WINTER 2013-14 EDITION
Athletic News The Booster Club was formed in the spring of 2003 to support GSB athletics both financially and by encouraging school spirit. For more information about the Booster Club, contact David Pasquale, athletic director, at 908-234-1611, ext. 221.
A NOTE FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
One of the areas in which Gill St. Bernard’s has made significant progress over the last decade has been with the unparalleled success of our female student-athletes and teams. This winter was no exception, highlighted by a fantastic senior class of young women. Jasmine Sina, Taylor Rooks, Trevena Bennett and Ali Ferreira helped establish GSB girls’ basketball as one of the premier programs in the state. They amassed 103 wins over four seasons, quite an incredible number when you consider that the 20-win mark is the accepted standard for excellence in basketball each season. Dana Klein and Alex Benoit carried their indoor track team to unprecedented heights this winter, making their annual trip to the NJSIAA Meet of Champions and shattering school records along the way. This “dynamic duo” has helped put GSB track and field on the map and will continue to shine in the spring. Not to be overlooked, Cricket Treanor and Kathryn Bednarsky helped our swim team take great strides this winter and Casey Saladino was an integral contributor to our hockey program’s recent transition to varsity status. Keeping the spirit high throughout the season was a wonderful collection of dedicated senior cheerleaders (Emily Buynak, Kim Calabrese, Raena Dell’Ermo, Gabriella Gomes, Sally Gordon, Claire Jenkins, Carly Meyers, Kristin Murtha and Dylan Rowell). These young women represented our school impeccably and several of them will be competing in 2014-15 at the college level—a true testament to their talent, work ethic and commitment to their sport!
FOR YOUR INFORMATION Please note the following abbreviations used throughout this newsletter:
NJISAA – New Jersey Independent School Athletic Association, divided into “Prep A” and “Prep B” NJSIAA – New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, in which GSB competes in the Non-Public B Division SCT – Somerset County Tournament
GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14
Girls Reign Queens of the Basketball Court The varsity girls’ basketball team repeated as Somerset County champion this year, also ruling the Skyland Conference with a share of the 2013-14 Delaware Division crown. Despite losing returning starter Kennedy Whitehead ’16 to injury just two days before opening night, Gill St. Bernard’s kicked off its eighth straight 20-win (26-4) season on a high note. The team overcame some of the tri-state area’s top schools throughout the winter, including New York power Murry Bergtraum by a score of 66-58 on December 22. The annual Mount St. Dominic Holiday Festival began on December 27 and contained milestones from senior-athletes Taylor Rooks and Jasmine Sina. While Rooks sank her 2,000th career point on a foul shot in the third quarter against St. John Vianney, Sina closed the three-day tournament with her 1,000th career point in a 74-34 thrashing of the host school.
Jasmine Sina ’14 is named Most Valuable Player in the Somerset County Tournament final on March 1.
After dropping a game to Franklin in mid-December, the girls avenged the early-season upset with a 65-56 defeat of the Warriors on January 23. The winning continued on January 25, as the Rooks sisters—Taylor and Morgan ’15—combined for 41 points and 15 rebounds (Taylor’s 1,000th career rebound) to pounce on perennial state power Rancocas Valley in a 66-59 victory at the ESPN Prime Events Shootout. Despite a season-high 23 points from Trevena Bennett ’14, the girls’ 14-game winning streak was shattered while hosting Blair Academy (68-56) on February 14. The Knights quickly bounced back with an 81-38 rout of Montgomery High School in the quarterfinal round of the Somerset County Tournament. T. Rooks, who finished with a double-double (29 points/10 rebounds), led the girls through a 23-2 first quarter on the way to an easy victory. In addition, Bennett (10 rebounds) and Alexia Allesch ’17 (six rebounds) scored 10 points apiece, Sina and Samantha Kramer ’16 each dished out seven assists, and Madeleine Gallic ’16 and M. Rooks combined for 16 rebounds in the paint. The top-seeded Knights advanced to the final round with a resounding 74-47 victory over Rutgers Prep on February 22. They met Franklin in the tournament final on March 1, shortly after defeating Bridgewater-Raritan 52-46 for a share of the Skyland Conference Delaware Division regular season crown. Tournament MVP Sina (see photo above) scored 16 points and dished out nine assists to give Gill St. Bernard’s the 55-51 overtime victory over Franklin and its third consecutive county title. The NJSIAA Non-Public B South Sectional tournament began on March 4. Katherine Howard ’17 tallied a career-high eight points in the round one trouncing of Moorestown Friends. Down by nine at halftime in the tournament quarterfinal against St. Joseph’s of Hammonton, Kramer spearheaded the comeback, amassing 20 points and five assists to bring the Knights to a 60-57 victory. GSB advanced to the Sectional final with a wide-margin win over The Patrick School on March 8. T. Rooks and Sina combined for 42 points, and Allesch (12), Allison Coffey ’17 (nine) and Gallic (five) helped guide their team to the Sectional championship against St. Rose. Faced with a 13-point deficit, the girls rallied—going on a 22-9 run with just over six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter—to nearly even the score at Jackson Liberty High School. With under a minute left in regulation, Sina sank a thrilling three-pointer to force a tie. Despite hard-fought efforts from the Knights in overtime, St. Rose prevailed to put an end to the GSB season. T. Rooks totaled 29 points in the 78-74 heartbreaker to conclude her high school career with 2,600 points overall (including 521 as a freshman at the Nichols School in Buffalo, N.Y.). Trevena Bennett ’14.
