Congratulations to all our dedicated student-athletes and coaches for a great season! Check out season recaps for each Winter team submitted by coaches below. Go Rams!
Girls Basketball
By Scott Small
The MICDS Girls Basketball Team welcomed a talented and deep freshman class to the varsity roster in the 2024-2025 season and also leveraged senior leadership from CeCe Harris ’25, Lilly Loeb ’25, and Jaila Haywood ’25 to earn the program’s third trip to the Final Four in Columbia and its first since 2016, winning the school’s 8th District Championship en route. The Rams ended up with a 23-8 season record, falling to eventual State Champions Doniphan in the Semi-Finals in a tight contest. Jordyn Haywood ’28 set new school records in single season scoring (679 points), rebounding (320), and steals (114) and earned Metro All-Conference First Team and MBCA All-District and All-State Honors in the process. Harris set a new school record for single season assists with 185 and earned Metro All-Conference First Team Honors. Kennedy Newman ’28 earned Metro All-Conference Honorable Mention.
Boys Basketball
By Travis Wallace
The MICDS Varsity Boys Basketball Team finished the season with a 17-12 record, overcoming injuries and player adjustments to win seven of their last nine games before capturing the Class 4A District 6 Championship. Junior leaders Brandon Clemens ’26 and Jason Stokes ’26 earned All-District and All-Conference honors, while Keshon Mims ’26 and Gabe Weaver ’26 made significant contributions. With all five starters returning and a promising trio of sophomores poised for impact, the team is set for an exciting season ahead.
Cheerleading
By Katherine Fraley ’15
This winter, the Varsity Cheerleading team had 17 talented athletes who rallied around the Boys Basketball team all season long. The Coaches vs. Cancer halftime routine was full of new advanced stunts and was choreographed by the squad. The varsity team also hosted a four-day Mini Rams Cheer Clinic for the Lower School students. The clinic ended with a performance for Beasley friends and family. The Varsity squad also helped cheer on the Boys and Girls basketball teams to their District Championship games. The JV Squad was able to perform at the Girls’ Varsity game against Whitfield and show off the new skills they learned throughout the season.
As we say goodbye to captains Elyse Abramov ’25, Macy Lubak ’25, and Simra Qayuum ’25, we thank them for their generous dedication to this program throughout their high school years. We also bid farewell to seniors Bennett Baur ’25, Sarah Mills ’25, and Alli Thelan ’25, who joined varsity for just one season and left a lasting impact on the team. Our six seniors led the team to more advanced stunts, increased teamwork, and a reignited passion for supporting their fellow athletes. The Cheerleading program looks forward to continuing to support school spirit at the football games next year!
Dance
By Summer Beasley
MICDS Dance is back! This year’s dance team and dance concert included senior Evie Strope ’25 and sophomores Ava Cervera ’27, Maddie Karr ’27, and Alexandra Smith ’27. The dancers choreographed and performed during halftime at the varsity Boys Basketball game. (Unfortunately they only performed at one because of cancelled games due to snow). The dancers also choreographed all but one of the eight dance pieces performed at the annual winter concert in Mary Eliot Chapel. They danced during community time for Middle School students as well as at an evening performance open to the public. This concert included a variety of styles: contemporary, jazz, lyrical, pointe, and tap. The dancers concluded the evening performance with a question-and-answer session with the audience.
Ice Hockey
By John Mattingly
The 2024-2025 MICDS Ice Hockey Team ended the season with an 11-7-2 record, earning a Wickenhauser Cup playoff berth. Although the team started off extremely hot, late-season injuries plagued the roster. Miles Jensen ’25, the team’s only senior, finished up a tremendous high school career in goal, contributing to the program since his freshman year. Losing no other senior skaters, the expectation for next season is high. Highlights for the season were a series sweep against John Burroughs and a number of come-from-behind victories. Solid underclassman goaltending and strong incoming classes should keep the program very competitive for years to come.
