A compilation of Portsmouth Abbey’s Athletic News and Notes…
(Cover: Gage Polgar ’25. Above L–R: Captain Garrett Roskelly '23, Sean Oh '24, Tommy O'Hara '24 and Connor Lynn '23.)
Wrestling Team Finishes Second in EIL Championship
The Ravens took to the mats on February 11, competing in the Eastern Independent League Championship at Lexington Christian Academy in Lexington, Massachusetts. Connor Lynn ’23, Thomas O’Hara ’24, Sean Oh ’24 and Garrett Roskelly ’23 emerged victorious in their weight classes. Dino DeMarzio ’26, Atticus Bonny ’24 and Dahmaux Kouassi-Brou ’23 were runners-up. All seven wrestlers qualified to compete in the New England Championship February 17–18 at Phillips Academy Andover.
Joining their teammates at the New England Championship will be female wrestlers Merritt Coward ’23, Mary Adams ’24, Daniella Gasso ’24 and Waverly Compagnone ’24.
Portsmouth Abbey to Host Boys’ Varsity Squash Championships February 18-19. Girls’ Varsity Squash to play at Pomfret.
Portsmouth Abbey Athletics will host Class D of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Boys’ Squash Championship at the Healey and Sheehan Fitness Center on Saturday, February 18, and Sunday, February 19, beginning at 11:00 a.m. In addition to Portsmouth Abbey, Class D players from Brooks School, Buckingham Browne and Nichols School (BBN), Dexter Southfield School, Kingswood-Oxford School, Middlesex School, Millbrook School and Pomfret School will compete. The Ravens are the number three seed heading into the tournament with a record of 7-6.
Draws for the Girls’ Varsity Squash Championships will be available soon via the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council website. The Ravens are the number 7 seed heading into the tournament at Pomfret with a record of 6-6.
Boys’ Varsity Basketball Tournament Co-Champions
The Portsmouth Abbey Boys' Varsity Basketball Team participated in the annual Huckins-Rouse Invitational Basketball Tournament at Middlesex School December 16–17, 2022. The Ravens defeated Middlesex School 45-27, Groton School 60-38 and St. Mark's School 65-54 to finish 3-0 and as tournament co-champions for the first time since 2003.
Captain Bernard Dushie ’23 had an incredible tournament averaging 16.3 points, ten rebounds, and two assists per game, including a dominant 26-point game in the finale against St. Mark's.
Ravens guard Charlie Townsend ’24 led the team in scoring, averaging 18.3 points per game to go along with three assists and two steals per game. Raven guard Slade Crouse ’24 also ran the offense, averaging six points, five rebounds, and five assists per game, including shooting 80% from the free-throw line.
Captain Aidan Duffy ’23 exploded in the finale with a 13-point, seven-point rebound effort against St. Mark's that put the Ravens over the top. Raven wing Max Osei-Assibey ’24 was the best on-ball defender at the tournament, completely neutralizing the opponent's best player every time. He finished the tournament with 11 blocks, seven steals, and ten deflections in only three games. The team is on pace to make the Eastern Independent League (EIL) postseason tournament for the second year in a row and finished the season 5-0 against the vaunted Independent School League (ISL).
Girls’ Basketball remains in play, and a three-game win streak at the end of January has energized the team. Captain Dami Opawumi ’23 has recorded several double-doubles this season. In a standout performance against Concord, she scored 30 points and grabbed ten rebounds. Providing outstanding leadership on the court, captain Sarah Edwards ’23 recorded 13 points and five assists in the victory over Rocky Hill, while Grace Connaughton ’24 has been dominating play inside the paint, scoring 14 points in four games so far this season, against Winsor, Berwick, Pomfret and Rocky Hill. Catch the team at home this weekend on Saturday, February 18, at 2:00 p.m.
Boys’ Ice Hockey currently sits atop the Holt Conference in first place with a conference record of 7-2-2 and an overall record of 11-8-3. The Holt Conference tournament will begin on February 24.
Girls’ Ice Hockey is having a fantastic season, and the team is in first place in the EIL Conference standings with an overall record of 14-4-3. The team will be the number one seed in the EIL tournament beginning February 24. They are currently ranked eighth in USHR New England Prep Standings. The team will celebrate its seniors during the game on Saturday, February 18, which is at 1:15 p.m.
Photos provided by Thomas C. Roskelly P’23 and Louis Walker III.