swept through four games in winning the tournament, and now have a record of 22-9-1. We advance to the state playoffs and will host the first round here on our HOME FIELD at St. Pius X. Turnout on October 13^th to cheer our team on when we play a doubleheader here at St. Pius X. Let’s go LIONS!

Golden Lions Come Up Just Short In Claws For a Cause Event ...... Again!

Last nights Claws for a Cause event at St. Pius X could not have ended with a closer match. In last years match up St. Pius X won the first two sets only to see Marist come back to win sets 3 & 4 and pull out a close set 5 winning big on match point. This years match was a complete mirror image. The War Eagles struck first winning sets 1 & 2 before the Lions struck back to even the match after 4 sets. In the deciding fifth set, Marsit got out to a quick 4-0 lead and was in control until the Golden Lions came charging back to take a lead a 16-15. The mirror image part ended there as the War Eagles pulled out the last three points for an 18-16 win. The Golden Lions were led in the match by Grace McGoldrick, who had 44 assists for #3 all time on the single match assist list, 3.5 blocks, and 12 digs. Emily Morrison had 18 kills for the match tying for 4th all time at St. Pius X. Ella Anastasiades contributed 17 digs and 3 aces in the match.

While the Marist team won the match, the big winner of the night was the Freedom Alliance. The event was a charity event put on by the two teams as a joint effort. The goal is to raise money for a great cause and also show that despite being fierce rivals on court, what these two schools have in common is far greater than what divides us. We hope next week to have a total amount raised during the event to announce, but all proceeds from the gate, concessions, bake sale and T-shirts sales are headed to the Freedom Alliance. The Freedom Alliance is an organization that provides scholarship funds for children of fallen service members. The team was honored by the presence last night of Pius parent Major Jeff Parks who recently returned from a tour in Afganistan and spoke briefly at the event on behalf of the Freedom Alliance. A big thank you to all of the Pius parents who helped make this such a wonderful event and showcase for our volleyball program.

Softball defeats Marist!

The Varsity softball team defeated Marist 1-0 to end their regular season in thrilling fashion! Outstanding pitching by Natasha Sherrod and great defense by the entire team held the War Eagles at bay throughout six scoreless innings. In the top of the seventh inning, with two outs and the bases empty, Rebecca Ponce de Leon hit a towering HOME RUN over the center field fence for a 1-0 lead. The Lady Lions held in the bottom of the seventh for the victory. Early in the game there were several outstanding defensive plays. Dylan Krause raced to the left field line and held a Marist player to a single, keeping her out of scoring position. Rebecca Ponce de Leon completed an unassisted double play by catching a line drive and stepping on first to double off the runner. Second baseman Natalie Corso later fielded a ground ball, tagged the runner, and then threw on to first to complete the double play. Becca Schaaf raced deep into center field to catch a drive by Marist. Way to go Lions!

With a regular season record of 18-9-1, and a region record of 6-0, the Lady Lions finished in first place in Sub-Region 5A. Our first game in the Region Tournament is September 30th versus McNair. Let's Go Lions!

Varsity softball finishes in First Place

The varsity softball finished in first place in 5-AAA Sub-Region A, with a perfect 6-0 record. The Lady Lions also won their bracket of the Brookwood Invitational Tournament on September 18th with wins over Central Gwinnett, Starrs Mill, and Veterans High School. The Lions outscored their opponents 21-9 and won a difficult International Tie Breaker over Starrs Mill.

This week the Lady Lions will begin the Region 5-AAA tournament with a game Thursday against McNair. Let's go Lions!

You Rock! Now Roll...Blood Drive

You Rock! Now Roll...Up Your Sleeve!"

Thursday October 7th, 2010

9am-3pm

In the Practice Gym

Sign-ups will be on a first-come basis in the cafeteria during lunch on Wednesday, Sept. 22 for seniors; Thursday, Sept 23 through Friday, September 24 for all students 16 and older

Fort information please email spxblooddrive@yahoo.com or call Mark Kelly at 404.636.3023

St. Pius blanks North Springs 62-0

By Chris Coheley, The Dunwoody Crier - The St. Pius X Golden Lions dominated the ball on both sides as they beat the North Springs Spartans 62-0.

“Our line did a great job of getting pressure on their quarterback all night, and our defensive backs jumped them. We put our second, third, and fourth strings in but we didn’t let up and we kept sticking it to them,” junior linebacker Joseph Crochet said.

The Dunwoody Crier

DeKalb Neighbor Male Athlete of the Week

By Matt Nascone
DeKalb Neighbor Newspaper

There was one major reason St. Pius head football coach Paul Standard did not fret when starting quarterback Trey White went down with an injury in week two. That reason’s name is T.J. Hollomon.

Hollomon, Pius’ junior quarterback, is 2-0 and has rushed for 333 yards and four touchdowns in two starts out of the wing-T offensive scheme.

“T.J. has done a great job taking on that leadership role,” Standard said. “Our quarterback has to make a lot of decisions in our offense. We alert at the line of scrimmage every play, and he has handled that well.”

Read the full article on the DeKalb Neighbor Newspaper website.

Gee Wins Starting Safety Job After Earning Coaching Staff's Trust

By Brian Bencomo – The Cornell Daily Sun

It’s not too often that a true freshman is impressive enough early on to win a starting spot on a collegiate football team from game one, but that is precisely what freshman safety Brian Gee has done. Gee, who hails from Atlanta, Ga., came to the team with much promise, but it wasn’t clear from the start of training camp that he would be one of the two starting safeties.

