The McNicholas Milestone

The 2016 fall sports season ended with women’s soccer falling to Alter in the regional championship. They had a winning season with a record of 18-4-4.

Senior defender Claire Murray thought the team had an overall great season. “This season was great. At our first game against Alter, we saw that we were really good,” Murray said. The teamwork and connection between the players is what caused them to win the Division II State Championship in 2014. This year, the girls brought everything back together and they were looking to win another state championship.  “I didn’t think that we were going to lose [the regional championship game] until they [Alter] scored their third goal. I cried because I knew it was over,” Murray said.

Senior forward Kaitlyn Vogele agreed with Murray that she is very disappointed with the ending, but they had a good regular season. “I thought it was the best season we’ve ever had, our team chemistry was amazing,” Vogele said.. “I didn’t think it would be my last game, and I was especially mad that it was Alter. We were all better than them, and we should have won,” Vogele said.

Senior men’s soccer midfielder Ben Johnston was upset about their first round tournament loss to Mariemont where the Rockets fell to the Warriors 0-1. The boys had an overall record of 3-15-2 this season. “Overall, we did not have a great season based on our record,” Johnston said. But more important than the record was the friendships that the boys made. “Strengthening our bonds made us play better because we were all closer,” Johnston said. Although Johnston has no future plans for soccer, he leaves McNick knowing that the underclassmen will continue their legacy. “I am happy knowing that next year the juniors will be in charge, and they are already bonded together. Their chemistry will make them succeed,” Johnston said.

Senior midfielder Nate Rivard felt the same as Johnston. “I liked the relationships that I built, but the season could have been better. Overall, I enjoyed it,” Rivard said. Like Johnston, Rivard does not plan on continuing a competitive soccer career after graduation, but Rivard said that he might participate in intramural leagues in college. “After our last game, I was disappointed in myself because I had two decent changes to score. It is sad to see everyone moving on, but it is good to know that the younger players will continue playing over the next few years,” Rivard said.

The women’s tennis team finished their season with a 7-8 record, and they placed third in the GCL coed conference. Senior Kathleen Finn had mixed feelings about their season that ended on Oct. 6 at the sectional match. “I had so much fun, and it was a great season. I’m sad that it’s over since that was my last official tennis season, but I am also happy because I have more free time now,” Finn said. Player Emma Hughes was named first team all GCL for singles and received the distinguished player of the year award, and Jaclyn Geygan was named second team all GCL for singles.

Senior volleyball player Morgan Vogler reflected on how close her team had become in this past year. “I am so happy with the season; my main goal was to have fun and I did. This was my favorite season out of my four at McNick,” Vogler said. Emotions ran high at the district match, where the Rockets fell to Alter. “Coming into the game, I knew we would have to play really hard to win, and I tried to keep the energy on the court,” Vogler said. Vogler does not plan to continue her volleyball career past high school, but senior teammate Adrian Ell has committed to play Division I volleyball at Florida State University.

Senior Cross Country runner Anna Enders thought that the runners focused on uniting the team. “I think that this year the team worked really well together. We focused on the team aspect instead of treating it as individual sport, as it was in the past years,” Enders said. “My last race was bittersweet. I ran as hard as I could because I knew it was my last run, and I set a new personal record. I don’t miss the two hour practices after school every day, but I miss everybody on the team,” Enders said.

Both the women’s and men’s golf teams had a stupendous season. Junior Janie Ferris was impressed by her team’s performance this year. “Overall I felt like it was pretty great. We improved a lot from last year and our team has gotten very close,” Ferris said. The lady golfers shut out Anderson and Turpin for the title Queen of the Hill. “I am sad that our season ended, but I am excited for next year and all of the years after that because golf is a game that I will play throughout my whole life,” Ferris said.

The Men’s Golf Team earned McNicholas’s first Division II State Golf win. Senior Ty DeBonis shot the lowest overall team score of 152 points and is a three year first-team all-state team member. It was their third time in a row qualifying for the state tournament, and their first time winning. They also won the King of the Hill tournament against Anderson and Turpin for the fifth year in a row. “We had a pretty fun season, we messed around a lot. Our last match was the best because the launch pad was there,” junior Scott Hickman said. Both Ferris and Hickman plan on returning to their sport next year as seniors.

Even though the fall sports season has come to a close and many Rocket seniors have represented McNick through athletics for the last time, their memories and legacy will live on forever. The winter season kicks off in late November and early December with basketball, basketball cheerleading, swimming, wrestling, bowling, and dance.