Getting handed the PVAC champion banner is a feeling unlike any other, one that the girls varsity tennis team has just experienced. This team represents just some of the athletic success of this fall sports season.
The girls varsity tennis team had a knockout season being undefeated in the league. There was no stopping the team this season as they won the championship for the third year in a row.
The cross country team also had some success this year. While the boys only got second place in the PVAC championship, the Lions were the first to cross the finish line. Junior Nathan Szubin got first place in the race and will be looking for success again in a couple weeks at the cross country state championship.
“In cross country, you can sometimes put in a lot of the work and you don’t get the result that you want,” Szubin said. “But this was one of those times where I felt like I had achieved something that I worked for.”
Most teams only had a week to prepare for their first game. On top of that, many teams had new coaches, so it was important that everyone, athletes and coaches, had time to get on the same page.
One team with a new coach this season was the boys varsity soccer team. The team had a strong showing this season with a highlight being their 8-0 win against Barrack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr, Pa. They made it to the semifinals this season, where they lost to Washington International School (WIS) 7-0.
The girls varsity soccer team had an experience similar to the boys. They lost to WIS in the semifinals by a slimmer margin of 3-1. The girls had a record of 3-5-2 this season, with three of those wins being against Edmund Burke School.
“I loved the soccer teams community and practice… it was really encouraging for us new players,” junior Shayna Lindauer said.
On the court, the girls volleyball teams faced many struggles of their own. The girls JV volleyball team had a very strong showing this season. It was the team’s first season in the PVAC and with a new coach. They finished the regular season in first place and made it all the way to the finals where they unfortunately lost against the Model School.
The girls varsity volleyball team also lost to the Model School, but in the semifinals. The game was extremely close, but unfortunately the Lions did not come out on top. However, it was the first time in many years that the JDS girls volleyball team had made it to the semifinals, so they still had something to be proud of.
“Both in practices and in games, I loved cheering people on and I loved the spirit,” junior Lauren Rich said.
Overall, the Lions had mixed results this fall season. One team will still have the ability to redeem themselves as the cross country state championships are not until next week.
“It is a really fun bonding experience and we all push ourselves really hard. It was a unique experience and I am glad that I won,” Szubin said.
