News
4.7.2009
Big Red Spring Sports Preview
Big Red athletes are busy training for an exciting season of baseball, crew, tennis, golf, lacrosse, softball, and track. Lawrenceville's athletic fields and facilities are the place to be this spring, as the School's teams take on the competition. Here is an early season look at what fans will see this spring.
Boys' Varsity Baseball
Head Coach: Champ Atlee
Assistant Coaches: Paul Brown, Ron Kane, J. Hindelang
Team Captains: Matt Frakes '09 and Zach Katcher '09
'08 Record: 6-17
Lawrenceville expects material improvement from the young squad which struggled to a 6-17 record in 2008. The addition of John Mishu '09, headed to Princeton University, as the lead pitcher, and the expected improvement of James Chiorello '10, author of a complete game win over Steinert as a sophomore, both suggest that the pitching will be better. The infield should also be significantly improved with a year's play under their belts. Captain Zach Katcher '10 behind the plate, Chiorello at first, Mark Speidel '10 at second, Khifer O'Connor '10 at third, and Gustavo de la Rosa '09 at short all have considerable experience now at their positions. With improved defense and the addition of proven bats like those of Mishu and de la Rosa, Big Red should certainly be an improved team in 2009.
Boys' Varsity Crew
Head Coach: Ben Wright
Assistant Coach: Annie Wilcox
Team Captain: Nicolas Mihalich '09
The Lawrenceville School boys' crew squad looks forward to another rewarding, exciting, and successful spring season. With only four seniors on the team and four oarsmen returning from last spring's Stotesbury Cup Varsity Eight, this year's crew will be young. But, for the first time in recent memory, spring training will find two eights of boys rowing on Mercer Lake, each of whom has rowed for at least one season.
Girls' Varsity Crew
Head Coach: Elizabeth Montes
Assistant Coaches: Cindy Taylor, Molly Baker, Deborah Olivier
Team Captain: Casey Martinez '09
Lawrenceville girls' crew is looking forward to a very strong season this spring. This year's squad will have exemplary leadership from Fifth Formers Caroline Cahill and team captain Casey Martinez. In addition, the team has the largest and most experienced Third-Fourth Form group in recent history, including Jacqueline Andrews '11, who finished in the top five in both of her events at the 2008 U.S. Rowing National Championships. With strong talent and significant depth, along with an extremely promising group of novice rowers, the Girls' Big Red Crew promises to have fantastic racing in coming months.
Boys' Varsity Golf
Head Coach: Tim Doyle
Team Captains: Brad Kushner '09, Pierce Dever '09
'08 Record: 10-2-1, first place in the MAPL
Led by Fifth Form captains Brad Kushner and Pierce Dever, the boys' golf team hopes to do well again this season in the MAPL league competitions and against Lawrenceville's traditionally strong Philadelphia area opponents such as Haverford, Penn Charter, and Episcopal. The 2009 team has a solid roster of Fifth Formers returning for their final season, including Zach Davis, Ryder Finney, Clay Jones, and Stephen Pauzer as well as the two captains.
In addition to the team's dual matches against Peddie, Blair, Hun, Mercersburg, and Hill, the high points of the season will be the Blue Devil Tournament hosted by Chestnut Hill Academy at Sunnybrook Country Club outside Philadelphia and the MAPL and New Jersey Independent School Tournaments, both hosted this year at Peddie. A bonus addition to this season will be a match against the Swifts, a touring team of all-star players selected from private schools in England who come to the U.S. every other year and play American school and club teams on the east coast. This year's match will be held at Bedens Brook Club in Skillman, N.J.
Girls' Varsity Golf
Head Coach: Gus Hedberg
Team Captains: Katharine Sharpstone '09, Kirsten Parratt '09
'08 Record: 5-2
The Lawrenceville girls' varsity golf team opens its ninth season of interscholastic play with a seasoned and formidable roster of returning varsity players. Leading Big Red this year will be co-captains Katharine Sharpstone and Kirsten Parratt, the team's top-ranking players from last year. Joining them are returning varsity players Kate Donatiello '11, Tae Suh '09, Helen Bao '09, Jimin Lee '11, Laura Stokley '11, and Katie An '11. Also returning from last year's team are Shirley Gu '09, Lulu Mejer '10, Monica Chon '11, and Christina Kwak '10. These veterans will be joined by a promising group of new players. Also, this year marks the debut of Lawrenceville's first junior varsity girls' golf team.
