Posted on 15 May 2013 by wsimmons. Tags: Bishop Ireton girls lacrosse, bishop ireton lacrosse, WCAC
Ireton's Charlotte Sofield (15) looks to pass as Kendall Cunningham (7) and Falcon defender look on.
The Bishop Ireton Cardinals girls’ lacrosse team was defeated by Good Counsel 16-9 last night in the WCAC championship game at the University of Maryland’s Ludwig Field. Despite leading 5-4 at halftime, the much younger Ireton squad got overwhelmed in the second half.
“We got tired, Good Counsel was able to wear us down in the second half and once they started to score, it sort of snowballed on us.” said head coach, Rick Sofield. Sophmore Isabel Obregon gave Ireton the early 1-0 lead at 20:37 before the Falcons tallied twice to take 2-1 lead. Sophomore Charlotte Sofield tied the game only to see Good Counsel respond. Sophomore Kelly Mathews tied it again with her first of 3 goals, and Sofield’s second of the game pushed Ireton to its biggest lead at 5-3.
But it was a pair of goals in the minutes of the second half that turned the tide to the top-seeded Falcons. Sofield and junior Kendall Cunningham scored for Ireton to pull the redbirds within 8-7, but Good Counsel went on an 8-0 run to put the game out of reach and claim their 8 championship in the past 10 years.
For Bishop Ireton, Mathews had 3 goals and one assist, Sofield had 2 goals and 2 assists, and Isabel Obregon had 2 goals and one assist; Kendall Cunningham had 2 goals and one assist; senior Brenna Heaney had one assist; and freshman Kelly Larkin had one assist. Junior goalie Olivia Cole had 8 saves.
The team finishes the 2013 WCAC regular season 7-1, 16-5 overall, which includes two big wins against 2012 WCAC champs Holy Cross 7-6 during the regular season and 13-5 in a conference semifinal playoff game. The future looks bright for a team that only graduates three seniors this year and whose roster is two-thirds composed of freshmen and sophomores.
The team plays Norfolk Academy today at 4:00 p.m. in a VISAA (Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association) quarterfinal game at Fannon Field on Cambridge Road in Alexandria.
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Posted on 10 May 2013 by wsimmons. Tags: Bishop Ireton girls lacrosse, WCAC
Ireton's Olivia Cole had 11 saves, including a shutout second half, in unseating the defending WCAC champion Holy Cross Tartans Thursday.
The Bishop Ireton girls’ lacrosse team defeated the defending conference champion Holy Cross Tartans 13-5 at Fannon Field yesterday to advance to their first WCAC finals appearance since 2009. The Cardinals will face Good Counsel in the championship game Monday, May 13, 5:00 p.m., at the University of Maryland’s Ludwig Field.
Bishop Ireton came out fast and went up 6-1 early in the first half. The Lady Tartans went on a 4-1 run the rest of the first half which ended with Bishop Ireton leading 7-5.
Then the Cardinals’ defense slammed the door shut on Holy Cross in the second half. The defending champions never scored again even with a 30-minute lightning delay in the middle of the last act.
Junior goalkeeper Olivia Cole made six of her 11 saves in the second half with four of those stops coming off free position chances. Holy Cross simply could not find a way to crack open the steel curtain.
“We design our defense around having a good goalie,” Bishop Ireton Coach Rick Sofield said. “We’ll give up shots as long as they’re tough shots that we know Olivia can save.”
Bishop Ireton’s offense reeled off the last six goals of the game in the second half. In the end, sophomore Kelly Matthews had 4 goals and one assist; junior Kendall Cunningham got 3 goals and one assist; freshman Kelly Larkin had 2 goals; and sophomores Natalie Irwin, Christine Macey, Isabel Obregon and Charlotte Sofield got one goal each. Obregon and Sofield also had 3 assists each and sophomore Kaitlin Luzik had 2 assists.
Tickets to the championship game are $10 each with advance sales available from the Bishop Ireton athletic department office. Ticket office at Ludwig Field opens at 4pm on Monday. The Cardinals will have a round trip coach bus departing Bishop Ireton at 3:30pm for the game. The cost of the bus is free.
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Posted on 06 May 2013 by wsimmons. Tags: Bishop Ireton boys lacrosse
Rob Chastain (left) and Ireton head coach, Jon Reed, pose after the Cardinals travelled to watch the Ireton alum play for DII Limestone College.
