By Caroline Willian ’13, Staff Writer and Cody Reid-Dodick ’13, Sports Editor

Usually Tourney Time is reserved for March, but at Newark Academy, we are getting a little bit of a head start on the postseason madness. Seven Minuteman fall sports teams competed in a series of tournaments this season, making it one of the school’s most successful autumnal campaigns in recent memory. Here is a wrap-up:

Volleyball:

A remarkable 17-0 regular season conference record allowed the Volleyball team to cruise into the State Championships. Unfortunately, after an unfavorable draw, they ended up losing to a strong Eastern Christian team in three hard-fought sets. Coach Carol Spooner said on the Varsity team page that despite a tough conclusion to the year, the team had “an incredible season full of many excellent plays, terrific teamwork and outstanding spirit.”

Men’s Cross Country

The Men’s Cross Country Team qualified for both the State and Prep meets, carried on the backs of a standout sophomore class and sturdy senior leadership.  The squad posted a sixth place finish at the latter on November 3^rd, and a grabbed ninth place (of 19 teams) ten days later at States.

Women’s Cross Country

On the heels of a fantastic 16-1 season, the women’s cross country squad kept up their solid performances in the postseason. They finished fifth of fifteen teams in the Essex County Championship thanks to the personal record of Caroline Willian ’13, and rolled to a fourth place showing at Preps. Their luck seemed to run out at the State meet however, where illness and injury forced five of the squad’s nine runners to sit out the meet. The healthy runners were forced to run as individuals, leaving the team ineligible for placing or qualifying as a team for the Meet of Champions. The consolation however: a thrilling run from Ashley Ulrich ’11 that placed her ninth in a field of 118 girls, and sealed her spot in the Tournament of Champions.

Men’s Soccer

The strength and guidance of captains T.J. Redmond ’11, Tom Henshall ’11, and Pat McMahon ’11, all of whom were a part of a state championship winning program in 2007, helped propel this underachieving team in its regular season deep into a bid for the State Sectional Playoffs. The Minutemen stormed Dwight Englewood and rival MKA in their first two games of the Non-Public B Sectional Tournament, but lost a tough game to powerhouse Oratory under the lights in the final.  It was a bittersweet conclusion to an excellent postseason.

Women’s Soccer

Frustrated with having faced the same team, MKA, six times in less than two years, Coach Jay Torson could barely believe it when he saw that his team would be facing the Cougars another two times in the first rounds of the Prep and State Tournaments. Unfortunately, the team lost in both the games despite playing hard-nosed soccer for every minute of the respective contests.  Nevertheless, the team remained cohesive and confident under the firm leadership of a deep senior class.

Field Hockey

A season full of improvement truly culminated in a phenomenal tournament season. In States, the Minutemen reached the quarterfinals, where their bid for a remarkable comeback was cut short by Boonton High School. Preps was an even larger achievement. First year coach Gina DiMeo watched proudly as her team dominated Pennington in the quarterfinals (winning 9-0), and just barely missed forcing an overtime bid against a strong MKA team in the semi-finals.

Women’s Tennis

The best was saved for last. After a dominant season by the Minutemen Women’s Tennis team, one made even more impressive when evaluating their fierce competition, the team concluded with an 11-2 conference record.  Coach “Arky” Crook’s team however had its eye on just one thing as November rolled around: a State Championship. Needless to say, mission accomplished. The team was crowned as Non-Public B Champions on November 5^th, capping off a season that Crook described as simply “exceptional.”