Sibling Camaraderie

By Meredith Bower

Competing at the varsity level at McDonogh is a notable achievement for any athlete, and when your teammate is also your sibling, the opportunity to play together is extra special. For many siblings, after years of playing on sports teams based on age group, making a McDonogh varsity team is often the first time they have competed together.

This year at McDonogh there were six pairs of siblings (and one father-daughter coaching duo) who competed at the varsity level. While the athletes love their sports and enjoy the opportunity to work with their team toward a common goal, they treasure the experience and the time they get to spend with their brother or sister.

Ella ’24 and Elise ’25 Cooper | Track and Field

Last year, when Ella and Elise Cooper competed in the IAAM Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field meets they were battling each other. Ella, the older of the two, was a student at Bryn Mawr and Elise was at McDonogh. Today, both Cooper sisters are Eagles and are soaring across the finish line within fractions of a second of each other. Next year, a third sister, Elise’s twin, Elena, will join the team at McDonogh.

The Cooper sisters have been involved in club-level track since before they hit double digits. When Elise was in elementary school she loved to race (and beat) her classmates. Soon she was running with the Owings Mills Track Club, and by age eight, she won her first national championship meet. Her sisters weren’t far behind in embracing the sport.

Now that Elise and Ella are on McDonogh’s Track and Field teams, they have combined their individual strengths for the good of the whole. Ella says, “In a meet, everything I do is for the team. It’s fun to have Elise by my side every single time. She pushes me to do better.”

While Elise pushes Ella to be better, they believe that their sibling dynamic (as well as their speed) is an asset to the team. Ella says, “We are known as a sibling pair. We are both leaders. And our chemistry helps.”

Coach Phil Turner agrees. “Ella and Elise provide a work ethic and love for track and field that enhances the entire team. They are serious athletes who care deeply about the sport,” he says, noting that they use their many years of experience to mentor athletes who are newer to the track. “This season Elise and Ella helped our 4x200 meter relay team learn how to hone their baton hand-off skills.

That team went on to win the 4x200 at championships. Seeing Ella and Elise cheer for them and feel that connection to their success was really special and showed what kind of high-character people they are.”

Turner’s respect for the pair is mirrored by their understanding of and mutual admiration for each other. There is no question that Elise has her sights set on competition beyond the college level, taking her passion and talent for sprinting as far as she is able. It’s a drive that impresses her older sister who says, “I’ve never seen her shy away from an opportunity.” If Elise is determined, Ella is persistent. “She tore her ACL a few years ago,” shares Elise, “It still affects her but she keeps going and doesn’t give up.”

Although they argue like sisters about things like what music to play on their commute to school, in the past year, the bond between the two has grown stronger now that they race together. They relish one of their biggest wins—at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia— when they advanced, with teammates Adrianna Thomas ’23 and Kelsey Coley ’25, to the Championship of America 4x100 relay—the most prestigious relay final in the country.

Ella and Elise are looking forward to next year when their sister joins them at McDonogh and they have the opportunity to compete together, if for only one year. Knowing that their time together is limited, Ella says she hopes her younger siblings will continue to find joy in their sport and give themselves grace when it gets hard.

Brendan ’25 and McCabe ’23 Millon | Lacrosse

At the end of the 2023 MIAA Championship game, as Eagles fans were celebrating the varsity boys lacrosse team’s second consecutive title win, a photographer caught McCabe and Brendan Million in a tight embrace, seemingly unaware of the jubilation swirling around them. It was their final high school game together and a poignant moment for the brothers who are both ranked #1 in the nation in their respective classes.

Growing up, the two played just about every sport, and eventually, the children of the only married couple inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, found the love of the game themselves. McCabe describes that when they were younger he and Brendan constantly played one-on-one games from wiffle ball and basketball to soccer (in the house.) He believes those games built their athleticism and timing.

“Because we played together in the backyard for so long Brendan knows when to cut and I can see the way he’s setting up for something,” McCabe says. “Every time we are out there, even if it doesn’t make the highlight reel, we know where to be for each other.”

