HSMSE Boys' Basketball makes a great leap forward during the 2015-16 season

The HSMSE boys’ basketball team made a tremendous rise during the 2015-16 campaign from last season by way of the Dragons core players developing from overwhelmed underclassmen to effective leaders. Their impact on the team came from taking responsibilities which they did not have prior to this year.

“It was a big adjustment not only from freshman year to senior year, but from every season in between," senior Yonatan Pechter said. "Each year I was given more responsibility.”

The Dragons held a lowly 2-12 record during the 2014-2015 season; however, this season they climbed to 6-10. This improvement came at the hands of the juniors and seniors who made adjustments to their game this season. Players such as Pechter and Lucian Ramnarase made the necessary changes in their game to help the team to more wins than has been seen in the past several years by the Dragons.

HSMSE Boys' Basketball Team / T. Henning

"Maturing seniors [and] developing underclassmen made for interesting possibilities," coach Richard Epstein said.

Ramnarase took the role of the defensive stopper for the Dragons. He greatly increased his offensive and defensive output, averaging six points and six rebounds per game. Prior to this season, Ramnarase received playing time almost exclusively as a defender. This season, not only has he occasionally lead the team in scoring, he has been a locker room leader.

"Lucian [Ramnarase] refused to accept losing, and right from the start, his attitude and effort became contageous," Epstein said. "Once we began to believe we could win, we started winning."

Pechter increased his scoring, taking a larger role within the team’s offensive scheme. He often shot the three ball when the team needed them most. This is a great change from his freshman year.

“My freshman year this team was the first organized basketball I ever played," Petcher said. "I didn’t know how to compete on a competitive team.”

With a mature core of players, Epstein was able to scout and prepare game plans against opponents and have the team execute them. The team's maturation and a hard working culture led to the great improvement in their play.

"We had a group of mature experienced seniors and some very productive underclassmen who learned a lot from the seniors, and developed great work habits, skills, and success," Epstein said.

HSMSE Girls' Soccer returns to playoffs after promotion to A League

The HSMSE girls’ soccer team is coming off another successful season. They followed up their 2014 PSAL B League championship season with a 2015 playoff appearance in the PSAL A League.

After last season’s undefeated 14-0 record and a championship in the B League, the Dragons were promoted to the Bronx / Manhattan A Division, where they had to adjust to better competition. While the B Division featured players who usually competed for just the three month season, the A Division had players who participated in games year-round in leagues outside of school. Coach Regina Zafonte noted the improved caliber of teams the Dragons had to face.

HSMSE Girls' Soccer Team / HSMSE Yearbook

“The speed and pace is much faster,” Zafonte said. “There are a lot more talented and technical players.”

Despite the challenges they faced, the Dragons managed to place third in their division, making the playoffs with a 7-5 record. Zafonte credits the girls’ success to the team staying focused and working together on the field.

“We had to be really coordinated with our offensive attacks,” Zafonte said. “We had to make sure we were constantly communicating and our defense was solid, because we were going to be tested many times.”

Throughout the season, the Dragons had many memorable moments. They won their first round playoff game against McKee/Staten Island Tech. In addition to their playoff victory, they were the only team to score against Beacon High School in two separate matches, and defeated eventual champion Bronx Science during the regular season.

“I think that as a team, we exceeded our goals,” Zafonte said. “We did things during the season that were really impressive.”

Next year, the team will have to adjust to the departure of four seniors: Taylor Faulds, Maggie Haxhia, Galit Wiener, and Taieesha Peshkovsky, who was selected to play in the prestigious Mayors’ Cup. Despite these obstacles, the Dragons still have high expectations for next season.

“We would like to make the playoffs again,” Zafonte said. “We also want to fill the spots that are going to be open. If we win a championship, that’s a bonus.”