Boys’ Varsity Soccer

Harvey’s Boys’ Varsity Soccer Team finished the fall season with a WNEPSSA record of 4-6-2. Several games were lost as a result of bad weather, including the freak October snow storm that closed school for three days in the last portion of the fall schedule, resulting in a Housatonic Valley League record of 0-2-2. Coach Alex Morse lamented the games lost to Mother Nature. “We missed five scheduled games against opponents that were beatable,” he said. The team played well in its only playoff game, losing 2-1 to South Kent in overtime. But it was another close game in a season of tough defeats. “The team was not able to win the close games this season, and therefore lost a number of heartbreaking decisions,” Coach Morse said.

One close game that went Harvey’s way was a nail biter against Marvelwood when the Cavaliers emerged victorious in a well fought 2-1 victory. With the game at 0-0 midway into the second half, three consecutive one-touch passes led to Owen Beitel’s volleying a 50 yard pass into the back of the net from just inside the 18 yard box. When Marvelwood tied the score on a penalty shot, Harvey came back and broke the tie as Beitel scored again with 10 minutes remaining to secure the victory.

The team’s other season highlight came on Homecoming Day when the Cavaliers enjoyed their biggest offensive game in a 7-3 victory over Darrow. Captain Michael Morra scored 4 goals and Co-Captain William Schubert, Kiefer Callaghan, and Brian Silva each added a goal. “It was nice to have an offensive outburst like this, especially after struggling to score goals throughout the beginning of the season,” said Coach Morse.

Earning All-League HouVAL Honors and playing in the WNEPSSA Senior All-Star Game were Mike Morra with 8 goals and 3 assists on the season, and Will Schubert, who scored 4 goals, and earned 4 assists. Coach Morse said, “Coach Boscarino and I would like to thank the seniors for all their hard work and dedication over the past three years: Jason Ecker, Collin Kraus, Michael Morra, John Bolanos, Kiefer Callaghan, Brandon Hickey, Jason Day and William Schubert.” “We also had great efforts from juniors such as Owen Beitel, David Mandra, Moustafa Fawzy, and Will Walant when their leadership was needed,” he added.

Boys’ JV Soccer

The 2011 fall season for the JV Boys’ Soccer Team started off on the wrong foot by losing three of their first four games, but the last half of the season saw great improvement as the boys went 2-0-1 in their remaining games.

Led by team captains, sophomores Harry Solomon, Brian Silva, and Mike Chavkin, the Harvey JV moved to 3-3-1 with a victory in their final game, a 3-2 win over Soundview Prep in a game that featured co-ed rosters.

With the game tied at one, Harvey took the lead early in the second half on a goal by Stephen Nadler assisted by Co-Captain Solomon. With time winding down, it looked like Harvey would prevail, but Soundview tied the game with ten minutes left. It stayed tied until six minutes left when Solomon crossed the ball to Stephen Nadler whose shot was kicked away by Soundview’s goalie. As the ball sailed wide left of the net, sophomore midfielder Emily Pollack came out of nowhere and fired the ball past the stunned Soundview netkeeper.

Solomon led the team in assists (5) and points (6). Coach Griffin praised Solomon for his efforts. “Harry is a coaches’ dream; his leadership, intelligence and work ethic inspire his teammates to play above their natural abilities,” said Coach Griffin. The leading scorer for Harvey was Co-captain Mike Chavkin with four goals. Coach Griffin said Chavkin is “unstoppable at times and can dominate a game with his booming foot.” Co-Captain Brian Silva, nicknamed “Silk” for his smooth offensive abilities, scored two goals and added two assists, and won praise from his coach. “Brian has one speed—FAST, his one-on-one skills are superb,” said Coach Griffin.

Freshman Marcus Plummer played seven games at goal and registered two wins. He sported a 2.00 Goals against Average and made 29 saves for a Save Percentage of 78.4%. Junior Jabea Kisob played five games in nets, winning one game and stopping a critical penalty shot in Harvey’s last game. He had a 2.00 Goals against Average and made 18 saves for a Save Percentage of 78.3%.

Coach Griffin and Coach Jeff Seymour said the team had many great contributions from junior Jack Chirico, sophomores Charlie Seider, Bryan Krosser, Brad Brown, Paul Riverain, Zach Schwartz, Curtis Rattner, Sam Moise-Silverman, Arden Zohar and three freshmen, Fabian Anderson, Brendan Kneitz, and Alfredo Liendo.

Girls’ Varsity Soccer

The Varsity Girls’ Soccer Team made it as far as the quarterfinals of the Housatonic Valley Athletic League this fall, one year after winning the Hudson Valley Athletic League title in 2010. While this year’s squad finished with a 5-5-2 overall record, the Lady Cavaliers helped make it 10 consecutive years that the program maintained a winning record.

