Athletics News, March 7, 2014
Boys' Varsity Basketball: The team ended the season on a high note. The Wildcats were the number-one seed for the NYSAISAA tournament and drew the 8th seeded Churchill School from Manhattan. The Wildcats won convincingly and moved onto their next opponent. The semifinal was also played at RCDS against 4th seeded Columbia Prep. The Wildcats were led by senior James McPhail's 24 points to a second convincing victory. The championship game was held at the Fieldston School against a tough Berkeley Carroll opponent. Senior and all-time leading point scorer Tyler Fernandez capped off his basketball career in spectacular fashion with 32 points. Salim Green also took matters into his own hands with time running out, and the Wildcats down 1. Salim Green scored the final 4 points of the game to make the score 73-70. The Wildcats capped off a spectacular season with a championship title and will miss their four graduating seniors next year.
Girls' Varsity Basketball: The team lost a heartbreaker in the state semifinals to Hackley 42-38. We saved are best for the last game, but it still wasn't enough to give us the win. Tara Berger and Nereida Mendez led us with 12 points apiece, followed by Jenn Howland, 8 points/ 12 rebounds, and Emily Moran's 4 points, and Taylor Regan's 2. The team left it all on the court. The coaches couldn't be more proud of how the girls played. We ended our season 15-9.
Varsity Baseball: The 2014 Baseball Program sprung into action this week with its first indoor workouts of the season. First year varsity coaches John Calandros, Mike Pollak, and Joe Conway, and head JV coach Marco Blasetti, seek to build upon a strong tradition of excellence at RCDS. Expectations are high for a varsity program that is returning 12 players from a 12-8 campaign in 2013. Captains Tyler Fernandez (P/CF) and Peter Shu (1B/P), along with Quinn Kurzner (2B/OF/P) and Billy Sobol (OF/2B), will provide a solid foundation of senior leadership. We expect strong contributions from juniors Matt Webster (SS/P), Luke Cappellano (3B/P), Liam Dalton (C/P), and Erik Hanson (OF). Returning sophomores Billy Grossman (OF/P/C), Dylan Misisco (MI/OF), and Ryan Wolitzer (OF/MI) aim to expand their roles in 2014, and freshman Enzo Stefanoni (P/C/UTIL) looks to build upon a great rookie campaign. We have a busy and exciting month of March ahead of us, with a spring training trip to Florida and several scrimmage games, all building to opening day on April 1. Go, Wildcats!!
Boys' Varsity Golf: The team is looking forward to a successful season. This year’s team is very fortunate to have the playing experience and strong leadership of senior co-captains Theo Humphrey and Daniel Tricarico. Over spring break, the team will be traveling to the Saddlebrook Resort just outside of Tampa, Fla. While at the Saddlebrook Resort, the boys will hone their skills at the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy. We look forward to sharing the team’s successes through E-notes throughout the spring.
Girls' Varsity Golf: The team is gearing up for spring training in the Sunshine State. This week, due to the relentless Polar Vortex, we will focus on strength- and skill-building indoors.
Co-captains Amanda Dubin and Summer Kitahara lead the team. Amanda and Summer, both seniors, have already shown great leadership in our preparations for the start of the season. Returning golfers this year are: senior Katie Lattanzio, and juniors Emily Gorin and Kate Weiss, as well as sophomores Jasmine Kitahara and Nicole Schumaker. In addition, we are thrilled to welcome numerous new players trying out for the team. Here's to a fabulous golf season! Stay tuned!
Boys' Varsity Lacrosse: After the winter we endured, the spring trip to Florida is arriving at just the right time. With only three practices leading into the trip, we have a lot to cover while at Disney. The trip will have a nice mix of practices and scrimmages, which will give the players a chance to implement our offensive and defensive philosophy in game-like situations. With the loss of only two seniors, this year's team brings a lot of experience to the field, and the coaching staff is excited with the talent on this year's squad. The team will have great leadership provided by captains Michael Farber, Tyler Miller, and Dylan Bass, which was already on display during the two optional practices. We have high expectations for this season, as our goals include repeating as FAA champions and winning the NYSAIS tournament. We hope to see you at as many games as possible this spring.
Girls' Varsity Lacrosse: The team is heading back to SpringFling, in West Palm Beach, Fla., for spring training. While in Florida, the girls will hone their skills, get conditioned, bond as a team, and prepare for the upcoming season. We have a new coach joining our coaching staff: Coach Sarah Flynn will take on the role as JV Assistant Coach. Three talented and enthusiastic captains, Ruby Aresty, Kat DiCaprio, and Stephanie Sabatini, will lead the varsity team. When back at RCDS, the season starts with a scrimmage at Holy Child on Thursday, March 27. Please come out and support the Wildcats this spring.
