Saint Patrick Honors Senior Athletes
May 16, 2008

Saint Patrick High School honored the athletes in the class of 2008 at their annual Senior Athlete Awards Dinner at Poretta’s Banquet Hall on the evening of May 15. Each athlete was presented a plaque, with special awards given to athletes who were recognized as East Suburban Catholic Conference Scholar-Athletes and earned Illinois High School Association Scholastic Achievement Awards. The night concluded with the presentation of the Mark Cummings Award and the Athlete of the Year Award.

Twin brothers Anthony and Steven Odarczenko shared the Mark Cummings Award. The Odarczenko brothers were members of the Shamrock football team. Mark Cummings was a teacher and football coach at Saint Patrick that died on January 9, 1975 of a cerebral hemorrhage. For 17 years, Cummings shared a unique gift with the student-athletes to discover the positive in every situation and cheerfully accept life’s challenges. The recipient of this award best exemplifies the Shamrock spirit that Cummings exemplified.

Golfer Michael Cermak was honored as the 2007-08 Athlete of the Year. Cermak had an incredible senior season, dominating the toughest golf conference in the state. Cermak took medallist honors in all nine East Suburban Catholic Conference Dual matches that the Shamrocks played. Cermak completed his sweep of the E.S.C.C. by taking 1st Place in the E.S.C.C. Championships. Cermak won medalist honors in a total of four tournaments. Cermak continued his strong play in the post season, winning an Illinois High School Association Regional Championship as an individual and leading Saint Patrick to their first IHSA State Finals berth as a team. The Shamrocks finished 10th in the state. Cermak finished 25th in the state as an individual, posting an 11 over-par total of 155. It was Cermak’s third trip to the IHSA State Finals, having finished 38th in 2004 and 42nd in 2006.

Cermak joins his brothers Joe and Matthew as an NCAA Division I golfer. Joe Cermak just finished up a four-year career at Iowa State University. Matthew Cermak is a sophomore, on a scholarship, at Missouri State University. The youngest of the four Cermak brothers, Patrick, is currently a freshman at Saint Patrick, and he finished 48th in the IHSA State Golf Finals.

Ten Shamrocks were recognized as East Suburban Catholic Conference Scholar Athletes and won Illinois High School Association Scholastic Achievement Awards: David Carta (Soccer), John Catalano (Soccer), Steven Collins (Swimming, Water Polo), Michael Draniczarek (Football/Baseball), Michael Hogen (Football), Nicholas Hyland (Football), Matthew Olker (Track), John Pontikis (Soccer), Angel Sida (Track), and Albert Tentler (Football).