“Despite the awful weather and the rash of injuries to key players, the team played with spirit and determination,” said Coach Tim Stark.

The many days of rain and the late October snowstorm played havoc with the schedule, but Coach Stark said the season was not without highlights. Martha Slivka made 16 saves in one half against King; Natalia St. Lawrence and Melissa Wyman each scored 2 goals against Montfort Academy; Rane Prieto scored the tying goal against Watkinson with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game; Ava Gurman scored twice in Harvey’s 2-1 victory over arch-rival Wooster, and Izzy Gale, Tiaja Downer, Abby Hassett, and Emily Pollack all scored against Forman.

The team’s top scorers were Ava Gurman with 9 points on 6 goals and 3 assists; Co-Captain and WNEPSSA All-Star Natalia St. Lawrence with 7 points, and Co-Captain Lily Knoeppel, who garnered 6. Goalkeeper Martha Slivka, the team’s other WNEPSSA All-Star, saved 90 and her sister, Hannah Slivka blocked 7. Both Martha Slivka and Natalia St. Lawrence also copped HouVAL All-League honors. Receiving HouVAL Honorable Mention Awards were Chelsea Finkel and Hannah Slivka.

Named as the team’s Co- MVPs were Martha Slivka and Natalia St. Lawrence. The Most Improved Player Award went to Chelsea Finkel. Coach Stark and Assistant Coach Brooke Blacke presented Izzy Gale and Anna Maus with The Coaches Award. Co-Captain Kelin Jimenez won The Sportsmanship Award, and named as Future Stars were Ava Gurman and Aila Prieto.

Varsity Volleyball

Although their overall record stood at 5-10, The Varsity Volleyball Team placed second in the HouVAL with a 3-2 league record. Led by captains Shannon O’Conner, Jessie Harrington, Kim Bernstein, the Cavaliers earned a first-round bye in the HouVAL playoffs before losing in the semi-finals.

Coach Dave Ketner saw the second place finish as a highlight of the team’s season, but the biggest moment came, he said, when Harvey pushed Master’s Ct. to a fourth game and almost a fifth game in the semi-finals.

Coach Ketner had praise for the seniors who played their season for Harvey. He described Shannon O’Conner as a great team leader, hitter, server and blocker, Jessie Harrington as another leader setter, defense and server, Kim Bernstein as a great all-around player, setter, hitter, server and Harper Linneman as a solid all-around player who came into her own this year. Coach Ketner said the team missed junior Karina Lambert, one of Harvey’s setters and most experienced players, due to injury toward the end of the season. Others getting praise were junior Annelise Cepero ,stepping in as setter for the last part of the season, and Gabrielle Kahn whose serving and hitting took off during the play-offs. Junior Gabrielle Paulhac and freshman Ariana Weaver were “great additions to the team,” the coach said.

Coach Ketner said the season “was a very positive year.” He said, “We’ll miss our seniors but look forward to our juniors taking over the leadership roles.”

JV Volleyball

JV Volleyball, led by team captains Leila Zuaiter and Erica Cheyne, finished the season at 4 and 4. Coach Dave Ketner said the team deserves praise for winning four matches against “very tough teams.”

In addition to the co-captains Zuaiter and Cheyne, the roster featured Gabrielle Cacciola, Sammi Aloi, Amanda Cummings, Taylor Powell, Kimiki Mereigh, Lindsay Cardaci, Odelya Shimonie, Audrey Rowe, Carly Salloway, Natasha Stein and Carly Kaplan.

Coach Ketner said the team gave a great effort. He said fellow coaches Jeanne Schumacher and Jackie Kelm saw each player develop her skills. The coaches see good things ahead for the volleyball program next year. “We are looking forward to further developing our freshmen and to seeing those who are ready move up to varsity,” Coach Ketner said.

Varsity Football

The Varsity Football Team wrapped up its 2011 season with a bowl appearance. Finishing 4-4 overall for the season, the Cavaliers, led by team captains Ben Goldman, Armando Vazquez, Zack Buckwald, Andrew D’Alessandro, and Nick Gattuso made it to the Hudson Bowl after beating a heavily favored Forman team at home to secure the bowl bid. Harvey lost its bowl game to Sacred Heart of Yonkers, 26-8.

Some of the highlight of the season included winning the season opener against New Jersey rival, Dwight Englewood, by a score of 14-7 and pulling out a victory in the final minutes against Avon Old Farms in a back and forth battle.

Head Coach Chris Kelly and his assistants, Kyle Delaney, Jason Hill, Mike Barefield, and Greg Phillips steered a team that produced 5,000+ yards of total offense, scoring more points than in any past season. Coach Kelly said, “The offense this year was anchored by a strong quarterback in Ben Goldman, with stellar offensive line play by tight-end, Ryan Cook, tackles, Nate Alexander and Christian Harrington, and guards, Brian Theiss and Buddy Rice, and center, Tim McGee.” The offensive line allowed the fewest sacks in the league. The receiving corps was made up of Julien Higgs, Andrew D’Alessandro, Jesse Zubrin, and Armando Vasquez. The offense featured strong running by tailbacks, Zack Buckwald and Cameron Chase, and fullbacks, James Underwood and Sharif Koonce.

