Search Results

The 2023-24 Heights Varsity Basketball team is shaping up to be a solid squad this season. Senior guards Nick Buono, Matthew Bowell and Michael Byrne are looking to be a formidable trio. Anthony Fountain is looking forward to having a great senior year with his Brandon Imgram-like build and jumpshot. If he can get shots going early, this team will be hard to beat. Keaton Kley is a big body that opposing teams will have to slow down if they want to win. Larry Kilmer (Jr) is a sharp-shooting wing that resembles a bit of Klay Thompson. Sean Burke’s quick hesitation moves on the perimeter in the pick-and-roll makes him a threat to score from anywhere. New addition Chris Aldrich is a guy with excellent handles and a sweet jumper. The team opens up with a game against JP the Great. This is a team that can do some things if they get started early and get the shots falling. Add that to a new coaching staff, and this team is looking to cause some major upsets this winter.

The 2022-23 NFL season is here, and crazy things have already begun to take place. The Bills have shown that they are capable of choking leads in the strangest ways, the Jets are a team that needs Bryce Young as soon as possible, the Packers and Buccaneers may not make the playoffs, and the Eagles are proving the doubters wrong, week by week, and sit atop the NFL. The new overtime rule for the postseason that states if a team gets the ball first and scores a touchdown, the other team will get a chance to score, might need to be put into place in the regular season. There have been a handful of overtime games this season where a team scored a touchdown on its first drive and the other team’s offense did not see the field. Most of these games, however, have gone down to the wire, such as Vikings @ Bills in Week 10. The Bills had dominated most of the game, but let the Vikings come back into it. They would get a huge stop on 4th down at the half yard line with 42 seconds left. The score was 27-23. All Josh Allen had to do was run it or throw a quick slant to get a first down, and it would be over. Somehow, the center and Allen mishandled the snap, and it resulted in a Vikings defensive TD. The Bills would get the ball back and get a field goal to tie at the end of regulation, but the Vikings pulled through and came out with a victory that included Justin Jefferson’s version of OBJ’s one-handed grab on a 4th&18. The Vikings recently got smacked by the Cowboys in Week 11 on their home turf on national television, 40-3. It was so bad that CBS switched the national broadcast to the Bengals-Steelers game because it was so atrocious. The Bengals are looking to get their WR1 Ja’Marr Chase back in Week 12 against the Titans. They are looking like they are starting to figure out some key pieces on their team and are gaining some momentum. The Chiefs are playing like the Chiefs per usual. The trio of Mahomes, Kelce, and coach Andy Reid are sitting atop the AFC currently and are looking really good without Tyreek Hill, who went to Miami and has made Tua and fellow WR Jaylen Waddle better. Waddle and Hill are in the top 5 in receiving yards, and Hill leads in the receptions category as well. Turning to the NFC Beast, the Giants are looking like they will make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. People are unsure if they are for real because they think the Giants have not played anyone, but they did beat the Ravens in Week 6. The Eagles are looking like the best team in the NFC, especially since the teams right behind them are teams that they beat in the Vikings and the Cowboys. The Cowboys have played well when the expectations are low, but when the pressure rises, they fall. They stomped the Vikings 40-3 because nobody was expecting too much of a beatdown. But when backup QB Cooper Rush was in, and Michael Irvin was calling him the next ‘Rush Hour,’ they would fall under the pressure against the Eagles in Week 6, and they also lost to the Bucs in Week 1, who have not looked their best this season. And the Commanders…well, let’s just say that the best thing that might happen to them this year is Dan Snyder leaving and Jeff Bezos arriving to take over ownership, possibly with Kevin Durant or Jay-Z. Heiniken is nice, but I don’t think that they will be able to make that 7th seed in the NFC. Last but not least, the Detroit Lions may make a late playoff push. They just lost to the Bills on Thanksgiving, but in a game where they picked off Allen multiple times and had a 3-point lead with 23 seconds left. Those 23 seconds would give Allen time to find the man out of Gaithersburg, MD, Stefon Diggs for a 40 yd gain that would set up a tying FG. The Bills would escape in OT, but not before Detroit showed they could hang with a top AFC team.

