What's Going On with Fencing and Squash?
Post break winter season sports get going in earnest this week with the Varsity Fencing and Squash teams taking to action. The teams have been working hard in preparation for the bulk of their competitive schedules and they are ready to go. The fencers have home matches on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon and on Saturday morning. The home fencing matches take place in the lower school gym. The Lady Squashers will take on the Brearly School on Wednesday
afternoon at the Harvard Club in NYC. Good Luck to both teams, I'm eager to blog about your progress.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Wishes For A Happy New Year With Hope And Thanks
As the calendar turns from one year to another, it seems unavoidable to take a moment or two for reflection on the world around us. It is impossible to view the politically charged violence in Pakistan and Kenya without feeling horrible for all the innocent people caught in the fray during this time of tumult around the world. Or not to feel an incredible amount of respect and gratitude towards all those risking their lives in trying to bring a sense of calm and peace to our planet. In that regard, my Best Wishes for a Happy New Year come along with a hope of safety for all the service men and women around the world, as well as a prayer for all of those less fortunate, that might be enduring a time of struggle in their lives, and lastly, a great deal of thanks for the health and well being of our own families and friends.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Varsity Boys Ice Hockey Starting to Play Well
Another Portledge winter season Varsity team that is going through a rebuilding process is the Varsity Boys Ice Hockey team. Playing with a very young corps of defensemen and many young forwards, the squad is slowly coming together and beginning to be competitive against their very challenging schedule. Recently, the Panthers defeated the Landon School and lost tough but close contests against The Hill and Bergen Catholic. Although their overall record is only 1 win and 5 losses, the Panthers are confident about their post break schedule, and everyone is looking forward to improved results.
How Did the Boys Do at the PDS Tournament?
After a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to La Salle Academy in the opening semi final, the Panthers bounced back with 5-2 win over the Landon School. Freshman defender Par Condon displayed why Coach Coope is so high on him by having an excellent all around tournament, even though he was playing in only his first Varsity games after an early season shoulder injury. 8th grade forward Brendan McGovern was also impressive as he showed no fear in challenging for loose pucks against older and more experienced players. Senior forward Zach Lombardi was selected to the All Tournament team. This honor recognizes fine sportsmanship, as well as excellent overall play. So congratulations to Zach! He is a great leader and an incredible role model for the younger players. It was fantastic to see the Portledge School represented at the PDS Tournament once again, and we in the athletic department look forward to many more years of great hockey at this annual event.
How Did the Team Do in Its First Home Game Down at Beaver Dam?
On a cold night following an exciting Varsity Girls game, the Varsity Boys took the ice for the first time this season down at Beaver Dam. The Portledge games have become quite an event down at the "Dam". On this night the crowd was made up of supporters from the school community and many club members enjoying the opportunity to see some great prep school ice hockey. The opponent was the Varsity from Bergen Catholic, one of the top teams in the state of New Jersey. From the beginning the BC team displayed some excellent skill and speed, as they dominated the early play and kept Portledge pinned down in their own zone. Little by little though, the Panthers found a way break the puck out and establish an offensive presence of their own. The best Portledge line was made up of Freshman Stephan DiBartolomeo centering for Junior Renny Kraft and Senior Austin Prey. This trio worked very hard throughout the game and created many quality scoring chances for themselves. Another player returning from an early season injury was Sophomore defensemen David Wilson. Wilson is a player with tremendous potential. He is a strong skater with a long reach and a great shot from the point. Having Wilson back in the line up on a regular basis should make quite a difference in the Portledge team. Although the final score on this night was 3-1 for BC , everyone who was down at the game was treated to some excellent hockey. When you look at all the young talent on this team it is easy to see how they steadily improve as this season and Portledge hockey goes on. The Panthers next take the ice on Monday, Jan 7th @ Home v. Fairlawn Prep, another strong team from Jersey coached by Portledge alum Mike Goodrich '88.
How Did the Boys Do at the PDS Tournament?
