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.

7th Grade Boys B Tournament

The Scots capped off their season by taking home the third place trophy at the Moraga-Orinda 7th Grade B Basketball Tournament on March 17th.

First round: Piedmont 46 - Orinda 45

With seconds left in overtime and the Scots trailing by one point to the Orinda Royal, Liam Schindler played the hero as he calmly stepped to the line and sank two free throws to win the game for the Scots, 46-45. This storybook finish was made possible due to the Scots’ thrilling comeback from a nine-point 3rd quarter deficit to tie the game in regulation. Tosh Meyers had his best game of the season scoring 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists. Joey Moyer (2 rebounds, 5 steals, 1 assist) added 11 points and Ethan Leon had 4 points and 3 rebounds. Chase Betta (6 points, 5 rebounds, 2, steals, 2 assists) and Paul Kim (3 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals) led a very aggressive defense, with Luke Smith (4 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 assist), Liam Schindler (4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal), Chris Rexrode, and Hunter Abel also contributing with strong play.

Second round: Piedmont 23 - Stanley 49
The Scots fought hard against the tournament’s 1st seed, Stanley Intermediate School, but never really found their rhythm and came up short, losing 49-23. Liam Schindler played well and scored 4 points with 5 rebounds and 1 steal. Chris Rexrode added 2 points in the effort. Paul Kim had 3 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 assist; Luke Smith had 3 points and 2 steals; and Hunter Abel and Chase Betta (3 points, 1 assist) each had 4 rebounds. Tosh Meyers (2 points, 1 rebound), Andrew Liu (1 rebound), Joey Moyer (4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal), and Ethan Leon (2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal) played hard throughout the game.

Third round: Piedmont 47 - Orinda 40
Through a strange scheduling quirk, the Scots found themselves playing a rematch with the Orinda Royal immediately after the Stanley loss, winning 47-40. Tired from their previous effort, the Scots fell behind early and trailed 29-25 at the half. However a strong 2nd half effort led by Joey Moyer, with 14 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal for the game; Liam Schindler with a season-high 10 points and 4 rebounds; Tosh Meyers with 7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, and 1 assist; Chase Betta with 8 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals, and 1 assist; and Paul Kim with 10 rebounds and a season-high 4 assists, gave the Scots the victory and a place in the Consolation game. Luke Smith (4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal) helped anchor a strong defense, and Andrew Liu (1 rebound, 1 steal, 1 assist), Hunter Abel (2 points), Ethan Leon (2 points, 4 rebounds), and Chris Rexrode with 1 rebound helped the tired Scots get to the finish line with a victory.

Third Place Game: Piedmont 44 - Orinda Silver 35

Although it was not their most dominant win of the season, the Scots captured 3rd place in the tournament by playing what may have been their best game, beating the Orinda Silver 44-35. The final result was never in doubt as the Scots controlled the action on both ends of the floor. Joey Moyer was on fire, scoring 23 points (including three 3-pointers) to go with 2 steals. Orinda had no answer for him or Tosh Meyers who ended up with 11 points (including a deep 3-pointer), 2 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 assists. Luke Smith had 6 points, 1 rebound, a season-high 6 steals, and 1 assist, and Andrew Liu had 3 rebounds and 1 steal. Chase Betta (4 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals, 1 assist), Ethan Leon (6 rebounds), and Hunter Abel (4 rebounds, 2 steals) controlled the boards throughout the game. Paul Kim (3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 assist), Liam Schindler (3 rebounds), and Chris Rexrode added to the overall stellar team effort.

8th Grade B Basketball Tournament

The Scots' first game of the tournament was an exciting rematch against the Joaquin Moraga Marauders. Nick Docter had several blocks and rebounds, including a buzzer-beater at half-time to take the lead, 14 -12. Michael Tam scored off of steals by Grant Gadbois and Spencer Kim. The Scots were up by 2 with 11 minutes left in the game when Moraga made a three-pointer to take the lead. Although the Scots fought hard to regain the lead, the Marauders took a determined stand and took home their first victory against the Scots this season. Final score: Piedmont 37 - JM 42.

In their second game of the tournament, the Scots took the early lead against the King Cobras. The Cobras answered with a three-pointer at the buzzer to come within 5 at half-time. Spencer Kim led in scoring with 9, with support from Kevin Wu and Michael Tam with 5, Grant Gadbois, Corey Collier, Miles Lee and Joseph Powell with 4, and Preston Tung, Chris Fetterolf and Nick Docter also getting on the board. Ben Wilson added to the defensive effort as the Scots took a commanding lead to win the game, Piedmont 42 - King 33.

