Reunion Weekend and Alumni Hall of Fame

For many of the School's alumni, the highlight of Rye Country Day's Wildcat Weekend is the Headmaster's Reception and Reunion Dinners.

This year, classes ending in "2" and "7" returned to campus to see their former teachers and renew lifelong friendships.

A record 206 people were on hand Saturday evening, representing alumni from the classes of 1962 to 2007.  The Class of 1987, celebrating their 25th Reunion, had the highest turnout, and this class also won the award for the greatest amount raised by a Reunion Class for Alumni Annual Giving.

The Class of 1962, celebrating their 50th Reunion, had a remarkable turnout with over 20 members in attendance from all across the country.  With that kind of networking, it comes as no surprise that this class won the award for the highest participation by a Reunion Class in Alumni Annual Giving.


L-R  - Barbara Burke Haynes '62, Whitney Bunting Pickett '62, and Patricia Brennan Stanley '62 accepting the award for the highest participation of a Reunion Class in Alumni Annual Giving.

L-R - Jeffrey Hammel '87, Tich-Duong Huynh '87, and David Boxenbaum '87 accepting the award for the largest amount raised by a Reunion Class for Alumni Annual Giving.

L-R - Merrily Gerrish '68, Marilyn Peterson Gerrish '42, and Steven Otis '76.

Slideshows from the weekend:

Class Reunions - Alumni HOF - Alumni Soccer Game - Headmaster's Reception

*New* Presentation for Award Recognition for JV and Varsity Athletes
FALL JV ATHLETES: JV Coaches will hold a recognition meeting at the completion of the season with the players. At this time, all players will be presented with a "Letter" and Presentation by the Coaches. This meeting is mandatory and the final commitment to the season.

FALL VARSITY ATHLETES: The Athletic Awards' Evening is on Tuesday, November 13. The format has been slightly adjusted to provide meaningful time for coaches to speak, present awards, and provide a more intimate environment for the players, coaches, and parents.  From 5:30 to 6:50 p.m., players, coaches, and parents will meet in a previously assigned area for dinner (as in the past organized by the team parents). Each player will be presented with his or her varsity letter/plaque, and the coaches will summarize the season in addition to highlighting the athletes. From 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.,  all varsity teams will move to the Performing Arts Center, where presentations for four-year letter winners, All League and Honorable Mention awards, and the Wildcat and Coaches Awards will take place.

Corrections to NYSAIS tournament game schedules:
Thursday was canceled
Saturday change: boys soccer we play SIA at Home at 1pm
Sunday change: Girls soccer hosting Dalton/Packer at 1pm
Monday, boys soccer TBD, Girls soccer TBD,

Varsity Cross Country: Despite the major weather disruptions that ended the fall season early, the  team still managed to finish on a high note with a very successful final race. Competing at Waveny Park in New Canaan against Holy Child, King, and St. Luke's, both the boys and girls came away with some impressive victories and strong performances. Acacia Dougan again set the pace, not only placing first for the girls' team, but first overall, with a time of 21:33. Rosie Nelson also ran well, placing 9th overall, with Christine Campisi just two runners behind her. On the boys' side, Mathew Crowley again placed first for the team and second overall, and Vlady Rachev ran an excellent race, finishing 5th, while Justin Chun broke the 20-minute barrier. In his first race of the season, co-captain James Pierpont finished 5th for the team. All in all, the boys' team showed much more depth than their opponents, allowing them to come away with two solid wins. The girls, meanwhile, fell to Holy Child, but defeated King and St. Luke’s. It was an encouraging end to a weather-shortened season.

Girls' Varsity Tennis: The team had its last match on October 24, traveling to Gotham Tennis Center in the Bronx to compete against the Fieldston School. The match was excellent, as we enjoyed being able to play under the very tall, very expansive bubble. This protects the courts from rain. The teams played a 2 out of 3 format match. RCDS was proudly represented by Kate Weiss, Summer Kitahara, and Gabby Johnson as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd singles respectively, and our doubles teams were Jessica Grasso/Hannah Needle, Constance Blatt/Izzy Brown, and Daphne Mandell/Hannah Weisman as 1st, 2nd and 3rd, respectively. It was a very exciting match to end the season, and we are very thankful to our hosts, the Fieldston School, for having us on its home-away-from-home courts.

Congratulations to the varsity field hockey team on winning the NYSAISAA Tournament!

View the Annual Report

Athletics News - 11/16/2012

Field Hockey: The team was very grateful to the NYSAISAA committee for all the work it did to reschedule the NYSAISAA tournament. Going into the tournament, the team had a record of 12-3. We were so pleased to have the opportunity to play post-season. After a season filled with injuries it was wonderful to see almost every player back out on the field and able to play. The team sorely missed Sophie Beshar, in the midfield as she continues to be sidelined with an injury. Rescheduling the tournament gave RCDS a bye in the first round. On Sunday, in the Semi-finals, the Wildcats faced the #4 seeded Hackley Hornets. After a slow start the Wildcats gained momentum and dominated the entire game. Kathleen Curtin, Hailey Nicholson, Sophie Grayer, Caroline Nicholson, Nathalie Chan, Maddy Cooper, Allie Conn, and Michelle Haut all were recognized for their outstanding play. One of the highlights was the fourth goal of the game when Charlotte Cooper flicked the ball into the far right top corner of the goal from the top of the circle. The Wildcats had a decisive 5-0 win over Hackley and prepared to play in the NYSAISAA finals. The snow storm after Hurricane Sandy actually helped the RCDS Varsity Field Hockey team. Due to the 5" of snow on our turf we were forced to practice inside, getting us ready to play the NYSAISAA Championship game against Holy Child, which would be played on AstroTurf. We played Holy Child our very first game of the season and won 6-0. We were nervous that the girls might underestimate Holy Child. From our history with Holy Child we know they are a well coached team that improves with each game. The night of the final game, RCDS adjusted and played a higher level of an "AstroTurf" game. This made a big difference in the outcome of the game. We were very happy to be able to score first and within the first two minutes of the game. Holy Child quickly answered the goal, but by that time ,our girls were comfortable with the surface and played their game. They played the way they have all season; with confidence, poise, determination, cohesion, and a desire to win. Clare McClintock (Senior Captain) had the game of her career. She tore up the field and the other players followed suit. Yana Lee had her best game of the season and scored three goals. Annie Grayer was determined not to let Holy Child back in the scoring circle after Holy Child scored its first goal. Behind Annie Grayer was Emma Santucci in goal, staying on her angles and playing a great game. Melanie Mandell supported Emma Santucci in the goal and was ready to play in any overtime situation. Emily Duarte scored four goals. Eve Wulf was calm and collected, helping both the offense and defense stay grounded. Zoe Verni played a stellar game; her speed and strength werre a huge asset to the team. Maddy Pierpont came off the bench and added what she has all season long: speed, consistency and offensive surges. Charlotte Cooper, in the midfield, helped with our transfers and set up some beautiful scoring opportunities for her teammates. It was wonderful to see Julie Kahn, senior, on the field for the championship game, doing her part to help the team achieve their goals. Every member of the RCDS Field Hockey team had a role as they all "Rose Above" and played their role and the outcome was spectacular. The Wildcats defended the NYSAISAA title and won back-to-back championships. This is the fifth title for RCDS. Previous titles were in 2004, 2007, 2009, and 2011. We will continue our season, on Wednesday, November 14, playing in the first round of the New England Tournament. The Wildcats will play St. Marks, at Kingswood Oxford, at 2:15 p.m.

