As the spring sports season winds down and seniors graduate, teams are already revving up for next year’s sports seasons. Many graduating seniors guided this year’s sports teams teams to great success. The current juniors are preparing to use their experience to play leadership roles in the 2017-2018 school year.

For the fall season, the football team is looking to repeat as Metropolitan Independent Football League (MIFL) champions with leadership from current junior Will Waterhouse. Last season, Waterhouse averaged 80.5 rushing yards per game and helped lead Hackley to an undefeated season with seven total wins. “This past year the seniors were a huge part of the Ivy League Championship win, but next year we have a lot of returning players that will help contribute to next years season and hopefully keep the two year winning streak alive,” said Waterhouse.

Ellie Arnold is posing to be an instrumental part of next year’s varsity field hockey as the team says goodbye to five seniors. During Arnold’s career, the field hockey team has been 18-0 in league games and they were Ivy League champions in 2014, 2015, and 2016. They competed in the NYSAIS tournament final last year, falling to Rye Country Day in overtime after a tight game which ended in 3-2. In 2015 the team won NYSAIS and in 2014 they were NYSAIS runner-ups. As a midfielder, Arnold has scored a career total of 16 goals, 7 assists, and 39 total points, and her experience winning championships and playing in tight games will be instrumental for next years team.

Boys varsity swimming is looking to repeat as Ivy Preparatory League champions after winning last year’s championship by a 58 point margin and total of 409 points. Liam Bogart helped secure the team’s victory after winning the men’s 200 individual medley in a time of 1:56.77, and racing the fastest leg of the winning 400 freestyle relay, which set a new league and school record. Bogart alone scored 38 out of a possible 40 points, and contributed to two of the team’s’ successful relays which scored 74 points.

Fencing is looking to have a strong showing in 2018 and Hanna Mark’s success last year will set her up to contribute to next year’s team. In girls saber, Hanna won 93% out of her total season’s bouts. She was the Ivy Prep League champion with a season total of 135 touches scored and only 54 received. With the addition of an updated fencing space in the new Walter Johnson Health and Wellness Center, hopefully available next year, Hanna is excited about how this will benefit the fencing team, “Hopefully the new facilities will also include dummies, storage for blades and equipment, and room for spectators so we can be inviting for those who want to stop by and watch. A major problem with our arrangement included the lack of accessibility for student or parent spectators. I think the new room will definitely help bring more interested faces by fencing, which would be great exposure for fencing to the Hackley community.”

On the track, juniors Laura Walter-McNeill and Caroline Stevenson have posted strong times this past season. At the Ivy Preparatory League Championships, Walter-McNeill placed third in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 1 minute and 14 seconds, fourth in the long jump in a distance of 14 feet 9 inches, and eighth in the 100 meter hurdles in 18.53 seconds. Stevenson ran the 800 in a time of 2:27.52 finishing in fourth. Both her and Laura are looking to play a big role next year as the track team graduates a large number of strong athletes, including seniors Ivie Uzamere and Luisa Stalman who each won their events at Ivies.