This fall saw incredibly hard work across the board by our talented student-athletes. Check out the season recaps provided by their coaches. Go Rams!
Cheerleading
Katherine Fraley ’15
The MICDS Cheerleading program had an outstanding season, beginning with the Universal Cheerleaders Association Camp, where captains Riley Crawford ’26, Becca Frazier ’26, Akira Washington ’26, and senior Alana Chandler ’26 were recognized as All-American Cheerleaders! Throughout the fall, the squad energized the crowd at every football game, completing a total of 665 push-ups in celebration of team touchdowns. Beyond the sidelines, the team supported the Girls on the Run program, took part in the time-honored bonfire walk with the bagpipers, performed two routines, and cheered at the very first MICDS Friday Night Lights game.
The squad continued to develop advanced stunts while fostering school spirit across campus. One of the season’s highlights was welcoming cheer alumni to join in a performance of the CODASCO Fight Song at the 100th anniversary of the MICDS-JBS football game. By blending modern skills with cherished traditions, the team created a truly memorable season. Thank you to our dedicated captains and seniors for their leadership and spirit: Chandler, Reese Brinker ’26, Eleanor Cheers ’26, Caitlin Kenkel ’26, Georgia Murray ’26, Laurion Nicholson ’26, and Lainie Zimmer ’26.
Girls Cross Country
Jim Lohr
Rebuilding Season for Girls Cross Country
The 2025 MICDS Girls Cross Country team was in the process of rebuilding in many ways. Both returning All-State runners from the year before were coming into the season after a track season of challenging injuries. Frances Applegate ’27 and Elise Tourais ’28, who had both finished in the top 10 at State a year ago, battled to get back for the new season. There were some highlights as the Rams did win the Metro League Championship, where Applegate was the runner-up in the meet. Senior captain Narya Phatak ’26, Blaike Boarders ’28, Tourais, Abby Walsh ’28, and Cate Wagner ’29 all earned First-Team All-Conference.
The girls qualified for the MSHSAA State Championship as a team for the 21st time by virtue of a top finish at Districts. Applegate, Tourais, Phatak, Nika Landrum ’29, and Wagner were All-District and State Qualifiers by finishing in the top 30 at the District Championship. The MICDS girls finished 11th as a team at the MSHSAA State Cross Country Championship.
Applegate was the only Ram to hit the podium and was All-State for her third consecutive season. She finished 17th individually and put a cap on the 2025 season. Phatak, Addie Farmer ’26, and Carrie Clennon ’26 were the team’s captains this season, and Phatak won the Harriet Green Award as the team’s most inspirational and dedicated athlete.
Boys Cross Country
Chris Rappleye
The 2025 edition of the MICDS Boys Cross Country team completed their season with a 6th-place team finish at the State meet to top off the season. Heru Bey ’27 finished 11th overall in the Class 3 State Championship at Gans Creek in Columbia, Missouri, earning a medal for his All-State finish. Bey had finished second the week previous in the District Meet with a 16:09 time. Three other MICDS runners earned All-District medals for finishing in the top 30 runners in that race as well: co-captain Shil Penilla ’26 (13th), Forest Gong ’27 (20th), and Cyrus Kummer ’28 (22nd). While Dylan McDonough ’27 finished just out of the top thirty in 31st, he, co-captain Luke McGinness ’26, and Will Fendler ’26 all set personal records in the meet, helping the Rams earn a 3rd-place team finish that helped the team qualify for the State meet for the first time in a decade. In the Metro League meet the week previous to Districts, the team finished second overall with Bey (3rd), Gong (11th ), Penilla (12th), and Kummer (14th) all earning medals for their All-League top-15 place finishes.
Cyclocross
Chris Ludbrook
Alton, Illinois, was home to the Rams Cyclocross in early September as they started the season with the SuperPrestige Cyclocross Series. Ash Falk ’26 led the team with two 1st-place finishes, along with a 2nd-place finish. Other Junior division medalists on the east side include Dalton Costick ’26, Theo Cheynel-Bertomeu ’29, and Jabali Virgilio ‘29. Kolce Mileski ’27 took 1st place in the Men’s C Race at Belk Park.
