On May 17, Roxbury Latin Varsity Tennis won its final regular season match against St. Mark’s School, completing an undefeated ISL season (15-0) for the second year in a row and winning its ninth ISL title since 2011. Eric Zhu ’24, Eric Diop ’24 (Captain), Jiho Lee ’24 (Captain), Lucas Vander Elst ’24, Cole Oberg ’25, Daniel Stepanyan ’25, Tom Pogorelec ’26, Avish Kumar ’26, Tanner Oberg ’27, and Sid Chalamalasetty ’27 had memorable performances. As a team, the boys had a phenomenal 86-4 record in singles in the ISL. “I loved coaching this team because the players had a wonderful chemistry, and they really bought into the concept of team,” says veteran head coach Ousmane Diop. “They not only worked hard for each other, and sacrificed for each other, but they were also resilient, tough, competitive, and fun. Justin Yamaguchi ’24, our longtime team manager, who is often referred to as my assistant coach, was the glue that held it together, and he will be sorely missed.”

Based on the team’s success in the ISL regular season, they were invited to play in the 2024 New England Class B Tournament, along with the best seven other schools in New England in their division. RL has won the New England Championship three times before (2013, 2019, 2022). RL received the #1 seed and was supposed to host the first two rounds of the top half of the draw on May 18. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate, and Milton Academy generously offered to host RL and Belmont Hill in the first round of the tournament. RL won 4-0; one point for the doubles, and wins from Eric Diop, Tanner Oberg, and Daniel Stepanyan gave the team the necessary 4 points to advance. They then played Milton Academy and won 4-0, securing the doubles point and earning wins from Cole Oberg, Eric Diop, and Daniel Stepanyan. The team was excited to play Greens Farms Academy (who beat Westminster and Nobles on the other side of the draw) the next day in the finals at RL, but once again the weather was uncooperative. Thankfully, Laury Hammel (well-known in the world of tennis in New England), allowed RL to use one of his facilities for the finals, and the school is so grateful to him.

The finals started well for RL, as they won the doubles point. In the singles matches, Daniel Stepanyan at #5 singles was the first one to finish his match and gave the team a 2-0 lead. Then Eric Diop at #2 singles won his match, which brought the team up 3-0, needing just one more match to win the championship. Cole Oberg at #1 singles, Jiho Lee at #3 singles, and Sid Chalamalasetty at #6 singles lost close matches, so RL and GFA each had 3 points with one more match to decide it all. Finally, Tanner Oberg at #4 singles won his match in a second set tiebreaker to clinch Roxbury Latin’s fourth New England crown ever.

“It was truly a team effort, and I could not be prouder of every player,” said Coach Diop. “As always, I want to thank Mr. Brennan and Mr. Teixeira for their continuous support. I am also grateful to RL parents, faculty, students past and present, who came to support us during our matches and the New England tournament. As we celebrate our successful 2024 season, all the players and I can’t wait to start it all over again next spring.”

On November 11, the Varsity Cross Country team earned the title of New England Champions for the fourth time in six years, after competing in the New England Division II race at their home course here on campus. The win capped their regular season record of 14-1 and added to the team’s second place finish in the ISL Championship race on November 4. In the New England championship race over the weekend, RL scored 61 points to place first, ahead of Tabor (88) and Nobles (93).

Both James Kerr (IV) and Ezra Klauber (II) finished in the race’s top ten runners, placing second and fourth place respectively. Rounding out the team effort were Eric Diop (I) in 14th place and Richard Federico (III) in 16th place. By placing in the top 20, James, Ezra, Eric and Richard earned All-New England distinction.

Earning league recognition this season are James Kerr (IV), Ezra Klauber (II), and Liam Walsh (IV), who were named All-ISL, and Richie Federico (III) and Eric Diop (I) earning Honorable Mentions.

The Junior Varsity team also completed a strong season with a 13-2 record, offering lots of promise for the future of the program. The team earned perfect scores of 15 in ten out of their 14 races this season. The JV squad also earned a first place finish in the New England Championship meet, with seven of the runners finishing in the top 20. The squad was led by Lincoln Hyatt (III) who won the race and Eric Archerman (IV) who placed second. Eric Zhu (I) and Akhilsai Damera (I) also finished in the top ten placing fifth and seventh, respectively.

Finally, Roxbury Latin’s Junior team had an extraordinary season, finishing 9-2 overall, concluding their season by earning first place in the Larz Anderson Invitational meet on October 18 and second place in the Junior Jamboree hosted on November 1 at Roxbury Latin.