Piedmont went on to the Consolation round, where they were defeated by Dorris-Eaton. Coach Josh Dozier concluded his second year of coaching with Piedmont Middle School, continuing to build on the boys' skills and instilling a strong sense of teamwork which was evidenced in the unselfish play exhibited at the tournament. The Scots players and parents all wish to acknowledge Coach Dozier's patience, time and effort in guiding the team through a challenging season. We hope the season was as memorable for you as it was for all of us.

Thank you, Coach!

8th Grade Scots v. Joaquin Moraga Intermediate

Piedmont 53 - JM 47
In their final league game, the Scots got a slow start against the Joaquin Moraga Marauders, trailing by 7 at the end of the first quarter. The Scots turned up the heat in the second quarter with their full-court press, which led to baskets by Preston Tung, Michael Tam and Miles Lee, bringing the Scots within one point. Consistent rebounding by Nick Docter and Spencer Kim kept the momentum going for Piedmont, bringing the half-time score to Piedmont 20, JM 22. The teams traded the lead repeatedly, with Grant Gadbois, Kevin Wu and Russell Jang driving to the basket to score. The Scots highlighted their offensive rebounding skills in one particular sequence, when each player on the floor -- Tung, Kim, Lee, Jang and Corey Collier -- all got the rebound to give the team multiple shot attempts and got a roar of applause from the crowd. The Scots sealed the deal in the final minutes, taking the lead and winning the game, 53 - 47. High-scorers were Tung with 11 points, and Kim and Docter with 10 points each.

7th Grade Boys Scots v. El Sobrante

Piedmont 29 - El Sobrante 40

The 7th grade Scots ended their regular season by losing 40-29 to El Sobrante Middle School despite outscoring their opponent 9-3 in the 4th quarter. Liam Schindler had 8 points and 5 rebounds to lead the Scots. Ethan Leon had 6 points and 7 rebounds, Joey Moyer (2 rebounds, 1 steal) scored 10 points; Luke Smith (4 rebounds, 2 steals) had 3 assists; Chase Betta (2 points, 5 rebounds) had 9 steals; and Andrew Liu (2 points) played strong, aggressive defense. Tosh Meyers (1 point, 7 rebounds, 2 assists), Paul Kim (a season-high 10 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 assist), and Chris Rexrode played hard at both ends of the court.

7th Grade Boys Scots v. Fifers

Scots 43 - Fifers 37

In a thrilling rematch, the 7th grade Scots prevailed 43-37 over the 7th grade Fifers, despite Andrew Strauch’s miracle, half-court shot that beat the buzzer to end the game. Ryan Castle, with 12 points and 13 rebounds for the game, led the Fifers’ valiant 4th quarter comeback. Strauch scored 9 points and Peter Christopoulos added 5 points (including a deep 3-pointer) for the Fifers. Joey Moyer led the Scots with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 5 steals, and 1 assist, and Chase Betta had 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 assist. Hunter Abel (4 rebounds) and Paul Kim (3 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 assists) each had 6 points. Chris Rexrode had 2 points and 1 rebound, and Tosh Meyers (2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal) kept the offense moving by dishing out 3 assists. Liam Schindler (6 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 assists), Ethan Leon (4 points, 4 rebounds), Andrew Liu (2 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal), and Luke Smith (2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals) rounded out a great effort by all the Scots.

7th Grade Boys Basketball Highlanders v. MLK

Piedmont 26 - MLK 47

The 7th Grade Highlanders played the King Middle School Cobras on March 1 at King. The Highlanders kept the score close in the opening minutes, but the Cobras countered with some 3-point shots towards the end of the first quarter and jumped out to a 13-7 lead. In the second quarter the teams traded baskets and they went into halftime with the Cobras leading 21-12. Despite the Highlanders tough defense inside, the Cobras got the hot hand from long range in the third quarter and pulled ahead 37-18. The Highlanders could not overcome the large lead and lost 47-26. The Highlanders were lead by Julian Cortez, Drew Bonnin and Dylan McBirney with 6 points each.

