A whopping 33 freshmen made the fall and winter varsity rosters this year. Randolph sports teams that feature freshmen varsity athletes include Cheerleading, Cross Country, Girls Soccer, Field Hockey, Gymnastics, Girls Volleyball, Girls and Boys Ice Hockey and Girls Swimming.
“They brought a lot of talent, energy and enthusiasm and a strong work ethic to the team,” varsity cheer coach Jessica Averill said of the freshmen varsity athletes. “It’s always exciting to see younger athletes step up and make an impact so early in their high school careers.”
These freshmen varsity athletes caught their coaches’ eye, not just by having a strong skillset but also having good character traits to bring to the team.
“Varsity has pushed me to persevere through each game and the season due to the team’s dedication and discipline,” said freshman Zack Levesque, the Boys Ice Hockey goalie. “It is important to show commitment and support the team to be a key player in the game.”
“This year was interesting,” said Kim Bradley, the varsity Girls Soccer coach. “We only had a few spots to fill due to many returning players, so we looked for the players that would blend and play best with the returners we already had.”
Girls and Boys Ice hockey, Girls Soccer and Field Hockey already had many upperclassmen on their teams, so they faced difficult decisions when considering which talented freshman athletes to take on.
Among those freshmen to make not one but two varsity rosters is Dana Cozza, who’s on both the Girls Soccer and Girls Ice Hockey teams.
“The teams treated me like they had known me for years,” said Cozza, emphasizing the bond she felt between herself and the existing players. Cozza described all her teammates as being welcoming and unifying, which is important for team communication skills in both games and practices.
Levesque agreed, saying, “The upperclassmen always make sure I feel part of the team while still challenging me to become the best version of myself.”
Freshman varsity cheerleader Cate Glauberg had a similarly welcoming experience. “I could feel how dedicated everyone was. from late night practices to team bonding,” she said. “I have always loved cheer and cannot wait for my years to come because this season was one to remember.”
Many of the other freshmen who had a chance to compete at the varsity level emphasized their excitement for the years to come. “I’ve learned that everyone will always support each other in order to be a good teammate,” freshman swimmer Taylor Holtzman said.
Here’s a list of the freshmen varsity athletes who participated in the 2024-2025 fall and winter sports programs at RHS.
GIRLS FALL SPORTS
Soccer
- Dana Cozza
- Macie Wysocki
Field Hockey
- Leah Wiberg
- Julia Manganiello
Gymnastics
- Juliette Crisafulli
- Sophia VanAntwerp
Cross Country
- Samantha Cerulo
- Anjali George
- Julianna Young
Volleyball
- Maria Fuentes
- Reese Nelson
Cheerleading
- Lily Epstein
- Cate Glauberg
- Lia Grech
- Chloe Liston
- Madison O’Malley
GIRLS WINTER SPORTS
Swimming
- Emily Dalton
- Taylor Holtzman
- Einav Knoll
- Ashley McDonnell
- Reese Nelson
- Angelica Sandoval
- Amelia Williams
- Julianna Young
Ice Hockey
- Dana Cozza
- Charna Torres
BOYS WINTER SPORTS
Ice Hockey
- Aaron Keay
- Justin Kinnier
- Zack Levesque
- Quincy Mitchel
Wrestling
- AJ Alessandra
- Mason Pierce
- Manny Samaniego
