Sixth Grade Girls Volleyball Jamboree

The 6th grade girls volleyball team made a spectacular showing at the volleyball jamboree hosted by Orinda Intermediate School on Wednesday, October 26th. The team was separated into two squads for purposes of the jamboree. With each squad playing five games, Piedmont won seven out of ten games against opponents from Stanley Middle School, Orinda Intermediate School and Joaquin Moraga.

8th Grade Girls Highlanders Volleyball Tournament

The 8th Grade Highlanders Volleyball team made an impressive showing in the post-season tournament hosted by Stanley Middle School in Lafayette. In the first match, played on Monday, October 24, Piedmont faced Doris Eaton and came up short in spite of excellent defensive plays by Lizzie Bjork and Mia Kate Hood, and a well-timed block by Eliza Lucas. The second match was a thriller against Foothill with Piedmont winning in 3 games: 19-25; 25-19 and 15-7. The game’s highlights included aces by Hood, Allie Frankel and Jackie Roland. Audrey Meyersieck and Sierra Singer provided solid passes and clutch defensive digs to set up a solid attack offense led by Makena Stone, Lucas and Roland.

The tournament continued on Tuesday with Piedmont playing top seeded Walnut Creek. The tightly contested first game ended on an impressive kill by Roland to finish the game at 26-24. Lucas, Hood, Bjork and Emilia Rivera provided the team with consistent serving throughout the game. Game two was controlled by the Highlanders from the outset. Back row passes and excellent digs by Meyersieck and Frankel set up great opportunities for Singer to provide juicy sets to Stone, Roland and Meyersieck. The Highlanders walked away with the game two victory 25-15.

On Wednesday, the Highlanders were defeated by Martinez in the fourth round of the tournament in a very close two game match, 25-23, 25-22.  In the first game, coming from behind, Bjork served six strong in a row to bring the team back to 24-23, but alas the opposing team got the next point to win the first game.  In the second game, Meyersieck gave the Highlanders a strong lead with six service points in a row. Steady defense and all around play by Roland, along with a couple of nice digs by Olive Werby, kept the game close. Julia Kelly, Lucas and Stone also contributed, with multiple kills each.

8th Grade Volleyball Victory in Berkeley

This past Tuesday the 8th Grade Girls Highlanders volleyball team took on Berkeley’s Longfellow Middle School. The girls scored a decisive victory, winning the first game 25-10 and the second game 25-18. Lizzie Bjork had some amazing digs, shutting down Longfellow's most powerful server, and Makena Stone and Audrey Meyerseick each had 3 kills.  Strong serving carried the day: Jackie Roland and Sierra Singer each had 4 aces and Emilia Rivera closed out the match by serving 8 straight points.

Wet Weather and a Hornet's Nest

as reported by Coach Len Goldman
The weather made a dramatic change this week and the heat was replaced by cool temperatures and rain.  I am very proud of the kids for showing up for both the meets and practices despite the wet conditions.  I heard some of the other sports were canceled because of wet fields, but that didn't stop our cross country runners, it was nice to see the mud on their legs.

Our meet at Golden Gate Fields Race Track on October 3rd was the second largest meet in league history, behind ours.  We had a squad of about 60 kids and despite the soggy turf, the flat course still proved fast.  I have placings for our runners but no times yet.  In the Boys 6th grade race, Michael Blake led the way with a 10th place finish and in 18th place was Walter Teitelbaum.  Again space does not allow me to name all the kids who ran, but several coaches from other schools noticed the large contingent of PMS runners and their purple jerseys at the meet.

For the 6th grade girls, Minnie Cooper was our top finisher in 7th place, followed by Kate Gross-Whitaker in 13th.  Natasha Long and Jacqueline Hollander ran well, and the coaching staff is noticing improvement in the running of many of the team members.  For the 7/8th grade boys, Everett Ellis continued his fine season with a 5th place finish.  Blake Gruendl was 14th and Kyle Mortimer had his best race so far finishing in 17th place.  About 130 boys ran in this race. The final race of the day was 7/8th grade race and running in her first race of the season for the team was Maddie Copeland, 8th grader and a 4 year veteran of the team.  She finished in 3rd place and pending official results set a new 8th grade girls school course record.  PMS had 5 girls finish among the top 17 places, Ava Podell in 9th, Emmie Seevak in 10th, Katie St. Claire in 15th and Mia Arthur in 17th.

The October 6th meet at Prospect Sierra presented more than the usual challenges to the runners.  A hornet's nest was disturbed during the 6th grade girls race and some girls got stung.  Subsequent races had to run an altered course of an unknown distance to avoid the hornets, but some kids continued to be stung.  In addition, the City of El Cerrito had a work crew and equipment on site that was a bit of an obstacle.  Despite these obstacles our team competed well.  Regarding the races themselves, in the 6th grade girls race PMS had three girls in the top 10.  Minnie Cooper was 4th, Ava Biehn was 5th and Olivia Adams was 8th.

In the 6th grade boys race, an altered course was run from the usual, plus several of the lead boys ran past the finish chute and had to back track.  Mitchell Bloemker finished 4th and his time of 7:05 will be considered a course record with an asterisk.  Both Michael Blake and Quinn Willrich ran in their first race and finished 9th and 12th respectively.

The 7/8th grade girls race was perhaps the highlight race of the day for our team, with a 1-2 finish.  Emma Seevak, 8th grade won the race in a time of 8:10, it was her first win in a cross country race and Ava Podell, 7th grade, was a very close 2nd place finisher about 7 seconds back.  Leah Kochendorfer, 7th grade, also had a top 10 finish in 5th place.  Rounding out our top 5 finishers were Monte Miller in 12th place and Megan Wilensky in 17th place.

The final race of the day, 7/8th grade boys featured Mingwei Samuel, 8th grade, running a very fine race and finishing in 3rd place.  Our next runner was Josh Wood, 7th grade, who was the 11th place finisher.  Nick Loduca had a solid race and was the 13th place finisher.

Cross Country Hosts Largest Meet to Date

as reported by Coach Len Goldman
On Monday, September 26th, PMS hosted the largest meet to date in league history with 407 runners!  Thank you to the parents who came to cheer, drove, provided snacks and volunteered.  Everything went well, no runners fell down, and we stayed pretty much on schedule, finishing the last race around 5:30 p.m. All the kids on the team ran well and time permits me to name just a few. Mitchell Bloemker, 6th grade, in his first cross country race, set a new school course record of 7:00.6 and finished in 2nd place. In the 7/8th grade boys race, Everett Ellis set a new school course record for 8th grade boys in a time of 7:09.3 and 4th place. 6th graders ran about a mile, 7/8th graders about 1.25 miles Just missing the school course record for 7th grade girls was Ava Podell in 8th place, 8:07.3, one second off the record. For the 6th grade girs race, we had several girls finish in the top 10, with Genevieve Raushenbush leading the way in 5th place.Over 60 PMS runners competed and I try to emphasize to the kids the important thing is trying your best and finishing.  Every team member can take pride and satisfaction in their accomplishment and it is an important building block in enjoying running for the healthy activity that it is.

Cross Country Prospect Sierra Meet

as reported by Coach Len Goldman 
About 50 Piedmont kids ran in our first meet of the season at Cerrito Vista Park in El Cerrito. It was a hot day, the course is a bit hilly and has its own little quirks. The first race was the 6th grade boys race. Please note space does not allow me to mention every child who ran in the race. 13 Piedmont boys ran in this race including two who are in our 5th grade development program. Henry Cooper, a 5th grader was our first finisher in 11th place, followed by Walter Teitelbaum in 12th place. In fact the first 5 Piedmont runners finished together in places 11 through 15th place.

Next was the 6th grade girls race and we had 12 kids in this race. Leading the way was Minnie Cooper in 5th place, closely followed by Genevieve Raushenbush in 6th, and Kate Gross-Whitaker in 8th place. Our 7th & 8th grade boys competed next; due to an 8th grade field trip no 8th grade boys ran in this race. Blake Gruendl was the team's first finisher in 7th place and Joseph Chu finished in 14th place. A total of ten 7th grade boys ran in this race.

The final race was the 7/8th grade girls race with 8 girls competing. Finishing in 6th place was 8th grader Emma Seevak. Again, all the kids ran well, and I am sorry I can't mention everyone.

Fall Sports have begun!

Stay tuned for coverage of your favorite middle school athletes in Flag Football, Cross Country and Volleyball.

Track & Field Meet at Alhambra High School

Piedmont Track and Field competed at Alhambra High School on Wednesday, May 18th, 2011.

BOYS
6th Grade
Emmet Smith had another amazing day at the track running 1:04 in the 400m and running on the 7th grade 4x100m team and 8th grade 4x400m team. Nick Korotzer competed in the Long Jump (6-6) and Triple Jump (17-0).

7th Grade
The 4x100m team of Blair Whitted, Alex Harrison, Everett Ellis, and Emmet Smith (6th Grade) finished 3rd (56.68). Ellis (1:04.8) and Zach Bloemker (1:12) both ran the 400m. Whitted (15.56) and Phillip Kim (15.46) ran the 100m. Alex Rickard (3:00) ran a nice 800m. Kim (3-10) and Bloemker (3-10) competed in the High Jump. Kim (9-4) and Justin Kumamoto (8-8) competed in the long jump. In the 1600m, Mingwei Samuel (6:32), Bloemker (6:37) and Alex Harrison (6:40) represented well.

8th Grade
Miles Von Herrmann ran a season best of 6:09 in the 1600m. Max Canty-Hilchey (2:34), Michael Kuroda (2:35), and Von Herrmann (2:50) ran well in the 800m. Xavier Prospero (12:71) and Liam Schindler (12.80) both ran strong 100m races. In the relays, Prospero, Canty-Hilchey, Schindler, and Joey Wilhelm ran 53.6 in the 4x100m. Prospero, Canty-Hilchey, Ellis (7th Grade), and Smith (6th Grade) ran a season best 4:21 in the 4x400m.

GIRLS
6th Grade
Nina Adarkar (17.25), Mimi Wilkenson (18.9) and Olivia Creighton (16.31) all ran very well in the 100m. Creighton doubled in the 200m (32.19).

7th Grade
Maura Phillips (15.22), Katie St. Claire (15.19) and Claire Reichle (15.46) all ran the 100m for Piedmont. St. Claire and Phillips both ran with the 8th grade girls in the 4x100m relay (59.9).

8th Grade
Sophia Mills ran a very strong 800m in 2:55. Remy Afong ran the 100m in 15.28. Mills (32.38) and Afong (31.14) both ran good 200m races. In the 8th grade 4x100m relay Mills, Afong, Phillips (7th Grade) and St. Claire (7th Grade) finished 5th (59.9).