Harvey was strong on defense this season. Coach Kelly said, “The defensive unit excelled as the season progressed having its best performance against Forman to secure the bowl bid.” The defensive unit was comprised of ends Danny Schonning and Will Leventhal, tackles, Luidgi Lezeau and Christian Harrington, linebackers, Nick Gattuso, Andrew D’Alessandro, and Armando Vasquez, corners Mitch Bowman, Jesse Zubrin, and Benjamin Rodrigues, and safeties, Tim Elberg and Kyle Nelson.

Coach Kelly had praise for the team as a unit. “The overall team attitude and unity was truly exceptional this year and coaching the team was a privilege that I looked forward to every day,” he said. The coach acknowledged the contributions of this year’s quarterback. “The arrival of QB Benny Goldman, with his superior knowledge of the game, enabled us to do a lot more on offense, making the games more exciting for the coaching staff, the team, and the fans.”
Coach Kelly said he liked the character of this year’s group. “The team was humble in victory and gracious in defeat; their sportsmanship was outstanding and their camaraderie was excellent.” He said the coaches give a special thanks and unending respect to the seniors, Zack Buckwald, Cameron Chase, Nick Gattuso, Tim McGee, Brian Theiss, Ryan Cook, Danny Schonning, and Timmy Elberg.

JV Football

The JV Football Team with an overall record of 2-5 had a great start to the season with a huge win at Forman 40-0. The offense came out firing under the leadership of quarterback Tom Smith on 5-5 passing on the day. Will Rusciano caught a TD pass, Christian Artuso rushed for two scores, Jesse Matts returned a punt for a TD, and Jared Lane and Alex Bae each rushed for a touchdown. The offensive line blocked well all day and the tackling of Kyle Nelson, Christian Artuso, Andrew Bowers and Kieran O’Connor kept the defense on the front foot.

Another highlight of the season was Harvey’s 20-0 victory over Forman. The game was back and forth with numerous fumbles for each team in the first quarter. Harvey’s offense was led by the strong running of fullback Thomas Dowdell. Scoring for Harvey were Jared Lane on a 60 yard touchdown run, Alexander Bae on 70 yard kickoff return, and Kyle Nelson, who intercepted a Forman pass and ran it back for a 40 yard return for touchdown. Thomas Gattuso was successful for Harvey in kicking 2 point after attempts. The defense was led by the strong tackling of Kyle Nelson, Christian Artuso and Kieran O’Connor.

While Harvey lost its game against the Dalton School, the contest featured a nice comeback which saw the Cavaliers fight back after being down 12-0 at halftime. Harvey’s offensive line came out in the second half and executed well, allowing Kyle Nelson and Will Rusciano to find some running room. Freshman quarterback Tom Smith led the offense down the field culminating in a Nelson 20 yard touchdown run. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late as Dalton came away victors, 20-12.

Several players earned team awards. The Sportsmanship Award went to Andrew Bowers. Jameson Scarsella and Tom Smith received The Coaches Award. The MVP on Offense went to Kieran O’Connor. The MVP on Defense was Kyle Nelson, and the Most Improved Award was given to Spencer Martone.

Coach Brandon acknowledged the efforts of the team’s offensive and defensive lines. “They don’t get to score or make the big one-on-one tackles that everyone sees, but without them we wouldn’t be able to do all those other things,” the coach said.

Middle School Girls’ Soccer

The record of the Middle School Girls’ Soccer Team (1-4-1) may not show it, but Coach Stephanie Metz said the team made steady progress and displayed great dedication.

After getting off to a slow start in the first few games, the team picked it up against St. Luke’s in early October. Ashley Peart, Jacinth Francis, Isabelle Rozas, Katya Harris, and Kylene Groff maintained the pressure on offense, which led to a remarkable goal by Tessa Knorr late in the first half against St Luke’s. After halftime, Harvey faced a strong surge from St. Luke’s, and the defense was put to the test. Led by Jasmine Brouwer, Emma Carillo, Lea Horan, Macy Drude, and Hannah Paul, the team held on for a 1-0 victory, securing Harvey’s first win of the season.

The momentum from the St. Luke’s game carried the girls into a hard fought tie against Windward the following week. Lauren Suna, Phoebe Baker, and Emily Walsh all contributed well defensively. Near the end of the first half, Tessa Knorr scored off a breakaway to tie the game at 1-1. After going down by a goal after halftime, Krysten Greenwood knocked in a beautiful penalty kick to tie the game at 2-2. The game continued to be a nail-biter until the final whistle ended the game in a tie score. After the Windward game, Sara Reino joined the squad and was able to jump in and contribute in the final games of the season. As the team’s goalie, Julia DeNigris consistently handled the pressure well, saving multiple goals each game.

