Athletics Photos

On November 3, the Randall's Island soccer season concluded with a game in Central Park vs. St. Bernard's involving a select group of Browning fifth and sixth grade boys who show real promise in soccer. St. Bernard's dominated play throughout the game, with a final score of 8-1. The Browning boys exhibited good citizenship on and off the field, day in and day out. The young Panthers fared much better in a game held last week vs. St. David's, where Browning was victorious by a score of 2-0.

However, the bulk of the season is not reflected in these two very special games played by 20 Browning boys, but rather in an intramural tournament involving all 57 of the boys.

Coach West, Coach Wolf and I felt that this was one of our best seasons ever, with a high level of play on the field and with an ever-increasing level of sportsmanship and positive teamwork amongst the boys. Our focus was to help each boy grow stronger and more confident in his soccer abilities and to help them realize that they each have a valuable contribution to make to the team.

Please congratulate these young men on a job well done. View photos.

--Coach Marcia Wallace

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The varsity baseball team had a very successful 2015 season. Finishing with a 6-4 regular season record, the team clinched the NYCAL 2015 regular season championship and secured a berth in the NYSAIS Tournament. Led by co-captains Alec Morea ’15 and Junior Anthony Carrasco ’16, the boys had both the most prolific offense and the stingiest pitching staff in the league. The team played excellent defense and displayed great team chemistry, jumpstarted with our spring training trip to Florida in the pre-season.

With a young, deep and talented team returning next year, Browning is poised to build on their excellent season in the future, but it will be tough to replace our ace, Alec! We have never been more proud to be the coaches of such a wonderful group of gentlemen. Go, Panthers! –Coaches West, Zeuner, Brown and Cohn

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The Panthers had a very successful season, finishing 6-2 in league play and 7-3 overall. They ended the season by earning their unprecedented fifth straight NYCAL Tournament title.

Singles players Del Schunk ’16 at #1, George Allen ’17 at #2 and Jaime Gomez-Sotomayor-Roel ’18 at #3 anchored the team, with George and Del earning medals in the tournament.

Doubles teams Oliver Obeid ’20 and Calvin Sherman ’19 playing as #1 doubles won a medal in the tournament. William Abelt ’15 and Peter Florescu ’15 playing as # 2 doubles evolved their play consistently throughout the season, culminating with their last tournament match victory to secure the title for Browning by one point.

Each of the alternate players, Teddy Florescu ’18, Grant Thompson ’18 and Sharif “Reef” Nsouli ’20, gained valuable match experience and contributed to the team’s success.

Del Schunk earned the MVP award for his fifth straight undefeated season in league play, and Oliver Obeid earned the Rookie of the Year award for his multiple victories in both doubles and singles.

Above all, our captains Peter Florescu ’15 and William Abelt ’15 led by example, with our players exhibiting respect for the game through their sportsmanship all season. Thank you to the Browning community for their support.–Coach Klein

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The 2015 NYCAL season reached a riveting conclusion and delivered its verdict on Tuesday, May 12, at Riverbank Stadium. The Browning School boys were just edged out by a strong, experienced Calhoun School team who won the competition. Excellent results for our boys! Yet, it was not as simple as it seems.

Track is a difficult sport, and every track and field runner deserves respect. The last two weeks have not been easy for the Browning varsity track team. At a crucial moment of the season, some of the boys were less motivated and with attendance at practice has increasingly inconsistent, our results at last week’s meet fell short of those we have achieved in the past. After much consideration, I decided to convene only the 10 boys who qualified for the NYCAL championships held yesterday at Riverbank Stadium. I also decided to bow out of several events, as it was highly unlikely we would score points. As a reminder, the scoring for each race is 10-8-6-4-2-1. For example, if a runner ranks seventh in the mile, he does not bring any points to his team and he has wasted his energy for any subsequent events. I simply asked our runners to enjoy the meet, have a pleasant time and concentrate their energy on our strongest areas, the three relay races.