After a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to La Salle Academy in the opening semi final, the Panthers bounced back with 5-2 win over the Landon School. Freshman defender Par Condon displayed why Coach Coope is so high on him by having an excellent all around tournament, even though he was playing in only his first Varsity games after an early season shoulder injury. 8th grade forward Brendan McGovern was also impressive as he showed no fear in challenging for loose pucks against older and more experienced players. Senior forward Zach Lombardi was selected to the All Tournament team. This honor recognizes fine sportsmanship, as well as excellent overall play. So congratulations to Zach! He is a great leader and an incredible role model for the younger players. It was fantastic to see the Portledge School represented at the PDS Tournament once again, and we in the athletic department look forward to many more years of great hockey at this annual event.
How Did the Team Do in Its First Home Game Down at Beaver Dam?
On a cold night following an exciting Varsity Girls game, the Varsity Boys took the ice for the first time this season down at Beaver Dam. The Portledge games have become quite an event down at the "Dam". On this night the crowd was made up of supporters from the school community and many club members enjoying the opportunity to see some great prep school ice hockey. The opponent was the Varsity from Bergen Catholic, one of the top teams in the state of New Jersey. From the beginning the BC team displayed some excellent skill and speed, as they dominated the early play and kept Portledge pinned down in their own zone. Little by little though, the Panthers found a way break the puck out and establish an offensive presence of their own. The best Portledge line was made up of Freshman Stephan DiBartolomeo centering for Junior Renny Kraft and Senior Austin Prey. This trio worked very hard throughout the game and created many quality scoring chances for themselves. Another player returning from an early season injury was Sophomore defensemen David Wilson. Wilson is a player with tremendous potential. He is a strong skater with a long reach and a great shot from the point. Having Wilson back in the line up on a regular basis should make quite a difference in the Portledge team. Although the final score on this night was 3-1 for BC , everyone who was down at the game was treated to some excellent hockey. When you look at all the young talent on this team it is easy to see how they steadily improve as this season and Portledge hockey goes on. The Panthers next take the ice on Monday, Jan 7th @ Home v. Fairlawn Prep, another strong team from Jersey coached by Portledge alum Mike Goodrich '88.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Rebuilding Varsity Girls Basketball Team Finishes December Schedule on a Positive Note
It has been a tough first month for the Varsity Girls Basketball team. This squad has many new faces and most of the players seeing a lot of game time are largely inexperienced. Add to this, the fact that the December schedule is quite difficult and one can easily see how challenging the beginning of this season has been. Still, the girls managed to start this stretch with a win and they were able to finish it with a win also. In between, there was a good deal of growth and coming together as a group that took place. The team's overall record is 2 wins and 6 losses, but they are a respectable 2 wins and 2 losses in IPPSAL Girls Basketball league play. That mark was secured on the day before holiday break with an impressive 10 point win over league rival Upper Room. Assistant Head Coach Coach Reynolds remarked that it was the girls "best all around game so far this year" and that the team displayed an "ability to play smart" as they protected their lead in the closing minutes.
How Did the Upper Room Game Unfold?
After a first half that saw the evenly matched teams trade baskets, the Lady Panthers took over in the second stanza to get the big W. Sophomore point guard Monique Kelly was at her best as she erupted for 18 second half points on the way to a career high 24 points in all. In addition to her scoring, Kelly added 6 steals and 6 rebounds to lead the girls to victory. Also impressive in the win was the play of Sophomore center Akanksha Trivedi. Trivedi threw in 14 points, mostly from in the paint, as she and Senior forward, and rebounding machine, Yola Yu, controlled the inside play. The 40-30 win ends the early part of the season to on a positive note, and allows the girls to resume their training in January with a sense of confidence and purpose. A birth in the IPPSAL play offs is a difficult but obtainable goal for this group, and we are all behind them as they continue to come together as a team.
How Did the Upper Room Game Unfold?
