Spring Sports Hit Springside

Can you hear that? The sound of the temperature slowly crawling up area thermometers? The subtle notes of a garden in bloom? The afternoon excitement of school kids racing home?

Ah yes, spring has finally arrived. And its arrival means the return of spring sports in the Philadelphia area, including spring sports at the Springside School.

The all-girls school’s track team already started racing. Last Thursday, the Lions took on perennial powerhouse Penn Charter and lost, 78-46, in a meet that was approached as a scrimmage more than anything else. Lions’ senior Taylor Ellis-Watson, who will take her talents to the University of Pittsburgh next year, won both the 100-meter dash and 200 sprint. Ellis-Watson is currently the fifth fastest sprinter in the 400-meter race. Fellow senior Natalie Bates, who will compete for Lehigh University next year, took first in the 300 hurdles and second in the long and high jumps.

Lions’ co-coaches Mary Ellen Flynn and Bob Shoudt will look for big things from both Ellis-Watson (100, 200, 400, sprint relays) and Bates (middle distance), as well as juniors Ashlee Hale (throws) and Jamie McGinn (sprints/jumps). McGinn placed third, with a mark of 31-feet, 10.5 inches, at last year’s Independent School State Championship at the Hill School. As a team, the Lions, who finished sixth in the Inter-Ac League, placed 11th overall. Against Penn Charter, McGinn took first and second, respectively, in the shot put and triple jump.

Flynn also noted the Lions have a number of other versatile athletes that can score points in multiple events this season, including senior Riley Tarver (relays), freshman Melanie Rankin (sprints/jumps) and Jamie Costarino, an eighth-grader who Flynn said will run in distance events. Costarino won the 1,600 race against Penn Charter

“Our biggest flaw is that we are much smaller than most teams, however we aren't worried about that,” Flynn said. “We have a small group that is talented and wants to be there and works hard. Some might call that a flaw, but we don't think of it that way.”

One of the highlights for the Lions this season is their return to the Penn Relays, held at Franklin Field at the end of April. The Lions will run the 4x100 and 4x400 relays at the prestigious meet.

“We haven't been there since we won the 4x400 relay two years ago,” Flynn said. “Our team is looking very strong and we're just excited to get out there and see what happens.”

Repeat run?

Much like the track and field team, Springside’s softball team is also dreaming big. The Lions are looking to climb back to the top of the Inter-Ac League. Last season, they finished in a tie for first place with a 10-2 league record (16-5 overall). While they lost five-year starting pitcher Natalie Klotz, fellow hurler Molly Smith, catcher/designated hitter Jen Boyle and a pair of starting outfielders to graduation, the Lions still should be a team to contend with.

“We have great combination of experience and depth at every position,” said Lions’ coach Stephanie Mill, now in her 11th season. 

Eleven players return to the Lions this spring, including six starters. Among those expecting to contribute on a regular basis are juniors Alexis Giovinazzo (shortstop) and Aly Markey (catcher), and sophomore pitcher Michelle Cybularz.

Mills also noted that senior Asha Deane (outfielder) and juniors Resnya Hughes (first baseman) and Michelle Boggs (outfielder) are players to keep an eye out for.

“We lost two starting outfielders,” Mills said. “We have six players fighting it out to earn starting spots. We have been practicing hard to rebuild in those two positions.”

Despite the question marks that loom right now, Mills feels good about her squad.

“We should have a strong team again this year,” she said. “Our goal this year is to be a contender for the Inter-Ac title again this year.”

Green Lions

In her first year as Springside’s lacrosse coach, Lydia Imperiale is excited about seeing how her young and fast team will fare this spring.

Early on, the Lions may have a bumpy ride as they only have two seniors on the team. Last season, they finished 6-8 overall (3-9 Inter-Ac) before a large senior class graduated, including: Courtney Caputo (midfield), Lindsey Yang (midfield), Nicole Lombardo (midfield) and Leah Spalding (defense).

Anchoring Springside’s midfield will be Libbie Maine, Kitty Morrissey and Taylor Wrubel. Also returning to the Lions’ side is Ellie Stout, who Imperiale will look to produce on the offensive end, and defenders Erica Schneer and Kasey Sullivan.

Imperiale noted that Vanessa Pierce (midfield), Jennie Lukoff (offense) and Alla Reist (offense) will also have a chance to help the Lions’ cause. 

Golf

Last May, Amanda Culp finished second at the Inter-Ac girls’ golf championship at the Gulph Mills Golf Club. Now the senior co-captain and her coach, Jamie Bell, are eying that first place trophy.

Culp and fellow senior co-captain Kelly Brady are expected to lead the 2011 Lions, a team with a mix of veterans and newcomers according to Bell.

Also expected to contribute are three-year lettermen Samantha Blake, a junior, and Janie Grace Robertson, a junior co-captain. Bell will also lean on two-year starters Kelly Brady and Eleanor Timon for big results.

Bell put junior Dena O’Larnic, as well as freshmen Morgan Schneer, Courtney Hampton, Molly Dugan and Katie Shields, in the “others to watch” category.

The Lions will sorely miss Charlotte Lowry this season. Lowry graduated last spring after the Lions finished 4-5 overall and 4-3 in league action.