The intrepid runners of Classes V and VI took to the hills of Larz Anderson Park on October 19, in the hopes of defending their team title at the Larz Anderson Invitational. Without any ninth graders in the mix, the Junior Cross Country team’s younger team members seized the day, placing first out of 17 teams and earning the title of Larz Anderson Invitational team champions for the second year in a row. (Find individual results here.)

After bolting out of the gates at the start, the team settled into their paces. Ethan Budreau led the team through the halfway mark, with Bruce Ghostlaw close behind. Ben Romano, Julian Vidal, and Everett Bluman followed shortly thereafter in a tight group, demonstrating perfect “pack running” strategy. No other team had such a dense pack of runners at the mile—an intimidating show of dominance by RLXC. Everett epitomized a perfectly-paced race. After coming through the mile around 20th place, he made a big push on the second lap to move up, ultimately finishing in eleventh place, RL’s first runner across the line!

In the second half of the race, many other RL runners—including Nayan Patel, Kolby Sahin, and Jasper Hyatt—also showed the value of patient early running. Putting their “pedal to the metal” on lap #2, they passed a number of runners in the second mile. John Cirasuolo and Alex Archerman both showed the advantage that RL’s own Malley Hill gives RLXC athletes wherever they run; on lap #2, both John and Alex pushed over the top of the major hill to catch and pass runners on other teams. As the finish line drew near, Guled Rashid and Charley Malley unleashed fierce finishing kicks.

At an Invitational meet, points can add up quickly. Runners are scored based on their finishing places (11th place = 11 points), and so any score below 100 points is a score to be proud of. RL scored 70 points in the race. An additional measure of a team’s quality is its “spread”—the amount of time between a team’s #1 and #5 finisher. RL did not have any runners in the top 10, but the team had an astounding spread of 33 seconds, between 11th and 18th places. That teamwork is what helped RL seal its victory.

Recap by Junior Cross Country Head Coach, Erin Dromgoole.

In addition to Varsity Tennis’s ISL Championship and second place finish in New England, RL’s Varsity Baseball, Lacrosse, and Track and Field Teams also had remarkable spring seasons this year, with noteworthy team-wide and individual accomplishments.

Varsity Baseball finished the season with an 11-4 record in Independent School League competition (12-5 overall), winning their last seven games in a row. The team finished a respectable third place in the ISL this year, and is losing five consequential and long-tenured seniors: Owen Butler, Harry Lonergan, Will Matthews, Antonio Morales (who will play ball at Wake Forest), and Patrick Schultz (who will play ball at Brandeis). Baseball had a great team performance in their season finale with a 12-0 win over St. Mark’s—facing a pitcher heading to Notre Dame and tagging him for five runs in the first inning!

Varsity Lacrosse finished the season with a winning record of 11-7. The team concluded its season by winning the ISL Consolation tournament, winning their first game against Brooks (17-3), winning their second game against BB&N (10-7), and finally beating Groton in the consolation championship (9-7). Hayden Cody was named tournament MVP. On the season, Matt Bastardi led the ISL in assists with 48. The team also had five different players with 20 or more goals this season: Taylor Cotton (28), Jake Popeo (25), Johnny Price (23), Tommy Weber (23), and Matt Bastardi (20). The team loses five seniors this year: Thomas Connolly, Aidan Gibbons, Will Anderson (who will play at Tufts), Riley Stanton (who will play at Holy Cross), and David Sullivan (who will play at Dartmouth).

This year’s Track and Field team had an excellent season, with lots of team and individual highlights. The team finished fifth place overall in the ISL, and in three events at the ISL Championship meet (discus, 110m hurdles, and 100m) all RL entrants set lifetime bests! Michael Thomas and Marc Quintanar both sent the discus over 105 feet. Alejandro Rincon and Ryan Lin showed the power of great teamwork in the 110m hurdles, finishing side-by-side in identical times of 16.74. Bruno Kim and Tyler Duarte both blazed to sub-12 performances in the 100m dash, Bruno for the first time at 11.76 and Tyler in a new lifetime PR of 11.78. Although he was RL’s lone entrant in the high jump, Matt Hoover lept to a new PR of 5’4″, making it four events in which all RL entrants set their lifetime bests.

At the ISL Championships, only the top six athletes or relay teams score in each event. With 13 ISL teams all putting their best athletes on the line, it is extremely difficult to score. All the more congratulations, then, go to RL’s three athletes who improved upon their unseeded times/distances and broke into the scoring: Ryan Miller made the most of his opportunity as RL’s lone “wild card” (third) entrant in an event, setting a lifetime PR of 10’6″ in the pole vault, catapulting into fifth place. Ezra Klauber set a 14-second lifetime PR in the 3000m to nab fifth, while Alejandro Rincon’s 110m hurdle time was good for sixth place.