When the number 3 Limestone Saints host the 8th ranked Seton Hill Griffins in the NCAA Division II Tournament on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at Saints Field in Gaffney, South Carolina, it will be a first ever meeting for the two schools. But it will be a reunion of teammates for theGriffins’ Dom Puglise, Bishop Ireton class of 2010 and the Saints’ Robert Chastain, class of 2011.
The Griffins men’s lacrosse team earned their first ever NCAA Tournament bid on Sunday evening’s NCAA Selection Show. Seton Hill is the number three seed in the south region, and Limestone is the number two seed in the south region. Limestone has made the NCAA Tournament every year since 2000, winning titles in 2000 and 2002 amid six straight trips to the championship game. The Saints returned to the biggest stage in Division II lacrosse last year for the first time since 2005 when they dropped an 11-10 decision to Dowling at Gillette Stadium.
Dominick Puglise participated in Varsity lacrosse and Varsity football for 3 years. In lacrosse, he was a 2x WCAC All-Conference Selection, Team MVP, and Cardinal Award Winner. In football, he was a 2009 VISAA All-State Football and a 2009 All-Met Independent Selectee. In 2010, Dominick was a Team Captain, National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete Award, and the Father Godley Excellence in Athletics Male MVP. He also played club lacrosse for FuZe Blue in 2009 and 2010 in Loudoun County. Dominick has been a 3-year starter for the Men’s Lacrosse Team as a midfielder. He majors in Business Management and minors in Finance and Human Resource.
Robert Chastain played three years of Varsity lacrosse, four years of Varsity hockey and two years of Varsity football for the Cardinals. He earned three straight All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference selections for lacrosse, and was named the team’s Most Valuable Defensive Player and team captain his junior and senior years. Robert also played for the FuZe Blue Lacrosse Team in 2009 and 2010. As the ice hockey team goalie, he served as team captain and was selected MVP and Alexandria Sportsman of the Month his senior year. In 2011, Robert also earned Scholar Athlete of the Year Honorable Mention for BIHS with 3.4 GPA. As a Limestone Saint long stick middie, Robert has participated in 7 games as a freshman and 8 games as a sophomore. He majors in Criminal Justice.
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Posted in Sports Feature
Posted on 06 May 2013 by wsimmons. Tags: Bishop Ireton baseball, WCAC Baseball
Senior Cody Hagenston (above) has pitched a number of gems in his varsity career. His 3-hit performance gave the Cardinals a shot, but the Mustangs' Taylor Styles got McNaramara date with St Johns.
The Cardinals’ Cody Hagenston allowed just two runs on Saturday at Frank Mann Field, but Bishop Ireton couldn’t get enough offense going against the future Maryland Terrapin, Taylor Styles, in a 2-1 defeat to Bishop McNamara.
Hagenston baffled Bishop McNamara, striking out six batters and allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks over seven innings. Styles was just a shade better in the first round, winner-take-all one game playoff. He allowed one run over seven innings struck out 11, walked two, and gave up two hits.
Bishop McNamara struck first when they mounted a second inning rally that saw two runs cross the plate on an RBI double by Snow and a groundout by Gerald. The lone run of the game for the Bishop Ireton Cardinals crossed the plate in the fifth inning on a fielder’s choice. Joe Bagnerise reached on an error, Ben Judd singled him to third, and Seth Scalsky’s fielder’s choice plated the speedy Bagnerise. The Cardinals would get the tying run to second the bottom of the 7th, but couldn’t tie the contest.
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Posted on 06 May 2013 by wsimmons. Tags: Bishop Ireton softball, WCAC softball
Heather Pearson's grand slam in the bottom of the 7th gave the Cardinals a thrilling walk off win, the team's 7th in their final 8 games.
Heather Pearson’s walk off grand slam closed out Bishop Ireton’s softball regular season with a bang Saturday afternoon at Luckett field as the Cardinals defeated Bishop McNamara 5-4. The win closes out an intense week of 4 games in as many days.
The rain compressed week started Wednesday at Good Counsel where Ireton built a 6-0 lead on 3 for 5 hitting from Megan Sullivan and strong pitching from Susie Rhodes. Good Counsel rallied back in the bottom of the seventh, narrowing the score to 6-5 before the Cardinal’s defense stiffened and closed out the game with the win.