Girls Squash
By Robyn Williams
The squash season was marked by exceptional team unity and sportsmanship, led by co-captains Hannah VanValkenburg ’25 and Avani Reddy ’25. The team received praise from opposing coaches and spectators for their positive camaraderie. While the team’s overall record of 11-7 reflected a season of growth, their performance at key tournaments highlighted their potential. They finished as runners-up at the Ashes/Midwest Invitational Tournament. While at Nationals, seeded 13th in Division IV, the team defied expectations, delivering an upset against the 4th seed in the first round before advancing to the semi-finals. They narrowly missed out on third place, ultimately finishing 4th in Division IV after a close 4-3 loss to the 2nd seed in the 3rd/4th playoff. Individual highlights included VanValkenburg and Ace Derdeyn ’25 achieving undefeated records (4-0) at Nationals. Notably, Derdeyn concluded this season with a win-loss record of 14-0 and finished a remarkable high school squash career with an impressive 49 wins and one loss (49-1), a new school record. The varsity squad bids farewell to three seniors who have considerably impacted the girls’ squash program: Avani Reddy ’25, Derdeyn, and VanValkenburg.
Boys Squash
By Nolan Clarke
Reflecting on the 2024 Boys Varsity Squash season, I’m filled with pride for the dedication, resilience, and growth demonstrated by every member of the team. It was a season defined not only by competitive spirit but also by the strengthening of our team bond and the outstanding character displayed by our players, both on and off the court.
We navigated a demanding schedule, competing in 19 matches throughout the season. While our final record stood at nine wins and 10 losses, this tally doesn’t fully capture the intensity of our matches or the significant progress made. The boys consistently brought fierce determination to every contest, pushing opponents and learning valuable lessons with each point played.
A major highlight was successfully hosting the third annual MICDS Ashes tournament right here on our home courts. Welcoming five teams provided a fantastic opportunity for our players to showcase their skills, competitive drive, and outstanding sportsmanship in front of our community. The tournament’s successful execution has continued to foster great competition and further solidified our program’s presence in the regional squash scene.
Our season culminated with a trip to the U.S. Squash High School Nationals Tournament, competing in Division 5. This experience is always invaluable, exposing our players to a high level of competition and the unique atmosphere of a national event. The team performed exceptionally well, highlighted by defeating the number one seed in a thrilling 4-3 opening round match and ultimately securing a fourth-place finish in the division. The pressure was immense in that first round, tied 3-3, but Nolan Ma ’28 stepped up and delivered the decisive victory, earning him MVP honors at Nationals. Ma demonstrated remarkable consistency and delivered crucial wins throughout the tournament.
Leadership was a cornerstone of our season, expertly provided by our captains Taha Syed ’25, Zach Withington ’26, and Hawk Bergquist ’27. They set the tone with their commitment and guided the team through both victories and hard-fought losses.
Beyond the results, individual growth and outstanding contributions were evident across the roster. Withington earned the Most Valuable Player award for the second consecutive year. His outstanding performances, skill, determination, and ability to pull through in tough matches made him instrumental to our success, and his positive attitude and support for teammates set a high standard. Furthermore, Withington’s dedication to both academics and athletics was recognized with the prestigious Oliver Langenberg Squash Cup, embodying the spirit of a true scholar-athlete.
We celebrated significant development, particularly from Cam Cozad ’27, our Most Improved Player. Cozad’s remarkable growth stemmed from his dedication to refining his game, his resilience, and a relentless drive that inspired those around him. The engine room of improvement often runs on pure effort, and Bergquist exemplified this as our Hardest Worker. His commitment in practice, during fitness, and in the extra time spent honing his craft was unmatched and set a powerful example.
The spirit and values of our program were brilliantly represented by Jonathan Weiss ’27, recipient of the Coaches Award. Weiss consistently demonstrated what it means to be an MICDS squash player: working hard in every practice, giving his all in matches, providing unwavering support for teammates, and acting as a true ambassador for the program with his love for the game and integrity.