Track & Field Meet at Albany Middle School

BOYS
6th Grade
Kyle Mortimer ran a strong 800m (3:01). Elijah Levy doubled in the 1600m (6:55) and Triple Jump (21-4). Emmet Smith (13.00) and Hunter Stern (14.12) both ran the 100m. Smith (27.71) doubled in the 200m.

7th Grade
Blair Whitted, Alex Harrison, Everett Ellis, and Emmet Smith (6th Grade) finished 3rd in the 7th grade 4x100m relay (58.1). Ellis also finished first with a new personal best in the 400m (1:02.4). Justin Kumamoto (3-9) and Phillip Kim (3-11) competed in the High Jump. Kumamoto doubled in the Long Jump (9-11). Kim ran the 100m (14.3). Zach Bloemker ran the 800m (3:02). Mingwei Samuel (6:22), Alex Harrison (6:25), and Evan Hanke (6:55) ran well in the 1600m.

8th Grade
Liam Schindler had a nice day in the field events, long jump (14-2), high jump (4-10), and triple jump (30-9). Xavier Prospero (24.87) and Joey Wilhelm (26.39) both had great PRs in the 200m. Max Canty-Hilchey (2:32) and Michael Kuroda (2:35) both had PRs in the 800m. Canty-Hichey, Wilhelm, Prospero, and Schindler finished first (52.3) in the 4x100m relay. In the 4x400m relay Wilhelm, Canty-Hilchey, Prospero and Ellis (7th grade) won their race by half a lap and improved their time by 13 seconds.

GIRLS
6th Grade
In the 4x100m relay Monty Miller, Olivia Creighton, Emma Nash, and Eleanor Brown finished 4th (1:05.75). Miller (16.06), Brown (15.94), and Nash (16.59) and Gillian Peters (16.69) all ran the 100m.

7th Grade
Maura Phillips had a nice 100m run (14.72). Phillips and Katie St. Claire ran well with the 8th grade 4x100m relay team to finish 2nd (59.0).

8th Grade
Remy Afong and Sophia Mills rounded out the 2nd place 4x100m relay team (59.0). Afong (30.21) and Mills (31.00) both ran the 200m. Mills ran the 800m in 2:54.39. Afong ran the 100m in 14.44 and jumped 10-6 in the long jump.

Track and Field Meet at Benicia High School

BOYS
6th Grade
Kyle Mortimer ran 6:49 in the 1600m.

7th Grade
The 4X100m relay team of Alex Harrison, Everett Ellis, Phillip Kim, and Zach Bloemker finished 2nd (1:03.5). Ellis (1:06.7) and Bloemker (1:14.74) doubled in the 400m. Ellis also helped win the 8th grade 4x400m relay. Bloemker (12-0), Phillip Kim (10-7), and Justin Kumamoto (10-0) all competed in the long jump. Harrison (6:43) ran the 1600m with Mingwei Samuel (6:47).

8th Grade
The 8th grade boys continued their strong performances in the relays placing first in the 4x100m (54.06) with Liam Schindler, Joey Wilhem, Xavier Prospero, and Max Canty-Hilchey. Canty-Hilchey (2:43) doubled in the 800m with Miles VonHerrmann (2:55). Prospero (27.05) and Wilhelm (27.80) both ran the 200m. In the final event of the day Prospero, Wilhelm, Canty-Hilchey, and Everett Ellis (7th Grade) dominated the 4x400m relay (4:35).

GIRLS
6th Grade
Monty Miller ran 15.80 for the 100m and jumped 8-6 in the long jump.

7th Grade
Katie St. Claire and Maddie Copeland ran with the 8th grade 4x100m relay team (1:03.5). Copeland doubled in the mile (6:10). Claire Reichle ran a strong 100m (15.00).

8th Grade
Remy Afong and Sophia Mills ran the 4x100m relay (1:03.5). Mills doubled in the 800m (2:59) and 200m (33.27), Afong ran the 100m (14.90) and 200m (22.27).

Piedmont Middle School Track and Field Results

Piedmont Middle School hosted a meet at Witter Field on Thursday, May 5th, 2011. The team competed against Orinda, Stanley, Longfellow, Willard, Martinez, Joaquin Moraga and Redwood Day School.

BOYS
6th Grade
In the 100m Hunter Stern (14.07) and Joseph Chu (15.65) both ran well. Chu also ran the mile (6:27). Stern (30.25) and Emmett Smith (29.04) ran strong 200m races. Smith also competed in the Long Jump (11-11) and Shot Put (30-6). Peter Wrensen ran the mile (6:25) and jumped 3-8 in the high jump. Nick Korotzer doubled in the Long Jump (7-6) and Shot Put (15-4).

7th Grade
Everett Ellis (1:06.23) Zach Bloemker (1:14.25), and Evan Hanke (1:20.63) represented Piedmont well in the 400m. Mingwei Samuel (2:52) and Alex Rickard both ran strong 800m races. Samuel (6:11), Bloemker (6:27), and Alex Harrison (6:30) ran the mile. Phillip Kim (11-8) and Justin Kumamoto (9-1) had great Long Jumps. Kim (4-0) and Kumamoto (3-6) also competed in the High Jump.

8th Grade
The 4x100m Relay Team of Joey Wilhelm, Liam Schindler, Max Canty-Hilchey, and Xavier Prospero easily won their heat in 52.75. Prospero (25.54, 15-10), Wilhelm (26.77, 14-3), and Schindler (27.12, 13-6) blazed their 200m races and Long Jumps. Miles Von Herrmann (6:11) ran a nice mile. Michael Kuroda (2:44) and Von Herrmann (2:51) both ran fast 800m races.

GIRLS
6th Grade
Emma Nash, Claire Laymon, Monty Miller, and Sabrina Kim finished 3rd in the 4X100m relay (1:03.6). Nash (16.59, 10-10), Laymon (16.9, 9-4), and Miller (16.59, 9-7) all competed in the 100m and Long Jump along with Katy Savage (15.38, 10-1), Nina Adarkar (16.78, 10-3), Franny Baronian (18.98, 6-5), Anya Edwards (15.56, 9-1), and Eleanor Brown (15.53, 11-2). Olivia
Creighton ran the 100m (15.56) and 200m (33.69). Kim (15.89) and Kayla Lim (16.13) also ran a nice 100m. Minnie Cooper (5th Grade) ran a great double of 800m (3:05) and Mile (6:45).

7th Grade
Maddie Copeland ran a fantastic mile of 6:01. Maura Phillips (13.09, 12-0), Maret Sotkiewicz (16.4, 8-8), and Sierra Singer (17.4, 10-1) completed a double of 100m and Long Jump. Perry Fishel (8-0) also completed the Long Jump.

8th Grade
Remy Afong and Sophia Mills were a part of the 2nd place finishing 4x100m Relay Team (59.49). Afong ran the 100m (15.06) and Mills ran the 800m (2:55).

Track & Field Meet at Albany

BOYS
6th Grade
Peter Wresen had a nice showing in the High Jump (3’10”). Elijah Levy ran a very strong 800m (3:10). Joseph Chu finished 2nd in the 400m (1:14). Hunter Stern (15.03) and Max Lee (16.57) ran impressive 100m races. Emmet Smith ran with the first place finishing 8th grade 4x100m team (53.3) and ran the 200m (28.3). Owen Barry ran with the first place finishing 7th grade 4x100m team (58.3).

7th Grade
The 4x100m team of Phillip Kim, Everett Ellis, Blair Whitted, and Owen Barry (6th Grade) finished in first place (58.3). Ellis doubled in the 400m (1:05.04). In the 800m, Alex Rickard (2:57) and Mingwei Samuel (2:52) both had strong season debuts.

8th Grade
The 4x100m team of Liam Schindler, Max Canty-Hilchey, Joey Wilhelm, and Emmet Smith (6th Grade) dominated the field (53.3). Schindler (27.47) and Wilhelm (28.1) both ran great 200m races. Miles Von Herrmann doubled in the 800m (2:51) and 1600m (6:17). Ryan Castle had a nice shot put of 34’.

GIRLS
6th Grade
The 4x100m relay team of Emma Nash, Eleanor Brown, Claire Laymon, and Sabrina Kim finished 4th in a very close race (1:03). Piedmont was well represented in the 100m and Long Jump by Nina Adarkar (17.47 and 8’6”), Olivia Creighton (15.61 and 8’4”), and Monty Miller (16.66 and 8’ 6”). Also long jumping, Laymon (8’5” ¼). Kim (16.0), Katy Savage (16.0), Nash (16.71), and Brown (16.7) also ran the 100m. Creighton (32.3) and Kim (32.9) doubled in the 200m.

7th Grade
Maura Phillips and Katie St. Clair joined the 8th Grade 4x100m relay team and finished first (1:00.25). St. Clair also did the long jump (9’4”), 400m (1:15). Phillips doubled in the 100m (15.31).

8th Grade
Remy Afong and Sophia Mills with St. Clair and Phillips finished first in the 4x100m (1:00.25). Mills also ran the 800m (3:03) and 200m (33.37). Afong ran the 100m (15.73) and 200m (32.91).

7th Grade Scots Take Third Place in Tournament

7th Grade 'B' Boys Tournament

Piedmont Scots 24 - Orinda Bull Dogs 19

The Scots went head-to-head against the Orinda Bulldogs in their tournament opener, ending in a one-point difference after three quarters. The Bulldogs ultimately fell to the Scots, 24 – 19. Connor Addiego had 6 steals and Miles Kim grabbed 5 rebounds. Will Gustke put forth a stellar effort, scoring 6 points, getting 2 steals and hauling down 2 rebounds.

Stanley Wildcats 44 - Piedmont Scots 17

The Scots faced the top-seeded Stanley Wildcats in their second game of the tournament, losing 44-17. Piedmont exhibited a great team effort led by point guard Nicholas Wiesbrock, with support from Devan Joseph on both ends of the court. Miles Kim and Douglas Wu hit the boards and Mingwei Samuel hit nothing-but-net on a pair of free throws.

Piedmont Scots 46 - Moraga Marauders 35

Piedmont faced the Moraga Marauders in their next match-up, with the Scots chalking up a victory, 46 - 35. David Monical scored a season high 18 points and got 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 assists. Douglas Wu, Connor Addiego and Miles Kim contributed 6 points each. Drew Collins collected 5 rebounds.

Third Place Game - Piedmont Scots 42 - Orinda Bulldogs 20

For their fourth game of the day, the Scots once again went up against the Orinda Bulldogs in the battle for Third Place. Displaying excellent teamwork, the Scots dominated in their last game of the season, beating the Bulldogs 42 - 20. After a long day of basketball, the team raised their trophies high and savored their Third Place finish.

8th Grade Scots-Fifers take Second Place in Tournament

8th Grade B Boys Basketball League Tournament

To end their season, the 8th grade Piedmont Scots and Piedmont Fifers combined forces to take 2nd place in the 8th Grade B Boys Basketball League Tournament that took place in Piedmont on March 12, 2011.

