St. Maria Goretti High School
Encyclopedia
Saint Maria Goretti High School is a private, Roman Catholic day school located in Hagerstown, MD. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
, within the tri-state areas of the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia
, Western Maryland
, and Southern Pennsylvania
.
. The school was originally the upper school for St. Mary's Catholic School, currently a K-8 day school located in downtown Hagerstown. From 1933 to 1955 the school was known as St. Mary's High School.
In 1957, the upper school was relocated to a new campus in Hagerstown's North End and was renamed St. Maria Goretti High School in honor of the Italian saint Maria Goretti
(1890-1902) who was "murdered to protect her purity" per quote of Goretti's website, www.goretti.org. The campus sits adjacent to St. Ann Roman Catholic Church.
For much of the school's history, its faculty and administration was composed partly of members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame
, an international teaching order that has a motherhouse in Baltimore. However, in the 1980s and 1990s the high school grew increasingly reliant on lay faculty. Currently, the faculty and administration are entirely from the laity, though the school continues to have a chaplain.
Goretti enrollment is approx. 225 students.
in basketball. Despite being located 1.5 hrs. from the city, Goretti has captured several BCL regular season and tournament championships, and the 1986 and 1987 (private and public) Baltimore city championships.
The most notable athlete-alumnus of the school is Rodney Monroe
, a four-year starter (1983-1987) who ended his high school career as Maryland boys basketball's all-time leading scorer and went on to college stardom at NC State University. An outstanding mid-range shooter, Monroe is the ACC
's 4th-all-time leading scorer and was the 1991 ACC Player of the Year. He was later drafted by and played one year for the Atlanta Hawks before moving on to the European leagues.
Also notable is Monroe's former coach, Robert "Cokey" Robertson, who led the boys basketball program 1974-2006 and retired with nearly 800 lifetime victories (at Goretti and elsewhere), second in Maryland High School boys basketball behind legendary DeMatha coach Morgan Wootten
.
Erik's brother, Cort Meinelschmidt took his place as head swim coach. In the 2008-2009 school year, Cort lead the team on to win the men's championship at AVLs, and more swimmers advanced to METROs. In the 2009-2010 school year, the men's team was once again victorious at the AVL championship (for the second year in a row). Six swimmers advanced to METROS. At METROS, four of Goretti's records were broken (each record broken was from the mid-late 1980s respectively).
Goretti Swimming is a co-ed sport, however, for fairness, meets are scored in a male category, and a female category.
-Girls Basketball (Boys is discussed above)
-Girls Soccer (Boys is discussed above)
-Boys Lacrosse
-Girls Lacrosse
-Boys Baseball
-Girls Softball
-Girls Volleyball
-Co-ed Tennis
-Co-ed Golf
-Co-ed Cross Country
-Technology Club
-Science Club
-Green Club
-International Club
-National Honors Society
-Destination Imagination
-Varsity Club
-Newspaper Group
-Yearbook Group
-Prom Committee
-Student Government
-French National Honor Society
-Positivity Club
-Thespian Troupe
-National Art Honor Society
-The 200 club
-Chess Club
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
, within the tri-state areas of the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, Western Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, and Southern Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Who and where
Saint Maria Goretti High School is located in the North End of Hagerstown, MarylandHagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
. The school was originally the upper school for St. Mary's Catholic School, currently a K-8 day school located in downtown Hagerstown. From 1933 to 1955 the school was known as St. Mary's High School.
In 1957, the upper school was relocated to a new campus in Hagerstown's North End and was renamed St. Maria Goretti High School in honor of the Italian saint Maria Goretti
Maria Goretti
Maria Goretti is an Italian virgin-martyr of the Roman Catholic Church, and is one of its youngest canonized saints. She died from multiple stab wounds inflicted by her attempted rapist after she refused him...
(1890-1902) who was "murdered to protect her purity" per quote of Goretti's website, www.goretti.org. The campus sits adjacent to St. Ann Roman Catholic Church.
For much of the school's history, its faculty and administration was composed partly of members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame
School Sisters of Notre Dame
School Sisters of Notre Dame is a worldwide order of Roman Catholic nuns devoted to primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. Their life in mission centers on prayer, community life and ministry...
, an international teaching order that has a motherhouse in Baltimore. However, in the 1980s and 1990s the high school grew increasingly reliant on lay faculty. Currently, the faculty and administration are entirely from the laity, though the school continues to have a chaplain.
Goretti enrollment is approx. 225 students.
