CHS athletes fired up for season

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MAPLEWOOD — A Sports Media Day was held Saturday at Columbia High School, highlighting the fall sports teams and giving their captains a chance to address the media in a press conference style atmosphere.

Many of the captains spoke about culture and building a winning tradition, which Athletic Director Sjocquelyn Winstead said was the goal of the district and the athletic department.

“We have to make us one of the best athletic programs in the state of New Jersey,” Winstead said.

The event gave the varsity student-athletes the chance to talk about the upcoming season, their teammates and their excitement for the school year. The day also included photo sessions for the athletic portraits that hang outside Underhill Sports Complex and the Columbia High School campus.

Communications Director Eshaya Draper ran the press conference asking captains of the fall sports – girls and boys soccer, football, field hockey, cheerleading, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country – about the upcoming season.

Draper said he hoped the exercise would be good preparation for any of the student athletes, who plan on continuing their athletic careers after high school.

Optimism was high ahead of the start of the seasons with many of the captains praising the chemistry on their teams and the camaraderie amongst teammates.

“We had a really successful season last year and we are excited to build on it this year,” said Sophia Islam, one of the field hockey captains with Talia Gewirtz and Didi Browne.

The team posted a 10-9 record last year for their first winning season since 2000. It was also the team’s best Essex/Union Blue Division record in program history, going 9-3. The previous best was 6-3.

Head coach Stephanie Rivera is on maternity leave from her history teaching position, having recently given birth, but she is coaching the team.

“Our coach has been amazing to get us to the level we are at,” Islam said.

The football team is looking to rebound from an off season last year. Lys Rubens Blanc will make his debut as the Cougars head coach when the regular season opens on Friday, Aug. 29, against West Side at Underhill Sports Complex/Lynn V. Profeta Field. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

“Last season was a little rough but I think we can hit the ground running and really crack some teams,” said Charlie Knutsen, one of the three captains along with Chris Hopkins and Hans Archer.

“The chemistry is pretty good because we have a big senior class,” said Hopkins. “We’re ready, ready to win, ready to have fun.”

Juliet Givoni, who is co-captain of the girl’s soccer team with Marley Rosen, said her squad is also in a good frame of mind heading into the season.

“I think our team is really close,” she said. “We’re all friends, we help and support each other. The chemistry is good.”

The boys soccer team finished the 2024 season with a 9–9–3 record and beat Bayonne in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 state tournament. They also made it to the quarterfinals of the Essex County Tournament.

Boys co-captain Nico Ranieri said the team has quite a few underclassmen who are going to have an impact this year.

“We’re ready to make a statement this year,” Ranieri said.

Tennis co-captain Emerie Katz said they have a lot of tough teams on their schedule but they feel ready for the challenge.

“Our biggest secret is a good head space,” co-captain Anabel MacGuire said. “Everyone has a good mental attitude.”

MacGuire said the team would love to have a crowd at their matches.

“We’re looking for a lot of support,” she said. “Not that many people come to our matches but we have a lot of tough ones and we could use the support.”

The girls cross country team is coming off a year in which they finished second at the county meet last year.

“Last year we had only one senior girl and this year we have many so I’m looking forward to that,” said Keira Monagle, a co-captain with Kendall Waite, Gwendolyn Butkus, and Audrey Marvell.

“We’re all really excited to get out there and kill it,” Monagle said.

The boys team, which won the Essex County championship last year, has high hopes for this year.

“We’re looking to be the first team in school history to make the Meet of Champions,” said Abe Hoffmann, who is a captain along with Leo Klint, and Levi Taber-Kewene. “Our team has been getting faster and faster and this year we could go farther than ever before.”

The girl’s volleyball team made it to the state semi finals last year and they are hoping to build on that this year.

“We were so close but we want to get past that this year,’ said Jordan Magid. “We’ve been working on our chemistry, building great bonds with our teammates. We have a really great atmosphere on our team and in the gym.”

The cheerleading squad captains also spoke promising they would be bringing a lot of good energy to games and would be cheering their classmates on no matter what happens in the game.