Full story at The Cornell Daily Sun

Lions' Roar

By Matt Nascone
DeKalb Neighbor Newspaper

There has been no shortage of offensive yards for the St. Pius X football team in the opening weeks of the season.

Through the first three weeks of the season, the Golden Lions (3-1) were averaging 394 yards per game. Pius, ranked No. 8 in the GACA Class AAA poll, rushed for 454 yards against No. 7 North Hall Sept. 10 in a 49-8 victory.

Head coach Paul Standard said his team has “grown up” a lot since a 20-12 loss to rival Westminster in week one. The blowout of North Hall was evidence of that fact.

“We really just had a great night,” Standard said. “We executed well, they didn’t and we took advantage of some of their mistakes. I was very pleased with that.”

Read the full article on the DeKalb Neighbor Newspaper website.

St. Pius X Volleyball Finishes Lovett Block Party as Yellow Bracket Runner-Up

Losses to Pope (#6 nationally) and Hoover (AL) in a very tough pool play dropped the Lady Lions into the third division of the Lovett Block Party Tournament. The team rebounded to reach the finals of that division before falling in a closely contested match to McIntosh. The team opened the tournament with a comfortable victory over Landmark Christian. Chelsea Onourah led the way with 6 kills and a .666 hitting percentage. That was followed by an emotional victory over Lakeside in a battle of McGoldrick's. Pius' Grace McGoldrick had 17 assists and Emily Morrison 12 kills, hitting .407 to pace the offense. 17 digs by Ella Anastasiades help pull out the victory. Day one of the tournament ended with the team facing Pope. Six kills for Leah Hardeman led the team in the loss to the #1 team in Georgia in AAAA. The critical final match of pool play saw the team face 6A Hoover (AL). After winning game 1 and leading game 2 by a 20-13 and 24-20 count, the Lions could not finish and fell to the Bucs in 3 sets. Despite solid defense by Ella Anastasiades and Catherine Evelyn, who received serve at 2.2, the offense could not connect enough to pull out the win.

The loss put the team in to the Yellow Bracket (3rd level) for the playoffs. The team opened with it's most complete match of the weekend. They defeated Greater Atlanta Christian with six hitters over .250 for the match. Emily Morrison led the team with 9 kills and a .444 hitting percentage. In the semi-finals against 5A Harrison the team won set 1 and lost set 2 in overtime. Set three was a 15 point affair that took a lot more than that to settle. The final was 19-17 after each team had at least 2 match point attempts. Nine kills each by Emily Morrison (.444) and Leah Hardeman (.438) paced the effort. Kallen Arvidson and Leah Hardeman were involved in 7 and 5 blocks respectively and the team total of 12 blocks in the match was the forth highest total in team history. In the final the team won set 1 and came back from down 10 points down to tie set 2 at 24 points apiece, but McIntosh was able to close out the second game and win the match in the third set. Chelsea Onourah had 5 kills in 5 swings in set 1 and four assisted blocks to lead the victory. Ten kills by Emily Morrison and a hitting percentage of .375 for Kallen Arvidson helped propel the Golden Lions in the final.

Volleyball Team Wins Last Three Matches In Home Playday

After falling in the first match of the day to a strong hitting Chattahoochee squad despite Emily Morrison hitting .583, the Volleyball team rebounded to win their final three matches on their annual home playday. In the second match of the day, the Lady Lions, ranked #3 in AAA, faced the second ranked Columbus Blue Devils. The Blue Devils served aggressively and made few mistakes in game 1 taking it 25-19. They felt very comfortable and confident early in game 2 getting out to a 20-14 lead. The never say die St. Pius X team rallied behind the spark brought on by Amanda Stitt and Ashley Jones. Amanda led the team with both 13 assists and 3 aces from the setter position, including the key play of the match with a setter dump to take the lead. Ashley had 8 digs and served eight straight points to pull the team ahead 24-21. The 25-22 win paved the way for a third game which was also won by the Lions on 5 straight service points by Ashley Jones to pull in front in a back and forth set. Eight different players had kills in the match in a balanced attack that was led by Emily Morrison with 7 kills.

In two very different games against Lassiter the team won both by an idential 25-18 score. Game 1 saw the team run out to a lead early and just fight to push through the entire game. Game 2 saw the team fall behind early and come back to take the game at the end. The blocking of Alex Bidgood and Kelli Terricino highlighted the match. Alex also had a team leading 5 kills and Grace McGoldrick added 3 aces and 14 assists. In the finalle, St. Pius X won a three game marathon by making the key play after getting a slim lead to close out the match 25-23. Emily Morrison picked up 6 digs and 6 kills in the match including a tremendous kill for match point. Leah Hardeman kept up the pace with 6 kills of her own.

Volleyball Team Defends Home Court Against a Pair of Ranked Opponents.