This strategy worked very well. Winning second place is an excellent result, indeed, and we all can be very proud of the boys! We won the 4X400, the 4X800 and placed third in the 4x100. The relays are really the most spectacular races, and watching them yesterday gave me chills. The Browning boys enflamed the entire stadium during those three events. Christopher Keyko, Diego Lopez-Liranzo, Connor Harkins and Yvan Maslennikov were outstanding during the 4X800. The quartet of Brandon Keno, Diego Lopez-Liranzo, Jamil Guzman and Connor Harkins won the 4X400 with poise and courage. Arthur Mensah, Jamil Guzman, Michael O'Connor and Brandon Keno placed third in the 4x100, raking in six more points in the general classification. Captain Christopher Keyko, who has been impeccable during his entire track and cross country career at Browning, finished second in the 3200, followed by Norman Degado in fourth and Yvan Maslennikov in fifth. Alexander Young finished third in the long jump. The season is not over, since we are slated to participate in the NYSAISAA outdoor Track & Field Championships on Wednesday, May 20. Whatever happens during this last meet, the 2015 varsity track season will remain in my mind as one of the most difficult but also a most rewarding and captivating experience. –Coach Bernard
 

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With only two members of the team returning from last year and neither one a senior, the varsity golf team was young and fairly inexperienced. The goal, therefore, was to improve their scores every match, regardless of the result, and this they did!

By the end of the season, the players had improved their skills and bettered their scores by seven shots on average. Considering the matches are over a nine-hole course, that becomes quite an achievement.

The future looks bright for golf at Browning, with Middle School players ready to step into the varsity squad next year and continue the quest for glory! –Coach Watson

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The 7-8 baseball team is filled with talent. From a strong pitching rotation to a solid rally hitting lineup, the Panthers are currently 7-2 and on their way to capping off an impressive season. Team captain Eric Pena has had stellar performances on the mound with four wins and no losses, along with Will Eun pitching like an ace throughout the season. Gabe Flicker provides power in the lineup, while Jesse Starr bats in front of him with one of the best on-base percentages in the league. Excellent defensive play has been the calling card of these Panthers. Whether it’s Zack Brown making diving catches in center, or Wes Bauer robbing hitters of singles up the middle, the team as a whole took away opponents’ opportunities to score by playing together and communicating. Jacob Kibel stole bases with ease, utilizing excellent speed and tenacity on the base paths and providing much needed runs in crucial moments late in games. With a combination of great talent and terrific fundamental play in these 7th-8th graders, it’s safe to say Browning has a bright future with its baseball program. –Coaches Wolf & McKenna

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The Browning Panthers put together a successful 2014-15 squash season. Led by seasoned captain Alex Gottdiener, the Panthers showed much improvement both tactically and technically through the year. Fueled by an energetic influx of Middle School boys and the addition of the Harmonie Club group, the Browning squad enters next season primed for even more success.

The Panthers practice Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3:30-4:20 p.m. Practices generally comprise of conditioning games, supervised match-play and squash conditioning and flexibility. We look forward to more success and growth next year! –Coaches Kapur and Lafontant

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When only one senior was at tryouts for varsity (and junior varsity) basketball, we knew it was going to be a difficult year. That being said, we set our team goals and made sure each player on the team knew they would be an integral part of the team's success. We started the season with a win, but found wins tough to come by as the season progressed. Success was measured on whether we were getting better as a team each and every day, rather than on wins. There were times throughout the season when we felt things were really starting to gel, and our players were buying in to the team concept in practices, but once the games started, we often strayed from the plan. The season ended with a first-round playoff loss at the hands of a very athletic and fast Calhoun team, but as coaches, we were proud that the whole team battled to the very end. Each boy on the team has an off-season checklist of things they must work on for next season. With a talented crop of Form II boys coming up, we are confident that we are on the right path. –Coaches West and Cohn

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The building blocks for this year's JV team were: development, competitiveness and having fun. Although young and new to the competitive high school basketball environment, the boys represented Browning in an impressive way. The boys showed “grytte” (always playing hard and never giving up), were adaptive (took something away from every game) and were always good sportsmen.

As a building year, it was very “successful.” Co-captains Luke Spellman ’17 and Teddy Florescu ’18 and Coach JJ (John Lindenthal) helped to motivate and move the team in the right direction. Luke (“shortest distance between two points is a straight line”) Spellman, who led the team in scoring, helped with many skillful drives to the loop which excited the entire team. Teddy (“no, I did not break my hand – just a finger”) Florescu was a real inspiration to the whole team. Philip (“not in my house”) Raftopoulos ’18, in one game, set a record for blocked shots. A few of his rejections silenced the entire gym. Finally, Coach (“yes, I have my stress ball”) JJ brought a refined basketball skill set to the boys. His knowledge of the game and hands-on experience helped increase the overall team performance. All in all, the season could be summed up as: grytte, education, sportsmanship and finally: “Let's go Panthers.” –Coaches Walker and Lindenthal

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The seventh and eighth grade Red team enjoyed an outstanding season. From our opening meeting in early November through the final game of our season in February, the Panthers displayed excellent sportsmanship, a consistent work ethic, and the desire to learn and grow as a unit. The team finished the year with an 11-3 record (7-3 in league play) and tied for second place in the NYCAL.

