The boys basketball team defeated Ron Brown Charter 66–37 in the first round. They continued their championship success the next day with a 59–53 win over Collegiate. Our team's high energy on defense and efficient execution on offense led us to victory. Preston Bacon '19 and Jamel Melvin '20 made the All-Tournament. The team is off to a 3–0 start this season! Click here to see photos from the tournament.
The girls basketball team opened last weekend's Tip-off Tournament with a 67–33 victory over Broad Run. The team used an impressive 23–0 third quarter to pull away for the decisive win. In the championship game, Sara Park '19 and Kayla Rolph '22 led all scorers (23 and 19) on the way to a 67–52 win over Saint John Paul. Park and Rolph also made the All-Tournament. The team is off to a 3–0 start this season. Click here to see photos from the tournament.
Girls tennis has ended its regular season with a record of 12–0: the first undefeated record in AA school history. The girls have also won the ISL regular season championship for the second year in a row. The team has thrived this season, due to its strong singles and doubles pairings that both consistently played well. The Panthers finished strong with wins over Sidwell Friends (5–2), Stone Ridge (7–0), and National Cathedral (5–2). This last event included an amazing performance by Carolyn Beaumont '19, who filled in to play at number-one singles and won a great match. The team is looking forward to both the ISL and state tournaments.
The Varsity field hockey team played an inspired game against Stone Ridge on Tuesday, beating the Gators 4–3. Alexis Kartalian '19 (pictured), Eliza Soutter '19, Maddie McGavin '19, and Bridgett Hyde '19 all scored goals, while Mishona Horton '20, Ellen Oskoui '19, Elisabeth Oskoui '21, and Kartalian anchored the defense. Kate Newton '20 was the winning goal keeper in the victory.
The varsity football team hosted St. Albans this past Saturday and won by a score of 56-12. Quarterback JT Tyson threw touchdown passes to Preston Bacon (127 yards receiving) and Thomas Ferris (64 yards receiving). Brown Anglin (2 rushing touchdowns), Jake Levingtson (1 rushing touchdown), Chris Joe (1 passing touchdown) and Axel Gyllenhoff (1 receiving touchdown) also scored for the Panthers.
Congrats to our 18 scholar-athletes from the class of 2018 who will be playing a sport at college for the 2018-19 academic year. Good luck! Click Read more for names and school attending.
Against all odds, the boys varsity tennis team just had one of its best seasons in years. Both coach Marty Hublitz and the rest of the team were certain that the 2017-18 school year was going to be about rebuilding the team’s strength, after five talented senior starters graduated the year before. But they found themselves winning – and winning. Eventually, the Panthers made it all the way to the VISAA State Championships, where they were named runners-up.
This past weekend, boys track and field successfully defended their MAC Championship title, while the girls team placed eighth, scoring 30 points – our highest since 2014! Reed Voeks set a school record in the long jump (21-4), and Catherine Hyman broke the school record in the 400m (56.98). Voeks, Matt Gelin, Eric Jackson, Darien Killebrew, Austin Rucker, Brian Wilson, Miles Wilson, Caleb Wooten, and Josh Wooten earned All-League honors. Jodie Kuo placed third in the discus, and Isabel Morris placed fifth in the 800 with a 2:22 (PR). Morris, Kristen Fairbank, Julia Johnston, and Isabel Zhang anchored the girls 4x800 to a fourth-place finish. Nicole Manning placed fifth in the 3200m. Several of our athletes will continue onto States and many have already qualified for Nationals.
A gutsy pitching performance by Carter Bosch (eight innings) helped the Panthers (14-5) win an outright MAC title for the first time in team history! This was the Panthers' fifth tournament title, but the team has never previously won the regular season and the tournament in the same year. Click here to read more about their 3-2 win over St. James.
