A Great Season Comes to an End

 The CK Royal's Mens JV team finished their season with a two point defeat at the hands of Xaverian High School in the city championship game. The loss, though, can not take away from the great season that CK had.

The JV squad returned an experienced group of player's from last year's successful freshmen team. Those players include Eric Moore, Yanni Chatham, Marthely Senat, Kalief Joyner, Eric Ishman, Chris "Speedy" Mormon, Chris Lypher, Hampton Young, Anthony Gozzi, and Jessie Higgins. Adding to the team were newcomers Evan Herzberg, Chris Quadrino, Jordan Fuchs, and Demetrius Daniels.

Together, the team was able to avenge some tough losses during their freshmen year with convincing victories over Archbishop Molloy, Bishop Loughlin, Rice, Holy Cross, and Xaverian High School. CK finished the season with an overall record of 21 - 3. That record includes going undefeated in non-league play, finishing in 1st place in their division, and earning the top seed in the city-wide playoffs.

The Royals outscored their opponents by an average of nearly 11 points per game. And although there were some close games, heroic shots at the buzzer by Demetrius Daniels, aggressive scoring at the basket by Marthely Senat, Jordan Fuchs, and Kalief Joyner, and the guard play of Jessie Higgins, Eric Moore, and Yanni Chatham almost always enabled CK to walk off the court with a victory.

The coaching staff, lead by H

CK Freshmen Are Undefeated City Champions

On Saturday night, the Christ the King Freshmen Royals finished an undefeated City Championship season with a 65 - 52 victory over Archbishop Molloy HS. In front of a packed Holy Cross gymnasium, the Royals used a huge 4th quarter scoring run to close out the game with a win.

Early on, it appeared as though the game would go down to the wire. With both teams trading baskets, and James Coleman and Kentrall Brooks both sitting with early foul trouble, CK would call upon Isaiah Lewis and reserve Brandon King to pick up the slack on offense. Lewis scored 8 of his game high 23 points in the quarter, while King would provide a spark off the bench and chip in with 4 points. Maynard Grant would also step up and play big minutes on the defensive end.

During the second quarter, King and Lewis would again provide all of the Royals offense, accounting for 9 out of the teams 11 points. Molloy outscored the Royals in the second quarter 15 - 11, sending the CK into their locker down by 1. This was the first half time deficit Christ the King faced all year. Isaiah Tucker and Marco Kozul kept the Stanners in the game, taking advantage of the early foul trouble being suffered by CK.

As the third quarter began, Jonathon Severe and James Coleman would awaken and have a huge impact for the Royals. The two combined f

Christ the King holds off late TMLA charge to claim B/Q title

The CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens championship trophy is considered part of the family at Christ the King. It has called the Middle Village school home for most of a quarter century.

“We were saying it’s on a leash,” sophomore guard Lauren Nuss said. “We are taking it for a walk and it’s coming home.”

The hardware arrived with the Royals and left with them Tuesday, but not without a serious scare from The Mary Louis Academy.

The Hilltoppers sliced a 14-point third quarter lead to just two late in the fourth, but CK was able to pull out a 53-47 win in the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens Division I girls basketball title game at St. John’s Prep . The crown is CK's 25th in the last 26 years and its second straight. Christ the King beat Mary Louis in last year’s final.

We went brain dead for a good five minutes,” junior guard Bria Smith said. “But it just feels g

CK Repeats, Wins 2nd Consecutive BQ Championship

As he was walking off the court after fouling out with 55.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter and his team trailing by one point, Christ the King sophomore sensation Omar Calhoun turned to Corey Edwards and delivered a message.

“He said I’ve got to take over the game,” Edwards said.

The junior point guard did just that, putting his team up for good with a baseline floater and sealing a second consecutive Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan title with two free throws with 2.6 seconds left as Christ the King defeated Bishop Loughlin, 66-61, at Holy Cross HS in Queens Saturday night.