Varsity Football: The coaching staff would like to thank the six seniors for all the hard work and dedication they have put into the football program. The six seniors are Adam Simon, Reed Waggoner, Jack Reynolds, Matthew Beatty, Henry Heller, and Raishaun McGhee. The leadership that they displayed throughout the season was one of the main reasons that the football team finished with a 4-4 record. This included 2 victories over Westchester County Section 1 football teams (Bronxville and Roosevelt) for the first time in school history. The Wildcats were a very young team and played their best game of the year against Kingswood-Oxford. The score of that game was 51-26. That was the most points RCDS scored all year. It was due to the outstanding play of the offensive line. Raishaun McGhee had another outstanding day. He rushed for 209 yards two TD’s and he also threw for 90 yards and a TD. Tyler Miller rushed for 69 yards on 14 carries and two TD’s. Tyler Fernandez rushed for 89 yards on 8 carries and had 3 TD’s. On defense Henry Heller had a career high 3 sacks and Ryan Wolitzer, Nathaniel Cooney, and James McPhail each recorded an interception. Last week the Wildcats faced the Hackley Hornets. Hackley came away with the victory 39-21. Raishaun McGhee had 12 carries for 157 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats. He also threw a 37-yard touchdown to James McPhail and had 13 tackles. Tyler Fernandez added 12 tackles. Once again the Wildcats would like to thank the seniors for such an outstanding season.

Girls' Varsity Soccer: Since the last enotes, the team returned to action, as they played back-to-back NYSAIS tournament games. Sunday's game against Dalton saw the girls garner a 3-1 victory, the same result from our mid-season game with them. After shaking off a little rust from a two-week break from game action, the girls put together a complete game. Francesca Ventura returned to the goal, the defense played as a solid unit, and the midfielders and forwards created and converted scoring opportunities. In what turned out to be a physical game, the girls did not back down. Sammy Friedwald started the scoring with a low angle, beautifully placed left-footed shot. Liz Judd scored the other two goals off assists from Sophie Brown and Casey Berkowitz. The goal from Sophie Brown was one of the prettiest of the year. Sophie Brown sent a perfectly placed ball into the box, which Liz Judd ran on to and placed beyond the outstretched Dalton goalie. The next night, we travelled to Randall's Island for our semi-final game against Columbia Prep. Every girl gave 100% and should be proud of their effort. Led by Julia Massaro, the defense played awesome, as they didn't let Columbia create any quality chances. Ruby Aresty, Sabrina Piccinini, Sarah Brodwolf, and Sophie Brown kept their opponent at bay and consistently sent the ball back into our offensive end of the field. Next week's enotes will cover our run in the New England Tournament.

Varsity Cross Country: The team ran its final race of the season last Saturday at the NYSAIS championships at Van Courtland Park in the Bronx. Because the hurricane necessitated the cancellation of the FAA Championship race, the NYSAIS race provided a nice way to end the season on a high note.  Both co-captains, James Pierpont and Matthew Crowley, ended up finishing in the top-30 in the large, competitive field of runners. Vlady Rachev, Jack Alpert, Malcolm Nash, Jackson Adler, and Evan Wong rounded out the Wildcats Boys’ team. For the girls, Acacia Dougan, Franchesca Pena, Christine Campisi, Rosie Nelson, Georgia Kleiner, and Termely Taveras all ran strong races over the hilly, challenging course. All in all, it was a fine finish to a fun, spirited season.

Girls' Varsity Tennis: The team enjoyed a great season this year. Our record was 7-1. We enjoyed many good and close matches. We had a solid rotation, having most of our players participate in each match, and if they didn't play, then they played in either the very next match or the next one after that. This makes for good preparation for next year, as each player had an opportunity to put into effect our tennis goals for this season. As coach, I am looking forward to a strong return for the fall of 2013.

Boys' Varsity Soccer: The team wrapped up the season last week playing in the NYSIAS tournament. On Saturday, the team played Staten Island Academy and won the game by a score of 2-0. Paul Leake scored the first goal assisted by Tommy Garry. Tommy Garry scored the second goal in heroic fashion from a corner kick assisted by Andres Soto. Mikey Farber recorded the team's 8th shutout of the season. On Sunday, the team traveled to Poly Prep to play in the quarterfinals of the tournament. The team went down 2-0 and stormed back when Andres Soto scored to pull the game within one. During the last 10 minutes, our team was all over Poly Prep, fighting hard to tie the game but unfortunately we ran out of time. The team finished the season with 9 wins 3 ties and 6 losses. Congratulations on a great season and best of luck to all the seniors. We will miss you!

Alumni Games Highlight Holiday

Although school was officially closed for Thanksgiving break on Friday, November 23, the Athletic Center and football field at Rye Country Day School resounded with the sounds of alumni and friends who had gathered for a long-standing RCDS tradition: post-turkey-day ice hockey and basketball games, as well as the first annual touch football game.

Generations of alumni from the classes of 1963 to 2012 returned, many to skate on the rink or play on the court or field, some to watch their alumni children play, and still others to visit with favorite coaches, including John Sabia, Frank Effinger, Gil Castagna, Ted Heintz, John Calandros, Athletic Trainer/Assistant Athletic Director Steve Norman, and Athletic Director Wendy Haft.

MVP awards were presented at the post-game reception, with the honors going to hockey players Michael Closter '75 and Michael Zody '86 and basketball players Antoine Gobin '07 and Erik Sherman '85.

Alumni new to the Thanksgiving Games made fast friends with veterans, and no matter the outcome of either match, RCDS was the winner.

View a slideshow of photos from the event.

Working On Campus

Rye Country Day School students, faculty, and staff performed the musical Working, based on the 1974 book by Studs Terkel, to packed houses at the school’s Dunn Performing Arts Center in November. The show featured a cast of 31 onstage and another 30 behind the scenes to tell the stories of what Terkel described as “the extraordinary dreams of ordinary people.” View a slideshow of photos from the production.

Senior Signs Letter of Intent

The RCDS community was excited recently to play host to a National Letter of Intent signing ceremony for student Kate Sachs. Sachs will be heading off in the fall to fence at Northwestern University on a partial scholarship. She follows in the footsteps of her two older sisters, both of whom fenced at Northwestern for head coach Lawrence Dana Schiller. A scholar-athlete, Kate Sachs is a National Merit Commended Scholar and has been named a U.S.F.A. All-American for the past three years.

Kate signs a National Letter of Intent for Northwestern University as her parents, Sheryl and Morris Sachs, look on.