Back closer to home, the team’s success continued in the Bubba Memorial Cyclocross Series. Sawyer Huffman ’29 got his first Cyclocross victory at Queeny Park, along with two more 2nd-place finishes in October. Catherine Dawson ’29 secured a 2nd and 3rd-place finish at Queeny Park and St. Vincent Park. Her first-year success was especially sweet as Catherine made the jump from her role as a manager last year to a competitor this year. The season wrapped up with a cold and wet ride at Bellefontaine Park. Huffman and Dawson moved up to join Falk in the C race. The conditions proved tough on the squad with several crashes and mechanical failures, but that was outweighed by the team’s willingness to continually challenge themselves. Mileski jumped up to the men’s B race and, despite a crash, finished with a solid 3rd-place finish. Without missing a beat, the team moved indoors on the trainers in preparation for the spring road season.
Field Hockey
Lynn Mittler
The field hockey team left it all out on the pitch in their semifinal loss to St. Joseph’s. After double overtime, the game was decided after a round of five 1v1s moving into single elimination 1v1s. The efforts in this final game were indicative of their efforts from the start of the season on August 11. Highlights of the season are a 20-5 record, including an OT win over Villa Duchesne and a homecoming win over JBS. Throughout the season, goals were scored by 16 different players on the team, with Victoria Noble ’28 being the highest goal scorer in the area with 33 goals. Lydia Brown ’28 had 18 goals and 18 assists, with Ellemieke Ferguson ’27 notching 17 goals and 17 assists. Goalie Amelia Mackin ’26 had 12 shutouts, sharing several with Sienna Snyder ’27. These individual accomplishments were a product of an entire team effort. The 105th MICDS field hockey team fully committed to each other and their goals throughout the season, working hard every day to achieve their goals. Senior captains Mia Brauer ’26, Georgia Lochhead ’26, Mackin, and Katie Sheehan ’26 led this talented group in some of the finest field hockey played by MICDS in years. We’re also saying goodbye to our other talented seniors: Emma Allen ’26, Anna Dehlendorf ’26, Lillian Joe ’26, Sarah Meade ’26, and our dedicated managers: Kaitlyn Kellner ’26, Alice Seddon ’26, and Elsie Trilling ’26.
Post-season honors include:
All-Metro League 1st Team
- Lydia Brown
- Ellemieke Ferguson
- Mallory Jerlecki
- Georgia Lochhead
- Amelia Mackin
- Victoria Noble
- Samantha O’Neil
- Mia Pacifico
- Katherine Schott
Honorable Mention
- Mia Brauer
- Olivia Brauer
- Katie Sheehan
Football
Dr. Matt Irvin
The 2025 MICDS Rams season concluded with a hard-fought appearance in the MSHSAA Class 5 State Tournament, resulting in a 5-5 overall record for the year. The Rams were on the short end of four one-score games this season.
The Rams navigated a challenging regular season schedule, finishing with a 5-4 record, which secured them a spot in the Class 5 District 3 playoffs. The team started the season with two tough losses to strong opponents, falling to Lift for Life Academy Charter 17-22 and De Smet Jesuit, the defending Class 6 champions, 14-31. MICDS quickly found its rhythm with back-to-back victories against Westminster Christian Academy (35-13) and a dominant win over rival John Burroughs (38-8), securing the coveted win over JBS. The offense showed its high-scoring potential in a decisive 54-21 road win over Lutheran South. The Rams faced close contests, highlighted by a narrow 21-27 loss to Lutheran North and a competitive 28-35 defeat against an undefeated St. Dominic team.
Many thanks to our captains Andrew Ford ’26, Ben Petersen ’26, Gabe Weaver ’26, Miles Coleman ’26, and Graham Faust ’26, and to the rest of our seniors: LJ Triplett ’26, Henry Rohan ’26, Ray Spencer ’26, Mikey Gutchewsky ’26, Max Allgeyer ’26, Sam Glasser ’26, Jason Stokes ’26, Jacob Genin ’26, and Peter O’Leary ’26.
