Storm King Athletics had another exciting week with the SKS Wrestlers hosting their final competition of the season and the boys and girls basketball teams advancing towards their league championship games and post-season play.
The girls AA prep basketball team added another win to their roster on the road to Marianapolis Prep on February 9, extending their winter winning streak to 7. Finishing on top of a 58-51 score, it was the Cougars second win over the Knights this month and their 4th NEPSAC AA win to date. “Defensively, we did a much better job versus Marianapolis compared to the last time we played them and we kept up consistent pressure at the net for the win,” commented Coach Tian Tang. Notable performances were Marisa C. ’24 with 18 points, 7 rebounds; Isabella S. ’24 with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists; Imani P. ‘26 with 5 points, 11 rebounds.
In their next tip-off against Worcester Academy on February 10, the Cougars were hoping to extend their winning stretch to 8, but according to Coach Tang, “Worcester is a very talented team and we fell short on executing our defensive game plan, resulting in a loss, 54-69, to the Oskees.” Notable performances included Isabella with 17 points including 5/17 3-pointers, 3 rebounds, 2 assists; Elizabeth U. ’26 with 13 points, 8/12 from the Free throw line; Marisa with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists.
“In the newest NEPSAC rankings published on February 13, Storm King is holding onto the #10 spot in AA and we are determined to win our next two games to move up the rankings as the season winds down,” continued Coach Tang.
As February continues, the girls varsity basketball team added three games to their roster. On February 10, the Cougars hosted Northern Academy where they enjoyed a much-anticipated win, 21-17. Coach Sandstrom was ecstatic about her team’s performance: “SKS led and kept control the entire game with great passing and tremendous improvement over previous games. We jumped to an early lead in the first quarter and never looked back. We showed strong defense and kept our heads cool, even as Northern Academy crept closer.” Ines V. ’28 scored 6 points, Juliana D. ’27 scored 6 points, Delfin A. ’25 had 4 points, Jessica W. ’27 had 2 points, and Rosario S. ’25 had 3 points.
Two days later, the Cougars traveled to Oakwood for another nail-biting game. “The Cougars and the Lions played an excellent game, but we lost momentum in the second half, falling to the Lions, 10-28. We have a few more games to go and we’re getting excited to participate in the upcoming HVAL finals before Spring Break,” continued Coach Sandstrom.
After consecutive victories over Oakwood and NYMA earlier in February, Boys Varsity Basketball stretched their winning streak to 8 when they tipped off against Faith Christian Academy on February 9. According to Coach Michael Luongo, it was a comfortable win for the Cougars, ending at a final score of 80-44. “We asked that the boys come out and put a lot of effort into our defense, and they did a great job with that. We look forward to continue this winning momentum into the post-season,” he explained.
Two days later, the Cougars hosted Greens Farms Academy hoping to extend their winning streak to 9 games. It was an exciting game and both teams managed to keep the score close throughout. Ultimately, the Cougar streak ended when the GFA opened up their lead in the 4th quarter to end with a 60-70 score. “Although the outcome was not what we desired, the boys’ effort today was by far the best of the year. We did a great job both on offense and defense, but we came up short against a solid team. We have one more game until the end of the season. Then its on to the HVAL semifinals and the NEPSAC championships just before Spring Break.”
The boys JV basketball team continued their schedule on the road, traveling to NYMA on February 10 and Woodhall on February 14. According to Coach Hammell, “the team made a valiant effort in both games. NYMA succeeded in edging out the Cougars by one point at the final buzzer to end at a 30-31 score. Woodhall managed to widen the gap in the second half ending at a 45-39 score.” The JV Cougars have two more home games coming up, and plan to work on sustaining their momentum on the court before concluding their season.
February has been an exciting month for the SKS Wrestlers, who have competed in several rounds of the HVAL Quads to wind down their winter season. On February 14, the Cougars hosted Marvelwood, NYMA, and Hamden Hall for their final match. In the first round, SKS faced Marvelwood, where Cougar Ryan W. ’24 pinned his opponent in the 155 lb. weight class and Zack X. ’27 won in the 144 lb. class by points.
In their next round against the NYMA Knights, the Cougars fought hard, winning in the 144 lb. weight class with Brian J. ’25 pinning his opponent in the first 45 seconds. According to Coach Ciunga, “a valiant effort was also put up by Jiann L. ’26, who wrestled hard and nearly won her match. Even though we’ve had mixed results, it’s been a great season overall. We have several returning wrestlers who will strengthen our team next season,” commented Coach Ciunga.