Spring sports end the athletic year with triumph

The St. Martin’s Episcopal School spring athletic season had great success as athletes put their talent to use, whether on the field, court, or course, and thrived together as a team.

“I think this year we bonded a little better than in the past,” said Senior Captain Jesse Reeves. “On the court, a lot of our matches were a lot closer this year.”

A lot of tennis players tried harder than in the past, improved, and became more passionate about the sport, according to Reeves. With the increased enthusiasm and success, Reeves finds he does not want to leave the team behind.

“I’m going to miss playing next to my teammates—like playing next to (Senior) Stephen Richards,” Reeves said. “When I encourage him, it helps him, and I can tell.”

The softball team also experienced a heartwarming season working together as a team. With an influx of new members, the softball players had an important year of team building.

“We had a lot of young players, and the improvement from the beginning to the end was amazing,” said Senior Captain Julia Scofield.

At first, a lot of the girls weren’t even really sure of their rules for their specific positions, according to Scofield. However, as the season progressed, the new players learned new skills and became more involved in the games. “By the end, they could play one or two positions and we were able to sub in a lot,” Scofield said.

The team is going to have to grow a lot because they are mostly seventh and eighth-graders, according to Scofield.

“I think it’s just going to get brighter in the next three or four years because you’re going to have all these kids who started young,” Scofield said. “They are going to have at least three or four years of experience by the time they’re seniors.”

This year, the golf team prospered under the guidance of Athletic Director and Head Golf Coach Sue Bower. The team grew in numbers and in knowledge. Revived interest in the sport led to a larger team.

“I gained a bunch of golf and swing insight from Coach Bower, which helped my game tremendously,” said Senior Philip Lazich. “It was fun being able to play in matches and working as a team to accomplish goals.”

Senior Captain Nick DellaCroce seconds Lazich’s remark, for Bower’s guidance was essential in his success at the district tournament. DellaCroce won the tournament with a score of 79.

“The district course played relatively easy, but the main thing was gaining confidence with Coach Bower, who told me I had the chance to win district,” DellaCroce said.

Approaching the end of the year, athletes, especially seniors, grow to miss the St. Martin’s athletic department.

“I'm really sad to leave because I know I’m not going be playing softball in college as much as I love it,” Scofield said. “I’ve literally been playing since I could walk. I started on T-ball.”