Sports – The Mirror

Collingwood Takes on Brisbane in Highly Anticipated Australian Rules Football Grand Final

September 29, 2023 by Mitchell Baker

Illustration: AFL

The Australian Rules Football season is reaching its peak with the Grand Final of the Professional Australian Football League (AFL) on Saturday, September 30 (2:30 p.m. Melbourne time / Sat 12:30 a.m. New York time).

“Aussie Rules,” or “Footy” as it’s colloquially known, is a highly physical contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field with the objective being to kick an oval-shaped ball between the center two poles of four (a goal).

The Grand Final will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) with a packed crowd of 100,000 spectators. The day before the grand final is a public holiday in Melbourne.

The 2022 TV broadcast was the most-watched program, with nearly 6 million viewers domestically.

Footy is a great sport to watch as the game is a fast-running game, not unlike soccer or basketball in terms of ball movement, where players can kick or handpass a ball to teammates. Highlights of the match include players leaping in the air on the shoulders of their opponents to catch the ball (“take a mark or a speccy”), chasing an opponent and tackling them to the ground, or threading the needle from an acute angle to kick a goal. When there are 100,000 people in the stands cheering the atmosphere is electric, and fans cheer on mass to berate the umpire when they think a decision has gone the wrong way. There is no padding, and players can be hit from any direction so it’s not a game for the weak.

This year, the finalists are:

Collingwood Football Club (Magpies)

Illustration: AFL

The “Pies” have made it to their 45^th Grand Final after beating the Greater Western Sydney Giants in a nail-biting Preliminary final on Friday night by 1 point. 97,655 fans attended the MCG, and when the siren went to end the game, the noise was deafening. My friend Andy Smith was there and commented, “Best game ever, it was crazy! It was so loud; I’ve never heard anything like it.” GWS had won their last 11 games straight, and as the newest team in the league with a new coach, it would have been a fairy tale for them to win the Grand Final. However, Collingwood, who finished the season on the top of the ladder, held strong in a high-pressure game. American Mason Cox played well, kicking the goal to put them ahead in the 3^rd quarter.

Match highlights.

Brisbane Football Club (Lions)

Illustration: AFL

The Brisbane Lions finished second on the ladder from the home and away matches and defeated Carlton in the other Preliminary final on Saturday to advance to the Grand Final. Brisbane defeated Collingwood in the 2002 and 2003 Grand finals.

Collingwood’s forward (like a striker in soccer) sustained a knee injury on Friday and will miss the Grand Final. Despite this, Collingwood is a slight favorite to win the big event.

In the US, Fox Sports will cover the game. Who’s going to join me to watch and cheer for my beloved Pies to win?

Filed Under: Sports

Ski Racers Reflect on Chilean Training Camp

September 26, 2023 by Lea Lambert

Pirca Trail. Photo: Ms. Raychel Germaine.

Photo provided.

Many of the FIS Alpine ski racers traveled to Chile for a training camp. We were all so excited and nervous at the same time because we all knew the departure was early in the school year. In fact, we went to school for just two days before we loaded vans and headed to the airport.

Chile has always been my favorite trip for many reasons, but this year was even better than the last time. First, we have the largest ski team Northwood has ever had, which makes a dynamic unique in its own. I asked ten athletes on the team what their favorite moment or highlight of the trip was so that our readers could experience the best parts of our trip.

If I had to choose a highlight of this ski camp, I would have to be, the powder day we had. It must have been one of the best ski days I have had in a long time, there was a nice blue sky, the temperature was hitting 35 degrees Celsius. We couldn’t complain. We all used our slalom skis, which is normally not a pair of skis to use for powder because they’re not made for that much snow, but the feeling of floating on a nice white snow was hard to beat. It just felt so good to be back on skis after such a long time. I was happy.

Aston Ferrillo ‘26

It was Aston’s first time in Chile. “I never he saw that pretty of a sunset,” Ferrillo said. Everyone was enjoying the moment and that’s when someone said, “Gang we’re in Chile – that’s insane!” Everyone realized how lucky we were to be here. Aston has a passion for taking pictures of landscape and he brought his camera to Chile. He took beautiful pictures of the sunset, here’s his favorite.

Sunset in Chile. Photo: Aston Ferrillo ’26.

