Expectations Are High / Short Previews of the Varsity Ice Hockey Teams

I guess it's only fair to start with last year's WIHLMA Champions - the Varsity Girls Ice Hockey team. As we enter the AS Era (that's short for After Siena) I can't believe I find myself saying that this year's team has the potential to be just as strong if not a bit stronger than last year's championship squad. With seven key players returning, and the addition of another excellent young defenseman and an exceptional goalie, whose to say another championship isn't in the cards. Coach Schwam will have to meld some beginners into a core of five experienced attackers. Junior Ashley Wade, a gifted offensive player with a knack for scoring big goals, will definitely have to lead the way. Alongside Wade will be Senior Addie Reilly who showed she could get the job done when she led the Lady Panthers to victory over Princeton High last year by scoring four goals in the the only game Captain Siena missed in six years. Junior Ali James will be looked upon to provide a bit more than last year, as she will probably be out there with Wade and Reilly quite a bit. More offensive punch should come from second line that will feature converted defensemen Erin Brand at center and tough Junior winger Maria Robbins. Both of these players were exceptional during last year's championship tournament and have the potential to exploit other teams second units. The sixth forward spot is still up for grabs with strong bids being put in by Junior Sophie Steele (the most improved skater in practice so far) and Sophomores Martine Krown and Alexandra Roll. My guess is that they will all get a chance to be important role players on what will be an improving attack as the season progresses. Also, look for a trio of seventh graders ( Grace Keogh, Sammy Horton, and Madison Weller) to make some appearances in non league games. The presence of these fine young skaters illustrates the development of some depth within the girls ice hockey program.

As we look to the defense we see the real strength of the team in Senior defensemen Chelsea Caracciolo and Emily Prey. These two have been as steady as granite for the Lady Panthers over the last few years and will both see a tremendous amount of ice time. They should also have the green light to rush the puck when the opportunity presents itself, thus giving the team another source of offense. The pair of Seniors will be joined on defense by smooth skating freshman Julie Devlin who is a newcomer to Portledge Hockey. Another new player that will be critical to the development of this team and the future of the program will be Freshman goalie Gabby Pilson. Judging from her play in practice the Lady Panthers have upgraded in goal and that only means trouble for the rest of WIHLMA, as last year's team was already the most stingy defensive squad in the league. Things get going this Monday, Nov 30th when the Lady Panthers host WIHLMA newcomers Rye Country Day in a 5:30 start at Beaver Dam.

After just squeaking above 500% last winter, this year's version of Portledge Varsity Boys Ice Hockey has coaches Coope and Sandos feeling very confident. The gregarious and exceptionally freindly duo has an early season two game win streak to support their positive attitudes. The Panthers rolled over Long Island powerhouse St. Anthony's by a score of 9-3 before traveling up to Westchester and beating the Rye Country Day Wildcats by a convincing margin of 7-0. The teams top two offensive lines are loaded with firepower as both trios keep the opponents defense scrambling in their own zone. Junior Tom Parise has been centering Sophomores Matt Crockett and Jesse Schandler, while Junior Ori Benyamini has been between Junior Matt Goldstein and Freshman Michael Conslato on these two offensive juggernauts. The coaches mix and match these players on several different power play combinations so you will not always see them in these forms, but these have been the steady top lines in five v. five play. The thing that makes this team very strong though is the existence of a hard nosed and effective third line that has really kept the pressure on opponents so far this season. This group has veteran Junior centerman Stephan DiBartolomeo between Freshmen Dylan Stewart and Junior Matt Janketic. Stewart and Di Bart also see special teams ice as Stewart plays some power play and Di Bart pairs with Benyamini as the top penalty killing duo. Meanwhile, Janketic's physical play has been vital. The converted defensemen gives the Panthers some thump in what is generally more of a skating line up. The depth goes on as Coach Coope started to work more players into the mix against Rye when he sent Junior Anthony Pergola out with Benyamini's line a few times and worked Sophomore Daylin Frantin in with the Parise line a bit. Then there is always the soft hands of Junior Hunter Lombardi and the hard nosed play of Junior Ryan Murray to turn to as the long season grinds on.

