Brimming with anticipation, each fan and Hackley girls’ basketball team member watched as senior captain Alessa Mendoza drove toward the basket. Talent, athletic prowess, and countless hours of practice culminated in absolute victory as Alessa scored her one-thousandth career point. Swarmed by teammates and coaches on all sides, Alessa took a moment to celebrate with her mother and claim a large poster designed to commemorate the accomplishment.
This year’s Winter Sting was eventful, with teams battling out matches and games predominately against Riverdale Country School (RCS). Despite the initial fear of snowy weather putting a stop to the seasonal event, many sports teams were successful in clinching victories during the Sting.
Lower Schoolers participated in a variety of fun activities that took place in the main gym. The HPA set up booths for crafts, raffles, and games for students of all ages. Students won tickets by playing games and were able to trade them for prizes.
Kicking off the night with some fun, students of all ages assembled in the gym to participate in various games, raffles, and crafts. Flik provided Hackley classics (the Hornet, waffle fries, and chicken tenders) in the Nest alongside an impressive spread of spirit gear set up by the Hackley Parents’ Association.
Girls’ varsity basketball started strong against RCS, winning 68-26, with a crucial 42 points scored by Alessa Mendoza to achieve her one thousand-point victory.
“It was an amazing experience to hit 1000 during Sting; it was tough coming into the game with a 42-point gap, but with the support of my teammates and coaches, I was able to pull it off and also come out with the win as a team,” said Alessa.
Girls’ varsity squash claimed another stand-out Sting win, defeating their opponents 5-0 during individual matches. Leading division standings, boys’ varsity squash settled another victory against RCS, upholding a 10-3 record that will propel their seeding in the upcoming New York State Association of Independent Schools tournament and High School Nationals.
Below in the Wrestling Room, athletes faced off in tough matchups against Eastchester High School, ultimately coming out with a win by a score of 39-31.
“The crowd was more packed than any other match I’ve had at Hackley. It was so great to see such a nice turnout for the team and I hope we can keep the momentum going for the rest of the year,” said junior captain Remy Becker.
Boys’ varsity fencing worked hard in the studio for a victory against The Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School, with boys’ epee winning 7-2, foil winning 6-3, and saber winning 8-1.
Sophomore Skylar van Eck prepares to serve the ball during the girls’ varsity squash match. Each team member won their individual matches 3-0 in best-of-five. Both the boys’ and girls’ squash teams will travel to Philadelphia in late February to compete in High School Nationals.d Elisabeth Irwin High School, with boys’ epee winning 7-2, foil winning 6-3, and saber winning 8-1.
The girls swim team triumphed in their meet against RCS, defeating them 88-60. With swimmers typically competing in two to four events each during a meet, the pool is constantly packed with male and female athletes at any given time. In a head-to-head with the boys’ RCS team, Hackley swimmers were unable to come up with a win, losing 67-71.
