Girls Varsity Soccer finished another undefeated campaign with a resounding win against Ethyl Walker, 7-1. For the second year in a row, the girls had an unprecedented level of success. With a goal differential above 70, they were able to score almost at will and keep all of their opponents off the scoreboard. Even when bad weather and tough field conditions threatened to slow them down, the girls always found a way to keep the pressure on and cruise to win after win. Coaches Halloran and O’Reilly led the team with poise, never faltering in their expectations or commitment. Many of the girls are leaving IMS girls soccer with a 28-game winning streak.

Boys Varsity Soccer also had an incredible season and impressed from the first minute to the final whistle. The boys ended the year at Hotchkiss, under the lights, against Rumsey Hall. On a cold night and on a large field, both teams struggled early to find openings and make plays to the net. At half time, the score was tied at 0 and neither team looked like they were ready to break the game open. After losing star midfielder Athi Mzsia part way through the second half, the Falcons looked to the bench for a lift. Kevin Wu came into the game and with less than 10 minutes to play, Ayden Kokoszka put a beautiful cross into the box and Kevin was able to put it away for the game’s first goal. The Falcons held Rumsey at bay for the final few minutes and came away with the win, capping an outstanding season!

JV Boys Soccer had a very successful fall season. A young team, they struggled early in the year to find out where each member belonged on the field. As the season progressed, the boys settled into a groove and started clicking. Despite not always coming away with the victory, they played hard and competed in every game. Coach Perkins and Coach Charles welcomed Coach McGlone to the squad this year and together, the three of them instilled hard work and teamwork in every practice and game. With so many players making great strides, many of this year’s team expect to move up to the varsity level next year.

5th and 6th Grade Soccer had an outstanding season as well. Many newcomers to IMS joined a strong core of players from last year. This combination proved to be too much against all of their opponents. After a tough shootout loss against Mizzentop in the Dutchess Day tournament, the team responded by beating Mizzentop in a full length game, 7-0. The team finished the season undefeated but look ahead to the tough task of replacing many core players in 2019.

Cross Country finished up their season on with one last home race against Rumsey. Despite a water-logged course, the Falcons ran hard and many of them set personal records yet again. In particular, Simon Savoy broke the elusive 12 minute mark in the two mile race, coming in at 11:58. Harper Howe set the tone for the IMS girls as the first IMS girl to finish in every race this year. Overall, this years team made huge strides in both strategy and performance, with every member dropping at least a two minutes off their time from the beginning of the season to the end.

The Mountain Biking team had a full schedule of races this year, joining many of the local secondary schools. Many of the team did not have previous race experience and early in the year, the goal for them was just to finish each race. By the end, the newcomers and returners alike were competing against the older competitors and holding their own. Alan Dai had an impressive performance in the last race of the year, hosted by IMS, and won his division. Many of the team will be returning next year, looking to build on the foundation laid down this year.

Volleyball had an incredibly successful year. With enough girls to make a Varsity and JV team, Coaches McAfee and Coach Decock were able to select a very talented group of girls. Against teams that have traditionally beaten IMS, this year’s team was able to compete hard and come away with many victories. In their last match, the girls traveled to Rumsey, where they took the Blue Dogs to 5 games and lost by 3 in the final game. The progress they made this year was astounding. 2019 will be a transition year as almost the entire starting lineup will be moving on to high school.

A great fall season for the Falcons!