The eighth grade Our Lady of Mercy CYO Basketball Team just completed its remarkable undefeated season going 18-0. The 18 wins consisted of 12 regular season games (two against a final four competitor), winning the Prestigious OLM Heaney Tournament (two victories against playoff teams), and four wins in both the playoffs and championship game against very formidable teams (two undefeated teams and one with a 12-2 record).

The team, coached by Vinny Gagliardo and assisted by John Byrne, demonstrated all season that team play, defense and sportsmanship win championships. Fans at the game were quoted saying that "defensively, it appears like they have six players on the court." The Mercy Monarchs out-scored their opponents during the regular season in 45 out of 48 quarters and 22 out of 24 post-season quarters never giving up over 40 points in any game, amazing! Nothing could be more evident of team play than the championship game.

However, only four minutes into the game the team lost one of its most dominant players when Calvin Ingram broke his arm, but the boys stuck together with amazing courage and fortitude. The game was down to the last second with Our Lady of Mercy up by only two and the team fittingly held off tough opponent St. Gerard's with their team defense to secure the victory.

The team, which is made up of Colin Byrne, Joey DeVito, Gavin Piccione, Greg Stallone, Charlie Stange, Jason Urban, Stephen Plezia, Sean Roula and Calvin Ingram, along with the coaches, are grateful for all the support received. This eighth grade team won only one game as fifth graders, six games as sixth graders and eight games as seventh graders. This year's success shows what hard work and dedication can achieve.

The perfect season could not have been accomplished without the support of the parents, the entire Our Lady of Mercy Parish and the team's talented and dedicated cheerleaders who made all the playoff games feel like home games, which gave the Monarchs a tremendous advantage.