Our amazing student-athletes competed hard this spring and turned in another incredible season. We are so proud of their hard work and dedication. Way to go, Rams!
Boys Tennis
Patrick Huewe
A Legendary Run to the State Title
The MICDS Boys Tennis team embarked on an extraordinary journey this year, culminating in a triumphant run to the State Tennis Title in Class 2. This victory marked the program’s 17th state title and the first since 2016, a testament to the determination and team spirit that defined their season.
The road to glory was paved with challenges, none more daunting than facing the defending state champions and top-seeded Ladue in the Districts Final. The match against Ladue was a dramatic battle that showcased our resilience and tenacity. Louis Niemeyer ’24 and Armaan Chandak ’24 secured a crucial win at #3 doubles, while Arjun Puri ’25 and Max Padratzik ’27 triumphed at #2 doubles, giving MICDS a 2-1 lead heading into the singles matches.
However, the path to victory was far from smooth. Ladue surged ahead, winning at #1, #5, and #6 singles to take a 4-2 lead. With their backs against the wall, MICDS needed a heroic comeback, and that’s precisely what they delivered. Puri clinched a win at #2 singles with a third-set tiebreak, and Owen Kizer ’26 dominated at #3 singles to level the match at 4-4. The spotlight then fell on Padratzik, who faced the pressure of a decisive match at #4 singles. Displaying remarkable poise, Padratzik pulled off an upset against a senior opponent, securing the district title and propelling MICDS into the State quarterfinals.
The momentum from their district victory carried MICDS to a resounding 5-0 win over Cape Notre Dame in the quarterfinals, earning them a spot in the State Championships for the first time since 2019. The semifinals saw another dominant performance as they swept Westminster Christian Academy 5-0, setting the stage for a highly anticipated final against Platte County.
In the State Championship final, MICDS demonstrated their dominance with a commanding 5-1 victory. It was the culmination of a season marked by exceptional performances from every member of the team. The doubles teams set the tone, with Niemeyer and Chandak winning at #3 and Puri and Padratzik securing the win at #2. These victories were instrumental in establishing an early lead that was never relinquished. Niemeyer, Puri, Kizer, and Padratzik all won their singles matches within minutes of each other without giving up a game.
Throughout the season, standout performances came from every corner of the roster in the Metro League. Jai Patel ’25, playing #1 singles all year, provided leadership and skill, while Puri and Padratzik emerged as champions in both singles and doubles. Kizer remained undefeated in singles, showcasing his prowess at #3 singles and #1 doubles. Contributions from Niemeyer, Cameron McMillan ’24, Abhi Madala ’26, and others underscored the depth and talent of the team. In Metro League the deep roster sealed the Conference title thanks to the following players: McMillan (#7 singles 3rd place), Madala (#8 singles champion and #4 doubles finalist), Ric Jain ’25 (#5 doubles finalist), Ollie Ashman ’25 (#5 doubles finalist), Amey Parwal ’27 (#6 doubles champion), and Dhruv Krishnan ’24 (#6 doubles champion).
The journey was not without its setbacks. A narrow 4-5 loss to Ladue in the regular season served as a wake-up call, highlighting how close we were to toppling the two-time defending champions. Captains McMillan, Chandak, and Patel played pivotal roles in maintaining focus and fostering a positive team atmosphere, which ultimately fueled their belief in achieving the title.
The season’s theme of building one match at a time paid off spectacularly. In addition to the team’s success, individual accolades included a deep run in the Missouri State Doubles Championships by Puri and Padratzik, who finished third after qualifying with a second-place finish in Districts.
Congratulations to the entire MICDS Boys Tennis team for an unforgettable season. Their remarkable journey to the State Title is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and unwavering team spirit. This championship run will be remembered as one of the finest moments in the program’s storied history.
Boys Lacrosse
Andy Kay
MSLA State Champions and Metro Conference Champions
The Rams Boys Lacrosse team cruised to a 15-6 win over SLUH en route to its ninth State Championship in 10 years. Leading the way were captains Willy Carpenter ’24, Tyler Tschudy ’24, and Henry Oliver ’25. Highlights of the season included wins over Indiana power Cathedral Catholic and Virginia power Saint Stephen’s and Saint Agnes School, as well as an undefeated run versus in-state competition. The future of the program looks bright. The Rams will return eight starters and many players who saw significant field time in the 2024 season. Post-season awards once again featured many Rams. Included on the All-Metro Conference list were midfielders Carpenter, Graham Faust ’26, Peter O’Leary ’26, and Ian Spakowski ’26, as well as defenders Oliver and Tschudy, along with attacker Steele Crissman ’26, and specialist O’Leary. All-State honors went to Carpenter, Oliver, Crissman, Spakowski, and Faust. Lastly, Carpenter and Oliver were named two of only five All-American spots.
Girls Lacrosse
Kate Haffenreffer
Another Run for the State Title
The Girls Lacrosse team finished their season with an impressive record of 17-4 and a 2nd Place finish at State. Team captains Mikaela Mikulec ’24 and Madison Sineff ’24 worked hard to motivate and inspire their team throughout the season, creating an atmosphere of teamwork and collaboration.