On Thursday, Ireton hosted the nation’s #2 ranked team in perennial WCAC powerhouse Bishop O’Connell. Superb outfield defense led by Maria Manzek, Emily Quinn and Kathleen Walsh helped keep the score close before eventually falling 8-0. University of Missouri recruit Tori FInucane struck out 16 Ireton batters and gave up a single hit to Junior Megan Sullivan.
Friday was senior day allowing the team to recognize graduating seniors Sarah Howell, Emily Quinn, Kathleen Walsh, Eileen Loiuson and Claire Nagle in pregame ceremonies and at the post game party. The Cardinals struck early against the visiting Huskies of Flint Hill jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Doubles by Megan Sullivan and Molly Jeffers combined with a Heather Pearson triple provided enough offense for the battery of Susie Rhodes and Sarah Howell to coast to a 4-1 victory.
A tired Ireton squad returned to Luckett Saturday afternoon with many players coming directly from taking the SATs to face the Mustangs of Bishop McNamara. The Cardinals fell behind quickly and found themselves down 4-1 in the game’s last frame. Singles by Molly Jeffers and Emily Quinn combined with a walk for Maria Manzek loaded the bases. Pearson sent the second pitch over the center fielder’s head and she sprinted around the bases to score the winning run.
“Am so very proud of the girls,” praised a proud head coach, Terri Pearson. “It was a very challenging week; they remained upbeat and supported each other through it all.”
With Saturday’s win, the squad finishes the season with a 13-12 winning record. They are winners of 7 of their past 8 games as they head into the WCAC tournament.
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Posted on 06 May 2013 by wsimmons. Tags: Bishop Ireton football
Coach Tony Verducci is hard at work already for the 2013 campaign. The prospective players met new coaches, fitted helmets and shoulder pads, met in preparation for 2013
Bishop Ireton Head Football Coach Tony Verducci and his staff have had a very busy six months since the Cardinals ended the 2012 season with a victory over John Paul the Great High School. Verducci recently noted that, “We reviewed virtually every aspect of our program and are implementing changes with a level of commitment from coaches, players and parents that I can proudly describe as inspirational.” The new leadership team of coaches and players was on hand this past weekend to kick off the 2013 season with the team’s annual Spring Football Weekend.
The team’s coaches and Leadership Council members welcomed those expected to wear the cardinal and gold to attend one of three sessions at which players were fitted for helmets and shoulder pads, registered for the team’s June Clinic and orders team wear items for the fall season. The team welcomed everyone from incoming freshmen to returning letter winners and rising seniors. Head JV Coach Moe Webb noted, “It was a great opportunity to talk to players and parents and to ensure that we have proper fitting equipment well in advance of our 2013 season. As a coach it’s exciting to see familiar faces and to welcome the newest members of our school.” While the majority of those expected to play were able to stop in, Coach Verducci noted that schedule conflicts always keep a few potential team members from taking part in the weekend events.
Those interested in being part of the team are always welcome to contact Coach Verducci at Verducca@bishopireton.org.
This was the first opportunity for some new coaches to meet players and parents. Coach Verducci announced that long-time assistant Charlie Meyers was promoted to serve as the associate head coach and will continue to work with the team’s defense, noting “Coach Meyers has been a beacon of consistency and leadership as we prepare for our seventh season and I know he will provide insight and innovation as we move forward.” Coach Meyers distinguished himself during a stellar career as a Naval Academy football player and as a surface warfare officer. Jerton Evans is the team’s new defensive coordinator; accepting the challenge of making the Cardinals a more physical and fundamentally sound unit. As Coach Verducci explained, “Coach Evans has the credibility as both a player and coach that will be a great benefit to what we expect will be a young team.” Coach Evans was an All-American defensive back at the University of Virginia who played in the National Football League before establishing himself as a teacher and coach. Coach Joe Blaszkow returns for his third season as the driving force behind the Cardinals’ Tony Franklin System offense. “Coach Blaszkow is a great student of the game and of this spread offense; he returned from spending a couple of days with Coach Franklin and the University of California football coaches with an even greater level of excitement to get started.” Coach Verducci expects a full season of head JV coach Mo Webb to be another boost to the program. “Coach Webb assumed the head coaching duties during pre-season practice in 2012 under very challenging conditions; I am thankful of his selfless dedication to our players and our program; having him at the helm from Day One will make a huge difference in teaching new players the fundamentals of the game.” Coach Webb was a highly successful youth coach in Dale City, where he continues to serve as a youth football program coordinator and administrator.