Game 1

Dorris Eaton (34) vs. Piedmont (37)

Piedmont held a small lead throughout the game and fought off a late Dorris Eaton comeback to get into the winner’s bracket. The well-balanced offense was led by Tosh Meyers with 10 points (including three 3-pointers) and 2 assists, Luke Smith with 5 points and 3 assists, Liam Schindler with 8 points, and Ryan Castle with 6 points. With a combined 15 rebounds, Schindler and Castle controlled the boards and led Piedmont's defensive effort that included aggressive play from Paul Kim, Max Bocheff, Ben Krohn, Chris Rexrode, Franklin Johnson, and Adrian Rufo.

Game 2

Joaquin Moraga (38) vs. Piedmont (40)

After falling behind by 10 points in the first quarter and trailing by 6 points at the half, Piedmont rode a 17-point third quarter and a suffocating backcourt press to build a commanding 40-28 lead over Joaquin Moraga Middle School with a little more than a minute to go in the game. Piedmont then barely held on as Joaquin Moraga scored 10 points in the last minute including a buzzer-beating three-pointer. Luke Smith, in his highest scoring game of the season, led the way with 16 points, including 7 in the decisive third quarter. Paul Kim scored 7 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Liam Schindler had 8 points with 8 rebounds, and Tosh Meyers, with 8 rebounds and 3 steals, anchored a strong defense that included Ryan Castle with 8 rebounds, Louis Kharsa with 4 rebounds, Franklin Johnson with 5 rebounds, and Chris Rexrode providing tough coverage against the taller Joaquin Moraga team.

Championship Game

Stanley (64) vs. Piedmont (29)

Piedmont played hard against Stanley Middle School, but came up short as Stanley won the game and the tournament decisively. Piedmont stayed close in the first quarter, but couldn't recover from Stanley's 28-point second quarter that gave them control of the game for good. Tosh Meyers, with 8 points and 3 assists, and Liam Schindler with 8 points, led Piedmont's offensive attack. Ben Krohn had 3 points and seemed to be everywhere on defense, grabbing 4 rebounds and blocking 2 shots. Ryan Castle with 8 rebounds, Max Bocheff with a rebound and a steal, and Adrian Rufo, added to the defensive effort with energetic play.

7th Grade Fifers in Tournament Nailbiter

Moraga 35 - Fifers 29

The Fifers played well but ultimately fell to a strong Moraga team. The first half saw several lead changes, with scoring by Jackson Parker, rebounding by Gus Gilbert, and defense and passing by Nate Levinson. Moraga hit several long outside shots in the second to pull away.

Orinda 35 - Fifers 34

The Fifers ended their season with a thrilling game against Orinda. The Fifers jumped out to a 15-10 first quarter lead on 7 points by Nate Levinson. Orinda held the Fifers scoreless in the second quarter, and took a 21-15 halftime lead. Fifers’ coach Marikah Woodson went to a box-and-one defense in the second half, and Jake Baccetti and Nate Levinson shut down Orinda’s high scorer; however, Orinda still led by 8 going into the 4th quarter. Strong defense and rebounding by the Fifers, and clutch shots by Carson Strout, Jackson Parker and Gus Gilbert, put the highlanders down by one with 30 seconds to play. Levinson stole an Orinda pass to give the Fifers possession, a mad scramble ensued, and the Fifers had one last layup attempt that missed as the buzzer sounded. It was a great way to end a fun season, in which all of the Fifers improved their skills and came together as a team.

8th Grade Scots-Fifers vs. Stanley

A combined Scots-Fifers team stayed close to Stanley Middle School in the first half, but lost momentum in the second half. The Piedmont team had strong efforts from Liam Schindler with 12 points and 9 rebounds, Tosh Meyers with 11 points and 2 assists, Chris Rexrode with 4 points and 2 rebounds, and Luke Smith with 3 assists. Ben Krohn, with 4 steals, Louis Kharsa, Paul Kim, Max Bocheff and Ryan Castle also provided offensive and defensive support. Final score: Piedmont 30 - Stanley 54.

7th Grade Fifers vs. Scots

The Fifers avenged an early-season defeat to the Scots with strong play on offense and defense, beating the Scots 29 - 19. The Fifers played well in the first half, with balanced scoring by Gus Gilbert, Nate Levinson, Jackson Parker, Jake Baccetti, Mason Willrich and Darion Guan. They opened up the lead in the second half with stifling defense, led by Parker, Gilbert and Levinson, which led to several fast break layups by Parker.

8th Grade Piedmont Scots vs. Orinda

Short-handed and out-sized, the Scots fell behind early to the Orinda Intermediate School team and were never able to mount a comeback. Luke Smith, with 9 points and 3 assists, led the offensive effort that included Ben Krohn with 8 points and Paul Kim with 5 points. Kim, with 6 rebounds and 3 steals, Max Bocheff with 4 rebounds, Franklin Johnson with 3 rebounds and 2 steals, and Chris Rexrode played tough, aggressive defense throughout the game. Final score: Piedmont 22 - Orinda 42.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders vs. Edna Brewer

Facing a much taller Edna Brewer team, Piedmont played tough and led 26 - 24 early in the third quarter. The Highlanders were aggressive on defense and under the boards, but ultimately lost the game 53 - 38. Scoring was well-distributed among Jordan Torio, Gordon Faust, Kalen Davison, Aki Ohtaka, Jimmy Roach, Danny Young and Kyle Bilorusky.

Another Victory for the 7th Grade Highlanders

The Highlanders dominated the Orinda Bulldogs with excellent pressure defense and teamwork. Scoring leaders for Piedmont were Jordan Torio with 16 points, Jimmy Roach with 12, Dylan Porter with 10 and Gordon Faust with 11. Roach had a double-double with 12 rebounds to go with his 12 points. Other scorers were Kalen Davison, Aki Ohtaka and Danny Young. Final score: Highlanders 61 - Orinda 34.

8th Grade Highlanders vs. Martinez

Martinez jumped out to an early lead with accurate outside shooting and tough defense, and the Highlanders could not recover, losing 28 to 59. Graham Low and Joey Moyer lead the team with 7 points each, and Jackson Roberts had 6 points. On defense Nathaniel Lowhurst and Xavier Prospero each had two blocks, and Lowhurst also pulled down five rebounds.

8th Grade Fifers and Scots Rematch Comes Down to Final Minutes

In their closest, most exciting game of the season, the Scots jumped out to a commanding lead only to have the Fifers fight back from a double-digit deficit to tie the game in the last two minutes. Down 38-24 with nine minutes left, the Fifers outscored the Scots 18-4 to tie the game 42-42 before Ben Krohn scored two quick baskets to seal the Scots’ victory. Krohn ended up with 14 points and six rebounds for the Scots, Paul Kim had 10 points, and Max Bocheff scored 4 points. Liam Schindler led the Scots’ defense with sixteen rebounds, Chris Rexrode had three rebounds and Luke Smith had seven steals. The player of the game was the Fifers’ Tosh Meyers who scored 23 points (including four 3-pointers) and grabbed twelve rebounds. The Fifers’ Adrien Rufo scored 7 points and Ryan Castle, who had 8 points and 13 rebounds, led the Fifers’ very tough defense that included strong play by Max Atchison, Harrison Bouch and J.P. Halverson. Final score: Scots 48 - Fifers 42.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders Defeat Willard

Early buckets by Dylan Porter kept the Highlanders in the game, but they still found themselves trailing by three at the half. The Highlanders caught fire in the second half with hot outside shooting by Jordan Torio with 19 points and Kyle Bilorusky with 9. Piedmont dominated the boards with strong rebounding and inside scoring by Jimmy Roach with 11 points and Aki Ohtaka with 12. Piedmont came out with a solid victory over Willard, 57 - 40.

8th Grade Scots vs. Orinda

The Scots outscored Orinda 23-20 in the final three quarters, but couldn’t make up for a large first-quarter deficit, ultimately losing 33 - 29. Luke Smith led the comeback on offense with seven points and three assists and Liam Schindler, who had eight points and eight rebounds, anchored a strong defense that included Chase Betta with seven rebounds and four steals and Franklin Johnson with six rebounds.

8th Grade Highlanders vs. Longfellow Middle School

After falling behind 18-2 in the first quarter, the Highlanders rallied to outplay Longfellow the rest of the game, but just fell short at the end to lose 58 - 47. The Highlanders were led by Jackson Roberts with 12 points, Graham Low with 9 and Andrew Strauch with 7. Nathan Kruger made two strong layups off two assists from Xavier Prospero. Dylan McBirney and Nathaniel Lowhurst helped keep the game under control with solid defense and rebounding.

7th Grade Highlanders vs. Longfellow

After falling far behind in the first half, the Highlanders outscored Longfellow 26 to 25 in the first half. Kalen Davison had a great all-around game with 14 points, 4 assists and 4 steals. Aki Ohtaka pulled down 8 rebounds. Others scoring for the Highlanders were Jordan Torio, Jimmy Roach, Gordon Faust, Kyle Bilorusky, and Nate Tolles. Final score: Piedmont 51 - Longfellow 67.

7th Grade Scots lose Heartbreaker to Longfellow

The Scots fell behind 12-5 in the first period. Good team work drew them to within 3 with 15 second left in the game. Unfortunately, a last minute 3-point attempt did not catch any iron and the Scots were unable to tie the game. Connor Addiego had 6 steals. Will Gustke, Nick Wiesbrock, Devan Joseph and David Monical all played well. Final score: Piedmont 29 - Longfellow 32.

8th Grade Scots vs. Orinda

The Scots led early on before Orinda broke free in the second quarter with 20 points and built an insurmountable lead. The Scots made a run in the third quarter behind Paul Kim, who ended up with 9 points and 10 rebounds, Liam Schindler with 6 points and 10 rebounds, and Ben Krohn with 7 points. Luke Smith had 4 assists and Max Bocheff had 2 points and played strong defense. Final score: Piedmont 26 - Orinda 44

7th Grade Highlanders vs. Stanley

Stanley completed dominated the Highlanders, with excellent passing and fast break transitions baskets. However, the Highlanders never gave up. Scoring for the Highlanders were Jordan Torio, Aki Ohtaka, Nate Tolles, Gordon Faust and Jimmy Roach. Final score: Piedmont 46 - Stanley 69.

