Harvey Athletes Honored: Bedford-Katonah Daily Sports Digest March 8

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Boys Varsity Basketball Finishes Strong

We thank the Harvey Communications Department for the below submissions.:

Harvey’s boys varsity basketball team advanced to the semi-final round of the Housatonic Valley Athletic League (HouVAL) playoffs before dropping an 82-58 decision to second-seed South Kent, the team that went on to defeat Chase Collegiate for the league championship.

Coached by Hassan Bilal and Kurtis London, the Cavaliers, 4-4 in the league, finished the season with an overall record of 12-11. Two of Harvey’s key players, senior forward Aaron McBurnie and junior point guard Julien Higgs were voted to the 1st team All-League team. McBurnie, the team’s co-captain, averaged 16.4 points per game this season and Higgs notched a16 point  per game average.

Coach Bilal described the season as a successful year. “After a rocky start, the team came together and began to jell. We were able to put some wins together, and at one point during the middle of the season the team won 7 out of 8 games.”
 
Coach Bilal said earning four league victories over Watkinson and Forman provided some of the highlights of the season. “All four games were exciting games and we had great contributions from many members of our team,” said the coach.

The coach said another outstanding moment for the team was Senior Day when Harvey battled eventual league champion South Kent. “We came up short but the team played hard and had a lot to be proud of,” Coach Bilal said.
  
While Harvey did not go as far in the playoffs as the team would have wanted, Coach Bilal said he was proud of his players and the effort they gave. “The team always fought hard and competed with great tenacity even in games when we were overmatched,” the coach said.

Harvey Girls Have a Season of Close Encounters

Harvey’s girls’ varsity basketball also went to the semi-finals of the HVAL playoffs.  At one point in their season, the Lady Cavaliers were sporting a 10-2 record, but the schedule went into a tough stretch as Harvey played four straight grueling games against opponents in the highly-competitive Fairchester Athletic Association

“Although the girls lost all four of these games, they were very competitive in each contest, dropping a barn-burner to Greens Farms Academy by five and then four-point losses in three consecutive FAA contests,” said their coach, Chris Kelly.

The playoff semi-final game against eventual league champion Christian Heritage was another nail biter. “We were trailing by only five points with 6 minutes to go when we got into foul trouble and Christian Heritage was able to pull away,” said Coach Kelly. “The girls played great all season and really proved their mettle when playing tough opponents,” he added.

Junior Co-captain Chinasa “CC” Nwokocha was named an HVAL 1^st Team All-Star. Junior center Gabi Paulhac was selected as a 2^nd Team All-Star.

Coach Kelly praised Nwokocha for her “excellent ball handling and shooting skills” and Paulhac for “her outstanding offensive play inside the paint.” The coach also commended junior Rane Prieto for “her incredible defense.” The coach acknowledged Co-captain Nikki Pugliese for her “outstanding leadership and commitment to the team.” 

He also praised senior Shannon O’Connor for making “significant contributions” as well.

Overall, the Lady Cavaliers finished the season at 12-7 and were 3-2 in league competition.

Harvey’s Varsity Hockey Team Has a “Record” Season

In year two of the Fairchester Athletic Association, Harvey’s hockey team finished 3-2 in league play and 13-12-1 overall.

Led by captains Ricky Schulman, Brandon Hickey, and Brett Marks, the Cavaliers produced some terrific moments on the ice, including Schulman’s 100^th career goal, a Harvey School record.

In a season that ended with a semi-final playoff loss, the regular season successes included earning a 9-4 victory over FAA League Champion Rye Country Day, taking state-ranked Monroe-Woodbury to a shootout in the final of the Scarsdale Tournament, and winning a number of very tough road games against St. Thomas More, South Kent, and Hamden Hall.                                                           

Coaches Tim Halewicz, Alex Morse, and Kyle Delaney guided this year’s team through the toughest schedule that Harvey has ever had.

“It is impossible to play such a rigorous schedule as a small prep school and not suffer some losses, but the team continued to rise to each challenge,” Coach Halewicz said.

Injuries made a tough season tougher. Senior forward Mickey Stein, evolving as the leader of Harvey’s checking line, fractured his hand during a 7-4 victory at St. Thomas More.  

Sean Hennings broke his hand during a tough loss at King, but did come back with a cast with a valiant effort in the semifinal game. Freshman Anthony Horner began stepping up on defense before breaking his wrist in a travel hockey game, while freshman forward Connor Wilson was seeing time on special teams as well as first and second line action before going down with a knee injury at Hamden Hall.  

Coach Halewicz said the injuries especially hurt the depth of the team. “Younger players stepped up to fill roles, but losing a veteran checking presence was a huge whole to fill,” said the coach.

He said junior defenseman Matt McMorrow capitalized on the opportunity to log more ice time and bring his game to the next level. Coach Halewicz also praised sophomores Curtis Rattner and Corey Eisenband for “their smart play in filling a variety of roles for the team.”  Freshman Keith Lambert contributed 11 points in his first year as a varsity Cavalier. 

The FAA recognized three players for awards. Seniors Ricky Schulman and Brandon Hickey were named All-League. Sophomore Robert Van Raamsdonk earned an Honorable Mention. Schulman scored a total of 37 goals and garnered 18 assists, giving him a team-leading 55 points. Hickey was recognized for his outstanding defense.

He also finished the season sixth on the team in scoring with 20 points on 6 goals and 14 assists. Van Raamsdonk was 2^nd on the team in goals (18), and third on the team in points (35). Coach Halewicz had great praise for his budding star.

“Van Raamsdonk stepped up to the challenge, emerging as a leader on the ice through his grit and determination, not to mention being the fastest player in the league,” added the coach.

Senior Tim Ehlberg was second on the team in scoring with 36 points on 11 goals and 24 assists. Freshman Keith Lambert notched 6 goals and 5 assists in his first year. In front of the net, freshman goalie Robbie Massimi carried the burden, logging 1,134 minutes with a .859 save %.

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