Bishop Ireton High School | Articles | Season Preview

Bishop Ireton’s defending VISAA & WCAC girls’ lax team clearly understands they are among the teams “to beat” this season.

The 2015 Bishop Ireton girls’ lacrosse team started preparing to defend their historic May 2014 VISAA (9-7 vs. St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes) and WCAC (17-7 vs. Good Counsel) titles almost immediately after winning them. The current team knows that last year’s “It’s not an accident” motto at this point is more of a challenge than anything else since the Cardinals are now the defending champions everyone wants to beat. Every Ireton player is ready to prove last season was no fluke.

The 2014 nationally top-10 ranked Bishop Ireton program graduated two seniors from that history making squad. This year’s strong unit is returning 10 of 12 starters. The girls’ lacrosse program currently includes 12 future NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse players: seniors Natalie Irwin—defense (Navy), Kaitlin Luzik—defense (Virginia), Kelly Mathews—attack (Boston University), and Charlotte Sofield—midfield (North Carolina); juniors Brittany Dolan—defense (Penn State), Grace Fletcher—attack (Liberty), Kelly Larkin—attack (Navy), Maggie Lohrer—midfield (Boston University), and Susan Morad—defense (Manhattan); and sophomores Kate Carney—attack/midfield (Cincinnati), Amelia Cole—goalie (Denver), and Kayla Marshall—midfield (Louisville).

The 2015 varsity and junior varsity girls’ lacrosse players are Kate Carney, Amelia Cole, Morgan DeCanio, Brittany Dolan, Kayla Duperrouzel, Grace Fletcher, Julie Hanson, Natalie Irwin, Kelly Larkin, Lexi Ledoyen, Maggie Lohrer, Lizzie Lohrer, Kaitlin Luzik, Christine Macey, Kayla Marshall, Kelly Mathews, Susan Morad, Madison Mote, Charlotte Sofield, Maddie Stephens, Maggie Wiltsie, Jackie Bewick, Caton Brisbin, Megan Cunningham, Claire Heaney, Ann Johnson, Katie Ryan, Annie Sullivan, Mackenzie Wallace, Lori Abbed, Hayden Britt, Claire Farrell, Molly Gillard, Abigail Grillo, Libby Lee, Frankie Littleton, Kaitlin McGuckin, Molly Nealon, Mia Reichelt, Hannah Sliman, and Kate Wimbish.

The 2015 varsity team has been ranked pre-season #1 in the South Region by TopLaxRecruits.com. The varsity Cardinals have also been ranked pre-season #3 in the nation by USA Today High School Sports. Bishop Ireton has also been nationally ranked pre-season #4 in the Nike/Lacrosse Magazine Preseason High School Girls’ Top 25. Senior Charlotte Sofield has been named to the first team of USA Today’s inaugural American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Girls Lacrosse Team.

Sophomore Mackenzie Wallace was a member of the 2017 championship team at the Nike Elite 120 invitation-only showcase event in January. Sophomores Caton Brisbin, Amelia Cole, and Megan Cunningham have been selected to represent Virginia at the 2015 Brine National Lacrosse Classic in Boyds, MD, between June 29 & July 2. Amelia Cole has also been chosen to be a member of the 2015 FCA Lacrosse Women’s National High School Team that will play in the Lake Placid Summit Classic in August.

Seniors key to developing team’s blue-collar work ethic

Maggie Wiltsie, Kaitlin Luzik, Julie Hanson, Natalie Irwin, Christine Macey, Kelly Mathews, and Charlotte Sofield are the members of the program’s first graduating class to complete four tough years of voluntary pre-season workouts – pre-dawn sessions starting at 6:00 a.m. during the school year. All of these seniors have been key to building the hard-working culture which has helped the Bishop Ireton girls’ lacrosse team develop the realistic goal of another “6 Games in May” in 2015. These girls have sacrificed so much to help develop the blue-collar “Ireton way” of getting the job done—luck has had nothing to do with it.