Rematch for 8th Grade Fifers and Scots

In an exciting rematch, the Fifers and Scots had several lead changes and played to a virtual tie through three quarters before the Scots pulled away to win in the fourth. Every time the Scots started to build a lead, the short-handed Fifers answered with strong offense from Tosh Meyers, who had 18 points and 8 rebounds, Louis Kharsa with 10 points, and aggressive defense from Max Atchison and Adrian Rufo, who added 4 assists. The Scots’ offense was led by Luke Smith with a season-high 11 assists and Ben Krohn with 12 points. On defense, Liam Schindler led the Scots’ with 20 rebounds and Paul Kim fell just short of a triple-double, ending up with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 steals. Chris Rexrode also scored and rebounded for the Scots. Final score: Fifers 38 - Scots 50

7th Grade Boys Scots defeat Martinez

The Scots trailed the entire first half, but pulled ahead in the third quarter when Drew Collins scored most of his game-high 12 points, including a three-pointer. It was a great team effort with good passing among Collins, David Monical and Nicholas Wiesbrock who all handled the ball well. Douglas Wu pulled down 9 rebounds, while Miles Kim collected 5. Monical scored 11 points including 3 from the line. Final score: Piedmont 34 - Martinez 27.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders Suffer Overtime Loss

Rallying from an early 9-0 deficit, the Highlanders found themselves tied with Martinez with 15 seconds to go in regulation. Piedmont had possession but could not close the deal, sending the game into overtime, ultimately losing to Martinez, 53-48. The Highlanders were led by Jordan Torio’s shooting, the passing and scoring of Kalen Davison, and the rebounding and scoring of Jimmy Roach. Aki Ohtaka, Kyle Bilorusky, Nate Tolles and Danny Young also scored.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders defeat Walnut Creek

The Highlanders opened up an early 7 point lead and sustained their lead throughout the game. Jordan Torio with 22 points and Aki Ohtaka with 13 points, supported a very good all-around team effort, including Danny Young’s three-pointer and hustle defense. Final score: Piedmont 55 - Walnut Creek 47.

8th Grade Boys Highlanders vs. Walnut Creek

The Highlanders got off to a slow start trailing 10-2, but used full court pressure to create steals and fast break points and closed to within 4 points late in the third quarter. Game highlights included an NBA three-pointer by Graham Low and steal and breakaway lay-up by Joey Moyer. Nathan Kruger and Dylan McBirney gave solid support on defense, but Piedmont came up short in the end, losing 33-47.

8th Grade Boys Scots vs. Albany

The Scots battled hard against the Albany Cobras, but could not overcome an early deficit, losing 47-10. Liam Schindler led the Scots with 4 points, 6 rebounds and strong interior defense against a much taller Albany team. Franklin Johnson had 2 points and four rebounds and Paul Kim and Arash Parsa added rebounding and energetic defense.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders Victorious in Last Minute Comeback

With the Highlanders trailing 40-37 with 1:22 to go, Kalen Davison was fouled on a three-point attempt and calmly stepped to the line and made three free throws to tie the game. Aki Ohtaka scored a clutch shot with 39 seconds left, putting Piedmont ahead by two. Davison and Jordan Torio iced the game with two more free throws each. Others scoring for the Highlanders were Kyle Bilorusky, Nate Tolles, and Jimmy Roach. Final score: Piedmont 46 - Willard 40.

7th Grade Boys Scots v. Willard

The Scots faced a skilled Willard team, going toe-to-toe early in the game, only to lose in the end, 50-39. Conner Addiego led the Scots in the effort, scoring 12 points, collecting 7 rebounds, blocking 4 shots and making 3 steals. David Monical and Drew Collins scored 10 and 9 points, respectively. Devan Joseph contributed with a basket and a steal, while Douglas Wu and Miles Kim each grabbed 4 rebounds.

First Win of the Season for 8th Grade Boys Highlanders

The Highlanders played their best game of the season with a total team effort and scoring from all 8 players. Graham Low led the way with 14 points and Jackson Roberts contributed 11 points. Nathan Kruger was stellar at the free throw line and added 10 points while Joey Moyer also chipped in 10 points. The Highlanders led the entire game and pulled away in the fourth quarter on key defensive plays by Andrew Strauch and Nathaniel Lowhurst combined with tough rebounding from Xavi Prospero and Dylan McBirney. Final score: Piedmont 65 - Carquinez 46.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders v. Joaquin Moraga

After falling behind early, the Highlanders fought back and trailed only 33 to 30 at the end of the 3rd quarter, but the Highlanders
couldn’t sustain their energy in the third quarter. Jordan Torio led the Highlanders with 23 points, and Kalen Davison, Jimmy Roach, Aki Ohtaka, Gordon Faust and Dylan Porter also scored. Final score: Piedmont 40 - Joaquin Moraga 56.

8th Grade Boys Scots v. Moraga

The Scots lost to a very good Moraga team, 37-18, despite a great individual performance from Liam Schindler. Schindler had a double-double, scoring 12 points and hauling in 10 rebounds and played aggressively throughout. Ben Krohn added 4 points, Luke Smith had 3 assists, and rebounding and defense by Chris Rexrode, Paul Kim, and Chase Betta helped Schindler limit Moraga to only 4 points in the fourth quarter.

8th Grade Boys Fifers v. Orinda

The Fifers were outsized and outnumbered by the Bulldogs, starting the game with five players and ending it with only four, but stayed within striking distance for most of the game. Tosh Meyers had a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Ryan Castle, David Lee and Louis Kharsa also scored. Harrison Bouch, Lee and Castle provided strong support on defense. Final score: Piedmont 26 - OIS 42.

8th Grade Boys Scots v. Albany

Although they lost 37-12, the Scots played Albany very tough through most of the game despite having only two players on the bench compared to Albany’s ten. The Scots improved each quarter with Liam Schindler, Paul Kim, and Max Bocheff providing energetic defense and rebounding. The Scots actually beat Albany in the fourth quarter, 5-2, as Luke Smith went 4-4 from the foul line, and the whole team shut down Albany’s attack. Chase Betta added 3 points.

8th Grade Boys Highlanders v. Orinda

Though the Highlanders fought hard until the final buzzer, their efforts were not enough to give them their first victory, losing to Orinda Intermediate School 54-26. Led by the scoring of Jackson Roberts with 12 points and Joey Moyer with 7, the team was overmatched physically, but never gave up. Nathan Kruger continued his aggressive play, driving into the lane often and pulling down a great rebound to keep the score close in the first quarter, after which OIS gained a solid lead they never relinquished.

8th Grade Boys Fifers v. Stanley

Stanley took an early lead, but the Fifers showed a lot of fight, tying the final quarter of the game 4-4. Louis Kharsa was high scorer with 6 points, supported by good hustle by Adrian Rufo and Harrison Bouch . Ryan Castle, Tosh Meyers and David Lee also scored from the floor, while Max Atchison and Julien Cortez scored from the line. Final score: Piedmont 17 - Stanley 55.

7th Grade Boys Scots v. Albany Middle School

Douglas Wu displayed his tenacity with a nice steal that led to a breakaway lay-up against the Albany Cobras. Point guard Nicholas Wiesbrock skillfully avoided the defense, while David Monical scored eight points for the Scots. The Cobras ultimately overpowered the Scots, 56 – 19.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders v. Scots

The Highlanders put the pressure on the Scots from the opening minutes of the game, converting steals into points and a significant early lead. The Scots battled back, with Drew Collins leading the Scots with 14 points and 4 steals. Connor Addiego had 7 rebounds for the Scots. Final score: Highlanders 53 - Scots 25.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders Beat Foothill

The Highlanders brought their record to 1 - 2 by tallying their first win, defeating Foothill, 54 -48. The entire team contributed to the effort by exhibiting good teamwork and reducing turnovers. Jordan Torio had an outstanding performance, leading the team in scoring with 33 points. Gordon Faust and Aki Ohtaka also got on the board with 9 and 7 points, respectively.

7th Grade Scots vs. Fifers

The 7th Grade Piedmont Scots jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead with Connor Addiego dominating the boards and the offense. They maintained the lead until the third period when the Fifers tied the score. Then, David Monica and Will Gustke established a new lead with several nice baskets. Good rebounding in the second half by Mingwei Samuel, Miles Kim and Douglas Wu stifled the Fifers attempted comeback. Final score: Scots 30 - Fifers 19.

8th Grade Boys Scots v. Fifers

The Piedmont Scots prevailed over the Fifers, 44-32, after a hard-fought game that included numerous lead changes, great team efforts by both sides, and made everyone look forward to a rematch on February 17.

The Scots jumped out to an early lead with Franklin Johnson and Luke Smith combining for 9 points in the first half and Chase Betta, Liam Schindler, Chris Rexrode, and Max Bocheff setting the defensive tone with high energy. The Fifers’ Tosh Meyers, Ryan Castle, and Louis Kharsa helped keep it close with 11 points and Julien Cortez, Adrian Rufo, and Max Atchison provided strong rebounding and defensive support.

In the third quarter, the Fifers’ Meyers took over the game and was almost unstoppable. Scoring inside and out, he brought the Fifers all the way back to a 1-point deficit at the end of the third quarter despite 6 points each from the Scots’ Ben Krohn and Schindler.

The fourth quarter belonged to the Scots’ Paul Kim. He scored 7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, and managed to slow down Meyers just enough to allow the Scots to pull ahead and win the game.

Meyers led all scorers with 17 points to go along with 4 steals and 2 blocks. For the Fifers, Castle added 7 points and 9 rebounds, Kharsa scored 4 points and had 3 steals, Cortez had 7 rebounds and 4 blocked shots, Atchison had 4 rebounds, and Rufo had 3 steals.

Krohn led the Scots with 12 points and 6 rebounds. Smith (who had 2 assists) and Kim each scored 8 points and Kim added 8 steals. Schindler scored 6 points and pulled down 9 rebounds, Betta scored 5 points to go with 6 rebounds, and Johnson had 5 points.

8th Grade Girls Scots Win Championship

Semi-Final game: Scots 34 - Moraga 23

After going undefeated in the regular season, the Piedmont 8th grade girls Scots completed a perfect season by winning the post-season tournament championship on Saturday, January 22, 2011. As regular season champ, Piedmont earned a Bye and advanced to the semi-finals against Moraga. Trailing at the half, the team outscored their opponents 14-3 in the third quarter and never looked back. MVP Nicole Cosares led the team to their 34 – 23 victory with 19 points, 9 rebounds and 7 steals; Remy Afong had 9 points and Claire Schane, Sydney Rennels, Johanna Rapport and Noelle Lautt contributed rebounding and strong defense.

Championship game: Scots 32 - Carquinez 27

In the championship game versus Carquinez, the lead changed hands many times through the first 3 quarters of play. With the score tied at 25 going into the 4th quarter, Nicole Cosares once again took over. Aided by Noelle Lautt at point guard with 5 assists, 7 points and 9 rebounds, Cosares put in another game high at 13 points, including two late game 3-pointers, 8 steals, and 6 rebounds, and Sydney Rennels contributed 10 points and 9 rebounds of her own. In the 4th quarter Schane, Afong and Rapport contributed to a stifling defense, limiting Carquinez to just two points to seal the victory by a final score of 32-27.