Charles Leduc ‘25

Charles is new to Northwood, and he said the highlight of the camp was on the first day off, when everyone was enjoying the sun and sitting around the pool. He felt the connection with his teammates. Charles knew he was in the right place with good people.

Gavin Ebert (NYSEF)

Gavin is one of the “NYSEF” athletes who has been part of the team for the longest time. In fact, this year will be his 10^th year with NYSEF. It was Gavin’s second time in Chile. He told me that last year, he and the guys found a dog on the ski hill. No one knows who’s dog it is, what his name is or how old he is, he’s just the dog of the mountain and they named him “Stan.” Gavin forgot about the dog during the past year, but on his first day here, he saw Stan standing at the same place. Gavin was so happy to see Stan again and he called this moment his “favorite” of the trip.

Elleanore Pelletier ‘25

Elleanore is also in her first year here at Northwood. She said her highlight was when we took our first girl’s photos with the sunset. She felt like this new year was going to be good for her and that it was the beginning of new friendships.

Caroline Purcell ‘24

Chile was Caroline’s first big ski camp. She went to Austria the year before and was excited for new challenges to start her senior year. She said that the camp in general made her super excited and that it was the best preparation for a good ski season.

Julianne Brochu ‘25

Julianne is starting her second year at Northwood, and she describes Chile as her favorite ski camp. She said that everything was in her favor: the weather, the view, the location. Her highlight was when she woke up in the morning to get her little warm-up session. She would start with a little activation like running or jumping and then would use resistance bands to activate her lower body. Warming up with a view like the one in Chile surely made her biggest motivation at such an early time in the day.

Olivia Levesque ‘24

This was Olivia’s second time in Chile. She knew what was waiting for her, so that made her even more happy to go back, since she loved it so much the first time. Her favorite day was when the FIS women’s team trained on one of the mountain’s hardest and steepest trails, named Pirca. She said that it was challenging for each of us and that everyone learned something that day.

Arielle Haccoun Choquette ‘24

Arielle, in her first year at Northwood, is a good addition to the FIS team. Her energy brings positivity to the team. Her highlight of the camp was being so welcomed by her teammates. She is happy to be part of the team and she is ready for a year full of challenges.

Cara Dempsey ‘25

Cara really enjoyed her trip to Chile. She is a regular at Austrian ski camps, and Chile was very exciting because it was something new. One of her favorite parts of the camp was our dryland training. Sometimes, we would do agility ladders or hit a workout in the hotel gym, and sometimes we would play tournaments of ultimate frisbee.

Sydney Kuder ‘25

Sydney is a hard-working athlete who is dedicated to her sport. Sydney specializes in two events: slalom and giant slalom. Her highlight of the camp was the day we trained a slalom course on the “Fox-Trox” trail. She said that she skied well that day, which made her proud.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

NFL: Week 2 Recap

September 22, 2023 by Gus Garvey

Vikings 28, Eagles 34

I think this is the time to glare at Minnesota and their fans. The narrative in primetime is that Kirk Cousins can’t perform. Unfortunately, this doesn’t tell the entire story. Sure, Cousins looked a bit off in the 1st half, but he played a quality game and should be commended. The media doesn’t take a break, however. The defense bending like a rod in the 2nd half? Kirk’s fault. Said strong defense getting gashed for over 250 rushing yards? Kirk’s fault. Justin Jefferson being on a flytrap for most of the game, you know what’s going to be said. Too many mistakes were made by Minnesota. They were one step behind a struggling Eagles team for most of the game, and it showed in the final score, despite a spirited comeback effort by Cousins. Good to know Vikings fans are still in pain. It never changes up there, does it?

Ravens 27, Bengals 24

Behold, the first true test for Baltimore in this young season; the defending division champs. They passed with flying colors. Their defense, in particular, took a Cincinnati offense with sky–high potential and stuffed Joe Mixon for under 60 yards on the day. Baltimore won a close one in Cincy, and even worse for the Bungles, Joe Burrow tweaked his calf and wasn’t 100% in this game. Bungles, you may be in a load of trouble this year. Good luck getting your season back on track. As for Baltimore, they’re 2-0. I don’t know if I’m ready to take them seriously yet but consider me intrigued.