CK (21-5), the No. 2 team in The Post’s New York City rankings, earns the top Brooklyn/Queens seed in the upcoming CHSAA Class AA intersectional playoffs. Top-ranked Loughlin (21-5) will play either St. Francis Prep or All Hallows in the quarterfinals.

CHSAA Player of the Year Jayvaughn Pinkston had 14 points and 10 rebounds, but seemed to be affected by the Royals physicality, especially when he drove to the basket.

“We just didn’t execute at the end of the game,” the Villanova-bound senior forward said. “There were some plays where we were getting fouled and there weren’t any calls. We can’t leave it up to the refs.”

Pinkston had a chance to put his team back in front, but his layup attempt with 9.1 seconds left went off the front rim. Christ the King’s Maurice Barrow grabbed the reboun

CK Cheerleading Competition

As we prepare for the CHSAA Cheerleading Competition in April, we have many days of practice and we are even attending a clinic at Hofstra University where the cheerleading program is top notch winning many Collegiate National Championships. The clinic is Sunday, February 28. In preparation for the clinic the girls have still shown their dedication for our CK basketball program by cheering at the play-off games in which we are invited to in addition to regular competition practices they must attend. Cheering at the games is the essence of cheerleading which the girls are devoted to as well as the concept of a competition.

We hope our hard work and determiniation shines through at the Competition in a few months : )

More to come as we continue on our journey to the CHSAA Cheerleading Competition...

CK Men's Varsity B CITY CHAMPIONS!

On Thursday, the Royals of Christ the King took on Bishop Loughlin for the Varsity B City Championship.

Loughlin started the game with a quick 10 - 2 run that could have easily sent CK home early. After a time-out by Coach Herring, the Royals slowed the tempo of the game, chipping a way little by little, until they eventually took the lead. The back and forth action of the first half ended with a 36 - 27 CK halftime lead.

CK maintained control of the game throughout the third, leading 58 - 48 at the end of the quarter. In the fourth, the Royals turned up the defensive intensity by putting on a full court press that Bishop Loughlin had no answer for. In the end, the Royals won their first championship on the Varsity B level with a 76 - 62 victory over rival Bishop Loughlin.

Leading the way for the Royals was game MVP Ian Duff with 22 points. Senior David Ortiz had 14 points, while Juniors Creshawn Jude and Malcolm Bettis combined for 25 points.

Some highlights from the Royals season include going undefeated in league play. Also, the Royals won the annual Varsity B tournament at Holy Cross, and were a perfect 3 - 0 vs. Bishop Loughlin.

Congratulations to seniors Vito Gerardi, Cameron Blain, Ian Du

Viaggio and Rebecca Make the all City Selection

Congradulation to Christina Viaggio on making it to the Honorable Mention list of the All City Soccer players. Viaggio was an essential part of CK's success in making it to the league's semi finals this year. Also congradulations to Fabiana Rebecca for making the first team All City as one of the top 11 players in the Catholic High School League. Rebecca's selection comes a week after being selected as All Queens first team. Here's the Daily News Article dated 12/8/2009:

The End of The Season

November 5th, 2009

Today the varsity soccer boys fought a difficult game under very difficult field conditions against their opponent Salesian High School from New Rochelle.  The Royals lost 2 - 1.  The old soccer story will live forever "if you miss they will score", unfortunately that was the case with our team.  We missed numerous chances but showed that this team has a great future.  We expect 10 starting guys back next year.

Thanks guys for an exciting season!

Thank You from Coach Higgins

On behalf of myself and the entire Higgins family, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the overwhelming support displayd by the faculty, players and parents of Christ the King on the recent loss of my dad.  The spirit of "togetherness" shown by the CTK football family has assisted greatly in helping to deal with our sorrow.  I am proud to be associated with such a fine upstanding group of young men. Thank you

Most sincerely, Coach Higgins

CHSAA girls' hoops playoff round-up: CK wins JV title

By Marc Raimondi March 3, 2009