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GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14
Bringing Down the House Rooks Achieves Multiple Career Milestones The winter of 2013-14 proved one of many milestones for senior Taylor Rooks, who capped off an unprecedented high school career with her second straight Gatorade® New Jersey Girls Basketball “Player-of-the-Year” selection. Established in 1985, Gatorade’s “Player-of-the-Year” award annually recognizes elite high school athletes who display outstanding athletic excellence, high expectations of academic achievement and exemplary character both on and off the court. Rooks, who maintains a 4.2 GPA in the classroom and actively volunteers her time with local nonprofit organizations such as Melina’s White Light, is the first GSB girls’ basketball player ever to achieve this honor. Past recipients of the noteworthy distinction include WNBA greats Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks) and Lisa Leslie (formerly Los Angeles Sparks). Ranked as the nation’s number-19 recruit in the Class of 2014 by espnW, Rooks will officially join the Stanford University women’s basketball program next year. “I expect nothing less than great things from Taylor in the future and am confident she will carry her steadfast leadership with her to the DI college level this fall,” said Head Varsity Girls’ Basketball Coach Josuf Dema. Rooks, who averaged 23.6 points per game during her final season with the Knights, concluded her high school career with 2,600 points overall—including 521 as a freshman at the Nichols School in Buffalo, N.Y.—for more career points than any Gill St. Bernard’s basketball player in school history. She also eclipsed her 1,000th career rebound on January 25, averaging 10.7 rebounds per contest to give the girls their third straight Somerset County title as well as a share of the 2014 Skyland Conference Delaware Division crown. Additional accolades obtained by Rooks this season included New Jersey “Player-of-the-Year” recognition from local media outlets such as The Star-Ledger and Courier News, High School All-America honorable mention honors from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and nomination for the 2014 McDonald’s All American® Game.
Taylor Rooks ’14.
Special Thanks to the 2013-14 Winter GSB Team Parents Ann Marie Blackman P ’13, ’16 and Maria Leonhard P ’13, ’16 Coordinators of Upper School Team Parents
Cheryl Lowe P ’15, ’17 and Geralyn Ward P ’14 Ice Hockey
Talayia Rooks P ’14, ’15 Girls’ Basketball
Debra Chipman P ’08, ’11, ’14 and Sarah Treanor P ’13, ’14 Swimming
Mary Mea P ’12, ’15 and Kristi Miller P ’17 Boys’ Basketball
Heather Ensley P ’16 and Jennifer Iannaconi P ’13, ’16 Indoor Track and Field
John Kaiser P ’15, Christie Pollack P ’16 and Jennifer Solondz P ’15, ’17, ’21 Fencing
Jill Gateman P ’17, ’20 and Karen Orazietti P ’16, ’18, ’21 Coordinators of Middle School Team Parents
Lisa Clayton P ’15 and Ellen Gordon P ’12, ’14, ’18 Cheerleading
Karen Orazietti P ’16, ’18, ’21 and Brian Neville P ’18, ’19 Boys’ Basketball Hanan (Anwar) Marzouk P ’18 Girls’ Basketball Cathy Moore P ’18 Fencing
Team parents are sponsored each season by the GSB Athletic Booster Club. 3
GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14
GSB Athletes Take Ivy League by Storm nationwide this winter, crossing the line in 10:37.70 at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions on February 29. In all, Klein won 13 races for the Knights this past season alone to receive 1st Team All-State honors and Courier News Indoor Track “Athlete-of-the-Year,” among numerous other accolades for her success. Recognized by both her coaches and teachers as a natural leader of her generation, all are certain that Klein will continue to shine at Yale in the fall. “She has developed her running and her confidence over the years,” said Head Varsity Running Coach David deWolfe, “and I have no doubt she will carry this experience and confidence with her to the collegiate level.”
Dana Klein ’14 (m.) with Headmaster Sid Rowell (l.) and Head Varsity Running Coach David deWolfe (r.).
Seniors Dana Klein and James Reiner recently committed to attend as well as compete for two of the nation’s top Ivy League universities. A Gill St. Bernard’s track star since 2011, Klein will begin her three-season college running career at Yale University in the fall. Klein, who holds an impressive 3.9 GPA, wide assortment of academic distinctions and countless athletic accomplishments, considered several prestigious institutions such as Columbia University, Princeton University and Wake Forest, before officially committing to Yale University in late-December. “Ultimately, it was the academic challenge and reputation of the Ivy League— along with a good chemistry I sensed between the coach and her team—that helped me make my final decision,” she said. Klein led the varsity girls’ cross country team with first place performances at the Somerset County, Skyland Conference, Prep B and Non-Public B Group Championships this past fall. In addition, she clocked the fifth fastest female time (18:07) ever run in Natirar Park and the third fastest Somerset County time (18:20) in history at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. Klein concluded her varsity indoor track and field tenure with the 13th-fastest 3200m time secured by any female
James Reiner has demonstrated vast improvement since joining the GSB boys’ soccer program in 2010 and looks to continue his banner athletics career at Princeton University in the fall. Going from just one assist as a freshman to 11 goals and five assists his sophomore year, Reiner soon became one of the strongest defenders on the field for the Knights. “Even with so many young starters returning to the field next year, James’ outstanding play and leadership will be very difficult to replace here at Gill,” said Head Varsity Boys’ Soccer Coach Tony Bednarsky. A standout student with a 3.8 GPA in the classroom and true role model among fellow teammates, Reiner rounded-out his impressive Gill St. Bernard’s tenure with 47 goals and 16 assists overall, also tallying the highest number of goals (23) ever scored by a GSB defender in one season this past fall. As co-captain for the Knights, he guided the 2013 boys’ soccer program (20-3-1) to the NJSIAA Non-Public B State title, Prep B championship and Skyland Conference crown, and earned 1st Team honors at the area, state, prep, county and conference levels.
The Booster Club Newsletter is written and published by the Gill St. Bernard’s School Communications & Marketing Department. Allyson B. Daly P ’27, ’28 Director of Communications & Marketing Megan Zakrzewski Communications Specialist 4
GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14
Varsity Track and Field Team Hits the Ground Running
Felix Andersen ’17.
