BEYOND EXPECTATIONS First Full Varsity Year

Our newly formed high school athletics program has already surpassed our wildest expectations. This is only year two with a varsity program and with last year’s play curtailed by health and safety restrictions due to the pandemic, this is our first year of competing at the varsity level. Our varsity teams have already made six postseason tournaments, boys varsity basketball, girls & boys varsity lacrosse made it to the FAA Final Four, and more than a dozen student-athletes from our teams made All-League First or Second Team.

GIRLS & BOYS LACROSSE SECURE FAA PLAYOFF BERTH

The GCDS Varsity Boys and Girls Lacrosse teams were dominant this season. The girls’ team led by captains, Katherine Sternberg, Saedi Gibbs, Brooke Andrews-Peden, Claudia Citrin, and Paloma Snisky and coach Caitlin Copelan. Strong offense juniors

Claudia Citrin and Saedi Gibbs, and freshman Ella Wilner, were top scorers. The team finished 10-2-1 (6-1 in FAA Regular Season).

Down a goalie due to an injury, junior Gabby Gianatasio, new to the sport and the goalie position, came to the rescue. She surprised everyone with countless saves and skill in the goal.

Six eighth-graders, Bianca Amen, Lila Braddock, Caroline Cabrera, Katherine Chandra, Morgan Ertel, and Elizabeth Watts, stepped up onto the winning team and provided depth on the squad and robust practices with seven on seven.

Their win against Rye Country Day School in the final game of the regular season put them in first place as they entered the FAA playoffs. The Tigers played a heartbreaker at home against Holy Child in the FAA semifinals, but walked away knowing they left everything out on the field this season. “For our first two seasons, you can’t ask for anything more out of such a young team,” said Copelan.

The Boys team led by captains Tito Miguens, Jay Dercole, and Charlie Benincasa and coach Andy Copelan had a great season, finishing with a 6-5 record. The Tigers entered the FAA playoffs seeded third, but their season came to an end with a tough match against Greens Farm Academy in the FAA semifinals.

Congratulations to Lemar Fulmore on his commitment to attend Union College as a student-athlete on the Men’s Basketball team! Lemar is the Athletics program’s first recruited high school athlete. We are so proud of you!

NEW BOATS FOR ROWING & SAILING

Varsity Rowing and Sailing both took to the water this season with new boats, which helped the Tigers to great results! Varsity Sailing recorded the best result in a league sanctioned race in team history at the O’Day Qualifier Regatta at UConn Avery Point. The Tigers finished 3rd in the B Division Race 1, Leg 2.

The word ‘proud’ doesn’t even come close to the way I feel towards our athletes, coaches, and teams. What they have accomplished this year cannot be defined. In a season of life when so much has felt like it’s been taken away, athletics gave, provided, and created. From Homecoming to Hoops Night, Pack the Rink to Senior Days, many of the community highlights of the year came around the joy and excitement of our athletic events. This year has been one for the memories, and if it is any indication of the direction the athletic programs of our school are going, then the future couldn’t get any brighter. Go Tigers!”

—Tim Helstein, Dir. of Athletics

TRACK & FIELD

Track & Field had an outstanding showing at the FAA Championships hosted by Brunswick. With a team of 12 athletes, the Tigers produced 11 scoring performances across sprints, distance, and throws. Among these great results were eight top-5 finishes including Al Nickerson in the 800 (1st) and 1500 (3rd), Wylie Dell’Olio in the 3000 (3rd), Steve Paul in the 200 (4th), and two 4th-place finishes for the boys 4x100 and 4x400 relays. In addition, 9 Tigers qualified for the NEPSTA Championships in 15 different events.

The Track & Field Team had great results at the FAA Championships!

Middle School Athletics