On a wintry Martin Luther King Jr. Day, St. Agnes Knights of Columbus Council #2548, joined by representatives from Molloy University, hosted the 2026 St. Agnes Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championships at the St. Agnes gymnasium.
The annual event was held in conjunction with the National Day of Community Service, reflecting the holiday’s emphasis on service, leadership and community involvement.
Over fifty athletes between the ages of 9 and 14 took part in the competition, supported by 19 Knights of Columbus volunteers and four student-athletes from Molloy University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, who assisted with officiating and mentoring throughout the event.
Age-group champions were Wyatt Spoerel and Niamh McCutchean (age 9); Ryan Arrante and Maeve Quigley (age 10); Fredrick Cartagena and Vivienne McDonald (age 11); Donavan Blaney and Lilly Ventimialia (age 12); Santino Rosa and Cate Villanava (age 13); and Connor Ventimila (age 14).
All age-group champions will advance to the district-level championships, to be scheduled at a future date in March. Certificates were presented to each age-group winner, and all participants received certificates of achievement.
St. Agnes Council Grand Knight Joe D’Aleo congratulated the winners and said he looks forward to their representing St. Agnes in the next round of competition. He encouraged all participants to return next year and invited friends and classmates to take part to further strengthen the level of competition.