Athletics News, November 30, 2012

Alumni News: Alex Gendelman, Class of 2012, made the Vanderbilt University Basketball team as a walk on. Alex was a 4-year player on the boys' varsity team at RCDS and excelled through his career as a player and leader of the team. Alex decided to try out for the team and dedicated his summer and fall to training for the tryout. Alex is now a member of the Commodores' Division 1 program that finished in the Sweet 16 this past March. Currently, Alex has played in 2 games and has 2 rebounds to show for his efforts. To follow Alex, please click on the following link: http://www.vucommodores.com/sports/m-baskbl/vand-m-baskbl-body.html

Wildcats' Hockey Clinic: This clinic is open for boys and girls who are 7-12 years old. Come hone your skills with Erik Kallio, head RCDS boys' hockey coach, and Courtney Doucette, head RCDS girls' hockey coach. The clinic will be held at the RCDS Ice Rink on January 2 and end on January 4, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. each day. The clinic brochure can be found on the Athletics Web page at www.ryecountryday.org. For further information, contact Coach Kallio at erik.kallio@gmail.com.

Girls' Varsity Basketball: The team is anxiously awaiting the start of theiseason. We open up Wednesday at Marymount in NYC, followed by the Fieldston Tournament over this weekend.  We scrimmaged an AA Public school yesterday, Harrison High School, and did well. The team worked out the kinks as the scrimmaged progressed. Our teamwork was evident, as everyone scored and enthusiasm ran high. The team is looking forward to everyone’s support this season. Go, Wildcats!!!!

Boys' Varsity Basketball: the team got off to a great start with a strong showing against Hackley in the opening scrimmage. Even missing a couple key players, the Wildcats came out on top. The season is in full swing with a scrimmage versus Riverdale this week and the season officially opening this weekend against Staten Island Academy at the Fieldston Tournament on Friday night, November 30. The team and coaches are excited and looking forward to competing at a high level.

Varsity Fencing: The fencing teams are preparing vigorously for the beginning of the season. League competition starts against the Hornets of Hackley next Wednesday in Tarrytown. We're working on the footwork and blade-work that will lead the Wildcats to victory. Stay tuned!

Boys' Varsity Squash: After a week of tryouts, the squash roster is all set for the 2012-13 season. Congratulations to Carl Shuck, Jared Yanis, Jack Mattson, Teddy Tananbaum, and Eli Rattner on making the team. In addition, we are excited to have Kyle Eagan, Nathan Spring, Jonathan Singer, Jackson Adler, Chase Goddard, Malcolm Nash, Ben Arquit, Nicholas Wilmer, Thomas Ragucci, and Andy Rochat on the JV squad. This afternoon we will be playing St. Luke's at 4:15. Please come and support the team in our first home match of the season!

Girls' Varsity Squash: The team is gearing up for a long, exciting season. The tryout process extended over Thanksgiving break and through part of this week. The girls had to play a lot of matches, but it was a nice jump-start to the season. Many of the girls are coming straight off of fall sports, so they are physically fit, but now we need to start fine-tuning the squash drop shots and boasts. On Thursday we travel to Southport Racquet Club to play Greens Farms Academy. Then on Saturday we will take nine players to City View Club in Long Island City to play in the Chapin Invitational tournament. Rye Country Day School is defending its championship title from last year.

Boys' Varsity Ice Hockey: The team opened up last Saturday at home in a scrimmage against John Jay HS. It was an up and down game that saw the Wildcats fall behind 4-1 before storming back in the second half of the game to win 5-4. Strong performances were seen by both goalies, Michael Mossman and Eric Herbst. Zach Coppola led the team with 3 assists in the game. On Monday, the Wildcats traveled to Portledge to play a very talented team. The Wildcats held the lead 1-0 after the first period on a goal by Zach Coppola assisted by Will Halloran and Kyle Halloran, but were unable to hang on. The team fell 5-1 to Portledge. RCDS will host St Georges on Saturday, December 1, at 6:15pm in what should be another highly competitive game against a strong and talented team.  

Girls' Varsity Ice Hockey: After enjoying some time off for the Thanksgiving break, the team has continued to work hard on the ice during practices. Our home opener is tomorrow Wednesday, November 28, versus Canterbury at 4:45 p.m. We will also scrimmage Darien High School on Thursday, November 29 at home at 3:30 p.m. We will look for some strong leadership from our senior captains, Rebecca Mendelsohn and Georgia Kleiner, to kick off the season.

Season's Greetings from Rye Country Day School

Click this link to view the 2012 Holiday Card

The card is best viewed in Chrome, Safari or Internet Explorer

Athletics News for the Week of December 1-7, 2012

Wildcats' Hockey Clinic: This clinic is open for boys and girls who are 7-12 years old. Come hone your skills with Erik Kallio, head RCDS boys' hockey coach, and Courtney Doucette, head RCDS girls' hockey coach. The clinic will be held at the RCDS Ice Rink on January 2 and end on January 4, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. each day. The clinic brochure can be found on the Athletics Web page at www.ryecountryday.org. For further information, contact Coach Kallio at erik.kallio@gmail.com.

Girls' Varsity Squash: The team kicked off the season against Greens Farms Academy at Southport Racquet Club. Maddie Pierpont, Catherine Kimmel, Yanna Lee, Gabby Johnson, Michelle Haut, Gabi Salomon, Sam Cooper, and Sydney Ginsberg came out of the gate ready to play.   They made quick work of the young GFA team and handed them a 0-8 defeat. RCDS girls' squash traveled to Cityview Racquet Club in Long Island City in Saturday to play in the 2nd Annual Chapin Invitational Tournament. Participating was the 8-girl team of sophomore Caroline Kimmel, senior co-captain Liz Judd, freshman Maddie Pierpont, 8th grader Catherine Kimmel, sophomores Marianna Lee and Michelle Haut , and juniors Gabby Johnson and Sydney Ginsberg. The tournament was played in a round robin format against Brearley, Holy Child, Chapin, and Packer.   RCDS defeated the first three schools 8-0 and dropped only 3 matches against Packer to win 5-3.   RCDS was defending the title from last year.

Boys' Varsity Basketball: The team kicked the season off in the Fieldston Tournament this past weekend. We lost the first game to the host team, Fieldston, 73-50 and lost the consolation game to WHEELS (Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School) 49-35. We entered the tournament short-handed, missing senior captain Ignacio de Lera and junior Dylan Bass, and then lost junior Jack Zenkel to an injury quickly after the start of the first game. Tyler Fernandez made the all tournament team, scoring 22 points in the first game and 12 in the consolation game. Salim Green, Andrew Waite, and James McPhail all had strong performances in the tournament. Although we were missing some key players, the Wildcats played hard in the Fieldston tournament and will be ready for the challenges this week. We start league play tonight against King and play in the Horace Mann tournament this weekend.

