Post Tagged with: "Pilgrim Academy"

Batters Up! Baseball, Softball Teams Make Strong Season Start

The Varsity Baseball and Softball teams are off to a strong start this spring, with both teams winning their season opener against Pilgrim Academy on April 4, just before Easter break. Since returning from the break, the Varsity Girls Softball team has racked up three more wins — against Calvary Christian, King’s Christian School, and American Christian School — and the Varsity Boys Baseball team has won two and lost one.

Two more games will round out the schedule for April — away at King’s Christian on April 27 and at home on April 28 against Gloucester County Christian School. Come on out and cheer for our Cougars.

The Varsity Girls Softball Team won the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference (TSCAC) title last year and the Varsity Boys Baseball team finished in 2nd place last season, losing to Pilgrim Academy in the TSCAC Championship Game. Both ACS teams are looking to be conference contenders again this year.

The Varsity Girls Softball Team is being led by head coach Dara Kimmerley, in her 10th year as head coach. She is assisted by Lori Pearson, and Terry Vogel.

The 16 members of the Varsity Softball Team are: Isabell Alford, Alexis Andujar, Kaia Barbour, Sophia Costello, Rebecca DiMaio, Vera Huff, Evangelina Kim, Alli Lushina, Ava Nixon, Marley Odell, Paige Noble, Allison Schlundt, Summer Scott, Skyler Shivers, Taylor Sutton, and Kennedy Vasquez.

The Varsity Boys Baseball Team has a new head coach — alumnus Carl Phillips (’17). Phillips was a member of the ACS Varsity Baseball teams in 2016 and 2017 when they won the TSCAC Championship title and he served as an assistant coach in 2018 when the team also won the TSCAC Championship. Phillips is assisted by Brandon Keller.

The 12 members of the Varsity Baseball Team are: Robby Barberio, Logan Benson, John Cook, Charlie Costello, Richie Jackson, Josh Merlino, James Papanikolaou, Carson Payne, Seth Phillips, Adam Schlundt, Malachi Vasquez, and Caleb Vogel.

Pictured here are photos taken at the season opener at home of ACS versus Pilgrim Academy. Please check the Athletic Calendar on the ACS website or ACS App for all upcoming game schedules.

We’re No. 1! ACS Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball Teams Both Capture 2023 Conference Championships

The ACS Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball Teams are the 2023 Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Champions! Both teams won hard-fought battles on February 25 in their championship games, which were held in the ACS gym. The No. 1-seeded Lady Cougars remained undefeated, beating Gloucester County Christian School 48-43, and the No. 2-seeded Varsity Boys’ Team pulled off an upset, beating No. 1-seeded Pilgrim Academy 54-45, a team that had been undefeated all season. It was a night to celebrate!

This is the fourth consecutive year that our Varsity Boys’ Team has brought home the championship trophy. The Lady Cougars last won the TSCAC championship in 2021. ACS advanced to the championship games by handily winning their semi-final matches on February 23 against King’s Christian School.

Congratulations to Varsity Boys’ head coach Drew Carney, assisted by Dan Carney and ACS 2013 alumnus Ben Chapman, and to Varsity Girls’ head coach and ACS 2012 alumnus Kaylee Breunig, assisted by Dara Kimmerley, for their hard work and dedication. This was an exciting and memorable season.

Eight ACS players were named TSCAC All-Stars for the 2023 season and were recognized at the end of the championship games. The four Girls’ Varsity All-Stars are — Evangelina Kim and Paige Noble (1st team), Reyna Lewis (2nd team), and Becca Kelley (honorable mention). The four Boys’ Varsity All-Stars are — Noah Stokes (1st team), Caleb Vogel (2nd team), and Charlie Costello and Noah Gibbs (honorable mention).

ACS also received two other special recognition awards from the conference. Senior Paige Noble received the 2023 TSCAC MVP Varsity Girls’ Basketball Award. She was one of the team’s leading scorers and a force to be reckoned with both on offense and defense. Paige will be attending Cairn University in the fall.

Coach Breunig received the 2023 TSCAC Varsity Girls Basketball Coach of the Year Award. This is the second time she has received this award. The first time was in the 2017-2018 season when she was in her first year as head coach of the Lady Cougars.

During this season, Coach Breunig was also honored for earning her 100th win on February 15 when the Lady Cougars defeated Oakcrest 54-24 in a nonconference game. In her 6th year as head coach, Coach Breunig has now led the Lady Cougars to two TSCAC Conference championships and five first place finishes in the regular season. She also received the TSCAC Coach of the Year Award in the 2017-2018 season, her first year as head coach. Coach Breunig is a 2012 ACS alumnus who was a strong varsity player and team leader during her four years on the Lady Cougars.