Boys' Varsity Lacrosse
Head Coach: Allen Fitzpatrick
Assistant Coaches: M.V. Whitlow, Sam Kosoff
Alumni Volunteer Coaches: Jim Duffy '85, James Heavey '92
Team Captains: Max van Bourgondien '09, Bryan Hopper '09, Luke Armour '09
'08 Record: 2-0-0
This year's team will be led by outstanding tri-captains Luke Armour (headed to Princeton), Max van Bourgondien (headed to Cornell) and Bryan Hopper (headed to Lehigh). Armour was Big Red's leading scorer last year, van Bourgondien won the Pershing trophy, and Hopper was a key midfielder on Lawrenceville's man up team and on face-offs. On the defensive end, the goaltending mantle has been passed to Masis Parseghian '09. Returning Fifth Form defenders Sage Disch, E.J. Wisla, Will Levine, and Jon Rathauser will be joined by post-graduates Kyle Massey and Chris Novick.
Girls' Varsity Lacrosse
Head Coach: Lisa Ewanchyna
Assistant Coach: Emilie Kosoff
Team Captains: Soojeong Chi '09, Kelsea Smith '09, Virginia Savage '09
'08 Record: 4-11
Big Red lacrosse looks stronger this year, especially with the leadership of Fifth Form tri-captains Soojeong Chi, Virginia Savage, and Kelsea Smith. All three will provide offensive midfield strength and scoring that should give any MAPL team a run for its money.
Coach Ewanchyna will be looking to Perry McCarthy '11, Isabelle Clarke '10, and Taylor Laub '11 to spark the attack. Expected to provide additional scoring and support are Fifth Formers Lindsay Becker, Abigail Andrews, and Alison Rooney. Midfield speed will be dominated by Camille Richardson '10 and Catherine Read '11 at defensive wings while the defensive backbone of line defenders will be anchored by Third Former Maggie Salisbury and Fourth Former Molly Donahue. Katie Delaney '09 and Charlotte Mitchell '09 will also play key defensive roles as Big Red looks to improve upon last year's record. Strong netminders Christine Natoli '10 and newcomer Ashley Dunbar '10 will be splitting time in the cage.
Boys' Varsity Outdoor Track
Head Coach: John Shilts
Assistant Coaches: Ed Helfrey, Andrew Alvarez
Team Captains: Matthew Gonzalez '09, Leonard Hayes '09, Tim Hillas '09
'08 Record: 5-0, first place in the MAPL and NJISAA
Boys' varsity track will be led by captains Matt Gonzalez, Leonard Hayes and Tim Hillas. Top returners include Patrick Barron '09, Jack Cantlay '09, Chris Tenev '09, Nehemiah Paramore '10 and Markhus Lacroix '11. They can have every expectation of a successful season. The Lawrenceville 4 x 800 relay has already qualified for Penn Relays. Both the 4 x 400 and 4 x 800 teams are looking to break school records already held by boys on the team. Big Red defends both its NJISAA and MAPL crowns this spring.
Girls' Varsity Outdoor Track
Head Coach: Bill Schroeder
Assistant Coaches: Allison Easterling, Ed Helfrey, Charise Hall, Beth Butler
Team Captains: Marjorie Liggett '09, Taylor Bloom '09
'08 Record: 7-0, first place in the MAPL and NJISAA.
With two of the team's top runners, Marjorie Liggett and Jillian Ojeda '11, sidelined with stress fractures, and Perri Smith '10 recovering from knee surgery, Big Red will depend on veterans Christine Anene '11, Taylor Bloom '09, Kailey Izard '09, Alana Mann '11, Tempe Meister '10, Hyland Murphy '10, Tyler Simpson '09, Maddie Smit '10, and Rebecca Wojciechowicz '10 to plug the gap. Newcomers Joanna Kuang '12, Andrea Leonard '12, Khara John '11, Charlotte Kearney '11 and Bianca Okolie '10 are expected to add nicely to the mix.
Girls' Varsity Softball
Head Coach: John Schiel
Assistant Coaches: Cindy Ehret, Kevin Mattingly
Team Captains: Samantha Spiga '09, Caroline Dittrich '09
'08 Record: 11-11
With starters returning at every position and the addition of a couple of very strong Second Formers, Lawrenceville softball looks to contend for the top spot in both the MAPL and the Prep A State tournament in 2009. Co-captains Caroline Dittrich and Sam Spiga return for their fourth year as varsity starters, while Alexa Lesenskyj '10 and Ashley Perritt '10 will once again share the pitching load, with Spiga behind the plate.
Boys' Varsity Tennis
Head Coach: Dave Cantlay
Team Captains: Henry Mancuso '09, Donald Kleckner '09
'08 Record: 9-6, first place in the MAPL and NJISAA.
Coach Cantlay predicts another good season for his Big Red squad, courtesy of several talented returning Fourth and Fifth Formers. Co-captains Donald Kleckner and Hank Mancuso will figure at the top of the singles lineup, and Hollin Wakefield '09 looks likely to anchor the doubles lineup. Many other returning varsity and junior varsity players, combined with talented newcomers, will give Lawrenceville a deep pool of solid talent from which to draw in filling the remaining positions.