Congratulations to our football players who earned a spot on the Metro League All-Conference!
- Metro League Defensive Player of the Year: Senior captain Graham Faust ’26
- First Team All-Conference Offense: OL Miles Coleman ’26, OL Andrew Ford ’26, OL Caleb Otten ’27, TE Gabe Weaver ’26, and ATH L J Triplett ’26
- First Team All-Conference Defense: DL Ben Petersen ’26, DB Adrian Craig ’27, and LB Mason Coleman ’29
- First Team All-Conference for Special Teams: Kicker Sawyer Mandel ’29
- 2nd Team All-Conference Offense: QB Noah Menneke ’27, RB Justin Bishop ’27, OL Sam Glasser ’26
- 2nd Team All-Conference Defense: DB Kevon Phillips ’28 and DL Weston Roller ’27
- Honorable Mention All-Conference: WR Henry Rohan ’26 and DB Asa Roberts ’28
Congratulations to the following players for making the St. Louis All-Metro Team in the Big School Division, First Team: Miles Coleman ’26, Graham Faust ’26, Ben Petersen ’26, and Gabe Weaver ’26.
Girls Golf
Diane Gioia
The 2025 season brought a fresh chapter for our girls golf program, welcoming ninth graders Ashu Nadella ’29, Maddie Morris ’29, and Izzy George ’29, tenth grader Lotsie Holton ’28, and two returning players from our 2024 district and state championship team: senior captain Claire Kaiser ’26 and junior Saara Pandey ’27. Despite the youth and inexperience, this group showed tremendous growth and resilience throughout the season.
Kaiser and Pandey set the tone from day one, sharing their championship experience and fostering an environment where newcomers could thrive in varsity competition. Their mentorship proved invaluable as four players navigated the challenges of varsity golf for the first time with determination and poise.
The results spoke volumes about this team’s character. They secured three match victories and earned a 7th-place finish at the district championship—a remarkable achievement for such a young squad. The season’s highlight came when Nadella qualified for the state tournament as an individual, delivering an outstanding 14th-place finish to earn All-State honors.
As this young core gains experience and continues to develop, the future looks incredibly bright. With the foundation built this season and Pandey returning to lead next year, our program is positioned to reach new heights.
Boys Soccer
Scott Lanemann
The 2025 soccer campaign was challenging and proved to be a learning experience for a majority-underclassmen team. The coaching staff is looking forward to the future with the younger players who worked tirelessly to improve this season!
We would also like to take the opportunity to thank our seniors and senior captains, who led the team through one of the most difficult schedules in the state of Missouri! Senior captains Sean Hogan ’26 (Ryan Guilliams Award Winner), James Snyder ’26 (Team Defensive Player of the Year), Beckett Joyce ’26, and Samson Gibli ’26 (Team Offensive Player of the Year) led by example and demonstrated a never-quit standard that the underclassmen will carry forward. We would also like to thank the remaining seniors: Nolan Jones ’26 (Ram of the Year), Yusuf Zayed ’26 (2nd leading scorer on team), Usman Alam ’26, and Shreyas Kota ’26. Their dedication and hard work will be a part of the team moving forward!
Boys Swimming & Diving
Amy Fulton
Young Rams Squad with Repeats as MICDS Invitational Champions and a 7-4 Record in Dual Meets
The Boy’s Swimming and Diving Team featured 13 newcomers on this year’s 25-member squad, but did not back down from a high level of competition in the pool and on the diving boards. The Aqua-Rams finished their season with a 7-4 dual meet record, culminating their regular season in dominant fashion, winning the team-hosted MICDS Invitational by 28.5 points. This Rams squad also showed its grit in another narrow showdown with Homecoming rival John Burroughs, winning for the second year in a row 89-87.
