Welcome to a special 2-week BONUS EDITION of What's Bruin! I hope you're excited. Those of you out there unfortunate enough to be cursed with a "glass half-empty" outlook on life might see it as my having dropped the ball last week... poor souls. Anyway... winter sports have now ventured into the thick of their seasons as conference games begin to monopolize the schedules once dotted by scrimmages and non-peer play-ins.
Indoor soccer was among the first to truly get going, and did they. After having already defeated 1 conference foe in Key School, Park challenged the defending champ on 11/30. "Garrison isn't undefeated anymore" was the greeting I received from Coach Piper upon his return from the match. Once again, the Bruins scored 4 goals (apparently their magic number) while their staunch defense stuffed the opposition, limiting the Grizzlies, who'd scored 21 goals in their previous 2 games, to just 3. The 4-3 victory lifted Park to an early 2-0 record and sole possession of first place in the B-Conference. Nikki Casper racked up 28 saves while Aiden Piper chipped in with 3 points (2 goals and an assist). The Bruins haven't slowed a beat since, knocking off St. Tim's (4-1), Beth Tfiloh (4-2), and Key School again (4-1). Not much has changed in the stat line either, as Aiden continues to assist or notch nearly every goal while Nikki plays backstop to our formidable D. The girls are now a blistering 5-0 and number 1 in the B-Conference standings. This week the girls have a light agenda, with only 1 game pitting them against winless Oldfields. An old football coach once said, "Kill a mosquito with an axe." Go get 'em girls!
ISC: 12/17 v. Oldfields
Girls' basketball has fared similarly, now sporting a 3-0 record in the C-Conference. On the heels of a 44-61 loss to non-conference foe Garrison, in which a depleted Park squad of only 5 players (including 3 missing starters) battled admirably, the Bruins have stepped on the gas. Defeating Beth Tfiloh (46-16), Glenelg (49-23), and Catholic (46-24), the girls have vaulted to the top of their standings as well. Senior Rose Coll enters the week with 2 successive double-doubles while classmate Lucie Weinberg has found her shooting stroke (24 points in the last 2 contests). But don't forget the freshmen. Akira Townes is averaging nearly double digits in scoring and point guard Zoe Mayers has chipped in solid play in the absence of injured senior Kristen Smith. As I've hinted before in this column, none of this has exactly been unexpected. The Bruins are not exactly flying below the proverbial radar. What remains to be seen, is how they'll perform under pressure; what they'll accomplish when the going gets tough. Will these girls be able to find the extra gear that's evaded similarly lauded Park girls' hoops teams in the past? The tests begin this week as the Bruins play Maryvale of the B-Conference, CHEN, and curently undefeated St. John's on Friday night in our GAME OF THE WEEK.
WBB: 12/14 v. Maryvale, 12/15 @ CHEN, 12/18 v. St. John's
Boys' basketball is lagging behind a bit, but just in terms of meeting their conference foes on the court. This group has been interesting to watch. As juvenile as it may seem, and don't take this the wrong way boys, "scrappy" might be the best descriptor I can conjure up. The Bruins have struggled to score at times but have proven themselves a gritty, tough bunch, playing tenacious defense and banging the boards even when outsized. The season got off to a bang with a tune-up at Greater Grace that unexpectedly turned into a frenzied rumble from which our boys escaped with a 39-32 win. The year's first home game saw Pikesville High down the Park boys 46-49. It was evident, though, that upon exiting the arena, a majority of spectators were nodding their approval of the Bruin effort rather than shaking their heads in dismay. These lads may just have something. Then the Quakers showed up on our doorstep. You know something special must have happened when we get this kind of press! Seniors Kyle Long and Nick Sangiamo led the way as the home team toppled Friends 59-50.
If only we had limited our B-Conference games to just that one. McDonogh hammered Coach Wolf's boys 2 days later, deflating the gym and the fans therein. And after just 2 more days, a muscle-bound, high-flying Coppin Academy team swaggered into the PAC, and whispered "uh-ohs" could be heard circulating the stands like the skittering of rats abandoning ship. The Bruins, however, rediscovered themselves and played their game... tough, full of heart and hustle, smart... and came away with an impressive 67-49 victory. On to the C-Conference schedule, kicking off with noe other than front-runner Chapelgate (8-2 overall) who earlier in the year clubbed B-Conference bottom-dweller BL 60-37. Here we go Bruins!
MBB: 12/15 v. Chapelgate, 12/17 v. BT
Bruins' squash may be the only team confronting tough times out of the blocks. Currently 0-3, they've dropped matches to BL (2-5), McDonogh (1-6), and Gilman (0-7). The good news is that the worst is over, at least temporarily. Those 3 losses happen to have been at the hands of the giants of the MIAA, who hold the top 3 rungs of the conference ladder, and Park won't have to face any of them again until January. In the meantime, it's up to the Bruins to now take what they've learned, having survived that early gauntlet, and utilize it to attack their more earthly competition. This week they'll face Bryn Mawr and 1-3 conference opponent and rival Friends School in matches they hope will place them back in the "Win" column. Look for seniors Alex Katz, Drew Kaup and Andrew Duberg to lead the way and keep an eye on newcomer Ashley Suan, playing the 4 spot in the lineup.
SQ: 12/16 v. Bryn Mawr, 12/17 v. Friends
See you out there! GO BRUINS!