The 2022 season for the Heights Cavs was one to remember for plenty of reasons. First year head coach Boh Mitchell led the team to a playoff birth in his first year under the helm. Captains Harrison Barkley (Jr, M), Jack Hermes (Jr, D), and Tommy Gross (Sr, G) were sensational leaders and were able to rally the team when they needed it most. A big step forward that was taken this year was that the team was competing with the best teams not only in the conference, but in the country, including leading at points in the games. The Cavs were 4-0 in one-goal games this year, including a 4OT thriller at St. Andrews on April 22. Injuries hurt the team, mainly on the defensive end, where four guys, including three starters, would miss significant time. The best player on the team this year, Tommy Gross (Sr, G), had an excellent year with his best game coming against St. Andrews, where he saved multiple goals on the doorstep of the crease in the 4th quarter and the 4OTs.          The season started in Durham, North Carolina, where the team pulled out an 8-7 win over St. Anne’s-Belfield. They proceeded to go on a 3-3 stretch in March, which included slim three-goal losses to Paul VI and Gonzaga. April started off with a blowout win vs St. Mary’s Ryken, and then St. Johns came to town. We stayed close, and held it to 2-1 at the end of the first quarter, but they pulled away in the 2nd and 4th. The next two games were fairly easy wins, and then the team went to Good Counsel, where we won in a tight one, thanks to Leo Messenger   (Sr, M), who had the game-tying and winning goal in OT to win it 10-9. The next game was the St. Andrews game, a 4OT win. The biggest game of the season against Dematha on Senior Day was up next. It was the return of former head coach Dave Mitchell, and it was blow for blow the whole game. Dematha quickly went up, but the Cavs came back, taking a two-goal lead in the third. Dematha eventually pulled out with a 13-11 win, but most of the guys were happy with the effort and fight that was put up against guys that clearly looked down on us. The team got an easy win at JP the Great to close out April, and then the playoffs arrived. The Heights was set to play at Paul VI on Tuesday, May 3rd in the WCAC quarterfinal. PVI went up 1-0 fairly quickly, but the Cavs came storming back, with goals from Seamus Regan (Jr, A), and Joe James (Jr, A). A momentum shift was when PVI scored to tie it at 2 right before the  1st quarter ended, and PVI went into halftime up 5-3. They went on a 3rd quarter run, and the Cavs were only able to score once more. Tommy gave it his all, and he made it clear that he wanted it more than PVI, who thought that it was going to be a blowout, even after the regular season matchup. Hermes and Daniel Kim (So, D) played great games. Hank Mitchell (Jr, D), Tony Colosi (So, M, Soft Hands), Paul Anglade ( Fr, M, it is him), and Owen James (Fr, LSM, The Last Jedi) played big when they had to step into bigger roles over the course of the season. We also have parted ways with our goalie coach, Dave Diamond, who we wish the best of luck at Bullis next year. The offseason starts now, and we will be back next year with a super-talented rising senior class and guys that got a year older.

