Where's the Professor, Maryanne,Ginger and The Howells ?

To see their enthusiasm on the sideline is refreshing. To see the comradeship among their players is exciting. To see them stand together though, is to see the Skipper and Gilligan in real life. Many of us over thirty have a special affinity for the old television program Gilligan's Island. One of the best things about that show was the friendship and interaction between Gilligan, played by Bob Denver , and the Skipper, played by Alan Hale. Their relative stature made for interesting by play between the two, and they always seemed to be up to something. The Skipper was the mentor and Gilligan was a good natured fellow , who always wanted to help someone out. Here at Portledge, coaching the JV Boys Soccer team we have our own Skipper and Gilligan "aka" Mr. Sandoval and Mr. Sandos, respectively. They are the best of friends and have a wonderful time working with the JV boys. Don't think their laughter during practice and games means they are not taking things seriously though. Portledge's Skipper and Gilligan have spent countless hours this fall studying the finer technical points of soccer with The Portledge soccer maestro, Varsity Boys Coach Mr. Kevin Coleman. Coach Coleman has taken the two under his wing and together the three of them, and Coach Coleman's able Varsity Assistant Mr. Pat Meyers, are building an excellent high school soccer program. The fact that we have well over 30 boys playing soccer in the Upper School is a testament to the enjoyment the program offers Portledge students. So when you hear Mr. Sandoval say, " wait a minute there little buddy", you're not on Gilligan's Island, but probably on the Portledge soccer "pitch" - that's English for field Mr. Sandos. Although they played very well in their opener against Friends Seminary, the JV Boys team went down to defeat 4-0. Don't worry though.... immediately after the game Sandoval and Sandos were seen huddling under one of the cherry blossoms with Coach Coleman, as the three went through an extensive debrief of the contests tactical aspects. The next home game for the JV Boys will be Tuesday v. Martin Luther (4:15).

Special Delivery/ Skill & Determination Mark Early Season Play of Varsity Girls Soccer

Right from the start of things one can see that the Varsity Girls Soccer team has a tremendous amount of skill. In both their games thus far, a 12-1 drubbing of LFNY and a hard fought 2-2 draw with Friends Seminary, the Lady Panthers have displayed excelent ball control and passing. Midfielders Alex Siwiec and Ashley Wade have controlled the play and allowed strikers Mo Kelly and Addie Reilly to really press forward in the attack. In addition, the backfield play of Natalie Flammia and Chelsea Caracciolo has been solid, steady and very impressive. Two new starters, Freshman Alexa Lodenquai and Sophomore Natalie Grey, have also contributed to the swift and accurate passing coming out from the backfield. Reilly netted four goals v. LFNY and Kelly added one, before Coach Coope brought on some younger players to finish off the game. Two of those youngsters, 8th grader Ceci Mulry and Sophomore Tatiana Parris each scored two goals as the LFNY game wound down. During the second game of the season, the draw with Friends Seminary, the team exhibited another important characteristic - determination. The play of goalie Chelsea Estevez was a prime example as the net minder dug deep to make several crucial saves during the last few minutes of play. One incredible early season side note came when Sophmore Ashley Wade took an elbow to the face that brought quite a bit of blood flowing from her nose. Somehow, with the help of Mr. Sandoval, Ashley was able to stop the bleeding without getting a single drop on her bright white game jersey. Now that's some skill! Good luck to the Lady Panthers as they face two tough non league opponents next week in the form of Riverdale (Monday) & Chapin (Thursday) with both matches on the road.

From the Trails to the Courts....and more.

Hi Hey Hills readers! Let's give you a little info about this year's Varsity Cross Country and Girls Tennis squads. The Portledge runners are over twenty strong this fall and hope to elevate their standing to the very top of the IPPSAL Cross Country league. Top female runners Delphine Starr and Millie Stallings return to lead an expanded group of girls as they navigate the twists and turns of the cross country season. On the boys side, Senior Nick Hagedorn and Sophomore Alan Phipps return with the strongest running resumes, but there is a host of young runners eager to challenge them, and the rest of the IPPSAL fields, for cross country supremacy. The Portledge team will host a short 2K run on Founders Day that is open to the entire Portledge Community, before opening their official season by hosting the first IPPSAL meet of the season on Wednesday, Sept 24th. Please come out and support these fine athletes.

What Does Coach Henry Stay Have on the Varsity Girls Tennis Team This Fall?

USTA teaching professional Henry Stay returns for his second season with the Varsity Girls Tennis program. After last year's rebuilding efforts, Coach Stay is optimistic he has a team that can return to the top of IPPSAL Girls Tennis. Of course that is the place where the Portledge girls are most comfortable, having won 12 of the last 15 IPPSAL Championships in Girls Tennis. Former coaches John McIlvain and Alex Rudback would be excited to see this year's group of players. Senior Siena Falino and Junior Elizabeth Girgenti return to lead the singles players, and should be supported in singles play by Sophomore Michelle Kerwick and Freshman Lisa Dourmashkin. Yes, that makes three Dourmashkins playing Varsity sports this fall. Lisa's brothers, Junior Mark and Sophomore Steven are both on the Varsity Boys Soccer team. The doubles pairings are still being worked on but should include various combinations of Liana Sarrantino, Rachel Scheinmann, Ali James, Tori Phillips, Akanksha Trivedi, Hannah Fortgang and Alison Herzig. Another experienced member of the team is Junior Robyn Worrall, who should be able to contribute both as a singles and doubles player. Thus, Coach Stay has a good many options as he fills out his line up card for each match. The Lady Panther netters take on Rye Country Day this afternoon @ HOME (4:15) in a tough non league opener before starting their IPPSAL schedule next week. Come out and see some great tennis from this potential league championship squad!