7th Grade Girls Highlanders Take Second Place in Martinez Basketball Tournament

With amazing defense and a skilled passing game, the 7th Grade Girls Highlanders -- coached by Matt Kirby and Marikah Woodson -- topped off a successful season by playing in the Martinez Jr. High School Invitational Basketball Tournament championship game.

The road to the championship game started with a 37-17 win over Joaquin Moraga. Malorie Han and Sydney Boxer had 11 and 10 points, respectively, in the Highlanders’ win against the Marauders. Rebecca Harris scored 6 points, and Tess Olcott made key passes for several assists.

In their second game, the Highlanders battled the Albany Cobras for a berth in the championship game. Although the Highlanders seemed to be in control, they still found themselves down by one point as they neared half-time. Mika Lee drew the foul and went to the line to tie it up, only to have Albany respond with another bucket before the buzzer. Top scorer Kelsey Fennell showed her prowess with 11 points, while the Cobras had to fight for every point against outstanding defense by Hana Elabed, Jane Kingston and Genna Williamson. Nicole Bilorusky and Caroline James added to the scoreboard as well, as the Highlanders finally pulled away in the second half to win, 27-21.

With two wins in the tournament, the Highlanders (8-2 for the season) faced Stanley Middle School (9-1) in the championship game. The Highlanders had been the only team to defeat Stanley during the season, so this was an exciting re-match for both teams. The Highlanders traded the lead and stayed within a couple points of Stanley until the final quarter when they fell behind by 10 points with two minutes remaining. Piedmont turned on their trademark defense to force some key turnovers to close the gap, bringing them within 2 points with 9 seconds left in the game. Although the Highlanders had possession and a chance to score, the ball did not find its way into the hoop, and the final buzzer went off before the Highlanders could tie the game. Final score: Highlanders 22, Stanley 24.

Kelsey Fennell and Malorie Han were named All-Stars for the tournament.

8th Grade Girls Highlanders in Consolation Game at Martinez Basketball Tournament

The 8th Grade Girls Highlanders concluded their season with a dramatic finish at the Martinez Jr. High School Invitational Tournament. The Highlanders suffered a loss in the first round to the host team, the Martinez Bullpups, 15-54. Madie Eidam and Clare Keating led in scoring, with top rebounder Claire O'Conner providing support on both ends of the court.

Piedmont faced Albany in the second game, where the Cobras fought relentlessly in search of their first win against the Highlanders. The teams battled to a first quarter tie, 7-7, with Piedmont taking the halftime lead, 18-13. Albany came back in the third to take the lead, 24-23. Piedmont's top scorer, Eidam, and second leading scorer, Keating, made critical baskets in the fourth quarter to win the game, 36-29. Clare Keating scored 11 with 4 assists, made 6 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots. Madie Eidam again was top scorer with 12 points, blocked 4 shots, made 5 rebounds, and stole twice. Lindsey Vaughn scored 7 and also blocked 4 shots. Sydney Williams made 6 rebounds, and Sarah Mooney scored 2 with 2 assists, and 5 rebounds. Kerry Krohn had an assist and a steal.

The Highlanders went up against Berkeley King for the consolation game, and put on another great show for the fans as the game went into double overtime to determine the winner. King took an early lead, ending the first quarter 4-10. Piedmont came back to lead the second quarter, 19-17, and held on to end the third quarter 26-25. The stands were roaring as the game ended tied at 37. After a scoreless overtime period, the Highlanders headed into double overtime. King hit some key shots from the floor and at the free throw line to win the Piedmont heartbreaker, 45-40. Lindsey Vaughn scored an impressive 17, blocking 6 shots, and stealing 3 times. Clare Keating scored 11 with 2 assists, made 12 rebounds, and blocked 5 shots. Sarah Mooney scored 5, had an assist, and made 4 rebounds. Sydney Williams had 10 rebounds and 3 points. Madie Eidam made 12 rebounds and 4 steals. Maddie Baum scored 2 and had 3 rebounds.

8th Grade Boys Highlanders v. Longfellow Middle School

The 8th grade Highlanders fell to a tough and fast Longfellow basketball team on January 20, losing 32 - 16. The Highlanders stayed close, ending the half down 9-13, but tight defense from Longfellow turned the momentum in the 3rd quarter. Dylan McBirney was top scorer with 5 points and Graham Low added a long 3-pointer. Nathaniel Lowhurst and Nathan Kruger led in rebounds.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders Face Stanley in Season Opener

The Highlanders went toe-t0-toe with Stanley in their first game of the season on January 19. Piedmont lit up the scoreboard with three-pointers from Jordan Torio, Gordon Faust, Kyle Bilorusky and Nate Tolles. Aki Ohtaka and Jimmy Roach gave the Highlanders a strong presence on the boards. Torio was top scorer with 16 points. Piedmont kept it close all the way, but lost by six points. Final score: Piedmont 36 - Stanley 42.

7th Grade Boys Scots v. Stanley

Point guard David Monica handled the ball well in the 7th Grade Scots season opener on January 19 against Stanley. Despite a good effort against a tough opponent, the Scots lost the game 15 – 41. Drew Collins was higher scorer, with good support from Connor Addiego and Mingwei Samuel on both ends of the court.

8th Grade Boys Fifers v. Edna Brewer Middle School

On January 18th, the 8th Grade Fifers faced Edna Brewer Middle School. The Fifers faced an early deficit against Edna Brewer MS, but stepped up their defense in the second half and held Brewer to 5 points in the third period. Tosh Meyers had 11 points, Ryan Castle had a great assist to Julien Cortez, and Louie Kharsa also scored. Kharsa and David Lee fought for some tough rebounds. The scoring gap proved to be too much, however, with the Fifers losing 15-50.

8th Grade Girls Scots Remain Undefeated

The 8th Grade Girls Scots basketball team ended an undefeated season by easily handling Prospect Sierra with a score of 21-9. Nicole Cosares led the team with 8 points, 11 rebounds and 6 steals, and strong support from Noelle Lautt and Maya Kiruluta. Point guard Remy Afong controlled the tempo while Johanna Rapport contributed 5 steals on the defensive end.

The undefeated Scots are favored to win the post season tournament taking place at Morrison gym on January 22, 2011. The Scots first game is at 10:15 am on Saturday, January 22, 2011.

8th Grade Girls Highlanders End Season 3-7 with Win Over Albany, 30-14

In spite of the paralyzing number of fouls called on the Albany court, Piedmont outperformed the Cougars in every quarter to win. Kerry Krohn had her best game of the season, scoring 8, and delivered an assist, 3 defensive rebounds, and 2 steals. Madie Eidam scored 8 with 6 defensive rebounds and 3 steals. Sarah Mooney scored 6 with an assist and 4 defensive rebounds.

7th Grade Girls Highlanders Beat Albany Cobras

The 7th Grade Piedmont Highlanders girls basketball team put another win on the board January 12th. The Cobras commanded the first half of the game scoring three unanswered baskets in the first few minutes of the game, but the Highlanders wouldn't give up. In the second quarter a key pick and roll play with Tess Olcott and Kelsey Fennell resulted in a burst of momentum for the Highlanders which they carried over into the second half. The Highlanders controlled the second half with great offense and measured defense, Sydney Boxer scored three baskets in a row with one of them being a beautiful three-pointer from the corner. Final score: Piedmont 29 - Albany 26.

8th Grade Highlanders Lose to Lincoln 21-33

Piedmont ended the first quarter 2-13 setting up the challenge for the rest of the game. The Highlanders played as well as Alameda the rest of the game but could not close the gap. Madie Eidam scored 7 and was top rebounder. Lindsey Vaughn scored 6, Clare Keating scored 4, and Claire O'Conner and Sarah Mooney each scored 4 and had 4 rebounds. Sydney Williams played strong defense.

7th Grade Girls Highlanders defeat Stanley 27-24 in Lafayette

The first game of the year showed a determined 7th grade Highlanders team where every player was on their toes and contributed to the win. Kelsey Fennel led the team with 8 points, numerous blocks and rebounds. Caroline James scored 7 points with assists by Hana Elabad who also sunk a basket. Tess Olcott, Malorie Han, Rebecca Harris and Nicole Bilorsky also landed shots. The defense was dominant with rebounds and steals by Mika Lee, Jane Kingston, Hana Elabad and Malorie Han.

8th Grade Girls Basketball Scots Beat Longfellow

Succumbing to the aggressive and physical play of Longfellow, Piedmont found themselves down 15 to zero in the first quarter. Rather than conceding defeat, coach Tadaysha Dewalt rallied the Scots to rise to the challenge. Led on both ends of the floor by Nicole Cosares who simply would not be denied, the Scots held Longfellow scoreless in the second and third quarters and chipped away at the lead. Balanced scoring from Maya Kiruluta, Sydney Rennels and Noelle Lautt, and great defense from Johanna Rapport and Remy Afong allowed the Scots to pull away for a seemingly impossible come-from-behind victory. Final score: Piedmont 24 - Longfellow 19

Stanley Sustains Lead to Defeat 8th Grade Girls Highlanders 19-25

Battling hard in a physical game against Stanley, the Highlanders came close to victory with a fourth quarter comeback, but ultimately lost 19-25. Clare Keating and Madie Eadam led the team in scoring with 5 points apiece, with Keating also leading in rebounding and Eadam in steals. Sydney Williams and Sarah Mooney gave the team a boost on the boards with 5 and 4 rebounds, respectively.

7th Grade Girls Basketball Scots v. Longfellow

Although the scrappy Piedmont 7th grade girls Scots basketball team was pretty seriously overmatched by the Longfellow team, the Scots never gave up. "Each and every girl played with desire, hustle and heart, from the tip-off to the final buzzer," said Coach D Minor with warm appreciation. Despite the 37-20 loss, the girls showed they had learned this year to play hard, work as a team, and have fun. Their fans certainly had fun watching them play their most exciting basketball of the year!

8th Grade Girls Basketball Scots v. Moraga

Nicole Cosares led all scorers and rebounders with 8 and 8 respectively. Piedmont pulled away from Moraga in the 4th quarter to win, with a balanced scoring attack that saw Noelle Lautt score 5, Sydney Rennels score 4, Remy Afong score 4, and Maya Kiruluta score 2, and strong defensive play by Claire Schane and Johanna Rapport paced the Scots. Final score: Piedmont 22 - Moraga 17

Martinez Bullpups Maul 8th Grade Girls Highlanders 13-47

Piedmont struggled the entire game after the return from the holiday break. Lindsey Vaughn was top scorer with 5 points. Clare Keating scored 4, and led the team in rebounds and blocked shots. Madie Eidam scored 3.

