As the fall sports season has ended and winter starts, two programs at Sandy Spring Friends School are proudly taking home banners, with one taking home 3. For the first time since 2017, the women’s volleyball team led by Maeve Perich won the PVAC regular season banner and the tournament banner. When speaking to varsity captain, Aria Bastien, she highlights the “team’s cohesiveness” as an important part of this year’s success. Aria also mentioned that the teams “trust in each other and the overall team dynamic” also played a huge role in winning the championship.

Men’s and women’s cross country, coached by Carylton Ganong and Leah Niepold, also had amazing seasons this year, with both teams winning the PVAC championship and making history while doing so. This was the first year ever that both the men’s and women’s teams won the PVAC championships in the same year. Men’s cross country also won state championships for the first time since 2018, while women placed 3rd. Many women runners set personal records, including Frankie Newman, Kellye McCullough, Elena Katzin, Elena Powell, Elana Stephens, Noel Motley, and Anaiah Young. Elana, Elena K, Kellye, and Frankie all won medals at PVAC championships, while Kellye, Frankie, and Elena K all won medals at county and state championships. Frankie also broke the women’s cross-country school record by one minute. The men’s team also had five runners set personal records: Dallas Chisolm, Oliver Ganong, Liam Edmonds-Moore, Xavier Jones, and Rosario Scarato. Those five runners all won medals at the PVAC championships, and Rosario and Liam also medaled at county and state championships.

When speaking to the men’s varsity captain, Rosario Scarato, about what led the boys to so much success this year, he said the team’s “hard work and their fight to win.” Kellye McCullough, the women’s varsity captain, said their strategic approach of “running in groups” when competing and the “strength of their runners” compared to others in the PVAC played a huge factor in their success this season. Overall, all fall sports did well this year, with our women’s and men’s varsity soccer placing second in the PVAC, with women’s varsity soccer goalkeeper Mia Tegeris winning PVAC player of the year. A huge shoutout to all the fall sports players, coaches, athletic director Bruce Nkala, and supporters for all they do as SSFS continues to put on amazing athletic performances in conference and out.