SSFS 2023 Fall Sports Highlights

We had a phenomenal fall season of athletics with success all around! We are incredibly proud of our 224 students (115 MS + 109 US) who competed in 119 athletic events, supported by our robust and energetic community of fans. We are grateful to our 19 coaches and instructors who made the fall offerings possible. The combination of all these people above and others created a fall sports experience that culminated in every fall team finishing third or better in their division; 5 finals appearances; and ultimately 7 PVAC Championship Banners. Thank you, all!

Cross-Country

UPPER SCHOOL CROSS-COUNTRY

Men's Varsity Cross Country
The Upper School Men's Varsity Cross Country team was undefeated this season! They competed in seven meets including the Midseason Challenge, Goucher Spiked Shoe Invitational and PVAC Championships and were victorious in all of them! With six out of the top 20 finishers at Championships, the team was able to take home the XC PVAC Banner for the first time since 2018! 

Women's Varsity Cross Country
The US Women's Varsity Cross Country team was small in number and mighty in spirit. They participated in seven meets including the Midseason Challenge, Goucher Spiked Shoe Invitational and PVAC Championships. They came in first place in all but 5 competitions and are the proud winners of the 2023 XC PVAC Banner. We are proud to report that Frankie ‘27 ran a 20:07 and now holds the top spot in our SSFS Hall of Fame as the fastest female runner in the history of XC at SSFS!

PVAC League Recognition goes to:

• First team ALL PVAC: Frankie, Kellye, Elena K., Rosario, Liam, Oliver
• Second team ALL PVAC: Elana, Xavier, Dallas
• Third team ALL PVAC: Kenji

MIDDLE SCHOOL CROSS-COUNTRY
Positive attitudes, dedication, and a healthy amount of competitive spirit propelled the Middle School Cross Country runners this fall to a double-banner season and a number of medals at the States meet. Our runners made frequent use of the trails and hills around campus in their training, and timed miles and 800s (“Goss loops”) helped them keep track of their speed progress. Both the boys and the girls teams came out on top in close PVAC Championships races, earning PVAC champions banners.

In the MD Private School Championship meet, James Edmonds-Moore earned a truly astounding PR of 10:38 for the 2 mile course and finished FIRST in the race, far before his closest competitors. Other medal-winning performances for this meet include: Jett Caruso, 16th place; Leila Debacker, 9th place; Elaina Ganong, 12th place; Cala Armwood, 18th place; and Shauna Greene, 20th place. We are so incredibly proud of this hard-working group of runners!

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Volleyball

UPPER SCHOOL WOMEN'S VARSITY VOLLEYBALL
This year the varsity won the regular season with a record of 7-1 as well as winning the A Division Championships. With their regular season win they will move to the AA division next season.  They worked hard, fought for each set and demonstrated growth this season; this was shown not only by our record, but that 4 of our players were recognized by the league. Aria and Isabella made first team for the A division and Hawa and Teni made Second team. This team showed grit and resilience as they played each set. As a team, they worked on communication and goal setting in addition to building skills on the court. There was so much talent and potential this year. We can’t wait to see what happens next year. 

UPPER SCHOOL WOMEN'S JV VOLLEYBALL
At 3 and 5 for the 2023 season’s record, the JV Girls Volleyball team exceeded expectations in terms of skill development and personal growth.  They’ve learned what’s needed to better themselves individually in order to achieve their desired outcome.  They’ve come to realize their  teammates’ strengths and weaknesses and work together as a team to meet the challenges of competition. No doubt the JV Girls Volleyball team has improved since their first practice of the season.  They will be a reckoning force and blend in easily with the varsity system next year and in the future.  Well done girls!   

MIDDLE SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL - GREEN TEAM
The MS girls volleyball team had what one could say, “a perfect season.” This group of athletes not only won the PVAC title for a second year in a row, but did it without dropping a set! The Green team went undefeated with a final record of 13-0, with no team scoring more than 19 points against them. All athletes contributed this season, as the wins were truly a body of work of the entire team. Highlights included: many athletes had 5+ point service runs, all with overhand serves, and we were the only MS team to run a real offense and serve receive, preparing them for higher level volleyball. These young athletes proved to themselves that hard work pays off and learned the value of communication. Each point through each set was valuable. The girls’ skills, strength, and volleyball IQ improved tremendously as the weeks passed by. They learned how to play when behind, play under pressure, and play to win.  We can’t wait to see what next season brings!
 

MIDDLE SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL - GOLD TEAM
Our middle school Gold team learned the basics of volleyball and developed a love for the game this fall. Our youngest athletes improved both on and off of the court. Many athletes learned how to overhand serve, going on 3+ point service runs. They continued to improve their game during scrimmage sets and went 2-1 on the season.  They achieved success in both growing foundational skills, like running an offense, and learning how to work together as a team.  They persevered through nerves and showed immense promise.  We can’t wait to see what they do next year!

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SOCCER

UPPER SCHOOL MEN'S VARSITY SOCCER
Led by Captains Caleb Beswick, Taye Bradford, and Jackson Henderson, the Sandy Spring Friends School Men’s Varsity Soccer team finished the season with an overall record of 7 wins, 2 ties, and 2 losses. We finished the league with a record of  4 wins, 2 ties, and 2 losses in our division.  In addition, the team scored 36 goals and had 24 assists for the season. 