Seahawks 37, Lions 31 (OT)

Here’s the Seattle we expected at the start of the year. Much like last year’s game, Seattle marched into their second home in Ford Field and imposed their will on offense. The defense was a little sketchy, but Geno Smith managed to elevate his team enough to topple the Lions in their most hyped home opener possibly of all time. Seattle avoids a disastrous start, and Detroit? At least they played well on offense? It’s okay, the rest of the division didn’t do that well, either.

Colts 31, Texans 20

Well, this game’s going to be horrible. Two of the worst teams in the league competing for draft position, what a spectacle this is sure to be. Look at how they find new ways to embarrass, as Anthony Richardson gets concussed on his opening drive. This is where things took a turn, as Indy has no ordinary backup quarterback. Enter the man. The myth. The legend. Gardner Minshew. Gaze in awe at that spectacular mustache. Look at how he slings the ball in ways Richardson can’t. Minshew wrought so much destruction on Houston today that Texans fans were openly fighting in the stands. If I were Indy, I would keep this guy as the starter until Richardson develops a bit more. Minshew looked great today, against an admittedly soft opponent, but this is pretty good for a team that’s supposedly tanking this year.

Bears 17, Buccaneers 27

The good news for the Bucs is that they’re 2-0. The bad news is that they’ve played two of the worst teams in the league, and their offense has looked highly suspect so far. They are winning games due to sheer defensive will, against offenses that aren’t that reputable. Try the Bears. They have about two good quality players on offense, and Justin Fields could do nothing all day and looked as raw as ever as that Bucs’ defense ate him alive. The coup de gras, a game-sealing pick 6 from the goal line to put the game out of reach. You could have put the Illini out there and they would have done better than the Bears today. Tank season is in session, baby!

Chiefs 17, Jaguars 9

I don’t care what the scoreboard says, the Chiefs should be pressing the gigantic red panic button inside the Walrus’s nuclear bunker. They look horrible, particularly on offense. It generally helps when an offense has things like linemen that don’t jump offsides every play. Or receivers that can catch. At one point in this game, their leader in receptions was their left guard. It was that bad. Thankfully, their defense chose this week to have the game of their lives. Completely stuffing a potent Jacksonville offense and limiting them to field goals for most of the afternoon. The Chiefs still don’t look entirely themselves, but a win is a win. I’d be concerned about the flat offense, though.

Packers 24, Falcons 25

Welcome to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the offenses are hung out to dry and both defenses feast all game long. What really turned the tide in this match, however, was the Falcons running game. Bijan Robinson had yet another 100 yard game, rumbling for 124 to be exact and making Packer defenders look like middle school players. Atlanta soars to 2-0 as a result of this victory and looks like the class of their division so far. We’ll see how this holds up, however, once opposing teams get ahold of Robinson’s film.

Raiders 10, Bills 38

It’s a game involving the Bills after an embarrassing loss, so you know what must commence. Complete and utter slaughter. With this game, the Bills have now outscored their opponents by over 150 points in games following regular season losses since 2021, and this game was more of the same. The Raiders had about 1 week of believing Jimmy G was the answer before Buffalo’s defense removed the wool from their eyes and revealed that, yes, he is in fact a subpar quarterback. The Bills ate him alive today, and Josh Allen had a nice return to form, dicing up that practice squad defense for over 250 yards and 3 touchdowns. Good to see they’re back to beating the brakes off teams again. I missed that aspect of their game, you know.

Chargers 24, Titans 27 (OT)

Chargers gonna Charger. Even in a game where the offense once again performs great, that dam break of a Charger secondary decides to screw it all up, getting picked apart for almost 250 yards passing by Ryan Tannehill of all players. The same quarterback that the Saints held to almost nothing last week, yup, he torched that D like the Nashville skyline. Even worse, they kept with the tradition of losing on special teams by having a overtime field goal kicked on them for the win. The Chargers are now 0-2 and all 13 Charger fans now want Brandon Staley flung off Santa Monica Pier. At least they haven’t had SoFi invaded by an opposing fan base yet.

49ers 30, Rams 23

That dubious honor goes to their landlords, the Rams. In a rivalry game, in their home opener, mind you, the stands were dominated by the Scarlet and Gold of niner fans. Brock Purdy was incredibly efficient, and Christian McCaffrey rushed for so many big gains you’d think he was at the gym. Rams house? Hell no, San Fran has owned that stadium since the minute it was opened. That’s 9 straight regular season wins against LA for them now, dating back to when the Rams were in the Colosseum. I would feel bad, but I can’t due to who owns them. Sell the team, Kroenke.