Keeping it in the family…

Senior Natalie Irwin is the third and last of the Irwin sisters to play lacrosse at Bishop Ireton after following in the footsteps of sisters Maddie (’10) and Eva (’12). Junior Maggie Lohrer is joined by her freshman sister Lizzie as members of the girls’ lacrosse family this season. Sophomore Megan Cunningham keeps the family name alive in 2015 after being part of the program last year alongside her cousin Kendall (’14). Sophomores Claire Heaney and Molly Nealon are also following in the footsteps of their sisters Brenna (’13) and Margaret (’12) respectively. Sophomore goalie Amelia Cole and her sister Olivia (’14) covered the crease for the Cardinals last year.

Everyone’s Contributions are Vital to the Cardinals’ Success

It does not matter what Bishop Ireton’s final 2015 regular-season record or ranking turns out to be or, for that matter, what individual players are eventually doing after high school graduation. This unified team’s overwhelmingly most important collective goal is another post-season of “6 Games in May”—just like what happened in 2014. In a nutshell, everyone is capable of doing and willing to do whatever it takes for the team to achieve post-season success.

Ireton girls’ varsity and JV lacrosse players have gone as far afield as Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, and North Carolina to play in tournaments and attend camps in preparation for the upcoming 18-game regular season (one game still TBD). Since last summer, focused voluntary workout sessions interspersed with club team events, one-day 7v7-type tournaments, and winter indoor lax have all helped all the girls mentally and physically prepare themselves for the upcoming season.

There are four scheduled pre-season varsity scrimmages coming up soon. Bishop Ireton goes to 2014 national #43 (all 2014 rankings according to LaxPower.com) St. Paul’s School for Girls (Maryland IAAM A & 7-7 overall in 2014) in Brooklandville, MD, on Friday, March 6; hosts western Massachusetts’ Northfield Mount Hermon (from the Division I Northern New England League & 6-8 overall in 2014) at Fannon Field on Cambridge Road in Alexandria on Tuesday, March 10; and travels to Virginia/Northern Region 6A—VHSL power and national #35 Oakton HS (15-3 overall in 2014) on Wednesday, March 11.

Ireton’s pre-season concludes with a road trip to Cape Henlopen HS in Lewes, DE, to play in the 5^th Annual Delmar/Mid-Atlantic Lacrosse Play Day. This big event on Saturday, March 14, features five of the top 10 teams in the country in 2014—#1 McDonogh (MD), #2 Moorestown (NJ), #5 Marriott’s Ridge (MD), #7 Bishop Ireton, and #9 Severn (MD). The teams rounding out this day of great girls’ lacrosse are #22 Mount Hebron (MD), #52 Queen Anne’s County (MD), and #100 Cape Henlopen (DE).

Taking Care of Business at Home

The varsity team’s very tough regular-season schedule right now includes hard home games at Fannon Field versus national #11 Roland Park Country Day School (Maryland IAAM A & 16-5 overall in 2014) on Saturday, March 21; national #21 Notre Dame Preparatory School (Maryland IAAM A & 10-5 overall in 2014) on Saturday, March 28; tough Hinsdale Central (18-3 overall in 2014 & #2 in Illinois plus #1 in the IL W Sub section) on Sunday, March 29; national #32 Collegiate School of Richmond, VA (17-6 overall in 2014), on Friday, April 10; and the always-dangerous Delaware state champion Cape Henlopen (13-5 overall in 2014) on Saturday, May 2.

Ireton has never played IAAM powers Roland Park and Notre Dame Prep, or Illinois’ Hinsdale Central; last played Collegiate in a Friday, May 16, 2014, VISAA semifinal state playoff game that the Cardinals won 9-8 after trailing 4-3 at halftime and scoring the winning goal with less than one minute left in regulation; and was taken to double overtime (2OT) before beating Cape Henlopen 12-11 in a hard-fought, regular-season battle up in Delaware on Friday, May 2, 2014.

Ireton’s Blue-Collar Work Ethic Goes on the Road

Away games during the upcoming 2015 regular season that will be especially demanding include contests against Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown Visitation (17-8 overall in 2014 & #2 in the ISL AA) for the first game of the season on Tuesday, March 17; five-time (2010-present) national champion (according to LaxPower.com) McDonogh School (overall 21-0 in 2014 & #1 in Maryland’s IAAM A) on Saturday, April 11; and WCAC powerhouse Good Counsel (14-6 overall in 2014 & #2 in the WCAC) on Wednesday, April 29.