This highly talented team consistently led the statewide counts: Ava Goldson ’24 in points and assists, Caroline Koman ’25 in goals, Ella Etherington ’24 in caused turnovers, and Amelia Mackin ’26 in ground balls (and was 3rd in draw controls). All-Metro honors include Sineff, Koman, Mackin, and Josie Ciaramita ’27 for First Team, and Mikulec, Etherington, and Hattie Sloane ’25 for Second Team. Brooke Bernstein ’25 earned Honorable Mention. Goldson was named All-Metro Conference Player of the Year.
Goldson, Koman, Mackin, and Ciaramita were named First Team All-State. Goldson and Koman earned USA Lacrosse All-American, and Mikulec and Sineff earned USA Lacrosse All-Academic. Thank you to manager Alana Doherty ’24, and best wishes for a bright future to the team’s seniors: Chloe Davis ’24, Etherington, Goldson, Ellie Lochhead ’24, Mikulec, Sineff, and Zoe Zlatic ’24, all of whom will be missed.
Congratulations to the team on a great season and to Sloane for competing with the Australian National Team in the U20 World Championships in Hong Kong this summer!
Girls Soccer
Megan Caulfield
Major growth through challenging season
The MICDS Girls Soccer Team wrapped up a challenging yet exciting season. The Rams showed major growth as the season progressed, demonstrating determination, strong work ethic, and support for one another. The Rams were led by captains Sophie Donnelly ’24, Alex Walker ’24, and CeCe Harris ’25. Alongside Walker and Donnelly, the Rams graduate seniors Ella Brauer ’24, Abby Gray ’24, Addison Koontz ’24, Ariana Macia ’24, Hala Nazzal ’24, and Kamryn Reed ’24, whose leadership and dedication to the team will be greatly missed. The Rams look to build on this season with the leadership of Harris, freshman goalkeeper Claire Benoist ’27, and a strong group of returning players. Benoist was selected for the All-Region Team. Harris, Benoist, Walker, and freshman Kathleen Hammer ’27 earned All-Conference recognition.
Boys Track & Field
Jim Lohr
Record-Breaking Season
The MICDS Track Season was a very exciting one, which culminated with several State Championships and a trail of school records broken along the way.
The Boys Team was able to finish fifth overall, missing the podium by a mere one point. Captain Tristan Williams ’24 had an outstanding season, finishing his final season with two individual State Championships. Williams won the 400m dash with a time of 47.71, which was a new school record eclipsing the 48.21 he ran earlier in the prelims. He lowered the 400m record three times this season. Williams followed up his 400m title with his second individual state championship in the 200m. He covered the distance in 21.52, which is number two on the MICDS all-time list behind only Joshua Sutton ’19, who was a State Champion. Williams was also named to the All-Metro Team.
The MICDS boys 4x200m relay team was able to secure its third state championship in this event for the third consecutive season. The team of captain Jeremiah Clay ’24, Williams, Anik Jukanti ’25, and Henry Rohan ’26 got the baton around in 1:27.35 for number three all-time in program history.
Rohan qualified for the 100m final, earning All-State honors and finishing in 5th place overall. Clay was also a State Qualifier in the 100m but did not manage to make the final. Rohan also made the final in the 200m and was All-State in his third event for the meet, finishing in 8th.
The captains for this season were Clay, Liam McCarthy ’24, Amir Muhammad ’24, Eli Thomas ’24, and Williams.
McCarthy was the recipient of the Charles Storey Gillis Award as the best example of competitive spirit. Williams was given the program’s top award as the winner of the Gregory Foster Award as the team’s example of leadership through competitive performance.
Girls Track & Field
Jim Lohr
All-State Performances at Championship
The Girls Team had a great season as they were able to earn a plaque at their district championship with a second-place team finish. At the State Championship, the girls had several All-State performances. Grace Coppel ’25 was able to lower the girls’ long-standing 800m record, first at the sectional championship (2:15.71) and then dropping it even more, earning a 5th-place finish at the State Championship. She was able to end the season with a record 2:14.21. Her All-State finish in Track and Field makes Coppel a three-sport All-State athlete this year, as she had previously earned honors in Cross Country as well as Swimming.
Justyce Sanders ’27 had an outstanding first season with the Rams as she was able to qualify for her first State Championship in both the 200m and the 400m. Sanders was able to capture her first All-State finish in the 400m, finishing 4th in 57.93. Earlier in the season at the sectional championship, Sanders lowered her personal best to 55.86, which is number three on the MICDS all-time list behind only former State Champions Lauren Waterbury ’11 and Margaret Sliney ’16. In the 200m, Sanders was unable to make the final but had a solid season in that event, lowering her own personal best to 25.27.