Berkeley King Defeats 8th Grade Girls Highlanders after Strong Battle 26-34

The first half of the game was evenly matched, ending 15-15. King pulled ahead by 3 at the end of the 3rd quarter. Piedmont tied the game early in the 4th, but made fewer of their field goals and suffered from King's success at the free throw line to lose 26-34. Clare Keating was top scorer with 9, one a 3 pointer, and forced 3 King turnovers, Sarah Mooney scored 6 with 2 assists and 6 rebounds, Lindsey Vaughn scored 4 with 4 assists and 4 rebounds, Claire O'Connor had 4 defensive rebounds, Maddie Baum scored 4 with an assist, and Sydney Williams had 5 defensive rebounds and scored 2 with an assist. Kerry Krohn had 2 assists and 2 rebounds.

8th Grade Girls Basketball Scots Defeat Stanley 45-8

The Piedmont Girls 8th grade Scots outplayed Stanley on all fronts, holding the lead throughout. Nicole Cosares, with 2 three-pointers and 13 points and Sydney Rennels with 18 points and 10 rebounds led the offense. The Scots passing game showed confidence and helped the scoring effort. Claire Schane, with 7 rebounds and 6 points and Johanna Rapport, with 4 points and 4 rebounds contributed to the win.

Stanley Steals the Game from 8th Grade Girls Highlanders 20 - 28

Piedmont was behind by 9 in the first quarter, and kept Stanley from scoring in the second until the last 10 seconds when Lafayette scored 4 points to close the 1st half, 12 -- 15. Stanley stretched the lead to 7 by the end of the 3rd quarter, Piedmont came within 3 in the fourth quarter but couldn't make the come back, losing 20 - 28. Madie Eidam was the top scorer with 8 and an assist, and was the top rebounder with 5. Clare Keating had 4 points and an assist, and an amazing 8 blocks. Lindsey Vaughn scored 4 and had 3 blocks and 2 steals. Sydney Williams had 4 steals and 3 defensive rebounds.

7th Grade Girls Highlanders Winning Streak Ends

The 7th Grade Girls Highlanders were handed their first defeat by a skilled Stanley team, 24-31. Trailing 10-21 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Highlanders pulled to within one point to keep the game exciting. Kelsey Fennell led the team with 10 points and 5 rebounds, and Caroline James added 7 points and 6 rebounds. Sydney Boxer and Nicole Bilorusky also scored. Hana Elabed and Malorie Han were strong on the boards.

7th Grade Girls Highlanders Remain Undefeated

The Highlanders, who are now 5-0, continued their excellent defense, and were led by the scoring and steals of Caroline James (14 points), including a very nice pick and roll off of a pass from Tess Olcott. Also scoring were Kelsey Fennell, Sydney Boxer, Nicole Bilorusky, Rebecca Harris, Hana Elabed, and Jane Kingston. Early on, the Highlanders trailed 9 to 7, but they finished the half with a 10-1 scoring run, and never looked back. The Highlanders added another win to their record by beating Martinez, 33-14.

Tough Week for 8th Grade Girls Highlanders - Record at 2-2

The Highlanders were outplayed by Alameda Lincoln with their multiple fast breaks and couldn't recover from an early deficit, even with a 10 point push in the last quarter, to lose 26-44. Madie Eidam played strongly with 10 points and led the team in rebounds and steals. Sarah Mooney scored 7 and had several key defensive rebounds. Lindsey Vaughn scored 5, while Maddie Baum and Kerry Krohn scored 2 each. Clare Keating had 3 assists. Sydney Williams had 4 rebounds.

The Highlanders again saw an early deficit at the end of the first quarter 7-15, but held the spread to end 15-26 at the half in the game against Martinez. The half time speech by Coach Tawnya Gray was effective as Piedmont closed to within 3 points, but couldn't hold on as 2 Highlanders fouled out, and Martinez scored a number of free throws. Final score 39 - 52. Lindsey Vaughn played strong defense, leading the team in defensive rebounds and blocked shots and scoring 4 with 2 assists. Madie Eidam again came up big scoring 12, once on a fast break from an impressive steal. Eidam also had an assist, multiple steals and a block. Sarah Mooney scored 10, with two 3 pointers, and led the team in offensive rebounds. Clare Keating scored 6 with an assist and 3 steals. Claire O'Connor scored a free throw and rebounded well.

8th Grade Girls Basketball Scots vs. Foothill

With only 5 players on the roster, the 8th grade Piedmont Scots Girls Basketball team was put to the test against Foothill. The Scots held the lead throughout, with top scoring from Sydney Rennels (12 points) and Remy Afong (8 points). The star of the defense was Maya Kiruluta, with 15 rebounds and two clutch free throws. Nicole Cosares played tough with 4 points and 7 rebounds and Johanna Rapport supported the effort for the win. Final score: Piedmont 28 - Foothill 18

7th Grade Girls Scots Basketball vs. Carquinez

Coming off of a heartbreaking defeat, the Scots bounced back nicely to post a 43-6 victory against the Carquinez Panthers. The Scots played with emphasis on solid defense and rebounding on both ends of the court. Elie Docter intimidated the Panthers' shooters, and Perry Fishel and Eliza Lucas contributed multiple steals to the defensive effort. Megan Deutsche led the team with 12 points and Maret Sotkiewicz had 6. Courtney Gao and Samantha Hoffher also added buckets to the team's final score.

7th Grade Girls Basketball Scots vs. Stanley

In a closely contested game on the Wildcats' home turf, Ashley Gerrity started out strong with three quick baskets in the first half and one in the second. Julia Kelly, Megan Deutsche and Caroline Welch backed up with awesome assists. With Cate Selna perfecting the rebounds and steals, and Eliza Lucas and Courtney Gao working the ball down court, the Scots came very close to winning this match. With additional points put on the board by Samantha Hofherr and Caroline Welch, the Scots ended the game within one point. Final Score: Piedmont 12 – Stanley 13

8th Grade Girls Basketball Scots Outlast Carquinez

In an exciting match-up that featured multiple lead changes, the 8th grade Scots outlasted Carquinez for a 32-31 win. Balanced scoring from Sydney Rennels, Nicole Cosares and Remy Afong, each with 8 points, and strong rebounding from Afong and Claire Schane (7 rebounds) kept the game close throughout. Noelle Lautt's 7 steals and strong 4th quarter defensive play by Maya Kiruluta and Johanna Rapport sealed the victory.

Big Win for 8th Grade Scots over Foothill Middle School

Piedmont 8th Grade Girls Scots, down 4 points at the half, exploded for 26 points in the second half while giving up just one point. Noelle Lautt lead all scorers with 15 points and 6 rebounds. Sydney Rennels and Nicole Cosares pulled down 11 and 9 rebounds respectively. Remy Afong, Maya Kiruluta and Claire Schane all contributed scoring and rebounds as the Scots executed a nearly perfect second half on their way to a 38-14 victory.

7th Grade Girls Highlanders Win First Home Game

Piedmont's teamwork and tenacious defense paved the way for a 27-8 victory over MLK Middle School. Kelsey Fennell sparked the team on both ends of the court, breaking up the King offense and scoring 10 points for Piedmont. Caroline James scored six points, with Nicole Bilorusky, Tess Olcott, and Jane Kingston scoring two points each for the Highlanders. Final score: Piedmont 27, MLK 8.

8th Grade Girls Highlanders Overpower King to Win 33-21

The first quarter was a battle of defense, and then the Highlanders found their offense in the second quarter to end the half 17-7. Each team only scored 4 in the third quarter. King doubled their score in the fourth quarter, but Piedmont matched King's offense, and scored 6 points in the last minute to decisively win 33 - 21. The offense was an even combination of team contributions. Lindsey Vaughn was all over the court, scoring 4 with 2 assists, and leading the team with 7 rebounds. Madie Eidam scored 6 with 2 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Sarah Mooney scored 4 with 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Maddie Baum was on fire in her debut game with 8 points and 2 steals. Clare Keating was called on for her defense, and scored 4; Sydney Williams had 5 rebounds and forced two King turnovers; Claire O'Connor scored 5 and had 3 rebounds, and Kerry Krohn scored 2.

8th Grade Girls Scots Hold on against LongFellow

Sydney Rennels scored 13 of the Scots 21 points, pulled down 8 rebounds, and led the team with 7 steals as the the Scots held on for an exciting 3-point win over Longfellow on November 17th. Nicole Cosares (10 rebounds) and Maya Kiruluta (9 rebounds, 5 points) made key rebounds down the stretch to preserve the victory. Remy Afong, Claire Schane, Noelle Lautt, and Johanna Rapport contributed with strong defense. Final score: Piedmont 21 - Longfellow 18

7th Grade Girls Highlanders Defeat Martinez Bullpups

Piedmont's girls mastered their zone defense against the spirited Martinez Bulldogs. Kelsey Fennell and Malorie Han led in rebounds, with crisp passing by Tess Olcott and Jane Kingston keeping the offense humming. Hana Elabed and Rebecca Harris had key defensive plays throughout. The Highlanders’ 20-16 victory bring the team’s record to 2 – 0.

7th Grade Girls Scots v. Martinez Bullpups

The Scots worked hard for every point in a fast-paced game in Martinez on November 16. Caroline Welch led the team in rebounds and scored 7 points, with Cate Selna also hitting the boards and scoring 4 points. Megan Deutsche, Maret Sotkiewicz, Ashley Gerrity and Courtney Gao all scored two points each. Final score: Martinez 33, Piedmont 17.

7th Grade Girls Highlanders Win Season Opener

On November 10th, the 7th Grade Girls Highlanders emerged victorious in their first game of the season, coming from behind to beat the Albany Cobras. The game started slowly for the Highlanders, who trailed 4-0 after the first quarter. They caught their stride in the second quarter with tough baskets being made by Nicole Bilorusky, Tess Olcott, Sydney Boxer, Kelsey Fennell and Caroline James, with nice assists from Rebecca Harris, Mika Lee, Hana Elabed, Malorie Han, Jane Kingston and Genna Williamson. The Highlanders' pressing defense held Albany to two points in the final quarter. The Cobras had a chance to tie in the final seconds, but the Highlanders hung on to get their first win, 19 -16.

7th Grade Girls Basketball Scots defeat Albany Cobras, 48 - 16

The whole team owned the victory over the Cobras, with shots scored by seven players and offense and defense working well together. Leading in shots were Cate Selna and Caroline Welch with 12 points each. Ashley Gerhardy and Samantha Hofherr each scored 8 points. Exciting steals by Megan Deutsche and Maret Sotkiewicz, strategic,assists by Megan Hong, and important rebounds by Julia Kelly kept the game fast paced and fun for spectators.