Basic common sense says Bishop Ireton’s first-ever game against McDonogh will be an especially daunting challenge for the Cardinals as the Eagles own an incredible 112-game winning streak that dates back to 2009.

The Cardinals go to Georgia to play in the nationally recognized Legacy Cup event near Atlanta versus Mannheim Township (overall 22-3 in 2014 & #1 in Pennsylvania’s Central section), and national #25 Milton (overall 19-3 in 2014 & #1 in Georgia) both on Saturday, April 18. Two big games on the same day should be good test of Ireton’s character, strength, and endurance.

Upcoming WCAC Opponents

The rest of Ireton’s Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) schedule includes tough varsity games against always strong foes. The Cardinals visit Elizabeth Seton on Friday, March 20; go to Bishop McNamara on Tuesday, March 24; travel to St. Mary’s Ryken on Friday, March 27; host Holy Cross on Tuesday, March 31; take on St. John’s at Fannon Field on Tuesday, April 21; go to Bishop O’Connell on Friday, April 24; and host Paul VI on Tuesday, April 28.

Click here to see the full 2015 regular-season schedule for the Bishop Ireton Cardinals girls’ varsity lacrosse team.

Click here to see the full 2015 regular season schedule for the Bishop Ireton Cardinals girls’ junior varsity team.

Read Reflections on Recordbreaking 2014 Girls’ Lax Season or click here to review Bishop Ireton’s extraordinary 2014 season

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Swim & dive teams have experienced a fast start to the 2014-15 campaign, Coach John Gullickson looks for more good things at state and national competitions in February.

The Bishop Ireton swimming Cardinals kicked off their 2014-2015 season on November 18, 2014 against St. Albans and the National Cathedral School.

The Men’s squad lost 100-70 while the women won by a hefty margin of 115-55, giving the team a combined win of 185 – 155.

Next up was the VISAA (Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association) Relays hosted by Woodberry Forest School in Orange, Virginia on November 22, 2014. Both the Men and Women’s squads were in the top four overall at this unscored relay carnival. This event gave the team an opportunity to get split times and refine their relay line-ups.

During the WMPSSDL (Washington Metropolitan Preparatory School Swimming and Diving League) Relay Carnival pm at Georgetown Preparatory School in North Bethesda, Maryland on November 22, 2014, the Women’s squad took third and Men took fifth overall.

Women – Team Rankings & Scores
1. Academy of the Holy Cross 306
2. Our Lady of Good Counsel 264
3. Bishop Ireton Swim and Dive 258
4. Bishop O’Connell 230
5. Georgetown Visitation 216
6. Sidwell Friends School 198
7. Georgetown Day School 164
8. National Cathedral/W 112
9. The Bullis School 106
10. Oakcrest School Chargers 98
11. Edmund Burke School 78
12. Bishop McNamara Mustangs 54

Men – Team Rankings & Scores
1. Georgetown Preparatory School 300
2. Gonzaga College High School 290
3. Our Lady of Good Counsel 240
4. St. Albans/M 218
5. Bishop Ireton Swim and Dive 202
6. Sidwell Friends School 180
7. Georgetown Day School 110
8. Bishop O’Connell 82
9. The Bullis School 70
10. Edmund Burke School 60
11. Bishop McNamara Mustangs 18
On December 11, 2014, the BI Cardinals flew past the Paul VI Panthers in dual meet action at Marymount University. The Cardinals’ women garnered 94.5 points to the  Panther’s 75.5, while the men’s squad dominated 101-69. The combined team score was Cardinals 195.5 and Panthers 155.5

Showing their team spirit to help others, the BI Water Cardinals dug deep and helped to deliver Christmas to ten Bucknell Elementary School families for their Holiday Service Project. School representative Mrs. St. John-Cunning was very appreciative of all of the donated gifts as well as the generous time donation to gather, assemble, and wrap everything. Gift wrappers included Clara Boggs, Jimmy Grant, Hayden Britt, Rose Meyers, and Annie Sullivan. A special thanks goes out to Carla Pena’s mom, Vanessa, who with the help of her son, came and wrapped presents for three families. And Carla isn’t even swimming this year! The gifts were delivered on December 18, 2014 by team moms Phyllis Boggs and Joy Kelly.   As observed by team dad Rob McGuckin, “I am sure I speak for everyone when I say “great job” with this initiative. What you all have done here is a true game-changer for these families. I was moved when I read the initial email, and continued to be through viewing the picture below. Thank you for representing the school and your families with this selfless act.”

