Track Season Begins With Fundraiser for Japan on Saturday
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It’s opening week for spring sports at Scarsdale High School. This season brings tennis, golf, track, crew, lacrosse, baseball and softball. The Track and Field is open to all, but before a runner can participate in a track meet the player must participate in at least ten practices. This week and next the team will hold practices and event tryouts.
Since the track and field team is the only one that does not require a tryout, it attracts many who do not choose to tryout or do not meet the requirements for another sport. Running and other field events also provide excellent aerobic and endurance training for all other sports. One of the most unique features of track and field is that it offers a variety of options in terms of activities from which one can choose. This contributes to making the sporting experience fun. Members of the track and field team are encouraged to welcome newcomers onto the team and also display sportsmanship at all times. The Raiders track and field team is optimistic in looking forward to a successful season, just as in past years.
Photos and Text by DJ Holloway, Sophomore at Scarsdale High School
To open the spring season, the track team is planning a fundraiser for the victims of the tragedy in Japan. They are having a run/walk-a-thon this Saturday, March 19 at Scarsdale High School from 10:00-11:30 AM. The event is open not only to members of the track team, but also to other students at the school, as well as the whole community (all ages). The team has made sponsor sheets and they are raising money on a “per lap” system or overall donations. There will also be a bake sale by the high school track. 100 percent of the money will be going to the American Red Cross.
Families can come by to run, walk, sponsor a runner, make a donation or simply watch what the team hopes will be a successful event.
Submitted by Eric Dobosh , Junior at Scarsdale High School.
Scarsdale Cheerleaders Host Competition
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On January 15, cheerleaders and spirited fans from all over gathered at Scarsdale High School for the Scarsdale Invitational Cheerleading Competition. Thirty seven teams and an estimated 700-1,000 spectators attended, from all over Westchester, Rockland, Duchess and Putnam Counties and the Bronx. There were 500 cheerleaders in the competition, ranging in age from eight to seventeen. The morning session included youth, modified and junior varsity teams and the afternoon session was reserved for the varsity teams. Generally at meets, the hosting school does not compete in the actual competition but does perform their routines. Unfortunately due to injured cheerleaders on both squads, Scarsdale Varsity and Junior Varsity teams did not perform. But, the other attending schools tumbled and danced gleefully while the Scarsdale team sported the t- shirts being sold at the school stating "Cheerleading is more than a sport, it's an attitude."
Competition winners were as follows:
- Modified: Eastchester
- Junior Varsity: St. Catharine's
- Small Varsity: St. Catharine's
- Large Varsity: Ursuline
- Co-ed: Putnam Valley
The Scarsdale JV and Varsity teams each practice two hours a day about four to five times a week and
Pictured Above: Scarsdale cheerleaders (from left to right, Ali
Photos and text by Sunny Feinstein
Basketball Tournament to Honor Kari Pizzitola
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The annual Maroon and White Kari Pizzitola Holiday Basketball tournament will be held Thursday, December 2 through Saturday, December 4 in the Scarsdale High School Gym. Games are scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 2 from 5 to 7 pm, on Friday, Dec. 3 from 6 to 8pm and Saturday, Dec. 4 at 2, 4, and 6pm for the boy’s championship, with the girl's championship at 8 pm.
Last year the Maroon and White renamed the tournament The Maroon and White Kari Pizzitola Holiday Basketball Tournament to honor Kari Pizzitola who died in October 2008 at the age of 52 after a battle with breast cancer. Kari, with her two boys, Brian (class of 2003) and Mikey (class of 2006) loved Scarsdale Athletics. Kari was a dedicated supporter and hard worker and had served in many roles including tournament chair and Maroon and White President. This year, in honor of Kari Pizzitola, free pink wristbands with the word “Courage” will be given to the first 1000 fans on Friday and Saturday.
Friday night, December 3, is Scarsdale Raiders Night. Girls and boys varsity basketball teams will play and the Raiders cheerleaders will perform. Friday and Saturday games will feature Tri-County Basketball League Team scrimmages at half-time. There will be a raffle of an Apple iPad and an Apple iPhone, and refreshments, snacks and Hebrew National hot dogs will be available for purchase.
The Maroon and White Holiday Basketball Tournament will be fun for families and students alike, so please mark your calendars. The event is sponsored by Maroon and White, the SHS parent Booster Organization that supports and encourages Scarsdale High School Athletics. They are asking you to come out and enjoy some great hoops action and support the Scarsdale Raiders Basketball Teams.