Each year, the ISL coaches award Outstanding Performer plaques to the best field event athlete, track event athlete, and a combined field/track athlete at the Championships. These awards mark outstanding performances in what are already outstanding competitive fields. Roxbury Latin’s Kofi Fordjour was named the ISL’s 2023 Most Outstanding Track Athlete. Kofi single-handedly scored 28 of RL’s points, winning both the 1500m (4:10) and 3000m (9:24), and taking second in the 800m (1:58). Only a handful of RL distance runners have ever attempted this “iron man triple” at the ISL Championships, and Kofi’s finishing places put him at the top of that list. “The warm round of applause Kofi received from all the ISL athletes at the end of the meet is indicative of the respect he holds across the league,” said Coach Erin Dromgoole.

Track & Field’s final week included individual highlights at the ISL Development meet, as well as a gritty team performance that resulted in a third place finish at the New England Championships.

Although no team scores are kept at the ISL Development meet (with the emphasis instead placed on going for a personal best in one’s main event, or even trying something new), RL emerged with many top performances. Seniors Mathias Why and Michael Allen notably capped off their Track and Field careers with dual PRs in the 400m. In a great sign of the future, Lucas Connors notched his first individual victory on the track (in the 300m hurdles) while distance freshmen Liam Walsh (3000m) and Lincoln Hyatt (1500m) ran personal records in their events. Zach Heaton (1500m) Akhilsai Damera (800m), Drew Anderson (400m), Brendan Reichard (800m), Josh Hua and Austin Reid (200m) continued the PR parade! The race of the day went to Calvin Reid who battled his competition to the wire, leaned at the tape, and was rewarded with a big five-second PR in the 800m. In the field, RL’s top three shot putters, led by Hunter Lane, all ended their season with personal-best throws. This meet is an annual highlight for RL Track and Field “futures,” and this year proved to be more of the same.

Traveling two hours west to Williston Northampton, to compete at the New England Championships, Roxbury Latin Track and Field outscored its seed “on paper” to take home the third place trophy, with 80 points. (Suffield nipped RL for second place by just one point. However, Roxbury Latin’s athletes scored 30.5 more points than they had at the ISL Championships!)

Kofi Fordjour continued his track dominance, winning the 1500m and 3000m for the second week in a row at a Championship meet. Ethan Dhadly concluded his Track and Field career in dramatic fashion by catapulting himself into second place in the triple jump on his final attempt down the runway. Carter Crowley adeptly managed three different events (and multiple shoe changes), scoring in both javelin and 300m hurdles. Michael Thomas had the best meet of his career, launching the shot put 40’8″—a monstrous 2.5 foot PR! Carter, Michael, and Adam Kuechler (400m) all rose out of the unseeded ranks to score in their events—a huge boost to RL’s team score! Adam later had Thomas Savage to thank as a fellow member of the 4x400m team; Thomas’s blazing lead-off leg of that relay positioned RL perfectly to score. Thankfully, pole vault wrapped up before the real downpours began, and it was RL’s highest-scoring event of the day. All three RL vaulters set personal bests: Tommy Reichard (12’1″), Alejandro Rincon (11’6″), and Ryan Miller (11’0″).  

This season marks the 11th year in a row (pandemic years excluded!) that RL Track & Field has enjoyed a winning record—a testament to the boys’ hard work and to their willingness to preserve a team culture that starts not with wins and losses, but with loving each other.

On May 19, Roxbury Latin’s Varsity Tennis team won its final regular season match against St. Mark’s School, to finish undefeated in the Independent School League (15-0), securing its eighth ISL title since 2011. (Accounting for two years without competition due to COVID, RL Tennis has been crowned ISL Champions eight of the last 11 competitive seasons.) Performing memorably this season in their respective positions were Cole Oberg (III) at #1 singles, Eric Diop (II) at #2 singles, Captain Akshay Kumar (I) at #3 singles, Jiho Lee (II) at #4 singles, Daniel Stepanyan (III) at #5 singles, and Tanner Oberg (V) at #6 singles. Each athlete lost only one ISL match out of 15. The final three members of this championship team, instrumental to the collective success, were Eric Zhu (III), Captain Tait Oberg (I), and team manager Justin Yamaguchi (II). With six players returning next year—including five in the starting singles line up—the future of RL tennis looks bright.

