Spike and Splash 2018

As it has for past dozen years, Jesuit swimming joined forces with the swimming and volleyball teams at the Academy of the Holy Names for the annual Spike and Splash cancer fundraiser, generating $14,000 to fight cancer. 

Wednesday (Oct. 3) at AHN, hundreds came to the athletic facilities for the swim meet and volleyball matches, and to support the cause. Since 2006, Spike and Splash has been held in support of Breath Cancer Awareness month as a way to raise funds for cancer research. While the teams compete in the pool and on the court, funds are raised by selling T-shirts, food items, raffle tickets, and silent auction baskets. Since it first began, Spike and Splash has raised more than $80,000.

A decade ago, the event grew significantly in support of Mara Schultz, AHN's beloved swimming coach, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Though Schultz lost her fight to cancer in 2010, the tradition continues, honoring her and all others affected by the disease.

This year was especially emotional for many attendees. Cailin Cannella lost her battle with osteosarcoma in September 2017, when she was an 8th grade swimmer for AHN. For many, Spike and Splash was a celebration of Cannella's life, and her name was heard often in chants by the teams. In the homepage photo, Jesuit swimmers are standing by a monument dedicated to Cannella.

In the swim meet, the defending State Champion Tigers remained unbeaten with a decisive victory over Plant, 119-57. Alex Caceres '19, Tyler Carreja '19, Brendan Driscoll '19, Tyler Petitt '19, Robbie Shaffer '19, Anthony Kirchner '20, Nick Shaffer '21, and John Thomson '21 were among the top swimmers for Jesuit.

Please see below a photo slideshow from Wednesday's Spike and Splash meet.