Varsity Wrestling: Our Wrestling team competed at the Canterbury Tournament this past Saturday, which included a JV scrimmage, as well as a varsity tournament. We wrestled a total of 17 matches on the mat and won 13 of them. Max Wright, Sean Price, Peter Sanchez, Max Pil, and John Almodovar all won every match. George Matelich and Dylan Bronson each split matches against good competition. We start the dual meet season Wednesday at home against Byram Hills, then travel to Trinity on Saturday for a dual meet tournament.

Boys' Varsity Squash: RCDS opened up the season with the long trip up to Hotchkiss. When we arrived, the even numbered positions took to the courts. After some spirited play, we found ourselves down 2-1 and by the end of the match, Hotchkiss had a slim 5-2 advantage. With many new faces on the squad, it was excellent to see that we were able to keep up with a perennial power in the squash world. Jared Yanis was able to earn his first varsity win in the number seven spot, and the entire team demonstrated excellent determination. John Shuck also used his tight rails and deceptive dropshot to earn a win in the number 2 spot. Next, we hosted St. Luke' s in our first home match.   Jack Mattson stole the show and the victory with a thrilling, five-game win. He never gave up and was able to retrieve some near impossible shots. James Pierpont, Will Chai, and Jared Yanis were also able to secure wins to give the team a 4-3 win. Earlier this week, the team traveled to Stamford to play the King School. We came away with a 7-0 victory and all the players won 3-0. Congratulations to Will Chai, Carl Shuck, Jack Mattson, Jared Yanis, Teddy Tananbaum, Eli Rattner, Kyle Eagan, and Nathan Spring on their fine performances. Please come out and support us as we play Hackley next Friday at 4:30!

Girls' Varsity Basketball: The Girls’ Basketball team has started the season 3-0. We opened up on November 27 at Marymount with a 61-25 win. Three players were in double figures: Carolyn Binder 16 points, Jess Grasso 12 points, and Tara Berger 10 points. Others who chipped in offensively were Jenn Howland 8 points, Nereida Mendez 7 points, Melanie Mandell 4 points, and Maria McEnroe with 2 points. Freshman Maddy Cooper gave us some quality minutes at the point. 

On Friday and Saturday nghts, we competed in and won the Fieldston Tip Off Tournament. Both games were a total team effort. Friday we posted a 61-45 win against a very tough Staten Island Academy. Carolyn Binder led all scorers with 17 points while grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 4 assists. Zoe Verni and Nereida Mendez each added 15 points. Jenn Howland chipped in 6 points to go along with her 3 rebounds. Maria McEnroe added 4 more points, while Tara Berger and Melanie Mandell rounded out the scoring with 2 each.  Saturday we faced a scrappy Fieldston team that played various defenses in an attempt to throw us off our game. We were able to withstand them all with excellent passing, court awareness, and boxing out. Carolyn Binder earned Tournament MVP and Tara Berger was named to the All Tournament Team while grabbing 14 rebounds and scoring 8 points in the win. Jenn Howland came off the bench to spark us with 10 points. Nereida Mendez added 8, Zoe Verni had 7, and Melanie Mandell chipped in 1 point. Jess Grasso added 3 assists, and Maria McEnroe grabbed 4 rebounds. Freshman Olivia Sullivan recorded her first of many blocks and also grabbed a rebound. Freshman Maddy Cooper continues to improve at the point. The team opens up at home Wednesday, December 5 and also plays at home on December 7 and December 8.

Boys' Varsity Ice Hockey: The team continues to progress and learn the new systems being put in place this season. The team hosted St. George's School on Saturday evening at RCDS.  After a tough first period that saw RCDS fall behind 5-0, the team regrouped between periods and came out strong. Through the next 2 periods it was a very fast and physical game.  Michael Mossman made several big saves in the second and third periods, including stopping a penalty shot.  RCDS eventually fell 6-0, but showed determination and character after falling behind to a strong St George's team. The injury bug has hit the hockey team hard early in the season and we lost Patrick Kissell in the St George's game to a broken wrist, but look to get Blake Beber and Andrew Gillen back from injury over the next week.  This week sees the team travel to Hamden Hall on Wednesday and then the Princeton Day Tournament on Friday.

Girls' Varsity Ice Hockey: The team began the season on an impressive note last Wednesday, knocking off NEPSAC rival Canterbury, 4-3, for the first time in over a decade. Senior Rose Rather tallied two goals and two assists for the Wildcats, while Ciara Clare contributed with one goal and two assists and Charlotte Fleischman had one assist. Netminder, Rebecca Mendelsohn had 31 saves to Canterbury’s 18 saves. On Thursday, November 27, the team also scrimmaged Darien High School, notching another win. Eighth graders Sarah Ince and Stephanie O’Brien both scored their first varsity goals. The team is now preparing for its next game versus Pingry School at home on Thursday, December 6 at 4:45 p.m., followed by the Princeton Day School Holiday Tournament. Hopefully the team will solidify its 5th consecutive championship title for the tournament.

Binder Breaks Scoring Record

Congratulations to senior Carolyn Binder, who Wednesday scored 29 points against Hamden Hall to surpass the RCDS all-time basketball scoring record of 1,497 career points. Carolyn started on the varsity girls' basketball team when she was in 8th grade and has helped the Wildcats win two New York State Independent School Championships. Watch the game highlights: http://www.msgvarsity.com/connecticut/highlights-rye-country-day-school-58-hamden-hall-43-1.1286485

Reading for a Cause

The Rye Country Day Lower School held a spectacularly successful Read-A-Thon to benefit the American Red Cross response to Hurricane Sandy. Students in grades K-4 read many, many books and raised over $8,700.

RCDS fourth-graders who participated in the Read-A-Thon.

Student Fund-Raiser Helps Local School

The Rye Country Day Upper School student government recently donated ten percent of proceeds raised at the School's Fall Fair to the JFK Magnet School in Port Chester, to pay for books for the public school's classrooms.

JFK Principal Louis Cuglietto (center) and Assistant Principal Judy Diaz (left) accepted the check from RCDS representatives (from left) James Kissel (Student Body President), Michael Farber (Student Body Vice President) and Anita Walsh, RCDS Director of Community Service.

Thanking the Volunteers

Members of the RCDS student clubs, BOXers and Community Action Organization, made shoebox gifts for over 60 Red Cross volunteers from all over the country who were staying nearby while helping hurricane Sandy victims. The boxes were filled with goodies, as well as a thank-you letter to the volunteers and a questionnaire asking about their experiences. Students then delivered the gift boxes to the Hyatt House in White Plains, where the volunteers were staying. The volunteers were touched and delighted that local students whom they had not met would support and thank them in this way.

From left, RCDS student Stephanie Sabatini, Kat DiCaprio and Constance Blatt prepare to deliver the boxes.

Student-Athlete Recognition

Girls' Basketball:  On Wednesday, December 5, in a girls' basketball game versus Hamden Hall, senior Carolyn Binder broke the school scoring record of 1,476 points previously held by Alexandra Osborn-Jones. She tied the record on a free throw, and midway thru the first half, she broke the record with a three that was way beyond the arc. Carolyn has been playing on the varsity since the 8th grade and has been a part of 2 State Championship teams. It is also worth noting that she has also surpassed the 1,500 points mark. She will play at Columbia next year.

