By Susie Branson and Greg Kohn
In his second year as head coach, Mark DeStefano continues to rebuild a struggling boys' basketball program that has won a total of nine games in the past two seasons combined. With the first "adjustment" season under his belt, a solid set of returning players and promising new talent, DeStefano is confident in the team's upcoming season. "We've been working hard since day one to bring home some Ws this year," he said. In DeStefano's first year, the team finished the regular season with a 4-17 record and earned its first home playoff win in a decade against Watkins Mill before falling to Magruder in the second round.
Senior center Issy Melton, one of the team's most consistent returning players, will assume the role of go-to man in DeStefano's patient offense in addition to being a strong leader on the court. Senior guards Milton Colquehoun and Quentin Snively also return for a second year with the skill and experience to lead the team to a successful season. The addition of DeMatha High School transfer Michael McClain also adds promise, talent and height to the Blazer squad.
Compared to previous years, this rejuvenated team has a variety of players able to contribute to the game on a number of leadership and skill levels. "Everyone's a part of the play, everyone helps," McClain says. The loss of Ross Williams and Darius Smith, last year's stars, to graduation will definitely hurt, but the combination of experience and talent coupled with solid teamwork should garner success this season.
DeStefano remains confident that despite the lengthy game schedule, the team's excellent chemistry will result in a strong and efficient lineup, as long as the team can stay focused and relatively healthy. "We've got a good mix of players and this year's team has a much better sense of what it takes to be successful. But for now we're just focusing on one game at a time," DeStefano said.
Coming off last year's dismal record with fervor and vengeance, the Blazers can be expected to utilize their experiences and talent to turn this basketball program into a competitive machine.
By Sean Howard and Anshul Sood
After an embarrassing 4-16 season last year, which included a 13-game losing streak, the varsity girls' basketball team looks to make big strides under first-year head coach Erin Conley. "After a four win season, the only way to go is up," Conley said.
The team returns an experienced lineup after only losing Helen Denbow and Kathy Jee to graduation. Seniors Meghan Cadigan and center Sara Ramsay will be expected to anchor the team, while returning point guards Kalisha Holmes and Jenny Williams will provide leadership on the floor. Conley also cites junior Ashley Arnold as another explosive key player for the Blazers.
The team has been working hard during the preseason to build speed and endurance, two key strengths in Conley's game plan for the year. "We've been working out hard to get the players in top physical condition," she said. Conley hopes to continue to develop the basics of the game. "We are working on all around skills. We want to improve our fundamentals on both sides of the court," Conley said.
Despite the strides the team has already made in fundamental skills and physical fitness, Conley still sees the main goal of the season as improvement. "We are focusing on improving instead of wins and losses," she said. "This is going to be a different team by the end of the year than now."
By Kiera Zitelman
Last year, Blair's community ice hockey team won just one of their games, tied another and lost the rest. Despite last season's struggles though, the team has high expectations for the upcoming season. "We can probably win most of our games," said senior center and defenseman Alex Sandberg-Bernard, who was a captain last year. "We have a slightly easier schedule."
Sandberg-Bernard cited Blair's lack of offensive opportunities as a major contributor to their losses last season. "We need to get more shots on goal," he said. "We didn't do that well last year. "He also pointed out the team's defense as an area in need of improvement. "We have a freshman goalie this year, so we need to step up our defense," he said.
Freshman Peirce Marston will be in the net this year for the Blazers, taking the place of Robbie Ginsberg, who graduated last year. Marston is enthusiastic about the upcoming season and his leading role in it. "Doing well this season would be nice," he said.
Sandberg-Bernard is somewhat concerned about Marston's small size, but remains confident in returning players sophomore Jens Josephs, senior Ben Kastner and senior Toby Adeoye. He has been pleased with the team's progress thus far in its first three preseason and first regular season games. "We played pretty well as a team. We moved the puck pretty well," he said. Even with the loss of Ginsberg and several other star seniors, Sandberg-Bernard remains optimistic about this season. "We're going to be a lot better than last year," he said.
By Lucas Alvarado-Farrar
Last season the indoor track team placed well in five different state meets events: the girls' 800 meter-run (3rd), the girls' mile (3rd), the girls' two-mile (4th), the boys' 4x200m relay (11th) and the boys' 4x400m relay (10th). Both coaches Mike Fleming and Ralph Penn hope to continue last year.s surge of success. "The main goal is keep everybody healthy and advance as many runners to states," Fleming said.
Although winter is viewed as a building season for runners, indoor track is still extremely competitive and Penn expects Blair to thrive. "We have some excellent distance guys who have shown dedication, getting right back into running after a long and accomplished cross-country season," Penn said.
He recognized the strength of the sprint squad, led by senior Louis Varella and junior Jonathan Haughton, and hopes "the two relay teams we put together last year get a chance for a rematch and place higher now that they are more experienced."
Meanwhile, the coaches expressed concern about the depth of the girls' sprinting and distance teams. "We only have one returning girl sprinter," Penn said. "We are going to need more in order to put together a relay team and be successful." In the distance category, senior Johanna Grestchel is expected to represent the Blazers at states and to fill the shoes of Ashlyn and Halsey Sinclair, Blair's only two qualifiers last year.
With a healthy mix of returning veterans and fresh talent, Blair's indoor track team looks poised to improve on last year's performance. "Dedication at practice, hard work at meets and a serious approach to our running should earn us top places at the state meet as well as lead us to a strong season," Penn said.
By Anika Manzoor and Monica Wei
After an excellent run last year that ended with the Division II title and 5th place at the county championships for the boys. squad, Blair.s swim and dive team returns even stronger this year. Although the team graduated key swimmers David Vuong, Robert Feasley and David Goode, the boys. core of talent returns with seniors Yang Yang, Eddie Qian, Tim Peng, Sam Bullard-Sisken, junior Andrew McGehee and sophomore Jeffrey Lin. The addition of freshmen Dennis Li, Winston Liu and Eric Ruggieri brings fresh bodies to the Blazers. deep squad.
Although the girls had a rough 2-5 record last year with a 5th place finish at the Division II championships, senior captain Francesca Blume and sophomores Laura Sirbu and Allison Arai will lead the team to an improved year along with new talents freshmen Emily Shih and Laura McGehee.
Consistent year-round swimming has also helped many of the team members stay in prime competing condition. According to Peng, one of the team's captains, many of the swimmers have kept in shape by attending swim clinics.
Head coach David Swaney believes the team's strongest point is its consistency. "We have a really deep team," he said. "Our slowest swimmer in each event is usually way faster than any other team's [slowest swimmer]." With such a promising season underway, Swaney has high hopes for the team this year; he expects the boys to win Division II and the girls to place second or third.
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