The U.S. High School Team Squash Championships will be held this weekend, Feb. 6 to 8, in the Hartford area.
At venues such as Trinity College and Wesleyan University, some 100 boys teams and 70 girls teams from around the nation gather each winter for this tournament, which determines the best high school squash teams in the United States.
New Canaan High School boys squash players. Contributed
Last year, New Canaan High School boys varsity squash ranked as the #2 public high school squash team in the United States.
This year at Nationals, the NCHS Varsity Boys A team is the highest seeded public school squashteam and will be competing in Division 2. The only other public high schools in Division 2 are Conestoga High School in Pennsylvania and Bronxville High School in New York which are both seeded right below New Canaan. There are no public high schools seeded in Division 1. Surrounding these teams are private schools that have had squash teams in place for generations.
Killian and Grayson Bubrosky, who are both playing squash for the University of Virginia next year, and Hal Holappa who will be playing squash for Dickinson College next year round out the top of the varsity ladder for the Rams. Completing this team are Christian Megherby,Kyle Finnican (who will be playing golf for Trinity College next year), Will Gruseke (who will be attending Trinity College next year) and Sam Havens.
Varsity B will compete in Division 5 led by Teddy Holappa, JP Sloan and Erik Burns in key positions at the top of the ladder. Rounding out this team are Sean Berry,Charlie Kallassy,Hugo Potter and Justin Swift.
We are also sending a third boys team which will compete in Division 7. NCHS squash has many seniors graduating this year and this will give some of the younger players an opportunity to experience Nationals and be ready for next year as they move up the ladder. Ben Wells, Matt Donaldson (JV Captain), Charlie Burns, John Shannon, Ian McPeake, Andrew Gibbens, Brink Rocco and Jarrett Valenti comprise the C team.
New Canaan High School girls squash players. Contributed
For the first time the NCHS Varsity girls will be competing in the Girls division at Nationals. Previously, qualified female players would play on the boys’ teams. The girls have worked hard both this year and last to get to this point.
The team will be led by Captain Sami Marcus and will include Paige Skyrm, Katie Conese, Tess Rosenberg, Hailey Coutts, Sophia Welch and Caroline Grogan. Alternates are Natalia Tomczak, Gabriella Sulpiz and Bailey Reehl.