What turned into a marathon evening of volleyball ended up with a couple of strong character wins for the Golden Lions. St. Pius X turned back a set point in set 1 against Lovett (#4 in A/AA) and rallied to win in overtime 28-26. They then lost a tight set 2 to bring on the deciding set. Trailing 21-17, Ella Anastasiades served an impressive run to score the final 8 points of the match. In the nightcap against Oconee County (#6 in AAA) the Golden Lions squandered big lead in game 1 and faced another set point. Yet again the team ralied for the victory. This time it was a Grace McGoldrick serving run of 5 points that took the team from a 24-21 deficit to the 26-24 win. Set 2 was an almost identical game, big lead for the Lions, run in the middle for Oconee and a late charge fending off multiple set points. This time the rally fell short as the Warriors made the key play to get the win and force a third game. In the 3rd it was Lions all the way, leading by as many as 7 and coasting home to a 25-19 victory. In the Lovett match Grace McGoldrick led the team with 15 assists and 10 digs. Leah Hardeman had 9 kills and Alex Bidgood added 6 more. Against Oconee County Emily Morrison bounced back from an inconsistant performance against Lovett to dominate the match with 14 kills. Mara Suarez played her best match of the season with 15 assists and a solid defensive effort.

Volleyball Team Defeats Westminster for First Time Since 1999

The last time St. Pius X defeated Westminster Coach Frederick was wearing green. In his 10 years at St. Pius X this is the first time his team had managed to take down his former team. This match was an outstanding effort by the girls on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Ella Anastasiades picked up 33 digs in the match, neutrallizing the outside attack of the Wildcats. Leah Hardeman, with 14 kills, and Alex Bidgood, with 13 kills, had outstanding offensive matches for the Golden Lions. Grace McGoldrick had 22 assists and picked up 13 digs with excellent tip coverage. Add Sam Hebda's excellent defensive match and the return of Paige Osborne and it was a great all-around night for the Lions. The team will have home matches playing Lovett at 5 pm and Oconee County at 7 pm on Thursday.

Softball raises funds for Breast Cancer Awareness

The St. Pius X softball program raised funds for Breast Cancer Awareness at the September 1^st varsity game against the Wesleyan Wolves. In addition to a special $5 admission fee, the team raffled off iTunes gift cards, a signed Falcons football, a signed Dale Murphy poster, tickets to the Georgia-Georgia Tech football game, and tickets to the season ending Braves game against the Phillies. Pink snow cones and specially printed t-shirts were also sold. Thanks to all those who supported this team effort through their purchases and donations, and through their time, effort and funds to make this possible. Thanks to our JV players who sold raffle tickets, helped man the tables, and added their warmth and smiles to our common goal. Thank you to Tom Novack for help with the snow cones. To cap it all off, the Varsity Lady Lions also defeated the Wolves 5 to 3. Rebecca Ponce de Leon hit a 3-run home run and pitched the winning game! Go Lions!

Volleyball Finishes Third in Pool on First Day of Huntsville Ironman

In what turned out to be an extremely long day the volleyball team managed to win one of three matches that each went 3 sets. In the opener they defeated Hutchison School of Memphis two sets to one. They then fell in two three set matches against Alabama's Bob Jones and Brentwood from Tennessee. The girls showed great effort in a day that they did not get off of the court until after midnight eastern time. The tournament continues with another set of pool play matches starting at 8:30 Saturday morning and a single elimination playoff beginning at 4 pm.

Overflow Football Parking Information

Overflow football parking for all St. Pius X home football games is available at the Highwoods Property located on the access road travelling south between Shallowford Road and Clairmont Road. Free Shuttle Service begins at 6pm, and buses will begin to return fans to their vehicles at the conclusion of the 3rd quarter.

Directions to the Highwoods Properties from St. Pius X:

Turn right on Johnson Road and proceed to the four way stop.
Turn left on Plaster Road and proceed to the Access Road.
Turn right on the Access Road and proceed approximately 1.3 miles to Highwoods Properties.
Highwoods Properties is on the right just before you get to Century Center.
Shuttle service will be provided.

Directions to the Highwood Properties from I-85:

South on I-85:
Take Exit 93, Shallowford Road exit.
Proceed across Shallowford Road on the Access Road.
Proceed approximately 1.5 miles to Highwoods Properties.
Highwoods Properties is on the right just before you get to Century Center.

North on I-85:
Take Exit 93, Shallowford Road exit.
Turn left on Shallowford Road.
Turn left on the Access Road.
Proceed approximately 1.5 miles to Highwoods Properties.
Highwoods Properties is on the right just before you get to Century Center

Volleyball Team Wins Two More to Raise Record to 10-3

The volleyball team travelled to Gwinnett County yesterday to face Parkview and Wesleyan (#5 AA/A). The team defeated Parkview 25-13,25-18 behind the outstanding play of Erin Villella, who was starting in place of the teams leading hitter who was out sick. All Erin did in the match was lead the team in digs with 11 and in kills with 7. Alex Bidgood hit .375 for the match and Paige Osborne picked up her first kill of the season in her return from a back injury. In the night cap, the team defeated Wesleyan for the first time since before the Wolves began their run of 4 straight state championships in 2004. Leah Hardeman had her jump serve working for 7 straight points and also added 6 kills. Erin Villella had another 6 kill match and Ella Anastasiades led the team with 9 digs. The team heads to Huntsville, Alabama tomorrow to particpate in this weekends Sandy Ammons Ironman Tournament at Huntsville High School.

St. Pius X Freshman Receives Surprise

Freshman Tommy Parks did not know what to think when he was called to Principal Steve Spellman's office last week. When he walked into the office he was greeted by his father, U.S. Army Major Jeffrey Parks, who had returned after serving a year in Afghanistan.

To see coverage of the reunion from CBS Atlanta 46, click here.