How Great are Secondary School Athletics?

Being in Wellington Gym yesterday before the Varsity Girls and Boys Soccer teams took to the field to face their respective sides from the Lycee Francais School of NYC was special. The Portledge players, male and female, were sitting around talking and wishing each other luck, while some others were getting a last minute tape job. Everyone, especially the coaches, was focused on the upcoming games and there was a palpable air of excitement in the building. Portledge Athletics has worked hard to create an environment that is competitive, but at the same time enjoyable and comfortable for the athletes. One that is based on good sportsmanship and strong support for your team mates. As I took in the scene yesterday, I could see these attitudes and feelings were present in the faces of the young athletes. It was a neat moment to slow down and enjoy what is going on around you.... All for now, and we hope to see you all out at some Portledge athletic events in the near future.

Here We Go Again!

Well it's fantastic to be blogging about the world of Portledge sports once again. I was hoping to get going much sooner because I had all sorts of theoretical observations about the reflective opportunities available during summertime. My musings concerning days at the beach and the intellectual illumination of a sunset will have to wait until next July though. When, hopefully, I take advantage of some of my off time to satisfy the frustrated writer that lives inside me. This past summer seemed to end just as it got going, but I guess that is just a symptom of not being as youthful as I once was. What did Jim Croce say, "if I could have time in a bottle" ? Well you would be a rich man Jim, because everyone would be coming to you to find out how to recapture all those past minutes and days.

The only good thing about the end of summer is that it means the return of Portledge sports and, in particular, the resumption of the game I like to call "true football", but what others often refer to as soccer. Along with that we have a robust bunch of runners taking to the cross country trails and a much rebuilt and revived Varsity Girls Tennis team. So as the title states, "here we go again".

What kind of team does Coach Coleman have with Varsity Boys Soccer?

After finishing first in regular season play last year , Coach Coleman's lads tasted the bitter pill of upset when they were ousted from the IPPSAL play offs by #4 seed, but eventual champion, Solomon Schechter Day School. Based on their fine overall record, the boys were still selected to compete in the NYSAIS Championships. They played well, but were beaten in the first round by the Lycee Francais School of NYC. The team should experience similar success this year in that many key starters return fot the Panther booters. Center back is manned by four year starter and co captain Aaron Lee and co captain Mike McCloskey. Junior Mark Dourmashkin and Sophomore Nic Leask will provide the transitional play through midfield and most of the scoring should come from the dynamic striker duo of Senior Trevor Wolfson and Sophomore Chris McCloskey. One huge key for the Panthers will be replacing Austin Prey in goal. Juniors Daniel Leask and Ben Shapiro have both been working hard during pre season and are ready to go guarding the woodwork. Ther are also some interesting new faces on the Varsity Boys team. Sophomore outside midfielder Steven Dourmashkin joins his older brother on the team and Junior MJ Shin returns to Portledge after a two year hiatus at boarding school. Shin's technical skill and strong shot should certainly help the Panthers ball control and overall play. The Chinchwadkar boys, Ashwin and Vishal, make up the third set of brothers on the team and definitely make Portledge Soccer a family affair. The Panthers have a big opening week as they face LFNY on Tuesday afternoon at HOME (4:15), followed by two more home games against SSDS and Waldorf on Thursday and Friday, respectively. Come on out and see this excellent team play.

Can the Varsity Girls team finaly break through and win a PSAA Championship?

After several years of knocking on the door, the potential for a championship team exists, but it certainly will not be easy with the likes of Berkeley Carrol, Lu Hi and Staten Island Academy standing in the way. Not only are those teams tough, but as always, all games played in PSAA Girls Soccer will be challenging. The Lady Panthers have a solid returning core though, as many starters come back looking for that elusive championship season. Senior Alex Siwiec, having moved into central midfield, will take part in her fifth girls soccer campaign and will be a critical cog in the side. She will be partnered in middle of the pitch by Sophomore Ashley Wade, who has had her playmaking responsibilities expanded for the coming season. Coach Coope will be looking for Juniors Monique Kelly and Addie Reilly to provide consistent scoring from up front, while Juniors Chelsea Caracciolo, Natalie Flammia and Claudia Rogers will all move around giving flank support and manning the defense. Junior Chelsea Estevez returns to the goal after an excellent Sophomore season. The girls have a tough back to back to open as they face LFNY on Tuesday - HOME (4:15), followed by Friends Seminary on Wednesday - HOME (4:15).

Check in tomorrow for previews of Varsity Girls Tennis and Varsity Cross Country!