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.

It Was A Long Time In Coming/ Varsity Boys Soccer Wins Portledge Tournament for the First Time This Century

Yes... it was October, 1996 the last time the Portledge Varsity Boys Soccer team won its own Invitational Soccer Tournament. This dry spell is more about the level of competition Portledge invites to this annual fall celebration of boys prep soccer than any type of ineptitude by the Boys Soccer program. One of only two losses suffered by the 2003 IPPSAL Championship team came at the hands of Packer Collegiate in the final of the Portledge Tournament. Other recent winners of the Invitational have been Fieldston from the prestigious Ivy League, St Ann's from the tough ACIS, Rye Country Day who competes in the excellent New England Dvivsion II League, and of course Packer Collegiate, a perennial NYSAISAA Tournament qualifier that has won four of the last five Portledge Tournaments. Thus, it was with tempered optimism that the Portledge side entered this year's edition of what is possibly the best non post season independent school soccer tournament in the metropolitan area.

Everyone who was there knew that this contest between regular season champs was going to be a real battle. Packer Collegiate, representing the ACIS and still smarting a bit from last year's semi final upset, and Portledge, representing the sometimes overlooked IPPSAL group of schools, were both ready to lay it all on the line. The pace of the game and the level of play certainly did not disappoint as both sides went at each other with a measured ferocity and a skillfull display of passing. Back and forth the early play went until the Packer side started to really pressure the Portledge goal chance after chance. To its credit the Portledge defense, playing without Senior captain Mike McCloskey and with a resolute Daniel Leask in net, turned back wave after wave of Packer attacks. At the half the sides remained even in a scoreless draw. The start of the second half looked a lot like the first as the Packer side put great pressure on the Portledge defense, but then the first of an exciting series of events took place. A Portledge attack down the left side resulted in a throw in that was taken by Senior striker Trevor Wolfson. Wolfson sent one of his patented long throws towards the Packer goal and Junioor midfielder Mark Dourmashkin was there to head it past the Packer keeper and into the open net. Surely the only way for Portledge to win the game was to hold onto this 1-0 lead. Ahhh, but soccer is a strange game that can change in an instant. Things began to look bad for the Panthers when a beautiful Packer passing play forced the Portledge defense to take down the open Packer striker in the penalty area. Packer's #10 then calmly sent the PK into the back of the ol' onion bag and a feeling of dread came over the Portledge faithful. Surely the Panthers wouldn't be able to withstand the coming onslaught. Ahhh, but soccer is a strange game that can change in an instant, and that is just what happened this amazing afternoon on Sawyer Field. Senior Trevor Wolfson got hold of a loose ball in midfield and whirled towards his favorite right flank. Like a flash down the sideline he went past one Packer defender then another. All of a sudden, Wolfson cut the ball back to his left foot and sent a well placed shot towards the far side of the Packer net. When the side of the net bulged back, the Portledge supporters went wild in celebration. Moments later the final whistle blew and the Panthers were headed back to the final for the second year in a row. THE QUESTION ON EVERYONE'S MIND WAS, "this time could they get done".

The air was heavy with the approach of a significant storm front as the Panthers took the field against the powder blue clad side from Columbia Prep. The team from the Upper West Side of NYC was eager to pay back the Panthers for a loss here at Sawyer Field earlier in the season. Unfortunately for the Lions of Columbia Prep there would be no revenge this day. First half goals by Wolfson and Sophomore Chris McCloskey pushed the Panthers to a 2-0 half time lead, and when Wolfson added another at the start of the second period the game was all but over. Sophomore Nic Leask and Senior Paul Maalouf added uneeded insurance goals to establish the final 5-0 score line. Congratulations to Coach Coleman and all the players on a great weekend of soccer. Now that you have a Portledge Tournament Plaque, let's go out and get an IPPSAL Championship Banner!!!!!!!!!!

Portledge will take on Lawrence Woodmere Academy in the IPPSAL Boys Soccer Semi Finals here at Portledge on Wednesday, October 29th (3:00pm).

