After a record-breaking fall season with undefeated conference records from girls volleyball and boys cross country, we welcome the highly anticipated winter season. Here are some GNSHS athletes that we suggest you keep an eye on when attending games, matches, and meets this winter season.
Girls Basketball: Ella Covitt
Freshman Ella Covitt started off as a JV player, but she proved herself worthy of a higher position and was moved up to play on the varsity team, becoming the only freshman on Varsity. She accomplished this feat by averaging 7.3 points per game last season. During her third match on varsity, Covitt scored a career-high 14 points against Jericho High School, sealing the 44-41 victory. According to Ella’s teammate, junior Katie Yang, “Although she’s only a sophomore, she brings such a strong presence on and off the court.”
Covitt tries not to sweat the pressure of high expectations. “Yes, I do feel the pressure of being the only sophomore on the team, but it drives me to work harder.” Covitt’s personal goal for this year is to become a better shooter. As for the team goal, the girls have high ambitions. “One of the main team goals is to improve together as a team in hopes to make the playoffs,” Covitt said.
The team trained together during the fall through playing off-season tournaments. According to Covitt, “We lost a lot of seniors from last year who were key parts of the team, but we gained some amazing new players.”
Girls Fencing: Kira Ngyugen
Senior Kira Nguyen, the captain of the GNSHS girls’ fencing team, has led the team to five consecutive County Championships. However, the start of this season is bittersweet. “I can’t wait to practice and start competing again with my amazing teammates, but I’m also sad to see it all end.” According to her teammate of two years, Fanxi Xia, “She is […] such a genuine person to be around. Kira always tries her best, and she sets a great example for the rest of us to follow.”
Nguygen attended the North American Fencing Championship in Orlando, Florida and Fort Worth, Texas in October and November respectively, placing 71st and 89th.
As for the goal of her final season, she has strong ambitions. “Our team goal is to win the Long Island Championships for the first time in history! We want to continue this dynasty and achieve new records. We’re making a special effort this year to focus on our mental game, as fencing is a psychological sport more than a physical one.”
Nguygen wants to leave this team with an impactful legacy, good memories, and fun traditions. “I truly adore the fencing team. I love our bus rides home where we sing at the top of our lungs, our cute matching bows, our team chants, our secret code words, and our shared struggles and efforts that culminate in victory.”
Girls Track & Field: Emily Sang
Crying tears of joy, junior Emily Sang rushed into her teammates’ arms after her 5K PR run. So far, she has dedicated eight seasons to track and field. Some of her PRs include running the 3000M in 12:35 and the 5K in 21:13, making her an all-conference athlete. Her favorite memory so far is hitting her 5K PR record: “I had been mentally struggling to break past the barrier that had me burnt out and consistently running poorly. This race managed to change all that. I felt so elated and excited. It was such a raw moment for me.” Sang’s goal for this season is to enjoy track as a passion while simultaneously engaging in healthy competition. As for the team goal, Sang claims, “A team involves everyone, and considering the various levels of experience and background each individual has, it can be difficult at times to maintain unity. However, this is a goal our lovely captains are working on and they have shown extreme success in their endeavors so far.”
Sang prepared for this season with her team through early morning pitch-black long runs, boba dashes, and the previous fall cross country season. “We really try to establish that running isn’t a form of torture, it’s a passion and a form of mental strength.”
Wrestling: Crisia Bonilla
Growing up in a household with three brothers, Crisia Bonilla became interested in wrestling while watching their matches. She grew curious about the strategies, techniques, and dynamics of the sport. Deciding to give wrestling a try, she fell in love and has since devoted herself to the sport. According to athletic director Coach Donald Herr, “Crisia is the person I think about for wrestling.”
Bonilla doesn’t overthink the role of gender or sex in this sport. She said, “Honestly, I just try to forget about how they are a different gender than me. I get my mind clear of thoughts like, ‘Oh he’s gonna be stronger than you because he’s a boy,’ and focus on the technique and what I have to do.”
Placing first at the NYWAY States tournament last season, Bonilla aims to qualify for nationals. She prepares by training at Crash Girls Wrestling Club and attending tournaments all summer long. “Senior season is the most important in my life because it is the last season to prove myself and who I am as an athlete,” she said.
Bonilla is delighted to announce that she will be a D1 wrestler for college. “I’ve always been disciplined when it comes to wrestling, but I have a lot more goals set for myself this season and the bar is really high.”