In addition to the coaching leadership team, Coach Verducci announced that rising seniors Hudson Sullivan and Dylan Espinosa have been joined on the Leadership Council by rising juniors and returning starters Michael Commeree, Andrew Latrash and Drew Smith. Sullivan, a returning first team all state linebacker, is expected to be the cornerstone of Coach Evan’s defense this fall. Espinosa made great strides over the final games of the 2012 season as an inside linebacker, while Commeree started several games along the offensive line. Latrash was a highly productive running back and back-up quarterback and Drew Smith showed great talent as a wide receiver despite missing several games with injuries. “All five of these young men reflect the values we seek to instill and recognize: they are terrific young men, honor students and tough-nosed football players. Our new and returning players will see what it takes to succeed in the community, in school and on the football field in our leadership council members for 2013.”
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Posted on 06 May 2013 by wsimmons. Tags: Bishop Ireton girls lacrosse, bishop ireton lacrosse, WCAC
Sophomore Kelly Mathews and seven other Cardinals recorded goals in the regular season finale at Bishop O'Connell on May 3rd.
Sophomore Kelly Mathews scored a game-high 4 goals and added an assist as 8 different Cardinals scored in a 15-5 rout of Bishop O’Connell (11-4, 5-3) on Senior Day in Arlington Friday.
With the win, Bishop Ireton (14-4, 7-1) secured sole possession of second place in the WCAC and home field advantage through the quarter and semi-final rounds, should they advance that far. The loss sent the Knights to a 4th place finish after starting the week 1/2 game from second place.
The game started as an evenly contested matchup with neither team scoring in the opening minutes. Ireton broke the ice with the game’s first tally with 7 minutes gone in the half and steadily gained the control of the play pulling to a 5-0 lead. O’Connell cut the lead to 5-1, but the Cardinals responded with a pair of goals to push the advantage to 7-1. The visiting Cards would head to the intermission with a 9-2 advantage and would not be challenged in the second half as the team both emptied their benches.
Ireton goalie, junior Olivia Cole, was sharp again for the Cardinals, recording 8 saves, including a number early when the contest was knotted at 0-0 and O’Connell pressed the offensive zone at the game’s outset. Christine Macey and Isabel Obregon eached chipped in three goals for the Alexandrians, Charlotte Sofield, Natalie Irwin, Kelly Larkin, Kendall Cunningham , and Kaitlin Luzik each had a goal for Ireton. Larkin, Sofield, Cunningham, Larkin, and even Cole, earned an assist in the game, Luzik collected two.
The Cardinals will host 7th seeded St John’s (6-9-1, 2-6) on Tuesday at 5:45pm on Fannon Field in the quarterfinals of the WCAC championships. Ireton won the regular season matchup with the Cadets, 22-7. The semifinals are slated for Thursday, the winner of the Ireton-St Johns tilt playing the winner of Paul VI at Holy Cross.
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Posted on 06 May 2013 by wsimmons. Tags: bishop ireton lacrosse
Charlotte "Charlie" Buising (8) was one of 3 seniors the Cardinals wished "farewell" at senior day activities versus Elizabeth Seton on April 30th. A three-sport athlete, Buising anchored an unsung defense for the 14-4 Cardinals.
The Cardinals lacrosse team (14-4 overall, 7-1 WCAC) finished the regular season with seven straight wins. Second-seeded Bishop Ireton plays St. John’s College High School at Fannon Field, Tuesday, May 7, 5:45 p.m. in WCAC quarterfinal playoff action.
During those final seven games, the Cardinals beat Potomac School 17-6 (April 13); upset Holy Cross 7-6 (April 19); defeated St. Mary’s Ryken 15-3 (April 23); beat Bishop McNamara 21-1 (April 26); defeated Flint Hill 12-2 (April 27); beat Elizabeth Seton 16-1 (April 30); and defeated Bishop O’Connell 15-5 (May 3).
