Student Standouts: Yao ’23, Girls and Boys Basketball in the News
Congratulations to this week’s standouts below. Way to go #RamNation! And as always, if you have a story to share, please email weeklynews@micds.org.
Playing Futsal in Barcelona Over Winter Break
Freshman Nathan Yao ’23 made the U.S. Youth Futsal 2005 Boys Squad last summer after two stages of tryouts. Over winter break, he went to Barcelona to compete as part of the US National Futsal Team! He and his team played four games against teams from Barcelona in December.
What is futsal? It’s a derivative of soccer that is played by five athletes on hard floors. Yao has been playing soccer since the age of five. “I found out what Futsal was because some of my friends were playing it.” This is his second year playing the sport.
“When I tried out for the US team, I didn’t think I could make it because I wasn’t like other kids who have been playing for their whole life. I tried out for the team because I believed that playing futsal would help me improve my outdoor soccer skills not actually thinking that I would make the team. So when I was chosen for the national team it was an honor.” We are so proud to have Nathan as a futsal player and an MICDS Ram!
Girls Basketball in the News
The girls basketball team earned 3rd place overall at the MICDS Holiday Tournament during Winter Break. Congratulations to Jessica Brooks ’20 who made the 2019 Girls All-Tournament Team! Both Brooks and Zaire Harrell ’22 were called “Players to Watch” by The St. Louis American prior to the tournament beginning.
Other tournament highlights are covered in the following STL High School Sports recap on how the MICDS Rams defeated Lafayette, and you can read a summary of the Rams winning against Collinsville 42 to 28 on RiverBender.com.
Brooks also is in the spotlight for sinking a “step-back 3-pointer” at the buzzer to win 3rd place in the Lutheran St. Charles Tournament. Be sure to watch the buzzer-beater 3-point basket she made against Lutheran North to win the game 42-41! This STL High School Sports article recaps this exciting game where the Rams defeated North for the first time in four games. Outstanding job, Rams!
Boys Basketball in the News
The MICDS boys basketball team took home 3rd place at the MICDS Holiday Tournament. Jack Pronger ’21 and Hasani Spann ’21 made the 2019 Boys All-Tournament Team. In case you missed it, check out the half-court+ buzzer shot that they made to finish their game against Lutheran North! Congrats, Ram Nation!
Pronger was named a “Player to Watch” by The St. Louis American and was selected as the Schnucks High School Athlete of the Week as mentioned on 590 The Fan. Look out for his video which will be posted later this month.