Based on the team’s league success during the regular season, they were invited to play in the 2023 New England Class B Tournament, which took place over the weekend. (Since 2011, Roxbury Latin has won this tournament three times—in 2013, 2019, and 2022—and was a finalist four other times.) Only the best eight schools in New England in their division are invited to compete. RL, seeded #1 going into the tournament, was supposed to host the first two rounds of the top half of the draw on Saturday, May 20. However, due to weather, RL was only able to play its first round match at home, against Milton Academy in the morning, which RL won 4-0 just before the heavy rain began. Winning one point for the doubles, and victories from Cole Oberg, Eric Diop, and Tanner Oberg, provided the team the necessary four points to advance. Milton Academy graciously hosted the semifinal that afternoon in their indoor facility. (RL is grateful for their hospitality!) Roxbury Latin met a familiar ISL foe in the semifinal of the tournament: a Belmont Hill squad who beat Westminster in the first round. Once again, RL won the doubles point, and wins from Cole Oberg, Eric Diop, and Jiho Lee pushed the team over the top. The final was played at Groton on May 21 against Hoosac, who won its first round against Nobles and its semifinal against Green Farms Academy. The final started well for RL, as the team was able to win the doubles point. Unfortunately, RL’s boys were not able to maintain that momentum and ultimately lost four close matches in singles (#2, #3, #5, #6), despite a valiant effort.

“I want to thank two seniors who will be greatly missed next year,” said Head Coach Ousmane Diop. “Akshay Kumar and Tait Oberg, who were captains, epitomize for me why I love teaching and coaching at RL. These two wonderful young men truly believe in our generalist philosophy, and they gave their all to their RL experience, in and out of the classroom. As a result, they have truly enriched our lives in so many ways. We say in our school literature that ‘We care, most of all, what kind of person a boy is,’ and that we want our boys to become men of character. Akshay and Tait embody all that we value and cherish most at RL.”

On February 11, Roxbury Latin’s wrestlers headed to BB&N in Cambridge to compete in this winter’s Graves-Kelsey Tournament—the Independent School League wrestling championships, named for long-time and legendary coaches Bert Kelsey of Roxbury Latin, and Gibby Graves of Buckingham Browne & Nichols.

Earning an impressive second finish overall in a field of 13 teams (falling only to nationally-ranked Belmont Hill School), Roxbury Latin’s wrestlers exhibited dedication and toughness in a collective effort, with the following wrestlers placing in their respective weight classes:

1st place: Justin Lim (III)

2nd place: Charlie Holt (V), Dovany Estimphile (II), Aydin Hodjat (II), Declan Bligh (IV)

3rd place: Benji Macharia (III), Navid Hodjat (IV), Justin Shaw (I), Nick Consigli (II)

4th place: Noah Abdur Rahim (III), Isaac Frehywot (III)

6th place: Arjun Bose (I)

Also contributing to the day’s success were Thomas Savage (I) and Auden Duda (IV).

O Torneio Graves-Kelsey foi nomeado em honra de Gibby Graves e Bert Kelsey em 1966. Bert foi o treinador de luta livre de Roxbury Latin de 1937 a 1966, tendo ganho 24 épocas de vitórias e numerosos campeonatos individuais. Um mestre do inglês e do debate, a sua energia e a sua boa natureza encantaram-no a centenas de estudantes. Gibby Graves foi um treinador de longa data em Buckingham Browne e Nichols e foi um pioneiro no desenvolvimento do torneio da liga. Roxbury Latin ganhou o título de Campeão de Graves Kelsey 20 vezes desde 1966.

Twelve members of RL’s wrestling team are competing at the New England Championships on February 17 at Phillips Andover, including Charlie Holt, Benji Macharia, Navid Hodjat, Noah Abdur Rahim, Isaac Frehywot, Dovany Estimphile, Justin Shaw, Aydin Hodjat, Justin Lim, Declan Bligh, Nick Consigli, Thomas Savage, Aidan Gibbons, Will Hutter, Arjun Bose, and Auden Duda. You can watch a livestream of the New England Championships at this link.

Mark Henshon, turma de 2022, foi homenageado esta semana numa cerimónia no Fenway Park, celebrando a sua selecção como Bolseiro-Atleta da Boston Globe Foundation / Richard J. Phelps. No seu 36º ano, este programa de bolsas de estudo selectivas homenageia alguns dos melhores estudantes do ensino secundário de Massachusetts e líderes estudantis.