During Senior Night versus Elizabeth Seton on April 30, the Cardinals honored Charlie Buising, Brenna Heaney and Michaela Mulokey for their contributions to the girls’ lacrosse program during their time at Bishop Ireton.
Both LaxPower.com and DCSportsFan.com currently rank Bishop Ireton #4 in the DC area behind St. Stephens, Good Counsel and Georgetown Visitation. The latest VISAA Division I and USA Today High School Sports polls both rank Bishop Ireton #2 in Virginia.
As of May 6, according to The Washington Post’s AllMetSports.com girls’ lacrosse statistics, sophomore Kelly Matthews is tied for 27th with 51 goals; sophomore Charlotte Sofield is tied for 7th with 40 assists; and junior goalkeeper Olivia Cole is 14th with 136 saves. Overall this season, 18 different players have scored goals (seven in double digits) and 15 have made assists (five in double digits).
During the Cardinals’ season-ending, seven-game winning streak, Matthews had 20 goals and 8 assists; Sofield had 16 goals and 16 assists; junior Kendall Cunningham had 11 goals and one assist; freshman Kelly Larkin had 11 goals and 7 assists; sophomore Isabel Obregon had 11 goals and 10 assists; sophomore Christine Macey had 9 goals and 4 assists; sophomore Kaitlin Luzik had 6 goals and 8 assists; sophomore Natalie Irwin had 4 goals and 3 assists; and Cole had a 3.83 goal-against-average (GAA), a 64.62% save percentage, made 42 saves and got one assist.
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Posted on 03 May 2013 by wsimmons. Tags: Bishop Ireton baseball, WCAC Baseball
Cardinal bats were busy in a 12-3 win over O'Connell in regular season finale.
It was a game that meant nothing to the WCAC standing for the Cardinals, but a lot to the 8 seniors making their final visit to diocesan rival, Bishop O’Connell, in the weeks before their high school baseball careers come to a close. Bishop Ireton grabbed an early lead and refused to relinquish it against the Knights, recording a 12-3 victory on Thursday in Arlington.
Eight runs in the first three innings allowed the Cardinals to put the game away early. A walk by Corey Phillips, a groundout by Andrew Selby, a bases loaded walk by Carson, a walk by Joseph Bagnerise, an RBI single by Ben Judd, and an RBI single by Cody Hagenston in the second inning helped the visitors put runs on the board early. Judd racked up three RBIs on two hits for the Ireton.
The Cardinals added two more runs in the top of the third. A single by Selby ignited the offense, scoring Sam Ratner. The cardinal and gold piled on three more runs in the top of the sixth. Bagnerise kicked things off with a single, plating Tangora. That was followed up by Judd’s double, scoring Scott Schwartz and Bagnerise.
Nick Tangora struck out six hitters en route to the the win. Tangora allowed no earned runs, four hits and two walks over six innings.
For the Cardinals, the season ends with a 14-10 record, 10-6 in the brutally competitive WCAC, good for a tie for third with Paul VI. Ireton will host Bishop McNamara in the first round of the WCAC championship tournament Saturday at 4:30, a one-game round, followed by the best of three in the semi finals and finals. Those best of three series will be held at the University of Maryland’s Shipman Field.
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Posted on 03 May 2013 by wsimmons. Tags: Bishop Ireton baseball, WCAC Baseball
Ben Judd (10) had a big game for the Cardinals in their final home regular season game in the WCAC.
The Bishop Ireton Cardinals and Bishop McNamara each put runners in scoring position on Wednesday, but the Cardinals capitalized on more RBI opportunities, pulling out a 3-2 win at Frank Mann Field Wednesday.
Bishop McNamara out-hit redbirds seven to six, but the Mustangs stranded nine runners on base. Ireton would not relinquish the lead, though the Mustangs tacked on a pair of runs late, but was unable to overcome a three-run fifth inning deficit. The visitors scored on an error in the sixth inning and a sacrifice fly by Styles in the seventh inning, but would get no closer.
Corey Phillips had a hot bat for the Cardinals. Phillips went 2-3 and scored two runs. He singled in the third and fifth innings. The game’s last lead went to the home team, thanks to a third inning rally that saw two runs cross the plate on a two-run single by John Todd. Ben Judd got the win in relief for the Cardinals pitching four innings and allowing one run.
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