8th Grade Highlanders Start Season Strongly with a 40 -15 win against Albany

The Highlanders started the game a little shaky, but came from behind in the 1st quarter and never looked back, steadily increasing their lead over the course of the game through solid teamwork and great passing. Sarah Mooney led the offense with 14 points and 3 assists, along with Madie Eidam who scored 10, and Clare Keating who scored 6 with 2 assists. Sydney Williams led the team in defensive rebounds and scored 4 with an assist. Kerry Krohn played strong defense with 4 forced turnovers, and Keating led the team with 6 steals. Claire O'Connor played well with 4 points, an assist, and several rebounds. Lindsey Vaughn had an impressive fast break, 2 assists, and 3 steals.

Highlanders End Volleyball Season with Impressive 12-1 Record

Highlanders beat Moraga, 25-18 and 25-10 Serving was solid from the Highlanders: Hayden Payne had a string of great serves, as did Nicole Cosares and Taylor Chow with 7 aces, and Reina Lowe with 5. Noelle Lautt made many hits and 2 kills, Clare Keating had 5 kills and 3 saves, while Maya Niruluta had 5 kills and solid hits.

The Highlanders were lulled into complacency with an easy 1st game win (25-8) against Berkeley Willard. Gelly Miller and Hayden Payne served strongly, Payne with 6 aces. In the second game, Willard was transformed and passed by the stunned Highlanders to win the game 20 - 25. It was an intense third game with Willard and Piedmont exchanging the lead up to point 12. Piedmont held on to win 15-13 with Kelli Nguyen, Taylor Chow, and Reina Lowe constant in their serving, and Clare Keating with 3 kills and multiple passes. Maya Kiruluta had a beautiful tip at the net.

PMS Cross Country Team Results

A total of 50 team members competed in the meet at Orinda Intermediate School on October 18. For the first time in team history, a bus was used to transport the runners to the meet and back. Previously, team parent drivers have been used, but this was an experiment to see how useful it might be to take everyone on a bus. Based on feedback from the kids and parents who rode the bus it was a success and something that should be tired again. At the meet itself, there was one new school record set for this course. 7th grader Maddie Copeland ran 9:00 minutes even for the 1.25 mile course and broke the old school 7th grade course record by 12 seconds. Other 7th grade girls who ran in the race were Emma Seevak, Alexandra Shoptaugh and Megan Wilensky.

In the 6th grade boys race, the team was led by Blake Gruendl in 6th place. Finishing just a few seconds behind him in 9th place was Peter Wrensen and in 15th place was Hank Shaw. Another top 20 finisher was Kyle Mortimer. A large contingent of 6th grade girls participated and Piedmont had a number of finishers in the top 20. Skyler Liu in 4th place came within 7 seconds of the school course record. She was followed in Nicole Jiang in 6th place, Mia Arthur in 14th, Sabrina Kim in 16th, Gracie Petty in 18th, Addie Christensen in 19th place, and 20th place went to Amelia Eldridge.

The final race of the day was the 7 & 8th grade boys race and three of the PMS boys finished together with Alex Harrison leading the way in 15th place followed by Miles Von Herrman and Michael Kuroda in 16th & 17 place respectively.

The team has one more week of regular season meets and then the league championship meet. More information is available on the team website at: www.pmscc.com

Highlanders Volleyball Sweep 3

The Highlanders beat Martin Luther King - Berkeley's A team at home and B team away this week. In the win at home, it was a battle of serving. In the first game, Piedmont took an early 8 point lead, but King rallied to take the lead at point 20. Taylor Chow was on fire with 10 aces total to push the Highlanders to victory 25 -20. The second game was even more intense with Piedmont taking a 7 point lead in the beginning but King pushed to take the lead at point 24.
The Highlanders held on with consistent serving from Gelly Miller and Hayden Payne. However, it was Taylor Chow again who aced two serves to win the game 29 - 27. In both games, Shelton Rogers hit well and had 3 kills, Clare Keating had 7 kills, and Taylor Chow and Nicole Cosares had multiple assists and strong passes as well as sets.
On October 13, the Highlanders beat King 25-15 and 25-14. In the second game, Reina Lowe, Nicole Cosares, and Noelle Lautt all served strongly. Maya Kiruluta had some impressive kills and Noelle Lautt had some great hits.
Due to a schedule challenge at Moraga, the Highlanders played a game of 30, and decisively won 30-15. Clare Keating had 9 aces and played strong defense, as did Nicole Cosares, who also made several assists. Kelli Nguyen also had 3 aces, Taylor Chow and Reina Lowe had a pair.

PMS Cross Country Team Season Update

After six weeks of competition, the PMS cross country team has proved to be one of the top teams in its league across all four categories in which races are held. The 6th grade boys team has both depth and quality runners with Josh Wood setting a school course record at the Temescal meet on September 30th and Blake Gruendl doing the same at the Prospect Sierra meet on October 14. There are over 120 - 6th grade boys competing in the league, the largest number ever. For the 6th grade girls, Piedmont has its biggest squad ever, over 20 girls are on the team. The top runner for Piedmont in all the races so far has been Ava Podell. Other runners finishing up near the front are Nicole Jiang, Addie Christensen, Sabrina Kim, Skyler Liu, Gracie Petty, and Carlie Houser.

The 7th & 8th grade boys have a number of runners who are very evenly matched and are usually bunched up at the finish. Leading the way is 8th grader Thomas Horn who has been closely followed by Miles Von Herrman and Michael Kuroda, also 8th graders. The league is very evenly balanced in this division, and the championship may very well depend on which school can put their 5th run across the line first. In the case of the 7 & 8th grade girls, the team's top two runners Sofia Lautt and Sarah Ching have unfortunately been beset by injuries. The team hopes to have all its runners at full strength for the league championship meet on November 4th. 7th grade Maddie Copeland has recorded the top times in most of the meets for the team, but 8th grader Sofia Mills, running her first cross country season, has performed very well and set a school course record at the Golden Gate Fields meet on October 11. In a rather unique set of circumstances, the team has three sets of twins on its roster. 6th graders Margaret and Meredith Meagher, 7th graders Kyle and Nicole Bilorusky, and 8th graders Christopher and Matthew Fong. For the first time ever, the cross country team will be taking a bus to the meet at Orinda on October 18th. To follow the team, just go to its website at:

www.pmscc.com

8th Grade Highlanders Football v. OIS Bulldogs

The Piedmont Highlanders faced off against the Orinda Bulldogs on October 13th at Orinda Intermediate School. Early first quarter scoring by both teams set the tone, with Piedmont leading 7 - 6 at the end of the quarter. The second quarter saw a great pass by Gordon Faust and equally spectacular finger-tip catch by Jimmy Roach playing wide receiver. Piedmont led at the half, 14 - 12.

Excellent coaching on the part of both teams was evidenced by only five total penalties. A real see-saw offensive display for both teams in the second half provided an exciting game for spectators, with Piedmont suffering a close loss in the end. Final score: Piedmont, 21; Orinda 26.

8th Grade Scots v. Joaquin Moraga Intermediate

The Fightin’ Scots could not solve the Moraga Marauders Wednesday afternoon at Moraga, as they were blanked 14-0, despite some good running and passing by quarterback Kieran Baack, the runningand receiving of Bennett Barnes, and a potentially key interception and return by Fiachra Collins in the second half. This game wrapped up the first half of the Scots’ season.

8th Grade Volleyball Highlanders Have a Turbulent Week

In the most exciting and rewarding match so far in the season, Coach Woodruff said that the competition from Berkeley Longfellow brought the team together to play hard and to be excited about winning. In the first game, Noelle Lautt and Shelton Rogers made some good hits and digs, but Longfellow came from behind to take the win, 25-23. Piedmont, with wonderful serving from Taylor Chow and Reina Lowe and 5 kills from Maya Kiruluta, easily took the second game 25-11. The Longfellow gym was loud in the tiebreaking third game with Longfellow taking the lead until point 15 when Clare Keating, with an assist by Nicole Cosares, made the kill to tie the game. Keating aced the next serve to take the lead, and Reina Lowe then won the game with a tip at the net: 17-15.

The Highlanders faced stiff competition from Dorris Eaton, keeping within a point of each other up to 20-20 in the first game, but could not return well placed spikes for the last several points giving Dorris Eaton the win 25-22. The Highlanders were shut down in the second game 25-13. Nicole Cosares served strongly, had 4 assists, and set well. Shelton Rogers and Hayden Payne made some great hits in the first game. Maya Kiruluta had 4 kills and strong hits.

Gelly Miller played well with good serving, several hits and several saves in the win against Prospect Sierra, 25-9 and 25-15. Kelli Nguyen had 2 aces, Hayden Payne also had several good serves and hits, Reina Lowe had 8 aces, and Clare Keating had 5 aces. Reina Lowe had multiple kills as well, with many assists and wonderful sets from Nicole Cosares. Taylor Chow had consistent passing in the back row.

The Highlanders record stands at an impressive 7 - 1.

PMS Cross Country Team Hosts Largest Meet in League History

On September 30, the PMS cross country team hosted its annual meet for the East Bay League schools at Temescal Regional Park in Oakland. A record number of runners, 320 in total, from 13 different schools participated in the meet. Last year, there were 260 runners in the meet.

Another first for the league was the use of "chip timing" in timing the runners. This technology makes use of small plastic "chips" or bands worn on the runner shoe laces and as they cross the finish line mats their time place is automatically recorded. Chip timing was used in the 7 & 8th grade races and the League is considering using this technology for its championship meet since results can be generated much faster and the times for the runners are more accurate than timing them by hand.

Four different races were held during the meet starting with the 6th grade Girls race. PMS has its largest 6th grade girls team ever and 22 of them participated in the race. Leading the way for the team was Ava Podell in a time for the 1 mile course of 7:55 and finishing 5th overall. Other PMS finishers in the top 25 runners were, Carlie Houser in 10th, Minnie Cooper in 13th, Addie Christensen in 19th, Nicole Jian in 21st, Sabrina Kim in 22nd and Maxine McCarty in 24th.

The next race, and it was the largest race of the day with 101 runners, was the 6th grade boys. Piedmont had 10 boys in this race and they were lead by Josh Wood in a time of 7:08 for the 1 mile course and a 4th place finish. He also broke the 6th grade boys school record for this course by 2 seconds. Other 6th grade boys who were part of the scoring 5 runners for Piedmont were Kyle Mortimer, Elijah Levy, Lorenzo Rael and Nick Perkocha.

The final two races of the day were the 7 & 8th grade boys and girls, these races were chip timed. In the girls race, PMS only had 3 runners entered, as several runners are out with injuries or illness currently. The top finisher in 8th place was Maddie Copeland and her time for the 1.25 mile course was 8:17. The PMS 2nd runner across the finish line was Sophia Mills in 22nd place and in a time of 8:46, and in 34th place was Emma Seevak in a time of 9:11. The 7 & 8th grade PMS boys team had 15 runners in the race and the top finisher was Thomas Horn in 14th place and a time of 7:53. Also breaking 8 minutes in the race and in 19th place was Max Canty-Hilchey, followed by Matthew Fong (26th place), Michael Kuroda (27th place) and Miles Von Hermann (28th place).