Congratulations to Raishaun McGhee, Henry Heller, and Tyler Fernandez on being selected to the Journal News All County All Star Team. Raishaun was selected to the first team, and both Henry  and Tyler were selected to the Honorable Mention team.

Congratulations to Clare McClintock for being selected to the New England Class B All Tournament team.

Athletics News for the week of 12/8-12/14, 2012

Wildcats' Hockey Clinic: This clinic is open for boys and girls who are 7-12 years old. Come hone your skills with Erik Kallio, head RCDS boys' hockey coach, and Courtney Doucette, head RCDS girls' hockey coach. The clinic will be held at the RCDS Ice Rink on January 2 and end on January 4, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Download the brochure. For further information, contact Coach Kallio aterik.kallio@gmail.com.

Girls' Varsity Squash: RCDS girls’ squash is off to a blazing start. The team is undefeated so far. All eleven players traveled to St Luke's at the beginning of the week, and the girls walked away with nine solid wins. The match was a nice confidence booster for the team. On Saturday, RCDS travelled to Millbrook.  This time, only eight played and eight came home victorious. On Tuesday, the Wildcats will host their first home match against Greenwich Academy.  Greenwich Academy is always a strong opponent, so we anticipate some very competitive matches.

Varsity Fencing: RCDS Fencing is off to a great start in league competition. The girls’ foil and girls’ sabre squads both notched victories against tough opponents in Hackley and Riverdale and started their season at 2-0. Superb fencing by varsity starters on both squads has keyed both victories: Emma Chu, Bonnie Ishiguro, and Cynthia Luo lead the foil. Annie Canning, Maddy Gallagher, Rosie Nelson, and Olivia Nichols have each contributed big wins in sabre. The other squads are competing extremely well and fighting for each and every touch on the strip.

Varsity Wrestling: Our wrestling team competed at the Trinity Duals this past Saturday, winning one match and dropping two. Against Trinity and Sheepshead Bay, we made too many rookie mistakes, which cost us. Many of our guys had close matches but fell short. We did, however, beat Long Island Lutheran. This match was highlighted by a great win by Dylan Bronson. Dylan Bronson pinned a tough opponent to whom he had lost last year. Dylan Bronson finished 3-0 on the day. This week, we make the short trip to Rye High on Wednesday, and host Riverdale on Friday. The Riverdale match will be in the Athletic Center. We hope to see many fans come out for each match.

Boys' Varsity Squash: The team had only one match last week against  Brunswick School in Greenwich. Playing Brunswick so early in the season is always a great test of our abilities. Although Brunswick won 7-0, it was excellent to see the team working so hard, and it was evident that we have a great deal of talent in our line-up. Matt Swain demonstrated tremendous leadership for the team, as he hustled for every ball and worked hard throughout the match. In addition, it was wonderful to have some of our younger players gain valuable experience against a few of the top players in the country. This week, we have been working on our strokes and conditioning in preparation for a match today against Hackley at 4:30. Please come out and support the team!

Girls' Varsity Basketball: The team has improved to 7-0.  We started by defeating Hamden Hall 58-43 in a league game, behind tenacious defense and an all-around team effort. Carolyn Binder led all scorers with 29 points. Nereida Mendez added 11, Zoe Verni added 7, Tara Berger added 6, Maria McEnroe and Meanie Mandell added 2, and Jen Howland chipped in 1. Zoe Verni and Carolyn Binder were able to slow down the sharp shooting of Hamden’s guards, and Tara Berger, Maria McEnroe, and Jenn Howland manned the boards.  Our next win was against the Dwight School, 52-34, in which the team controlled the game from the opening tip. Carolyn Binder led the way with 17 points, followed by Tara Berger's first double-double of the year with 12 points and 21 rebounds, Nereida Mendez contributed 6 points, Zoe Verni and Maria McEnroe added 4 points each, Jenn Howland added 3, followed by Melanie Mandell's, Maddy Cooper's, and Olivia Sullivan's 2 points each. Jess Grasso gave us quality minutes on both ends of the court.  Our sixth victory came at the expense of the Millbrook School, 54-33. Carolyn Binder scored 25 points followed by 12 from Tara Berger. Zoe Verni added 8 points to go along with 8 rebounds, Maria McEnroe had 4, Melanie Mandell had 2, and Maddy Cooper, Nereida Mendez, and Jenn Howland each chipped in 1 point.  Our latest victory came against Riverdale 63-26. Our full court press was too much to handle as we opened up a 14-0 lead. Carolyn Binder-21 points, Tara Berger-10 points, Melanie Mandell-7 points, Jess Grasso and Jenn Howland each added 6 points, Nereida Mendez chipped in 5 and Zoe Verni (5 assists), and Maria McEnroe each added 4.  The team travels to Kingswood Oxford School over this weekend to play in its tournament.

Boys' Varsity Basketball: The team had a great weekend at the 15th Annual Peg Duggan Memorial Tournament at Horace Mann.  The Wildcats pulled out an exciting win in the first round against Loyola.  The Wildcats came back from 15 down in the 4th quarter to force overtime.  In overtime, the Wildcats outscored Loyola 10-3 to go on to a 55 to 48  victory. The Wildcats then faced the host team Horace Mann in the finals. After trailing for most of the game, the Wildcats took the lead in the final two minutes. They withstood a strong push by Horace Mann and pulled out an exciting 52-51 victory.  The Wildcats were led by tournament MVP Tyler Fernandez, who scored 22 points against Loyola and 32 points in the finals against Horace Mann.  Salim Green and James McPhail made the All Tournament Team, and captains Andrew Waite and Ignacio de Lera played great games to help the Wildcats move to a 2-3 record.  Jack Zenkel contributed defensively and knocked down two big free throws to seal the win against Horace Mann. Vincent Conn, Peter Shu, and Matt Farber all played well off the bench. These were very important wins for the Wildcats after getting off to an 0-3 start.  The team is finally healthy and coming together.  The Wildcats have two important league games this week against St. Luke's and Hamden Hall.

Boys' Varsity Hockey: The team traveled to Hamden Hall on December 5 and won its first FAA league game by a score of 8-2.  Strong performances were put in by Blake Beber, who had 2 goals in the contest.  The team then traveled to Princeton Day School to play in its annual tournament on Friday night and Saturday morning.  Friday night saw the Wildcats square off against PDS in a very fast- paced game.  The team fell to PDS 3-1, but saw a very strong performance by goalie Michael Mossman to keep the team within striking distance for the entire night.  On Saturday morning, the team played Moses Brown (RI), and with a short bench due to injuries, the team worked to keep the game close.  After 2 periods, the team was down 3-0, but the short bench caught up with them in the third period and the Wildcats eventually fell 10-2.  Michael Rocco received the PDS tournament award for sportsmanship.  On Monday, December 10, the team played St Luke's and came away with a 6-1 win.  Goals were scored by Blake Beber, Zach Coppola, Peter Duncan, James Kissell, Serafim Rocco, and Kyle Halloran.  Eric Herbst got at the win in net for RCDS.

