As the fall playoffs end, RM sports are transitioning into the winter season. Richard Montgomery has eight winter varsity sports, including boys and girls basketball, swim, wrestling, bocce, cheer, ice hockey, and poms. Tryouts have already concluded and teams are set and the excitement is building for many athletes. Coming off of a fall season in which multiple sports went far into the playoffs, these sports look to further the Rockets’ success.
Both boys and girls varsity basketball are coming back from a 2023 season in which they won their region, with boys basketball going as far as the state semi-finals. With the boys led by Coach Breslaw and the girls by Coach Oakes, both teams hope to continue their success. They have their first games on December 6th against Walter Johnson, starting a regular season that lasts until mid-February. Junior Charlotte Farnsworth said that the team’s goal is to “cut down the nets again and make states,” a tradition that follows a regional win. Girls basketball prepared in the off-season, competing in a summer league as well as a fall league. They worked hard through double-header games on Sundays and workouts to be in the best shape possible for this season. One of the team’s keys to their success is keeping energy up on the bench. “We have one of the smaller benches in the county, but we try to be one of the loudest…that can always throw off your opponents,” Farnsworth said.
Cheer moves from the football field to the basketball court, as winter cheer supports the boy’s and girl’s basketball teams. Juniors Emerson Koenig and Callie Gutmann are excited about what a new season will bring, especially after both basketball teams had a successful season last year. “I’m always excited for a new team and to meet new people…I think the games are gonna be really fun this year,” Gutmann said. They also stress the importance of a positive team dynamic. “Everyone’s friends with each other…it makes the games more fun and it makes us better,” Koenig said., “The good thing about school sports is it brings people together…I think everyone on the cheer team loves each other and we always have so much fun at practice and in games,” Gutmann said.
The ice hockey team is already midway through their season and has had a slightly rough start. After many key players graduated last year, the adjustment has been difficult. With only one win so far, Coach Christopher Hinsvark doesn’t think their record shows their abilities as a team. “We have a really good team with a lot of good players,” Hinsvark said. “I don’t think our record reflects the quality of the team that we have.” With six games left, there is still time to make the playoffs, however. One of their main keys to success is communication. “Without communication, we can’t really perform in other aspects of the game like spacing and positioning. Junior Ronya Sen said. ”
Swim is also looking to build on its success last year. With the girls winning the state championship last year, it has a lot of momentum entering the 24-25 season. Poms also moves from the football field into its competition season, as it competes against other schools during the winter. Wrestling and bocce are also preparing for their seasons, with wrestling’s first meet on December 11th against Blair.