Simply referring to the 2013-14 varsity indoor track and field season as “amazing” would be an understatement. Proof of the program’s unprecedented success lies within the individual accomplishments obtained by its athletes—including four new school and meet records—as well as in the dominating presence portrayed by both squads at state- and county-level events this winter. After a fine performance at the New Jersey Spiked Shoe Holiday Festival, the girls placed seventh overall in the Somerset County Championship at Lehigh University on December 27. Crowned victors of the meet, Alexandria Benoit ’14 conquered the 800m in 2:29, while Dana Klein ’14 took gold in the 3200m in a meet record time of 11:15. The annual East Stroudsburg University Invitational likewise featured impressive results from Klein, who triumphed in both the 1600- (5:19) and 800-meter (2:21) runs. From the boys’ squad, Felix Andersen was the top freshman in the 3200m (10:19) event. GSB’s quest for gold continued at the NJSIAA Non-Public B Relays in Toms River, N.J. on January 19, where the girls’ distance medley relay squad was victorious with a time of
12:52. (See photo right.) Benoit also teamed with Armani Comick ’15, Klein and Ludi Zhu ’16 for first (4:24) in the sprint medley relay event. The boys recorded sixth place results across three separate events at the Non-Public B Relays, including the 4x400, distance medley relay and shot put. F. Andersen, Patrik Andersen ’15, Peter “Alec” Johnson ’15 and Jacob Kruger ’15 guided the medley relay squad to an impressive 11:28 finish, while Michael Tafaro ’15 and William Metzler ’16 combined for 62’3.75” in the shot put. Klein was crowned a 2014 Skyland Conference champion on January 25 after earning wins in the 3200- and 1600-meter runs, including a new meet record (5:13) in the girls’ 1600m event. Additional top-10 showings from Benoit (800m /2:28), Comick (shot put/28’06”), Sahara Ensley ’16 (3200m/12:17) and Zhu (55m/7.9 seconds) brought the girls to sixth place overall in the championship meet. P. Andersen helped the boys to 10th behind a second place finish in the 1600m (4:27). The Knights continued this unprecedented success in Lawrenceville, N.J. on January 27, when the girls’ distance medley relay squad became the first GSB relay team ever to capture gold (12:45) in a Poreda Invitational
Armani Comick ’15.
The girls’ distance medley relay squad of (l. to r.) Ludi Zhu ’16, Sahara Ensley ’16, Alexandria Benoit ’14 and Dana Klein ’14 finishes 12:52 for gold at the NJSIAA Non-Public B Relays.
relay event. Zhu went the distance as well, setting a new school indoor long jump record at 16’6.5.” Gill St. Bernard’s returned to Lawrenceville for the Prep B Championship on February 9. The boys secured their first Prep B crown since 2007, as gold medal times were achieved by Prince Adablah ’16 (55m/7.26 seconds; 200m/25.3 seconds), P. Andersen (800m/2:00), Joshua “Jay” Corbett ’14 (shot put/35’7”) and the 4x400 relay squad. Also contributing to the boys’ first Prep B championship in seven years were F. Andersen (3rd/800m), Will Dadouris ’17 (8th/55m), Michael Iannaconi ’16 (6th/1600m), J. Kruger (3rd/1600m), Paul Kruger ’16 (4th/400m; 7th/200m), Gregory Niccolai ’16 (4th/shot put), Amechi Nwandu ’17 (4th/200m; 5th/55m), Mathieu Petit ’17 (4th/ 1600m) and Tafaro (2nd/shot put). The GSB girls placed second overall in the Prep B meet, powered by gold medalists Benoit (1600m/5:28) and Klein (800m/2:19). Zhu also medaled in three separate events (2nd/55m; 3rd/200m; 4th/400m), while Comick placed runner-up in the shot put and Ensley finished third in the 800m. Both Lillie Wilson ’16 and Samantha 5
GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14 Bittman ’17 rounded-out scoring for the Knights, taking seventh and 10th in the 1600-meter run, respectively. Klein swept all three distance events in the Non-Public B Championship on February 19. Benoit followed as runner-up in the 1600m, and took fourth in the 3200m and fifth in the 800m. Comick and Zhu were third and eighth in the girls’ shot put event, and Ensley earned sixth in the 1600m (5:32) to help the squad
to an overall runner-up finish at the championship meet. The boys took eighth overall, once again led by P. Andersen who medaled with gold in the 1600m and silver in the 800m to advance to the 2014 NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions. Both Klein and P. Andersen made school history in the Meet of Champions on March 1, becoming the first female and male GSB athletes ever to earn medals at this
prestigious outing. Klein crossed the finish line first, and in a school-record time (10:37), to conquer the 3200meter run. P. Andersen medaled in seventh for the boys in the 1600m (4:19) event. Jacqueline Roettger ’16 provided valued support for her teammates throughout the season, and will return to the track healthy in the spring.
GSB’s varsity boys’ indoor track and field team earns its first Prep B championship since 2007.
Varsity Boys’ Basketball Clinches Fourth Straight Division Crown The varsity boys’ basketball team went 19-8 and captured its fourth consecutive Delaware Division title as a member of the Skyland Conference. GSB strung together four consecutive wins to start the year, including a 60-44 defeat of DePaul Catholic at the Jingle Bell Jubilee in Paterson, N.J. Tyus Battle ’16 recorded 66 points and 25 rebounds over three games to help the Knights to fourth place overall in the eight-team event. With five more victories under its belt, GSB roared to the Lehigh Valley Hoop Group Showcase on January 26. A last-second three-pointer from Ian Demarest ’15 forced the game into overtime, but the boys were defeated by Pennsylvania’s Parkland High School.