The brothers’ unspoken chemistry on the field is a connection that has served the team well for the past two years. Brendan shares, “We both play attack and we are constantly on the same line with each other. He knows that I can get open for him and he can get open for me when we need it.”

The boys cherish their relationship off the field as well. Before the end of the school year, Brendan said that they’ve become closer in the past few years at McDonogh. “Now that I’m in high school and we’re on the same team and practice together every day, we bond over what we have in common.” McCabe added that he enjoys the little things like the time together driving home after practice or a game. “It’s fun playing with someone you are really close with in a different way than our other teammates on the field. Before we’re even home we’ve kind of broken down everything from the game with each other. It’s an extra thing that makes it special.”

Their coach Andy Hilgartner understands the value of McCabe and Brendan’s relationship with each other and the team. He says, “They have a genuine excitement for each other and will always be the other one’s biggest fan. We always talk with our team about it being a brotherhood. Their relationship strengthens the bond of our entire team. Playing high school sports with your brother is a true life-changing opportunity and these guys are making the most of it.”

After their final game together at McDonogh, Brendan told a Baltimore Sun reporter about a text he received from his older brother earlier in the day. “It was an unbelievable note just saying how proud he is of me and how much we mean to each other and how happy these two years have been.” Then, speaking about the win, he continued, “To do it with your friends and the people you go to school with is one thing, but to do it with your own blood is something else. I’m so proud of him and I love him so much and I’m going to miss him.”

Max ’24 and Jack ’26 Mislow | Swimming

Max explains that because swimming is a team sport, it’s not a bad thing for your teammate to beat you…even if it’s your brother. Because Max and Jack usually swim in different events, they don’t often race each other. Jack looks up to his older brother saying he is a great role model of good sportsmanship. Max, on the other hand, appreciates Jack’s raw talent for swimming, having made the varsity team as a freshman. He also admires his younger brother’s communication skills, noting how easily he makes connections with swimmers on other teams.

Gracie ’24 and Payton ’26 Salais | Soccer

Gracie and Payton know each other so well that they finish each other’s sentences. It’s a connection that pays off on the soccer field. As Payton describes, “If she goes forward, I’ll drop.” Gracie jumps in to explain, “Our style of play is very different, but we complement each other. Sometimes we don’t even need to look at each other. She knows I’m going to go for that ball and she drops. It’s instinctive.” The sisters love that soccer allows them to spend so much time together before and after school. “We are very, very close,” Gracie says. “I look at her not just as a sister but as a best friend.”

Lucca ’23 and Max ’25 Stanziale | Wrestling

Can you imagine living in the Stanziale household with wrestlers Lucca and Max rolling around like puppies, competing to be the best at everything? In the afternoons at practice, they take it up a notch, each doing his best to pin the other. But when it comes to competing against other schools, they are each other’s biggest cheerleader. One thing they agree on is that they are best friends off the mat. Max is very aware of how his older brother looks out for him and pushes him to be better. It’s why he’s always at the gym trying to get stronger and better—an extra effort that makes Lucca proud.

Drew ’24 and Grant ’25 Stoler | Football

Drew and Grant may be close in age (13 months apart), but otherwise they are quite different. Drew considers himself to be “more chill and low key” than his younger brother who readily admits he’s competitive about everything from football to board games and basketball games with their family. Drew likes his things in order; while Grant says his piles of things are organized…in their own way. While the brothers are rarely on the football field at the same time, they share a love of the game, the opportunity to play together, and the trust required of being teammates. Grant sums up their relationship by saying, “We are siblings, we’re rivals, but at the same time I’m always rooting for him and he’s always rooting for me.”

John and Carliana ’16 Folfas | Softball

After years of playing softball under the direction of her father, Carliana has been his assistant (along with another dad and daughter duo, Wade and Ruby ’20 Jocelyn) for the past two years. The Folfas team brings a unique dynamic to the softball squad, and John happily admits that having his daughter as his assistant has made him a better coach. “It helps to have someone know me and how I coach. Carliana knows my expectation levels but also looks at the big picture. She brings balance to our team,” he says. Carliana backs him up adding, “It’s great to have someone so passionate to coach with. He’s very Xs and Os. I go with the flow and make things jell.”