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LEO MEN IN THE NEWS

Alumni Night

The annual Alumni Night Basketball Game, postponed by a snowstorm on Jan. 20, has been rescheduled for Friday, Feb. 10, with the Lions facing St. Francis de Sales in their final home game of the season.

Tybias Scott, Blake Wilson, Lance Roberts, Jarod Cooper and Luther Woods will be honored on Senior Night. In addition, Leo’s 2011 state championship track team will be recognized.

Dedicated Teacher

Mr. Bob Schablaske did not graduate from Leo, but he is a Leo Man in most every sense of the word, having devoted more than 25 years to teaching and coaching at Leo High School.

Next month his dedication will be rewarded. Mr. Schablaske, who teaches history and social studies and coaches varsity baseball and sophomore basketball, has been selected to receive a Distinguished Service Award from the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office of Catholic Schools. Mr. Schablaske and his fellow award winners will be honored at a banquet at the Downtown Marriott Hotel on Sunday, March 11. “This is a great honor for Bob Schablaske, whose hard work and dedication to our students is typical of our entire faculty,” Leo Principal Philip Mesina said. “It’s well-deserved recognition, and I couldn’t be happier for him.” His peers and his students regard Mr. Schablaske as an outstanding classroom teacher. He is also one of the top coaches within the Leo athletic department. He has won more than 300 games as a basketball coach, and last year’s baseball team collected 16 victories, its highest win total in 12 years.

National Signing Day for Leo Football Players

Leo football standouts Keith Harris Jr. and Lance Sanders signed letters of intent to play Division I football on Feb. 1, national signing day for high school recruits throughout the country. Harris, a senior running back, signed with Northern Illinois. Sanders, a senior defensive end, signed with Central Michigan. In addition, linebackers Hakeem Chatman, Devontae Brough, and Elvin Turner and defensive back Lawrence Huff committed to continuing their playing careers at College of Du Page, a two-year community college, with hopes of moving on to a four-year school. Lineman Eric Owens has been invited to walk on at Southern Illinois, and lineman Jamal Boulden will walk on at Illinois State. Harris made first-team all-Catholic League after rushing for more than 1,400 yards and scoring 17 touchdowns. Ranked No. 1 academically in Leo’s senior class, he was named to the Illinois Football Coaches Association Academic All-State team. Sanders, who led the Lions in sacks and tackles for loss, was co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Catholic League White Division. “All of these young men represented Leo High School extremely well and we’re delighted to see them get this opportunity to continue playing football at the college level,” Lions Coach Mike Holmes said.

Flynn Honored

Leo High School saluted the late Donald Flynn ’57 before the Lions’ basketball game with St. Ignatius on Tuesday, Jan. 31.

Don Flynn was a two-way starting lineman and an All-City performer on Leo’s 1956 city-championship team, the last Leo football team to win a city title. Following his graduation from Marquette University, he embarked on a prosperous business career. But Mr. Flynn never forgot his Leo training and was one of the school’s most generous benefactors over the years, making it possible for hundreds of young men to attend Leo through the Don Flynn Scholarship program.

Mr. Flynn died in October 2011 after a long illness. His family was gracious enough to list Leo as one of his preferred charities, and Mr. Flynn’s friends and family members continue to honor his memory with contributions to the Don Flynn Scholarship Fund. Mr. Flynn’s son Kevin and his wife Susan represented the Flynn family at the Leo ceremony, along with their four children, Mr. Flynn’s brother Bob ’62 and about two dozen friends and former co-workers. The Flynn grandchildren received replica No. 91 Leo jerseys to acknowledge the fact that Leo is retiring football jersey No. 91, which Mr. Flynn wore throughout his career. Leo President Dan McGrath presented the Flynns with a plaque acknowledging Mr. Flynn’s many years of generous support for Leo. A duplicate plaque will be displayed in the Leo gymnasium. To cap off an outstanding night, the Lions’ varsity got 24 points from Russell Woods and recorded an upset victory over St. Ignatius, which had been ranked No. 14 in the Chicago area with a 15-3 record.