The Bishop Ireton Cardinals kicked off 2015 with decisive defense of their champion title at the Northern Virginia Catholic High School Invitational on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at the Freedom Fitness and Aquatic Center of the George Mason University Manassas campus. Competing against Bishop Denis J. O’Connell , Paul VI, Saint John Paul the Great, Seton School, Saint Michael the Archangel, Oakcrest and Saint Gertrude, the BI swimmers splashed their way to a first place for the second year running for the men and the third year for the women.

The BI women divers Kate Wimbush and Kate Murray (both freshmen), kicked off the meet with 4th and 5th places in the one-meter event against three seniors from O’Connell, putting the first points on the scoreboard for Ireton.

Sophomore Anna Shumate broke two meet records with incredible swims in the 50 Free and the 100 ******. The women’s 200 Medley relay team of sophomores Emma Klein and Anna Shumate, junior Anna Fracasso and senior Hayley Snell snagged first place in a breathtaking finish that was a National Catholic qualifying time.  Emma Klein also grabbed first place in the 100 butterfly with a powerful finish that was a VISAA-qualifying time.

The men’s Most Valuable Swimmer, as voted by all the coaches at the meet, was senior Ben Gorski, with first place swims in the 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke as well as his role in the 200 Medley relay’s team first place result (with senior A.J. Salvatori, junior Michael Morrison and senior Ryan Scott, also a National Catholic qualifying time) and the 200 Free relay team’s second place finish (with sophomore Jermaine Thompson, senior Ryan Scott and senior Jimmy Grant, another National Catholic qualifying time). Michael Morrison took a commanding first place in the 200 IM (and a National Catholic qualifier) and A.J. Salvatori landed a stunning first place in the 100 backstroke (another National Catholic qualifier).  Along with all these impressive swims was a supporting team of second through fourth team swimmers, all of whom contributed to the winning totals and team spirit at the invitational meet.

Keeping the championship pace up, the BI Swim & Dive team brought home a first place trophy for both the men’s and women’s squads as the perennial favorite at the  Alexandria City Championship meet, soaring past the T.C. Williams Titans and the Saint Stephens / Saint Agnes Saints at Chinquapin Recreation Center on January 13, 2015. This year’s meet included a very competitive Saint Stephens / Saint Agnes swim and dive team, but the Cardinals out-swam the Saints by a combined 35-point margin of 189 – 154. The combined point spread between the Cardinals and the Titans was 79 with final score of 214 – 135. Unofficially, this is the 13th year running that BI has defended the Tri-City Championship.
First place winners included:
Women’s 200 Medley Relay – Hayley Snell, Anna Shumate, Anna Fracasso and Abigail Grillo
Men’s 200 Freestyle – Michael Morrison
Women’s 200 Freestyle – Emma Klein
Men’s 200 Individual Medley – Ben Gorski
Women’s 50 Freestyle – Hayley Snell
Women’s 100 butterfly – Emma Klein
Men’s 100 Freestyle – A.J. Salvatori
Women’s 100 Freestyle – Anna Shumate
Men’s 400 Freestyle – Michael Morrison
Women’s 200 Free Relay – Emma Klein, Lori Abbed, Anney Matlock and Clara Boggs
Men’s 100 Breaststroke – Ben Gorski
Women’s 100 Breaststroke – Anna Shumate
Men’s 400 Freestyle Relay – Michael Morrison, Jimmy Grant, A.J. Salvatori and Ben Gorski
Women’s 400 Freestyle Relay – Emma Klein, Abigail, Hayley Snell and Anna Shumate

The freshman women divers Kate Wimbush and Kate Murray also placed 4th and 5th in the one meter dive event, respectively.