Despite Graduation Losses, Powerful St. Pius Will Contend in Class AAA

Dunwoody Crier
By Christopher Yale Smith

St. Pius X’s 2010 senior class of 29 players went 21-3 over the last two seasons.

They were the leaders of a team that won the 5-AAA region championship over Dunwoody, defeated Marist 28-3; and, in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs, they suffered an overtime loss to eventual AAA state champion Peach County.

With that said, many may think the Golden Lions and head coach Paul Standard are anticipating a rebuilding season - quite the contrary.

"The expectation of this football program every year is to have the opportunity to play for a region championship and make a run in the playoffs," said Standard, who is entering his 10th season year at his high school alma mater.

Read the full article on the Dunwoody Crier website.

War Eagles, Golden Lions Lose Rivalry Game to Region Realignment

By Matt Nascone
DeKalb Neighbor Newspaper

For nearly 50 years Marist and St. Pius X battled for bragging rights each fall, but the 2010 region realignment ended one of DeKalb County’s oldest rivalries.

The War Eagles and Golden Lions were part of the longest running rivalry in DeKalb County until the realignment forced Marist to play a full region schedule in 2010. Marist held a 30-15-3 advantage over Pius during the past 48 years.

Read the full article on the DeKalb Neighbor Newspaper Website.

Volleyball Team Sweeps a Pair To Remain Undefeated in Area Play

The volleyball team pulled out the match late against Riverwood (#7 AAA) with outstanding execution. Losing the first game 25-18 and trailing 22-19 in the second the team was three points from done when they caught fire. They won 5 of the last 6 points in game 2 behind clutch hitting by Leah Hardeman. They blew out the Raiders in the third game 25-14 to win the match. The team leader was Ella Anastasiades with 15 digs and a couple of big aces. In the night cap the volleyballers played Towers in an uneven match. The 25-5, 25-0 victory was highlighted by Amanda Stitt's serving. Amanda broke Jasmine Tyson's record for aces in a match with a 21 ace performance. The total ties the third largest recorded ace total in Georgia high school history. The team is next in action Thursday at Parkview.

JV Volleyball Team Wins Sequoyah Tournament

The JV Volleyball team won the Sequoyah Tournament on Saturday without even losing a set. They played their best against their toughest competition, taking out Harrison High School in the semifinals in straight sets. 25-12,25-9. They followed this up with a 25-13, 25-16 win in the finals over Oconee County High School.

Volleyball Team Comes Up Short In Home Opener

Despite moments of spectacular play, the volleyball team came up short against two top flight teams Thursday at St. Pius X. The team lost to defending state champion Woodward Academy despite a 13 assist and 7 dig performance by setter Grace McGoldrick. They followed this up with a stong effort against Northview. The team was led by Ella Anastasiades who picked up 11 digs and a 6 kill effort by Emily Morrison. The team continues in action next Tuesday against Riverwood and Towers. The Riverwood match is a rematch of last years area championship match.

St. Pius X Volleyball Opens Area Slate With a Pair of Wins

The volleyball team got two lopsided victories to open their 7 match area schedule on Tuesday. In the opener the team defeated North Springs 25-6, 25-12 behind 12 aces by Amanda Stitt and Ella Anastasiades and a balanced attack that saw 4 different hitters with three or four kills. The team followed that up with a 25-16, 25-10 beating of North Atlanta. Jessie Place paced the effort with 5 kills and 5 aces. Emily Morrison added 4 kills to the box score. The team will return to action Thursday with their home opener against Woodward Academy and Northview High School.

Silver Division Championship

The varsity softball team won the Silver Division Championship at the South Gwinnett Dugout Classic on August 13th and 14th. After two close games on Friday night, the Lady Lions played superb softball on Saturday to win three consecutive games and claim the title. Rebecca Ponce de Leon and Natasha Sherrod were the winning pitchers. Liz Schneider hit a home run over left field fence on Friday night, while many players contributed to the offensive explosions on Saturday. Becca Schaaf, Trish Feeney, and Dylan Krause were frequently on base and Rebecca Ponce de Leon and Natasha Sherrod drive in five and six runs, respectively.

2010 George B. Maloof Scholarships

Congratulations to two members of the St. Pius X class of 2011 for being awarded the 2010 George B. Maloof Scholarship.

Selwyn Mallah
Selwyn is an outstanding three sport athlete. He is a starting defensive back on the Football team. He is a starter on the Basketball team. He is a sprinter on our Track team. He excels in all three sports and more importantly he is a leader in all three. Known for his unbelievable work ethic, he is also a friend to all.

Shelby Ashe
Shelby was one of the most decorated high school track athletes in the country during her junior year. Shelby wan the state championship last year in the Shot Put. She set a new “National Record” in the Hammer Throw, and was named to the “USA Today” All American High School Track Team. In addition, Shelby was recently selected to represent the United States in the World Youth Games in Singapore. On top of this, Shelby is an excellent student who is never without her endearing smile.