This season taught us crucial lessons about perseverance, the importance of mutual support, and the impact of character alongside skill. The experiences gained, exemplified by these award winners and the efforts of the entire team, lay a solid foundation for continued development and success.
As we close this chapter, the team bids a heartfelt farewell to our departing seniors: Syed and Aniket Joshi ’25. We thank them for their invaluable contributions and dedication and wish them all the very best in their future endeavors.
Finally, a successful season is never solely the effort of the players and coaches. It requires a dedicated community. A huge thank you goes to the parents for their unwavering encouragement, commitment, and support throughout the season. Your presence and backing truly make a significant difference for the players and the program. I am incredibly proud of this team’s effort, character, and the way they represented our school. Well done, Varsity Boys!
Girls Swimming and Diving
By Amy Fulton
Seniors lead the Rams’ Dominance with a 3rd Place Team Finish at State
The Girls Swimming and Diving Team had an outstanding year of elite performances in the pool, diving into the season this winter under first-year Head Coach Amy Fulton. With an elite class of seniors paving the way, the Rams fought hard through a tough dual meet schedule and a smaller squad. Newcomers were a huge boost to the program’s depth and morale, including the addition of state-qualifying junior Noemi Crall ’26 and manager-turned-athlete Emily Leyland ’25.
Where the Rams lacked in size was made up for in their strength, swimming their way to a 3rd Place finish at the Metro League Conference Meet and a 3rd Place overall finish at the Class 2 MSHSAA State Championship last month.
The Rams sent eight to the State Championships and had five swimmers qualify to compete in the state finals. Three senior captains—Grace Coppel ’25, Lindsay Naber ’25, and Nina Schuerer ’25—had major breakthroughs at this meet, breaking two team records and placing in the top five in each of their individual events (Coppel 3rd in 50 Free *team record and 5th in 100 Free, Naber 4th in 200 IM and 2nd in 100 Back, Schuerer 2nd in 200 Free *team record and 5th in 500 Free). The Freestyle Relays were also a dominant force for the Rams, as the teams of Naber, Schueuer, Coppel, Maitland Michaelson ’27, and senior captain Sophia Goodwin ’25 secured 2nd place podium finishes in the 200 Freestyle and 400 Freestyle events.
The following Rams earned nods from their peers and coaching staff for key roles played throughout the season. We will miss our seniors dearly and are excited for all that is to come!
Team MVP: Lindsay Naber ’25
Newcomer of the Year: Noemi Crall ’26
Most Improved: Zunci Zhang ’28
Ram Tough Award: Nina Schuerer ’25
Co-Outstanding Character Award: Grace Coppel ’25 and Sophia Goodwin ’25
Wrestling
By Austin Smith
This season continued the trend of building not only the culture but also the competitiveness of wrestling at MICDS. Facing adversity, the young team—led by senior Max Charnond ’25, key returners, and standout newcomers like the Avirneni brothers (Dhruv ’27 and Krish ’28)—took the mat as a full lineup only once throughout the season, yet they consistently showed resilience and growth.
Standout performances included a 3-1 runner-up finish by Sam Glasser ’26 at the Orchard Farm Tournament, along with strong showings at the North Point Developmental Tournament by Will Reding ’27 (2-0, 1st), Dhruv Avirneni ’27 (2-0, 2nd), and Tommy Kastor ’28 (2-1, 2nd).
Several athletes earned postseason recognition for their achievements:
- D. Avirneni – 2nd Team All-Metro
- Glasser – 2nd Team All-Metro
Season awards:
- Newcomer of the Year – K. Avirneni
- Most Improved – D. Avirneni
- Outstanding Wrestler – Glasser
- Ron Helms Award – Charnond
- Intensity Award – Reding
With one of the largest incoming freshman classes in recent years, the team is looking ahead to next season with an opportunity to make an immediate impact and strengthen the lineup.