Jonas Stakeliunas ’15.
With help from Jonas Stakeliunas ’15 (18 points/10 rebounds), Gill quickly bounced back to earn a 49-47 overtime win at Bridgewater-Raritan High School. Despite 14 points from John Michael Mea ’15 and nine from Harrison DeMaira ’15, who went three-for-three from behind the arc, the boys suffered 6
GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14 their first division loss (48-46) on February 6 against Hillsborough High School. They recovered with a double-digit victory (50-37) over Plainfield that same weekend. Most Valuable Player recognition was presented to Battle with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the Prime Time Shootout game against Plainfield. Demarest also scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Mea had nine points and Michael Morreale ’17 chipped in with seven. Coming off a first round bye in the Somerset County Tournament, the top-seeded Knights defeated Somerville 80-47 in the SCT quarterfinal and advanced to the championship game with a resounding 77-58 win over Ridge. Battle had a game-high 30 points, while Adam Mitola ’16 scored a career-high 23 to clinch the team’s fifth straight berth in the final. Battle (24), as well as William Saks ’15 (10), also helped the Knights to a share of the 2014 Delaware Division Skyland Conference regular season championship with an 81-46 victory over Watchung Hills on February 24. The boys kicked off the NJSIAA Non-Public B South Sectional Tournament on March 4, shortly after sustaining a 53-52 overtime loss to Hillsborough in the SCT final on March 1. Battle (24 points) led the way through the first round triumph over Saint Rose, helping Coach Mergin Sina to his 200th win as a head coach with the Knights. (See photo below.) The GSB season came to an end on March 6 when the team fell 67-52 to Holy Spirit in the Sectional quarterfinal. Although Gill St. Bernard’s will graduate three talented seniors—Thomas Johnson ’14, Ryan McCluskey ’14 and Cole Moriarty ’14—this spring, it confidently looks toward newcomers such as Matthew Del Priore ’15 and Julius Stoma ’16 to uphold the legacy of the GSB basketball program in years to come.
Head Varsity Basketball Coach Mergin Sina earned his 200th GSB win on March 4, when the varsity boys defeated St. Rose 69-51 in the NJSIAA Non-Public B South Sectional tournament. Sina first joined the Knights’ coaching staff in 2003. Since then, he has led the varsity girls’ basketball program to 106 wins—including one Prep B crown, two conference titles and back-to-back Somerset County championships—and has taken the boys to nearly 100 victories, one State Sectional crown, two Somerset County championships and four division titles. 7
GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14
Esposito Leads GSB Swim Program Through Uncharted Waters This winter proved a season of many milestones for the varsity swim team, which earned personal best times at championship events, saw the return of Head Coach Kimberly Schmidt and hosted its first-ever “home” meet on January 28.
Carter Silvey ’16.
Gill’s season began with a tri meet at Newark Academy on December 16, where Joseph “Julien” Esposito ’15 placed first in both the 200m individual medley (2:07) and 500m freestyle (4:57). Esposito next swept the boys’ 200y (1:50) and 500y (5:00) freestyles in a dual meet on January 10, while Carter Silvey ’16 was the runner-up in the boys’ 100y freestyle (1:02) and took third in the 200y freestyle. Jennifer Montejo ’16 also won the girls’ 200 IM (2:38) and 100y butterfly (1:13) for the Knights.
The Skyland Conference Swimming Championships were held on January 18 at Montgomery High School. Esposito took fourth and fifth in the 500y (4:58) and 200y (1:49) freestyles. Silvey (100y freestyle, 200y freestyle) and Michael Urowsky ’16 (50y freestyle) also recorded personal best times for the boys, respectively. From the girls’ squad, Montejo earned top-20 times in the 200 IM (2:34) and 100y butterfly (1:07). In addition, both Emily Supron ’17 (100y freestyle, 100y breaststroke) and Elisabeth Middleton ’16 (100y breaststroke) set new personal bests. GSB displayed a fine showing during its first-ever “home” meet at Raritan Valley Community College in late January. Esposito (500y freestyle/200y freestyle) and Montejo (200y individual medley/100y butterfly) won two events apiece, while Silvey took first and second in the 100y and 200y freestyles. Esposito, Montejo and Silvey also teamed with Carolyn Brand ’17, Gabrielle Breuer ’17 and Supron to take the medley relay and 400y freestyle relay over Perth Amboy. Esposito was the runner-up in the boys’ 500y freestyle (4:47) and took fifth in the 200y freestyle (1:46) at the Somerset County Swim Championships on February 1. Also helping the boys to 11th place overall at the team event was Silvey with personal best times in the 100y (1:00) and 200y (2:28) freestyles. Leading the girls’ squad at the county meet was Montejo (17th/1:06) in the 100y butterfly and Kathryn Bednarsky ’14 and Middleton, who won their heats in the 100y freestyle and breaststroke. Brand and Breuer also posted season-best times in the girls’ 100y breaststroke, while Nita Diverio ’15 shined in the 50y freestyle. Supron teamed with Brand, Middleton and Montejo to take two full seconds off the squad’s top medley relay time as well.
Kathryn Bednarsky ’14.
The boys placed seventh in the Prep B Championship on February 4, and Esposito was named “Swimmer-of-the-Meet” after taking silver in the 200y (1:46) and 500y (4:47) freestyle events. Montejo earned top-20 times in the 200 IM (2:36) and 100y butterfly (1:11) to pace the girls’ effort at the Prep B Championship. Cricket Treanor ’14, Madeline Quinn ’15 and Morgan Margolis ’16 also represented GSB in the 50y freestyle, while Brand and Breuer highlighted the 100y backstroke. With all regular season and team championship competitions complete, for the second straight year Esposito headed to the NJSIAA Individual Swim Championship. He placed fourth in the 500-yard freestyle (4:42) and 10th in the 200y freestyle (1:45) on March 1 to advance to the finals the following day. Esposito achieved a Y National cut for his fine performance in both the 500y (6th) and 200y (11th) freestyle events on March 2 to close out the season. (See photo left.) Joseph “Julien” Esposito ’15 achieves a Y National cut for his performance in the 500y (6th) and 200y (11th) freestyles during the NJSIAA Individual Swim Championship final on March 2.
