SMS Teams Conclude Winter Season

Contact: Jenni Brockman
Phone: 804-443-3357
Fax: 804-443-6781

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Tappahannock (February 17, 2006) -

By Heidi Schnee

Winter sports action at St. Margaret’s School came to a close as the basketball and swim teams participated in league championships.

Basketball: The SMS varsity basketball team bid farewell to the 2006 season after a first-round League of Independent Schools tournament game against Charlottesville’s Covenant School on February 15 that ended in a 37-21 loss.

Despite outstanding home court support and an appearance from Scotty, the St. Margaret’s mascot, SMS was defeated 55-33 by Christchurch in a spirited last home game on February 10.

Earlier season highlights include an away game at Fredericksburg Academy that ended in a 38-14 win for the Scotties. Senior forward Allison Ryan of Tappahannock scored the most points of the game, tallying 12. Freshman Crystal Thomas finished with 10.

In a stunning display of skill, St. Margaret’s also beat Fredericksburg Academy in a January 31 home game. Casey racked up an incredible 16 points, followed by Ryan’s impressive 12.

 





St. Margaret’s players battle for the ball in a victory over a St. Gertrude’s team.

St. Margaret’s players battle for the
ball in a January 26 home court
victory over a St. Gertrude’s team.
Making the most of their home court advantage, the Scotties defeated a Saint Gertrude’s team, 40-33, in a January 26 home game. Top scorers were Casey, who totaled 13 points, and Ryan, who scored 10.

 Swimming: At the February 4 championships sponsored by the League of Independent Schools and the Virginia Preparatory League, St. Margaret’s School swimmers plunged into competition with Richmond’s St. Catherine’s, Collegiate, Trinity Episcopal and Saint Gertrude; Charlottesville’s Covenant and St. Anne’s-Belfield; and Norfolk Academy. Swimming against much larger schools with more experienced teams, St. Margaret’s athletes held their own.

In the girls’ 200-meter freestyle relay, sophomore Willis Blair, junior Mariam Smith-Pliego, freshman Anna-Beth Lawler of Sandy Point and sophomore Ji-Ye Kim placed sixth (2:02.27), earning 26 points for St. Margaret’s.

Eighth-grader Meghan Sisk, junior Ligon Brooks of Millers Tavern, Lawler and Kim won 24 points for SMS in the girls’ 400-meter freestyle relay, clocking in at 4:45.13 to take seventh place.

Smith-Pliego and freshman Lindsay Beasley posted points for SMS in individual events. Smith-Pliego placed sixteenth in the girls’ 100-meter backstroke (1:16.15) and Beasley placed sixteenth in the girls’ 100-meter butterfly (1:24.71).

St. Margaret’s varsity teams will compete in crew, soccer, softball and tennis this spring. Crew, coached by Maren LaLiberty and Genevieve Hiltebrand, hits the water on April 1 for an Eastern Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association regatta at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Coach Laura Dusablon will lead the soccer Scotties into action at home on March 31 against Northumberland. Coach Sue Ball and the softball team will take the field for a home opener on March 30 against St. Catherine’s. The tennis Scotties, coached by Faith Martin, will play their first home match on April 7 when they host Collegiate.