From competitive dancer to one of the best girls high school hockey players in the state —that is Sydney Schafer’s remarkable backstory as she begins her junior season on the Orchard Lake St. Mary’s/St. Catherine Academy girls hockey team.
Read MorePlaying and coaching basketball has long been a family affair for Joe Sermo. And now the story is about to include a new generation. Sermo is heading into his ninth season as the boys basketball coach at Berkley High School. When the Berkley season tips off this winter, Joe’s twin sons Drew and Sam, both sophomores, will most likely be on their father’s team, which finished 15-7 a year ago.
Read MoreEthan Mukhtar made the shot of a lifetime. Anthony Jabero didn’t take a shot all season. But both are state champions. Mukhtar and Jabero were members of the first Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High School boys golf team to win a state championship. The Eaglets achieved the feat June 8 when they won the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 state title at Forest Akers Golf Course at Michigan State University.
Read MoreNeither Mario Marougi nor Roman Kalasho had done any competitive rowing before they joined the storied Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High School rowing team as they entered their freshman year at the school. Their only experience in the sport was the annual Learn to Row camp put on by St. Mary’s rowing coach Chris Czarnecki and St. Mary’s rowing team members in the summer before they became freshmen.
Read MoreEach Chaldean Hockey League season concludes with the crowning of the league champion and produces a treasure trove of interesting personal stories. One of the major story lines this season in the six-team league was written by Team Gold star and captain Andrew Roye. Playing in his first Telga Cup championship series, Roye led Team Gold to the title and was named the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs. He had five goals and four assists in six playoff games.
Read MoreRocky “Rockman” Salem Somo has been boxing for seven years. His professional career started in 2023 with a May 26 win by unanimous decision over Carlos Escobedo in the fourth round. He fought for the first time in his home area of San Diego on March 2 of this year at the Four Points Sheraton and won by knockout in the second round.
Read MoreSteve Stein has been covering sports for the Chaldean News since its inception in 2004. Explore his picks of the top ten sports stories from the past twenty years.
Read MoreWhen David Garmo makes a decision, he doesn’t look back. This resolute attitude led him to the pinnacle of athletics in the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, where he represents Chaldeans as one of the toughest fighters in the world. It also brought him to the 2023 world finals match against repeated world champion Ronaldo Junior.
Read MoreBrendin Yatooma’s athletic resume is impressive. He’s also an impressive human being. Just ask Aaron Babicz, the longtime athletic director at Novi Detroit Catholic Central High School. Yatooma graduated from Catholic Central in 2020 after being an outstanding football player and wrestler for the Shamrocks.
Read MoreHunter Nannoshi noticed something while watching football with his dad, Ivan. The Detroit Lion’s kicker, Riley Patterson, wore a cross around his neck. That gave Hunter an idea. “I have a rosary that is the same color as the Lions colors. And when my dad told me he got us tickets to the [Bears] game, I brought it with me to give it to Riley,” Hunter said.
Read More