In the Championship varsity girls’ game, junior guard Evangelina Kim led the team in scoring with 20 points and pulled down 8 rebounds. Senior forward Reyna Lewis scored 16 and also had 8 rebounds. Senior guard Paige Noble had 7 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals. Freshman forward Gianna Flynn scored five and Flynn and junior forward Becca Kelley each had five rebounds.

In the Championship varsity boys’ game, three players were the top scorers — junior Noah Gibbs, with 15 points, sophomore Noah Stokes with 14 points, and senior Caleb Vogel with 13 points. Gibbs and Stokes also led the team in rebounds, each pulling down 12, and were strong on defense, with Gibbs grabbing 3 steals and Stokes getting 2 blocks. A key contributor to the team’s success in the final quarter of the game was consistently sinking their baskets at the foul line.

At the conclusion of the games, the ACS teams did the traditional “cutting down of the nets,” which each player and coach cutting a piece of the net to take home as a souvenir of their victories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spirit Week Spurs on ACS Basketball Teams; MS Boys, HS Girls Teams Undefeated, HS Boys in 2nd Place

ACS students and staff got fired up to support our basketball teams during Spirit Week, dressing up each day to various themes, starting  with Green-and-White Day on January 27 and ending with Whiteout Day on February 3. Best dressed prizes were given out to students each day.

The Varsity Girls’ Team is undefeated in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference and the Varsity Boys’ Team is in 2nd place. Based on their winning records, both teams will advance to the playoffs, with a bye in the quarter-finals on February 21 and then playing in the semi-final playoffs on February 23.

The ACS Varsity Girls’ Basketball Team is currently undefeated in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference.

The Middle School Boys’ Team is undefeated in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League and has been invited to play in the upcoming Northfield Invitational Tournament. The MS Boys will play their first tournament game on February 15 against the William Davies Middle School at 6:45 pm at the Northfield Community School gym. The Middle School Girls’ team is 5-4 in league play. Both teams will play their last games of the season on February 16, away at The Pilgrim Academy.

“We are so grateful for the enthusiastic support from our school families, alumni, and friends in the community who have been packing our gym for all our home games,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner. “We look forward to seeing them at all the remaining games this season, particularly at our semi-final playoff games on February 23.”

Hitchner also encouraged ACS fans to attend the February 10 8th Grade Night and February 17 Senior Night home games. 8th grade players and 12th grade players and their parents/guardians will be recognized and thanked before the start of each of the  games for their contributions to their teams.

Spirit Week, organized by Hitchner, featured fun themes including Neon Day, Tropical Day, Wild West Day, and College/Pro Team Day. On Wild West Day on February 1,  Andy the Armadillo from the Texas Roadhouse restaurant in Egg Harbor Township surprised students during lunch and picked the winners for those best dressed in Western attire. Winners received special Texas Roadhouse T-shirts and discount coupons to Texas Roadhouse. Additional coupons were also given to every student and school employee.

For Whiteout Day on February 3, the students selected for best-dressed received Wawa Gift Cards and those who wore all white attire got free admission to the home games that night against Pilgrim Academy. For middle school and high school students, there was a half-court basketball shooting contest during lunch on January 31 and a 3-point shooting contest on February 2. Winners also received Wawa Gift Cards.

 

 

 

 

 

Varsity Girls’ Softball Team Wins Championship Title, Varsity Boys’ Baseball Finishes in 2nd Place

The ACS Varsity Girls’ Softball Team won the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference title on Saturday, May 28, defeating Pilgrim Academy 15-8 and finishing the season undefeated with a 12-0 record. The ACS Varsity Boys’ Baseball Team faced off against Pilgrim Academy in the title match and lost 6-3, finishing the season in 2nd place.

In the Championship Softball game, the Lady Cougars powered back from a 5-0 deficit in the 3rd inning to finish strong. Sophomore shortstop Evangelina Kim was on fire on offense, going 3 for 3 with a triple and a double. Senior outfielder Ang Eggie had two hits, including a double. Freshman pitcher Ava Nixon pitched a complete game with two strikeouts and she also singled.

After the victory, Kim was awarded the TSCAC Most Valuable Player award and head coach Dara Kimmerley, in her 8th year at the helm, received the TSCAC Coach of the Year Award. Junior 1st baseman Maddie DeNick, Kim, and freshman catcher Taylor Sutton were selected as first team TSCAC All-Stars. Nixon and junior 3rd baseman Paige Noble were named to the second team All-Stars.

