The 2016-17 year in athletics began in late August as 90 student-athletes in 8th through 12th grades participated in fall preseason training for boys’ and girls’ soccer, boys’ and girls’ cross-country and girls’ tennis.
In addition to the practices, the athletes also worked with Pam Herath of Strive Leadership on August 26 to develop their team’s core values and mission statements, according to Athletics Director Jeff Bond.
On September 2, the varsity boys’ soccer team opened their season, battling neighborhood rival Philmont Christian to a 0-0 tie. A host of players made their varsity debuts, including midfielders Kai Haynes, Noah Fine and Michael Jin, all ’20, forward Luke Russ ’19 and goalkeeper Noah Mass ’20. Co-captains Will Durbin and Michael Sadowski, both ’17, controlled the game in the middle of the field, while Noah Mass contributed several key saves.
Also on September 2, the varsity boys’ and varsity girls’ cross-country teams raced Philmont Christian. The Kangaroos prevailed in both meets, with Noah Rosenfeld ’17, Louis Platt ’17, Chase Balick ’19 and Sam Shally ’19 leading the way for the boys, and Madison Tillmann ’18, Mia Panzak ’17 and Anne Shipley ’20 pacing the girls.
The varsity girls’ soccer team topped Bishop McDevitt, 7-1, on Tuesday to open their season. Co-captains Avery Webster and Kara Brownlie, both ’17, provided staunch defensive support for the Kangaroos’ potent offensive attack. Sierra Granata ’18 and Paige Osborne ’19 each scored three times in the win while Sophia Mele ’21, chipped in her first varsity goal.
Returners Emma Giddings ’17, Emily Fishman ’18, Taylor Plenty ’18 and Ya Ya Chen ’19, were joined by newcomers Jordan Smith ’20, Amira Parker ’20 and Rosie Rabin ’19 in the varsity girls’ tennis team’s defeats of Little Flower and Jenkintown during the preseason slate.
Coming up next week are the first games on the schedule for AFS’s junior varsity boys’ soccer and JV girls’ tennis teams, and the beginning of the season for Middle School fall interscholastic teams.
Follow all the action this season on our @AFS_Roos twitter feed.