Volleyball Team Sweeps Pool Then Falls in Playoffs

Inconsistency held back the girls volleyball team during Saturday's play at the Sequoyah Tournament. The team opened with a much improved Wheeler squad. Ella Anastasiades led the way with 18 digs and a 2.4 serve receive rating. Meanwhile a balanced offensive attack was led by Leah Hardeman, Alex Bidgood and Emily Morrison. The pool play sweep was completed with a victory over Ringgold, ranked 6th in the state at AAA. The team won game one easily 25-18 and was on the verge of falling in game 2 down 19-23 when they rallied to score the final 6 points of the match to put it away. Emily Morrison was the dominant player in the match picking up 12 kills. Leah Hardeman continued her strong play with 6 kills, 2 aces and 9 digs. The single elimination tournament saw the team face the #6 ranked team in AAAAA, Kennesaw Mountain. The Mustangs controlled the match from the start. The blocking of Kallen Arvidson was one of the few highlights for the Golden Lions as she had a part in 5 blocks. It was not enough, however, as inconsistent hitting and serve receive held back the team. The volleyball team returns to action with their first games in area play on Tuesday at North Springs. The first home game of the season is Thursday when they open with defending state champion Woodward Academy.

3rd Ranked Lady Lions volleyball team opens with a pair of wins.

The St. Pius X Lady Lions volleyball team opened their 2010 season on Friday evening. The Lions, who were ranked third in the state in the pre-season coaches poll, opened by defeating host Sequoyah at the Sequoyah Tournament 25-21, 25-19. Both games were close all the way until the Lions pulled out late with clutch play down the stretch. The team was led by the outstanding hitting of freshmen sensation Leah Hardeman and Alex Bidgood. Defensively the team was led by setter Mara Suarez who led the team in digs for the match including a key pancake dig to help finish out game 1. In the nightcap, the squad easily dispensed Marietta by a score of 25-5 and 25-13. In game one Ashley Jones opened her high school career by serving 20 straight points, winning the first 19 point she was in the game for. Game two saw great play by Erin Villella and Catherine Evelyn to settle down the team after a slow start. Grace McGoldrick had an excellent night leading the offense from the setter position. The team continues the Sequoyah Tournament tomorrow with pool play matches against Wheeler and Ringgold followed by the single elimination portion of the tournament.

St. Pius X volleyball players continue careers in college.

College of Charleston set to begin 2010 volleyball campaign featuring one of St. Pius X's own. Emily Schultz is set to begin her freshmen season as a rightside hitter for the Cougars.

Alaina Smith continues her college career at Birminham Southern after a year at Converse College in which she was seventh in the nation in blocks. She will be playing middle blocker for the Panthers.

Lia Scott transfered from UNC-Ashville to Elizabeth City State University last year and is set to continue her time as a Viking.

Jennifer Angelich finishes her collegiate volleyball career with the Crusaders this season as a rightside hitter. As a Freshmen, Jennifer received the Belmont Abbey College Coaches Award for her outstanding performance and work ethic.

We would like to wish all of these ladies continued success this coming season.

Parking Permits for Juniors & Seniors will be given out at orientation on Aug. 9&10

New SPX.org Website

St. Pius X Catholic High School has launched a new website. The website improves on some of the features of the previous website by streamlining the school calendar, allowing for online event registration, and a new student and parent portal (mySPX).

"The new website gives the school an updated face to the world," said Principal Steve Spellman.

Atlanta web design firm Kapp Koncepts, Inc. designed and developed the new website.

2010 Chi-Rho Award Winners

Sponsored by St. Pius X Catholic High School, the Chi-Rho Award is presented to the eighth grader who, in the judgement of the faculty, possesses those qualities of faith, determination, caring and integrity which are needed to pursue their education to the best of their ability.

We are pleased to announce that the 2010 Chi-Rho Award winners are:

Amelia Kisling, St. John Neumann
Akil Tindal, St. Peter Claver
Michaela Deitrick, Holy Redeemer
John Murray Titus, St. Joseph (Athens)
Sophia Schwarze, Our Lady of the Assumption
Joseph Ferrugia, Christ the King
Janet Tanzy, St. Jude the Apostle
Alexa Rushworth, Notre Dame Academy
Linde Penter, St. Thomas More
Emily Krause, Immaculate Heart of Mary
Avery Cypress, St. John the Evangelist
Olivia Granger, St. Joseph (Marietta)
Katherine A. Feldner, Our Lady of Victory
Katherine Robb, Queen of Angels
Danielle Chandler, St. Catherine of Siena
John David Box, St. Mary's

Seniors Move on in Academia

The class of 2010 applied to 241 colleges and universities and received numerous acceptances to schools from all across the United States. As a result, they have had to make some difficult decisions as to which schools they will attend this fall. Below is a sampling of colleges and universities to which our St. Pius X students were accepted, but may have elected not to attend.

