MILLTOWN — Jake O’Donoghue moved from tight end, where he had played for his first three seasons as a member of the Saint Mark’s High School football team, to offensive line as a senior. But despite moving into the trenches, he stood out enough to warrant selection as the 2023 winner of the Michael DeLucia Memorial Sportsmanship Award.
The Michael DeLucia Sportsmanship Award honors a senior football player from a Catholic high school “who has exemplified outstanding performance, attitude and character on and off the field.” It was established by Pat and the late Tom DeLucia in 1971 in memory of their son, Michael, who died that year from meningitis.
O’Donoghue received the award from Michael’s brother Kevin at Saint Mark’s postseason recognition dinner. He said he didn’t know much about the award, but after doing some research, he realized what an honor it was to earn it.
“I’ve learned from talking to Mrs. DeLucia and Kevin DeLucia that it’s more than a ‘you’re good at football’ award, which kind of means a lot to me because as a captain, that’s been important to me,” he said recently at Saint Mark’s.
His head coach, Joe Wright, won the award after the 2003 season. The last Saint Mark’s player to win was Jack Palmer, who was the recipient in 2020.
“The category of people it puts me in means a lot,” O’Donoghue said.
O’Donoghue said he moved to the offensive and defensive lines this past season in part because college coaches who saw him said they could see him as a lineman in college. Another reason was the graduation of Luke Watson, the all-state tackle now playing for Temple University.
He recently committed to the University of Delaware. Being close to home was just one of the factors in his decision.
“Ignoring the fact that I’ve been around the program my whole life, interacting with the coaching staff, it just felt like family,” he said. The coaches ““made it feel personal, but I know that they’re going to push me.”
His experience at Saint Mark’s has been positive both on and off the field. The Spartans just missed the state tournament his freshman season, which was shortened by the covid pandemic, but they reached the postseason his sophomore and junior years. This past season, the team moved up to the state’s highest class, with the biggest rosters.
O’Donoghue feels good about the state of the program and has high hopes for Saint Mark’s in the future.
“Coach Wright would always talk about leave the program better than when you came in, and I really feel like we accomplished that,” he said. “That’s something that I’m proud of.”
O’Donoghue visited a few high schools before choosing Saint Mark’s. He said it felt like a family. Speaking of family, he has twin sisters, Rowan and Daly, who are junior athletes. In the winter, Rowan is a member of the swim team, while Daly plays basketball.
“The O’Donoghue line ends with my sisters,” he said.
He will major in mechanical engineering at Delaware. O’Donoghue said he has always been a hands-on type of person.
“I just like to build things. That’s kind of what I want to continue to do, create things.”
Previous winners
2020 Jack Palmer, Saint Mark’s
2019 Andrew Watkins, Salesianum
2017 William Hoffman, St. Mark’s; Joseph DiGregorio, Archmere
2016 Patrick Udovich, Archmere; David Hazelton Jr., St. Elizabeth
2015 Colby Reeder, Salesianum
2014 John Dougherty, St. Mark’s; Matt Gallagher, Archmere
2013 Troy Reeder, Salesianum
2012 Andre Patton, St. Elizabeth
2011 Eric Patton, St. Elizabeth
2010 Ryan Kilpatrick, Salesianum
2009 AJ Dillione, Salesianum; Chaz Malewski, St. Mark’s
2008 Andrew Schieffer, Salesianum; Corey Olsen, St. Mark’s
2007 Frank Kurek, Archmere; Sonny Durham, St. Elizabeth
2006 Andrew Szczerba, Salesianum
2005 Nicholas Dominelli, Salesianum
2004 Gene DelleDonne, Salesianum; Dan Meany, Archmere
2003 Joey Wright, St. Mark’s
2002 Ryan Stearrett, St. Elizabeth
2001 Thomas J. Weiss, Archmere
2000 Jack Gillespie, Salesianum; Jeff Fletcher, St. Elizabeth
1999 Louis Wright, St. Mark’s; Matt Swarter, St. Elizabeth
1998 Edsel Torres, Archmere
1997 Kevin Coen, Salesianum
1996 Mike Watkins, St. Mark’s
1995 Jason Maxwell, Salesianum
1994 Rich Conway, St. Elizabeth
1993 Dan McGee, Salesianum; Sean Davenport, St. Elizabeth
1992 Tom Coyne, Archmere; Josh Kasper, St. Mark’s
1991 Ryan Burke, Archmere; Chad Fedorkowicz, St. Elizabeth
1990 Steve Brady, Salesianum
1989 Chris Iudica, St. Mark’s; Shawn Mitchell, St. Elizabeth
1988 Chris Johnson, Salesianum
1987 Mike Lesutis, Archmere
1986 Dave Erfle, Salesianum; Rich Sernyak, Salesianum
1985 Harry Schiavi, Salesianum; Mark Kostic, Salesianum; Mike Benefield, St. Mark’s
1984 Michael Drake, Salesianum; Pat Udovich, Archmere
1983 Roy David Thompson, St. Mark’s; Ken Falkenstein, Archmere
1982 Mike Udovich, Archmere
1981 Joe Garecht, Salesianum
1980 Jeff Thommes, Salesianum; Joe Pileggi, Archmere
1979 Frank Cephous, St. Mark’s, John Ryan, Salesianum
1978 Joe Papili, St. Elizabeth; Mark DiNardo, Archmere
1977 Steve McGrath, Salesianum; Mike LaGasse, Archmere
1976 Bob Hanisch, Salesianum
1975 Chuck Hunter, St. Mark’s
1974 Rom Gac, St. Mark’s
1973 John Carney, St. Mark’s
1972 Mark McLane, Salesianum
