2021-22 Catoctin sports highlights

Mia Ferraro
CHS Class of 22

(6/2022) With the 2021-2022 school year coming to an end, the Catoctin athletic community is proud to look back on all of the achievements by which to remember the year. Catoctin sports teams have gathered a number of Gambrill Division championship titles, regional titles, and even states titles, among plenty of other feats worth celebrating. Proudly representing the success of the year in its entirety are three particular teams: varsity volleyball (fall), varsity girls basketball (winter), and varsity softball (spring).

Fall

The CHS varsity volleyball team is one of Catoctin’s handful of teams that claimed a Gambrill Division title this year. Their 3-1 victory over Williamsport High School at their penultimate regular season game determined their Gabrill title. Consequently, the Lady Cougars advanced to the Central Maryland Conference (CMC) Volleyball Championship, which resulted in a 3-0 loss against previously undefeated North Hagerstown High School (18-1). The Lady Cougars sealed a 3-0 victory at the regional quarterfinals Nov. 4 against rival Brunswick, before wrapping up the season after a loss of 3-0 against Smithsburg at the regional semifinals later that week. The CHS girls volleyball team finished the season with a record of 11 wins and five losses.

The Lady Cougars made a memorable impression on the CMC rankings by the end of the fall season. Three CHS volleyball players ended the season on the leaderboard for kills: senior Paige Romeril with a total of 152 kills in 53 sets, senior Rylee Curtis with 128 total kills in 49 sets, and junior Anna Belluomo with 113 kills in 52 sets. These individuals were also recognized in the conference standings for digs, with Romeril having 197 digs, Belluomo with 144, and Curtis with 130. Two CHS volleyball players earned a spot on the leaderboard for assists, with senior Paige Smith making 250 assists total in 54 sets, and senior Lily Gadra making 137 total assists in 42 sets.

Winter

The winter season brought a lot of success for the CHS varsity girls basketball team. The Gambrill division champions progressed to playoffs against Boonsboro High School on March 1 as the no. 1 seed in the Class 1A league in Maryland. The team defeated Boonsboro 72-41, and two days later claimed the 1A West Regional Championship title upon defeating Brunswick 56-27. Following these initial playoff victories, the Lady Cougars made it to the state championship after gathering 111 points total at the quarterfinals and semifinals. The team traveled to the University of Maryland Xfinity Center on March 10 for states, and concluded their successful season as runner-up against 2019 state champions Pikesville High School with a score of 51-42. The Lady Cougars concluded the season with an overall record of 23-3.

Three essential players on the CHS girls basketball team earned high rankings in the CMC winter high school sports standings. In total points, the scoreboard included senior Emma Wivell with 327 points in 26 games, senior Emily Williams with 328, and freshman Taylor Smith with 298. The same three individuals earned high positions in the conference for assists, with Williams leading the CMC rankings in only second place at 118 assists in 26 games. Wivell had 66 assists, and Smith had 54. Wivell made the leaderboard in rebounds with 187 in 26 games, as well as Williams with 155. This past month, the three athletes were selected to the Maryland Basketball Coaches Association All-State Teams: Wivell made first team, Williams made second team, and Smith made honorable mention. The two seniors were honored at the CHS Signing Ceremony to be congratulated for their commitment to a collegiate level women’s basketball team. Wivell will be joining the Salisbury Sea Gulls, and Williams has committed to the Shenandoah Hornets.

Spring

The CHS varsity softball team carried 13 victories and one loss into May, as well as several high rankings on the CMC leaderboard. In early May, five Cougars made the scoreboard for batting: senior Avery Sickeri with a batting average of .510 in 15 games, sophomore Meghan Gray with an batting average of .489, sophomore Raegan Miller also with an average of .489, Taylor Smith with .488, and senior Kara Watkins with .435. On the leaderboard for home runs were Sickeri with 10 total home runs in 15 games, Gray with seven home runs, and Taylor Smith with six. At the very top of the CMC rankings in RBIs was Sickeri with 31 RBIs in 15 games. Also up on the leaderboard were Taylor Smith with 21 RBIs total, and Paige Smith with 21 as well. Taylor Smith led the rankings as the top pitcher with 12 wins and one loss. She also led the conference in strikeouts, with an average of 13.8 strikeouts per game. Finally, the freshman also earned a high position on the ERA leaderboard, with an ERA of 1.73.

The Lady Cougars entered the postseason upon winning their last regular season game on May 9. After defeating Williamsport High School 15-0, the team took the no. 1 seed in Class 1A West Region II and were set to automatically advance to the regional semifinals the following week. First, the Gambrill Division softball champions went on to defeat Spires Division champions Linganore High School 5-1 on May 10, earning the title of CMC Softball Champions. The Lady Cougars’ season came to a close May 16 after falling to Williamsport 2-7 at the regional semifinals. "We want to thank our seniors for everything they have done for this team and wish them all great success as they move forward in life," the team’s Instagram account posted after the defeat. "To our underclassman, can’t wait to have you back next year in hopes to build off of this for the better." The Gambrill Division champions wrapped up their season with 17 victories and two losses. Seniors Sickeri and Watkins were recognized at the CHS Signing Ceremony as well for their further pursuit of softball in college. Sickeri has committed to the West Chester Golden Rams, while Watkins has committed to the Shenandoah Hornets.

As the 21-22 athletic season concludes, my time as CHS sportswriter quickly follows. Upon graduating in May, I have many transitions to make this summer regarding my education and career. While I am to continue working for the Emmitsburg News-Journal, I will be passing off the role of CHS sportswriter this summer. I am confident that the experience and learning opportunities that this position has presented me will guide me as I further my journalism career at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at University of Maryland. It has been a pleasure to write about the success of my friends and peers as they accomplished personal goals and attained athletic ambitions over the past three years. I am beyond grateful to Michael Hillman for this opportunity, as well as the Catoctin and Emmitsburg News-Journal community for the support. I suppose a sports article is not usually the place to get sentimental -- but thank you to my readers for sharing this incredible experience with me.