After a first half that saw the evenly matched teams trade baskets, the Lady Panthers took over in the second stanza to get the big W. Sophomore point guard Monique Kelly was at her best as she erupted for 18 second half points on the way to a career high 24 points in all. In addition to her scoring, Kelly added 6 steals and 6 rebounds to lead the girls to victory. Also impressive in the win was the play of Sophomore center Akanksha Trivedi. Trivedi threw in 14 points, mostly from in the paint, as she and Senior forward, and rebounding machine, Yola Yu, controlled the inside play. The 40-30 win ends the early part of the season to on a positive note, and allows the girls to resume their training in January with a sense of confidence and purpose. A birth in the IPPSAL play offs is a difficult but obtainable goal for this group, and we are all behind them as they continue to come together as a team.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
On A Roll/ Varsity Girls Ice Hockey Rebounds From Tough Loss at Canterbury With Three Straight League Wins
On Wed, Dec 3rd the VGIH team traveled to New Milford, Conn to face a strong Canterbury Girls Varsity team. The game ended in a 4-3 victory for Canterbury, but the level of play and the effort put in by the Portledge girls were both extremely high. This hard fought contest was followed by three straight wins in WIHLMA competition. These impressive results were turned in by the Lady Panther skaters against The Pingry School, The Hill School and Princeton High School, respectively. The team's overall record now stands at 4 wins and 2 losses as they head into a well deserved holiday break. When school resumes in January, the girls will take on the Varsity teams of Millbrook School and Lawrenceville, before heading back down to Hill for a weekend of WIHLMA play over the weekend of Jan 12th-14th.
What Happened Up @ Canterbury?
Well this was a really intense varsity girls ice hockey game. The Portledge girls jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Addie Reilly scored her first goal as a Portledge skater on a rebound of a Siena Falino shot, only to see Canterbury come back to even the score at the beginning of the 2nd period after some prolonged pressure in the Panther zone. The one on one battles in this game were incredible, as both teams struggled to clear their respective defensive zones while facing strong fore checks from their opponents. Portledge went up 2-1 mid way through the 2nd period when Emily Prey launched a rocket of a wrist shot into the top corner of the Canterbury net. Emily surprised the Saint's goalie with the pace of her shot as she also registered her first Portledge goal. Once again Canterbury unleashed some extensive pressure in the Portledge zone and eventually forced a loose puck in the top of the slot area. Eventually a Saint's winger got control of the loose biscuit and fired it by Portledge goalie Jess Sarrantonio to tie the score once again. This goal really enthused the Canterbury team and before long they had added another to take a 3-2 lead going into the second intermission. The Portledge girls have a lot of heart though, and they emerged from the locker room to carry the play in the early going of the third period. As the clock wound down to under 5 minutes left, captain Siena Falino took a perfect breakout pass from captain Kelly Alefeld in center ice and headed towards the Canterbury zone. Falino was being hacked at continuously as she weaved her way around the numerous Saint's defenders and bore down on the goal. At the last second "C", as she's called by the girls on the team, sent a beautiful cross crease pass to a wide open Ashley Wade who calmly knocked the puck into the back of the net to tie the score once again in this amazing game. Unfortunately for the Lady Panther skaters the Canterbury girls had the last say though, as one of their top players found an open teammate on the back post with a slick pass of her own, to give the Saint's the lead as time was running out. Coach Schwam pulled Sarrantonio with well over a minute remaining, but although they had some good chances, the Portledge girls couldn't find another miracle this time. The teams exchanged the traditional hand shakes, and this excellent example of girls prep school hockey was complete. While the loss was tough to swallow, the Portledge team can be very proud of the way they competed on this day. I know that their coaches are very happy with their consistent effort and dedication to the program.
What's Happened During This Run of WIHLMA Wins?
This latest stretch of three league games was viewed by the VGIH team as critical to the overall success of the season. It was a chance for the Lady Panther skaters to stake a claim as one of the top teams in the league, alongside Morristown Beard and Shaddy Side Academy. The first of these contests was against the Pingry School from New Jersey. Pingry's program is not as strong as some of the others in the league, so the game was a chance for all the Portledge girls to get a lot of ice time and really move the puck around. Senior Liz Lanza and Freshman Hope Mulry both scored their first Portledge goals, and Freshman forward Ashley Wade continued her fine play with two goals in the first period and one in the third. Wade is emerging as a solid player at both ends of the rink and has been equally effective as a first line wing and as a second line center. During this game the teams defensive corps, made up of Senior captain Kelly Alefeld, Sophomores Chelsea Caracciolo and Emily Prey, and Freshman Maria "Robbie" Robbins, continuously broke the puck out with ease and confidence. If the "D" can control the game this way , it will make a tough second half schedule a lot easier to deal with. The final score of 10-0 gave the whole team a big boost going into an away game v. The Hill.
