Hopkins School Sports The Razor

Advancing Athletics: Sports Related Clubs at Hopkins

John O'Connell '28 Assistant Sports Editor

The club scene on the Hilltop is a diverse spectacle of student-run groups with unique missions and focuses. Of the over 120 clubs, nine focus specifically on sports. While some clubs provide a space to play or unite fans, others are unique in their integration of sports into clubs. Sports-related clubs develop skills, analysis, media, and promote charity work, and competitions.

Spectacular Softball Superstar: A'nai Alvarez

Silvia Gozar-Zimbrean '29 Assistant Sports Editor

Sports have always been a part of A’nai Alvarez’s ’26 life, from a J-School softball player to becoming a two year captain of the Varsity team. This season, she captains the team with Hana Beauregard ’26.

Sports of the Hill: the Independent Option

Elaina Pakutka '27 Lead Sports Editor

The independent option of the Hopkins athletic requirement was “created to add flexibility to the school’s athletic requirement” per the official independent athletic form. With the option, students are able to fulfill the athletic graduation requirement without having to participate on a Hopkins team.

Leading in the Last Inning: Rocco DeMaio III

Timothy Edwards '28 Campus Correspondant

Leading in the Last Inning: Rocco DeMaio

Rocco DeMaio III ’26, alongside Sean Studley ’26 and Tommy O’Connell ’26, will lead the Hopkins Varsity Baseball team as they look to build upon last year's 13-win season. A senior captain, DeMaio III has been dedicated to Hopkins baseball since eighth grade, steadily growing into one of its most seasoned leaders. Studley noted how “[everybody] knows how much experience he has.”

Legendary Lacrosse Luminary: Lexi Schneider

Jensen Rodriguez '29 Campus Correspondant

Lexi Schneider ’26 will lead the 2026 Hopkins Girls Varsity Lacrosse team this spring alongside co-captain Emily Shaw ’26.

Schneider’s career as a lacrosse player began at the age of six, when she joined her local team. At ten years old, she moved to playing with a club team. Most recently, Schneider has played at Hopkins, and, at the end of the 2025 lacrosse season, was voted by her teammates for the position of captain. Encouraged by her parents, Schneider tried many sports from a young age, but quickly stuck to lacrosse. Today, she has grown to love the sport, its quick pace, and, most importantly, its team aspect. When asked why she continued playing, she said, “[It] gave me great friendships and taught me a lot about being an athlete and a person.”

Triumphant Track Trailblazer: Mikoto Araki-Siegenfeld

John O'Connell '28 Campus Correspondant

This spring on the track, Mikoto Araki-Siegenfeld ’26 will serve as a captain for track and field. She mainly runs the 400-meter dash, though she also participates in the 200m and 800m events. She leads the team with co-captains Vera Okyere ’26, Malini Parikh ’26, Lukas Roberts ’27, Henry Weinstein ’26, and Bodhi Chiravuri ’26.

Intramural Basketball: The Belle of the Ball

August Farouki '29 Campus Correspondent

With a roster of nearly 50 people, intramural basketball (IMBL) is one of the most popular sports at Hopkins. Captains draft teams, and the teams play each other throughout the winter season. In the end, a champion is crowned.

Jake Fejos: Sensational Ski Captain

Felipe Silva '29

Jake Fejos ’26 co-captains the Hopkins Varsity Ski team alongside Samantha Bernstein ’26, Gabriella Rinaldi ’26, and Aiden Chan ’26.

Pressure to Perform: Steroids and Supplements in Sports

Elaina Pakutka '27 Sports Editor and Lukas Roberts '27 Assistant Sports Editor

As players look to gain advantages to help elevate their game in times of rising competitiveness in sports, supplements and steroids may stand out as an easy answer. Quick and requiring little effort, these enhancers have become common practice even among highschoolers, raising ethical and health-related concerns.