Freshman Muratore Finishes First Among Female Runners for a Third Time This Season as Portledge X- Country Prepares for IPPSAL & PSAA Championships

Like a gazelle bursting out of some wooded cover, Portledge Freshman Cross Country runner Isabella Muratore has lept onto the stage of metropolitan area independent school running. Muratore has finished first among female runners in three of four IPPSAL meets this season. Her cool and calm demeanor serve to hide what is seemingly a real desire to compete and thrive on the cross country trails. It will be very interesting to see how Isabella fares when she lines up with girls from about thirty different schools in the PSAA Championships on November 5th at Van Cortleand Park in the Bronx. It is the first time Muratore will be running in what will be a strictly female race, as the girls will have a separate start from the boys at this prestigious meet. Before that race though, Portledge will try to better their 3rd place team finishes throughout the season at the IPPSAL Team and Individual Championships on the grass course at Eisenhower Park this coming Tuesday at 4:00pm.

Other Portledge runners who have had impressive seasons are Millie Stallings and Alan Phipps. Sophmore Stallings has consistently been among the top five female finishers at IPPSAL meets and has a 2nd and a 3rd place on her resume for this season. Sophmore Alan Phipps finished in 10th and 18th place, respectively, in the last two IPPSAL meets, and will certainly be looking for a top ten fnish in the Championship Run at Eisenhower. Good luck to the entire cross country team as they head into these two big meets.

Tough One to Swallow/ Varsity Girls Soundly Beaten at Home by Staten Island Academy

Some losses hurt a bit more tham others. This one was a real stinger. The Portledge Varsity Girls Soccer team went into this mid week match up with Staten Island Acaemy coming off of a great win at LWA and looking to secure a home game in the PSAA Varsity Girls Soccer playoffs for the first time since 2005. Unfortnately, nothing seemed to go the Lady Panthers way in this one as they eventually fell to the SIA girls by a score of 4-1. It was a funny game as Portledge dominated the early play but could not find the back of the ol' onion bag. Sophmore forwards Alex Devivo and Marian Juste both had excellent chances, each just missing open corners of the net. Then, a questionable penalty call against Portledge in their own box led to a successful SIA penalty kick and the Portledge girls found themselves down 1-0, even though they had controlled much off the possession. A second SIA goal just before the half really took the wind out of the Lady Panther sails though, as the girls seemed a bit lifeless as they took the field for the second half. Things got worse before they got better as SIA converted on two dead ball situations to make the score an insurmountable 4-0 with just about 25 minutes remaining. To their credit the Portledge girls did not give up though and when Junior Monique Kelly slipped around the SIA defense and goalie to deposit one in the SIA net anything seemed possible. The comeback was not to be though as the SIA girls regained their composure and killed off the remaining time with some impressive passing and team defense.

Now it is the Lady Panthers who must regroup. The result of the SIA game means that Portledge finishes 3rd in regular season PSAA Varsity Girls Soccer play, and while this does come with a fourth playoff apearance in the last five years, it will be on the road against Berkeley Carroll at the Prade Grounds in Brooklyn (Tuesday, October 28th @ 3:45). The Portledge girls have lost four straight there, and only Senior captain Alex Siwiec has ever walked off the Parade Ground fields a winner. Ironicaly, that 2-1 win came in an PSAA semi final game just like this game will be. Hopefully, captain Siwiec can lead her Lady Panther team mates to an upset over the BC team. That would be yet another great accomplishment in what has been an amazing soccer career here at Portledge by the eloquent senior midfielder. Win or lose on Tuesday, one cannot argue against the fact that Alex Siwiec is the most influential player in the history of Varsity Girls Soccer at Portledge. Her combination of speed, grace and power truly make her a joy to watch. So come on #10, take us on one more great play off ride as you play your last games with the Portledge crest over your heart.

" What a Beautiful Day" / Portledge Varsity Girls and Boys Soccer Teams Travel to South Shore to Participate in Homecoming Games at Lawrence Woodmere

That phrase, " what a beautiful day" was repeated over and over by Portledge players, coaches and fans all throughout this tremendous fall afternoon. The sky was bright blue, there was a slight chill to the air, and a generally steady breeze made "football" playing conditions challenging but also perfect at the same time. As always, there was gracious hospitality extended by the LWA community as the Portledge community was invited to participate in the LWA Homecoming by sampling some of the amazing international cooking that was available, and by sharing a cup of postgame hot chocolate with some of the LWA players. The competition was excellent, as both LWA teams were determined to play strong games on their home turf. In the end, everything combined to produce some incredible soccer wrapped in the tremendous atmosphere of autumm on Long Island.