The Panthers closed out the season on a six-game winning streak, highlighted by two second-half comebacks in which the team outscored its opponents by a total of 65-20. Those wins, in particular, showed the boys how far they had they had come over the course of the season. –Coach Ragsdale

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The seventh and eighth grade Black team can be described perfectly in one word: Hustle. They were never the biggest team, but often were the fastest, ending the season with a 9-2 record. The players came together and played team basketball to win games. They displayed true “grytte” all season long, especially evident in two last-second wins that really brought the unit together. This team never gave up and supported each other all season, creating what may be the best middle school squad Browning has ever assembled. –Coaches Wolf and McKenna

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The mini Panthers of the sixth grade basketball team had their best season ever, going undefeated. From the first game in January against The School at Columbia to the last game against St Lukes in February, the boys played some very impressive basketball, outscoring their opponents 323-175 in just nine games. It was a team effort throughout, but there must be mention of Skyler Bell ’21 for his leadership and composure, and William Bousquette ’21 for his drive and basketball intelligence. Top scorer was William Bousquette with a total of 49 points, however during the season there were at least 10 players per game who got on the scoreboard.

The future for middle school basketball is in good hands with these boys, who will join last year's excellent team to form a formidable seventh and eighth grade squad. –Coach Watson

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The fifth grade basketball team had a competitive season, finishing with an overall record of 4-3. The main emphasis of fifth grade athletics is to develop players' fundamental skills and learn to play as a team. In this sense, the boys were very successful. The team improved drastically throughout the season both individually and as a group. The boys practiced hard and gave their best effort every time they took the court. I am confident in handing over this team to Coach Watson and the sixth grade program. This is an enthusiastic group and I look forward to their many successful seasons to come. –Coach Brown

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The varsity soccer team had a successful season finishing with a 6-6-2 record despite having a number of injured players unable to play for some of the season. After losing their first game against eventual league champions The Lycee Francais School, the boys produced an impressive win against a talented alumni team. From that game forward, the Panthers played some skillful soccer, coupled with the right amount of aggression that eventually secured a playoff spot in the final game of the regular season. With injuries to key players throughout the season, and at times only having one or two subs on the bench, the boys showed some real “grytte” in their performances.

Led by captain Karsten Monteverde and supported by top scorer Arthur Mensah, the Panthers almost pulled off a surprise victory against Columbia Prep in the semifinals of the post-season playoff tournament. The squad is only losing four From VI boys next year, and with the JV team having one of its strongest seasons to date, the future looks bright for varsity soccer next year.

Mensah and Monteverde were also selected as NYCAL All League Soccer Players. The coaches from all the varsity soccer teams rank the players in the league, and the top 11 make the all league team. Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players. Karsten also received the highest ranking of all the  players in the league, from all the coaches, making him the NYCAL League's MVP -- the highest honor a player in the league can get!

Coaches Watson and Zeuner

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After spending much of last season rebuilding, the JV soccer team finally saw its efforts reflected in their record. They were .500 in regular season league play, finishing in third place. Though they lost in the first round of the playoffs, it was their first playoff appearance in some time. The key to the team’s progress lays in the dedication of its players, especially those returning players who helped set the tone of sportsmanship and constant improvement. Over the course of the season, the boys, led by captains Luke Spellman, Jake Germano and Connor Medland, focused on fitness, strategy and on-field communication to become an increasingly formidable opponent. Every boy on the team made valuable contributions to the squad and ended the season a better player than he was when he began. We look forward to seeing each boy return next year (except those being promoted to varsity), and we expect an even stronger showing against our rivals both within and outside of our league.