Sagacious Swimming Sovereign: Emily Fridman

Victoria Morris '28 Campus Correspondent

Fridman has been swimming since she was five years old. She has swum for Hopkins since seventh grade, when she entered the Junior School. Fridman said, “I played a lot of sports as a kid, but swimming was the one that stuck.” Now, Emily Fridman ’26 captains the Hopkins Varsity Swimming Team along with Zara Nat ’26, Ryann Holden ’26, Liam Teel ’26, Thooyan Thirumaran ’26, and Oliver Melnick.

Slaloms, Spins, and Soaring Spirits: 2026 Winter Olympics

Samantha Bernstein '26 Lead Sports Editor and Beckett Ehrlich '27 Assistant Sports Editor

With the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics kicking off on February 6th, Hopkins students and faculty prepare to watch and root on their country in the international celebration.

The Latest Addition to Hopkins’ Athletic Arsenal: Coach Bianca Briones

Isaac Lin '28 Campus Correspondent

At Hopkins, a dedicated athletics team is what pushes athletes to be the best they can be, and at the start of the fall 2025-2026 athletics season, that team is only getting bigger with the addition of a new strength and conditioning coach: Bianca Briones.

The Savannah Bananas: A fun twist on an outdated sport or a mockery of America’s Pastime?

Hana Beauregard '26 Lead Sports Editor

From backflipping mid-catch and batting with 10-foot stilts to umpires interrupting the game for dance breaks, the Savannah Bananas aim to revolutionize baseball by prioritizing fan entertainment. Baseball is often criticized for its slow pace and lengthy game times, and recent trends indicate declining fan interest. The Bananas are debated in the sports world, with baseball aficionados arguing the team challenges the integrity of the sport, and others praising its modernity and relevance in the 21st century.

Fall Sports Wrap-Up

Samantha Bernstein '26 Lead Sports Editor

Captains give a few words wrapping up their fall seasons

Frivolous Penalties: Fantasy Football Punishments

Beckett Ehrlich '27 Assistant Sports Editor

Fantasy football has taken the world by storm, transforming Sunday afternoons into competitive matchups where bragging rights hang in the balance. In many of these leagues, whoever finishes with the worst record at season's end faces playful punishments. Hopkins students have developed various traditions around these challenges, from physical activities to public embarrassment.

Hopkins Sports Photographers: Preserving Passion

Lukas Roberts '27 Assistant Sports Editor

Scoring a last-minute goal, making a crucial tackle, or crossing the finish line first all happen in a matter of seconds. Photographs, on the other hand, last forever. At Hopkins, there is a dedicated community of sports photographers who try to capture these moments for athletes.

New York vs Boston Sports Divides Connecticut and Hopkins

Elaina Pakutka '27 Sports Editor

Pizza, Yale, and beaches: Connecticut is known for it all. Pro sports? Not so much. The state's lack of professional sports teams forces fans to choose between the two closest cities: New York and Boston. But how does this manifest in the Hopkins community?

Q&A: Football Wins MIFL Bowl Championship

Hana Beauregard '26 Lead Sports

Are there prevailing highlights or moments from the game that resonate with you?

Thomas Corwin ’27: “We struck early with a rushing touchdown from Maurice Ellis ’27 and went into halftime up 7–0. Right after the half, I threw a screen pass to Cole Blotney that he took to the house, breaking multiple tackles to make it 14–0. Fieldston answered with two quick scores…to tie it up…with under a minute left, Marcus Rosario ’26 pulled down a huge interception to push the game to overtime. In overtime, the defense was unbelievable…the offense stayed calm on the goal line and finished the job with Ellis’s game-winning touchdown.”

Behind the Boards

Elona Spiewak '26 Feature Editor

Hopkins may sometimes lack senior presence at assembly or working Spikeball nets on the quad, but there is certainly no shortage of clubs. Hopkins clubs encompass a variety of organizations, from identity groups to special interest groups.

Formidable Football Captain Tommy O'Connell