Although this year’s team will graduate three seniors—Bednarsky, Dylan Polachi and Treanor—the talent demonstrated by younger swimmers such as Sophie Connell ’16 shows promise of even greater seasons ahead. 8
GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14
Varsity Fencers Right on Target at Medal-Yielding Events Gill St. Bernard’s varsity fencing program had a remarkable season filled with Raritan Division victories and medal-worthy performances in statewide tournaments. This year’s varsity fencing roster represented the largest in team history, nearly doubling in size since last season to comprise approximately 30 talented fencers. Beginning on January 4, the girls’ epee Samuel Solondz ’15. squad of Jada Davis ’16, Nichole Morley ’17, Paige Stewart ’17 and Charlotte Walsh ’17 finished 19th for the school’s best-ever ranking at the prestigious Santelli Tournament. Luke Fischer ’16 (epee), Samuel Solondz ’15 (sabre) and Samuel Zimmer ’16 (foil) also earned eight wins apiece at the Cetrulo Tournament on January 5, with Zimmer helping the boys to 26th among some of the best foil fencers in the state. On January 25, the Solondz brothers—Samuel and Jane O’Connor ‘16. Luke ’17—teamed with Landon Braemer ’17 for sixth place overall at boys’ sabre in the NJSIAA District One Fencing Championship. In addition, the boys’ epee squad took eighth and the foil squad finished ninth. Devon Kaiser ’15, Emma Corbett ’16, Jacqueline Luberto ’16 and Samantha DeRing ’16 combined for ninth at girls’ sabre, while both the foil squad— including Zoe Quan-Shau ’16—and the epee squad finished 11th overall.
Numerous GSB freshmen and sophomores shined at the Montclair Invitational on February 2, as Morley and Fischer claimed gold and silver medals at epee, and Colette Bilynsky ’16 (girls’ foil), Davis (girls’ epee) and Ross Pollack ’16 (boys’ epee) earned bronze. Other top-10 finishes were secured by L. Solondz (7th/boys’ sabre), Stewart (7th/girls’ epee), Ruben Kivits ’17 (9th/boys’ epee), Corbett (9th/girls’ epee) and Amanda Miller ’17 (10th/girls’ foil). The girls’ sabre squad of Kaiser, Corbett, DeRing, Luberto and Zeel Patel ’15 capped off the season on February 19, capturing bronze at the Prep B Championship. Also finishing third for the girls was the epee squad of Davis, Morley, Stewart and Walsh. Davis also took second in the girls’ individual epee competition, while Bilynsky, Alexandra Udoff ’16, Mary Frances Howard ’17, Miller and Katherine Huang ’16 had a fine showing Zeel Patel ’15. at girls’ foil to help the Knights to fourth place overall. Fifth place finishes were earned by both the boys’ sabre squad of L. Solondz, S. Solondz, Braemer and Kenneth “Casey” Meyer ’15 as well as by foilists Stefan Lambert ’15, Pollack and Zimmer. Meanwhile, Fischer placed third in his individual bout to lead fellow epee fencers Kivits, Lachlan Wright ’17 and Mycroft Zimmerman ’16 to seventh overall. Fisher also competed in the Empire Cadet and Junior Cup at the New Jersey Fencing Alliance on March 23, placing fifth out of 33 fencers for a national D rating. Also showing great promise throughout the season were juniors Kelsey Guo, Marisa Guo and Sunny Liu. The Middle School fencing squad including (l. to r.), Nicholas Wu ’19, John Jean ’19, Olivia Ellman ’18, Luca Magee ’19, Vallika Saraswat ’19, Chris Kruger ’19, Lucy Friedland ’19, Dan Zoumas ’19, Jessica Abowitz ’18, Jonathon Moore ’18, Andrew Silverschotz ’18, Leonore Kivits ’19, Jack Rosenfeld ’19 and Alexander DeRing ’19. Camera Shy: Genevieve Caron ’19 and Anja Kroon ’19. 9
GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14
New Hockey Program Continues to Gain Strength
The 2013-14 varsity ice hockey team including, (l. to r.) Co-Head Coach Pete Roslund, Graham Valentine ’17, George Harris ’16, John “Jack” Lowe ’15, Jennifer Lowe ’17, Alexander Bauer ’14, Nathaniel Bess ’17, Christopher Ward ’14, Gunnar Valentine ’15, Harald Parker ’14, Patrick Janas ’16, Grayson Valentine ’17, Alexander Ferruggia ’14, Nathan Crystal ’17, Casey Saladino ’14, Christian St. Germaine ’17, Jordan Taylor ’14, Kiliaen O’Connor ’14, Alyx Schrecengost ’15, Co-Head Coach William Diamond and Assistant Coach Michael Cascini. Camera shy: Devin Hohman ’17.
In its second year of varsity competition, the GSB ice hockey program is already well on its way to developing into a competitive member of the Morris County Secondary Schools Ice Hockey League (MCSSIHL). Better known by its fans as the “Ice Knights,” Gill’s coed hockey team secured three wins this winter, defeating East Side High School and Morris Hills. Despite dropping several games at the start of the season, things took a turn for the better on January 29 at Mennen Arena, where Christopher Ward ’14 had two goals and an assist, and Kiliaen O’Connor ’14 scored on an assist by Alexander Bauer ’14 (two assists) for a 3-0 victory over Morris Hills. Gunnar Valentine ’15 recorded 13 saves as goaltender in the shutout, while defenders Christian St. Germaine ’17, John “Jack” Lowe ’15, Alexander Ferruggia ’14 and Bauer played a crucial role in holding Morris Hills scoreless.