Coaches Lisciandrello and Cohn

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On October 30, on a bright and beautiful fall afternoon, the 2014 Varsity Browning cross country team headed to the challenging race course, Van Cortland Park, to once again take part in the NYCAL Varsity Championships. Browning and Trevor Day tied for second place, with Columbia Prep winning. One of our top runners was not able to participate in the championship. If this injured harrier had run, we would have placed second overall and perhaps been able to challenge the winning "blue team."

The scoring was as follows: Columbia: 31; 2. Trevor: 51; Browning: 51Calhoun: 100. Lycée Français, Unis and Staten Island Academy were quite far behind despite a good effort.

Captain Christopher Keyko, the team's best runner this season despite a very difficult start in the season, was at his finest, finishing fifth in a competitive field. His comrades finished further back in the race, but all embodied the best of what Browning brings to our athletic contests: sportsmanship, engagement and, as always, "grit." These past two years we had excellent individual results. There is room for improvement, and I have shared the details with the boys to continue to improve more next season. This fall, thanks to the hard work and dedication of Christopher Keyko '15, Michael O'Connor '16, Brandon Keno ’16,  Diego Lopez-Liranzo ‘15, Yvan Maslennikov '16,  Peter Florescu ’15, Julian Orillac ’16, Darrion Harris, Alex Barnard and Alex Lopez-Velasco’ 17, a cohesive team was born. The season ends on Sunday, November 9, with the 31st Annual NYSAISAA girls' and boys' championship. And then season will then be over. Remember.... "No one knows a park, its smells and seasons, its contour and crannies, like a cross-country runner."

Coach Bernard

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The Middle School soccer team enjoyed a successful season. From day one of soccer camp until the final whistle, the boys put forth a great effort. Though we finished the season with an overall record of 4-6, we achieved our number one goal, which was to improve both individually, as well as a team. We are pleased with the way the boys conducted themselves both on and off the field. This year’s team was comprised of mostly Form I boys. We look forward to this young team being extremely competitive in the league next year. 

Coaches Brown and Protheroe

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The Middle School cross country team took off with a bang this fall. The enthusiasm and eagerness of our runners were unmatched. Form II was represented by two boys, Michael Kassis '19 and Patrick McAllister '19, while five boys from Form I filled out the pack, including Ryan Aotani '20, Logan Flynn '20, Alexander Kwok '20, Sharif Nsouli '20 and Giovanni Taveras '20. We practiced twice a week in Central Park, one day for distance, one day for speed. On Thursdays the team trekked to Van Cortlandt Park to compete against other middle school teams in a 1.5 mile co-ed race. Patrick's name could always be found among the top 10 finishers, for which reason he earned MVP. Each runner's time improved over the course of the season, which ended leaving us wanting more.

Coach Young

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On October 29, Browning played its first-ever 5th/6th grade soccer game against another school. Normally, the Randalls Island Soccer program is an intramural round-robin tournament, with the members of the winning team being awarded t-shirts for their accomplishment. The coaches report  that this year, however, the season ended with "a real game, with real referees, on a real field in Central Park vs. St. David's School." They provide further details, as follows:

As coaches, we selected 11 boys from each grade to represent Browning, and they put up a truly valiant effort against a St. David's team that had played a full schedule of games previous to this one.

Even though St. David's came away with a 3-0 victory, the game truly did not reflect that score. The first goal came after a hard shot was inadvertently deflected into the net by a Browning defender, and the final 2 goals came in the waning moments of the game. The boys showed tremendous resilience throughout and were able to hold their heads high when the final whistle blew.

As the teams shook hands and left the field, one of the referees commented, "Your team did not look at all like a group that had only played intramurals up to now. You have some very talented young men out there." Everyone who was there supporting Browning could not have agreed more.

Coaches West, Wallace and Wolf

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The varsity baseball team finished with a record of 6-6. From the very beginning of the season, we knew that if we were going to win, we were going to have to do it as a team and not rely too heavily on individual players. For the most part, we played solid defense all season and pitched the ball pretty well. Our hitting was very sporadic; in some games we seemed to get every timely hit, while in other games, we just couldn’t get the bats going. The team was very young this year, consisting of over nearly 10 freshmen, so the future is bright. I think the best thing that came out of this season was the realization that it takes a lot of hard work to get to the level we want to get to. The departing seniors will be missed dearly, but they gave the younger guys a vote of confidence for next year. In the end, the team and coaches had lots of fun and will look back on this season with nothing but fond memories.

Coach Andrew West '92

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