The 2022-23 college football season has already given us some of the all-time classic finishes, with miracles and heartbreaks happening every week. New rule changes are coming to the game, on and off the field, with NCAA Madden 24 coming out soon, and the CFB Playoff expanding to 12 teams in 2026 once the recurring contract runs out, although many suspect that the college board did this just to appease the annoyance of fans and viewers of the sport from previous decisions. The SEC is dominating the AP polls so far this season, with #1 Georgia and #2 Alabama at the top, followed by teams like Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio State, Clemson, Arkansas, and USC, among others. Arkansas is the team that people sleep on the most that has the ability to beat a top 10 ranked team in the country, especially with their QB1 KJ Jefferson being considered as a potential Heisman candidate this season. In Week 4, Texas almost beat Alabama, who were ranked #1 at that time, but ended up losing 20-19 in a nailbiter. The Tide looked like they should have lost the game, but bad clock management on Texas’ last drive gave Bryce Young 1:32 to work with, and he led them into field goal range. Appalachian State might have the craziest season so far for an unranked team. Their first game was a loss to UNC, an unreal score of 63-61. They would have scored more if they had converted the 2-point try with 30 seconds left. Their third game resulted in a 32-28 victory against Troy, in which a 53-yard Hail Mary was converted, and disbelief fell upon a certain Troy sorority group party. Some other surprises have been the lack of recognition that some offensive lines have been giving to Will Anderson, Jr. from Alabama. This guy is the college football version of an Aaron Donald or a TJ Watt, just a one-man wrecking crew, and easily a top 5 draft prospect for this year’s 2023 NFL Draft. Bryce Young has been having a solid start to the season for Alabama, although some people would question his confidence taking enormous hits to the point where he loses confidence. I personally do not believe this, because every time he has a string of bad plays, he always seems to come back with a bomb play or a game-winning drive to make up for it. #1 Georgia’s Stetson Bennett IV has done his job well this season, leading the Dawgs, the greatest team in the nation, to a perfect record so far. The defense, although losing key seniors and pieces like Nakobe Dean and Jordan Davis (Eagles), Travon Walker (Jaguars), and Lewis Cine (Packers), has been just as stout, with guys like Nolan Smith and Chris Smith returning to this defense. The offense has looked elite, even though they lost James Cook (Bills), brother of Dalvin Cook, and NFL YoungBoy, aka George Pickens (Steelers), who is a star in the making. Ladd McConkey has picked up where he left off for Georgia in the National Championship Game vs. Alabama, leading the team in yards. Ohio State still has most of its core coming back from last year, the main piece being C.J. Stroud, their exceptional quarterback. They did lose their top two receivers in Garrett Wilson (Jets) and Chris Olave (Saints), but that has not seemed to slow down their offense, with senior WR Marvin Harrison, Jr. looking like the top WR Heisman candidate thus far. Notre Dame has not exactly been a disappointment, but Marcus Freemans’ first few games have not gone as planned. They started off by blowing a lead to Ohio State in the season opener, then losing to Marshall after paying them a good amount of money to play them their second game. They will need to turn it around quickly if they want to have a slim shot of making the CFP this season.

The 2022 Heights Lacrosse Crescite was memorable in a lot of ways. The team took a road trip to Durham, North Carolina after they decided to go there instead of Florida. The team left on Sunday, February 28th. It started off by freshmen getting their heads shaved that night by seniors and juniors. Seamus Walsh particularly had a blast violating kids so bad they did not want to be seen by anyone. Suddenly there were a lot of hats and hoodies being worn a lot. There were some freshmen, especially “The Friar” Luke Chambers, who owned it the whole week. Others locked themselves in their rooms during free time. The haircuts were on Instagram Live. It was demoralizing to the freshmen. Monday-Friday consisted of 7 practices, Ash Wednesday Mass, a scrimmage-practice against Durham Academy, and a game vs. STAB. On Monday, there were two practices. The first was 10-11:30 am., and the second was 3:30-5 pm. On Monday, after the second practice, the team invaded Walmart on the way back. Shelves were cleared of Nerf guns, protein and energy drinks, and candy. There was also a chalk talk at 8pm. On Tuesday, they had the first practice as scheduled. The second practice was at Durham Academy, where the team practiced and scrimmaged with one of the top teams in the area. After that, they headed to High Point University, where High Point took on Duke. It was a great game until the last whistle, where a little scuffle broke out. Duke won 18-14. A few of our players were getting sprints in while they tried to get High Point T-shirts from a guy in the stands. They ended up getting the shirts. Dinner proved to be an issue, because fast food restaurants were not allowing people in, presumably because of COVID-19 regulations. Therefore most of the team did not eat anything that night, although some tried to make the Kraft mac & cheese at the hotel, which most failed miserably at. Wednesday consisted of two normal practices and a mini-weight room session led by junior captain Jack Hermes. It also included Ash Wednesday Mass, which was led by kindergarteners. The 8th graders in attendance could not stop laughing at the freshmen’s haircuts. Thursday had one practice from 10-11:30 am., and then the team went to Frankie’s Fun Park at 2:15. Coach Dave Diamond took on seniors Seamus Walsh and Tommy Gross in go-karting, along with others. The team completely raided one game for about an hour and fifteen minutes, with kids checking in and out to help out. Coach Diamond spent $200 on this game alone, which resulted in at least 20,000 tickets. The man who had to carry all of these tokens, cards, and tickets was junior Graham Staedler. The team ended up selecting a LED sign that says Gameroom and a huge stuffed unicorn named Pegasus at the end of the day. On Friday, the team had a walk-through practice from 10-11:30 am., and then they had a game at 6:45 pm vs. St. Anne’s-Belfield School, which is located near Charlottesville, VA. It was a very close and chilly game, but the Cavs pulled through, especially Tommy Gross with several clutch saves late in the 4th, to win it 8-7. There were celebrations in the vans and at the hotel. Some suggested going to a next-door restaurant to celebrate, but that idea was quickly put to rest. The freshmen also got the chance for the rest of their hair to get shaved off. Most accepted. The Friar was not one of them. It was a big win for new Head coach Boh Mitchell in his debut. The defense is something to be proud of, and they are expected to produce big this season, with a D1 goalie in command. The offense has been one of the best second-half offenses in the WCAC this season so far. The next day, the team headed back to The Heights, and got back around 4:45 pm. It was memorable start to the season. Just a daily reminder that there is a MANDATORY ATTENDANCE WARNING on TUESDAY, APRIL 26TH VS DEMATHA and former head coach and Heights graduate Dave Mitchell. Brother vs brother. BE THERE. Cancel any plans you have. No homework excuses.

