Winter Sports Wind Down, Spring Sports Heat Up
AIS's athletics program is in full swing! Our basketball teams are wrapping up a challenging and successful season on the court and the swim team just completed its season with an invitational tournament at Westminster. At the same time, conditioning for soccer started in mid-January and the soccer, track, and baseball teams are gearing up for their seasons.
Basketball Since their double-overtime win against Fellowship at the winter break, the Varsity boys' team has enjoyed close and exciting games night after night. Their down-to-the-wire losses against Fellowship and Mt. Pisgah in mid-January kept the fans on the edge of their seats. Coach Quentin Moore is pleased with the way the team has come together. “Over the course of the season, they have learned to work together, to trust each other, and to trust the coaching. This is a great group of players.” The team captains, Matan Katz, Manuel Grünenfelder, and Christian Mustroph, are providing good leadership. The leading scorers, Katz and Mohamed Tarawally, who average 14 points per game, are supported by Victor Alexander, David Collura, Michael Giblin, Max Hunt, Richie Lopez, Ethan Lyle, Arnaud Pages, and Ben Tracy.
The Varsity girls have amassed an even win-loss ratio, a great accomplishment in a region with state powerhouses like Hebron Academy. Coach Antoine Scott has utilized his entire squad to pull off these wins and has begun cultivating Junior Varsity players in the games, too. Their team effort showed in the 47-34 win against Mt. Pisgah on January 19. The team is led by captain Ashley McGraw and includes Ana De Olano, Caroline Geiger, Claire Giblin, Mikaela Gordon, Yvette Naniuzeyi, Lucy Pettitt-Schieber, Jenna Sanborn, Madison Scott, and Julia Taylor.
The Junior Varsity teams, despite mixed success, have made AIS proud with the determination and teamwork of their players. For the boys' team, they are Martin Andersen, Dylan Baker, Hugo Bensimon, Kilian de Maizičre, Joseph Dixson, Elliot Forman, Zachary Klempf, Simon Kolbert, Santiago Patińo-Gómez, Joe Pliszka, Benjamin Schuttler, and Jordan Taylor. The girls' team includes Captain Leah Hampton with Paige Brownlow, Ariana Fabian, Torryn Jennings-Hill, Chika John, Jennifer Lauber, Gaelle Millien-Louisgene, Lucie Pages, Christina Rutte, Kelsey Sanborn, Adama Tarawally, and Amelia Zuver. Many of these girls have also been pulled up to play with the Varsity squad.
The Middle School teams look very strong and have been competitive in every game. They are “playing as a team, supporting each other, and working extremely hard in training” according to the girls' coach, Michelle Hibbert. “The hard work is paying off in game results.” Community basketball, under the direction of Coach Gregg Albright and Coach Veronica McDaniel, is gaining in popularity and participation with the middle school students each week. “The kids show impressive spirit and energy on the court,” and have improved markedly, according to Coach McDaniel.
Swimming The swim team, overcoming numerous obstacles, has prevailed to produce admirable results this season. In the six-team Pace Invitational in December, AIS, with only seven swimmers, succeeded in besting a team with dozens of competitors.
Ciara O'Halloran placed second in the 200m individual medley out of six schools and third in the 100-meter breaststroke. Cassie Huntley placed third in the 100-meter backstroke. Eve Laurent and Allison Lenz also contributed to the team's success.
The boys' squad includes Guillaume Le Balle, Merlin Fabian, Charles Laurent, Brandon Lenz, Christian Mustroph and Martijn ten Lohuis.
All the swimmers have steadily improved their times, and several swimmers have times close enough to put them into contention for the state meet. They are coached by AIS teacher Jamie Coventry, who was a swimmer on the national level in the 100-meter breaststroke and the 200-meter individual medley.
Middle school swimmers also making a splash are Orly Brooker, Emily Cohen, Chloe Colberg, Caroline Gould, Samantha Grayman, Anneliese Hermann, Lara Khoury, Christina Lanier, Salome Lezhava, Nadine Marfurt, Amy O'Halloran, Naomi O'Halloran, Fiona Schlumberger, Laura Tapp and Alix Taylor.
Spring Sports Tryouts Soccer conditioning began on January 19 and official tryouts began January 29. The Middle School girls' soccer team will begin practices on February 19. Varsity track and field begins on February 12, with middle school track and field starting on February 19. Middle school baseball also begins February 19.
Keep abreast of the latest developments with our teams and find out about the spring season by going to the athletics site at www.aischool.org. Go Eagles!