What Happened in the Girls Game?

This contest between the LWA Tigers and the Portledge Lady Panthers was not for the faint of heart. It was a physical game loaded with hard challenges and rough play. The LWA was desperate to beat a top team and Portledge was the last quality side on their schedule. The Portledge team was attempting to rebuild their momentum after a tough loss the week before at BC and was committed to plaing a great game. The play went back and forth with both teams throwing themselves into the attack. Twice, during the first part of the first half, the LWA girls jumped out to a one goal lead, but both times their marks were answered by the strong right foot of Sophomore winger Ashley Wade. Wade's first response came off of an Alex Siwiec cross that feisty winger banged home from about ten yards out. Wade's second goal, that evened the score at two, was a right footed blast from about twenty five yards out that just caught the top corner of the net. On this play Wade was set free by a beautiful pass from Junior midfielder Claudia Rogers. Rogers was a fantastic player all day for the blue & white as she dominated the midfield with great tackles before moving back to sweeper to close out the game. Sometimes lost in the noteriety extended to the main goal scorers Claudia Rogers is the heart and soul of the Portledge girls soccer team. She plays wherever Coach Coope needs her to play and always gives an incredible effort. She is also tough as nails. Afact that was proved went she limped off the field afgter the last whistle because of the huge bruise on her leg. Yet as time had wound down, you would never have known she was injured in any way. LWA continued to assert themselves and eventually took a 3-2 lead into half time. In the second frme the Portledge girls came raoring back with goals by Junior Striker Addie Reilly and Senior captain Alex Siwiec. Then, with Rogers sweeping up in the back and some great goaltending by Junior Chelsea Estevez, the Lady Panthers held off one Tigers charge after another to secure an extremely hard fought 4-3 win. Second place and home field in the play offs is on the line when the Portledge girls next play on Wed, Oct 22nd v. Staten Island Academy @ HOME (4:00PM).

How Was the Match b/w the Portledge and LWA Varsity Boys Soccer Teams?

This match was one of speed and generally less physical tham the earlier Varsity Girls game. Twice during the first half Portledge's amazing Senior striker Trevor Wolfson took off on incredibly fast runs down the right side. The first of these ended with a little slip pass to a wide open Nic Leask in front of the LWA goal, which the calm,cool Sophmore midfielder easily deposited in the Tiger's net for a 1-0 Panther lead. Wolfson's second daring dash down the right came in the half's closing minute and culminated with a right footed blast the found the far side lower corner of the LWA goal and gave Portledge a 2-0 half time lead. The many Portledge fans in attendance saw more of the same in the second half as once again Wolfson freed himself with a freshly paced run down the right wing. This time the Senior captain's beautiful cross found left side midfielder Ashwin Chinchwadkar charging the far post and the result was Chichwadkar volley that made the score Portledge 3 and LWA 0. Thhe sides traded attacks over the last 3o minutes with each team netting one strike for a final score of 4-1 in the Panther's favor. This was a big win that built great momentum going into a hige week that would see the Portledge Varsity Boys Soccer team secure first place during IPPSAL regular season play and win the Portledge Invitational Soccer Tournament for the first time in over a decade.

Answer Regarding Question About Portledge v. Friends Soccer Game

The soccer game played b/w Portledge School and Friends Academy on Monday, Oct 6th was scheduled as a Varsity Boys Soccer match. It was scheduled by the Athletic Directors of both schools and counted as a regular season game that should be accounted for in the teams final overall records. I have no knowledge of who is a starter, and who is not a starter on the Friends Academy Varsity Boys Soccer team. All I know is that the team that came to Portledge that day was NOT the Friends Academy JV Boys Soccer team. Before the game, the Friends Academy Varsity coach did say that he would be playing his reserves more than usual, and, of course, that is his right and perogative to do so. Still, the game was scheduled, considered and reported as a Varsity match, as it should.

The tradition of this blog is that all comments be signed so as to make sure that all statements remain accurate and in the positive nature of independent school sports. That being said, I would ask whoever 27 is, to refrian from posting anything that has a contentious or adversarial tone. A simple congratulations Varsity Boys Soccer would be fine.