The Bears' football team.

by Tom Utescher

Two varsity sports teams at Norwood Fontbonne Academy ended the fall season as champions in the Catholic Academies League. The Bears' football and soccer teams both clinched their titles during the final week of October.

On Wednesday, October 26 the soccer squad, which fields male and female players, won the championship game of the CAL by a score of 1-0 over the Mustangs of Gwynedd Mercy Elementary School. Coaches Joe Rosowski and Julie Ortale guided the Bear booters to the league crown for the first time since 2009.

Three days later, the NFA gridiron group coached by Jim Rockenbach and Mike Campbell won in front of their home fans on their field at LaSalle High School. A 33-6 rampage against Rosemont School of the Holy Child wrapped up 2016 football campaign with Norwood finishing as undefeated league champ (5-0) with a 6-0 record overall. With the victory the Bears' program reached a milestone: 30 wins in a row.

The soccer team (6-4-1 overall) included eighth-graders Jack Harvey, Tim Buchanan, Josh Hohenleitner, Joe Valinis, Clare Moxey, Mia Ferraro, Kelly Doerzbacher, Sebastian Tilley and Lillian Wallace-Larkin, along with seventh-graders Quinn Egan, JJ Zamichieli, Rory Kyle, Devon Newell, Justin Eney, Seamus Leonard, Ellie Devine, Emily Riethmiller, Matthew Cohen, and Esther Lamb.

Featured on the football roster were eighth-graders Kevin Comerford, Milton James, Jonathan Irvine, Titus Henkels, Connor Lyons, Dan Oldt, Henry Loome, Michael Marable, Edmund Haas, and Anthony Rossi, as well as seventh-graders Samuel Brown, Michael Quirk, Coulten Grasela, and Jaylen Ivey.

NFA's soccer team.