Boys Lacrosse

by Thomas Fenner ‘24

Coming off a dominant 16-2 overall record last year, the Warriors look to build off their first-ever state championship appearance in which they lost 16-6 against Broadneck. Boys lacrosse returns all but six players from last year’s roster as they move from 4A to 3A this season.

“We expect even more from returning starters such as Andrew Cavanaugh, Andrew Bergesen, Jeb Buffington, Cooper Hawkins and Tyler Bishop,” said Coach Matthew Schneider. “We anticipate an even bigger role for players like Sam Carbone, Tommy Hanrahan and a healthy Brody Monroe. We will be looking to identify other players who can fill some niche roles as well.”

The Warriors will compete in a two day tournament over spring break for the first time this year, in which they will face schools such as Westminster and Glenelg. Churchill, Whitman, Wootton, and Walter Johnson will give Sherwood a difficult games in the regular season.

Players have been preparing since the loss in the state championship, committing themselves to summer workouts and a summer league. Team weightlifting and conditioning have also helped rally the team together and improve on their skills.

“The amount of time our guys have spent playing and preparing together these past months should help us hit the ground running,” Schneider added.

Girls Lacrosse

by Dylan Sondike ’24

After losing in a close one in the 4A state quarterfinals last year to Dulaney by a score of 13-9, girls lacrosse will look to go even further this year. The Warriors are fortunate to bring back a strong squad of juniors and seniors this upcoming season. These players will once again be key pieces on the field and in helping to develop the new underclass group.

“As one of the leaders and four-year varsity players, it will be my duty as an upperclassman to make sure everyone feels welcome and can contribute to the team,” said senior Emma Walsh. “In my four years of Sherwood lacrosse, I have never been more confident in the program’s ability to make it the furthest ever in the state competition.”

The Warriors open their season at home on March 22 against Quince Orchard. Following spring break, the girls will return to action on April 4 vs. Blair. In addition to Walsh who is committed to playing at Lindenwood University, key players will include seniors Alexa Lyons, Dani Watson, Maddy King, goalie Savannah Weisman, and more. Junior Avery Graham, who already has committed to play at the University of South Florida, will look to cement her status as a top player in the county.

Softball

by Hannah Mushawar ’24 

The girls varsity softball team rolled along during the 2023 season, winning every game of the season until their 5-2 loss against Clarksburg on May 3. The Warriors’ regular season included seven games in which they shut out the opponent, and eight games in which they scored 10 runs or more on offense, amounting to a 13-1 regular season. They kept their dominance going in the playoffs where they secured the regional title against Blair in a 4-0 victory followed by another 18-0 win against Glen Burnie in the state quarterfinals. Unfortunately, the girls lost the 4A semifinal matchup against Urbana to end their season.

Now entering the 2024 season, the team has lost many “veteran players,” where lone senior Neha Sufi stands alongside the juniors to kick start the season. “Six seniors graduated last year and it was a strong set of girls, but I am very confident in the girls this year,” said Coach Ashley Barber-Strunk.

“We hope to take their lessons in hard work, dedication and positivity with us into the new season. We want to make [former players] proud and carry on the good vibes they brought to the team,” Sufi added.

The girls have been dedicated through the offseason with conditioning and strength training, but this season they are transitioning into a new division. They expect there will be a lot of competition now that they have moved into the 3A division, which means they are playing against teams that they have not played before. As the girls have been putting in the work, the excitement is gearing up for the first varsity game at home on March 22 against Walter Johnson and playing at their big competitors, Damascus, on April 6.

Track and Field

by Randy Wang ’24

With a large number of returning athletes, the outdoor track and field season will be largely dependent on the drive and determination of all the team members. With the majority being returnees, this season will see a variety of personal bests. With 10 meets lined up for the season, athletes will have many opportunities to showcase their impressive times they will work towards this season.

Returning distance runners include seniors Ayden Fritsch, Sean Gravell, and sophomore Madeline Quirion, who all will provide points in their long-distance events. Senior Emma Mascari should stand out in the 400. In the field events, watch for juniors Michael Robles and Brenden Heyer in the shot put, and junior Akhili Reece in the triple jump.

The season starts with the Seahawk Invitational on March 23. Sherwood will compete with seven other teams at South River High School in Arundel County. Last year, the team struggled overall throughout the season, but individual athletes achieved impressive times. After spring break this season, the team will have a home meet with Springbrook on April 3. Top athletes on the team will look to continually improve as they work towards regionals on May 15.

Boys and Girls Tennis

by Thien Dinh ’26

Boys and girls tennis both get back on the court for a new season against rival Magruder on March 21. After spring break, the Warriors will face tougher matches against Wootton on April 2 and Blair on April 4. A change from previous seasons is that the schedules of opponents for both girls and boys is more balanced in which teams are closer in their level of skills. This should make for more consistently competitive matches.

“Last season we played well, fighting hard against nationally ranked players,” said girls coach Rebekah Byerly. Senior Abby Gleason added that the girls players helped each other stay focused during long matches against players on good teams.

The boys team will look to capitalize on not losing many players to graduation, which will allow them to compete against some of the premier teams in the county. “We are hoping to perform well and compete for a division title with our focus on daily improvement, and hard work,” said boys coach Michael King.

Baseball

by Noah Bair ’24

After beating Urbana 7-4 last year to win their third straight state title, the baseball team seeks another, something no Maryland baseball team has ever done. However, even though the season hasn’t started yet, the team faces an early challenge: MSABC Preseason All-State Selection Mac Crismond tore his ACL last month, sidelining him for most, if not all, of the season. Coach Sean Davis acknowledges that

Crismond is a player that the team “cannot replace.”
In the midst of losing Crismond, senior captain Liam Irving believes that they “need everyone else to step up and fill the huge hole that was left.” Opportunities will certainly be available for younger players to make a huge impact on a now-storied program.
To have success this season, varsity baseball will have to handle pressure and adversity, with senior captain Garrett Smith seeing it as having a “huge target on our backs from not only the county but the state.”

Davis looks at the high expectations as a positive. “Pressure is a privilege. The fact that we are talking about four in a row means things have been very good around the program.”
The Warriors open the season March 22 at home with a game against Paint Branch. The team will face difficult games against Magruder, Wootton, and Damascus on April 2, 4, and 6 after spring break.