Saint James took a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh. Matt Plaza started the rally with a leadoff double. Two outs later, there were men on the corners, and Bosch sent a line drive to the right-field fence for a ground rule double and tied the game 2-2. Senior Brenden Mabus relieved Bosch in the ninth inning and was able to retire Saint James with a strikeout and a heroic catch by center fielder Michael Valentine. Mabus came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth with one out and bases loaded. Mabus walked home, giving the Panthers the winning run. The final score was 3-2.
For a Washington Post article on this incredible accomplishment, click here. For a photo gallery, click here.
On Friday, the varsity softball team won the semifinal game in the ISL AA Tournament, beating National Cathedral 15-0. Potomac's 12-hit attack was led by Anna Takis (with three hits) and Kat Plaza and Maria Urban (with two hits each). Charlotte Thompson had three runs batted in with a two-run single and a sacrifice fly. Maria Urban was the winning pitcher, allowing three hits over four innings while striking out four.
On Saturday, Potomac won the ISL AA championship game 6-2 over Flint Hill. Potomac's nine-hit attack was led by Takis, with three hits while driving in two runs. Caroline Semel and Kate Newton each had two hits. Potomac broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the seventh, scoring four runs. Key hits in the seventh inning were by Takis, Newton, and a bunt by Caroline Culp. Urban pitched a four-hit complete game, striking out eight and allowing no earned runs.
On Tuesday, in the quarterfinals of the VISAA state tournament, the fourth-seed Panthers defeated fifth-seed Norfolk Christian 5-3. Potomac was held to five hits, with three of them accounting for all of Potomac's scoring. In the second inning, Takis led off the inning with a solo homer. In the fourth inning, Charlotte Thompson had a two-run double and Caroline Jackson had a two-run homer. Urban pitched a complete game, allowing five hits, striking out five, and allowing two earned runs.
Potomac defeated Holton-Arms 16-1 in the opening round of the ISL Tournament behind the strong pitching of Caroline Culp. Caroline pitched a four-hit complete game, striking out four and allowing only one earned run. The 12-hit offensive attack for Potomac was led by Maria Urban with three hits, including a double, and two hits by Caroline Semel and Caroline Jackson, including a triple. They next beat #3 seed NCS 15-0 in the semi-finals and took on Flint Hill in the championship game. Tied 2-2 going into the 7th inning, Potomac batted through the line up and scored 6 runs to secure the win.
Congratulations to our varsity baseball team, which won the MAC regular season title on Tuesday, defeating Georgetown Day with a score of 11-0. The boys played extremely well on their Senior Day. While the Panthers have achieved seven baseball league titles, this is the first time since 1996 that Potomac has won the regular season title outright. The team defeated Maret to advance to the MAC championship final against St. James.
On Monday, the varsity softball team played Paul VI in an exciting game. Paul VI jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, but Potomac cut the lead in half with a long home run by pitcher Maria Urban, a double by Kate Entis, a single by Caroline Culp, and a sacrifice fly by Caroline Brown to drive in Entis. Potomac hit strong to tie the game.
Boys varsity tennis had two successful matches in Virginia Beach this past week. Cape Henry Collegiate fell to the Panthers 9-0, with sophomore Matthew Tran managing a golden set (not losing a single point!) in his singles match. The next day, the Panthers played Norfolk Academy.
Winter Washington Post All-Met Athletes
Congratulations to seniors Courtlynne Caskin and Devon flowers for being named to the Washington Post basketball Honorable Mention team. Also named was junior Diego Cruzado, Honorable Mention in swimming and senior Sam Lu, Honorable Mention in wrestling.
Fall Washington Post All-Met Athletes
Congratulations to senior Courtlynne Caskin and junior Grace Sherman for being named to the Washington Post girls soccer All-Met First Team. Courtlynne has committed to play lacrosse for UVA and Grace has verbally committed to Princeton for soccer. Senior Tracey Mills was named to the Second Team and has committed to play soccer for Dartmouth.
Junior Jack Rosener was named to the boys soccer Second Team.
Pictured top left, Caskin; top-right, Sherman; bottom-left, Mills; bottom-right, Rosener.