As winter fades and the seasons begin to change, it’s the perfect time to look back on the moments that defined this year in winter sports. From early morning practices to intense competitions, each team brought dedication, resilience, and school spirit to everything they did. To capture these experiences, every winter team was asked to reflect on their season and share a highlight that stood out most to them. These recaps not only celebrate wins and achievements, but also the growth, teamwork, and memories that made this season unforgettable.
Wrestling:
“The 2025-26 wrestling season was very interesting as a team. As a team we found individual success in certain areas. In the first tournament of the year I placed 2nd, Jacobson placed, Will placed, and Francis placed. That kind of set the tone for our season. Going into every tournament we all knew that we had a chance to win something and that motivation usually came from our coaches Kyle and Jordan being in our corner, but also Fleeman making sure we stay informed. I can’t even describe the importance of our 3 headed coaching trio. They all had different roles in helping us succeed. Fleeman getting all the people together and making sure we know what’s going on, Jordan being the fun, funky guy who’s very knowledgeable, and Kyle being the no-nonsense person who keeps you on your toes and pushing you. It was great to have them. As we turned into dual season our confidence as a team only grew as we all at that point realized that as long as you wrestle hard and do your stuff you succeed, and when you succeed it becomes even more fun. Overall the end of the season was a little too early and not how we wanted it but I’m confident in saying that the program has grown over the past 4 years and it will continue to be growing in the right direction for years to come.” – Zach Bores ’26
Girls Wrestling:
“This season was one of the most challenging but rewarding experiences of my wrestling career. As the first girl wrestler at NDCL, I’ve taken a lot of pride in continuing to grow in a tough and competitive environment. Despite dealing with injuries and exhaustion, I pushed through and was able to keep improving each match. One of our team’s biggest accomplishments was how much we grew together. Our work ethic, confidence, and overall performance improved significantly. I’m proud of how far we’ve come as a team and grateful to be part of something that continues to get stronger every season.” – Lauren Cameron ’26
Hockey:
“This year, our overall best achievement was going undefeated in the conference and finishing in first place. Although some wins were uncontested games, there were many moments where our team was put to the test. We had many close games, including against Cleveland Heights when we scored a go ahead goal with 6 seconds to go in the game and win the game. Other teams, such as North Olmsted and Nordonia, gave us close battles as well. But it wasn’t just these close games that tested our teams toughness. We also dealt with injuries, eligibility, and illness throughout the season. However, these seemed to only make us tougher and work harder to win the division.” – Colin Krajnak ‘26
Girls Basketball:
“The girls’ basketball team put in a lot of work in the summer and into the fall to prepare for the season. We participated in several shootouts and a summer league to get experience playing different teams and get better! We also had many skill sessions, open gyms, and lifts in efforts to be fully prepared for the season. All of these created a very tight knit program. At the end of the summer, we traveled to Cedar Point as a reward for our offseason hard work, which was spent creating so many great memories. As a team we also participated in Miracle League with campus ministry to serve the community. We kicked off our season at Hawken with a victory of 53-20. We continued through our season playing an extremely tough schedule and getting better with each game. In December, the program debuted our throwback jerseys. We honored Notre Dame Academy, wearing North Star jerseys with the traditional logo and colors. We came out victorious in that game beating Shaw 87-19. During this game we broke the program record for most points scored in a game. In January, the program had the privilege in participating in the Cavs Elite High School Hoop Series. We faced off against West Geauga in Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse getting the win 63-36. We followed that win with dinner and bowling at the Corner Alley and then headed back to the arena to watch the Cavs take on the Jazz. It was such a fun night for our program! We also recognized 4 amazing seniors on senior day versus Beaumont, Brynn Munn, Maya Rowan, Emma Surbey, Sadie Skotzke, and Maddy Varga. We came away