7th Grade Boys Scots Basketball

7th Grade Boys Scots v. Moraga

Piedmont 26 - Moraga 34
The 7th grade Scots played their best quarter of the season, outscoring Moraga Middle School 16-1 in the 4th quarter, before losing 34-26. Chase Betta led the comeback with 6 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals in the 4th quarter alone. Tosh Meyers had 6 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists for the game and Michael Pacult added 6 points and 9 rebounds. Joey Moyer scored 2 points and had 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Luke Smith (1 rebound, 4 steals), Liam Schindler (5 rebounds), and Andrew Liu also scored. Paul Kim (7 rebounds), Ethan Leon (2 rebounds), Chris Rexrode, and Hunter Abel played strong on offense and defense.

7th Grade Boys Scots v. Willard

Piedmont 34 - Willard 44
The 7th grade Scots played hard for four quarters against Willard Middle School but came up short, losing 44-34. Tosh Meyers with 10 points and 1 assist, Joey Moyer with 8 points and 2 assists, and Luke Smith with 4 points and 3 assists led the offense. Chase Betta had a strong game with 6 points, 4 rebounds, 7 steals, and 2 assists. Meyers (2 rebounds, 6 steals), Moyer (1 rebound, 1 steal), Smith (2 rebounds, 2 steals), Paul Kim (9 rebounds, 2 steals), Liam Schindler (3 points, 5 rebounds), Hunter Abel (5 rebounds, 1 steal), Andrew Liu (3 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 assist), Ethan Leon (5 rebounds), and Chris Rexrode all contributed to a balanced defense and offensive attack.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders vs. Walnut Creek

Piedmont 25 - WCI 46
The 7th grade boys Highlander basketball team went up against the Walnut Creek Intermediate School on Tuesday, February 23, at Morrison Gym. Piedmont started strong with baskets by Julian Cortez and Dylan McBirney, but WCI countered strong defense and kept the Highlander scoreless for the rest of the quarter, taking a 14-4 lead. In the second quarter, Quinn Burnett had the hot hand scoring 5 points in the quarter, including a long 3. Piedmont outscored MCI and the teams went into the half with MCI leading 21-12. In the third quarter, WCI again pressed hard on defense and took a commanding lead at the end of the 3rd quarter, 37 to 17. In the final quarter Piedmont broke the hard press, but it was too late as WCI came away with a 46 to 25 victory. Drew Bonnin and Nathan Krueger led the defensive charge with 3 steals each. Leading on rebounds were Nathaniel Lowhurst and Xavier Prospero with 7 each.

7th Grade Boys Scots v. Fifers

On February 10, the 7th grade Scots and the 7th grade Fifers played a thrilling game that went down to the wire before the Scots prevailed, winning 43-38. The Fifers led throughout most of the second half, but a furious comeback in the last few minutes enabled the Scots to come out on top. All players on both teams played hard and really enjoyed the chance to compete against their friends and classmates. Luke Smith was a standout for the Scots scoring 11 points with 4 assists. Tosh Meyers and Joey Moyer each scored 11 points as well. Moyer added 8 steals, Paul Kim had 8 rebounds and 4 steals, and Liam Schindler had 5 rebounds to go with 2 assists. A rematch is scheduled for March 2.

8th Grade Boys Scots v. Walnut Creek

Piedmont 27 – WCI 44
High scorer Sam Greenwall helped keep the Scots within striking distance for the first half, but the Scots ultimately suffered a loss to Walnut Creek Intermediate School. Greenwall scored 12 points, with support from Spencer Kim with 6 points, Corey Collier with 5 points, and Joseph Powell with 4 points.

8th Grade Boys Scots v. Dorris-Eaton

Piedmont 35 – Dorris-Eaton 51
After falling behind by 15 in the first quarter, the Scots played their opponent straight up for the remainder of the game. Nick Docter had a huge block and scored on an assist from Preston Tung. Kevin Wu hit a three-pointer, while Grant Gadbois and Sam Greenwall drove the lane to score. Michael Tam, Miles Lee and Tung contributed steals to the defensive effort. In the end, the team was unable to overcome the early deficit, losing the game by sixteen points.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders v. Albany

