HSMSE Dragons show their lack of experience in a tough loss to Brandeis

Coach Diunte (l.) with his team's three seniors / Monicka Chang

In an exciting boys' volleyball match at the Nat Holman Gymnasium on April 29th  the Brandeis Bulldogs upset the HSMSE Dragons for their first win of the season. The Dragons looked good from the beginning of the game, and at one point were up by seven, but the Bulldogs clawed their way back to a convincing 27-25, 25-19 win.

In their previous meeting. the HSMSE boys’ volleyball team defeated the Brandeis Bulldogs on April 13th; however, they were not able to close out the first set in what appeared to be the young team showing their inexperience. This played a part in how the team approached the second set, with the team continuing to make the same mental lapses that caused them to give up a big lead in the first set. This gave the feeling that they were playing defeated from the start of the second set.

This is not the first lead the Dragons have given up this season; it has been a constant problem for half of the Dragons league’s games. Coach Nick Diunte feels it’s not such a physical problem, but more of a mental struggle for the team.

“I think a lot of it is mental at this point," Diunte said in a post game interview. "I think just mentally they need to have the wherewithal to finish plays and be confident enough to take their best swing."

The Dragons learned a valuable lesson from this loss and look to bounce back in their upcoming games with a different mindset.

Contributed by Henry Schoenfield and Mohammed Kabir

HSMSE boys' volleyball team fails to win farewell home game

Evgeni Dobranov - Monicka Chang

The HSMSE boys volleyball team lost their season's last home game against Brandeis, 27-25, 25-19, this past Wednesday at Nat Holman Gym. This home game was very emotional because it was the last home game for three seniors who will graduate this year.

Senior libero Evgeni Dobranov had a productive game with nine digs and four service points. This was his last home game as a member of the team.

“The game felt pretty good,"Dobranov said."It felt good to be home and just to be able to play a little bit more.”

Austin Han and Mateusz Zukowski, the two other seniors, will also be graduating. Junior Nicholas Jorquera said there will be a shift in leadership next year with the absence of these seniors.

“A lot of players will emerge as leaders, obviously the seniors are going to be missed but I guess we have to continue; we’ve done that every year,” Jorquera said.

Jorquera had a fruitful game with four digs and six kills to accompany an ace. Sophomore Yussef Elbagoury also played well with an ace, five kills, and six digs. Despite Wednesday's loss, the production from their younger players show a bright future ahead of them.

Yussef Elbagoury - Monicka Chang

“The most important thing is to win as a team. As the season progresses we’ll hopefully get to hit a lot smarter, [and] as a team we will hopefully destroy some other teams,” Elbagoury said. 

Wednesday’s loss was tough; but that does not stop the HSMSE boys' volleyball team from grinding out some wins to finish the season on a good note. Three valuable players will be missed, but the team is in good hands.
 
Contributed by: Bruce Mayfield, Harry Smith

Steven Limeta concludes his high school career with a Mayor’s Cup victory

After four rewarding years playing soccer with the High School for Math, Science, and Engineering Dragons, Steven Limeta finished his high school career with a victory in the prestigious New York City Mayor’s Cup.

Steven Limeta / NYC Mayor's Cup

Playing in the Mayor’s Cup is a huge honor for anyone, especially so for Limeta because he was the first player from HSMSE to participate in the event. The Mayor’s Cup selects the best 20 players in the Public School Athletics League. Since HSMSE is a small school, it is more difficult to be recognized.

Limeta has poured countless hours of training into his craft, playing for both his school’s team and a team outside of school. It is clear that Limeta deserved to represent HSMSE in the Mayor’s Cup, but he was still nervous.

“It felt nerveracking,” Limeta said. “You’re used to having your teammates around. I was really nervous representing our school.”

When Limeta was on the field, he kept a firm grip on his team’s defense. He made sure that everyone knew what was going on and was playing at their best. His key plays kept the score at nil. In one such play, Limeta covered for his teammate, stopped an attacker from breaking to the goal, and cleared the ball from his half of the field.

“If no one was there, they would have scored on us,” Limeta said.

Steven Limeta / Limeta Family

Limeta was a starter on MSE's varsity soccer team for each of his four years at the school. On the team, he played more than just excellent defense. As a centerback, Limeta scored four goals and recorded three assists in his career. Limeta’s defense along with his important role in MSE’s offense will be hard to replace for the upcoming season.

“Steven is gonna be missed as much for his reliable play as for his leadership,” said coach Nick Diunte. “He has a rare combination of both of those qualities that not every high school player has. When he was playing, his teammates knew that his position was locked. He was so fearless when he played, even when it might have been an uneven matchup.”