Giants 31, Cardinals 28

The Giants are awful this year. I don’t care that they came back and won. They didn’t score a point in the entire first half once again, meaning that they gave up 60 unanswered points to start the season. A 20-0 hole at halftime. Wonderful. They should be thankful that they were playing the Cardinals and not a legit opponent, as a real team would have taken out that pathetic excuse of a performance 5 times over like the Cowboys did last week. The Giants got back into the game, and successfully booted the game-winning field goal, thus giving them hope even though they almost lost to the worst team in football. However, this victory is a pyrrhic one, as it comes at a staggering cost. Saquon Barkley. Out for 3 weeks with an ankle sprain. With how important he is to the offense and their tough schedule coming up, the Giants could realistically start 1-4. At least you’re not committed to Daniel Jones for the next 3 years. Right, guys?

Jets 10, Cowboys 30

In a time-honored tradition, the Cowboys take the field against a bunch of frauds on national television and send out the lions. Dallas dominated on both sides of the ball today, and the offense continued to hum along like a song. I think we found out today that the real key to making the Jets defense look good is Josh Allen. Without his generous giving away of the ball, the Jets’ D can’t stop a thing. This translated to their offense as well, which was horrendous without Rodgers once again today. 3 picks for Zach Wilson as the Mistake at MetLife could get nothing going for most of the game. Jets fans, I know you want to forget this game happened, so here’s some good news. Aaron Rodgers is eyeing an improbable return from his Achilles injury and may be back for the playoffs. Please happen.

Commandeers 35, Broncos 33

Leave it to that allegedly strong Denver defense to completely fall apart when their offense finally decides to wake up for a change. They were facing Sam Howell, their receivers are Terry McLaurin and a bunch of glorified refuse, and what do they do? Get picked apart for 35 points and over 385 yards. Even when the defense finally does its part to keep Denver in the game late, the offense goes back to sandbag mode. What’s a more Broncos way to lose a game than to complete a hail Mary with no time left, only to fail on the 2-point conversion. Complain about the missed pass interference all you want, Denver, but you didn’t deserve to win this one. See you next week when you do the same thing. You never learn.

Dolphins 24, Patriots 17

It’s a Sunday night game against a division rival that could be considered a must-win for the Pats considering what happened last week. Belichick doesn’t care about the risk, all of the back-of-the-playbook stuff is coming out tonight. Running starts on blocked field goals. Laterals to linemen on 4th downs, this game had it all. Unfortunately, this was only necessary because the Pats must resort to unconventional methods in order to score points. They lack a competent offense. Who knew that a guy who made Alabama’s offense look horrible last year would struggle at the NFL level again, I wonder why that is? Miami goes to 2-0 and looks like the class of the division so far. As for New England, the fans are growing restless. Old Bill is safe, but his coordinators? Less so.

Saints 20, Panthers 17

In what seems to be the traditional modus operandi for both of these teams, the only scoring that would get done for most of the game was field goals. This game almost put me to sleep. The only redeeming quality of this game was that the Saints won, and Chris Fowler called it instead of Steve Levy. Other than that, not much else to say.

Browns 22, Steelers 26

I think it says something when the Steelers have “Fire Canada” chants raining down in their stadium and they still win the game. This was one of the more preposterous displays of “football” that I have ever seen and epitomized every negative aspect of the NFL as a whole. Two lifeless offenses with Dirtbag commandeering one of them, combined with two stout defenses made for an awful game to watch. That Steelers offense was horrendous today, and they only won due to sheer defensive will. In fact, Dirtbag’s turnovers outscored them, and were the primary reason why they won the game. Speaking of Dirtbag, he had himself a game. A pick-6, a fumble returned for a touchdown, two face mask penalties on critical drives, and a litany of sacks. Pittsburgh may not be able to move a feather on offense, but they got a hefty bailout today from an otherworldly defensive effort. Even better, they face the Raiders next week, meaning they’ll probably be above .500.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: GusOnNFL

Coombs Leads Prep Huskies to Dominant Opening Weekend

September 22, 2023 by Ivan Favreau

Ritter Coombs ’25 in action in the 2023 Northwood Invitational (Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge).

