By Alex Minella
At midseason, the McNicholas Varsity Volleyball Team, led by head coach Darlene Tierney and senior captains Lucy Perkins and Ava Strange, holds a strong 17-3 record. The volleyball team celebrated senior night on September 30. A key upcoming event “pink out” game against New Richmond on October 10 which will raise funds for an organization called Pink Ribbon Good.
Tierney said they’ve been performing well thanks to their intense training and challenging games, which highlight their dedication and talent on the court. They play 22 games in their season plus post season, with competitions typically 2-4 times a week. They aren’t currently in any tournaments until the post season tournament.
They’ve played a competitive schedule losing only to top teams: NDA, Ryle and Roger Bacon, according to Tierney. “I would say in our District 16, our toughest opponent right now is Roger Bacon,” she added.
The team loves when students come to support them at their games. “When the stands are packed, our team is even tougher to beat,” Tierney said.
The McNicholas Varsity Soccer team, led by head coach Michaela Hyden and captains Izzy Holte, Jordan Wheatley, Lily Bellissimo, and Grace Beatty, boasts a 7-5-3 record at midseason. With their final game and senior night on October 2 and the tournament starting October 14, the team is focused on unity and achieving their goals.
Special upcoming events for the team include their final home game on October 2, which is also senior night. There will be special recognition for the seniors, with a team dinner after the game. Tournament play starts on October 14.
Hyden emphasized the team’s strategy by saying, “We are focusing on taking one game at a time and working together to achieve our team goals. We like to focus less on the opponent and focus more on our team. The opponents will change, but who we are as a team will always stay the same.”
“We have been having a pretty good season. We are currently 7-5-3. We are focusing on taking one game at a time and working together to achieve our team goals. We like to focus less on the opponent and focus more on our team. The opponents will change but who we are as a team will always stay the same,” Hyden stated
“Summit Country Day is the hardest opponent we have seen so far,” Hyden added.
They play a total of seventeen games, two a week in the regular season and participate in tournaments after the season is over.
Students can support the soccer team by coming to the games and cheering them on. Bringing signs, wearing school colors, and sitting together as a group can really boost the team’s energy for the game.
The McNicholas cheer squad, led by coach Lisa Teague practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays and then cheers at games on Fridays. The team, consisting of 8 seniors and 6 juniors, has developed a great dynamic, getting along better than in previous years, according to squad members.
In addition to practices and games, the cheerleaders dedicate a couple of extra hours each week to create banners for the football players to run through, as a way to add to the excitement and spirit of the games. While the details of competitions are still being finalized, the squad remains focused and committed, ready to showcase their skills and teamwork when the time comes, according to Senior Kennedy Kramer
This year, everyone in the entire program attended the Universal Cheer Association summer camp, which was a 3-day overnight camp. During the camp, they learned routines, cheers, stunts, and more. “We learned a routine and a handful of cheers that we carry into the season,” senior cheerleader Kennedy Kramer said.
Senior night is on October 11. They’ll perform a special halftime routine for the seniors and seniors will get sashes and tiaras. There will be a team dinner before the game, where freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will present the seniors with baskets they created for each senior.
The cheerleaders find it easier to interact when there’s a larger crowd at the football games, and people are paying attention. “When the student sections is full and really engaged it makes it so much easier to interact with them.” Kramer said. “When people start leaving student section its harder to interact with them.”
Unlike JV, the Varsity squad does not have captains. Kennedy and Collete Dawson, with their dancing background, help choreograph dances and teach the rest of the squad. When the band learns a new song, the whole squad comes together, listens to each other, and creates a new cheer or dance.
The McNicholas Milestone 