Despite his intense dedication and college-ready skill, his future with soccer is in doubt. Limeta recently suffered from postinfectious myopathy. He is recovering, but the illness has had a serious impact on his training and ability.

“After high school I'm planning to play college soccer,” Limeta said. “Right now I'm not sure I'm gonna make it because of what happened.”

No matter what ensues, soccer will continue to be an important part of Limeta’s life.

“You know what my first word was? It was not mom, it was not dad, it was goal,” Limeta said.“If I can’t play in college, I’ll just keep playing for fun.”

Coauthor: Junior Flores

Good news for boys' volleyball team despite outcome

Dobranov (left), Hamade (14) / Din Islam

The High School for Math, Science, and Engineering boys’ volleyball team scrimmaged against Hillcrest High School on March 20, 2014 at City College's Nat Holman Gymnasium. Despite losing in all four sets, the Dragons demonstrated they have the capability for success in the upcoming season.

The Dragons struggled to find a rhythm early in the first set. The biggest problem seemed to be their defense. The Hawks went on several runs including a seven point streak in the first set. In fact, many of the Dragons points in the first round came from the few mistakes by the Hawks.

“I feel like our team has more experience,” senior Hawk captain Tsetan Namgyal said. “I think the team we played right now can improve more. ... They could get better at the basic stuff.”

During the second set, the Dragons had more control on offense. Senior setter Spencer Sharp did a better job finding teammates for kills, but there was still something missing. There was a clear need for better communication, as Hillcrest was easily audible on each play, yet the Dragons were surprisingly silent.

The third round was like a whole new game for the Dragons. They opened up on a 10-4 run and seemed to finally click as a team. Passes seemed more fluid and the Dragons reduced their mistakes. In fact, the score ended at an impressive 25-23, just in favor of the Hawks.

“We just found the sweet spot,” Sharp said. “All of a sudden I just knew how to set well and we got that synergy. Once we started to get closer, the intensity increased so everyone wanted to do better.”

The final set was a great spectacle, as both teams used this as an opportunity to play their back-ups. The scoring back and forth, resembling a basketball game, with the lead changing hands multiple times during the set. The 25-22 score was a great demonstration of how the Dragons second team fought hard and put all their energy into the last round.

The improvement during the game wasn’t the only surprise. Two players made unexpectedly huge contributions to the game. Throughout the game, junior libero Evgeni Dobranov displayed amazing focus and determination defensively. His efforts on the court earned him the nickname “Delibero” by the other team.

“Delibero stood out to me,” Hawks coach Gisele Ruiz said. “He was hustling. He picked up a lot of balls that we could have put down. So [he] made a really good impression on me.

Also noted by Hillcrest's coach was sophomore middle blocker Hussein Hamade.

"[He] was very impressive," she said. "He had really good hands for such a young age.”

The season hasn’t even started and rookie sophomore Hamade is demonstrating valuable skills. Hamade did splendid on offense. His attacks improved as the game progressed and he was a big part of the Dragons’ offense.

“Hussein played really well,” Dragons coach Nick Diunte said. “He got some blocks and kills. I mean he wasn’t even in the plan. I thought he was going to be the backup. He’s really filled that role nicely and is learning everyday, and showing it too.”

With more practice and games, the team will only improve their fundamentals and stop the mistakes that plagued the early sets of this match. It is still possible for the Dragons to continue their successes, despite being placed in the A-Division.

The Dragons kicking off the new season of volleyball

Spencer Sharp / Sara Louie

The 2013-2014 season is starting soon for the HSMSE boys’ volleyball team, and their success this year is going to be uncertain. This year the PSAL decided to create two divisions for boys’ varsity volleyball. The Dragons were placed in the A division this year for their exceptional play last season; however, senior players who were the leaders of the team have graduated, leaving this year’s team searching for replacements.

The roster is going through big changes and that is going to affect their game play. Seniors Ardit Piroli and Yassine Khaliqui were the leaders in kills and hitting percentage last year. With their departure, this year’s team is going to have to designate new attackers. However, coach Nick Diunte does not seem worried about the changes, but does say that there is a lot to do before their first game of the season against Stuyvesant on March 24th.

“There is going to be a lot of work on the fundamentals of hitting during practice this year so that the new players can learn to be more offensive when they play,” he said.

The new placement into the A division will bring increased competition. Last year, they finished with a 7-5 record, tying High School for Environmental Studies for third place in their division. This year’s A division will contain teams from Louis Brandeis, High School for Environmental Studies, Stuyvesant High School, Fiorello H Guardia, and West 50th Street Campus. These teams were all playoff teams last season, but it is possible that they are going through the same changes that the Dragons are facing.