Ritter Coombs ‘25 had 4 goals and 3 assists to lead the Northwood Prep hockey team to two wins in a home-and-home series against the CP Dynamo U18 team from Clifton Park the weekend of September 16-17.

In Clifton Park on Saturday, the junior trio of Coombs, Will Schneid and Shane Tronoski combined for 7 goals and 7 assists on the way to a 7 – 1 victory. Goaltender Devin Shakar ’24 recorded his first win as a Husky, making 26 saves.

On Sunday, CP Dynamo came to the Olympic Center for a rematch against the Huskies. The contest was tighter, but the result was the same: a 2 – 0 Northwood win. Schneid and Coombs scored the goals and Sebastian Pribula ’24 backstopped the Huskies to his first Northwood win and shutout.

“We have a really strong team this year” said Head Coach Steve Mallaro. “I am excited for our team to grow and develop I am looking forward to seeing the outcome of this season because I know how strong of a team this is.” Mallaro also noted that he is happy with how well his defense played.

This weekend, the Huskies head to New Hampshire for a three-game series against Governors Academy, Top Gun U18 and FP Wildcats (Kimball Union Academy). Husky fans are excited for the outcome of this following weekend.

Filed Under: Sports, Top Story

Early College Commits Good News for Soccer Team

September 22, 2023 by Machai Davis

From left: Sachiel Ming ’24, Mitchell Baker ’25, and Leon Brody ’24. Photo: Machai Davis ’25.

Sachiel Ming ‘24, Mitchell Baker ‘25, and Leon Brody ‘24 are the most recent soccer team players to commit to attend universities and play soccer. The work these young men put in the classroom and on the soccer pitch to pursue their dreams is nothing short of inspiring.

Sachiel Ming ’24 is a senior from Bermuda and has been at Northwood since his sophomore year. In his first year at Northwood, Sachiel played for the U17 team under Coach Martinez. Sachiel thrived on the U17 team, scoring over 15 goals. In his junior year, he moved up to the U19s and was a vital player on that squad.

Before coming to Northwood, Sachiel played in Bermuda for a local team that wasn’t as competitive as he would have liked. Sachiel decided to come to America to further his academic and athletic career. Sachiel committed to the Division 1 National Champions, Syracuse University, within the first week of his senior year. “I am very excited and grateful for this opportunity,” Ming said. A crucial part of Northwood and Black Rock FC since he arrived, Ming has built a phenomenal reputation within the community and has a bright future ahead of him.

Mitchell Baker ’25 is a junior from Australia who has been at Northwood since ninth grade. Mitch played for Coach Martinez’s U17 team for his first two years and recently joined the U19 with Coach Moodey. In Australia, Mitch played for Melbourne Victory FC before Northwood. When Mitch arrived, he was a center-back, and after the first game, he transitioned to striker. “It was very hard changing position, and I failed time and time again,” Baker said. Without the failure Mitch had to overcome, he would not be the man and striker he is today. In Mitch’s Northwood career, he has scored 76 goals and hopes to break 100 this year. He said, “I wouldn’t have scored these goals without all my coaches and teammates who constantly push me.” Mitch also takes academics very seriously. “Sometimes I had to stay in my room and sacrifice some of my time with my friends to finish work or to study.” This level of motivation has paid off with a commitment to Georgetown University.

Lastly, Leon Brody ’24 is a senior from Montreal, Canada. He is currently in his second year at Northwood. Leon has been part of Northwood U19 since he arrived and brings a unique energy to the team that is out of this world. He continues to positively impact the community; he is a natural-born leader, and that has given him an offer from his dream school, Middlebury College. Leon committed to Division 3 powerhouse Middlebury over the summer. “I am extremely excited to go to Middlebury,” Brody said.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports, Top Story

Humans of Northwood: Profé Jose Coss

September 21, 2023 by Gavin Kruger

Mr. Jose Coss. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Profé Jose Coss is the new Head Coach of the U17 soccer team and an instructor in Northwood’s language lab. Coss was Born in San Juan, the capital city of Puerto Rico. Before coming to Northwood, he lived in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. He lived in Puerto Rico all his life except for one year when he studied abroad.