All-Conference Team Goaltender and Ward achieved 1st Team All-Conference Forward honors as well as the Reynold Fauci Sportsmanship award. Valentine also recorded the second-highest number of saves in the league this winter, while Ward was ranked the league’s leading scorer with 23 goals. Although the team’s seven seniors, including Casey Saladino and Jordan Taylor, will be dearly missed next year, the Knights will rely on returning players Nathaniel Bess ’17, Nathan Crystal ’17, George Harris ’16, Devin Hohman ’17, Patrick Janas ’16, Jennifer Lowe ’17, Alyx Schrecengost ’15, Graham Valentine ’17 and Grayson Valentine ’17 to continue pushing the hockey program forward.
Both teams met again on February 9 at Gill’s final game of the season. Ward led the 5-2 triumph with three goals, while Ferruggia and O’Connor contributed one goal apiece and Valentine made 20 saves. Assists from Harald Parker ’14, Bauer and St. Germaine also helped the team push past Morris Hills, as it scored three goals in the third period for the sweep. The Knights officially rounded-out the year at the MCSSIHL banquet on March 30, where Ferruggia, Valentine and Ward were recognized for their individual accomplishments on the ice. (See photo right.) Ferruggia capped off his four-year GSB ice hockey career with 2nd Team All-Conference Defenseman honors, Valentine received Honorable Mention
(L. to r.) Gunnar Valentine ’15, Christopher Ward ’14 and Alexander Ferruggia ’14 are awarded All-Conference honors at the Morris County Secondary Schools Ice Hockey League banquet on March 30.
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GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14
New Routines Pump up Varsity Cheerleading Performances The 2013-14 varsity cheerleading team collaborated with the GSB Blue Crew to initiate high levels of excitement and intense pride from fans in the stands this winter.
Junior cheerleaders (l. to r.) Sarah Fenton, Jade Macaylo and Grace Clayton.
Under the leadership of numerous seniors including Emily Buynak, Kimberly Calabrese, Captain Raena Dell’Ermo, Gabriella Gomes, Elizabeth “Sally” Gordon, Claire Jenkins, Carly Meyers, Kristin Murtha and Dylan Rowell—some with up to four years of cheer experience at Gill—the 16-member squad worked to expand its repertoire. On December 7, the girls attended a stunting class with professional instructors from the Gems Cheer Stars clinic in Randolph, N.J., applying what they learned throughout the lesson as well as from head coaches Brittany Casser and Allyson Burke to completely revolutionize their routine.
New to Gill St. Bernard’s this school year, Burke’s enthusiasm and experience in competitive cheer proved a valuable asset alongside Casser’s intuitive knack for choreography. With the help of their two coaches, the girls were able to effectively evoke school spirit at games. Despite graduating a handful of seniors this season, Grace Clayton ’15, Mary Cors ’15, Emma Cullen ’17, Sarah Fenton ’15, Alessandra “Allie” Haversat ’15, Jade Macaylo ’15 and Carleigh Matthews ’17 will return to form the nucleus of next year’s spirited squad.
JV Boys’ Basketball Takes Second Straight Newark Academy Tournament Title This winter’s JV boys’ basketball team overcame numerous injuries to earn its second consecutive Newark Academy Tournament championship in late December. Co-captains Dylan Blackman ’16 and Matthew Taylor ’16 guided the boys to 6-10 overall on the season. While Blackman contributed significantly in back-to-back victories over Oratory Prep and Pingry for the Newark Academy Tournament crown, Taylor—Gill’s leading scorer and rebounder—powered the Knights past a 12-point halftime deficit on January 7 for the win against Immaculata. Likewise impressive among Gill’s six wins this winter was a triumph over Franklin on January 24, as Cameron Miller ’17 helped avenge an early-season loss to the Warriors. Along with Miller, freshmen Nicholas Cooper, Tyler Starr and Evan Storch also played critical roles on the court, with Starr and Storch leading the team in assists and steals, respectively. From the sophomore class, both Ryan Chestnutt and Preet “Paul” Singh showed significant improvement over the course of the year. In addition, Michael Del Priore ’16 displayed fine shooting skills and Andrew Noll ’16 led the team in charges taken. Positive contributions were made by Gavin Ferruggia ’16, Ivor Guest ’15, Aaron Hinton ’16 and Garrett Rowe ’15 as well throughout the season.
Tyler Starr ’17.
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GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14
A Season for the Ages for Middle School Boys’ ‘A’ Basketball Team The Middle School boys’ ‘A’ basketball team had an unstoppable 2013-14 season, recording 12 wins over 15 games and claiming both the Greater Morris County Group One championship and GSB Tournament crown. The Knights were led by returning starters Scott Begane ’18, Daniel Wang ’18 and Christopher “CJ” Licata ’18, as well as by newcomers Dallas Hoffman ’18, Alex Imegwu ’18 and Timothy “TJ” Chaney ’18. Gill St. Bernard’s drew a number-two seed in this year’s Greater Morris County Junior School Coaches Association (GMCJSCA) Tournament, advancing to the semifinal round with a win over Harding on January 27. The boys also defeated Delbarton to advance to the GMCJSCA final for the first time since 2009. With their up-tempo style, including slam dunks from leading scorers Hoffman and Imegwu, the GSB Knights quickly became a crowd favorite in the battle for the crown against
The Middle School boys’ ‘A’ basketball team is crowned the Greater Morris County Group One champion.