There were several highlights from the season. From the exciting 5-4 thriller against out-of-conference team Avalon as well as an exciting senior match night where the team put on a splendid display of soccer. The most exciting was the PVAC semifinal match against Edmund Burke.  In the second half of a 0-0 tie, Jackson Henderson put a free kick in for fellow captain Taye Bradford to blast into the back of the net. Not to be denied, Burke responded with a shot of their own, sending the match into double overtime. Leo Karp, in the dying embers of the second overtime, dribbled to the end line and put a cross to the middle for Jackson Henderson to score into the back of the net ending the game and sending the BEESTS into the PVAC Championship match. 

The team played heroically in the championship match against WIS but could not bring home the championship. The Men’s varsity team finished second to WIS in the regular season and tournament play. In addition to our captains, the team will graduate seniors Jack Hills, Sam Caswell-Deichman, and Daryan Tchoubineh. Leo Karp was selected to the PVAC Second Team All-Conference and Taye Bradford, Jackson Henderson, Caleb Beswick, and Marvin Castro were selected to the PVAC First Team All-Conference. 

 

UPPER SCHOOL WOMEN'S VARSITY SOCCER
Throughout the entire season, our team delivered an outstanding performance that solidified our reputation as a formidable force in the PVAC. We not only clinched second place in the regular season but also replicated this success in the PVAC tournament, showcasing our commitment and consistency. Our final record of 9-3-3 reflected the relentless effort put in by every player. They learned the significance of teamwork and clear communication, recognizing that success in sports is contingent on strong collaboration. Additionally, they acquired a profound understanding of the importance of perseverance as they navigated through setbacks and celebrated victories, reaffirming the essential role of resilience in both soccer and life. The highlight of the season was undoubtedly our championship appearance, a long-awaited return to the grand stage after four years. We look back on the season with immense pride, knowing that our team has grown stronger, and built a strong foundation for next year.

PVAC All-Team Selections: 
1st Team All-PVAC: Mia Tegeris (Also won Player of the Year in the PVAC); Alessandra Gardner
2nd Team All-PVAC: Suutumee Negash; Natasha Villa Bass
PVAC Honorable Mention: Grace Stephens

MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRL'S SOCCER
Our Middle School Girls soccer team finished third in the league and third in the PVAC tournament. From the beginning of the season to the end, the improvement in each player was amazing, but the ability of the group to work together as a team is what made this season so successful. Showing grit, determination, and a true willingness to step up when needed, the MS girls soccer team excelled this season behind leading scorer and team captain eighth grader Samantha Shifman and was anchored on defense by team captain seventh grader Celia Barham. The future looks bright for our soccer program! We look forward to welcoming our 5th grade soccer players to the team next year!

MIDDLE SCHOOL BOY'S SOCCER - GREEN TEAM
It was an emotional 2nd place finish for the MS Boy's Green Soccer Team this season. After finishing the regular season with a record of eight wins and only one loss, the team gave it their all and held nothing back in the final game of the PVAC tournament. From the beginning the Green Team had their eyes on bringing the banner back to Sandy Spring. They worked hard to improve their individual ball handling skills and expanded their vision of the field to become one cohesive unit. On offense the team worked so well together, sixteen out of our twenty one total players assisted with at least one of the forty six total goals scored this season. Thirteen different players scored at least one goal this season. Of these thirteen, eight different players scored three or more times. While the offense was without question dominating, the true unsung heroes of the pitch this year were the defensive squad and goalkeepers. Their opponents were scoreless in five of the eight regular season wins. In the entire twelve game season, only twice did their opponent score more than two goals. It was truly a record breaking season. Congratulations!

MIDDLE SCHOOL BOY'S SOCCER - GOLD TEAM
Our Middle School Gold Team members--mostly younger students--began the season eager to improve both their skills and knowledge of the game. Each player came to daily practice with boundless enthusiasm. We went over several skills such as dribbling and passing, while emphasizing ball control. Although our schedule only included a few games, I thought each player improved with each game and practice. Moreover, I thought they learned the value of being a team player. In spite of some adversity (in terms of game outcomes), I believe each team member is a more confident, more skilled soccer player. Many of these players will advance to the green team next year.

 

UPPER SCHOOL INTRAMURAL SPORTS & FITNESS

Intramural Kickball
Kickball players enjoyed the fabulous fall weather and got some exercise to boot. Everyone improved their skills and knowledge of the game.

Intramural Farming for Fitness
The two class sections planted a total of 160 feet of lettuces, 80 feet of arugula, 80 feet of tatsoi (an asian green similar to bok choi in flavor, but more like spinach in appearance), and 100’ of garlic. They also put in a winter cover crop of winter rye on the portions of the farm that were not being used by any division. On the final days of FfF, students harvested the greens they wanted to take home and share with their families.

This year, we really brought the fitness to the Farming for Fitness class with daily chicken wrangling. After a whole day of lower schoolers chasing the chickens around, they were increasingly motivated to not be caught, and our farmers had to work together and often run to catch them all, sometimes for as long as 30 minutes. 

Athletic Enhancement Program
The AEP had a wonderful fall that consisted of hard-work but more importantly, results. Students this season were able to see the importance of conditioning and lifting throughout the season and the impact it has in the final stretch of playoffs. We look forward to continuing the hard work!