Future and Missed Opportunities/ Varsity Girls and Boys Soccer Teams Prepare for NYSAISAA Tournaments Following Bitter Playoff Defeats

Even though both sides endured tough loses in their league playoffs, with the Varsity Girls team falling to Berkeley Carroll by a score of 1-0 in OT in a PSAA Girls Soccer semi final and the Boys coming up short by 2-1 score in the IPPSAL Division I Boys Soccer Championship Game, the supporters of Portledge soccer can take great pride in threi program because for the second year in a row both the Portledge Varsity Girls and Boys Soccer teams have been selected to participate in the NYSAISAA Girls and Boys Soccer Tournaments. Over forty independent schools from across New York state apply for participation in these prestigious competitions, and every year most schools are dissappointed at not being selected. Each of these Independent School State Championship Tournaments is comprised of only eight schools and the selection process is a complex one that takes into account overall wins and losses, head to head competition, as well as strength of schedule and closing season form. Much like the selection of teams for the NCAA March Madness Mens Basketball Tournament there are always schools that are on the bubble and are upset at not being included. Last year only Portledge and the Riverdale Country School, a longtime soccer powerhouse from the Bronx, had both their girls and boys teams selected to participate, and this year only Portledge can claim this amazing distinction. The Lady Panthers, seeded 7th for the second year in a row, face this year's PSAA regular season and tournament champion Staten Island Academy, seeded 2nd overall, in a quarter final match on Thursday, Nov 5th. The game will be played at the College of Staten Island and kickoff will be 2:45. The Portledge Varsity Boys team, seeded an impressive 4th in the their draw, will be at home in a quarterfinal match up with the Dalton School of NYC. This game will also be on Thursday, Nov 5th and likewise kickoff will be at 2:45. A heartfelt congratulations goes out to all the Varsity Girls and Boys Soccer players at Portledge. I know how much both teams wanted to be league champions this fall, but unfortunately, and because of tremendous play by their opponents, Berkeley Carroll and the Waldorf School of Garden City, respectively, it was not to be. Maybe the fall of 2009 will see our Panthers and Lady Panthers bring home dual league championships. In the meantime, however, we must all celebrate the achievement of our NYSAISAA selections and support our incredible sides as they both, once again, try to accomplish something no Portlege soccer team ever has...Making a semi final appearence at the State level. Good luck to Head Coaches Coope and Coleman, Assistant Coaches Luken and Meyers, and all the players as they go on to represent Portledge with such class and sportsmanship.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same/ Varsity Girls Tennis Reclaims IPPSAL Championship

Last fall, for the first time since the 01-02 school year, the Portledge Varsity Girls Tennis team did not win the IPPSAL Girls Tennis Championship. The school's five year hold on the IPPSAL trophy came to an end at the hands of Long Island Lutheran in a hard fought match that ended in LuHi's favor by an individual match score of 3-2. Even though the 07 season was considered to be a rebuilding year after the graduation of six long time Varsity players, including the amazing trio of Alyssa Ruiz, Skylar Kono and Alexa DePasquale, the loss still stung and the returning players vowed to return to the Championship match and then hang yet another IPPSAL Championship Banner in the Wellington Gym. Knowing that almost all of the team was returning, and having tremendous confidence in the coaching ability of Mr. Henry Stay, Portledge's resident teaching professional, the Athletic Dep't cleared some space on the Wellington Gym wall for that potential banner to reside. Well, that proved to be excellent foresight as the Lady Panther Raqueteers powered their way through the IPPSAL regular season with an undefeated mark, then set the stage for a showdown in the IPPSAL Championship with cross town rival Long Island Lutheran by winning two impressive non league contests against NYC Girls Tennis powerhouse The Dwight School

What Happened in the Championship Match?

The Portledge and LuHi Varsity Girls Tennis teams both have several excellent singles players, so both coaches had to chose the position of their players wisely. Portledge coach, Henry Stay, selected his most veteran player, Senior Sienna Falino (2008 IPPSAL Player of the Year), to lead the way in the #1 singles spot. Junior Elizabeth Girgenti would play #2 with Freshman Lisa Dourmashkin occupying the #3 spot. One of the teams most consistent players, Junior Robyn Worrall, would team with 8th grade rookie Lianna Starrantino as the #! doubles team, while Junior Steph Hegarty and 9th grader Rachael Scheinmann made up the #2 doubles combo. Stay proved to have the magic touch as the Lady Panthers stroked their way to a dominating victory, winning four of the five individual matches. Only Falino lost, and that was in a heated match that went to a tie breaker. Congratulations to Coach Stay and all the girls on bringing Portledge its record 13th Championship in Varsity Girls Tennis, and on reaching this achievement with great class and sportsmanship along the way.