Down at The Hill School the Portledge girls faced one of the best goalies the program has ever seen. The Hill netminder made save after save as the Lady Panthers peppered the Hill goal with shots. The game was still scoreless half way through the second when Addie Reilly sent a wrister towards the opposing net and captain Siena Falino darted in to deflect it by what seemed like a brick wall in the Hill goal. This relaxed the Portledge team and they went on to dominate the rest of the game with great puck possession and hard forechecking that pinned the Hill team in their own zone. Falino added a second goal in the third period to reach the final scoreline of 2-0. The Lady Panthers now had just one more hurdle (Princeton High@Home) to complete the sweep of these three pre-holiday break league games.
It was a cold night down at the Dam for this final game before break. Princeton High is a much improved team and they were a determined bunch on this night. After Portledge broke out to an early 2-0 lead on goals by captain Siena Falino and Senior Liz Lanza, PHS came roaring back at the start of the 2nd period with two goals of their own. Each game this year has seemed to have a defining moment and this was definately true on this evening. After the second PHS goal Siena Falino deflected the center face off to herself and took off towards the Princeton zone. After eluding two PHS defenders she threw a few fakes at the keeper before slipping the biscuit by her and into the net. The Portledge lead was restored and the girls went on to play a great 3rd period and extend their lead to three goals. The final score of 5-2 was not indicative of how hard these teams battled during this game. The Lady Panthers go into the break with three straight wins and great deal of confidence. We'll see all you girls hockey fans after the holidays as the story of this inaugural WIHLMA season continues.
What Happened Up @ Canterbury?
Well this was a really intense varsity girls ice hockey game. The Portledge girls jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Addie Reilly scored her first goal as a Portledge skater on a rebound of a Siena Falino shot, only to see Canterbury come back to even the score at the beginning of the 2nd period after some prolonged pressure in the Panther zone. The one on one battles in this game were incredible, as both teams struggled to clear their respective defensive zones while facing strong fore checks from their opponents. Portledge went up 2-1 mid way through the 2nd period when Emily Prey launched a rocket of a wrist shot into the top corner of the Canterbury net. Emily surprised the Saint's goalie with the pace of her shot as she also registered her first Portledge goal. Once again Canterbury unleashed some extensive pressure in the Portledge zone and eventually forced a loose puck in the top of the slot area. Eventually a Saint's winger got control of the loose biscuit and fired it by Portledge goalie Jess Sarrantonio to tie the score once again. This goal really enthused the Canterbury team and before long they had added another to take a 3-2 lead going into the second intermission. The Portledge girls have a lot of heart though, and they emerged from the locker room to carry the play in the early going of the third period. As the clock wound down to under 5 minutes left, captain Siena Falino took a perfect breakout pass from captain Kelly Alefeld in center ice and headed towards the Canterbury zone. Falino was being hacked at continuously as she weaved her way around the numerous Saint's defenders and bore down on the goal. At the last second "C", as she's called by the girls on the team, sent a beautiful cross crease pass to a wide open Ashley Wade who calmly knocked the puck into the back of the net to tie the score once again in this amazing game. Unfortunately for the Lady Panther skaters the Canterbury girls had the last say though, as one of their top players found an open teammate on the back post with a slick pass of her own, to give the Saint's the lead as time was running out. Coach Schwam pulled Sarrantonio with well over a minute remaining, but although they had some good chances, the Portledge girls couldn't find another miracle this time. The teams exchanged the traditional hand shakes, and this excellent example of girls prep school hockey was complete. While the loss was tough to swallow, the Portledge team can be very proud of the way they competed on this day. I know that their coaches are very happy with their consistent effort and dedication to the program.