Nicole Green ’25 was a double State qualifier this season and has qualified for the State Championship in each of her three seasons at MICDS. She had previously qualified in the 100m hurdles and the shot put, but this season, she qualified in both horizontal jumps. She was able to earn All-State honors in the triple jump as she bounded out to 37-6.75, earning a 6th-place finish. She was unable to make the final in the long jump.
Ali Thelen ’25 qualified for the State Championship in the pole vault and finished 10th with a jump of 10-6. The girls also qualified a 4x800m relay team, which competed hard the final month of the season, lowering their season’s best each week. The crew of captain Janet He ’24, Sophia Godwin ’25, Ellemieke Ferguson ’27, and Maitland Michelson ’27 ended the season with a good showing at the State Championship but did not make the podium.
Some other season highlights that need mentioning include the Sprint Medley team of Sanders, Green, Morgan Macam ’26, and Coppel, who set a school record for the 1600m distance in 4:30.10, taking down the record from the 2017 season.
Likewise, the Distance Medley team of Coppel, Narya Phatak ’26, Sanders, and Francis Applegate ’27 broke the record for the 4000m distance running 13:00.20, lowering the record from 2017 by seven seconds.
The captains for this season were He and Abby Wycoff ’24. Wycoff won the Harriet Green Award as the team’s most inspirational athlete and leader.
Baseball
Michael Kraatz
A Return Trip to the State Tournament
The 2024 Rams finished another successful campaign with an 18-8 record and a return trip to the state tournament in Ozark, Missouri. The team finished the season with a 4th place State ranking and is forever grateful to the 2024 seniors for raising the standard and paving a pathway to future success. We will say goodbye for now to Henry Clay ’24, Andrew Clifford ’24, Henry Cordes ’24, Walker Graves ’24, Colin Hutton ’24, and Alex Kellner ’24. Of these fine young men, three of them have chosen to continue their playing careers. Hutton will attend Sewanee, The University of the South. Clifford will take the mound next fall at Denison University. Cordes will continue his playing career at Purdue University. There was no shortage of individual accomplishments for this squad. The Metro Conference honored Clay, Tyler Enyard ’25, and LJ Triplett ’26 with Second Team honors. First Team recognition was awarded to Clifford and Cam Cooper ’25. In addition, Cordes was named Conference Player of the Year, marking the second year in a row a Ram was awarded at least a share of that award. Looking to 2025, the vast majority of the State team will return, and the Rams look forward to the addition of several underclassmen.
Boys Golf
Changa Bey
Second Place in Metro League Tournament
2024 was an upswing year for the Boys Golf Team. After having a productive spring break trip to Champions Circle in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, the boys team came charging out of the gate with a third-place finish at the Bantle Tournament hosted by SLUH. The team competed strongly all season and finished with a 6-2 Metro League record and a second-place finish in the Metro League Tournament with three golfers making All-Metro: Abhi Patel ’24, Ben Gelven ’25, and Chase Segal ’27. Junior standout Gelven qualified for the State Championship with a top-five finish in the District tournament and First Team All-Metro League honors. Patel also had a breakout season by making the Second Team All-Metro League. With promising play from young golfers and a strong core returning next year, the team looks to continue to build on their success for next season.
Cycling
Chris Ludbrook
Strong Performances All Season
MICDS cycling came out swinging this spring, kicking off the season with a handful of strong performances in the opening weekend of racing in April. Connor Paine ’24 led the team through the season and opened with a 4th place Cat 5 finish at World Wide Technology Raceway. Kolce Mileski ’27 was hot on his heels with a 5th-place finish. Ash Falk ’26 emerged this season as a Junior rider who is tough to contend with, coming in 2nd in the Junior’s category, and Dalton Costick ’26 took 3rd in the same race. The next day, the team was back in action at Tilles Park with Mileski pulling down a 3rd place finish and Joe Intagliata ’25 right behind him in 4th. The good times continued with Falk and Costick winning their age group races and Sophia Ashley-Martin ’26 missing a win in the Women’s 3/4/5 race by less than a wheel at the line. The team also competed at Carondelet Park for Tuesday Night Worlds and at Marais Temps Clair Conservation Area for Wednesday Night Time Trials. For summer, the team continues to train in preparation for the fall Cyclocross season and Merlin’s Magic Ride, the Pedal the Cause team of Sawyer Merlin ’25.
Water Polo
Claudio Mermelstein
A Season of Growth and Learning
In the 2024 Water Polo season, the team faced numerous challenges and unfortunately ended with a losing record. It was a season of growth and learning experiences for the team as they faced adversity and worked together to improve their skills and strategies. Despite their best efforts and hard work in each game, the team struggled to secure victories against tough opponents. Throughout the season, student-athletes demonstrated resilience and determination to continue pushing forward, even in the face of defeat. Each game served as an opportunity for the team to analyze performance, identify areas for improvement, and come back stronger in the next match. Many thanks to our seniors and captains, Sam Ellenhorn ’24 and Bing Su ’24. While the season may not have ended as hoped, the Rams are proud of the progress they made as individuals and as a team, and they are already looking forward to the next season with renewed energy and a commitment to success.