Coss worked as a lawyer in Caguas, located south of Trujillo Alto. He worked as a public notary. A public notary is the signature of a notary who approves and confirms that any legal document is real. His day job was going around the island and signing mortgages for people who wanted to buy houses. At night, he was a soccer coach, managing Academia Quintana’s first team.

‘’It was a really good experience, the closest thing I have done to managing pro football,” Coss explained. His main interest is football, but he also enjoys bird watching and being out in nature. He feels ‘’balance” in nature. Other than that, football is life for Coach Coss. On the pitch is where he is happiest. He grew up playing the sport in Puerto Rico, and is now a fantastic manager for Northwood’s U17 squad.

About a year ago, Profé brought a team from Puerto Rico to play in a showcase hosted by Black Rock Football Club. At the showcase, he met Coach Jon Moodey, who kept in contact with Profé. Moodey told Coss that he really liked his coaching style and the way he leads. Profé jumped on this opportunity immediately, asking, ‘’What do I need to do to be in a place like this?”

Coss says it wasn’t difficult to leave everything behind in Puerto Rico. ‘’It was the easiest decision of my life. I love Football. I love being on the field, and I love being with the players. I think that I can give them a lot and support them in their journey to become better human beings. It’s an easy decision to come and coach. I feel that where I am most in peace is in the field.”

Coss is optimistic about Northwood’s U17 squad. ‘’I think it’s exciting to have a group of players that can train day in and day out. [The team] is looking good. Once the year finalizes, I think that we will have done a lot.”

He wants the Northwood community to know that he is “a pretty open-minded guy, I like to be of help and of service. My door is always open to deal with any aspect, not only in sports but in school as well.”

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People, Sports

Brochu: Chile is An Underrated Skiing Paradise

September 20, 2023 by Mirror Staff

Edouard Brochu ‘24 is a member of Northwood’s Men’s FIS Alpine Ski Team. He wrote this guest column from his training camp in Chile.

Chile is the longest country in the world: over 4,200 miles from top to bottom. But other than that, it is a relatively unknown corner of the ski world. Skiers usually think of places like Europe, the Rockies, or Japan when going on a ski vacation, but the beautiful Andes mountains in the east of Chile are a magnificent, yet incredibly underrated, ski destination.

While not very popular with tourists, the Chilian Andes are a haven for ski teams for two reasons: First, the terrain is great for training for ski racing. Second, and most important, they are in the southern hemisphere. This means skiers can train during the summer in the North while it is winter in South America. This is precisely why the U18 Northwood ski teams ended up in Valle Nevado de Chile.

Lots of people have asked me, “Why so early in the school year, though?” The ski team left Northwood on September 9^th, after just a single day of classes. It might seem a little extreme to leave for two and a half weeks after just one day of school, but no athlete here regrets coming, and none is falling behind academically. We have some time every day to keep up with our classes. School definitely isn’t as easy 4,000 miles away, but the extra bit of work is worth it for our skiers.

“We skiers have to make sacrifices to be the best we can be”, says Elléanore Pelletier ‘25, one of our U18 racers. All of the skiers I have spoken to agree, and no one regrets it. The training quality is simply undeniable.

The training has been top-notch. Since it’s the end of the season in Chile, there is abundant snow, and the whole mountain is skiable. The conditions allow the skiers to train on different terrains. Our coach Seppi Steigler chose this location because of the amount of snow it gets annually and the absolutely huge skiing area. And speaking of snow, the snow conditions here are quite near perfect for racing. All in all, this place checks all the boxes for a great training venue for ski racing.

“Five Stars!” That’s the only thing our skiers have to say about the Chile camp. From the magnificent scenery to the practically unmatched training quality, there aren’t many words that describe how near-perfect this trip has been so far. It sure isn’t the typical skiing trip, but Chile is definitely a place I will visit again, and I am sure I am not alone.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

Soccer Teams Undefeated in Early Matches

September 20, 2023 by Jordan Shullenberger

The U19 soccer team poses at a pre-season match. Photo provided.

This past weekend, both Northwood soccer sides traveled to Exton, PA. The U19 and the U17 teams played the weekend prior and won against Saint Andrews College – a prep school in Ontario – where the U19s enjoyed a 3-1 win and the U17s enjoyed a 2-1 win.