Stanhope, whom they defeated handily. The boys also earned the Gill St. Bernard’s Tournament title on February 1 with back-to-back victories over The Hun School and Peck. Also contributing significant minutes off the bench in wins this season were Charles Han ’18, Ronald “Joe” Johnson ’18, William Orazietti ’18, Matthew Parisi ’18, Alexander Roch ’18 and Ryan Turse ’18.
Middle School Boys’ ‘B’ Team Embraces New Challenges The Middle School boys’ ‘B’ basketball team fielded a deep bench of talented players who worked hard in games against high-level opponents throughout the winter to earn valuable experience on the court. Although matched-up against numerous “A-level” teams, the Knights approached their challenging 2013-14 schedule with steadfast determination and recorded two wins over six games. Relying on words of encouragement from fellow teammates and fans, the boys sailed to victories over Morristown-Beard and Oratory Prep this winter, and showed continuous improvement with each passing contest. Significant progress from eighth grade standouts Ronald “Joe” Johnson, Ryan Turse and Noah Steinbaum as well as from seventh grade student-athletes Matthew “Max” Alexy, Brian Mueller and Lucas Horn led to a split in play time on the Middle School’s ‘A’ and ‘B’ squads.
The Middle School boys’ ‘B’ basketball team, including Head Coach Cliff Schafer (r.).
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GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14
Inaugural JV Basketball Team Fields Talented Group of Girls Participation in the 2013-14 Upper School girls’ basketball program more than doubled since last winter. The addition of eight new freshmen allowed the Knights to field their first-ever JV team, which won five out of its nine games. One highlight of its winning season was Gill’s nail-biting victory (53-50) at Franklin High School on December 23. Down by 10 at the start of the second half, the Knights rallied— with help from both Emma Dean ’17 and Alexandra Ferreira ’14—to lead by three with under a minute to go in regulation. The girls continued to improve defensively as the season progressed, with Katherine Howard ’17 grabbing the highest number of rebounds, Allison Coffey ’17 leading the team in steals and Melissa Jean ’17, Genevieve Fischer ’17 and Erica Phiansunthon ’17 playing well in the post all winter long. Katherine Howard ’17.
Girls’ ‘A’ Team Puts Forth A-Plus Effort on the Court Each member of the 2013-14 girls’ ‘A’ team contributed significantly to the success of the Middle School basketball program this winter.
Claire Chestnutt ’18.
Gillian Fritzlo ’19 (88) and Catelyn Woelfle ’19 (42) led the team in points scored, while Alexandria Delehanty ’18, Kajal Mehta ’19 and Nour Marzouk ’18 played critical defense for the Knights (6-8). After dropping two games to Peck and Villa Walsh in the Gill St. Bernard’s Tournament on February 1, the girls bounced back with a 26-13 win over Far Hills on February 11. Despite a heartbreaking loss to Montclair Kimberley Academy on February 20, Gill rounded-out the season with an 18-6 victory and series sweep of Oak Knoll the following week. Point guard Claire Chestnutt ’18 hit six crucial three-pointers from behind the arc this winter. Forwards Kennedy Hayes ’18, Josephine “JJ” Neville ’18, Charlese Reynolds ’18 and Lauren Silverschotz ’18 also played well in the paint, while Ava Diggins ’18 displayed significant improvement after transitioning from the ‘B’ team to starting guard with the ‘A’ squad in early January.
A Slam Dunk Season for Middle School Girls’ ‘B’ Basketball Team The girls’ ‘B’ basketball team recorded a near perfect season (5-1) including wins over The Craig School, Pingry, Far Hills and Oak Knoll. While the start of the season called for additional time spent on ball handling, shooting and rebounding drills, the girls worked hard in practices each day to tremendously enhance their game and play as one cohesive unit. Most impressive over the course of the winter was Gill’s two-game sweep of Pingry, which began with a double overtime victory (22-20) on January 7 and concluded with another win on February 6. The Knights rounded-out the season on February 25, triumphing 22-21 over Oak Knoll behind a buzzer beater from Nicole Johnson ’18. Along with Johnson, the team was led throughout each contest by eighth graders Ava Diggins, Chloe Esposito, Sophie Parker, Lauren Reid, Amanda Weiss and Sabrina Yekta. Seventh grade
student-athletes Lillian Cannon, Ilana Druskin, Lily Fischer, Susanne Mundt, Surbhi Srinivas and Cilia Trendelenburg also contributed valuable playing time off the bench for the Knights.
Participants in the 2013-14 Middle School girls’ basketball program.
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GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14
GSB Varsity Athletics Recap (Winter 2013-14) Varsity Boys’ Basketball Head Coach Mergin Sina (19-8)
Ian Demarest ’15 2nd Team All-Conference HM All-Area (Courier News)
Skyland Conference/Delaware Division Co-Champions Somerset County Finals Non-Public B South Sectional Quarterfinals
John Michael Mea ’15 1st Team All-Conference 3rd Team All-County Somerset County “All Junior Team” (The Star-Ledger) HM All-Area (Courier News)
Tyus Battle ’16 1st Team All-State (Non-Public) 2nd Team All-State (All Groups) Somerset County “Player-of-the-Year” (The Star-Ledger) 1st Team All-County 1st Team “All Freshman/Sophomore” (The Star-Ledger) 1st Team All-Conference Courier News “Player-of-the-Year” 1st Team All-Area (Courier News) Harrison DeMaira ’15 HM All-Conference “All Sharpshooter” Team (Courier News) “All Long Range” Team (The Star-Ledger)
Adam Mitola ’16 2nd Team All-Conference HM All-Area (Courier News) Michael Morreale ’17 “All Freshman” Team (Courier News) Julius Stoma ’16 “All 6th Man” Team (Courier News)
Varsity Girls’ Basketball Head Coach Josuf Dema (26-4) Skyland Conference/Delaware Division Co-Champions Somerset County Champion Non-Public B South Sectional Finals
Samantha Kramer ’16 2nd Team All-Conference 3rd Team All-County HM All-Area (Courier News) Morgan Rooks ’15 HM All-Conference HM All-Area (Courier News) Taylor Rooks ’14 McDonald’s All American® Nominee New Jersey Gatorade® “Player-of-the-Year” New Jersey “Player-of-the-Year” (The Star-Ledger) 1st Team All-State (All Groups) 1st Team All-State (Non-Public) 1st Team All-County 1st Team All-Conference Courier News “Player-of-the-Year” 1st Team All-Area (Courier News) Jasmine Sina ’14 1st Team All-Conference 1st Team All-Area (Courier News) 1st Team All-County
Trevena Bennett ’14 1st Team All-Conference 2nd Team All-County HM All-Area (Courier News)
Tyus Battle ’16.