Current Description
St. Maria Goretti, an archdiocesan high school, provides an educational environment committed to Catholic values and traditions. Our college preparatory program emphasizes academic excellence and nurtures the whole person through spiritual and physical development. The uniqueness of each individual is recognized, respected and affirmed by the school community. Guided by the spirit and example of St. Maria Goretti, our young men and women are prepared to lead lives of service working to shape a just and compassionate society. Many courses are offered at St. Maria Goretti High School with varying levels of difficulty and can be selected based on an individual student's abilities and interests. College-Prep (CP) level classes are designed for students with average, college preparatory ability and provide a solid foundation for College. Honors level courses are designed for students with above average ability who are able to accept challenging studies. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are designed for students who demonstrate the ability to master a college level course in English, Biology, Chemistry, Calculus, Spanish and U.S. History.Boys basketball
St. Maria Goretti is a member of the Baltimore Catholic LeagueBaltimore Catholic League
The Baltimore Catholic League , locally known as the Catholic League is a competitive basketball association composed of private Catholic high schools in the Baltimore, Maryland geographic area.- History :...
in basketball. Despite being located 1.5 hrs. from the city, Goretti has captured several BCL regular season and tournament championships, and the 1986 and 1987 (private and public) Baltimore city championships.
The most notable athlete-alumnus of the school is Rodney Monroe
Rodney Monroe
Rodney Monroe is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2nd round of the 1991 NBA Draft. A 6'3" shooting guard, Monroe played only one year in the NBA with the Hawks during the 1991–92 season, appearing in 38 games and scoring a total of...
, a four-year starter (1983-1987) who ended his high school career as Maryland boys basketball's all-time leading scorer and went on to college stardom at NC State University. An outstanding mid-range shooter, Monroe is the ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
's 4th-all-time leading scorer and was the 1991 ACC Player of the Year. He was later drafted by and played one year for the Atlanta Hawks before moving on to the European leagues.
Also notable is Monroe's former coach, Robert "Cokey" Robertson, who led the boys basketball program 1974-2006 and retired with nearly 800 lifetime victories (at Goretti and elsewhere), second in Maryland High School boys basketball behind legendary DeMatha coach Morgan Wootten
Morgan Wootten
Morgan Bayard Wootten is an American former high school basketball coach.From 1956 to 2002, he coached at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. He has the most wins as a head coach in the history of basketball on any level. A number of his players went on to play in the NBA,...
.
Boys soccer
In 2003, the varsity men's soccer team went 11-11-1 and won the Private School State Championship. The following year they went 12-12-2 and finished runners-up. In 2005 they went 16-3-2 and won the Apple Valley League Championship. In 2008 the varsity men's soccer team won the Private School State Championship by defeating the Heights School 2-1. in 2009 they went undefeated in the preseasonCo-Ed Swimming
St. Maria Goretti High School has developed a very strong swimming program. A strong team existed in the mid-late '80s, but interest dissolved upon entering the 1990s and 2000s, and the team, while still extant, lots its competitive status. The team was revived by Erik Meinelschmidt in 2005 with under 10 swimmers. Interest in the sport grew rapidly. Many new swimmers came, and the Gaels swim team became competitive once again. The Gaels improved their rankings in the Apple Valley League meet and a handful of swimmers competed in METROS Championships. Coach Erik died unexpectedly in May of 2008.Erik's brother, Cort Meinelschmidt took his place as head swim coach. In the 2008-2009 school year, Cort lead the team on to win the men's championship at AVLs, and more swimmers advanced to METROs. In the 2009-2010 school year, the men's team was once again victorious at the AVL championship (for the second year in a row). Six swimmers advanced to METROS. At METROS, four of Goretti's records were broken (each record broken was from the mid-late 1980s respectively).
Goretti Swimming is a co-ed sport, however, for fairness, meets are scored in a male category, and a female category.
Other Sports
Goretti offers many other sports including--Girls Basketball (Boys is discussed above)
-Girls Soccer (Boys is discussed above)
-Boys Lacrosse
-Girls Lacrosse
-Boys Baseball
-Girls Softball
-Girls Volleyball
-Co-ed Tennis
-Co-ed Golf
-Co-ed Cross Country
Clubs, Organizations, and Groups
Goretti has many clubs and organizations including, but not limited to...-Technology Club
-Science Club
-Green Club
-International Club
-National Honors Society
-Destination Imagination
-Varsity Club
-Newspaper Group
-Yearbook Group
-Prom Committee
-Student Government
-French National Honor Society
-Positivity Club
-Thespian Troupe
-National Art Honor Society
-The 200 club
-Chess Club
Notable alumni
- John P. DonoghueJohn P. DonoghueJohn P. Donoghue is an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. He is currently serving in his 5th term in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Maryland's District 2C in Washington County. Donoghue is a member of the Health and Government Operations...
, member of Maryland House of DelegatesMaryland House of DelegatesThe Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis... - Rodney MonroeRodney MonroeRodney Monroe is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2nd round of the 1991 NBA Draft. A 6'3" shooting guard, Monroe played only one year in the NBA with the Hawks during the 1991–92 season, appearing in 38 games and scoring a total of...
, former ACC Player of the Year, basketball, NC State University, (1991) - Nick AdenhartNick AdenhartNicholas James Adenhart was an American right-handed baseball starting pitcher who played two seasons in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim...
, Pitcher, Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimThe Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
died 2009 - Aaron WilkinsonAaron WilkinsonAaron Wilkinson is an English professional mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2008, Wilkinson mostly competed in the English domestic circuit, before signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to appear on The Ultimate Fighter:...
, Saint Vincent College, Bearcat