Track Team Honored at City Hall

The 2011 Class 1A IHSA State Championship Track Team was honored at City Hall on January 19, 2012 by taking a picture with Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The Lions captured their 6th State championship last season with a one point victory over Harrisburg.

The title marked the fifth State championship for head coach Edward Adams. Adams has won titles in 1995, 1998, 2002, 2003 and 2011, which were all at Leo.

The picture included president Dan McGrath, principal Phil Mesina, Joshua Wright, Marlon Britton, Le'renz Beal, Mayor Emanuel, Cedric Wynne, Theodore Hopkins, Coach Peter Doyle, dean of admissions Michael Holmes, Coach Marcus Pass and Adams.

Honor All-Time Great Don Flynn

Leo High School will pay tribute to one of the all-time great Leo Men on Tuesday, Jan. 31, in the Leo gymnasium.

Don Flynn ’57, who passed away in October 2011, will have his No. 91 football jersey retired in a ceremony before the Lions’ Catholic League basketball game with St. Ignatius. An All-State performer on Leo’s 1956 City Championship football team, Mr. Flynn went on to have a remarkably successful career in business. He remained a loyal supporter and a generous benefactor to Leo throughout his life, as hundreds of Leo students have received assistance with their tuition through the Don Flynn Scholarship Fund.

A dozen or more of Mr. Flynn’s friends and family members, including his son, Kevin, and several of his grandchildren, are scheduled to attend the ceremony. It will begin shortly before the Leo-St. Ignatius varsity game, which tips off at 7:30.

Alumni Night

The Alumni Night has been rescheduled to February 10th.

Postponed Game

Due to the snowfall, the game against St. Laurence has been rescheduled for Tuesday January 24 beginning at 4:30 p.m. There will be a triple header played at Leo High School.

Alumni Night

Approximately 200 Leo Men will be in the building, if not in the news, when the Leo Alumni Association holds its annual Basketball Night at Leo on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The Lions will take on St. Laurence, with the sophomore game getting under way at 5:45 and the varsity game at 7:30. A bus will depart from the Father Perez K of C Hall on West 111th Street in Mount Greenwood at 6:15 and return after the game for pizza and drinks.

The Alumni brought good luck to the Lions last season---they defeated Brother Rice in a remarkable game that required five overtimes. Leo will be out to halt a three-game losing streak in this year’s game. The Lions ran their winning streak to five with back-to-back Catholic League wins over Bishop McNamara and Hales Franciscan, but they have since dropped three close ones to Brother Rice, North Lawndale and University High.

Christmas at Leo Concert

The Christmas season will arrive at Leo on Thursday, Dec. 15, when the Leo High School Music Department, under the direction of Mrs. LaDonna Hill, holds its annual "Christmas at Leo" concert in the school auditorium, beginning at 6 p.m.

There is no charge for the performance, which enables Leo students to demonstrate their musical talents in a festive holiday atmosphere, under Mrs. Hill's expert tutelage. All students, parents and friends of Leo are cordially invited to take part in one of the most entertaining and enjoyable evenings on the school calendar.

Comedy Night

Alums, friends, employees and other supporters of Leo enjoyed a ton of laughs---some of them at our school’s expense---at the first “Lions of Laughter” comedy night, which took place at the South Side’s Beverly Arts Center on Saturday, Nov. 19.

Leo grads Paul Kelly ’66, Bill “Soups” Campbell ’66, Kenny Howell ’83 and John Caponera ’75, all highly accomplished stand-up comedians, delighted the capacity crowd of 400 with 20 to 25-minute sets that featured, among other things, hilarious recollections of their Leo days.

Kelly, a longtime veteran of the Chicago comedy scene, set an appropriately irreverent tone for the evening as the opening act, and tied the program together nicely as master of ceremonies. Campbell, a starting forward on Leo’s 1966 Catholic League lightweight basketball champs, went next, and talked about the perils of raising teenage daughters. Filmmaker Bob Milkovich’s stirring video of the Leo boxing program highlighted the intermission.

