After a long and action packed winter it is hard to believe that competitions are coming to a close for the season. On Monday, March 2, all students-athletes will gather in the assembly hall for the seasonal Sports Awards ceremony and team parties to celebrate the hard work and commitment of each and every member of their team.

 

In order to find out more about how this season went for our 11 winter sports teams, team captains were asked to reflect on the ups and downs, and most memorable parts of the season. You can find their reflections below along with updates on recent competitions and how the season progressed for the Falcons.
ON THE COURT

 

The Girls Varsity Basketball team concluded their season with an impressive record that reflected their hard work and dedication. The starting lineup for the Falcons included student athletes from five different countries including Malawi, China, Korea, Ghana, and Mexico. Despite having a variety of experience levels, Captain Jessica Lomo reflected upon the fact that these backgrounds didn’t matter because the team “had chemistry” and became a unit as the season progressed. In addition, Captain Emily Tan was quick to comment on the many challenging opponents that they faced this season and that these victories are due to the hard work and efforts of every member of the team. From singing on the bus to laughing with their coaches on the sideline this positive environment created a space for all players to improve their skills throughout the season.

 

After a win for the girls varsity basketball team at home, the Varsity Boys Basketball team continued to fight hard and push the tempo in a double header showdown against Millbrook.  The Falcons were determined to come out victorious in their last home game and were not accepting defeat as an answer. Ninth grader Jaden Mentor contributed 19 points, Jake Bauomel hit a three pointer, and many other Falcons kept tallying points to keep lead. The Mustangs continued to foul as the game progressed allowing the Falcons chances to score in the bonus round and capitalize on mistakes made by the other team. The Falcons walked off the court victorious beating the Mustangs 42-39 and will look to defeat Salisbury on the road in their last game of the season.
Both the 7/8/9th grade and the 5/6th grade JV Boys Basketball teams improved drastically over the course of the season. After splitting into two teams the boys quickly settled into their roles and began to work as a unit. According to Captains Jacob Cook and Inigo Sustacha, the boys “started as a JV team without [much] knowledge of the game” but after a few weeks of practice they started to become a “real team with real aspirations”. The older 7th/8th/9th grade team led by top scorers Inigo, Jacob, and Jin Lee pushed the tempo of the ball and worked to the final whistle. The Falcons 5th/6th grade team will compete in their last home game of the season on Friday February 28th against the American School for the Deaf.

 

The IMS Varsity Squash program certainly left their mark on their opponents this year. Led by a handful of veteran ninth graders in combination with a talented group of younger athletes the team found success and came out victorious in nearly all competitive matches this season. With many members of the squad returning next year the team has promise to be just as competitive in the future.

 

As the season comes to a close and time on the court comes to an end it is hard to remember that early on in the season many members of the Developmental Squash Team picked up a racquet for the first time. All members of the team improved drastically throughout the course of the season and were diligent and  focused during both drills and challenge matches.
ON THE ICE

The Varsity Hockey team had a very successful season on the ice. Captain Giaco Traggio and Drew Bogardus reflected on the many ups and downs that their team, like many others, faced throughout the season. In addition, the team has “grown and matured” over the course of the season and look to come out as both better athletes and team mates. Despite all athletes on the team contributing to the success of the team both on and off the ice “one person [the captains] would especially like to [give a] shoutout to is Carter Foley, our goalie. According to Giaco and Drew,  Carter “always gives 100%” and “has gotten immensely better and made everyone around him better in the process.” Lastly, the team would like to thank their coaches for their commitment and will remember their win over Rumsey and fun time playing pond hockey on the ponds near Indian Mountain for a long time. The Falcons will look to end the season on a high note playing in the Pavek Cup at Rumsey Hall this weekend, Saturday, February 29th.

 

With a roster full of both newcomers and veteran hockey players the JV Hockey team started out as individual players but soon became a team. All athletes improved their skating, fundamental skills of passing and shooting, and furthered their understanding of the game. The Falcons were able to test out their skills in 8 competitions this season against nearby schools and will look to finish the season strong with a home game against Rumsey Hall on Friday, February 28th.
ON THE SLOPES

 

According to Coach Sleboda “the Ski Race team ended a very successful racing season with back to back races at Catamount and Mohawk respectively.” All members of the team improved throughout the course of the season and “each proved to remain solid and consistent in their performance with each skier having two successful runs at each race.” Overall, the team captured 2nd place at both races losing to Rumsey Hall by only one point on the very icy and tight slalom course hosted at Catamount. Coach Sleboda commends all ski racers “for their remarkable focus, discipline and camaraderie.”

 

The Recreational Ski team enjoyed their time on the mountain at Catamount this season. Students completed many many runs on the mountain and became more confident skiers and snowboarders this season.
IN THE POOL

 

Swim Team: For captains Derrick Dellea and Quisha Lee the “swim season went by incredibly fast” in the pool. The team participated in a total of five swim meets and remained undefeated for the season, a testament to their hard work and improvement. More importantly, and well stated by their captains, the team “trained hard, competed with determination, made new friends, and finally, ended this season with triumph and pride for our team and our school”.
IN THE STUDIO
On Monday prior to the Sports Awards Ceremony, the Dance team will be performing multiple  dances for the entire student body. The Dance team reflected on the most memorable parts of their time on the dance team this year, according to the team these memories include laughing and chatting on the bus rides to SPACE studio, meeting new people, a judgment-free zone at SPACE studio, and how everyone supports each other no matter what.