Winter Sports Report
New Gym Opens! Home Basketball Games At Last!
The first games in the new Sports and Activities Center were played on January 8. Seven basketball games were scheduled this day, plus the Developmental Basketball program in the morning. This meant that this was the perfect day for 13 straight hours of “Basketball Madness!”
It was a long day. D-basketball started at 10 a.m. with five exciting and close games. Then came boys and girls C-Teams, playing Galloway. Grade 9 boys followed against Paideia.
The real action started when the two JV teams hit the floor. After these games came the Varsity girls and boys teams. Playing against Galloway, our Eagles expected a large crowd. As the evening wore on the crowd got bigger. When the girls hit the floor (the new floor) the stands were nearly full. A close loss to Galloway kept the crowd buzzing. Then came the Varsity boys.
Led by seniors Kallem Brooks, Robert Doster, and “AT” Tunsel, the boys played to a win in front of a capacity (500+) rowdy crowd. When it was all over at 11:30 p.m. there were no frowns in the stands. The new gym held up well to our expectations.
Watch for more home games this season as our teams march to the region tournaments.
Basketball Report
Middle School
C-Teams: The girls finished with the best record ever. Three wins and three losses make this a very rewarding season. Thanks to the great coaching of Marny Brooks, the team has a good-looking future. The boys had a tough schedule but played hard. More importantly, they learned a great deal.
B-Teams: The girls are a hard working bunch. Improvement was the name of the game here. The boys have made a good start to their future, not winning much but learning a great deal. Look for these teams to make big steps next year.
A-Teams: Going into the big post season tournament, both boys and girls teams look optimistic in their scope. Boys are 4-4 and the girls are 3-5 at this writing. Playing with sound fundamentals and high spirits has given the teams a positive outlook for the future.
Upper School
JV Girls: Hard work and dedication are starting to pay off for this spirited team. Close games are becoming the norm. A win should be on the horizon.
Varsity Girls: This tough eight-member team is playing on all cylinders. Don’t let the one win fool you. This team is good. A few tough breaks have kept them back from a more successful season. Look out for the great performances of senior Brianna Carbonell, junior Whitney Lykins, and sophomore Ashley McGraw-Pennington.
9th Grade Boys: This new team is well-coached, plays hard, and is learning. Don’t be misled by their winless record, they are playing well above their level. This will be the future of AIS boys’ basketball.
JV Boys: Close games are the norm here. This team plays all out and never gives an inch to their opponents. Well coached and confident, the JV will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. The boys and girls will be in the AIS JV Classic tournament February 3 and 4 at the AIS SAC.
Varsity Boys: Is this the best team to ever wear the AIS name on the front of a uniform? Will this team win 18+ games? Will this team go to State? Those answers are forthcoming and look to be distinct realities this season. The team is 11-5 and rolling. The post season looks bright.
Swimming Club Report
Both the Upper and Middle School club teams are competitive and strong. Led by senior Sarah Leff, the swim clubs are winning meets and races. Look out next year. Will this be the next interscholastic team at AIS?