Fall Sports Preview

Football

The football team never sleeps! This summer, the football team practiced early and often, with a crucial, six-week summer workout program beginning on June 9th. These sessions emphasized getting everyone bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter. Players spent time in the weight room with Coach Stephen Yorkman and learning plays on the field with Head Coach Scott Van Zile.

After summer workouts, the next phase of the season begins on August 6th: preseason camp. The team finally gets to take what they have learned in the summer and begin playing some real football. Players don helmets and pads and practice with more intensity and contact. Though important, preseason is long and exhausting. Senior captain Patrick Morrow ‘26 reflected, “I spent more time with the football team than anyone, even my family.”

The preseason was capped off with a scrimmage against St. Paul's, where both JV and varsity players got to show off their skills. The scrimmage’s focus was to get everyone more experience, and thus allowed everyone to play regardless of their experience, skill, or age. After the scrimmage, Captain Messiah Jews ‘26 stated, “There has been a lot of progress so far, and I am very proud of my guys.” The scrimmage served as a valuable tool for the program and undoubtedly helped everyone transition from summer workouts to the regular season.

After the scrimmage versus St. Paul’s, the team turned their attention to the regular season. The team began the season with a 24-9 win against Boys Latin and hopes to turn this win into a winning streak when they face The Bullis School on Friday, August 29th. Patrick commented, “[Our] goals for the season are to make the playoffs and beat McDonough.”

Led by captains Noah Lawrence ‘26, Isaiah Trusty ‘26, Messiah, and Patrick, the football team is sure to make a splash in the MIAA this year!

Soccer

Entering the season with a new head coach, Mr. Mickey Watson, the Soccer Hounds are eager to create a new era and culture around Gilman soccer. Beginning last March, the team has worked tirelessly to build chemistry and get into proper shape.

This summer, the squad practiced early on Tuesday morning and lifted on Wednesday nights. With tryouts beginning on August 6th, the boys competed for two weeks before coaches selected a roster of 30. Since then, Coach Watson has worked tirelessly to prepare the boys for the MIAA season, which begins on September 2nd against rival McDonogh. The team has grown close through a rigorous training schedule of two-a-days, team lunches and dinners, film sessions, bonding events, and a day trip to Philadelphia to scrimmage Haverford and visit Villanova.

Senior right back Asher Mathai ‘26 told the News, “The Mickey era has brought new excitement to the team, which we hope to build on to make a run later this season.” Thus far, the team remains undefeated after defeating Gonzaga (2-1) and Haverford (2-0) in preseason scrimmages.

As the Soccer Hounds dive headfirst into their MIAA season this September, do your best to make it out to as many games as possible and cheer the team on to what they hope will be a very successful season.

Cross Country

Coming back after a three-way split of the MIAA championship title the year prior, the Cross Country team hopes to send off longtime coach Mr. Joe Duncan with one last win. Though the team has lost the talent of graduated seniors, the influx of skilled and ambitious freshmen and the experience of upperclassmen will more than make up for it.

The varsity team comprises three seniors, two juniors, and two freshmen, all of whom have participated in the sport for at least three years. They leaned into the grind of the preseason, preparing for the ten weeks ahead in which they will compete in races around the state. Captain Jack Mashaw ‘26 is optimistic about the season ahead, stating, “We should have a lot of depth on the team this season, which should lead to some exciting results in our upcoming meets.”

In just two weeks, this optimism will be tested at the “Top of the Hill Invitational,” where the varsity team will compete against numerous schools around the state. Though the team has a tough season ahead, its grit, combined with the guidance of Coach Duncan, Coach Cody Miles, Coach Donell Thompson, and Coach Rich Heffron, will undoubtedly lead to each race being hard-fought, no matter the result.

Water Polo

In a hidden inlet between the Cage and the training room lies the home of Gilman Waterpolo. The polo team has been one of the, if not the most, dominant fall sports team in recent history, and the team this year hopes to make no deviation from that course.

Captain Sam Nuremberger ‘26 stated, “The hounds enter this season with one word on their mind: redemption. After losing a heartbreaker to Loyola in the Semifinals last year, we open up our season by scrimmaging the Dons at Loyola University, the venue for the championship game. This is a great way to start the season on a high note and set the tone for the year.” And indeed it was, the Hounds, metaphorically speaking, turned the water red with a dominant win of 24-7 over Blakefield. W

Where is this power coming from? Apart from “the best locker room dynamic the [program] has ever seen,” as team senior captain Hayden Dodge ‘26 put it, many on the team have devoted their summer to polo. Juniors Grant Wright ‘27, Jonathan Bradly ‘27, and Nikil Krishna ‘27 competed in the Penn Cup and the Futures Superfinals, and then they joined Treve Darby ‘27 at the Junior Olympics. On top of this, in late spring, Treve went out to the Olympic Development Program Nationals in Northern California. There, teams from each zone play each other in hopes of being one of the 100 selected for the National Team Selection Camp.

The Hounds completed a rigorous preseason, which included many swim-only practices, weightbelt treading, pullups, in-and-outs, a lane line run, and group treading sessions. We at The News know that the culmination of the hard work, dedication, and skill that resides in each water polo team member will be sure to bring home a plaque to the Gilman trophy case this November. Go Polo-Hounds!

Volleyball

After finishing as top dogs in the MIAA last season, the Volley Hounds hope to repeat their success. Captained by Jay Salovaara ‘26, Coco Bose ‘26, and Alex Triplett ‘26, the volleyball team seeks to capitalize on its wealth of experience. The team comprises eleven seniors and five juniors, most of whom have been playing with each other for Gilman and their club team for over three years.

The team’s preseason has been strong, and Coach Diego Matorras stated that this is one of the most advanced teams he has coached in his tenure. The team took down a collection of volleyball alums during a preseason scrimmage, many of whom were all-conference players during their time at Gilman, and they hope to carry that competitive success into the MIAA season.

With the league dividing into two conferences for the first time, playoff spots will be much harder to come by. Gilman must compete with strong teams like Spalding, Loyola, and MSJ to secure their spot and claim back-to-back titles. The team will continue to push themselves as the preseason closes out to prepare themselves for the ultimate test: MIAA competition. Let’s go, Volley Hounds!