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Agnes Scott College
The University of Alabama
Appalachian State University
Auburn University
Augusta State University
Berry College
Birmingham-Southern College
Boston College
Bradley University
Brenau University
Brown University
Butler University
Catholic University of America
University of Central Florida
Centre College
Christian Brothers University
The Citadel
Clemson University
College of Charleston
College of the Holy Cross
College of William and Mary
University of Colorado at Boulder
Columbia University
Columbus State University
Cornell University
University of Dayton
Duke University
Drexel University
Elon University
Emory University
Flagler College
Florida A&M University
University of Florida
Fordham University
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Friends University
Furman University
Gardner-Webb University
George Washington University
Georgetown University
Georgia College and State University
Georgia Tech
Georgia Perimeter College
Georgia Southern University
Georgia State University
University of Georgia
Howard University
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Johnson & Wales University
Kennesaw State University
University of Kentucky
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts
Lehigh University
Louisiana State University
Loyola University, Chicago
Loyola University, New Orleans
Manhattan College
Marquette University
Marshall University
University of Maryland, College Park
Mercer University
Miami University, Oxford
University of Miami
University of Michigan
Michigan State University
Mississippi State University
University of Mississippi
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Morehouse College
New York University
North Carolina A&T State University
University of North Carolina, Asheville
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
North Georgia College & State University
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
University of Notre Dame
Oglethorpe University
Ohio University
Oxford College of Emory University
Pennsylvania State
University, University Park
Purdue University
University of Pittsburgh
Providence College
Reinhardt College
Rhodes College
University of Richmond
Saint Anselm College
Saint Louis University
Saint Mary’s College
Samford University
Savannah College of Art and Design
Seattle University
Seton Hall University
Shorter College
Sewanee: The University of the South
University of South Carolina
University of Southern California
Southern Catholic College
Southern Polytechnic State University
Spelman College
Spring Hill College
St. John’s University, Queens
Stanford University
Syracuse University
Texas Christian University
Tulane University
United States Air Force Academy
United States Military Academy
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Valdosta State University
Vanderbilt University
University of Vermont
University of Virginia
Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wellesley College
The University of West Georgia
Winthrop University
Wofford College
Xavier University
Xavier University of Louisiana
Young Harris College
Yale University

St. Pius X Captures Directors Cup

St. Pius X Catholic High School has been awarded the Georgia Athletic Directors Association (GADA) Director's Cup for the second straight year.

Each year, the GADA presents the award to the high school athletic program with the top overall athletic program for its classification. Points are awarded based on the performance of the top 8 boys and top 8 girls teams.

Briese to be Ordained as Priest

Llane Briese '03 will be ordained into the priesthood on Saturday, June 26 by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory.

Read the article in The Georgia Bulletin here: http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2010/06/24/priestordinations/

Pepper Gay Named Newcomer of the Year

Congratulations to former Golden Lion Softball player Pepper Gay '09 on her award at the University of Illinois.

Champaign, Ill. - A pair of NCAA champions have been named the 2009-10 Dike Eddelman Award winners given to the top male and female athletes at the University of Illinois during the school year. The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics named NCAA golf champion Scott Langley and NCAA cross country and indoor 3,000 meter champion Angela Bizzarri as the Eddleman winners from this year. The DIA also named D.J. Richardson from basketball and softball's Pepper Gay as the Newcomers of the Year.

Read the full article here: http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/061610aab.html

Fr. Terry Young to Retire

Msgr. Young, currently the pastor of St. Mary Mother of God Church in Jackson, was ordained on May 5, 1972, by Archbishop Donnellan. Msgr. Young began his priestly ministry as parochial vicar and director of religious education at Holy Spirit Church, Atlanta. He became assistant principal at St. Joseph High School, Atlanta, and taught religion there from 1973 to 1976. He became principal of the school in 1975 and served in that capacity for 18 months before the school’s closing.

In 1976, Msgr. Young was named principal of St. Pius X High School, Atlanta, and reorganized the program, which had been developed around the open classroom. During his 15-year tenure at St. Pius, he introduced programs designed to meet the needs of under-achieving students and those with learning problems and began a pastoral ministry to students. The school’s Center for Performing Arts is named in his honor, recognizing the support he gave to developing programs in drama, the arts and creative writing. He has also served the archdiocese as Secretary for Education and as pastor of St. Benedict Church, Duluth. He was elevated to the rank of monsignor in December 1994. Msgr. Young will retire in July.

Golden Lions Complete Successful Seasons

The 2009-10 school year was a successful season for St. Pius X Athletics. Here are some of the highlights:

Fall 2009

Football - Region Champions - State Quarterfinals
Volleyball - Region Champions - State Final Four
Softball - Region Champions
Competition Cheerleading - Region Champions
Girls’ Cross Country - State Champions

Winter 2009-10

Girls’ Swimming & Diving - 5th in State
Boys’ Swimming & Diving - 3rd in State

Spring 2010

Girls’ Tennis - Region Champions
Boys’ & Girls’ Soccer - Region Champions
Girls’ Soccer - State Champions
Boys’ Lacrosse - Region Champions
Boys’ & Girls’ Golf - Region Champions
Baseball - Region Champions
Boys’ & Girls’ Track & Field - Region Champions
Girls’ Track & Field - State Runner-Up

2010-11 Athletic Program Ads and Sponsorships

Help support Golden Lion Athletics for the 2010-11 school year.

More information about SPX Athletic Association Fundraising.

Class of 2010 Athletes Continue into College

Baseball

Andrew Mabini, Maryville College, Maryville, Tenn.
Jeff Gunn, Bates College, Lewiston, Me.

Basketball

Jessica Crews, Friends University, Wichita, Kan.
Ryan McKay, Millsaps College, Jackson, Miss.
Katherine Wabler, St. Mary’s College, South Bend, Ind.

Golf

Nikki Cline, Berry College, Rome.

Soccer

Connor Jones, Belhaven University, Jackson, Miss.
Patrick Harris, Rhodes College, Memphis, Tenn.
Veronica Romero, Emory University, Atlanta.

2009-10 Senior Athletes of the Year

Congratulations to our 2009-10 Senior Athletes of the Year. Four great years as Golden Lions!