The 7th grade Highlanders started out strong against the smaller Albany Middle School Cobras. Using a full court press and the well balanced offensive attack of Julian Cortez, Quinn Burnett, Graham Low, Nathaniel Lowhurst, and Dylan McBirney, the Highlanders jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the first quarter. In the second quarter the defensive effort of Skip Hill, Xavier Prospero, Sam Hunt, and Drew Bonnin clamped down and prevented Albany MS from scoring, while offensively Cole Gruendl and Nathan Krueger contributed to the charge, as the Highlanders increased the lead 21-4. In the third quarter the Highlanders continued the defensive pressure allowing only 2 points, while increasing the lead to 33-6. In the fourth quarter the Cobras valiantly put up a fight to outscore the Highlanders, but it was to no avail as Highlanders finally put away the Cobras and ended up winning 37-13. Nathanial Lowhurst led all scorers with 9 points, Quinn Burnett and Julian Cortez both had 5 rebounds, and Graham Low led the team with 5 steals.

7th Grade Boys Scots v. Orinda

The 7th grade Scots dominated start to finish, beating Orinda Middle School 57-22. Paul Kim led the way with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 steals; Liam Schindler had 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 1 steal; and Andrew Liu had a breakout game scoring 6 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, and making 2 steals. Tosh Meyers (6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals) and Luke Smith (4 points, 2 steals) kept the offense moving with 6 and 3 assists respectively. Chase Betta (5 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals), Joey Moyer (6 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals), Hunter Abel (4 points, 11 rebounds), and Chris Rexrode (1 steal) played strong on offense and defense.

7th Grade Boys Scots vs. Montera

After a slow 1st quarter, the 7th grade Scots played competitively against Montera Middle School through the remainder of the game before losing 37-24. Tosh Meyers led the effort with 8 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 steals; Joey Moyer added 6 points, 1 rebound, and 3 steals; and Ethan Leon had an excellent game scoring 7 points to go along with 2 rebounds and 3 steals. Paul Kim (1 rebound, 1 steal), Chris Rexrode, Luke Smith (1 assist), Andrew Liu (2 rebounds), Hunter Abel (2 rebounds, 1 steal), and Liam Schindler (3 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal) were active at both ends of the court.

7th Grade Boys Scots v. Albany Middle School

Piedmont 48 - Albany 14

The 7th grade Scotts were virtually unstoppable in dominating Albany Middle School, 48-14, including outscoring their opponents 22-0 in the final ten minutes. Joey Moyer excelled on offense with 12 points and defense with 8 steals. Chase Betta had 10 points and 13 rebounds. Michael Pacult scored 8 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Tosh Meyers, who had 6 steals, and Luke Smith combined for 10 points and 5 assists with their excellent passing. In complete control of the boards, Paul Kim, Hunter Abel, Liam Schindler, Andrew Liu, and Chris Rexrode combined for 30 rebounds. On offense, Kim, Abel, and Schindler also scored.

7th Grade Boys Scots v. Willard Middle School

Piedmont 43 - Willard 50

The 7th grade Scots came up short, losing to Willard Middle School 50-43, despite a furious 4th-quarter comeback led by Tosh Meyers with 7 points and 5 assists, Joey Moyer with 9 points, Luke Smith with 4 points and 2 assists, and Chase Betta with 8 points. Paul Kim, Michael Pacult and Ethan Leon also scored. Pacult had 15 rebounds and Betta added 9 rebounds and 2 steals to lead the defensive effort that included strong play from Andrew Liu with 2 rebounds, Liam Schindler with 4 rebounds, Chris Rexrode, and Smith with 5 rebounds and 2 steals.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders vs. Longfellow Middle School

Piedmont 31 – Longfellow 43

Facing a tough opponent, Piedmont fought back to overcome a deficit of more than twenty points. Xavier Prospero was high scorer with ten points, with Graham Low and Nathaniel Lowhurst also contributing to the offensive charge. Low led in rebounds, with defensive steals by Prospero and Nathan Kruger. Sam Hunt and Dylan McBirney also contributed to the team effort. Ultimately, the Highlanders finished strong but ran out of time during their comeback run, losing by 12.

8th Grade Boys Scots Basketball v. Willard

Overcoming both illness and injury, the 8th Grade Scots team played the hearts out against the Willard Middle School team, losing in the end, but out-scoring them in both the second and fourth quarters. Led by the fast breaks and skilled ball-handling of Joseph Powell, outside shooting of Grant Gadbois, and accurate free shots of Russell Jang, the Scots offense went head-to-head with WMS thru the first half. Lay-ups and assists by Sam Greenwall, Kevin Wu, and Michael Tam also contributed several points. Highlights on defense included a blocked shot by Nick Docter and aggressive defensive pressure by Gadbois, Michael Tam and Jang. The Willard team’s strong full-court press and excellent outside shooting ultimately won the game for them, but the Piedmont Scots showed determination and much progress in their teamwork and ball control.