The new division holds many new challenges and the returning players are getting ready to face this year’s competition. Nicholas Jorquera is a bright spot and the only returning sophomore on the team.

“Now that we are in the A division we have the responsibility to improve,” Jorquera said. “Hopefully playing against more competitive teams continue to help us develop new skills.”

Jorquera played in eight of the twelve matches last season and seeks to gain more playing time.

“I know what the games look like, and what I have to improve to be a better volleyball player,” he said

The future for the Dragons is a mystery waiting to be unraveled. All of the teams that are in the division this year with them had a great showing last year, but Diunte stated that the Dragons have played against the other teams in the division and have been competitive with them. Despite the changes, he has high expectations that the team will be able to make the playoffs for a third straight season.

“I am confident in our ability to compete,” he said.

Written by Allan Lee and Yonatan Pechter

The replacements

Spencer Sharp / Sara Louie

The High School for Math, Science, and Engineering boys’ volleyball team is in a tough spot because of their top players graduating. The Dragons must now look to their current juniors to take their place next year and continue the teams’ success. Junior setter Spencer Sharp and junior outside hitter/defensive specialist Kofi Kordie are among these prospects.

Seniors Ardit Piroli and Jeremy Wain-Hirschberg led the team to a 7-5 season, taking them to the playoffs for the second straight year. This is the first time the Dragons have made the playoffs in back to back seasons in school history.

The Dragons’ hopes for a solid setter directed them toward Sharp. The accurate passes he contributed as the main setter were key to the team’s overall success.

“I think Spencer’s decision making as a setter will improve and that will come from more volleyball that he will play,” said coach Nick Diunte.

Kofi Kordie / Sara Louie

Kordie, a rookie to the team, will be a valuable asset next season. In his first game, he was thrust into a starting role due to complications with the availability of some of the starters.

“This was my first year playing and I had to learn very quickly,” said Kordie.

Improvement must not only come from these two if the Dragons want to enter the playoffs again next year. Other athletes who saw respectable playing time will have to harvest more of their abilities for their inevitable increased use.

“I think there is going to be more playing time for Austin Han as well and then we have to hope we get a few freshmen come in or maybe a sophomore that's in the school that wants to play that we can develop because we are losing four very talented and skilled seniors,” said Diunte.

These graduating seniors will create big gaps on the court for the athletes who will start next year. With prospects like Sharp and Kordie, the team has the capability to continue their playoff appearance streak; however, there still remains a need for a strong set of rookies.

Contributed by Velid Mulic and Kian Zadeh

Leading the Lady Dragons

Donna Fintzi / Thomas Henning

Despite the High School for Math Science and Engineering girls basketball teams’ losing record, their junior point guard Donna Fintzi has demonstrated the necessary ability to lead the team. During this 2012-2013 season, she scored a consistent 5.8 points per game, earning her the title of leading scorer. While this season may not have been the best for HSMSE, there is still another year for Fintzi to improve and truly carry the team to more wins.

One athlete can only do so much to pick up their team’s record. With the help of junior forward Mikaela Bloch, these two are able to provide a strong presence on the court. Leading the team in rebounds, Bloch showed pride in her ability to secure the ball both offensively and defensively. “I think I was a good contributor [to] help us get back the ball.“

The duo demonstrated what they were really capable of in the Lady Dragons’ November 29th game against Bread and Roses High School. Fintzi put up 15 points while Bloch managed to contribute another seven. In addition to this outstanding performance, both athletes also managed to grab five rebounds. “We [just] know where we can pass to each other,” Bloch explained about her chemistry with Fintzi. Despite the relentless efforts of the Lady Dragons to obtain an early lead, Bread and Roses High School came back in the fourth quarter with the win. “We played really hard,” Fintzi said. “We only lost by three or four, [and] I just played my hardest.”

Toughing out a winless season, Coach Nick Diunte emphasized the importance of both Fintzi and Bloch's role on the court. By being what may be the best duo on the Lady Dragons, Fintzi and Bloch have taken the role and the pressure of leading the team. “Donna has a lot of responsibility as a point guard,” Diunte said. “Usually she has the responsibility to defend the other team’s best ball handler [and] Mikaela has to rebound against folks much bigger than her as well as contributing offensively.”

Fintzi played a huge role off the court as well by assisting the younger members on the team. “I think in practice she works hard helps to encourage the other players and the team.” Diunte explained. “She is more quick to give pointers to the newer players on the team without me asking her to do so.”

Despite the sluggish development of the Lady Dragons, Fintzi is confident in their abilities. “[We have to] be more fluid with our plays. I think everyone can just improve generally.” Despite the team’s disappointment in their record, they are determined to grab more wins for HSMSE next year.

