By Betsy Bloom '08
The Buffalo Seminary squash team continued its winning streak at this year's U.S. High School Team Championships, February 10-12 in Hartford, CT. Following their 2015 & 2016 Division V championship wins, the Red-Tailed Hawks claimed the title for the third year in a row.
Under the guidance of coach Phil Barth, the team (Cara DeRose '18, Isabelle Schlehr '17, Rose McDonnell '18, Petra DeRose '20, Erin Griffis '19, Lara Sherris '17, Clare von Simson '17, Mary Curtin '19, Maia Dreishpoon '19, Brooke Pohlman '19, Julia Beck '20, and Jenna Pantano '20) has been tirelessly working and practicing over the course of the season. This weekend, that hard work paid off. They swiftly defeated Lancaster Country Day School 6-1 in the quarters before proceeding to handily beat School of the Holy Child with another 6-1 win in the semis.
"I think it's amazing that these young women, with all of their social, academic, athletic, and extracurricular responsibilities, are able to to play their best squash when it counts the most. Everyone stepped up, both as teammates and individuals and played the best squash I have ever seen them play. It makes you think that young women from SEM have a lot more substance, that there's more to these young women than you could ever see at the surface," said a proud coach Barth.
Squash #3PEAT at US Squash Nationals 2017
This was a bittersweet victory for SEM seniors Isabelle Schlehr, Clare von Simson, and Lara Sherris. All three have been on the squash team since freshman year, and have been an integral part of SEM's success. Their final championship win is both a fitting ending to a successful four years and a reminder of how quickly time flies.
Clare noted, "It was really nice to win our third championship as a senior, because my first Nationals was the first time we won the championship and it was nice that we also won during my last."
Congratulations to the whole team on an amazing conclusion to a wonderful season! #GoSEM
Follow the squash team on twitter @SEM_squash!
Contact SEM Director of Communications Erin Kelly for more information.