In this meet, only the top six places in each event count toward the final team scores. Worthy of note are all the individuals and relay teams, in addition to those listed above, who contributed to the total points scored to push the Water Cardinals to the wall to win the meet. The depth of the BI bench was in play with 3rd and 4th teams kicking to finishes that were competitive with, and, in some cases, exceeded the 1st and 2nd team results. Incredible team spirit was evident as the Cardinals cheered teammates to photo finishes. Also evident was the Cardinal sportsmanship of supporting friends on competing teams in their efforts in the pool.

The regular season swimming will conclude with meets against Our Lady of Good Counsel on January 19 and Bishop Denis J. O’Connell on February 5. The Cardinals will be competing at the National Catholic Swimming and Diving Championship at the Mangione Aquatic Center in Baltimore on January 24-25, the WMPSSDL Championship at the Fairland Aquatic Center on January 31 and the Metros in Germantown on February 6-7. The season concludes with the VISAA State Tournament on February 13-14.

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Junior all conference player, Lillian Weber, leads a veteran team of soccer players into the 2014 campaign

“The 2014 soccer season looks promising.” deadpanned a very excited head coach, Gino Leon, who enters his fourth season leading the Cardinals.  “There is a good mixture of returning varsity players with 13 along with some promising new faces, three from last year’s jv squad, and four very skilled freshmen.

“

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All conference player, junior Stephanie Lin leads a Cardinal tennis team loaded with girls this season.

This season’s tryouts for the Cardinals tennis yielded  its biggest turnout in the Coach Sloper-Johnson era, one spanning eight seasons.

After graduating  5 seniors last year, 36 ladies tried out for the JV/Varsity squads. Bishop Ireton  has  the team’s most valuable player, junior Stephanie Lin returning along with varsity letterwinners Kiersten Parker, Haley McKeen and Molly Jeffers.

These newcomers have been working hard these past couple of weeks to secure the final two varsity singles spots as well as possible berths on the three varsity doubles assignments.  Finding those new players will be key to securing a strong lineup top to bottom for Bishop Ireton in the always tough Washington Catholic Athletic Conference’s fall season.
Coach Katie Sloper-Johnson’s charges open the tennis campaign on Thursday, September 4th when they host the Saints of St Stephens/St Agnes School at Wakefield Park at 4pm. The junior varsity squad will drop in on the Saints on St Stephens Road where Coach Tom Noone’s team opens their 2014 season visiting the scarlet and green.  That match will also begin at 4pm.

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In only the program's fourth year, the Cardinals have set their sights on the top level in the WCAC.

As the field hockey team begins the 2014-2015 season campaign all eyes are on winning a WCAC Championship. A lofty goal perhaps, but one not beyond the Cardinals, according to athletic director, Bill Simmons.

“We have a strong nucleus of players, athletic, confident girls that have tasted success in a relatively short period of time, considering this is only our 4th year of play, the third season in WCAC action. Opponents will overlook this team at own peril I think.”

With 8 returning seniors including starters Kelly Mathews, (2nd Team all WCAC) Hayley Snell, Christine Macey, Rachel Macey and a host of seasoned underclassmen the Cardinals are looking forward to expanding upon last season’s accomplishments.

Leading scorer Grace Fletcher (1st Team all-WCAC) looks to continue her scoring pattern in the Cardinals season opener on the road at St. James High School Thursday, September 5th. Goalie Anna Fracassco ( 2nd team all WCAC-2013) also looks to a leading force in the net. Her record .987 goal save percentage was a key factor in last year’s conference game play.

Following the St. James opener, the Cardinals will entertain rival Bishop O’Connell on Fannon Field in the home debut Monday, September 8th on Fannon Field. Varsity starts the WCAC season at 4pm.

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Bishop Ireton's cheer squad had a busy summer in preparation for a fast start to the fall cheer schedule.

The 2014-2015 Varsity Cheerleading Season is already in full swing! The team has 23 girls total with five strong returning juniors Madison Houser, Megan McNutt, Margaret Casper, Kyra Bolling and Lauren Kennedy and a junior transfer student, Lauren Karbler.

