Article by Matt Diano
Named in honor of esteemed league founder, Monsignor Matthew Peters (Cardinal Hayes), there is no greater distinction bestowed upon a New York State Metro Catholic football player than the award that recognizes the Most Outstanding Student-Athlete among a brotherhood of truly remarkable and prosperous gentlemen!
Tracing its origins back to the 1962 season when Chaminade’s Thomas “TJ” Liesegang converted from a starting linebacker position into the role of field general to command the Flyers in their successful bid to three-peat, the first member of this cherished and/or heralded fraternity went on to earn his medical degree from New York University, do an internship at Duke University Medical Center, and complete his residency at the renowned Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (University of Miami) en route to becoming one of the most respected educators (ex-30 years teaching at the Mayo Clinic), practitioners, and authors (Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal) in the field of ophthalmology!
Simply to be nominated for the Peters Award requires that you not only be a person of immense God-granted pedigree on the gridiron and in the classroom, but also molded in the image of modesty and leadership, those chosen represent the finest of us all; that .00001% that possess the values that elevate mankind!
It is with these eminent sentiments in mind that gives us total satisfaction and privilege in passing this proverbial torch to a most worthy candidate, Mr. John (Jack) Donahoe (Archbishop Stepinac)!!!!
That consummate “champion” in every endeavor in which he commits himself, our 2022 recipient’s athletic resume extends far beyond the football field…
In addition to being a three-year starting defensive back for the Crusaders (59 stops/1 interception/13 pass break-ups during his senior campaign), the 6’3, 200-pound, team captain hailing from White Plains, also thrived in Track & Field, winning the CHSAA Indoor crown in the triple-jump, as well as shined as an All-Catholic short-stick midfielder on a 2022 lacrosse team won the NYC Catholic League title before dropping a heartbreaker in the “AA” State finale!!!
The definition of “standout” in his studies, Donahoe ranks 3rd in a class of 180 peers with an extraordinary accumulative grade point average of 4.1 (101 numerically) despite continually demanding the best of himself by enrolling in a rigorous curriculum that is deep on Advanced Placement (English, Calculus, Statistics, Micro + Macro Economics, Literature + Composition, European History etc.) and Honors-level (Western Civilization, Geometry, Biology, American History, Chemistry, Spanish, Physics Accounting, Finance, etc.) courses…
To boot, per the Stepinac website, “He has been a member of Stepinac’s groundbreaking Honors Academy, a unique-in-the-region, three-year small learning program that provides academically top performing students with opportunities for advanced studies in four disciplines: engineering, finance/economics, health sciences, and law.”…
Donahoe complemented and/or bolstered his academic profile by scoring 31 (scale of 36) on the ACT examination!
Enjoying and/or rejoicing in a “full high school experience”, the ever-well-rounded lad, that has a knack for bringing out the best in those he encounters, has prioritized maintaining an active presence on campus, as he served as the Lead Speaker for the Finance Academy Symposium, selflessly chronicled the triumphs/highlights of his friends as a budding journalist on the school newspaper, and acts as an institutional ambassador!!!
Hearing that heavenly call to service, Donahoe has always found time to be a pillar and/or Godsend within his community and church…
Imparting his love of sport and fair play onto the future generations, he pays the “rewards” forward as a youth coach in both football and basketball!!
Never taking for granted the good-health in which he has been blessed, he volunteered at a walk to support those battling breast cancer!!
Seeing the beauty and wonder in all creation, while others may be relaxing during the holidays, Donahoe opts instead to use what little and valuable available moments he has remaining to enthusiastically assist special needs children in his parish’s annual Christmas pageant!
And as if all the aforementioned is not already mind-blowing, awe-inspiring, and reminiscent of an exceptional human being, as a bonus, Donahoe also established his own clothing line!
Accepting an offer to matriculate and continue dishing our bruising hits in Cambridge, Massachusetts next fall (Harvard), every bullet point cited above (and more) was the reason why he relished in an embarrassment of riches when selecting a college destination…He opted for the Crimson over the likes of fellow Ivy League schools—Yale, UPenn, Cornell, and Columbia!!