Coach Stephanie Metz said, “We ended the season with a 1-4-1 record, but we made tremendous improvement from the beginning of the season.” Coach Metz said she and Coach Alex Lindquist “were proud of the improvements the team made, and we were very pleased with the strong effort the girls gave us throughout the season.”

Middle School Boys’ Soccer

The Middle School Boys’ Soccer Team had an up and down season. The team finished with a record of 2-5, with both wins coming against arch-rival Rippowam. The team was led by 8th graders Henry Rosenberg, Adam Penino, and Josh Markowitz. 7th graders Stephen Nadler and Luke Cunningham also made significant contributions to the team.

After dropping its first game to Mizzentop, the team responded nicely with a 5-0 defeat of Rippowam. Henry Rosenberg and Josh Markowicz each scored two goals for the Cavaliers, while defender Rohan Cassels notched his first goal for Harvey in his three years playing for the team. After making 25 saves in the first game, Luke Cunningham recorded his first shutout against Rippowam. Adam Penino led the defense with help from Luke Murphy, Lamar Dell, and Mike Gramando.

Two weeks later, Harvey won the rematch with Rippowam 3-2 in overtime. Josh Markowicz had a beautiful header goal off a corner kick to tie the game at 2-2 with less than a minute to go in regulation. Henry Rosenberg scored the first goal for Harvey, evening the score at 1-1. About half-way through the five minute overtime, Josh put the ball into the back of the net to give Harvey the lead 3-2. The Cavaliers were able to hold on the last couple of minutes for a thrilling victory.

One of the biggest highlights of the season came against San Miguel Academy on the Friday of Homecoming Weekend. Stephen Nadler scored a remarkable goal from 35 yards out on a direct kick. Coach Kennedy said, “That was the most beautiful goal I’ve seen in my 7 years coaching soccer!”

Even though the team played in a 7/8 division, two 6th graders played a large role for the team. Jared Peraglia and Jelani White both played well throughout the season. Jared in particular was able to play several different positions and did whatever was asked of him. Brian Alvarado and Jared Finkel also did a great job playing both midfield and forward for the team.

Coach Kennedy said, “Although the team did not have a winning record, they played hard throughout the season.” “With only 1-2 two substitutes each game, the players never gave up and represented Harvey well,” Coach Kennedy said.

Henry Rosenberg won the Offensive MVP Award while Adam Penino was named Defensive MVP. The Most Improved Player Award went to Lamar Dell.

Middle School Cross Country

The Co-Ed Cross Country team, made up mostly of Middle School students, had a successful fall season as Harvey had the highest ratio of scoring runners among all the competing teams. The Cavaliers had one-third of their runners consistently scoring. Coach Michael Lindberg said Harvey’s runners enjoyed a fine season overall. “I thought that the team as a whole did extraordinarily well, especially considering the size of our team,” said the first year coach.

Harvey had some runners who finished in the top 5, putting them in the position to earn points in cross country scoring. Sam Mackiewicz, the only freshman on the team, finished in first place for 9th graders, Ricky Brown came in 1st for 8th grade boys, Emily Sirota finished in 2nd place for 8th grade girls, and David Weiner placed 3rd for 6th grade boys.

Sam Mackiewicz represented Harvey very well. Coach Lindberg said, “Sam finished in the overall 1st place in most of his races, although he finished second place in one race because he stopped to help up some students who had fallen down, while the second place runner went past him.” Coach Lindberg said he was pleased by how well the cross-country team represented the school. “They worked very hard throughout the season and we had some extremely talented and spirited runners,” said the coach.

Middle School Football

The Harvey Middle School Football Team struggled through a challenging schedule that featured games against Brunswick, Rye Country Day, and Greenwich Country Day. After losing key members of last year’s squad, new sixth graders were relied upon to fill some important positions. John Sullivan played key roles at both quarterback and linebacker. Nicholas Gibson played defensive back and had the team’s only interception. Other key players in the backfield included Zachary Gault, who had the team’s longest runs, and Joseph Bakas.

At the end of the season, quarterback Will Shaffer was recognized as the Most Improved Player. Seventh grader Ryan Park received a trophy for Best Sportsmanship. Jordan Weintraub was recognized as the team’s defensive MVP and 8th grader Ryan Sturm was awarded the team’s MVP award for his fine play both on offense and defense. Along with Jordan and Ryan, Jaime Kelly and Seth Lyons are 8th graders who will be moving up to high school next year. The team is excited at the prospects of next year’s team, which will feature a strong nucleus of returning players.