“This was such a special and memorable season,” Kimmerley said. “Our pitcher and catcher were both freshmen and we had just one senior on the team, but everyone worked very hard and never gave up. This was a team effort and I’m so proud and thankful for each and every player.”

The Boys’ Varsity Baseball team came within striking distance of a win at the top of the 7th inning in their championship match against Pilgrim Academy.  The bases were loaded, with two outs, and sophomore pitcher John Hannum hit a long ball to centerfield, but it was caught, ending the rally.

In the conference awards ceremony, head coach Gus Casey received the TSCAC Coach of the Year Award and five ACS baseball players were named TSCAC All-Stars. The All-Stars, pictured below from left are: freshman outfielder James Papanikolaou (2nd team),  freshman shortstop/pitcher Charlie Costello (1st team), junior 3rd baseman Rob Barberio (2nd team), senior catcher Eric VonColln (1st team), and sophomore pitcher John Hannum (1st team).

The Lady Cougars also paid a special tribute to a young softball player named Parker Henderson in Yukon, Oklahoma who is battling leukemia. The team wore a #45 on their arms in support of Parker.  Thanks to a connection facilitated by catcher Taylor Sutton’s  parents, the Lady Cougars reached out to Parker during the season, sending her a care package, including a softball signed by the team, and letters of encouragement.  Photos of the team after the game, showing the players with the #45 on their arms, were sent to Parker as well.

We’re so proud of the hard work and exceptional effort from all our players throughout the season. Thank you to Varsity Baseball Head Coach Casey and Varsity Softball Head Coach Kimmerley for your dedication and commitment to excellence.

 

 

Varsity Basketball Teams Heading to TSCAC Championship Round Saturday After Winning Semi-Final Playoff Games

Congratulations to our Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball Teams for winning their semi-final playoff games on Thursday night to secure a spot in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Championship Games on Saturday, February 26. We are proud of you!

The Thursday night playoff games, played in the ACS gym before a crowd of fired-up fans, got underway with the Lady Cougars facing off against Cumberland Christian School and defeating them 56-13. Jr. Paige Noble led the team on offense with 18 points and four assists, and also pulled down five rebounds. Other key players in the game were Jr. Maddie DeNick, who scored 11 points and had 7 rebounds, and Soph. Evangelina Kim, who had 8 points and 6 steals.

The Varsity Boys’ game followed after, with ACS beating King’s Christian School 46-39 in a hard fought battle.  ACS trailed King’s Christian by 2 at half-time and by as many as 8 to start the 3rd quarter. But ACS went on an 18-0 run from the end of the 3rd quarter through the start of the 4th quarter to seize control of the game. Soph. Noah Gibbs and Jr. Caleb Vogel carried the team down the stretch on offense, scoring 17 of the team’s 24 second half points. Vogel finished with 13 points and Gibbs with 12. Other high scorers were Sr. Devin Tridente with 12 points and Sr. Aaron Glancey with 8 points.

The Lady Cougars, under head coach Kaylee Breunig, finished in first place in the regular season, with a 7-1 record, and are advancing to the TSCAC championship final for the eighth straight year. They will play Gloucester Country Christian School on Saturday at 3 p.m.  The Varsity Boys’ team, under head coach Drew Carney, placed second in the regular season, with an 8-2 record, and will play Pilgrim Academy in the Championship final at 5 p.m. Both games will be played at Gloucester County Christian School, which is located at 151 Golf Club Road in Sewell.

Come on out and cheer our Cougars on to victory! Go Cougars!

 

 

 

We’ve Got Spirit, Yes We Do — Spirit Week Ends With White-Out Day for Games vs. Pilgrim Academy

Students and staff showed off their school pride for Spirit Week from January 18-21, dressing-down each day with various themes, culminating with White-Out Day on Friday, January 21 to get fired up for the Varsity home games against Pilgrim Academy.  The excitement paid off with a four-victory sweep for the ACS Cougars’ JV and Varsity Basketball Teams.

The ACS gym was awash in white shirts and balloons for the games. Athletic Director Pam Hitchner, who organized Spirit Week, had special white t-shirts made for the basketball players, coaches, and cheerleaders to wear with the words “Defend the Den” printed in green on the front.