Wrestling: Tiarra Guan
Tiarra Guan’s passion for wrestling can’t be better told than this story: “I sprained my UCL in my left elbow, which caused me to be out for a while. I was barely able to practice with the team. All I wanted to do was wrestle. However, when I was cleared and told I would be able to wrestle at Long Island Championships, I was so happy that I felt like a kid in the candy store. I had a lot of nerves, but having my teammates in the stands made me excited. I used all that built up motivation that day and wrestled as hard as I could, leading me to place second.”
Going into her senior year, Guan’s goal is to place at two of the hardest tournaments: the State Invitational and Eastern States. According to Guan, “I think knowing that it’s my last season, I want to go out with a bang, so it motivates me to work harder in the room and practice like it’s my last time in there.” Guan went on runs, lifted weights, ate healthy foods, and attended challenging tournaments whenever an opportunity presented itself. Just like Bonilla, Guan also trains at the Crash Girls Wrestling Club. In addition, she attends another training gym for athletes: Breakthrough Performance.
Guan has a few words of advice for potential wrestlers. “Try this sport. You never know if you like it or not, and if you stick with the sport, you don’t realize how good you will get over time. I’m glad I stuck with the sport. Wrestling has a special place in my heart. I wouldn’t be the athlete I am right now without this sport and this program.”
Boys Basketball: Jesse Roggendorf
Jesse Roggendorf was one of the few sophomores last year on boys varsity basketball. Roggendorf averaged 18.5 points per game last season, and he was ranked eighth on the Newsday scoring leaderboard. Roggendorf’s favorite memory last season was winning their round one playoff game against Valley Stream North High School. Roggendorf contributed 17 points, helping Great Neck South clinch the win with a score of 57-50.
Despite a successful season last year, he remains humble, making his personal goal about the team: win the county championship. Last year, the team made a long run, but fell short in the semifinals against Southside High School. To achieve their goal this year, the Rebels prepared by hustling in the gym during the off-season and training individually during the summer. During the fall season, however, the team came together. “We were in the gym 1-2 times a week working on our game and played in a fall league together.”
Roggendorf is hopeful for another successful season. “What changed this season from last season is growth. We all got a lot better and only lost three seniors last year. So with most of us coming back for another year–getting better– our expectations are high.”
Boys Fencing: Max Tse
Max Tse is the only eighth grader on the boys fencing team. Tse finished first in the Northeast and 11th in the nation in his respective age category at the end of last season. Regarding fencing against competitors older than him, Tse said, “Coach Baravarian was supportive, and he gave me the confidence to fence [against the] much older kids and advice to become more successful.” Tse also expressed gratitude to his teammates, who made him feel at home.
As for being the youngest on the team, Tse feels, “I honestly think there is less pressure as the youngest, and my teammates tell me that all the time. With five more years of being on the team, I have more chances of winning.”
“My goal this year is to [be on] all-county first team and win the Nassau county individuals,” Tse said. During the off-season, Tse trained at North Shore Fencers Club and traveled nationally to attend fencing tournaments. As for the team goal, Tse said, “I really want the team to win the Long Island Championship, and I think it can happen. Although some of the seniors graduated last year, some younger fencers are stepping up this season, and they are just as good.”
According to Tse, “I do have some pressure on the fencing strip, but I try to focus point by point rather than thinking about what would happen if I win or lose my match.”
Boys Track & Field: Jaey Deschenes
Senior Jaey Deschenes, captain of the boys track & field team, has dedicated his whole four years of high school to track and field. During this time, Deschenes has achieved numerous awards, from school records to All County titles. Deschenes was originally a baseball player, running track only to stay in shape. The team’s atmosphere and the amazing athletes, however, kept him on the track. “I think I just fell in love with running. I just didn’t leave, and I’m still here.”
As first-time captain, Deschenes feels that, “It’s a little more stressful than previous years. It’s not a bigger workload, but there’s more expectations. I can’t fool around as much. However, it is fun. The underclassmen look up to me in a way, and it’s nice setting an example.”
Being a senior means a lot to Deschenes. “I have all these goals, and this is my last year to do it. I want to make nationals again, like I did last year, but I didn’t go because of the Regents [exams]. So I want to go this year in the winter and possibly set another record.”
As for his personal goals, “I just really want to enjoy the last two seasons, and try to set a good foundation for the team next year.”
Senior Jaey Deschenes, captain of the boys track & field team, has dedicated his whole four years of high school to track and field. During this time, Deschenes has achieved numerous awards, from school records to All County titles. Originally a baseball player, Deschenes only ran to stay in shape, The team and its atmosphere, however, kept him on track. ““I really want to enjoy my last two seasons and set a good foundation for next year’s team,” he shared.