Adam Hall, Male Winner

In his four years here, Adam put together one of the most wide ranging and successful careers ever seen at St. Pius X. He was a starting linebacker on our football team. He was a state medalist in swimming. In baseball, he was our top pitcher and our top hitter. To round it all off, you won’t find a nicer young man anywhere.

Kathleen LaPorte, Female Winner

Kathleen finished her senior year as one of the school’s finest distance runners ever. She led the Girls’ Cross Country team to the state championship, and led our Girls’ Track team to a state runner-up finish. An outstanding student who as a leader was always there for her teammates, Kathleen will be running this year for the University of Georgia.

Pius Students Live Out Latin Lesson

The Georgia Bulletin
By Stephen O'Kane, Staff Writer

ATLANTA—Last fall, St. Pius X Latin honors teacher Susan Belmonte asked her students for ideas for a class video project. Several months later, students were lining up around the track to participate in the school’s first chariot race.

“I wanted the project to be student-driven, not simply assigned by me,” said Belmonte. “We narrowed the topic down to entertainment and then more specifically gladiatorial fights and chariot races. A student casually asked if we could have an actual chariot race. That was the spark!”

She then spoke with Mark Kelly, athletic director, and Principal Steve Spellman, as well as the parents and others who needed to provide permission.

Read the full article on The Georgia Bulletin website.

Ricardo Clark Named to World Cup Team USA

Congratulations to Ricardo Clark (SPX Class of 2001) for being named to the United States World Cup Soccer team.

Read about Ricardo in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/jonesboros-clark-makes-u-536040.html

Field of Dreams Rally

The Fields of Dreams Rally on May 20th raised over $70,000 in new gifts and pledges.

The St. Pius X Home and School Association just announced a $10,000 donation towards the campaign.

Tours of the property are available by appointment through the summer, please contact David Buechner in the Development office to schedule your visit.

St. Pius Girls Win State Title

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

St. Pius defeated Creekview 5-0 in the Class AAA girls soccer championship game Saturday night to complete back-to-back title runs. The Lady Golden Lions finish the year with a streak of eight straight shutouts, and the team scored a dominant 33 goals in five games during its playoff run.

The Lady Grizzlies ran into one of the state’s top defensive teams -- led by the back four of Grace Raines, Bryana Gold, Elizabeth Kinsel and Pamela Pimentel -- and one of its premier goalkeepers in Emily Cox, who stopped six Creekview shots in the game.

Read the full article on the AJC website.

St. Pius Baseball Team Advances To Second Round

By Michael Alexander, The Georgia Bulletin

ATLANTA—In the first game of the state baseball playoffs, round one, St. Pius X High School overcame an early two-run deficit to come from behind and defeat Morgan County High School, Madison, 12-2.

After a pitch hit Chad Mabini in the second inning, Pius center fielder George Kennedy doubled to put runners on second and third base. Catcher Jeff Gunn followed up with a deep base hit to score two runs and tie up the score at 2-2.

Read the full article on The Georgia Bulletin website at http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2010/05/13/stpiusbaseball/

Photo Credit: Michael Alexander

Pius Senior Finds His Niche In Sports Reporting

The Georgia Bulletin
By Stephen O'Kane

ATLANTA—St. Pius X senior Patrick Tighe learned more than algebra or grammar during his four years in high school. For him, it has been a time of learning, growing and facing new opportunities with a positive attitude and a good heart.

Patrick, one of a set of triplets, is not hesitant to tell you about his favorite experiences at Pius, whether it’s time spent with its celebrated teacher, Msgr. Richard Lopez, or watching Pius beat rival Marist in football. He and his sisters, Katie and Maggie, are all seniors there.

But perhaps the most interesting thing is to hear his stories of working with the Pius football team as a reporter. In fact, he describes the job as one of his favorite high school memories. Sitting in the press box with his laptop, taking notes and writing stories about the games has given Patrick a functional and truly unique way to be a part of the team.

Read the full article on The Georgia Bulletin website.

Photo Credit: Michael Alexander

St. Pius Standout Sets High School Record

By Michael Carvell, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It's the shorts for St. Pius junior Shelby Ashe.

In the span of a year, Ashe has gone from a relatively unknown athlete who failed to qualify for Georgia's state championship track meet to one of the country's more promising stars.

Earlier this month, Ashe set the high school record for the weight throw with a toss of 65-4 1/4 at the 27th annual National Scholastic Indoor Championships in New York.

Read the full article on the AJC website: http://www.ajc.com/sports/high-school/st-pius-standout-sets-410224.html

Armed

By Ryan Peck
DeKalb Neighbor Newspaper

Coming off back-to-back postseason appearances in which they fell to the eventual state champs (Loganville) in 2008 and the state runner-up (Columbus) in 2009, the St. Pius X Golden Lions are primed for a breakthrough in 2010.

Equipped with the leadership of 10 seniors and a battle-tested mentality, the Golden Lions have their sights set on bigger and better things in coach J.T. Gilbert’s seventh season as head coach.

“We’re not starting over. It’s not a brand new ball club. They know what’s expected and they’re running with it,” said Gilbert, whose team carried a 6-2 record, 3-0 in Region 5-AAA, into this week’s slate of games.

“They were excited to make it to the quarters (last year), but this year the team is working hard to break through the quarters and go further into the playoffs,” added Gilbert.

Read the full article on the DeKalb Neighbor Newspaper website.