Heights Varsity basketball this year is one of great talent and skill. The coach, former professional basketball player Thomas Treadwell, has pushed the program in a positive direction so far in his tenure. It is a hard thing to do when you must face schools that produce star-studded talents like Dematha, but the team is going forward, nevertheless. The team manager is senior Alex Barlow. The team is centered around the star junior and D1 hopeful Connor Venable, who is a big Georgetown fan. Connor had a sensational game against the Height’s biggest rival, Avalon, with the final score being 56-48. Another junior that has played well is Seamus Reagan, who also had an impact against Avalon. Seniors Seamus Walsh, Tommy Gross, Joe Balumuene, Pat Bowell, Jude Maloney, Leo Messenger, and John Wall do not all have the same impact and minutes, but they all contribute to the team, whether it is on the bench or on the court. The sophomores have a strong trio, with Eli Ephraim, Anthony Fountain, and Keaton Kley. The energy at home games this year has been intense, with Steven Weeldreyer, Greg Carosi, Finian Godfrey, and Senai Araya being the ones leading the charge. The team played vs. Our Lady of Good Counsel on Friday, January 21, at Capital One Arena in the District, home of the Washington Wizards. The team played well, but ultimately fell to Good Counsel, 68-58. Connor went off for 27, Reagan had 12, and Keaton Kley had 10. After the game, everyone who had gone to the high school game would get free access to pregame warmups of the NBA game later that night, between the Wizards and the Toronto Raptors. The game was close until Fred VanVleet hit a clutch three with one minute remaining, sealing the win for Toronto. Some of our players and student body had fun at both games, whether it was getting on the jumbotron, dunking on a professional NBA court, or getting to sit courtside for free. The season will end on February 18th, with the last home game being on Tuesday, February 15th, vs. John Paul the Great.

The 2022-23 Varsity basketball season is upon us, and it is another season where games will be tough and hard to find ways to win. There are no sophomores this year that managed to make the cut, so it is all juniors and seniors. It all starts with Connor Venable, the senior out of the District of Columbia, who is the best player on this year’s roster and performed well last year against top teams like DeMatha, Bishop McNamara, and Paul VI. Seamus Regan (Jr) is a big body in the post with a smooth midrange jumper. First-time members of the squad are Michael Byrne (Jr), Matthew Bowell (Jr), Nick Buono (Jr), Joey Henzel (Sr), Lawson Weeldreyer (Jr), and Sam Hatch (Jr). All of these guys have the skill and talent to be solid role players this year. Also returning are Anthony Fountain (Jr), Joey Sheehan (Sr), Keaton Kley (Jr), and Eli Ephriam (Jr). Fountain plays a solid role in the offense, with a player build that could be compared to NBA stars Kevin Durant or Brandon Ingram, with longer arms and a skinny frame. Keaton Kley has a good shot and has the ability to rise up over the defender for a look. The guards in Buono, Byrne, and Venable can be very shifty, especially Buono, who’s game can relate to a little bit of Philadelphia guard Tyrese Maxey. Venable’s game is almost identical to Jimmy Butler, with the whole package of grittiness, midrange, and ability to finish at the rim. This team can have some interesting looks, with them not having a dominant towering center at the five like McNamara does, so the amount of smallball lineups could be very common for this team. This could possibly elevate the offense. Connor’s averages should look to be around the same, if not higher, this season. It is a tough WCAC per usual, but almost nothing too tough that will completely rattle this team.