: On Thursday, December 6, the team beat Pingry 10-1. Rosie Rather had 4 goals and 2 assists, Ciara Clare scored 3 goals and 2 assists, Stephanie O'Brien netted 2 goals, and Charlotte Fleischman had 1 goal and 1 assist. Forwards Maddy Lyons and Haley Shea, along with defensemen Georgia Kleiner and Julia Massaro, each contributed with 1 assist each. Goalie, Rebecca Mendelsohn had 13 saves. On Saturday, December 8, the team traveled to New Jersey to play in the Princeton Day School Invitational Holiday Tournament. The team beat Lansdale Catholic 10-0, qualifying them for the Championship game. Against Lansdale Catholic, Ciara Clare had an outstanding 6 goals and 2 assists, Rose Rather scored 3 goals and 2 assists, while Georgia Kleiner contributed 1 goal and 1 assist. Stephanie O’Brien, Jamie Simensky, and Charlotte Fleischman each contributed with 1 assist. On Sunday, December 9, the Wildcats played Princeton Day School in the Championship game. RCDS beat PDS 5-1, solidifying a fifth consecutive championship. Rose Rather scored 2 goals and 2 assists, Ciara Clare netted 1 goal and 2 assists, Charlotte Fleischman scored 1 goal, and Jamie Simensky had 1 goal. Ciara Clare received the Christopher Reeves sportsmanship Award for outstanding play and sportsmanship. The team will next face NEPSAC rival Greenwich Academy on Wednesday, December 12.

Athletics News for the Week of December 15-21, 2012

Wildcats' Hockey Clinic: This clinic is open for boys and girls who are 7-12 years old. Come hone your skills with Erik Kallio, head RCDS boys' hockey coach, and Courtney Doucette, head RCDS girls' hockey coach. The clinic will be held at the RCDS Ice Rink on January 2 and end on January 4, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Download the brochure. For further information, contact Coach Kallio aterik.kallio@gmail.com.

Girls' Varsity Squash: The team has been training hard. We are focusing on improving racquet techniques and foot speed. As the players' strokes improve, they are learning about proper shot selection in various situations. The girls' squash team faced two strong opponents last week. On Tuesday, we played a dominant Greenwich Academy.  All seven girls played well and demonstrated all the tools they have acquired. GA just outplayed them, and there is no shame in playing the best you can and losing to a stronger opponent. On Thursday, the team travelled to Hackley. Eighth grader Catherine Kimmel played a tough match at her debut at #1. Filling out the rest of the team were Maddie Pierpont, Yana Lee, Gabby Johnson, Michelle Haut, Sydney Ginsberg, and Samantha Cooper. Yana Lee played a strong opponent but succumbed in four games. Maddie Pierpont, Gabby Johnson, and Sydney Ginsberg fought until the end, but all lost in the final points of the fifth game. Michelle Haut played a lovely match, hitting the ball deep into the back corners and then going short when the opportunity arose. She walked away with a 3-1 win.  

Boys' Varsity Basketball: The team lost a tough conference game at home to St. Luke’s last week but bounced back and won a key conference game on the road at Hamden Hall. The Wildcats are 1-2 in the conference and 3-4 overall. We play at home against Lawrence Woodmere on Tuesday, December 18, and another big conference game on Thursday, December 20, at Masters. Tyler Fernandez continues to lead the way, averaging 21 points a game. Salim Green leads the team in assists, and captains Andrew Waite and Ignacio de Lera lead the team in rebounding. The Wildcats continue to get strong play from key reserves Jack Zenkel, Vince Conn, and Peter Shu.

Varsity Fencing: Fencing continues to put the competition en garde! In particular, girls’ varsity foil remains undefeated after a dominant 7-2 win over league foe Marymount. Girls’ epee also won against Marymount, notching a 6-3 victory. Foilists Emma Chu, Bonnie Ishiguro, and Cynthia Luo all earned two victories apiece. Captain Michael Katzovitz led the girls' epee squad, winning each of her three encounters, while Jess Cordiano won two. Of particular note, though, were Acacia Dougan's foil victory and Morgan Waggoner's epee victory; Acacia Dougan and Morgan Waggoner both just began fencing four weeks ago, and they were each able to earn a victory on the varsity strip. Morgan Waggoner’s win, in fact, was the individual bout that won the team the competition. Surely, these girls both have long, successful, fencing careers in front of them.

Varsity Wrestling: The team split two matches last week. Although we dropped a close one to Rye High School 36-48 on Wednesday, we actually won more matches on the mat than they did. Jon Almodovar, Marc Schneider, Max Wright, George Matelich, and Bobby Linton all won by pin. Friday afternoon, we beat Riverdale 53-6, although to their defense, they only came with five eligible wrestlers. Winners that day included Max Wright and George Matelich, along with Dylan Bronson and Sean Price. It was Sean Price’s first varsity win. This Thursday, we head down to the Bronx to take on highly regarded Horace Mann before the break.

Boys' Varsity Squash: The team improved its overall record to 4-2 with strong wins over Hackley and Hopkins. In the match against Hackley, all 8 players won by impressive 3-0 scores, and Kyle Eagan limited his opponent to four total points in three games.  In addition, James Pierpont played an attacking style of squash, putting his opponent under a great deal of pressure throughout the match, while earning the victory. This was an awesome team win from start to finish. Next, the boys headed up to play Hopkins for the first of two meetings this year. The two squads played a total of twelve matches, and RCDS won all but three of them. It was evident that all of the conditioning work this year is paying off, as, time and again, the Wildcats won the extended rallies and games. Matt Swain, James Pierpont, Carl Shuck, Jared Yanis, Teddy Tananbaum, Eli Rattner, Nathan Spring, Jonathan Singer, and Chase Goddard were all victorious in the team win.

Girls' Varsity Basketball: The team played in the 50th Annual Paul “Frosty” Francis Invitational at Kingswood-Oxford School in West Hartford this past weekend. It was the first time in 10 years that the program has had an overnight trip. It was a blast! Not only was it a great bonding trip for the team, the girls played some of their best “team” basketball of the season and improved their record to 9 wins and 1 loss. On Friday night, we faced Governor’s Academy from Massachusetts. It was a back-and-forth game from the start, but unfortunately, the Wildcats lost 48-46 to the eventual Tournament Champion.

On Saturday afternoon the team came out on fire. The full court press smothered Ethel Walker’s ball handlers and led to one layup after another. The 60-30 win boosted the girls’ confidence and set us up for an early season FAA show down with rival Convent of the Sacred Heart. On Sunday morning, the team took to the courts with conviction. In a scrappy, well played game, the Wildcats shut down Sacred Heart’s centers and tallied 11 steals, which led to the 57-43 victory. The final individual statistics for the weekend are as follows: Tara Berger: 31 points and 26 rebounds; Carolyn Binder: 86 points, 10 assists and 11 steals; Jenn Howland: 14 rebounds, 6 blocks and 7 assists; Nereida Mendez: 27 points, 8 assists and 6 steals; Zoe Verni: 10 points, 8 assists and 9 rebounds. Starter Maria McEnroe played solid defense and set the screen of the season! Freshmen Maddy Cooper, Melanie Mandel, and Olivia Sullivan saw limited playing time but certainly contributed to the success of the weekend. The Wildcats play visiting Portledge on Wednesday, as they attempt to go into winter vacation with a 10 wins-1 loss record.