Photo Credit: Alicia Lavender

St. Pius X Coaches Honored

By Michael Alexander, Georgia Bulletin

ATLANTA—The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) named St. Pius X High School head girls soccer coach Sara Geiger as its Regional Coach of the Year for the South. Geiger’s 2009 team captured the state championship and finished with a perfect record of 22-0. In her first season the 2008 team was the state runner-up. In two seasons as head coach Geiger has a combined record of 42-2.

For the second year the Atlanta Falcons saluted Georgia High School Association coaches from around the state. St. Pius X head football coach Paul Standard was named Coach of the Year for Class AAA. The St. Pius team finished with a record of 12-1 during the 2009 season. Their only loss came against Peach County High School of Fort Valley in the state quarterfinals. The 2009 team tied the 1968 state championship team, coached by the late George B. Maloof, for the most wins in a season. Standard just completed his ninth season as head coach.

The Atlanta Track Club recognized Debbie Guilbeau as the 2009 Coach of the Year for her contributions to the sport of track and field. Guilbeau is entering her 16th season as the head coach for the girls track and field team. The 2009 team won the state title, the school’s second during Guilbeau’s coaching tenure. St. Pius teams have also had nine state runner-up finishes under her watch.

Source: http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2010/02/04/piuscoachhonor/

St. Pius' Annual Dads Event Marks 19 Years

The Georgia Bulletin

ATLANTA—Msgr. Richard Lopez is too modest to acknowledge it but he is somewhat of an institution at St. Pius X High School, Atlanta. That’s partially because of his annual Dad’s Morning of Recollection, an event that enables fathers to come together to discuss fatherhood, work and faith. All fathers, whether or not members of the St. Pius X community, are invited to the event at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 30.

Dads’ Morning of Recollection will begin with Mass. Coffee and donuts will be provided afterward, and those who attend are asked to bring a bag lunch (drinks will be provided). After lunch, the sacrament of reconciliation will conclude the event at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Read the full article on The Georgia Bulletin website.

SPX to Host 10th Annual Christmas Tournament

St. Pius X Catholic High School will host the tenth annual “Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament,” at its gymnasium Dec. 26, 28-30.

The St. Pius X Christmas Classic is designed to bring together Catholic high school basketball teams from across the country for tournament competition. This year 16 boys and girls teams from nine different states will participate.

Activities include three games for each team, a dance for all players and a dinner for all of the teams. Also offered is the option to attend an NHL hockey game or an NBA basketball game at a discounted rate. Mass will also be offered on Sunday, Dec. 27.

Festivities will tip off on Saturday, Dec. 26, beginning at 6 p.m., with games in both the girls and boys brackets. On Monday, Dec. 28, six games will be played, ranging from 2:30-8 p.m. On Dec. 29, the girls semifinals will be at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the main gym, and the boys semifinals at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Championship games will be held Dec. 30 at 6 p.m. for girls and 8 p.m. for boys, with earlier runner-up games at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

The public is invited to all games. Tournament passes will be available at the door for $12, and single-day tickets will also be available for $5. Students who play for the Catholic Metro League of Atlanta (CMLA) and wear their team jerseys will be admitted free.

SPX Volleyball Players Honored

Brandi Tyson, Emily Schultz, and Ellie Morrison were all selected to both the AAA 1st Team All-State and Senior All-Star selection. Congratulations for all of your achievements and representing the school so honorably.

Emily Schultz was named Area 1-AAA Player of the Year. She was joined on the All-Area team by Ellie Morrison, Emily Morrison and Brandi Tyson. Alex Bidgood and Katye Brinkman were named Honorable Mention All-Area.

St. Pius X Dominates Grady At The Dome

By Michael Alexander, The Georgia Bulletin

ATLANTA –St. Pius X High School defeated Grady High School 37-13 in the inaugural game of the Atlanta Public Schools’ Domecoming Football Classic at the Georgia Dome, Oct. 24, to capture the Region 5-AAA, Division B sub-region championship for the second year in a row.

Both teams entered the game with perfect records, but St. Pius dominated both sides of the ball against a Grady team that averaged 34 points per game.

Ready the full article on The Georgia Bulletin website at http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2009/10/29/spx_football/

St. Pius dominates archrival Marist

By Todd Callahan
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Having dominated the annual Fish Bowl with its rival Catholic high school, Marist, No. 4 in Class AAAA, will be without the title for another year.

Unranked St. Pius upset Marist 28-3 on Friday, winning the Fish Bowl in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1974-75, when the War Eagles began their dominance in the annual grudge match.

It also marked the first time in 35 years the Golden Lions had won at Marist.

Sparking the Golden Lions, who spotted Marist a field goal off a muffed punt in the first quarter, was sophomore Trey White, who led the option offense with both his arm and his legs. White finished with 121 yards on 13 carries and made it matter when he had to throw the ball.

Read the full article on the AJC website.

Photo credit: Collin C. Chappelle

SPX Dance Company Stretches Young Talents

Stephen O'Kane, Staff Writer for The Georgia Bulletin

ATLANTA—The Dance Company at St. Pius X High School is much more than learning how to master a pirouette or a pas de bourrée.

Stepping into the large, open dance room at the Atlanta high school immediately brings a sense of freedom, as members of the highly skilled corps gracefully move across the floor while sunlight pours in through large windows.

They are preparing for their major Spring Dance Concert, which showcases their talents year after year.

Read the full article in The Georgia Bulletin: http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2009/03/05/dance/