WINTER SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

WINTER SPORTS

38 HIGHLIGHTSSPRING 2021 ||| KnightTimes

Coached by DEVIN BILLINGS, DUKE SHERRELL and GRADY STEVENS

Wrestling—like swimming and diving, gymnastics, golf and crosscountry—is both an individual and a team sport, and while Pace has sent individual wrestlers to the state tournament for decades, this year, for the first time in program history, the Knights qualified as a team.

They entered state competition following a successful outing at the area tournament in which juniors BEN SCHIFFER, THOMAS WELLS, ALEX MATHIAS and XAVIER AGOSTINO claimed individual championships in their respective weight classes. The team of 10 then traveled to Macon, Ga., and concluded the season as the 13th-place squad in the state. Four Knights placed individually in their weight classes: junior SAM HOWE was third; Mathias finished fourth; Schiffer was fifth; and junior HENRY LEUSINK tied for seventh.

This year’s wrestling roster did not include seniors, so the Knights hope to add to their ranks and build on this year’s success in the 2021–2022 season. Photography by

NICOLE SEITZ

VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL

Coached by TROY BAKER, KELSEA AYERS, BOBBI BOYER and

STEPHANIE SOSEBEE

The varsity girls basketball team closed out the regular season with a 41–33 victory over Coretta Scott King Academy and a 15–5 record. On their way to the region tournament, the Knights racked up notable wins against North Atlanta, Towers, KIPP Atlanta Collegiate and rival Lovett—twice.

The team faced South Atlanta High School in the first round of region play and fell by just 3 points to earn a spot in the consolation game, where they again took on Lovett. After an outstanding fourth-quarter comeback, with 5.3 seconds left on the clock, the Knights trailed the Lions 30–31 when junior GABBY HUDSON hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer to secure a third-place seed in the state tournament. The team was unable to maintain its momentum, however, and fell to Chattooga High School in the first round of the GHSA

state tournament.

Three Knights earned Region 6-AA All-Region recognition: Hudson was named to the All-Region First Team, while senior HANNA VINCENT earned a spot on the Second Team, and junior MARGO KAYE received Honorable Mention honors. With the close of the season, the Knights said goodbye to seniors JAMIE KORNHEISER and Vincent. Photography by NICOLE SEITZ

Coached by LORI BAKER and CAMERON RUSS ’17

This year’s varsity basketball cheerleading squad followed the varsity boys basketball team all the way to the GHSA Dr. Ralph Swearngin Basketball State Championships in Macon, where the girls cheered the Knights to a decisive victory over Thomasville High School (see story on page 52). Despite season-long COVID protocols, capacity limits and mask mandates, the 19 members of the team cheered on, putting a pep in the step of every member of the girls and boys basketball squads. The seven juniors on the team—its most senior members—look forward to additional leadership opportunities next season.

VARSITY BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING

Coached by JOHN AGUE, PATTI ALEXANDER, JIM EBERT, MARTY HAMBURGER and ANNA VAN ZYVERDEN ’16

Despite COVID protocols and general unpredictability, the varsity boys swimming and diving team jumped right into its 2020–2021 season and concluded a successful—and healthy—run at the GHSA Swimming & Diving State Championship.

Led by sophomore CARTER FREUDENSTEIN, who, for the second year qualified for every individual state swimming event, the Knights brought a balanced attack to their final competition. Freshman LANE CANOVA, Freudenstein, sophomore BARRETT HIGHT, junior SAM BROOKS and senior RIVERS GRAHAM were outstanding in their individual events, and the team notched impressive performances in the relay events as well. The 200 freestyle squad—Graham, Hight, Canova and senior ALEXANDER SWANN—broke the previous year’s school record with a fifth-place finish, while the 200 medley and 400 freestyle teams placed fifth and sixth, respectively. The Knights ended the season in fifth place overall.

Next year, the team will miss the leadership of seniors Graham, ANTHONY SALAZAR and Swann. Photography by RIVER OAK PHOTOGRAPHY and ASHFORD LITTLE

VARSITY GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING

Coached by JOHN AGUE, PATTI ALEXANDER, JIM EBERT, MARTY HAMBURGER and ANNA VAN ZYVERDEN ’16

Every year, diving events kick off the GHSA Swimming & Diving State Championship, allowing teams to earn points before their swimmers hit the pool. Fortunately for the varsity girls swimming and diving team, senior diving phenom LIZZY KAYE led the way and brought home her fourth consecutive state championship to put the Knights on the board (see sidebar).

Kaye’s strong start proved to be just what the team needed. Led by seniors JACQUELINE CUNNINGHAM, AMALIE LITTLE, MAGGIE JENKINS and Kaye, the Knights captured ninth place in the state while recording multiple personal- and team-best times. The 400 relay team—Little, Jenkins, Kaye and sophomore MARISA SAPRE—placed fifth, and the same squad was sixth in the 200 medley relay.

In addition to Cunningham, Jenkins, Kaye and Little, the team bids a fond farewell to seniors ISABEL BATTISTA, LILY KOCH and AMALIA MAXA. Photography by RIVER OAK PHOTOGRAPHY and ASHFORD LITTLE

SENIOR LIZZY KAYE MAKES HISTORY IN THE POOL

“As a freshman, my goal was to get on the state podium,” recalls senior diver LIZZY KAYE. “I had confidence in my abilities to reach that goal. Only after I won that first year did I realize that my goal had changed to four state titles.”

Mission accomplished. On Feb. 2, Kaye, who missed half the season due to an injury, wrapped up her Pace Academy diving career with her fourth consecutive state title. With a score of 635.60, Kaye bettered her previous performance and made Pace history.

“This year was the most important year for me,” she says. “I didn't want to let Pace down by falling short of a fourth title. I was especially grateful to have won knowing that we were lucky to even have a championship meet given the situation with COVID. It was a really proud moment to represent Pace my senior year.”

Kaye credits much of her success to “one-of-a-kind” varsity diving coach JIM EBERT. “[Coach Ebert] has been beyond supportive; he believes in me; and he keeps it fun,” she says. “I’m so happy to have gone on this journey with him by my side.”

Kaye, also a member of Pace’s inaugural varsity flag football team, will graduate as one of the most decorated student-athletes in school history—she holds every Pace Middle and Upper School diving record. The three-time All-American plans to continue her diving career at the University of Virginia.

“I cannot wait to get to UVA to dive,” she says. “The girls team just won the NCAA Swimming and Diving National Championship for the first time in UVA history. None of the team’s points came from diving though, and I want to be the one to score points for the team at next year’s championship.”