Athletes from Montclair High School and Montclair Kimberley Academy named to All-SEC teams
ANDREW GARDA/STAFF
by Andrew Garda
garda@montclairlocal.news
The 2019 fall athletic season is complete, and a number of local athletes have been rewarded for a season of effort by getting named to their respective sports’ all-conference teams after a vote of league coaches.
Girls Soccer
Three players from MHS and two from MKA were named to the SEC-American Division’s all-conference First Team.
The division champion Mounties (19-1-2, 6-0-1) were represented by leading scorer Claire Manning, midfielder leader Sydney Masur and defender Baldwin Gittens.
Kiera Hessler, Chloe Nemes and Amelia Platt were selected to the American Division Second Team, while Shelby Duffy and Katie Giordano were honorable mentions.
In addition to the division title, MHS captured the Essex County Tournament title for the first time since 2015, as well as the North 1, Group IV sectional title.
MKA (8-9-1, 2-5-0)’s First Team selections were Arianna Jobst and Chloe Skipper. Alexis Riley was a Second Team choice, and Sarah Hobbs and Ciara Daly were honorable mentions.
The Cougars’ season was highlighted by a run to the North, Non-Public B sectional final.
ANDREW GARDA/STAFF
ANDREW GARDA/STAFF
Boys Soccer
Seven players apiece from Montclair High and MKA were honored on the All-SEC teams as both local squads forged excellent seasons.
Montclair (14-4-1, 5-2-0) finished in second place in the American Division and reached the county tournament championship game, and their success was reflected by the selection of Evan O’Brien, Mateo Neighbors and Aidan McGrath to the American’s First Team all-conference.
Evan Williams and Evan Best were Second Team all-division honorees, while Sebastian Herrera and Beck Schoenwetter were honorable mentions.
MKA (16-6-1, 3-3-1) finished in fourth in the division, but reached the semifinals of the county tournament and were runners-up in both the Prep B tournament and the North, Non-Public B section.
Their all-SEC honorees were First Teamers Will Horn and Zach Wheeler, Second Teamers Sean Cadigan and Shea Hammond, and honorable mentions Andrew Garofalo and Spencer Goldberg.
COURTESY WIL YOUNG
COURTESY WIL YOUNG
Football
While the Super Football Conference had not publicly released their all-league teams as of press time, Montclair High did place six players on the All-Group 4/5 Essex County teams as voted by county coaches last week.
First Team All-County honorees included offensive/defensive lineman Sebastien Fortune, defensive end/tight end Shawn Collins, linebacker/running back Jordan Williams, and wide receiver/defensive back Donovin Bell.
Second Team selections were running back Jordan Diggs and offensive lineman Patrick Barr.
PHOTO BY ANDREW GARDA/STAFF
PHOTO BY ANDREW GARDA/STAFF
FIELD HOCKEY
Seven MHS players were picked to the All-Essex/Union Conference teams, including First Team selections for Fiona Campbell, Phoebe Campbell and Maggie Garland.
Kate Festa, Julia Magaldi and Amanda Murnick were Second Team all-conference selections, while Lulu Rubin and Elizabeth Haefeli were honorable mentions.
The Mounties finished 15-6-1 overall, reaching the finals of both the Essex County Tournament and the North 1, Group IV section.
Amanda Mack was MKA’s lone First Team All-Conference selection, joined by Second Teamer Natalie Espinosa-Dice and honorable mention Natalie Yu.
ANDREW GARDA/STAFF
ANDREW GARDA/STAFF
Girls Tennis
MKA led the way on the SEC-American all-conference teams, with its top two singles players, Hanna Ganchi and Emily Talkow, earning First Team honors.
Doubles player Ainsley Manlowe earned a Second Team nod, while doubles players Elana Perlmutter and Sabrina Noble earned honorable mentions.
Three Mounties apiece were named to the All-Liberty Division First and Second teams.
No. 1 singles player Maddie Schanen and No. 1 doubles team Kennedy Bagley-Fortner and Eve Friend were picked to the First Team, while No. 2 singles Lily McDonald and doubles players Abby Russman and Quinnie Parisi were Second Team choices. Lola Capila and Gigi Westlund were honorable mentions.
Boys Cross Country
Cross-country all-conference teams in the SEC are determined by finish in the division championship races, which took place in October.
Montclair’s Aidan Ward finished second overall in the SEC-American Division race and MKA’s Charlie Koenig took fourth, earning First Team nods.
Second Team honors were earned by Montclair’s Oscar Counsell and Lucas Dia. MKA’s Jack Wilkin was an honorable mention.
Girls cross country
Montclair High ran rampant at the SEC-American championships, with five runners finishing in the top 10 overall and earning First Team All-SEC awards.
Evelyn Battleson-Gunkel, the division and county champion in 2019, was joined by teammates Krisantha Spencer, Violet Ross, Lola Scarpone and Lily Johnston on the First Team. Mountie Ella McAdams earned a Second Team spot.
Three MKA runners were honored on the all-conference teams, with Anna Bradley (fourth overall) on the First Team, Emma Burd on the Second Team, and Lauren Schier an honorable mention.