Howell, a former two-sport Leo athlete who tours with HBO fixture Mike Epps, went next and had the crowd rolling with his edgy-funny observations of life in general since his Leo days. Caponera, the headliner, closed the show and told an uproarious tale of riding the bus to Leo in his band uniform, complete with elaborately plumed hat, a story that gets funnier with each retelling.

Leo is extremely grateful to the comedians for extending their time and talent on our behalf. Kelly, especially, deserves our thanks for suggesting the program and working hard to put it together. Bob Standring ’70 and Pat Hickey supervised ticket sales, Bill Figel ’72 handled publicity, and Arts Center General Manager Mike Nix ’76 was a genial, accommodating host.

The “Lions of Laughter” provided Leo with a great night, one we’re hopeful of repeating in the future. Thanks to all who turned out to support us.

Add comedy to the list of fields in which Leo Men are distinguishing themselves, and come out and see for yourself.

Four Leo grads who make their living as stand-up comedians will perform at a “Lions of Laughter” benefit for Leo High School on Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Beverly Arts Center, 111th and Western in Chicago.

Bridgeport native John Caponera '75, best known for his Harry Caray impersonation, headlines the show, along with Kenny Howell ‘93, who most recently has been on tour with Mike Epps. Bill “Soups” Campbell and Paul Kelly, 1966 Leo classmates and former lightweight basketball teammates, round out the program.

The Leo administration is grateful to Kelly, a longtime regular on the Chicago club circuit, who conceived the idea as a benefit for Leo and arranged for the other performers to appear. Bob Standring ’70 assisted with the logistics, along with Mike Nix ‘76, general manager of the Beverly Arts Center, and Pat Hickey, Leo’s Director of Development.

Tickets, $40 in advance and $50 at the door, are available at the Beverly Arts Center box office; at Standring Financial Services, 10517 S. Western, 773-881-8100, or at Leo High School, 7901 S. Sangamon, 773-224-9600. The program will begin at 8 p.m., with a cash bar and appetizers available in the Arts Center lobby one hour before the show.

All Leo Men, are invited, along with their spouses, friends and relatives.

Two outstanding Leo men who distinguished themselves as athletes and as coaches are among the 2011 inductees to the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame.

Tom O’Malley ’57, a former Leo basketball star who has spent more than 40 years in coaching at the high school and collegiate levels, and Tom Winiecki ‘58, a standout guard on the Lions’ 1957 city championship football team, will be honored on Wednesday, Sept. 21, in the Gold Cup Room at Hawthorne Race Course, 3501 S. Laramie, Cicero.

O’Malley won the 1973 Catholic League championship as coach of Leo’s “heavies” and collected 474 victories in 32 years at Leo, Reavis and Evergreen Park high schools. He moved to St. Xavier University as head coach in 1997 and has averaged more than 25 wins per season as a college coach.

Winiecki played college football at Michigan State and spent 42 years as a coach and administrator at Gordon Tech High School, compiling a 197-116-2 record as the Rams’ football coach and winning the 1980 state championship. Gordon does not have an on-campus football field, but it renamed its gym in Winiecki’s honor in 2006.

O’Malley and Winiecki are members of an illustrious 2011 class that includes Blackhawks great Bobby Hull, Boston Celtics coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers, a graduate of Proviso East High School, and 16 others.

Congratulations to two great Leo men.

Three Leo Men are among the inductees for the Chicago Catholic Hall of Fame Class of 2011: Michael Holmes, Don Flynn, and Rich "Chico" Driscoll

MIKE HOLMES '76 is Leo's head football coach, director of admissions, and dean of students. Mike was a three-sport star in his Leo playing days, earning All-State recognition as a running back in football.

DON FLYNN '57 was a two-way standout on Leo's 1956 Prep Bowl championship football team and went on to enjoy a hugely successful career in business. Don has been one of Leo's most generous benefactors over the years.

CHICO DRISCOLL '58 played on a Catholic League championship lightweight basketball team and for many years distinguished himself as one of the Catholic League's top officials.

The induction ceremony was held on May 5 at Crystal Sky Banquets in McCook. Congratulations to three great Leo Men.