Senior Captain David Wilson returns for his last go round in the blue and white. Wilson is an excellent passer with an accurate shot that has developed a knack of producing the BIG HIT! Playing defense with Wilson is a pair of Juniors who really make everything else go, and set this year's Portledge team apart from any other since the late 90s. These exceptional players are Ron Fishman and Pat Condon. Both are incredible skaters who move the puck beautifully and in my opinion have Division I college hockey in their futures. Rounding out the defense are steady Sophomore Matt Sullivan, hard nosed Junior Ryan Gottfreid and a pair of smooth skating underclassmen in Sohpomore Andrew Reiter and Freshman Matt Meyer. Finally, we turn to the nets where Senior Captain Sal Magliocco returns between the pipes and is backed up by Sophomore Michael Bruschi who gained a great deal of experience when the Captain was out last year. In addition to all this, there is a recovering Kurt Krotz. The powerful forwards eventual presence will only make this exceptional group even stronger. The Panthers next play Friday night when they travel up to the Brunswick School in Greenwich, Conn to face Wyoming Seminary on neutral ice @ 6:00pm. Wyoming Seminary is a Division I team with a great deal of talent so this should be a real test for the boys. The team's next home game comes on Monday, Dec 7th when they take on Bergen Catholic down at Beaver Dam @ 5:30.

The Sweet Sounds,Sights and Smells of Winter Sports

I love winter sports season. There is just something about all the action taking place at all the various venues and the sheer number of programs going on that make it, in my mind, the most exciting season. A couple of the more subtle things though, little stuff that if you were moving fast with something else on your mind, you would simply miss all together, is what make it really special to me. For example, I love walking out of the Upper School building by either the Gilmour or Slanetz doors and seeing Wellington Gym all lit up and knowing that there is a basketball game going on. At first the horns and cheers are far off and barely discernible, but as you get closer and the door flies open to let someone out, you start to feel the energy coming from inside. Once you enter you immediately fade your steps to the right a bit so that you can catch a glimpse of the scoreboard and see how whatever Portledge team is playing is doing. Then your attention focuses onto the opposite sideline where the coaches are frantically pacing the court and yelling out plays and defensive formations for the competitors to execute. You take a glance at the scoring table to see which kind people might have volunteered to work the game. If this was last week, you might have seen Freshmen Eve Shapiro and Arielle Parris, or Miss Maielo, or even Eric Mathieu (that's right an alumni like Eric running the clock, not for community service or because he was a manager, but simply because he liked being part of what was going on there - he was in the action!

Now let's journey off campus down the road to Beaver Dam. After negotiating a treacherous and ridiculously thin Kaintuck Lane (name of the entrance road for those that might have never noticed), you eventually pull up to the elongated parking lot not believing how many people are already there, and are forced to take a parking spot that seems like it's a mile away. It's OK though, because you know what - the short walk to the rink only serves to heighten your anticipation about what you are coming to see. You feel the adrenaline well up inside you as you hear the pucks slamming into the boards below. The sounds tell you that warm ups are still going on and that you have timed your arrival just right for the drop of the puck. You wind your way down the wooden stairs and catch a brief smell of the log wood fire that is burning inside the clubhouse as you first see all the people lining the outside of the boards. Your adrenaline pumps a bit more as the teams come together around their respective goalies and give themselves a traditional cheer. Finally, before you know it, there you are watching some incredible, fast paced ice hockey, full of tremendous skating, crisp passing and hard hitting. Now that's exciting!!

Hopefully, you can see I'm just a little bit pumped for the next three months of Portledge sports action. If you have any questions about winter sports or Portledge Athletics in general that are in a constructive and positive tone, please feel free to comment after any posting, and I'll try to respond at the beginning of my next post, and PLEASE get in the action yourself by coming out to see a game - we'll be there!