The Rams sent eight to the State Championships (including freshmen Alp Bozkurt ’29, JP Dohm ’29, and Daniel Peterson ’29), outnumbered by large schools, yet fighting hard to a 16th place overall finish. Individual finalists featured junior diver Daniel Kuhlman ’27, fighting back from an injury that removed him from last year’s state championships to finish 15th on the boards, as well as junior swimmer and team-voted MVP Bryce Kundel ’27 (12th in the 200 free and 100 free) and freshman Dohm (15th in the 500 free). The 200 Freestyle and 400 Freestyle Relay teams also shined in the state finals, placing 15th and 9th respectively. Members Ryan Moore ’28, Ford Werner ’28, Dohm, and Kundel each raced personal best times to secure the consolation final win in the 400 Free Relay to finish the meet.
The 2025 Squad was led by captain swimmers Karthik Krishnaswamy ’26 and Jim Williamson ’27, and Diver Kuhlman, who demonstrated their excellence in the pool as key leaders and significant contributors to team wins. The following Rams earned nods from their peers and coaching staff for key roles played throughout the season:
- Team MVP: Bryce Kundel ’27
- Newcomer of the Year: JP Dohm ’29
- Most Improved: Alp Bozkurt ’29 and Michael McGehee ’27
- Ram Tough Award: Ryan Moore ’28 and Daniel Peterson ’29
- Outstanding Character Award: Jim Williamson ’27
The future looks bright for these up-and-coming Rams!
Girls Tennis
Brad Heinemann
The Girls Tennis team had an outstanding 2025 season. This year marked the exciting opening of the new Michael W. and Quirsis V. Riney Family Tennis Center, giving the program a beautiful home and an incredible atmosphere for both training and competition. The team took on a challenging schedule in both the strength of opponents and the number of matches and rose to the occasion, finishing with a strong 14–8 record.
The program also launched the inaugural Girls Tournament of Champions, where Ava Sock ’29 won the singles flight with an impressive performance. Sock continued her remarkable postseason run by finishing as the State Runner-Up in singles. In doubles, Audrey Taves ’28 and Taylor Gast ’27 earned second place in the State Doubles Tournament.
The team also delivered a strong showing at the Heather Bradshaw Invitational, finishing 3rd in the top flight.
The team battled throughout district play and ultimately came up just short in a tough District Finals match. It was a season filled with growth, grit, and memorable performances, and a fantastic year to celebrate for girls’ tennis. Thanks to our captains, Chloe Coughlin ’26 and Kate Niemeyer ’26, for their leadership throughout the season.
Volleyball
Matt Girouad
The MICDS Volleyball Rams had yet another successful season, despite facing early challenges of a coaching change one week before the season. But the team grew and improved throughout the entire year to turn in an 18-18 record, which was capped off with them retaining their District Championship in a three-set sweep. They are now back-to-back District Champions for the first time in program history. During the season, they also beat local rivals Ladue for the first time in 10 years.
The team was anchored this year by captains Olivia Hill ’26 and Kendall Lay ’28. A few Rams reached some very important milestones this season. May Durrill ’27 recorded her 750th career kill and is only 73 away from 1,000, and Izzy Chao ’28 recorded her 500th career kill. Setter Lay not only achieved her 1,000th career assist, but also set the single-season assists record for the program with 739.
The Rams also had a few players earn postseason awards. Durrill and Chao earned First Team All-District and First Team All-Conference, Lay and Ava Mussey ’29 earned Second Team All-District, Lay earned Second Team All-Conference, Mussey earned Honorable Mention All-Conference, and Audrey Marino ’26 earned Honorable Mention All-District. Gertie Habel ’27 was awarded the team’s Most Improved Award, while Sydney Durr ’26 earned the prestigious Ram Standard Award, which is an award that means a lot to the program because it is given to the player who, every single day, exemplifies and lives out what it means to be an MICDS Ram, and holds high the standard that was asked of them. Things valued were consistency of energy, effort, and support of others.
This year’s senior class of Amalie Bryan ’26, Shritha Devisetty ’26, Durr, Hill, Marino, and Elise Rataj ’26 truly led the way in exhibiting and carrying out the new culture and mentality that the program has instituted, and the impact they had on this program will live long after they are gone. They will be known as the ones who started a strong future for the program.