For more information about the team and to review complete results and pictures, go the the team website at:

www.pmscc.com

8th Grade Football Scots v. Dorris-Eaton

Using a combination of passing and running, the Dorris-Eaton squad bested the Scots 20-8 at Coaches Field on Wednesday, September 29. The Scots’ scoring drought was broken by David Dryburgh’s quarterback sack in the opponents end zone late in the first half for 2 points. The Scots’ first touchdown of the season came with Liam Schindler’s punt return early in the second half.

8th Grade Highlanders Sweep First 5 Volleyball Matches of the Season

The Highlanders, coached by Aleesha Woodruff, are overpowering their competition so far this season, beating Willard and Prospect Sierra the week of September 20th, and winning three matches last week.

Piedmont beat last year's nemesis, El Sobrante Christian, in two games, 25-9 and 25-15. Reina Lowe was on fire with eight aces. Taylor Chow and Clare Keating both had a string of aces. Maya Kiruluta had many hits and kills as front row middle. Solid defense was played well by Kelli Nguyen and Reina Lowe. Gelly Miller made some good passes to support her team.

Piedmont's serving was sizzling against Orinda, giving the Highlanders a decisive win (25-7 and 25-6). Clare Keating had 12 aces in one game, Reina Lowe had 5, and Hayden Payne had 3. Shelton Rogers had several kills and hits.

Piedmont handily beat Berkeley Longfellow 25- 13 in the first game, and faced some challenge in the second game when the score was 19-18, but the Highlanders pulled ahead with strong serves to win 25 - 19. Noelle Lautt, Kelli Nguyen, Clare Keating, and Nicole Cosares all served strongly. Taylor Chow set precisely for her front row hitters. Clare Keating and Reina Lowe had some well placed kills. Hayden Payne made several key hits.

7th & 8th Grade A Finals at Acalanes

On Tuesday, June 1st and Wednesday, June 2nd Piedmont Middle School took 8 kids to compete in the 7th and 8th Grade “A” Finals at Acalanes High School.

BOYS

The 7th Grade 4x100m relay team of Elliot Gordon, Joey Wilhelm, Dominic Frost, and filling in for a sick Liam Schindler was Miles Von Herrmann finished 3rd with a time of 56.31. In the 100 meters Wilhelm finished in 5th place with a time of 13.95 and Gordon finished 10th with a time of 14.47. Gordon also filled in for Schindler in the Long Jump (13-6, 3rd) and High Jump (4-6, 4th). In the 7th grade 200m Wilhelm (4th, 28.17) and Frost (6th, 29.31) both scored for the Piedmont team. Von Herrmann finished 5th in the 7th grade mile clocking in at 6:05. In the 7th grade 800 meters Michael Kuroda (5th 2:43) and Von Herrmann (6th, 2:44) both finished with personal bests.

GIRLS

Piedmont only had two girls compete but they both had outstanding days. Alaina Martin won both the High Jump (4-8) and Triple Jump (33-10) and she took 2nd place (13.70) in the 100m. Martin won the individual championship for 8th grade girls with 28 points. Emilie Davis also had an impressive day finishing 4th (14.69) in the 100m, 4th (4-0) in the High Jump, and 2nd (12-9.5) in the Long Jump. Davis finished 5th overall in 8th grade girls with 15 points.

Sixth Grade A Finals at Alhambra

On Thursday, May 27th at Alhambra High School, Martinez Middle School hosted the 6th Grade A Finals.
BOYS
The 4X100m Relay team of Alex Harrison, Everett Ellis, Frank Kossak, and Wills Bird finished 2nd with a time of 1:00.10. In the 400m Ellis (1:10.05) finished 3rd and Julien Orban (1:12.93) finished 6th. Bird finished 4th in the 100m with a time of 14.50. Alex Harrison turned in a great performance in the mile finishing 2nd with a time of 5:52.63, a personal best of 5 seconds.

PMS Hosts B Finals

On Wednesday, May 26th the 6th, 7th and 8th grade B finals took place at Witter Field. There were 12 schools competing with over 200 kids.
BOYS
6TH Grade
In the boys mile, Zach Bloemker (6:10) and Mingwei Samuel (6:11) finished 2nd and 3rd. Bloemker (2:48, 1st), Samuel (2:58, 2nd), Kyle Bilorusky (3:04, 3rd) and Evan Hanke (3:13, 6th) represented Piedmont well in the 800m run.
7TH Grade
In the 7th grade boy’s 400m Max Canty-Hilchy finished 2nd running 1:12.6 and also finished first in the Long Jump with a 14-4. TJ Korotzer competed in the Shot Put with a distance of 17-9.5.
8TH Grade
In the 8th grade boys 800m Braeden Turner finished with a time of 2:55. 8th Grader Forest Wakeling ran the mile in 7:11. Jack Kossak ran a nice 100m in 15.16.
GIRLS
6TH Grade
Maura Phillips had an excellent day finishing 2nd in the long jump (10-9) and 100m (15.60). Alexandra Shoptaugh finished 2nd in the mile (7:09) and 3rd in the High Jump (3-6). Nicole Bilorusky finished 3rd in the mile (7:56) and 4th in the 800m. Megan Wilensky finished a nice 400m run with a time of 1:24.81.
7th Grade
Sophia Mills had a great day finishing 2nd among 7th grade girls in the 800m. In the 100m Remy Afong (15.37), Dylan Miller (15.7), and Hayden Payne (16.31) all ran well. In the 200m Afong (31.85, 3rd), Mills (33.22), Miller (33.70), and Payne (34.25) all ran hard in a huge field of 27 7th grade girls.

Piedmont Track & Field at Martinez

The Piedmont Middle School track and field team hit the road last Thursday, May 6th for a meet at Martinez.

BOYS
8th Grade
Hugh Hawkins had a nice debut performance in the shot put with a distance of 24’ 2”.

7th Grade
The 4x100 relay team of Joey Wilhelm, Liam Schindler, Dominic Frost, and Elliot Gordon finished 3rd with a time of 55.4. Wilhelm also ran the 100m (13.85) and 200 (27.47). Schindler set a new personal best in the High Jump at 4’ 7” while also running the 200m in 29.6. Frost finished his day running the 100m (14.03) and 200m (29.27). Ryan Castle had a season best of 30’0” in the shot put and also ran the 200m (34.71). Max Canty-Hilchy had a very impressive long jump distance of 14’ 3” while doubling in the 400m (1:14.8). Eric Poon jumped 12’ 11” in the long jump. TJ Korotzer ran the 200m (43.61) and 400m (1:40.6). Miles Von Herrmann (2:53.9) and Michael Kuroda (2:54.6) finished neck and neck in the 800m. Von Herrmann also set a new personal best in the mile (6:09).

6th Grade
The 4x100m relay team of Alex Harrison, Everett Ellis, Frank Kossak, and Wills Bird had another impressive race to finish 3rd with a time of 1:00.71. In the 100m, Ellis (14.19), Harrison (15.15) and Kossak (15.59) all turned in nice performances. Harrison (6:06), Zach Bloemker (6:29), Mingwei Samuel (6:30) and Evan Hanke (6:59) turned in nice runs in the mile. In the long jump Harrison jumped 11’ 1” with Bloemker (10’ 6”) and Samuel (9’6”) not far behind. Harrison completed his busy day with the High Jump (4’0”). Samuel also ran a nice 800m finishing in 2:55.9.

GIRLS
8th Grade
The 8th grade girls 4x100 relay team of Taylor Mopress, Alaina Martin, Emilie Davis, and with the help of 6th grader Madison Tenney finished 2nd in the race with a time of 1:01.6. In the 100m Martin (13.56), Davis (14.59), and Mopress (15.15) all finished in a pack. Martin won the High Jump (4’ 2”) with Davis (4’ 0”) close behind.

7th Grade
In the 100m, Sophia Mills (15.03), Hayden Payne (15.5) and Remy Afong (15.53) all finished closely. Afong (31.87) and Mills (32.68) came back with a nice double in the 200m. Payne jumped 10’0” in the long jump.

6th Grade

Megan Wilensky (1:26.6) and Madison Tenney (1:28.0) both turned in quality 400m times. Tenney also ran the opening leg for the 8th grade girl’s 4X100 meter relay because they needed an extra runner to fill out their team and helped them to a second place finish.

PMS Hosts First Track Meet of the Season

The Piedmont middle school track and field team dodged the rain and hosted the first meet of the season at Witter Field Wednesday, April 28th. The 6th grade boys (1.00.0) and 7th grade boys (56.07) both took first place in their 4 x 100m Relay. 7th Grader Julien Orban finished 3rd in the 400m (1:12.0). Kyle Bilorusky finished 1st among 6th grade boys in the 800m (3:13), with Ian Taylor (3:20) and Josh Erkelens (3:21) not far behind. Miles Von Herrmann (2:55) and Michael Kuroda (2:56) finished 3rd and 4th respectively in the 7th grade boys 800m. In the High Jump, 7th grader Liam Schindler finished 1st (4' 6") with Elliot Gordon (4' 2") finishing in 2nd. Schindler (14' 1") and Gordon (13' 11") finished 2nd and 3rd in the 7th Long Jump with Dominic Frost (13' 6") close behind. Mingwei Samuel (12' 0") won the 6th grade boys long jump. Wills Bird (14.6), Frank Kossak (15.7) and Nate Stephens (15.81) led the 6th grade boys’ team in the 100m. Joey Wilhelm (13.52) finished 1st in the 7th grade boys 100m. Alex Harrison finished 1st among 6th grade boys in the mile with Samuel (6:35) and Zach Bloemker (6:53) turning in nice performances.

On the girls’ side, Maddie Copeland (6:49) and Nicole Bilorusky (7:46) finished 2nd and 3rd in the 6th grade girls’ mile. Hayden Payne (10' 10") had a nice showing in the 7th grade Long Jump. Alaina Martin (15' 3") finished first in the 8th grade long jump with Emilie Davis (12' 5") finishing 3rd and Chloe Jiang (9' 11"). Martin (14.17) and Davis (14.72) also finished 2nd and 4th respectively in the 8th grade girls 100m. Sydney Silverman (15. 8) and Maura Phillips (15.94) led the Piedmont 6th grade girls 100m. Sophia Mills (1:15.7) and Remy Afong (1:16.2) finished 7th and 8th respectively in a huge field of 7th Grade Girls 400m. Alexandra Shoptough (1:25.4) finished 3rd in the 6th grade girls 400m.