Lion Sports Update (12/08)
Wrestling
The varsity wrestlers competed at the Highland Park Dual Tournament hosted by Highland Park High School on December 4. Also competing were Highland Park HS, R. L. Turner HS, Jesuit College Prep, and Episcopal School of Dallas. The Lions went 3-1 in the tournament with the following results:
- Win – St. Mark’s 52 vs R. L. Turner HS 24
- Win – St. Mark’s 53 vs ESD 12
- Win – St. Mark’s 48 vs Jesuit Prep 25
- Loss – St. Mark’s 30 vs Highland Park HS 48
This Wednesday, December 8, at 5:30 p.m., the wrestlers will compete at Jesuit College Prep on Inwood Road.
Basketball
Coming out of the Thanksgiving break, the varsity basketball team demonstrated tremendous grit. With seniors scrambling with the busyness of college application season, the Lions earned a 2-2 record against four scrappy opponents. On Tuesday, November 30, Wilmer-Hutchins visited Spencer Gymnasium and seized an early lead. St. Mark’s responded and took a commanding nine-point advantage into halftime but then sputtered in the third quarter, ultimately losing a one-point thriller when the buzzer-beating attempt fell just short. Senior Corvin Oprea led all scorers with 24 points. The following Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the Marksmen traveled to Carrollton Creekview and Newman Smith High Schools to compete in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Invitational. Cold shooting once again haunted the blue and gold as they saw another second-half lead melt into narrow defeat against Texas Alliance of Christian Athletes. On Friday, however, the Lions bounced back with an energized 75-54 victory over Newman Smith. Four Lions scored in double-figures, with junior Rapha Mitterer-Claudette and sophomore Lucas Blumenthal leading the way with 16 and 12, both of which were career-highs for the first-year varsity playmakers. The next day, St. Mark’s jumped out to a comfortable lead against Arlington. However, the Lions could not replicate the third-quarter magic that blew the game open the day before. Arlington dominated most of the second half and held a four-point lead with under 2 minutes to play in the game. St Mark’s three seniors, however, we’re determined to will the team to victory. Corvin Oprea (who finished the game with a team-high 28 points to go along with 11 rebounds) buried a critical three-pointer, and Tate Laczkowski (who also recorded a double-double) sank another huge three that helped send the game to overtime. Caleb Vanzant took over as the initiator in overtime, attacking the rim and setting up teammates to ensure the Lions would never trail again. Final score, St. Mark’s 55 – Arlington 51. This week, the Lions host Bishop Lynch on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. St. Mark’s was ranked fourth and Bishop Lynch third among large private schools by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. It should be a thrilling matchup!
Swim
The varsity swim team was back in the pool for the first time this season. Taking on Lake Highlands, and it was all St. Mark’s from start to finish. Marksmen won 10 of the 11 qualifiers with contributions from all classes. Senior co-captain Brett Honaker won the 200 Freestyle with a time of 1:52.56, junior co-captain Sammy Larkin came in second with a 1:56.40, just 1 second off his lifetime best. Sophomore Adrian Lutgen took home the 200 IM with a time of 2:13.52. Fellow sophomore Anderson Selinger was out-touched, coming in 3rd with a time of 2:18.84. Senior co-captain Sam Reitich came in 2nd in the 50 Freestyle with a personal best of 24.65, but was followed up by freshman Benjamin Chen in 3rd and junior Michael Gao in 4th. Senior Nick Gomez dominated the 100 Butterfly with a time of 53.21. Sophomore Ethan Gao was in 2nd with a 59.49, and senior Miki Ghosh was 3rd with a 1:02.45. Honaker was back at it again in the 100 Freestyle with a time of 50.65 for 1st, sophomore Adam Kappleman was 2nd with a 52.64, and Michael Gao was 3rd with a 54.47. Larkin, Lutgen, and Chen went 1,2,3 in the 500 Freestyle, Gomez and freshman George Hoverman went 1,2 in the 100 Backstroke with a 59.46 and a 1:05.55, respectively. Sophomore Dawson Yao and junior Aaron Liu went 1,2 in the 100 Breast with 1:11.61 and 1:12.28. St. Mark won all three relays going 1,2,3 in all but the Medley, where a DQ was awarded to senior Gomez for a false start. Up next, the Lions take on Fort Worth Country Day on December 7, and Cistercian on December 9, both in the Rogers Natatorium at St. Mark’s
Soccer
Returning from holiday, the varsity soccer team traveled to John Paul II. Despite controlling the run of play for significant amounts of time, the Lions fell behind by halftime, 0-1. The Lions wasted no time capitalizing on their opportunities in the second half. Senior captain Noah Soliz found the back of the net in the second minute after halftime with assistance from senior captain Lars Ochs and freshman Alden Reagins. Within a handful of minutes, Reagins gave St. Mark’s the lead courtesy of a well-placed service from Ochs. It was then Ochs, with an assist from junior Akash Munshi, who stretched the lead when he fired a resounding salvo from the edge of the penalty area that gave the opposing keeper no chance. As the whistle blew for full time, sophomore Alex Soliz redirected his brother’s pass into the net to make the final score 4-1. The following evening, the Lions hosted Trinity Valley for their first home match of the season. The Trojans proved to be a formidable opponent on an evening when the Lions found a good first touch to be elusive. St. Mark’s implemented new tactics, including a 3-5-2 formation, but Trinity Valley seemed to have all the answers. Likewise, St. Mark’s closed space limited the Trojan offense, leaving both keepers untested for significant portions of the match. The best opportunity of the evening for either team came in the thirty-first minute when the Lions earned a penalty kick, which Ochs emphatically converted for the only goal of the match. Then on Friday, December 3, the Lions traveled north again to face Prestonwood Christian in a battle of schools with the same mascot. Playing with a pronounced wind in their face, St. Mark’s once again found themselves on the wrong end of the scoreline after less than nine minutes. Just before the half, freshman Ayden Sumer scored the most opportunistic of goals to earn the first varsity goal of his career. Ochs and senior Will Shoup created the opportunity that Sumer finished. Sophomore John Ma and junior Murphy Paul were strong in defense, while senior goalkeeper Axel Icazbalceta kept Prestonwood at bay throughout much of the second half. Alex Soliz scored in the fifty-fourth minute with a decisive strike after junior midfielder Jacob Weinstein had won the ball in the penalty area. Reagins added a late goal while Ochs collected his seventh assist in only five matches to seal the victory, St. Mark’s 3 – Prestonwood 1. With neither team at full strength, the rematch in January should provide outstanding entertainment.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
10600 Preston Road
Dallas, Texas 75230
214-346-8000
Dallas, Texas 75230
214-346-8000
About Us
St. Mark’s School of Texas is a private, nonsectarian college-preparatory boys’ day school for students in grades 1 through 12, located in Dallas, Texas. St. Mark’s aims to prepare young men to assume leadership and responsibility in a competitive and changing world.
St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