Boys' Varsity Hockey: The team hosted Portsmith-Abbey on December 12.  It was a very competitive game that saw RCDS take a 1-0 lead after one period on a Kyle Halloran goal that was assisted by Zach Coppola.  PA was able to tie the game in the second period.  RCDS was able to get many quality scoring chances, but was unable to convert.  An unlucky bounce found its way on to a PA stick for the game-winning goal late in the third period.  On Saturday, December 15, RCDS hosted the King School. The first period saw a lot of back and forth action with King pouncing on a turnover and getting the first goal of the game. The second and third periods were dominated by RCDS with King managing only 5 shots over the final 2 periods. It took until the third period and Serafim Rocco's shot to solve the King goaltender. With 6 minutes left to play, Will Halloran found the back of the net for the game-winning goal for RCDS.  The team will travel to St Thomas Moore on Wednesday and then will take on Harvey on Friday.  

Girls' Varsity Hockey: The team traveled to Chelsea Piers Connecticut in Stamford to play Greenwich Academy last Wednesday, December 12. Although the Wildcats were up 2-1 going into the third period, they regrettably lost 2-4. Senior goaltender Rebecca Mendelsohn had an outstanding performance with 35 saves. Rose Rather had 2 points (1 goal and 1 assist), Ciara Clare scored 1 goal, and Jamie Simensky had 1 assist. On Saturday, December 15, the team was victorious against Summit High School 12-2. The game was played at Bridgewater Arena in New Jersey with only 8 RCDS players on the roster (due to injury and personal commitments). Rose Rather had an impressive 8 points (7 goals, and 1 assist), Stephanie O’Brien, Charlotte Fleischman, Sarah Ince, and Haley Shea each scored 1 goal and 1 assist, Georgia Kleiner netted 1 goal, and had 4 assists, and Maddy Lyons contributed with 1 assist. Juliet Fitzpatrick put forth an impressive effort and showcased the improvement of her skills through a regular shift during the game. The Wildcats currently have a record of 5-1, and will look to add another win with their last game before break against Greenwich High School on Tuesday, December 18, at home at 4:45pm.

Congratulations to senior Carolyn Binder on being named a Con Edison Athlete of the Week. This award recognizes students in Westchester and Putnam schools who excel athletically. Academic achievements, leadership, citizenship, school and community activities are also factors. The winner is selected each week by a panel of athletic directors and coaches who review ballots submitted by each athlete’s athletic director or coach. Read more about it here.

Athletics News, January 11, 2013

2013 Spring Training Trips:
The mandatory meeting for all students and their parents will take place on Thursday, January 24 in the Athletic Center.

US, MS, LS
Winter Wildcat Games: We want to invite everyone, RCDS families and students of all ages to come out and cheer on the Winter Wildcat Teams.
Jan 22 - Fencing 4:30
Jan 25 - Boys Basketball 6:00
Jan 26 - Wrestling 3:00; Boys squash 3:00
Jan 30 - Girls Hockey 4:00; Boys Hockey 6:00
Jan 31 - Girls Squash 4:30; Girls Basketball 5:45

Varsity Wrestling: Our team wrestled Horace Mann on Wednesday before the break. Although we lost the team match, Max Pil (9th), Curtis Wilson (9th), and Dylan Bronson (11th) each won their individual matches. This past Saturday, we headed out to Maspeth, Queens, for the Martin Luther Invitational. John Almodovar, Dylan Bronson, and George Matelich won individual titles at their respective weight classes. All three Wildcats won all of their matches by pins. Notable efforts were also made by Marc Schneider and Max Wright, who finished the day 2nd and 4th, respectively. Our team finished 4th out of 13 teams. We look forward to an upcoming match with Lexington and competing at the Byram Hills duals this Saturday.

Girls' Varsity Basketball: The team ended up 10-1 at the break. Our 10th win proved to be our toughest game of the season, as we beat Portledge 60-58 in overtime.  All 5 starters, Nereida Mendez, Carolyn Binder, Jenn Howland, Maria McEnroe, and Tara Berger, scored in double figures. Melanie Mandell and Olivia Sullivan provided quality minutes off the bench. The team looks to continue its success as it starts the New Year off with a home game on January 16 versus the Chapin School.

Congratulations: to senior Carolyn Binder on being named a Con Edison Athlete of the Week. This award recognizes students in Westchester and Putnam schools who excel athletically. Academic achievements, leadership, citizenship, school and community activities are also factors. The winner is selected each week by a panel of athletic directors and coaches who review ballots submitted by each athlete’s athletic director or coach.  Read more about it here.

Varsity Football: Raishaun McGhee was selected First team all New York State for class B schools. Tyler Fernandez was selected to the Honorable Mention Team. Raishaun McGhee was also voted onto the 2012 Golden Dozen Scholar-Athlete Team. Click on the link to view the All-State team: http://www.roadtosyracuse.com/roadtosyracuse/reference/all-state-2012-b.shtm

Girls' Varsity Ice Hockey: Before break, on Tuesday, December 18, the team beat Greenwich High School 5-2. Rose Rather scored a hat trick and had 1 assist, Charlotte Fleishman had 1 goal and 1 assist, and Stephanie O’Brien netted 1 goal. Maddy Lyons, Sara Ince, Julia Massaro, Georgia Kleiner, and Jamie Simensky also contributed with 1 assist each. Goalie Rebecca Mendelsohn had 21 saves. With a current record of 6-1, the team will next face off against Kingswood-Oxford on Wednesday (1/9) at home at 4:45 p.m. The team will also travel to Pittsburgh this weekend to play two games against Shady Side Academy of Pittsburgh and Holton Arms from Bethesda, Md.

Girls' Varsity Squash: After a long break, the team jumps right back into a busy match schedule. 
On January 8, we travel to Greenwich to play GA. On Thursday, January 10, we play St Luke's at home starting at 4:30. Please come support the team. They have been working hard and like to show off their squash skills.  

Boys' Varsity Squash: Coming out of the break, the team has an impressive 5-2 record, with wins over St. Luke's, King, Hackley, Riverdale, and Hopkins. We will be spending the next few weeks preparing for the High School National tournament at Yale University in early February. During that time, we will be playing matches against some of the top teams in the country. Please come out to the courts to support the team!

Athletics News for the week of January 12 - January 18, 2013

2013 Spring Training Trips:
The mandatory meeting for all students and their parents will take place on Thursday, January 24 in the Athletic Center.