The team has many returning sophomores as well. There are seven new freshman faces to the team, Mavourneen Carr, Grace Chang, Annalise Guzzo, Alexis Kelly, Michaela Koss, Victoria Sardegna, and Mary Szczerban. They have all attended a 2-day CCA camp, enjoyed a tutu making team building night and they have painted the school rock!

They are working hard learning stunts, cheers and dances. They are getting enthusiastic for the first home football game and their first competition in December! Coach Hope-Eskew said, “I believe that a positive attitude brings strength, energy, motivation and initiative! We have nothing but positive attitudes and therefore the sky is the limit!”

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Seniors Susie Rhodes, Heather Pearson return for their final campaign for Cardinals' softball.

The 2014 Ireton softball team is looking to improve on last year’s 13 win season as it opens the season at home against Elizabeth Seton on March 11^th.  This year’s squad brings a mix of experienced talent and energetic youth to the diamond.

Three seniors will lead the club this year.  Southpaw, All WCAC pitcher Susie Rhodes returns to the circle bringing pitches with both heat and movement.    Megan Sullivan’s powerful bat will anchor the line up; while Susquehanna University recruit, Heather Pearson returns at short stop.  Juniors Katie Riley and Maggie Coyle will be making a strong contribution this year both in the field and at the plate.

There are high expectations for a strong group of sophomores.  Clara Boggs will see action at first base with her classmate, Molly Jeffers nearby at second.  Angela Kammen will be anchoring the outfield.  Angela Click and Vivian Grey will provide depth at a variety of positions.  The team is rounded out with a pair of freshman.  Emma Klein will see duty behind the plate and Dominique Gill brings power to the line up.

Coaches Terri Pearson and Mike Hutton will be coaching the base paths again this year through the 25 game regular season.  Commenting on the upcoming season Coach Pearson remarked, “We have a wonderful group of talented girls this year, am eager for the weather to improve and get out on field.”

In addition to playing a tough WCAC schedule, Ireton faces off at home against cross town rival St Stephens/St Agnes on March 18^th. They will travel to Richmond for the annual North/South double header on March 29^th and take a 5 day spring break trip road trip to Myrtle Beach to play teams from up and down the east coast.    All home games are played at Luckett, field located at the corner of Duke Street and Quaker lane, first pitch is at 4PM.

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JP Ryan in action early in the 2013 season.

Bishop Ireton’s Cross Country’s 2013-14 season officially kicked off as students return this week for the new school year.

Sophomores Maggie Lohrer and Isabelle Wilcox return after both logged stellar freshman seasons on varsity.  Lohrer was named one of the top 50 fastest runners in high school girls cross-country in 2013.  Natalie Irwin and Kaitlin Luzik, both juniors, are likely to round out the top four for the varsity girls.  Twelve girls in all are returning from the previous season, including seniors Annie Barletta, Maria Manzek, Caroline Mea and Loren Gant, with as many new additions to the team.

Of the 18 returning boys, seniors Duke Roach, Michael LoGrande, John Paul Ryan, and Steven Gottlieb are projected to finish well for varsity.  Roach ran a season’s best of 17:40 at the Virginia Catholic Schools State Cross Country Championship in 2012, and has dedicated considerable time over the summer to improve.  Also returning are juniors Owen Beals and John Holbrook, with sophomores Thomas Ward and Jake Ferrara who all made considerable gains in the previous year.  Freshman boys Sam Paparo and Thomas Washington have joined the team this season, alongside senior Giovanni Hernandez.

The team completed initial time trials Wednesday at the Landon School in Bethesda, Md., determining varsity and junior varsity placement for the Episcopal High School Relays in Alexandria, Va., on Sept. 4 at 4:00 p.m.

For the girls, the varsity lineup includes Maggie Lohrer, Isabelle Wilcox, Virginia Beineke, Kaitlin Luzik, Ann Johnson, Megan Cunningham, Molly Nealon, Annie Barletta, Brigid Nealon, and Caton Brisbin.  Running varsity for the boys are Duke Roach, Michael LoGrande, John Paul Ryan, Joe Simko, Giovanni Hernandez, Steven Gottlieb, Thomas Ward, Patrick Coyne, Pablo Douros, and Matthew Gottlieb.