Sailing: The team is getting geared up for the 2014 Spring Season. The team will be headed down to Miami for a week of training in 420's at the Ransom Everglades School during spring break. Boston College will be sailing out of the same venue that week, so the team will have some great sailors to practice with on the water. Allison Conn, who will be the captain this year, leads the team. Returning sailors include Kyle Hanlon, Haley Shea, Hannah van der Vord, Andy Rochat, Hugh Reynolds, Jack Parkin and Cooper Yeager. The first league regatta is scheduled for March 22. This regatta will be our league fleet race qualifier for nationals.
Varsity Softball: The team is setting the bar high yet again in hopes of getting back to the state championship. This year’s tri-captains, senior Sydney Ginsberg, senior Jess Grasso, and junior Nereida Mendez, will be leaned on to provide the leadership needed to get us there. A core group is returning consisting of: senior Lily Velona, junniors Maria McEnroe, Hailey Nicholson, and Jessica Cordiano, and sophomores Melanie Mandell, and Micki Carver. The team is looking forward to spring training in Florida to kick start the season.
Boys' Varsity Tennis: This Sunday, March 9, 18 boys will travel to Tampa to attend spring training at the Saddlebrook Resort. Both the junior varsity and varsity teams have benefited greatly from this program during previous trips. Last year, both teams had exciting seasons. The varsity was runner-up to league champion Hopkins School. Coach Castagna, Coach Stoler, Coach Smith, and Coach Solem, along with varsity team captain Paul Leake, look forward to another great year on the courts.
Varsity Track: The team looks to have a great season as it begins year four of the program. The boys’ and girls’ teams both had fantastic seasons last year and both finished in 5th place at the NYSAIS Championships. They look forward to building on last year’s success with the leadership of their six captains. They will be led by seniors Tyler Kaye, Dylan Bronson, Franchesca Pena, Alec Boccanfuso, Kevin Collado, and junior Caroline Kimmel. Tyler Kaye and Caroline Kimmel have been varsity members since the program's start, and have seen the progression of 28 runners turn into over 75 runners in three years. The season will start off with a spring training trip to Orlando, where the team will train and compete against Florida’s best. The trip will give athletes the opportunity to shake the “rust off,” and to build on some of the work they have done in the off season. Two individuals that should be in good form early this season are sophomores Jinjer Pearce and Jimmy Sandling. They both competed in the winter season and did very well. Jinjer had the top time in the 200, 300, 400, and 600-meter dashes among the Independent Schools, and was one of the top runners in the county. Jimmy had the top time in the 400, and had the third-best time in both the 300, and the 55-meter dashes.
One of the main things that will help both the girls’ and the boys’ team will be their new added depth in all the disciplines. The distance squad has been bolstered by the addition of many cross country runners from the fall team. These runners are very talented and should do a great job on the oval this spring in the middle and long distance events. The sprinters will again be a strong part of the team, even though they lost scorers Julie Shanus, Raishaun McGhee, Olivia Sullivan, Jack Reynolds, and Andrew Gillen. The hurdle corps will be much improved with added depth and with students having an extra year of experience. Lastly, the throwers will be led by senior George Matelich and junior Sarah Brodwolf, who both scored at the NYSAIS meet and return as favorites in their events. After the break, a breakdown of each event and participants of those events will be added to the E-Notes. The coaches are looking forward to an awesome spring, and to the personal records of all of the Wildcat athletes.
Squash Clinics
Private Lessons & Clinics: Starting the week of February 24 there will be availability for private lessons or clinics after school or on the weekend.
Clinics: Monday - from 3:15-4:15 p.m.; Wednesday - from 3:15-4:15 p.m.; Saturday - from 9-9:45 a.m. (2-4 Grade only) & from 3:30-4:15 p.m. (5-8 Grade only)
Private lessons: There are still some times available during the week after school and on Saturdays. Please Contact Alex for more details
Spring Break Squash Camp: March 10-14 & March 17-21
There are morning, afternoon and day sessions.
Summer Squash Camps: June 4 -27
We have summer camps for all ages. There are morning, afternoon and day sessions.
June 4-6: 9 a.m.-noon, 1 p.m.-.4 p.m. or day camp from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. (Half Week)
June 9-13: 9 a.m.-noon, 1.p.m.-.4 p.m. or day camp from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
June 16-20: 9 a.m.-noon, 1 p.m.- 4 p.m or day camp from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
June 23-27: 9 a.m.-noon, 1 p.m.- 4 p.m. or day camp from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
For more information contact Alex at Alex_Langerhorst@ryecountryday.org.