For additional information on all Lawrenceville School news, please contact Lisa M. Gillard Hanson, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.
Boys' Varsity Baseball
Head Coach: Champ Atlee
Assistant Coaches: Paul Brown, Ron Kane, J. Hindelang
Team Captains: Matt Frakes '09 and Zach Katcher '09
'08 Record: 6-17
Lawrenceville expects material improvement from the young squad which struggled to a 6-17 record in 2008. The addition of John Mishu '09, headed to Princeton University, as the lead pitcher, and the expected improvement of James Chiorello '10, author of a complete game win over Steinert as a sophomore, both suggest that the pitching will be better. The infield should also be significantly improved with a year's play under their belts. Captain Zach Katcher '10 behind the plate, Chiorello at first, Mark Speidel '10 at second, Khifer O'Connor '10 at third, and Gustavo de la Rosa '09 at short all have considerable experience now at their positions. With improved defense and the addition of proven bats like those of Mishu and de la Rosa, Big Red should certainly be an improved team in 2009.
Boys' Varsity Crew
Head Coach: Ben Wright
Assistant Coach: Annie Wilcox
Team Captain: Nicolas Mihalich '09
The Lawrenceville School boys' crew squad looks forward to another rewarding, exciting, and successful spring season. With only four seniors on the team and four oarsmen returning from last spring's Stotesbury Cup Varsity Eight, this year's crew will be young. But, for the first time in recent memory, spring training will find two eights of boys rowing on Mercer Lake, each of whom has rowed for at least one season.
Girls' Varsity Crew
Head Coach: Elizabeth Montes
Assistant Coaches: Cindy Taylor, Molly Baker, Deborah Olivier
Team Captain: Casey Martinez '09
Lawrenceville girls' crew is looking forward to a very strong season this spring. This year's squad will have exemplary leadership from Fifth Formers Caroline Cahill and team captain Casey Martinez. In addition, the team has the largest and most experienced Third-Fourth Form group in recent history, including Jacqueline Andrews '11, who finished in the top five in both of her events at the 2008 U.S. Rowing National Championships. With strong talent and significant depth, along with an extremely promising group of novice rowers, the Girls' Big Red Crew promises to have fantastic racing in coming months.
Boys' Varsity Golf
Head Coach: Tim Doyle
Team Captains: Brad Kushner '09, Pierce Dever '09
'08 Record: 10-2-1, first place in the MAPL
Led by Fifth Form captains Brad Kushner and Pierce Dever, the boys' golf team hopes to do well again this season in the MAPL league competitions and against Lawrenceville's traditionally strong Philadelphia area opponents such as Haverford, Penn Charter, and Episcopal. The 2009 team has a solid roster of Fifth Formers returning for their final season, including Zach Davis, Ryder Finney, Clay Jones, and Stephen Pauzer as well as the two captains.
In addition to the team's dual matches against Peddie, Blair, Hun, Mercersburg, and Hill, the high points of the season will be the Blue Devil Tournament hosted by Chestnut Hill Academy at Sunnybrook Country Club outside Philadelphia and the MAPL and New Jersey Independent School Tournaments, both hosted this year at Peddie. A bonus addition to this season will be a match against the Swifts, a touring team of all-star players selected from private schools in England who come to the U.S. every other year and play American school and club teams on the east coast. This year's match will be held at Bedens Brook Club in Skillman, N.J.
Girls' Varsity Golf
Head Coach: Gus Hedberg
Team Captains: Katharine Sharpstone '09, Kirsten Parratt '09
'08 Record: 5-2
The Lawrenceville girls' varsity golf team opens its ninth season of interscholastic play with a seasoned and formidable roster of returning varsity players. Leading Big Red this year will be co-captains Katharine Sharpstone and Kirsten Parratt, the team's top-ranking players from last year. Joining them are returning varsity players Kate Donatiello '11, Tae Suh '09, Helen Bao '09, Jimin Lee '11, Laura Stokley '11, and Katie An '11. Also returning from last year's team are Shirley Gu '09, Lulu Mejer '10, Monica Chon '11, and Christina Kwak '10. These veterans will be joined by a promising group of new players. Also, this year marks the debut of Lawrenceville's first junior varsity girls' golf team.
Boys' Varsity Lacrosse
Head Coach: Allen Fitzpatrick
Assistant Coaches: M.V. Whitlow, Sam Kosoff
Alumni Volunteer Coaches: Jim Duffy '85, James Heavey '92
Team Captains: Max van Bourgondien '09, Bryan Hopper '09, Luke Armour '09
'08 Record: 2-0-0
This year's team will be led by outstanding tri-captains Luke Armour (headed to Princeton), Max van Bourgondien (headed to Cornell) and Bryan Hopper (headed to Lehigh). Armour was Big Red's leading scorer last year, van Bourgondien won the Pershing trophy, and Hopper was a key midfielder on Lawrenceville's man up team and on face-offs. On the defensive end, the goaltending mantle has been passed to Masis Parseghian '09. Returning Fifth Form defenders Sage Disch, E.J. Wisla, Will Levine, and Jon Rathauser will be joined by post-graduates Kyle Massey and Chris Novick.