victorious with a win over Beaumont 53-31. We finished off the regular season strong, going 11-11. We faced Youngstown Chaney in the Sectional Final in the OHSAA Tournament. Going into the game Chaney was ranked 11 and NDCL was ranked 21. It was definitely a game to remember. Over 50 students made the trip down to Youngstown either on the fan bus that our program provided or by carpooling with friends. The atmosphere was unforgettable and played a role in helping us defeat Chaney, 58-46. Our memorable season came to an end in a hard-fought game against Akron Ellet. Overall, this season was unforgettable, so many memories and successes worth celebrating. We truly have an amazing program, from the players and team manager to the coaches, everyone makes it special!” – Brynn Munn ’26
Gymnastics:
“The NDCL gymnastics team has made so many accomplishments that I am so incredibly proud of. First was the Chardon Challenge NDCL was able to place 2nd overall. The team was led by Anna Barabas, Ava Lewandowski, Sofia Flynn, and Sarah Kent. They all competed so well in districts and worked so incredibly hard and I couldn’t be prouder of such an amazing team. Out of 152 Vaulters Ava Lewandowski was 18th, Lexie scored her highest floor score ever with an 8.05, and Sarah had a perfect no fall beam routine. These girls worked so hard and it showed and I hope next year they continue to show off their amazing skills.” -Ava Lewandowski ’26
Cheer:
“I am incredibly proud of our cheerleading team for their performance, dedication, and perseverance throughout the 2025–2026 season. This year, our team has been recognized not only for our energy and enthusiasm at football and basketball games, but also for our support at wrestling duels. The most noticeable difference from past seasons has been the increased engagement from the student section. The crowd’s participation has grown significantly, and it has been rewarding to see the student section cheering with us and for us during games and events. “ – Piper Damberger ’26
Girls Bowling:
“I am incredibly proud of the Girls Varsity Bowling Team. Each of these girls has grown tremendously—not only as bowlers, but as teammates. Our freshmen have truly stepped up this season, and I cannot wait to see what they bring to the team over the next three years. Maddie, Maggie, and Juliette have all achieved personal records and continue to raise the bar. Marielle, Katie, Josie, and I have also built on past seasons, accomplishing new PRs and earning individual awards along the way.
As a team, we’ve placed in the Top 5 at several tournaments and, more importantly, have grown closer as a family. None of this would have been possible without our amazing coaches—Coach D, Coach K, and Coach L. Thank you for the ’Wise Words’ you share with us before every match. We will always remember that every pin counts and that you can’t win in the first game but you can surly lose.” – Allie Wiseman ’26
Boys Bowling:
“The Boys Varsity Bowling Team secured 5 wins over the course of the 2025-2026 season. They were led by Senior Mitchell Wesen, Senior Alex Willis, Senior Aaron Cotturo, Senior Derek Scheidt, Freshman Dominic Cirino, and Freshman Dougie Reid.
Derek Scheidt finished with an OHSAA average of 151, an 11-pin increase from the 2024-2025 season. Aaron Cotturo finished with an OHSAA average of 156, a 14-pin increase from the 2024-2025 season. Alex Willis finished with an OHSAA average of 161, an 8-pin increase from the 2024-2025 season. Mitchell Wesen finished with an OHSAA average of 180, a 13-pin increase from the 2024-2025 season. Both Dominic Cirino and Dougie Reid finished their freshman bowling season with an OHSAA average of 90.
The team’s favorite highlight of the 2025-2026 season was their comeback win against Wickliffe. The Lions were down several hundred pins going into the team Baker games, but they put their best foot forward and took down the Blue Devils in the final Baker game by a margin of only 5 pins!
Senior Mitchell Wesen had a stellar performance at the 2025-2026 Sectionals Tournament. He qualified individually for the District Tournament with his 566 total pin count over 3 games. At Districts, Mitchell finished his phenomenal high school bowling career with a 3-game series of 526.” – Derek Scheidt ’26
Indoor Track and Field:
‘The Indoor team had quite a season, participating in meets such as the Kevin Dare Invitational, NEOITC All-Star Meet at Spire, and the OATCCC State Championships. Personal Records were seen across the board from the team along with a few notable school records from various relays, Casey, Rob, Emilee Gruss, and Lucy. At the State Meet, many runners are set to make an appearance. The season held much joy, many smiles and laughs, and memories to last a lifetime.” – Rob Bonchak ’26
