Student Standouts for May 16, 2025

Ram Earns Prestigious Avery Cup, MICDS Hosts Clinic with Squash Professionals

The Spirit of St. Louis Squash Foundation celebrated excellence in junior squash, recognizing the nation’s, region’s, and St. Louis’ top male and female high school players. This prestigious annual award, based on US Squash rankings after the High School Nationals, concluded with an exciting weekend in St. Louis for the award winners and their families.

The deserving athletes were awarded perpetual trophies and commemorative plates at the Annual Gala at the Racquet Club on Saturday evening, following a day of activities. However, the weekend also offered a unique opportunity for local squash enthusiasts, particularly MICDS players.

On Friday evening, the award recipients, including MICDS’ own Charlotte Medler ’26, joined forces with two renowned touring squash professionals, Miguel Angel Rodriguez and Matias Knudsen, to host a special squash clinic at the MICDS courts. This invaluable experience allowed members of the MICDS Middle School and Upper School squash teams to learn firsthand from some of the best in the game.

Medler, a deserving recipient of the Avery Cup as the Women’s St. Louis Player of the Year, was among the honored athletes who took on a coaching role during the clinic. It was a proud moment for the MICDS Squash program to see one of their own recognized at such a high level and then share her expertise with younger players.

The clinic provided an opportunity for MICDS players to test their skills against the nation’s top juniors and even step onto the court alongside seasoned professionals like Rodriguez and Knudsen. The energy was clear as players of all levels absorbed valuable insights and techniques. Notably, many new players on the MICDS teams participated in the clinic, gaining significant confidence and igniting their passion for the sport.

This year’s recognition of Medler continues a strong tradition of MICDS players earning the prestigious Avery Cup. Past MICDS recipients include Bridget Clennan ’24, who impressively won the award in both 2023 and 2024; Sameer Shafqat ’24; Haadis Amin ’23; and Henry Byrne ’23. This consistent recognition underscores the strength and dedication of the MICDS Squash program and its athletes.

The Spirit of St. Louis Squash Foundation’s commitment to honoring young talent and fostering connections within the local squash community was clearly evident throughout the weekend. The opportunity for MICDS players to interact with elite-level juniors and professional athletes on their home courts is an experience that will leave a lasting impact. Congratulations again to Charlotte on her well-deserved Avery Cup, and to all the MICDS players who benefited from this event.

Exciting Middle School Squash Championship Recap

The 12th edition of the Middle School Squash Championships concluded on Thursday, marking the exciting finale to the season and crowning the year’s boys’ and girls’ champions. The two-day tournament, held on Wednesday, May 14, and Thursday, May 15, featured a challenging double-elimination draw for both divisions and showcased a fantastic level of squash.

Day two delivered a series of nail-biting matches, with numerous games going down to the wire as players battled fiercely. In the boys’ draw, Beau Bergquist ‘29 dominated his side of the bracket, confidently advancing to the finals. The other half of the draw saw a captivating semi-final showdown between Vihari Battula ‘29 and Hayden Dembiec ‘29, with Dembiec ultimately securing his spot in the final. The championship match saw Berquist prove too strong for Dembiec, as he swept to a 3-0 victory. The consolation brackets also provided thrilling contests, notably between Sawyer Noel ‘30 and Parker Cabbabe ‘29, as well as Walker Charles ‘29 and Colin McDonough ‘30.

The girls’ tournament offered equally compelling action. Annie Amos ‘29 navigated the top half of the draw with steady play, earning her place in the final. The bottom half culminated in a thrilling semi-final clash between Abbie Amos ‘30 and Stella Bergquist ‘29. In a hard-fought battle, Abbie emerged victorious, setting up a highly anticipated final against her sister Annie. The championship match lived up to the hype, as the Amos sisters engaged in an intense duel with points swinging back and forth. Despite Abbie taking an early 2-0 lead, Annie demonstrated remarkable resilience, fighting back to claim the title with a 3-2 victory. The match was a testament to their skill and sportsmanship, even amid sibling rivalry. The girls’ consolation bracket saw impressive performances from several 7th-grade newcomers who advanced deep into the draw.

The tournament and season concluded after the final match, and thanks are extended to all participants for a great season.

Tournament Results:
2025 Middle School Champions – Beau Bergquist ‘29 & Annie Amos ‘29
2025 Runners Up – Hayden Dembiec ‘29 & Abbie Amos ‘30

3rd Place – Vihari Battula ‘29 & Stella Bergquist ‘29

Round of 16 Consolation Winners – Walker Charles ‘29 & Layla Chatterjee ‘30
Round of 16 Consolation Runners Up – Matthew Daniel ‘30 & Abby Armstrong ‘30

Quarterfinal Consolation Winners – Parker Cabbabe ‘29 & Georgie Von Kloha ‘29
Quarterfinal Consolation Runners Up – Sawyer Noel ‘30 & Clare Maher ‘30

Boys Tennis Earns Spot at Team Semifinals

On Tuesday, the Rams Boys Tennis team defeated Fort Zumwalt South 5-0, earning a spot at the Team Tennis State Semifinals. Read a brief recap of the teams headed to the semifinals here. The MSHSAA team tournament is scheduled for May 22 and May 23 at Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield. Let’s go Rams!