The U17s played first on Saturday and drew 1-1 with Woodstock Academy. An early goal from Diego Green ’25 wasn’t enough to hold onto the win. Woodstock threatened for the last 15 minutes of the first half and into the second. Woodstock scored midway through the second half. Northwood controlled the rest of the half and had some scoring chances but couldn’t find the net.

“We played a really good first half. A lot of concepts that we’ve been training were applied. We have to figure out how to manage second halves. It’s a combo of personnel, mental concentration, and stamina. That was our first competitive 90-minute game,” said Coach Jose Coss after the match on Saturday.

The second game was a 7-goal thriller. The Northwood U17s faced the Haverford Academy Varsity team. The boys took an early 3-0 lead with goals from Diogo Charraz ‘25, Said El Eyssami ‘26, and Noah Moodey ‘25. Just before the half ended, Haverford got a goal back off an error by the goalkeeper. A couple of minutes into the second half, Haverford scored another goal off a free kick. There were chances at both ends, but Haverford knotted the match up at three off a counterattack. The game was not complete, and with 10 minutes remaining, Jace Donawa ‘25 scored the winner to cap the scoring at 4-3 by beating his man and finishing cross-goal with his left foot.

“I think that we proved that we can score a lot of goals. We must manage games better and develop a more mature attitude when we are leading. We haven’t trailed a single game this season so far, and that will likely not change but yeah, those are the things to work on, and I’m looking forward to Albany,” said Coach Coss after Sunday’s match.

The first game for the U19s was not what you would call a barn burner. Against Spire Academy of Maryland, the boys thumped them 8-1 with goals from Mitch Baker ‘25 (5), Nico Cedeno ‘24 (2), and Koah Paye ‘25. The lone goal conceded was a penalty.

The second game the U19s faced Landon School. The entire game was a grind, and Northwood had 70% possession and a lot more quality chances, but the deadlock was never broken. The boys had a lot of chances inside the opposing box but couldn’t convert. The game ended 0-0 in what was a dominant Northwood performance.

“I’m happy with the team’s progress over the whole weekend in key areas of our team’s play. We moved the ball better as a team and improved our collective defensive efforts. The players showed strong character throughout the weekend, competing well throughout both matches. It’s good progress,” Coach Jon Moodey said.

Next weekend, both teams will travel to Albany for the NXT LVL Showcase.

Filed Under: Sports, Top Story

A Day in the Life at Alpine Camp in Chile

September 20, 2023 by Lea Lambert

Traveling the world is not very common in everyday life. When you travel you probably go somewhere warm where you can sleep all day and lie on the beach. When athletes travel i,t’s a little bit different. The Northwood School FIS ski team is currently training in Chile, and it’s definitely not a vacation. I’d like to take you through our lives so you can feel like you’re living it.

Valle Nevado is a ski resort situated at an altitude of 5,450 meters (about 3.39 mi). It is approximately a 2-hour drive from where we landed in Santiago. Chile is considered a developing country, and I felt it when I first arrived. Random people at the airport will ask if you need help carrying your suitcases and then will make you pay to get them back afterward.

Our journey from Northwood included a 3-hour flight, a 4-hour layover, and then another 9-hour flight. We had another 2-hour bus drive to our hotel. The view on the drive started with palm trees in the city to cacti while going up and finally, not a single tree, just some snow, and then a lot of snow.

Once we reached the base of the mountain, we really discovered another world. There’s a little village with hotels and one supermarket. There’s nothing else around us but beautiful white mountains.

On our first day, we went powder skiing. It was maybe one of the best ski days I’ve ever experienced. I had snow up to my knees and floated on the fresh powder. The altitude really hits when you ski or do any physical activity. Your heart rate is the same as after a big cardio workout.

For our first day of training, we trained slalom on a trail named “Fox Trot.” I woke up at 5:45 and went for a quick breakfast before doing my warm-up workout, I usually go for a little run, and then use a resistance band to activate my legs and shoulders.

Once I’m done, I head outside. I start with two to three free skis run to go back to bases. Our first run in the course is probably the most important because that’s the only run that counts in races. Our sessions are from 7:15 to 11:30.

After skiing, we headed to lunch, I was kind of worried about the food here, I was imagining myself starving for days because I wouldn’t like it. Surprisingly, the food here is the exact same as it is at school. It’s a buffet. As an athlete, it’s important to eat and fuel our body the right way, I usually get a portion of fruits or vegetables for every meal.