Contributed by Alex Long and Velid Mulic

Lady Dragons struggle through a tough season

Lady Dragons / Thomas Henning

The High School of Math Science and Engineering’s girls’ basketball team had a tough 2012 season. Even though the team was unable to win any games throughout the season, they were able to develop their skills and gain confidence in their capabilities.

The team compensated for their loss of seniors from last season by recruiting new players. Compared to last season, there were a record number of students trying out for the girls’ basketball team, “About 22 girls tried out for the team,” said the coach Nick Diunte.

Though vast in number, the players struggled with their positions on the court. “The team got nervous during games, dribbling, driving, and taking shots,” said team captain Leah Cabrera.

Towards the end of the season, the players showed that they were getting out of their shells and had increased their confidence. “They became more comfortable as the season went on because they had a greater idea of what to expect on the court,” said Diunte.

Despite their rough season, the players showed great promise. The team is developing chemistry; they cheer each other on and they are not afraid to make mistakes in order to improve and help each other grow. “The team needs to continue to improve their confidence and that will help with everything else,” said junior Mikaela Bloch.

Navigating their way through a losing season, the team was still able to further their skills, build strong bonds and gain confidence. Even though the girls did not win any games they created memorable moments and had fun playing. The team will need to continue to work on their skills and motivate each other in order to do better next season.

Contributed by : Dionys Gutierrez 

The Dragons lose with pride, but have high hopes for the future

Courtesy of Tom Henning

Although the HSMSE Girls Varsity Basketball team lost to the Institute for Collaborative Education on Friday December 9th, 2011 by 13 points, they had an improvement in their offense. They also had indicators of what needed to be done to go forward and achieve more wins.

Normally, 16 points would be a low score in basketball, but it is a good sign for the Dragons. In their previous two games, they only had six points each game and a combined total of six offensive rebounds. "I think it's a great improvement. I see a lot of us trying harder now and being more focused and putting in more energy and taking time to see what's happening," said Leah Cabrera. They made more shots with the opportunities that they had, including two three-pointers that helped boost their offense.

The game also gave some hints on what to improve in the future. There was only two offensive rebounds, which obviously will not get them far. "A shot goes off and some people are just kinda watching the person shooting, which is typical of high school basketball, but I think it's a problem," said Nick Diunte, the coach of the Dragons. They also need to improve their passing game if they want to continue to improve. Their weak passing game has caused turnovers and has resulted in the ball being easily intercepted. "I feel like we just have to get stronger and more accurate passes and that'll help get the game flowing better," said Donna Fintzi.

Despite their loss, they have made vital improvements and now know what they need to do to progress further. The loss will also not have an impression on their future games. Donna said, "We're improving ... I think we tried our hardest."

Female dragons break a season record

Courtesy of Tom Henning

The High School for Math, Science and Engineering Girls Varsity Basketball team achieved their highest points scored in a game this season in a 29-16 loss to Institute for Collaborative Education on December 9th, 2011.

One of the biggest problems for the Dragons was their passing. The Dragons would usually either overpower a pass or misinterpret a player’s path when passing to each other. Many fast breaks for the Dragons were ended by these little errors. “I feel that next practice we are probably going to take a step back and focus on like the mechanics of the pass a little bit more and then add passing under pressure a bit,” said head coach Nick Diunte.

With a close score near the end of the first quarter, ICE began a full court press. The press proved troubling for the Dragons as ICE began to cause several turn overs near the rim. To make up for these turn overs, the Dragons double teamed the ICE players, but the fast breaks sometimes proved too quick for this. Once the clock finally finished its countdown, the Dragons saw themselves down 8-2.

ICE went through the second quarter causing many fouls, but the Dragons only managed to score two out of seven of the free throws, one of which was to convert a three point play. The problem with this is that those were the only points the Dragons could get during the quarter which ended 15-6.

The third quarter was the most productive quarter for the Dragons. Not only did the defense stop ICE from scoring for more than four minutes, but the Dragons’ offense erupted. After having been double teamed for a while, Fintzi scored an impressive three pointer four minutes into the quarter to send the crowd cheering.

The Dragons continued to score and even managed to put up more points in the quarter than they had in their past two games. This was only accomplished when Mikaela Bloch connected with a three point shot at the buzzer to bring the score to 25-14.

With the Dragons finally getting used to the ICE offense, other than limiting ICE to only four points for the fourth quarter, the Dragons also managed to finally gain an offensive rebound with four minutes left in the game.

A playoff run is out of the question, but Leah Cabrera, HSMSE’s captain, looked at this game as a good sign. “I think it's a great improvement. I see a lot of us trying harder now and being more focused and putting in more energy and taking time to see what's happening.”