Everyone's Doin Something/Amazing Individual Efforts Lead Panther Skaters to Victory

Freshman goaltender Michael Bruschi was supported by a strong team effort and some incredible individual performances by Sophomores Ori Benyamini and Ron Fishman, and Freshman Matt Crockett in leading the Portledge Panthers to victory over long time rival Seton Hall Prep in Varsity Boys Ice Hockey. Bruschi was starting his second game in goal after taking over for injured captain Sal Magliocco. He looked more comfortable than he did v. Morristowm last week and made some big saves down the stretch to preserve the victory. This result was made possible by a memorable Panther comeback. Trailing 3-1 with time winding down in the second period, the Portledge skaters came together to produce some fast paced and exciting hockey that propelled them to an unlikely victory.

The comeback started just before the end of the second when Freshman winger Jesse Schandler ripped one of his patented inside out slap shots past a surprised Pirates keeper to bring Portledge within one. Then in the third period Portledge turned up the heat and started coming at the Seton Hall defense in swarms. Before long Freshman Matt Crockett found himself battling for position in front when the puck was centered to an area around his feet. Although he was tied up by a Pirate defender, Crockett kept working and managed, as he was on his way down to the ice, to slip the loose puck into the Seton Hall net. Crockett celebrated while sitting on the ice and the score was remarkably tied. The game went up and down as both teams had some chances, but with about 5 and a half remaining a Portledge player was tripped up in center ice and the Panthers went on the power play. During the man advantage Sophomore Ron Fishman made an incredible end to end rush eventually slashing into the Seton Hall zone. After eluding a Pirate defender, Fishman sent a rocket snap shot into the upper right corner and amazingly Portledge had the lead. The Panthers still had to kill off some man down situations, but that was deftly handled by the Sophomore duo of Steven Dibartolomeo and Ori Benyamini with a significant contribution from Freshman Brendan McGovern. Bruschi made some nice saves as the clock wound down, and after Benyamini put one in the empty net, this solid victory was complete. Good luck to the Panther skaters as they take on the Bruins of Brunswick School, in Geenwich tonight, before returning home next Monday for 5:30 face off with Rye Country Day.

Ladies Night/ Varsity Girls Basketball and Varsity Girls Hockey Both Rock On

Girls sports at Portledge continue to dominate the headlines. Last Wednesday night was a prime example as the Varsity Girls Basketball team had a huge win over previously unbeaten in league play LWA, and the Varsity Girls Hockey team extended its regular season unbeaten streak in WIHLMA play to an incredible 15 games.

Lately you can just see the Varsity Girls Basketball team coming together. Their practices are upbeat and productive, and the girls seem quite focused on the task at hand, which is to get better with each passing game. That was certainly the case when hosted the LWA Lady Tigers on Wednesday. LWA came into the game unbeaten in IPPSAL play, but left Wellington Gym sporting their first league loss. The Lady Panthers made 7 out of 8 free throws in OVERTIME to secure a hard fought 33-25 victory. The Portledge girls have locked up an IPPSAL Girls Basketball play off spot, and are now fine tuning their play in hopes of pulling an upset over either LWA or OSNA, and thus reaching the IPPSAL Championship game. The Junior class quartet of Captains Mo Kelly and Akanksha Trivedi, Robyn Worrall and Claudia Rogers ccntinues to lead the teams play. Kelly and Trivedi are scoring consistently and Rogers is fast becoming the best defensive player in IPPSAL Girls Basketball. The Lady Panthers have a big week as they take on Waldorf tonight in Garden City, before tipping off with Solomon Schechter(Tuesday - 5:30 - Wellington Gym) and Lexington (Friday - 4:30 - Wellington Gym) .

Varsity Girls Hockey extended its amazing regular season WIHLMA win streak at the expense of a determined Princeton Day School team. The PDS girls fought hard and put up a stubborn defense, but the new forward combo of Senior Siena Falino and Sophomore Ashley Wade proved to be too much as they combined for numerous goals during a big Portledge second period. There is lots of regular season work to do for the Lady Panthers though. This week they will be down in New Jersey on both Wednesday and Thursday night to face off with Morristown Beard and Princeton High School, respectively. After these contests only one regular season game remains before the Mid Atlantic Championship Tournament, which will be held the weekend of Feb, 22nd & 23rd at Princeton Day School this year.