The academic side can be very difficult when athletes are away from school. Is leaving school for two and a half weeks hard for students? Do they work when they’re gone? The answer is, if students are not organized, they will 100% fall behind in their schoolwork. We normally have two hours per day dedicated to our homework. We can ask our teachers for help on the app. Some of the teachers are used to long-distance teaching because many of Northwood’s student-athletes are living the same reality when we’re away from school for games, training, or races.

Our day isn’t over when we are off the hill. Our skis require some work. We need to sharpen and wax them. How much work varies, but I remember spending maybe an hour and a half on just one ski just to repair an edge. After all of this, we go to bed around 9:00 p.m. and get ready to do it all again.

Photos by Ms. Raychel Germaine.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

NFL Week One Game of the Week: Jets 22, Bills 16

September 13, 2023 by Gus Garvey

AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Let’s cut to the chase and get this over with, shall we? There is a lot to discuss. On the 22nd Anniversary of 9/11, the Bills and Jets faced off in Monday Night Primetime. For the Bills, the same expected greatness is on the horizon, while the Jets also had similar feelings. They were experiencing emotions like “hope,” “hype,” and “optimism” for the first time in a long time. That was due to their new guy under center. A guy who toiled on the Tundra of Lambeau for 15 years, a former Super Bowl Champion. Aaron Rodgers.

His mere presence on the field got the crowd amped up as he walked onto the field for his opening drive. The Jets were going to march down the field when Rodgers hurt his ankle just four plays into the game and had to be carted off the field. Wait, what? That wasn’t part of the script.

It’s in typical Jets fashion to give their fans hope and then rip it away, just as they’re reaching for it, and this moment in last night’s game just upped the ante tenfold. The Jets had hope, optimism, and offensive competence – and then the O-line failed to protect their prize asset for even a single drive.

So they had to deal with Zach Wilson… as he threw a pick to a wide-open Matt Milano and set the Bills up in prime field position. The Bills go up 13-3 at halftime, but not without hiccups on offense due to Allen throwing up an arm punt to Jordan Whitehead late in the 1st quarter.

Then came the 2nd half. It is here that Josh Allen morphed into a complete turnover machine. The Jets started by going down the field but were forced to settle for a field goal to make the game 13-6. It is here that Allen decides to believe in charity and let them think they can win this game: yet another arm punt into double coverage to Jordan Whitehead. The Jets still can’t get anything done on offense. That’s fine, Allen can just do it again! This time, he didn’t do it near the end zone, but at the 40-yard line to set up the Jets in prime field position. Even better, he even threw it to the same guy! Jordan Whitehead was second on the Jets in receiving that day. He plays defense. That’s how bad Allen was in terms of throwing interceptions.

With Allen’s charity, the Jets finally started moving the ball and managed to score a touchdown with maybe the catch of the week by Garrett Wilson. With the game now tied at 13, the Bills got the ball back with 5 minutes left with a chance to win the game. What do you think happened? Fumbled snap and the Jets recovered in prime field position. Fortunately, the Bills defense did enough to prevent a touchdown, but it was crunch time. Buffalo didn’t have enough time for a touchdown to win the game, but they got Tyler Bass into field goal range to tie it.

That’s exactly what they did. The offense finally got their act together and marched 50 yards downfield to set up Bass for a tying field goal. In typical Jets fashion, the kick hits the goalpost but goes through. Jets luck at its finest.

In overtime, the Bills got the ball first and proceeded to go 3-and-out. But hey, at least it wasn’t a pick, right? The punted it away. The Jets receiver catches it and runs off to the end zone as none of the Bills can make a tackle to save their lives. Game over. Jets win. The entirety of Buffalo drowns itself in liquor, and the Bills lose at MetLife for the second straight year. God help us all.

I’ve followed the Bills for almost 10 years now. Trust me, I’ve seen it all with this team. But this is something I wasn’t ready for. Just like most other Bills losses in the past few years, Buffalo found a way to beat themselves. The Jets did nothing special. They were okay, but their offense had one good drive and the defense just had to sit there as Allen and the Bills threw up pizzas all game. This game is candy to the rest of the division. Good job, Jets. You successfully embarrassed your division’s top dog for the second year in a row.