St. Francis High School Announces 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

Hamburg, NY – Steve Otremba ’90, Athletic Director at St. Francis High School, is proud to announce the 2025 inductees into the Fr. Rufinus Niedzwiecki Athletic Hall of Fame.

This year’s class includes the 1985 Wrestling Team, Jamie Jayes ’97 (posthumously), Andrew Maisano ’06, and Nicholas Schmitt ’00. The induction ceremony will be held on Friday, September 19, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the Gacioch Family Athletic Complex.

The celebration is part of St. Francis High School’s Homecoming Weekend, taking place September 19–20, 2025. Tickets and additional information are available by clicking here or by contacting St. Francis Athletics at 716-627-2359.

2025 Hall of Fame Inductees

+Jamie Jayes ’97
A three-year starter on the Red Raider Football Team, Jayes helped lead the program to the 1995 league title, going undefeated in league play. He was named All-Catholic as both a junior and senior and earned All-WNY honors during his career. He went on to play at Michigan State University and the University at Buffalo.

Andrew Maisano ’06
A standout in both hockey and lacrosse, Maisano was instrumental in securing multiple championships for the Red Raiders. He earned All-Catholic and All-WNY honors in lacrosse, leading the team to league titles in 2003, 2004, and 2005. He also played on the Prep Hockey Team that won the Midwest Prep Hockey League Title in 2006. Maisano continued his lacrosse career at West Point, where he was a team captain. Following graduation, he served his country and later earned a Master’s Degree from Harvard Business School. He currently resides in Ohio.

Nicholas Schmitt ’00
Schmitt was a multi-sport athlete, earning All-WNY and All-Catholic honors in volleyball while leading his team to multiple titles in 1998 and 1999. He was also a member of St. Francis’ first Prep Hockey Team, as well as an All-Catholic baseball player. Named Athlete of the Year for the Class of 2000, Schmitt went on to study at Niagara University and now resides in Hamburg, NY, where he serves as a high school official in multiple sports.

1985 Wrestling Team
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the 1985 Wrestling Team made history by earning St. Francis’ first NYSCHSAA Championship along with its fourth straight All-Catholic Title. The team finished 12-0 in dual meets and produced eight All-Catholic champions: Brian Attea, Chris Cromwell, Bill Laipple, Jeff Paryz, Phil Ryan, Jim Taube, Chuck Wall, and Rich Wall. Attea, Cromwell, and Chuck Wall went on to capture CHSAA Individual Titles, securing the first CHSAA state championship in wrestling for any WNY Catholic School and the first-ever state title for St. Francis High School.