Jasmine Sina ’14.
Varsity fencers Luke Fisher ’16 (l.) and Jada Davis ’16 (r.) medaled bronze and silver in their individual epee bouts at the Prep B Championship.
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GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14 Varsity Fencing Head Coach Jared Hammond Boys: 6th Place Prep B Girls: 4th Place Prep B Jada Davis ’16 HM All-Prep B Luke Fischer ’16 2nd Team All-Prep B
Varsity Ice Hockey Head Coaches Bill Diamond and Pete Roslund (3-17) Alexander Ferruggia ’14 2nd Team All-Conference Gunnar Valentine ’15 HM All-Conference
Armani Comick ’15 2nd Team All-Prep B Meet of Champions Qualifier Joshua “Jay” Corbett ’14 1st Team All-Prep B (Shot Put Champion) Sahara Ensley ’16 HM All-Prep B Meet of Champions Qualifier Dana Klein ’14 1st Team All-State (All Groups) 1st Team All-State (Non-Public) 1st Team All-Prep B (800m Champion) 1st Team All-Conference Somerset County Indoor Track “Athlete-of-the-Year” (The Star-Ledger) 1st Team All-County Courier News Indoor Track “Athlete-of-the-Year” Non-Public B Champion (800m, 1600m, 3200m) Meet of Champions Gold Medalist (3200m)
Christopher Ward ’14 1st Team All-Conference Conference Sportsmanship Award
Jacob Kruger ’15 HM All-Prep B
Varsity Indoor Track and Field Head Coach David deWolfe
Amechi Nwandu ’17 1st Team All-Prep B (4x400 Relay Champion)
Boys: Prep B Champion 10th Place Skyland Conference 7th Place Somerset County 8th Place Non-Public B
Mathieu Petit ’17 1st Team All-Prep B (4x400 Relay Champion)
Girls: Prep B Runner-Up 6th Place Skyland Conference Non-Public B Runner-Up Prince Adablah ’16 1st Team All-Prep B (55m and 200m Champion) Felix Andersen ’17 1st Team All-Prep B (4x400 Relay Champion) Patrik Andersen ’15 1st Team All-Prep B (800m and 4x400 Relay Champion) 1st Team All-County Non-Public B Champion (1600m) Meet of Champions Medalist (1600m) Alexandria Benoit ’14 1st Team All-Prep B (1600m Champion) 2nd Team All-County Meet of Champions Qualifier
Michael Tafaro ’15 2nd Team All-Prep B
Alexander Ferruggia ’14.
Patrik Andersen ’15.
Ludi Zhu ’16 2nd Team All-Prep B
Varsity Swimming Head Coach Kimberly Schmidt Boys: 7th Place Prep B 11th Place Somerset County Girls: 12th Place Somerset County Joseph “Julien” Esposito ’15 1st Team All-Prep B (“Swimmer-of-the-Meet”) 1st Team All-State (Non-Public) 2nd Team All-County Meet of Champions Qualifier
Alexandria Benoit ’14.
Jennifer Montejo ’16 HM All-Prep B
Jennifer Montejo’16.
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GSB BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC NEWS • WINTER 2013-14
Beyond GSB Gill St. Bernard’s School has produced numerous student-athletes who are now competing for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at Division I, II or III colleges and universities. Below is a list highlighting those GSB athletes who participated in winter sports this past season: Men’s Basketball Austin Colbert ’13 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign, Ill. Dominic Hoffman ’12 Bucknell University Lewisburg, Pa. Christopher Jenkins ’13 Hofstra University Hempstead, N.Y. Alex Mitola ’12 Dartmouth College Hanover, N.H.
Jonathan Schreer ’13 Muhlenberg College Allentown, Pa.
Niiya Ruth ’10 Bloomfield College Bloomfield, N.J.
Ryan Milanaik ’11 Villanova University Villanova, Pa.
Jaren Sina ’13 Seton Hall University South Orange Village, N.J.
Daisha Simmons ’10 University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Louis Valdes ’10 The College of Staten Island (CUNY) Staten Island, N.Y.
Dominique Vitalis ’12 Georgetown University Washington, D.C.
Women’s Track & Field Victoria Bernardo ’11 Auburn University Auburn, Ala.
Women’s Basketball Linnett Graber ’12 Babson College Babson Park, Mass. Samantha Graber ’12 Hamilton College Clinton, N.Y.
Women’s Fencing Jaclyn Hammond ’13 Brandeis University Waltham, Mass.
Kathryn “Katy” Galli ’11 Oglethorpe University Atlanta, Ga.
Men’s Track & Field Connor Milanaik ’11 Villanova University Villanova, Pa.
Linnett Graber ’12 of the Babson College Beavers was named New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) “Player-of-the-Week” on February 18 after averaging Jennifer Montejo ’16. at Babson College. 16.5 points and six rebounds in back-to-back victories over Tufts (58-52) and Wheaton (68-63). Photo provided by Jeremy Viens, athletic communications director
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