An Outstanding Performance by Raiders Wrestlers
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Despite a weather delay of several hours due to the snow, the annual Scarsdale Invitational Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, January 8, 2011 was a success. Scarsdale finished in 3rd place among the 14 teams in the competition. With a strong turnout and many boisterous fans, the team members put on an impressive performance.
Though some of last year’s stars have moved onto college, this year’s team has stepped up to the challenge and is determined to rebuild and come out as strong. Overall the team performed well with a few notable displays:
Sophomore Mikey Hodges had a successful day and came out on top in each one of his matches and took second place in the 103 lb weight class.
John Tambunting, a junior, dominated his opponents in his first three matches and made his way into the finals, taking second place
Dan Jureller, also a junior, lit up some eyes with his exhilarating overtime win in the quarter-final match against the second seed, and his come from behind victory in the semi-final match against Mt. Vernon. Jureller went on to take second place in the 119 lb. weight class.
SHS Junior Jack Braun at weight 171 lbs. fought hard into his final match against the second seed from Mt. Vernon, and despite an injury, Jack came out on top, taking first place in the 171 lb. weight class.
The team has been working hard under the leadership of coaches Barney Foltman and Brian Roemer their efforts paid off on Saturday. With their skill and camaraderie the Scarsdale wrestlers are sure to have a winning season.
In other SHS sports news, the sixth annual Scarsdale High School Cheerleading Competition will be held on Saturday January 15 at SHS from 8:30 am to 5 pm. Over 35 teams from local high schools will compete and 1,500 cheerleaders, coaches, parents, students and community members are expected to attend. Everyone is encouraged to come and cheer for the SHS junior varsity and varsity teams. There will be plenty of good food, prizes and raffles too.
Pictured above: Daniel Jureller, wrestling photos courtesy of Leslie Berkowitz
In the Spotlight The Penfold Boys
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The Penfold boys are a Scarsdale phenomenon. Andres a senior at SHS and his brother Tomas, a junior, star on the Scarsdale Raiders Soccer team that will play in the semi-finals of the state tournament this Saturday in Middletown against a team from Brentwood, Long Island.
The boys, who are just one year apart, have been playing soccer since they lived in Venezuela. Their Dad, Ricardo Penfold, was a soccer star himself, and played on the Boston University soccer team where he was the captain during his senior year and also played on the u21 Venezuelan National Team. He has been a role model and a coach to the boys since he started to kick the ball around with the boys when the family lived in Caracas. They moved to Greenacres when the boys were six and seven, and they both started on the Scarsdale Recreation teams, moving onto the travel teams and later joining FC Westchester, where they still play year round.
Andres and Tomas train on the field in all seasons, and travel with the FC Westchester team to places as far as California and Arizona. Andres credits this experience with the boys’ success today. Teammates Hiroki Kobayashi, David Alemany and Michael Abraham also play on the FC team and the group has learned to work together and coordinate play to become the unbeatable team they are today.
The Penfold boys both play soccer constantly – with three team practices during the week and two games on the weekend. It’s a challenge to find time for schoolwork, but according to Andres, the time pressure has caused both boys to “mature at an early age.” Andres played on the Varsity B team as a freshman and moved to Varsity A for his sophomore, junior and senior years, where he now plays center forward. Tomas joined the Varsity A team as a sophomore where he is an attacking midfielder.
This season, Scarsdale won 20 games and lost two. According to Tomas, a pivotal moment in the season was after the team had two unexpected losses to North Rockland and Mamaroneck. The coach spoke to them at practice and encouraged them to work together, rather than playing as individuals and that practice proved to be a turning point in their performance.
Looking forward to Saturday’s game, both Tomas and Andres are confident that if the team plays their game, and works together, they can win. According to Andres, since “Brentwood is in the same position we’re in, they must be a great team,” however, Tomas adds, “ We have lots of talent on this team, and if we play the way we have been playing, we should okay."
When asked if they like to play together, Andres and Tomas gave heartfelt replies. Tomas said, “I have played soccer with Andres my whole life. We have very good chemistry and I know where he is on the field at all times.” Andres answered, “Tomas is one year younger than I am and we have trained together our whole lives.
Our relationship is based on soccer, whether we’re on the field or in the gym. Being able to play with him is a joy and he is one of the reasons high school is so much fun.”
The two will have the chance to finish this season together. Next year, Andres has made a verbal commitment to attend Monmouth University whose Division One soccer team is currently ranked 13th in the country.
We wish the Penfolds and the Raiders the best of luck in the state semi-finals this weekend.