What's Happened During This Run of WIHLMA Wins?
This latest stretch of three league games was viewed by the VGIH team as critical to the overall success of the season. It was a chance for the Lady Panther skaters to stake a claim as one of the top teams in the league, alongside Morristown Beard and Shaddy Side Academy. The first of these contests was against the Pingry School from New Jersey. Pingry's program is not as strong as some of the others in the league, so the game was a chance for all the Portledge girls to get a lot of ice time and really move the puck around. Senior Liz Lanza and Freshman Hope Mulry both scored their first Portledge goals, and Freshman forward Ashley Wade continued her fine play with two goals in the first period and one in the third. Wade is emerging as a solid player at both ends of the rink and has been equally effective as a first line wing and as a second line center. During this game the teams defensive corps, made up of Senior captain Kelly Alefeld, Sophomores Chelsea Caracciolo and Emily Prey, and Freshman Maria "Robbie" Robbins, continuously broke the puck out with ease and confidence. If the "D" can control the game this way , it will make a tough second half schedule a lot easier to deal with. The final score of 10-0 gave the whole team a big boost going into an away game v. The Hill.
Down at The Hill School the Portledge girls faced one of the best goalies the program has ever seen. The Hill netminder made save after save as the Lady Panthers peppered the Hill goal with shots. The game was still scoreless half way through the second when Addie Reilly sent a wrister towards the opposing net and captain Siena Falino darted in to deflect it by what seemed like a brick wall in the Hill goal. This relaxed the Portledge team and they went on to dominate the rest of the game with great puck possession and hard forechecking that pinned the Hill team in their own zone. Falino added a second goal in the third period to reach the final scoreline of 2-0. The Lady Panthers now had just one more hurdle (Princeton High@Home) to complete the sweep of these three pre-holiday break league games.
It was a cold night down at the Dam for this final game before break. Princeton High is a much improved team and they were a determined bunch on this night. After Portledge broke out to an early 2-0 lead on goals by captain Siena Falino and Senior Liz Lanza, PHS came roaring back at the start of the 2nd period with two goals of their own. Each game this year has seemed to have a defining moment and this was definately true on this evening. After the second PHS goal Siena Falino deflected the center face off to herself and took off towards the Princeton zone. After eluding two PHS defenders she threw a few fakes at the keeper before slipping the biscuit by her and into the net. The Portledge lead was restored and the girls went on to play a great 3rd period and extend their lead to three goals. The final score of 5-2 was not indicative of how hard these teams battled during this game. The Lady Panthers go into the break with three straight wins and great deal of confidence. We'll see all you girls hockey fans after the holidays as the story of this inaugural WIHLMA season continues.
Friday, December 14, 2007
7/8 Girls Basketball Rocks the House
This past Tuesday afternoon, with plenty of Portledge fans in attendance, the 7/8 Girls Basketball team played a great game on the road at GreenVale. It isn't very often that visiting teams are victorious when they visit the Blue and Gold, so when these young LadyPanthers and their coach,Mr. Nick Woll, returned home with a win, everyone was quite impressed. Keys to the the girls success was some slick ball handling by 7th grade point guard Arielle Parris and some crucial foul shooting by Eve Shapiro. Shapiro made some shots at the end of regulation to send the game into OT, then made a few more during the overtime session to help secure the 2 point victory for Portledge. The girls played great team defense throughout the game as Justine Boisits and Ceci Mulry were all over the place grabbing a bunch of rebounds and preventing GV from establishing any offensive flow. Many of the team's 7th graders were part of last years undefeated 5/6 girls team and they are creating a real winning attitude surrounding their play. Congratulations girls and keep it up throughout the season. Please look for more postings about middle school sports following the holiday break as all the middle school teams get into action.
New Postings Coming Soon
It has been a busy few weeks in Portledge Athletics and I have been going to many games at various rinks and gyms. Unfortunately, I have not had the time to complete many postings, but I hope to get caught up starting this weekend. So check the blog out starting Sunday night the 16th, and throughout the holidays for lots of good stuff about the Panther teams.
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