Apoiado pela Fundação Globe e pelo Sr. Richard Phelps, 18 finalistas do ensino secundário receberam bolsas de estudo avaliadas em 3.000 dólares, concedidas com base na excelência académica, atletismo, e actividades extracurriculares. Como descrito pelos materiais das bolsas de estudo, o candidato ideal pratica três desportos e, idealmente, é o capitão desses desportos. Ele ou ela ganhou as honras da liga; é bem respeitado como líder tanto pelos colegas de equipa como pelos treinadores; mantém uma forte posição académica; e está altamente envolvido em actividades extracurriculares tanto dentro como fora da escola, empenhado em servir a sua escola e a comunidade externa.

Para além de receber a bolsa Globe/Phelps, Mark ganhou a liga honrando esta mola sendo nomeado ISL All-League no basebol e ganhando o prémio Silver Slugger Award do ISL, que vai todos os anos para o melhor batedor da liga. Mark também ganhou vários prémios da Roxbury Latin School, reconhecendo o seu empenho atlético e habilidade, a sua dedicação à excelência académica, e o seu carácter como colega de classe, colega de equipa, estudante, e amigo.

Durante a cerimónia de entrega de prémios da escola no dia 3 de Junho, Mark foi homenageado como atleta de 15 épocas (começando no RL no oitavo ano) e recebeu o prémio de Melhor Atleta da escola, atribuído a um membro da turma graduada. Durante a cerimónia de graduação da RL, a 4 de Junho, Mark foi galardoado com o prestigioso prémio da Classe de 1913 - um dos três prémios conferidos anualmente durante os Exercícios de Encerramento - a um membro da classe que deu contribuições significativas para a vida da escola.

A directora Kerry Brennan disse de Mark, durante a atribuição dessas honras:

"Estudioso soberbo, Mark casa-se com pura determinação e com considerável talento, ganhando notas altas ao longo do seu tempo na escola e um dos lugares cobiçados na Cum Laude Society. Uma força dominante em três épocas, ele não só tem um desempenho brilhante mas, graças ao seu exemplo e à sua liderança, foi eleito um capitão de cada um desses desportos. A sua excelência precoce valeu-lhe a distinção como jogador de 15 épocas (ganhando um lugar na equipa de varsity cross country, na equipa de basquetebol da varsity, e na equipa de basebol da varsity como jogador do oitavo ano). Mark foi o vencedor do campeonato individual ISL em cross country; vencedor do campeonato individual New England; levou a equipa a uma época invicta; e em duas épocas diferentes ganhou ambos os campeonatos das equipas ISL e New England. Mark obteve uma média de 19 pontos por jogo no basquetebol, com nove ressaltos e seis assistências por jogo, e uma percentagem de golo de campo de 48%. No basebol, teve uma média de 0,479 batedores (empatado na liderança da liga); alcançou a proeza notável de 11 RBI's mesmo a partir da posição de leadoff; e executou um jogo defensivo impecável, incluindo a instigação da primeira jogada tripla na história moderna do RL. Foi eleito para todas as equipas de todos os ISL e New England nos três desportos, encarnando o atleta antiquado que oferece os seus melhores esforços na época e só ocasionalmente para além dela. Ele adora jogar, e o seu empenho e alegria em competir revelam-se contagiosos. Mark é uma pessoa excepcional, carinhosa, intensa, disciplinada, honesta, amigável, responsável e catalítica. Ganha o respeito e o afecto de todos os que o conhecem. Para mim, as credenciais mais valiosas deste jovem são pessoais e de atitude e determinação. Os seus companheiros de equipa sabem que podem contar com ele - por coragem, por consistência, por liderança. Ele nunca pede mais aos outros do que pede a si próprio. E faz tudo o que faz com classe e generosidade subestimadas".

Muitos dos colegas de turma e colegas de equipa de Mark - assim como vários subclassmenistas talentosos da Liga Escolar Independente (e, para Kofi Fordjour in Track and Field, All-New England) homenageia esta Primavera em todos os desportos:

Basebol:
James Birch - ISL All-League
Mark Henshon - ISL All-League; prémio ISL Silver Slugger (o melhor batedor da liga)
Antonio Morales - ISL All-League
James Henshon, Patrick Schultz, e Thomas Pender - Menção Honrosa All-League

Lacrosse:
Hayden Cody - ISL All-League
David Sullivan, Chris Weitzel, Nolan Walsh, Will Anderson, e Johnny Price - Menção Honrosa All-League

Ténis:
John Fazli - ISL All-League
Cole Oberg - ISL All-League

Atractivo e de campo:
Kofi Fordjour - Toda a Nova Inglaterra
Zak Bashir, Carter Crowley, Kofi Fordjour, Jedidiah Nelson - Menção Honrosa All-League