A big week for Wildwood Catholic athletics -- two conference titles secured, milestone win for coach

Posted: October 10th 2024

The Wildwood Catholic boys soccer team has clinched at least a share of the CAL United Conference title. Pictured are seniors (from left): Chase Critchfield, Teddy Woolery, Christian Sorensen, Jack Cavenas, Chase Adams, Keynan Alston and Gonzalo Gonzales.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

It’s been a monumental week for the athletic program at Wildwood Catholic Academy.

A pair of Crusader teams secured conference championships and a coach earned a milestone victory earlier this week.

The boys soccer and girls cross country teams each clinched titles and girls soccer coach Bob Mannino won his 300th career game, all on successive days this week.

In boys soccer, the Crusaders clinched at least a share of the Cape-Atlantic United Conference title with a 4-2 win at St. Joseph on Monday. Calvin Kiker scored twice and added an assist and Teddy Woolery also scored twice for the Crusaders.

Wildwood Catholic improved to 11-1 overall, 10-0 in the CAL United. St. Joe dropped to 7-3 in conference games. Atlantic City is in second place in the conference at 8-2.

The Crusaders and Atlantic City each have two conference games remaining, including one against one another next week. But Wildwood Catholic can clinch the title outright with a win over Buena this afternoon (Thursday, Oct. 10). Buena has yet to win a game this season. Wildwood Catholic was a 6-0 winner over the Chiefs in the teams’ first meeting in September.

The conference title is Wildwood Catholic’s first since sharing the CAL United with Pleasantville in 2019.

Wildwood Catholic’s girls cross country team won its second straight CAL National championship thanks to Tuesday’s win over Pleasantville. The Crusaders had had trouble finding enough runners to score as a team in recent years until the team broke through last fall. Wildwood Catholic then proved last season was no fluke by winning the title for a second straight season.

Angelina Richards placed first in the meet against the Greyhounds for Wildwood Catholic.

Mannino, in his first season as the girls soccer coach at Wildwood Catholic, earned his 300th career win Wednesday when the Crusaders topped Cape May Tech, 10-2. Dani Daley scored four goals and Lily King added two goals and three assists for the Crusaders (7-4).

Mannino was previously the head coach at Triton for 21 seasons, winning a handful of league titles and making a couple of sectional title appearances. He then coached for two seasons at Schalick, winning a South Jersey title in 2021.

Mannino’s career record stands at 300-142-28. He is the 30th girls soccer coach in state history to reach 300 career wins. He’s one of just 10 South Jersey girls soccer coaches to reach the milestone and the first to have coached at a Cape May County school.

(photos courtesy Wildwood Catholic Academy athletics)

Wildwood Catholic's girls cross country team is the CAL National Conference champion for the second straight season. Pictured are (from left): Shae McIlhenney, Sloane Manni, Azucena Martinez Panesso, Zeleste Martinez Panesso, Lauren Crouthamel, Angelina Richards, Sophia Vitti, Kaitlyn Nordberg.