October 22, 2026

DM Express

Here is the latest news from DeMatha:

• Hall of Fame TICKET DEADLINE NOV. 1 - The DeMatha Hall of Fame Ceremony will be held on Sunday, November 8 in the Looney Convocation Center from 2:30pm to 6pm. Click here for tickets and details. Tickets must be presented at the door.
  
• DeMatha Admissions will host an Open House on Sunday, November 1 from 11:00-1:30pm. Welcome concert starts at 10:30. Information session starts at 11:00. Register here. Please help spread the word by sharing the event with prospective families or sharing our posts on Instagram or Facebook.
  
• Stag Symposium's latest episode featuring Faculty Member Mike Roberts, is available anywhere you listen to your podcasts. Listen here.
  
• The Archdiocese of Washington hosted its annual Catechetical Day at DeMatha last Saturday. Story Here

• Jasmin Hurling-Spears, an admissions representative of Bowie State University stopped by DeMatha this week to do on-site admissions. Seniors were able to receive an instant decision on their application. All seven seniors that participated in on-site admissions today were accepted.

• The next DeMatha Express will come out on October 29.

In Memoriam:

• John Anthon '63: Obituary

• Benny Bonanni '68, father of Mike '93, grandfather of Shane '26. (Numerous other DeMatha connections). A Celebration of Life is being planned for a later date. (See more in Epilogue).

• Irene Gambino, mother of James '83: Obituary

• Ileana Huseman-Ortiz, mother of Chuck Huseman '99. No arrangement details yet.

• John Kelly '52 and his wife Betty: Parents of John '75 and Mike, who attended DeMatha. Obituary for John and Obituary for Betty Mike McLaughlin '71 and Bob Kavetsky '71 interviewed John a few years ago. The interview is in two parts: Part 1 and Part 2
  
• Bill Miller '82: Obituary
  
• John Paul Kennedy '60: Obituary

Athletics:

• Big game on Saturday as DeMatha football (7-1) plays at St. John's at 2pm. Tickets apparently are available for purchase at the door. We do not have streaming information. If We confirm there will be, we will post on social media. The Stags beat McNamara last Saturday.

• The varsity soccer team concludes its regular season today at The PG Sports & Learning Complex at 3:30pm. The team is 7-4-4 on the year. More than likely the team will open playoff action next Tuesday afternoon at St. John's. Check social media.
  
• The cross country team has wrapped up its regular season and preparing for this Saturday's WCAC Championship at Kenilworth Park in NE Washington, DC. After narrowly avoiding a last place finish on a tiebreaker in last year's championship, the squad has rebounded and expects to compete for a podium finish this weekend. Junior Kenneth Osuji Jr and senior Arvin Mirchandani currently rank 7th and 9th on DeMatha's all-time cross country leaderboard, and three more varsity members are among the program's Top 20 runners since the turn of the century. Go Stags!

Alumni:

• Reggie Parker '06 recently moved from New Jersey back to Washington DC with his wife. Reggie was promoted to the role of Associate Service Manager at the Morgan Stanley DC branch office located on I Street.

• Jerami Grant '12 scored 15 points last night in his NBA debut with the Memphis Grizzlies. DeMatha has now had a player on an NBA roster for the past 51 straight years.

• Assistant Prince George's State's Attorney, Steve Widmann '07, visited Mr. McClain's Criminal Justice class yesterday. He shared his legal expertise on the courts system with the students. 
   
• 2020 DeMatha graduate with a degree in Corporate Financial Management from Virginia Tech is currently trying to start his career in finance, particularly in a junior financial analyst role or finance rotational program. Email tponton@dematha.org if you have any leads.

Events & Miscellaneous Information:

• The Kaleidoscope Concert is happening this Saturday, October 24, 2026. Tickets may be purchased at the door via credit or debit card.
  
• Hockey "The Cooler" Dinner & Auction will be held Saturday, Nov. 21 from 6:00-10:00pm in the Antler Room. Tickets available here. Must be over 21.
  
• Rowing "Purse Bingo" will be held on Sat., Nov 14 from 6:00-9:00pm in the Antler Room. $30 for 20 games. This is a cash only event and no presale registration required. If you would like to reserve a table ($50), please email DeMathaRowingBINGO@gmail.com. Must be 18 years and older.

• Have alumni news to share? Please send updates to Tom Ponton at tponton@dematha.org.

• Stay connected with the Stag community by following DeMatha Stag on Facebook for alumni happenings, reunions, traditions, and stories.

Stag Store Item of the Week

Grab our classic Champion DeMatha Letterman jacket in full-cotton! Our classic design features a black torso with white sleeves and a striped neck and wrists. Our back design features DeMatha spelled out in our classic DeMatha white/blue/red and a traditional stag underneath! You can find this jacket under our Outerwear section on the store website! Click here to order.

Teresa Farrell

Advancement Services Manager

tfarrell@dematha.org

240-764-2223

Postscript

As mentioned above, Benny Bonanni '68 passed away last Saturday. A Celebration of Life is being planned in the future.

It just so happens that members of the class of '68 were already planning on meeting at the Killarney House in Davidsonville today at 1pm (and lasting for several hours, no doubt). These gatherings (held twice a year) are organized by DeMatha Board Chair Charlie Kenny '68. Bill Collins '68, a DeMatha Distinguished Alumnus, said the gathering is bound to be part "Irish wake for a great Italian man."

We received texts from Benny last June just after his grandson Shane '26 had graduated. He was proud that his family legacy continued. He also said he was proud that he and and his wife Kathy would be celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary that same month.

Benny played on two football championship teams under Morgan Wootten at DeMatha. His son Mike '93, who is in the DeMatha Hall of Fame, played on championship football and lacrosse teams at DeMatha. Shane '26 was on the lacrosse team that won a championship in 2025.

Benny stayed in touch with his classmates down through the years. Dr. Kevin Hanley '68, also a Distinguished Alumnus, said he first met Benny in seventh grade at St. Ambrose many years ago. "Benny was really the guy who got to me to go to DeMatha," he said. "I knew nothing about the school until then." Benny and Kevin would carpool together for their first two years at DeMatha.

In the 1990's, Kevin, and his wife Alice, were trying to figure out what school to send their oldest son, Chris '97. Like the Bonanni family, the Hanley family lived in Anne Arundel County and there were other options to consider. Both Alice and Kevin said Benny played a key role in encouraging them to send Chris to Hyattsville. (Chris, by the way, is now on the Board of Directors and is the Finance Chair. Also, the Hanley Science Wing at DeMatha was dedicated in 2011).

By phone the other day, Alice Hanley said, "Benny was larger than life. He was a devoted family man."

We should add that Benny played a huge role in recruiting Dick Long to be DeMatha's lacrosse coach in 1990. As we know, Dick, who is also in the DeMatha Hall of Fame, had a wonderful career coaching the Stags for almost two decades.

Through Benny it is not hard to see the adage of how one man's life touches so many others. In the musical 'Hamilton' there is the song, "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story?" In just a few short paragraphs we have told just you a part of the Benny Bonanni story. If he had an epitaph, it would likely read:

Devoted Husband, Father, and Friend.

And he most certainly was a friend to DeMatha.

God Bless.

-- While today's gathering has been organized by the class of '68, if you happen to be nearby, feel free to drop in.

DM Express Archives: Here