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The Cardinals are gearing up for another great season girls tennis season. With a strong group of returning letterwinners, players have stepped it up and are showing great improvement since last season. Many used the summer for  numerous camps, training centers, and private lessons to raise their game.

The squad’s  MVP of the year and Alexandria Sportsman’s Club winner sophomore Stephanie Lin returns with promise and determination to win.  Ireton’s #1 Kirsten  Parker returns with a new game and outlook on the tennis court. She just finished a three-week session in Florida at Nick Bollettieri’s tennis Academy.

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Coach Tony Verducci enters his 7th season at the helm of Cardinal football as the winningest coach in School history.

By all accounts, the 2013 Bishop Ireton Football Team is one that has truly embraced its INAM motto.  “It’s not about me” is the challenge that the team’s seniors and leadership council adopted last winter as they began their off-season preparation.  Many members wear wristband reminding them that it takes hard work and selflessness to build a team.  Head Coach Tony Verducci has been impressed, “We’ve been diligent about remaining focused on the team and developed greater depth as a result of excellent participation in the speed and strength training programs this year.”  The Cardinals intend to display this depth and unity when they open the season on Friday, August 30 with a home game against Park View High School at 4:00 PM; the first of four consecutive home games to start the season.

The team is expected to take an aggressive approach to both defense and offense.  New defensive coordinator Jerton Evans has spent the preseason making sure that his players “fly to the football” on each and every play.  The former University of Virginia All-American is an outstanding teacher and his fellow coaches and players have embraced the new scheme with confidence.  Offensive coordinator Joe Blaszkow knows he will continue to direct the Cardinals’ spread offense; he’s just not sure which player will be at quarterback when the season begins.  The contenders are returning letterman Andrew Latrash, junior transfer Michael McGregor and freshman Chandler Wilder.  Coach Verducci noted that, “Each of these three young men are outstanding leaders who know they can rely on the rest of their teammates to get the job done.” Seniors Taylor Dean and Dylan Espinosa anchor a physical offensive line with juniors Andre Robinson and Michael Commeree.  A running back by committee approach will likely feature sophomores Alex Duke and John Spadafore as well as seniors Hudson Sullivan and Francesco Chichizola.  The wide receivers include talented returning players Drew Smith, Max Sanasack and Brenden Peifer as well as junior transfer Josh Ammon.

The Cardinals defense will be led by linebackers Sullivan, Ammon and Espinosa.  Verducci touts the group as, “One of the most physical and talented groups that I have seen in my 12 years at Bishop Ireton.”  They will be joined by linemen Commeree and Robinson as well as senior Daniel Baskin and junior Karl Reed.  The defensive backs are a young and aggressive group that is expected to include senior Sam Nelson, junior Cairan Lewis and Jairdan Walker, as well as sophomore Corey Johnson.  QB Latrash is expected to double as the team’s punter and senior Matt Bocchi has an edge over junior Ben Zegada-Hurley for the placekicking duties.

Coach Verducci, entering his seventh season as Ireton’s all time football victories leader says, “We’ll know a lot more about our team after the first couple of games.  We need to trust in each other to reap the full benefits of all the hard work guys put in this last spring and summer.”  He see’s Hudson Sullivan as a great example for others to follow, “Hudson is as hard-working a player as I can remember.  He’s in a unique position because he has scholarship offers from great schools like Richmond, James Madison, Delaware and New Hampshire; yet his focus is on our team and our season.  This is a fun group to coach because they will not be out-worked by any opponent.”

2013 Varsity Schedule (Home games in CAPS)

A 30 PARK VIEW 4pm

S7  BISHOP O’CONNELL 2pm

S14 ST STEPHENS/ST AGNES 2pm

S21 EPISCOPAL 2pm

S27 St Mary’s Ryken 7pm

O5  Flint Hill 3pm

O12 Benedictine 1pm

O19 PAUL VI 1pm (homecoming)

O26 Potomac School 1pm

N3 JOHN PAUL the GREAT 1pm (Senior Day)

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