The ACS Varsity Girls’ went on to beat Pilgrim handily by a score of 32-18. 11th grader Paige Noble led the team with 9 points. 10th-grader Becca Kelley had 7 points, and 11th grader Maddie DeNick had 6 points and 10 rebounds. 10th grader Evangelina Kim excelled on defense, grabbing 5 steals, and also scored 6 points.

In the final game of the evening, the ACS Varsity Boys’ team won a close, hard fought battle against Pilgrim, with a final score of 45-42. 11th grade guard Sam Glancey (#23) led the boys with 19 points.

With these wins under their belt, both ACS teams posted winning records as of January 21. The Varsity Boys were 9-6 overall, and 3-1 in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference (TSCAC) and the Varsity Girls’ were 10-5 overall, and 4-0 in the TSCAC.

Another four weeks of games remain in the season, with the TSCAC championship games scheduled for Saturday, February 26. Come on out and support our Cougars. The schedule for home and away games can be found on the athletic calendars on the ACS website and on the ACS  Family App. Photo credits: Mia Liggins, ACS Yearbook Staff.

 

Varsity Soccer Teams Lose Close Matches in TSCAC Championship Tournament; Nine Players Named Conference All-Stars

The ACS Varsity Soccer Teams fought hard in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Championship tournament on Saturday, November 6, but fell just shy of victory. The Varsity Boys lost 2-1 to Pilgrim Academy in the Boys’ Championship Final, finishing the season in 2nd place. It was the first time since 2012 that the Varsity Boys’ team had advanced to the Championship Game. The Varsity Girls lost their Consolation Game 3-2 to King’s Christian School, ending the season in 4th place.

In the Boys’ Championship game, Pilgrim Academy took an early lead, scoring its two goals in the first 13 minutes of the game. ACS answered in the first half with a goal by 12th grader Aaron Glancey, off an assist from 9th grader Chase Leach. The ACS defense fought hard in the second half, stopping any further goals by Pilgrim. On offense in the second half,  ACS took the upper hand and had numerous shots on goal, but failed to score.

In the Girls’ Consolation Game, ACS was down 3-0 to King’s Christian School at half-time, but came back in the second half to score two goals, by 10th grader Alicia O’Donnell and 11th grader Eden Wilson. Strong defense by ACS in the second half prevented King’s Christian from scoring again, but ACS was unable to score as well.

A large group of enthusiastic fans cheered for our Cougars and showed their appreciation for the hard-working athletes during the tournament closing ceremony. Nine ACS players were named TSCAC All-Stars and received medals for their achievement — Aaron Glancey and Manny Johnson (1st team); Devin Tridente and Chase Leach (2nd team); Maddie DeNick, Paige Noble, and Eden Wilson (1st team); Reyna Lewis and Alicia O’Donnell (2nd team).

We’re proud of every ACS Varsity athlete who competed this fall and for the great memories of an exciting season. Thank you also to Coach Carly Witherow and Coach Andres Tortola for encouraging and training our athletes to do their best and to honor God both on and off the field.

Photo credits: Sue DeNick, Ruby Lewis.

We Have Spirit, Yes We Do! Green-and-White Day, Pep Rallies Next Friday, Oct. 15

ACS students and staff will have the opportunity to show their school spirit on Green-and-White Day next Friday, October 15. Students from the 6th-12th grades will also gather for Pep Rallies to get our Varsity and Middle School Soccer teams fired up for their home games later in the day. The Middle School Boys’ Soccer team will play Margate at 3:45 p.m. and the Varsity teams will face off against Pilgrim Academy in the evening. Students and staff may wear green and white clothing with jeans to school on October 15. No holey jeans or leggings are permissible.

The Middle School Pep Rally will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. and the High School Pep Rally will be from 1:30-2:45 p.m. Both pep rallies will be held outdoors on the Varsity Boys’ soccer field.

The Varsity Girls’ Soccer Game will begin at 5 p.m. and the Varsity Boys’ Soccer Game will kick off at 7 p.m. Athletic Director Pam Hitchner has arranged for lighting on the fields for these two special evening games playing our crosstown rival, Pilgrim Academy. Come on out and cheer our ACS Cougars to victory!

 

Soccer News — Varsity Teams Off to a Winning Start; Middle School Tryouts Rescheduled to Monday, Sept. 13

Congratulations to our Varsity Soccer teams for both chalking up a win on Friday, September 10 in a non-league game at home against Veritas Christian Academy from Sparta, NJ. The Varsity Boys won 5-1 and the Varsity Girls won 5-3.  We’re excited to see these teams continue to grow and get stronger as they begin conference play next week against Pilgrim Academy and Gloucester County Christian School. Tryouts for our Middle School Soccer Teams will be on Monday, September 13. The tryouts were rescheduled from September 9 due to rain.  Come out, bring your cleats and a water bottle, and be part of a great program that focuses on building skills, confidence, and good sportsmanship.