Girls' Varsity Lacrosse
Head Coach: Lisa Ewanchyna
Assistant Coach: Emilie Kosoff
Team Captains: Soojeong Chi '09, Kelsea Smith '09, Virginia Savage '09
'08 Record: 4-11
Big Red lacrosse looks stronger this year, especially with the leadership of Fifth Form tri-captains Soojeong Chi, Virginia Savage, and Kelsea Smith. All three will provide offensive midfield strength and scoring that should give any MAPL team a run for its money.
Coach Ewanchyna will be looking to Perry McCarthy '11, Isabelle Clarke '10, and Taylor Laub '11 to spark the attack. Expected to provide additional scoring and support are Fifth Formers Lindsay Becker, Abigail Andrews, and Alison Rooney. Midfield speed will be dominated by Camille Richardson '10 and Catherine Read '11 at defensive wings while the defensive backbone of line defenders will be anchored by Third Former Maggie Salisbury and Fourth Former Molly Donahue. Katie Delaney '09 and Charlotte Mitchell '09 will also play key defensive roles as Big Red looks to improve upon last year's record. Strong netminders Christine Natoli '10 and newcomer Ashley Dunbar '10 will be splitting time in the cage.
Boys' Varsity Outdoor Track
Head Coach: John Shilts
Assistant Coaches: Ed Helfrey, Andrew Alvarez
Team Captains: Matthew Gonzalez '09, Leonard Hayes '09, Tim Hillas '09
'08 Record: 5-0, first place in the MAPL and NJISAA
Boys' varsity track will be led by captains Matt Gonzalez, Leonard Hayes and Tim Hillas. Top returners include Patrick Barron '09, Jack Cantlay '09, Chris Tenev '09, Nehemiah Paramore '10 and Markhus Lacroix '11. They can have every expectation of a successful season. The Lawrenceville 4 x 800 relay has already qualified for Penn Relays. Both the 4 x 400 and 4 x 800 teams are looking to break school records already held by boys on the team. Big Red defends both its NJISAA and MAPL crowns this spring.
Girls' Varsity Outdoor Track
Head Coach: Bill Schroeder
Assistant Coaches: Allison Easterling, Ed Helfrey, Charise Hall, Beth Butler
Team Captains: Marjorie Liggett '09, Taylor Bloom '09
'08 Record: 7-0, first place in the MAPL and NJISAA.
With two of the team's top runners, Marjorie Liggett and Jillian Ojeda '11, sidelined with stress fractures, and Perri Smith '10 recovering from knee surgery, Big Red will depend on veterans Christine Anene '11, Taylor Bloom '09, Kailey Izard '09, Alana Mann '11, Tempe Meister '10, Hyland Murphy '10, Tyler Simpson '09, Maddie Smit '10, and Rebecca Wojciechowicz '10 to plug the gap. Newcomers Joanna Kuang '12, Andrea Leonard '12, Khara John '11, Charlotte Kearney '11 and Bianca Okolie '10 are expected to add nicely to the mix.
Girls' Varsity Softball
Head Coach: John Schiel
Assistant Coaches: Cindy Ehret, Kevin Mattingly
Team Captains: Samantha Spiga '09, Caroline Dittrich '09
'08 Record: 11-11
With starters returning at every position and the addition of a couple of very strong Second Formers, Lawrenceville softball looks to contend for the top spot in both the MAPL and the Prep A State tournament in 2009. Co-captains Caroline Dittrich and Sam Spiga return for their fourth year as varsity starters, while Alexa Lesenskyj '10 and Ashley Perritt '10 will once again share the pitching load, with Spiga behind the plate.
Boys' Varsity Tennis
Head Coach: Dave Cantlay
Team Captains: Henry Mancuso '09, Donald Kleckner '09
'08 Record: 9-6, first place in the MAPL and NJISAA.
Coach Cantlay predicts another good season for his Big Red squad, courtesy of several talented returning Fourth and Fifth Formers. Co-captains Donald Kleckner and Hank Mancuso will figure at the top of the singles lineup, and Hollin Wakefield '09 looks likely to anchor the doubles lineup. Many other returning varsity and junior varsity players, combined with talented newcomers, will give Lawrenceville a deep pool of solid talent from which to draw in filling the remaining positions.
For additional information on all Lawrenceville School news, please contact Lisa M. Gillard Hanson, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.