Athletics And Academics Celebrated In Morristown

MORRISTOWN, NJ - The Frelinghuysen Middle School Class of 2020 proved itself to be a formidable group of young adults both on the athletic field and in the classroom slowed only by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In particular, this class featured a group of 8th grade students who, over their three years at FMS, accomplished something unprecedented: back-to-back Group 4 County Championships in Girls Soccer and a three-peat as Group 4 County champions in Girls Basketball. Leading the way were 8th graders Anna Rivetti, Maya Summerville, Cameron McGinley, Rachel Van Sciver, Laura Wild and Cathleen Moran. If their athletic achievements weren’t enough, these young scholars also excelled in the classroom.

"The athletic accomplishment of these students is only surpassed by the quality of their character and citizenship at FMS, and their achievements in the classroom," FMS Principal Joe Uglialoro said. “ They embody what it means to be a scholar-athlete, and represent the best of what we value at FMS.”

According to officials, what makes this group of 8th grade athletes unique is that their “back to back” celebration didn’t end with the fall sports season. In fact, all of these young athletes were also key contributors to the FMS Girls Basketball team winning this winter’s Group 4 County Championship for the third year in a row, earning back-to-back-to-back victories on the middle school basketball court. The FMS Girls Basketball team set a record of a 36 game winning streak over the past three seasons.

Jake Cahill, head coach of both Girls Soccer and Basketball, said he could not be prouder of his players.

“What the girls accomplished over their three years at FMS is truly remarkable and rewrote the athletic history books at the school. More importantly, the girls demonstrate tremendous character and are leaders in their school community and will become leaders in their adult lives," Cahill said. "As their coach, I am incredibly appreciative of their effort and competitiveness each day and will miss them as they move on to their next step at the high school.”

Their successes weren’t confined to the soccer field or the basketball court; these students were equally impressive in the classroom. Anna, Cameron, Rachel, Maya, Laura, and Cathleen all earned high honors or honors throughout their careers at Frelinghuysen and are poised to begin Morristown High School with strong academic records behind them, officials noted.

Lisa Fischman, the FMS Athletic Director and a House Supervisor, noted the middle school’s deep investment in student participation, and said “one of the distinctions that sets us apart from other middle schools is that we have more students staying to participate in extracurricular sports and activities than students who go home after school."

"It is incredibly important for our students to have the opportunity to build relationships outside of the classroom environment, so we offer a wide variety of sports and clubs to meet the interests of all our students and to help each student find their place to belong,” she said.

Fischman commended the Frelinghuysen community for prioritizing these invaluable connections among students throughout the extended school closure.

“This school year was a year of transitions, uncertainty and resilience for our students, staff, families and community. I want to especially thank our spring coaches for their willingness to ensure our spring sport athletes still had an opportunity to participate in workouts and team activities virtually,” she said.

2019-2020 FMS Sports Round-Up

Here is a recap of the year:

• Girls Soccer: Group 4 County Champions (back to back)
• Field Hockey: Group 4 County Second Place (back to back); 8-1-1 record this season
• Boys Cross Country: Second Place (back to back) in NJ Morris County Races
• Girls Cross Country: Second Place in NJ Morris County Races
• Girls Basketball: Group 4 County Champions (back to back to back); 36-game winning streak over past 3 seasons
• Wrestling: Third Place County Champions (back-to-back); 9-3 record this season
• Cheerleading: Won Best Cheer and Most Spirited at the competition hosted by FMS

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