In the Varsity Boys’ game on Friday, three players led the team on offense — 12th grader Aaron Glancey, who scored two goals, 10th grader Manny Johnson, who also scored two goals, and 9th grader Chase Leach, who scored one. Working on defense in the goal were 11th grader Jacob DeNick and 10th grader Nathan Mills. The 24-member Boys’ team is under head coach Andres Tortola, joined by assistant coach and ACS alumnus, Tommy Tillis (’10).

In the Varsity Girls’ game, five players shared the stage on offense, each scoring one goal — Sophia Johnson (9th), Rebecca Kelley (10th), Reyna Lewis (11th), and sisters Eden and Eve Wilson (11th).  9th grader Taylor Sutton had five saves in goal. The 14-member Varsity Girls’ team is coached by ACS alumnus Carly Witherow (’08). Since 2015, Coach Carly has led the Lady Cougars to six consecutive appearances in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference (TSCAC) Tournament finals and five consecutive TSCAC Championships.

Both Varsity teams will face off next week in their first TSCAC conference games of the season — on Thursday, September 16 away at Pilgrim Academy and on Friday, September 17 at home against Gloucester County Christian School.  Come on out and cheer for our teams. Go Cougars!

Athletic Calendars with information on all upcoming soccer games are posted on the ACS website and are updated as needed. The calendars can be found on the “High School Athletic Calendar” and “Middle School Athletic Calendar” pages under the “Athletics” tab.

ACS Varsity Basketball Teams Heading into Playoffs Next Week as Pep Rallies Promote School Spirit

The ACS Varsity Girls’ and Boys’ Basketball Teams are heading into the playoffs next week in strong positions to advance to the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference championship finals on Saturday, March 6, which will be held in the ACS gym.  At pep rallies on Thursday, February 25, ACS students and staff cheered for the players and showed their school spirit, proudly displaying our school colors of green and white. The students also enjoyed dressing up all week in various, themed costumes for Spirit Week.

The ACS Varsity Girls’ are undefeated and in first place in the TSCAC, with an 8-0 record, and the Varsity Boys’ team has a 6-2 record in the TSCAC and is ready to fight its way into a spot in the championship finals. Both teams won their games at Pilgrim Academy on Thursday, February 25 and have two more conference games to play — on Friday, February 26 against King’s Christian School, and on Monday, March 1, against Cumberland Christian School.

Athletic Director Pam Hitchner said the Varsity Girls’ team with its undefeated record has secured its spot in the semi-final playoff game on Thursday, March 4 in the ACS gym. The Varsity Boys’ playoff schedule will not be determined until after Monday’s final regular season game. The quarter-final round of games will be held on Tuesday, March 2, but Hitchner said it is not yet clear which teams will be playing in that round. Please check the High School Athletic Calendar on the ACS Website for more details as they become available next week.

Hitchner also said that attendance at the games in the ACS gym is still limited due to COVID-19 room capacity limitations, but ACS families and supporters can watch the games online as they will be live-streamed on the ACS YouTube Channel.

CLICK HERE for a gallery of photos from Spirit Week and the pep rallies.

 

 

Middle School Soccer Teams Post Strong, Winning Seasons

Congratulations to our Middle School Soccer teams for posting a strong, winning season this fall.  The Middle School Boys’ team was undefeated with an 8-0 record  and the Girls’ team was 8-1.

Both teams played their final games at home on October 26. The ACS Boys, under head coach Brandon Stevens, beat King’s Christian School 3-1  and the ACS Girls, under head coach Casey Hopwood, beat Cumberland Christian School 4-3.

Since 2008, the ACS Middle School teams have competed in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League, but due to the coronavirus outbreak, the league cancelled this year’s season. “In spite of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to put together a solid season of non-league games and we’re so proud of the success of both teams,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner. “I have told our players many times that we have a lot to be grateful for.” (Photo credit: Katherine Kong)

ACS faced off against Pilgrim Academy on Thursday, October 29 and the Girls’ team won 5-1 and the Boys’ team won 1-0. In the Girls’ game, 8th grader Taylor Murphy scored 3 goals and 8th grader Sophia Johnson scored two goals. 6th grader Micah D’Anna scored the lone winning goal for ACS in the Boys’ game.