US, MS, LS
Winter Wildcat Games: We want to invite everyone, RCDS families and students of all ages to come out and cheer on the Winter Wildcat Teams.
Jan 22 - Fencing 4:30
Jan 25 - Boys Basketball 6:00
Jan 26 - Wrestling 3:00; Boys squash 3:00
Jan 30 - Girls Hockey 4:00; Boys Hockey 6:00
Jan 31 - Girls Squash 4:30; Girls Basketball 5:45

Wrestling
The Wrestling team split a few matches last week and over the weekend. In the Lexington match, forfeits played a big role as we lost the meet. However, Max Wright and George Matelich each won by pin. On Saturday, January 12^th we headed out to Armonk to compete in the Byram Hills Duals. We won matches against Irvington and Byram Hills and lost to a very experienced Harrison squad. We also tied Burke Catholic, but lost on criteria. John Almodovar, Tyler Wilson, Max Wright, Dylan Bronson, and George Matelich all won matches throughout the day. George Matelich was awarded the "Most Outstanding Wrestler" award for winning all of his matches by pin. This week, we compete against Dalton, Martin Luther, and Harding High before the long weekend.

Girls Basketball
The Girls’ Varsity Basketball team is anxiously waiting for the second half of the season to start.

Last week we travelled to Long Island Lutheran to scrimmage the number 1 ranked private school in the state. The team hung tough against a much taller and skilled team. We took many positives home with us with hopes of preparing us for the remainder of the season. We also scrimmaged The Ursuline School, who plays in the Public High School AA league. We faired much better, out scoring them in 4 of the 5 quarters we played. The team is starting to play at a faster pace and is more focused on what needs to be done to continue our success for the rest of the season.  We play home Wednesday, January 16^th at 4pm and travel to Hopkins on Saturday, January 19^th at 12:30.  ONE TEAM, ONE GOAL, ONE HEART!!!!

Fencing
Though fencing is a team sport, we would like to take this update to shine a light on the fencers currently at the top of the league. Through our quad meet against Hackley and Chapin on Saturday, January 12th, the following fencers are in the top 10 of their respective weapons: Bonnie Ishiguro, Emma Chu, and Cynthia Luo (Girls' Foil); Maddy Gallagher, Olivia Nichols, Rosie Nelson, and Annie Canning (Girls' Saber); Michael Katzovitz (Girls' Epee); John Rigby (Boys' Saber); and Naropa Perez (Boys' Epee). Much of the rest of the roster is just outside of this "top 10" status, but all fencers are making great contributions this year, and we are confident that by season's end, we will have even more fencers represented in this impressive list.

Boys Hockey
The Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey team traveled to North Adams, MA on Wednesday, January 9^th to take on Hoosac Academy.  After falling behind 2-0, the team battled back and with a third period goal by Blake Beber was able to earn a hard fought tie.  On Friday night, the team traveled to West Hartford, CT to take on the Kingswood-Oxford School.  It was KO's hockey night and they had a big crowd on hand to watch the game.  It was a back and forth game that watched RCDS take a 1-0 and 2-1 lead on goals by Kyle Halloran and Zach Coppola.  In the end, the bounces did not go the team’s way and RCDS fell 4-2 to KO. This week sees the team host St Luke’s on Monday, travel to Harvey on Wednesday, and then host Kent's Hill on Saturday afternoon at 3 PM.

Boys Basketball
The Wildcats had a tough loss against Masters School just before the winter break.  After a couple weeks off, we were back in action against Hopkins and Greens Farms Academy the week returned from break.  Although we played both teams hard we took two tough losses to fall to 1-5 in conference play.  Junior Tyler Fernandez is leading the way in scoring for the Wildcats averaging over 23 points per game.  Sophomore, Salim Green had a career high 26 points against Hopkins and Senior Captain Ignacio de Lera scored a career high 19 points against Greens Farms.  Although the record doesn't reflect it, the Wildcats have been in every game this season.  Right now, we are struggling to finish games and our inexperience is showing.  With several games left on the schedule, we hope to turn the corner this week against King and Packer.

Girls Hockey
On Wednesday, January 9^th, the Girls’ Varsity Hockey team beat NEPSAC rival, Kingswood-Oxford 3-2. Rose Rather scored two goals and Sarah Ince scored one. Jaime Simensky, Georgia Kleiner, and Julia Massaro each aided with one assist. Rebecca Mendelsohn had 18 saves. On Saturday, January 12^th, the team traveled to Pittsburgh, PA to play two games, both of which were victorious. First, RCDS beat Holton-Arms School from Bethesda, MD 7-1. Rose Rather had two goals and two assists and Ciara Clare had a goal and two assists. Charlotte Fleischman, Julia Massaro, Maddy Lyons, and Jamie Simensky each contributed with one goal apiece. Stephanie O'Brien aided the play with two assists and Sarah Ince also had one. Goalie, Rebecca Mendelssohn had 21 saves. Haley Shea and Juliet FitzPatrick should also be commended on their effort. Next, RCDS was paired against the host team Shady Side Academy. The Wildcats won 3-0 with Ciara Clare scoring a pair of goals and Rose Rather netting one. Assists were made by Rose Rather (2), Charlotte Fleischman (1), Sara Ince (1), and Ciara Clare (1). Goaltender Rebecca Mendelssohn had a shutout with 15 saves. The team now has a record of 9-1 and will next travel to play the Pingry School on Wednesday, January 16^th.

Girls Squash
The Girls’ Squash team jumped right back into matches after a long Christmas break.  Last Tuesday the team travelled to GA to play their Varsity B team.  Despite missing our number two player, the players were evenly matched.  GA won the match 7-0 but 3 matches game down to the final points in the fifth game and many of the other matches had game scores of 11-9, 12-10 and 13-11.  The matches were very close and showed that RCDS has gotten stronger and is in the hunt. On Thursday, RCDS hosted St. Luke’s.  The girls came out ready for the rematch and decidedly defeated St. Luke’s 5-2.  Catherine Kimmel, Maddie Pierpont, Yana Lee, Michelle Haut, and Sydney Ginsberg all won their matches 3-0.  Gabi Salomon also played a strong match to win 3-1. On Wednesday, January 16^th RCDS will host Holy Child.  Please come cheer the team on to victory. 

Boys Squash
Over the last week, the Boys' Squash team beat St. Luke's and Greens Farms Academy to put our record at 7-2 for the season. In the first match against GFA, the team was able to come away with a 7-0 win. Matt Swain, John Shuck, Carl Shuck, Will Chai, Jack Mattson, Teddy Tananbaum, and Eli Rattner were all able to secure wins with some excellent squash. The very next day, the team traveled to New Canaan, CT to face the Red Storm. We had already beaten them 4-3 earlier in the year, so we knew it would be a close match. Carl Shuck and Jared Yanis were able to secure the first two wins to give us a comfortable 2-0 lead, while John Shuck demonstrated some gritty squash to win the third game 13-11 and extend his match. When the second round of matches took the courts, James Pierpont and Will Chai quickly won three straight games to give us our four victories in order to secure the match, 4-3. This week we play away matches against Millbrook, Suffield, Taft, Hotchkiss, and Salisbury. It will be a great test for the team to play so many matches against some of the top competition.