Baseball
This season, the Boston Latin School baseball team is looking to defend their hard- earned championship win from last year. Their focus is extremely simple: to win games. Charlie George (I) says, “Part of the reason we play baseball is to exercise and make friends, but the only real objective we have is to win games and win them by as much as possible. Results matter, and when it comes down to it, I want to say that we won the state championship or did everything possible in an effort to do so.” As it turns out, they are pretty darn good at doing just that. Last year, they ranked in the top 100 in Massachusetts and won the Dual County League (DCL) Foley Division championship. Despite their early exit last year in the Division 1 State Championship, August Groh (II) states: “We will [make the playoffs] again this year, however we will make a deeper run and hopefully win a Division One state title.”
Crew
BLS Crew team’s first race of the spring season takes place on the weekend of April 14, and the team has been training hard for this year’s New England Interscholastic Rowing Association competition. After sending two boats to the USRowing Youth National Championships last year, the crew team has been focusing on technique this season. They hope to do better than last season and send even more boats to the competition in June. The team acquired new boats this spring and will hold a boat christening ceremony on April 14, before the Salvo Cup race. One of the new boats for the girls’ team will be named after former Head of School Rachel Skerritt. Colin Keleher (I) says that a large part of being on the team is “being a leader even though you aren’t a captain,” since teamwork is key to winning the races. The team looks forward to using the new boats and getting faster this season.
Lacrosse
After the girls’ varsity lacrosse team launched their spring season with a 14-7 win against Quincy High School on March 28, they are looking forward to a packed schedule this season. On April 4, they played in their first Dual County League (DCL) game against Concord-Carlisle High School. Starting Defender Shannon Mullaney (II) notes, “So far, our team has shown lots of grit and hard work, and our practices have had a really positive and productive atmosphere.” The team hopes to follow last year’s postseason run, where they made it to the second rounds of states, with another successful season of enthusiasm and competition.
The boys’ lacrosse team hopes to come back stronger than ever this season and wishes to advance to states after qualifying for the first time in program history last year. They are expecting to be very competitive in the DCL this year, especially with their undeniable chemistry and talent. Although down 11 seniors from last year, Maxwell Howard (II) says, “We’re focused on getting better every time we step on the field, and with our talent, I am confident it won’t be as big a problem as it may seem.” They played their first game on April 3 at Weymouth High School, and played Nantucket High School on April 6, their first time playing an “overseas” team.
Boys’ Volleyball
After a year of roster changes, the boys’ volleyball team is looking to return again to make a run through the DCL. Last year, the volleyball team was held back by unfortunate injuries sustained by key players and the loss of many graduated seniors, but this year, they are not holding back. Alex Yu (I) says, “As a team, our goal is to definitely make a run in the playoffs. We think that we can definitely compete in the DCL as one of the top teams this year.” This season, they have already exceeded expectations, going 5-1 in the Quincy Jamboree, despite facing competitive teams such as Braintree, Boston Latin Academy, North Quincy and Malden High School. Make sure to catch them on April 21 in the Upper Gym where they will face Newton South, a strong contender in the DCL.
Tennis
The girls’ tennis team is starting the spring season off with high hopes for their upcoming matches. After a very successful season last year, the tennis team is determined to win this year’s Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s State Tournament (MIAA). Varsity girls’ tennis player Halina Nguyen (III) says, “I feel like I’ve definitely improved from last season.” Having been on the team for a number of years, she knows that they work well together. They are prepared to take on other competitive schools and have been practicing regularly for four days each week. Eager to compete again, Nguyen ends with, “I look forward to playing with the team and the experience that comes with playing a school sport.”
The boys’ tennis team hopes to continue their streak at MIAA States after consistently qualifying the past few years. They currently have two varsity spots open, and are confident that members from the Junior Varsity team can rise to the occasion. Andrew Xue (II), a member of the team, remarks that the team is “looking forward to improving [their] tennis, particularly teamwork, strategy, technique and mental game.”
Outdoor Track
The track and field team has been practicing hard two hours a day — separating sprinters and distance runners for different activities— to prepare for a busy season. Sprinters work on technique while distance runners focus on endurance. Hoping to have multiple runners compete in the DCL meets, girls’ co-captains Rebecca Hein (I) and Meera Murthy (I) say that “the main goal is to build a solid base of athletes, especially younger athletes.” They also hope for more team members to qualify for the various championships this season. The team is currently understaffed, which means that the captains have been really stepping up this season. Thankfully, the team members have maintained a positive attitude despite the recent cold weather. Leaving behind the team as seniors will be sad, but Murthy says she wants to “end the track season on a positive note.”
Softball
The softball team is already poised to strike. Coming off of a year where they made it to states and executed a smooth transition with their new coach, they are thriving like never before. They are still considering this year as a transition period, however. Longtime varsity player Christina George (II) explains, “We definitely want to win, but I think this season is a season of growth and I think we need to mold as a team.” This year, after having lost almost all of their starting lineup, they are looking towards a big adjustment and the younger players will need to step into the shoes of their graduated seniors. “There’s no telling how we will do, but I think we can do very well with a younger team. We are going to adapt to changes on and off the field,” says George. Their season started on April 1 against Archbishop Williams High School at Clemente Field.
Sailing
As the sailing team gets back into their groove, they look forward to another exciting season following last year’s success. They have been training hard with the goal of defending their title as Massachusetts Bay Sailing League (MBL) Division B Team Racing Champions, and they also hope to be a powerful competitor in the Interscholastic Sailing Association’s Massachusetts State Championship Regatta, where they placed fourth last season in Division A. Varsity captains Caleb Kohn (II) and Dorothy Russell (I) say that, “We have been very efficient and focused during our practices, and we can tell this season will have many successes.” They began their season on March 30 with the Courageous Keelboat Kickoff and look forward to many MBL team races as well as a medley of important regattas at the end of May. With the wind at their backs, they set sail into the unknown waters of this season, ready to seize every opportunity and leave a mark on the seascape of competitive sailing.
