sports CHIPS
March 14, 2013
silverchips.mbhs.edu/section/sports.php
Blazers fall to Kennedy in second round of playoffs Strong basketball season for boys’ basketball comes to a close By Jack Estrin KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL, Feb. 28– A year ago, the Blair boys’ basketball team capped off a disappointing 7-15 regular season with a first round loss in the playoffs. This year, the Blazers (15-9) advanced to the second round before falling to a good Kennedy team (17-8) 74-67. The Blazers incredible turnaround from last season left many wondering what is in store for next year. But one thing is clear: mediocrity will no longer cut it for the Blair basketball team. The Cavaliers and Blazers had played twice previously this year with each one winning on the road. Knowing that Blair had already won a game at Kennedy earlier in the season, Blair students made sure that they went out to support their team. Although it was a home game for Kennedy, both Blazer and Cavalier fans made the trek out to Kennedy to support their team. The stadium was packed and almost no seats were left unfilled. In the opening six minutes of play, the Blazers stormed out to a 12-2 lead. The opening run was fueled by a three from leading scorer Danny Canary as well as a couple highlight reel worthy plays from flashy senior point guard Trey Wainwright. However, towards the end of the quarter, Kennedy finally awakened. Up 12-2 with 2:30 left in the quarter, Blair had a great chance to put away Kennedy early. However, the Cavaliers began to gain some momentum back after senior sharpshooter Alex Brown hit a tough fade away jumper to bring Kennedy to within 12-7.
the game out when they went up 56-47 on Blair early in the fourth after converting several floaters inside. However Raymond Burtnick completed and and one layup to bring the Blazers to 60-54 with 3:27 left in the game. After Burtnick made another putback, the Kennedy lead had evaporated to just three. But after more floaters inside, and Kennedy center Lawrence Feldman’s put back, Kennedy had broke the game open and it was 69-61 with less than two minutes to play. Despite the disappointing final score, the Blazers are optimistic about the future, “Coach said we got the program rolling,” Kung said. “We set the EMMA HOWELLS bar.” Burtnick also reflected BASKETBALL Left, senior Trey Wainwright looks for a on the Blazers successful year, pass. Right, senior Justin Kung reaches for the ball in “We definitely did better than people thought. We got better EMMA HOWELLS a crowd of Cavalier defenders as the season went on,” he said. Canary stayed hot for Blair to open the the Cavaliers getting hot at the right time, “The bar” is now another winsecond quarter, hitting his first two shots to “We have to give credit where credit is due,” ning season, and a further run in the state being the Blair lead to 21-17. But the Kenne- Kung said. “They were hot today.” After tournament will be expected of next years dy shooters began to heat up. The Cavaliers Brown’s three tied the game initially, the Blair team. ability to get three point field goals up early game went back and forth, and it was tied Despite the disappointing final score and and often proved to be effective against the up 33-33 at the half. end of the season, the Blazers are optimisBlair defense, “They took quick shots, kept After back to back jumpers by Murray, tic about the future, “Coach said we got the us off the ball,” Blair junior Raymond Burt- Kennedy took 46-39 lead, their largest of the program rolling,” Kung said. “We set the nick said. Kennedy shooting guard Alex game. But the Blazers would not go away bar.” Burtnick also reflected on the Blazers Brown responded to a Canary jumper by quietly and Wainwright, who finished with successful year, “We definitely did better drilling one of his three threes on the day. a team high 14 points, hit a spinning layup than people thought. We got better as the However it was another Brown three that in traffic to cut the Blazer deficit to three. season wpent on,” he said. “The bar” is now brought Kennedy to its first tie of the game But the Blazers went into the fourth quarter another winning season and a further run at 27-27. Blair senior guard Justin Kung at- trailing 50-43. in the state tournament will be expected of tributed the Kennedy three point display to The Cavaliers appeared to have closed next years Blair team.
Years of effort pay off: the gratification of recruitment By Josh Schmidt When senior Cherrah Barclay began playing soccer at age five, she knew that she liked the sport, but she didn’t realize the depth of her passion for it until years later when many of her peers quit the rec leagues and school teams as the commitment became too great. On the other hand, senior Jack Foster knew he loved swimming the moment he took a dip in the pool at age seven. Junior Delia Trimble “knew right away” that soccer was the sport for her even when she first stepped onto the field at the age of six. Barclay, Foster and Trimble have dedicated the majority of their lives to their respective sports and the dedication has finally paid off with their college recruitment.
recruitment was a big factor in making the decision. “Academics [have] always been really important so I knew I wanted a good and prestigious school,” Foster explains. In searching for and comparing schools, Barclay also consid-
First contact Foster, who has been on the Blair Swim and Dive team for his four years at Blair and has set numerous records during his tenure, had his first communication with colleges in the spring of his junior year. The letters he was receiving from colleges ranged from those he was very interested in to those he had no desire to attend. But instead of waiting for colleges to come to him, Foster reached out to numerous schools he was interested in, including Dartmouth, Princetown, Georgetown, University of Virginia and Columbia, where he has committed to for next year. Considering both the athletic and academic sides of his college
COURTESY OF DELIA TRIMBLE
ered both the college’s quality of academic and its athletic prowess. “Soccer will only take me so far, but my education will last so much longer,” Barclay says. Barclay currently has a list consisting of St. Leo University, Earlham College, and Delaware State University. Trimble initially began contacting different schools at the beginning of junior year. Taking notice of Temple University in Philadelphia, Trimble reached out to the school this past winter when she sensed that the school would meet both her needs on and off the field. “Academically it had to be pretty good, and it had to have things I
was interested in, like psychology,” Trimble said. Temple then sent some faculty to attend her games in order to scout her skills. Other factors in Barclay’s decision included the support of coaches, volunteer work opportunities and the connection the school had
nearly 80 year history, Foster finds time to swim outside school competitions. Foster is a member of the Rockville-Montgomery Swim Club which is considered one of the top swimming clubs in the country. In addition to being named an All-American for this past season, Foster also received national recognition after qualifying for his first junior national meet in the spring of sophomore year and has done soevery year since. Barclay has also had her fair share of success. She has been on the girls’ varsity soccer team for all four years of her high school career and was a captain this past seaCOURTESY OF STUART FOSTER son when she was also named to the second BLAIR CAREER Left, junior Delia team All-State. Trimble has been on the girls’ varsity Playing with Barsoccer for two years and senior Jack clay for the past two Foster, right, has been a force for Blair years, Trimble has Swim and Dive for all four years. been on the girls’ varsity soccer team since with the surrounding community. her sophomore year. Captaining His love of New York City pushed the team next year, Trimble hopes Foster towards Columbia just as to continue to dominate as a prithe diversity of Philadelphia and mary goal scorer for the team. her personal connections, she was born there, to the city drew TrimFuture success ble to Temple. When these athletes were considering colleges, it was Having committed to college, far from a simple decision based these Blazers must now turn their solely on athletics. focus to the future and create new goals to build on their high school successes. Foster, though, is unsure High school careers of what to expect beyond chlorine Between breaking numerous pools and facing new records to Maryland records including the break for a new school. “I don’t Individual Medley at the recent really have expectations,” he says. State meet and becoming Blair’s “It’ll be challenging but it will be fifth All-American in the school’s fun to push myself.”
insideSPORTS No rest for the weary See page 31
Athletes across a multitude of Blair sports work hard year round after most go home.
New Blair Mascot? See page 31 Columnist Isaac Jiffar examines the ever perplexing question of the Blair mascot.