7th Grade Highlanders Triumph with Third Place Win in Martinez Tournament

Highlanders Blast Past Benicia in Game 1 of Tournament, 47 -24
While Benicia was within 4 points at the end of the first quarter at 11-7, Piedmont's defense held Benicia to 4 points in the second quarter to end 24-11 at the half. Piedmont's offense shone in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, featuring Cecilia Soghikian nailing a 3 pointer and leading the team with 9 points, and Kerry Krohn contributing 5 points, 3 of them free throws. The Highlanders slowed down on defense in the 4th quarter due to their numerous fouls which resulted in Benicia scoring 8, but not enough to close the gap, giving Piedmont the victory. Claire O'Connor scored 8, Maddie Baum scored 6, Marley Bratman scored 6, and Sarah Mooney scored 5, 3 from free throws. Madie Eidam led the team in assists (3), steals (3) and blocks (3). Cecilia Soghikian led in defensive rebounds with 5, and Claire O'Connor and Madie Eidam both pulled down 3 offensive rebounds. Nicole Cosares grabbed several rebounds as well.

Lafayette Stanley Steals 2nd Game from Piedmont,

26-40
Piedmont started strong in the first 2 quarters, with a score at the half 18-13. Lindsey Vaughn scored 5 of her 7 points in the first quarter, and Sydney Williams scored 4 of her 6 points in the second quarter. Stanley's defense picked up and their offense gained momentum, scoring 11 to tie it up at the end of the third quarter, 24-24. From there, Stanley dominated Piedmont - Clare Keating scored the only Highlander goal in the 4th quarter- to win the game, 26-40. Keating scored 4 total, had 2 assists, and led in steals (5), and blocks (7). Kerry Krohn scored 3, and had 2 assists. Angel Rael scored 2, and had 4 blocks. Madie Eidam scored 2, made 3 rebounds and forced 2 turnovers. Sarah Mooney also contributed a bucket and strong defense.

Highlanders Conquer King, 32-28 to take 3rd Place
The Highlanders held their ground in a physical game for third place. Berkeley Martin Luther King had two technical fouls and gave Piedmont 21 free throw opportunities in the Highlanders come-from-behind victory. King led at the end of the first quarter, keeping Piedmont to 4 points. Piedmont made 4 freethrows and 2 goals and played strong defense to end ahead at the half 13 -12. The lead went back and forth between Piedmont and King, but Piedmont ended the 3rd quarter 23-20 with Kerry Krohn contributing her 4 points of the game. Piedmont held on in the 4th quarter, scoring 9 and only allowing King 8 to end the game 32-28. Lindsey Vaughn received the All Tournament Team Honors trophy. She scored 8 total, from multiple drives to the basket and free throws from drawing fouls, and led her team in blocks(3). Marley Bratman scored all 3 of her attempts for 6 points, Angel Rael scored 4 free throws and had 2 assists, and led her team in rebounds (10) and steals (5). Maddie Baum had a successful fastbreak from a critical steal in the 4th quarter, scoring 4 total, with 2 assists and 2 fast steals. Madie Eidam scored 4, had an assist, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. Sydney Williams pulled down 6 rebounds, Claire O'Connor scored 2, and Clare Keating played aggressive defense with 3 forced turnovers and 2 steals.

8th Grade Boys Scots Basketball score their first victory

Piedmont 38 – Orinda 25

The 8th Grade Scots put together a great team effort to defeat Orinda for their first victory of the season. High scorers Preston Tung and Sam Greenwall were solid in the paint for 11 and 10 points, respectively. Grant Gadbois had 8 points, and Russell Jang drove the lane for another two points. Corey Collier, Miles Lee, Kevin Wu and Nick Docter all contributed steals and rebounds on the defensive end of the court.

Piedmont 21 – Foothill 37

Piedmont led Foothill after the first quarter, only to find themselves coming back from an eight point deficit to close out the half down by three. Sam Greenwall scored 8 points and had five rebounds as the Scots struggled to keep up with Foothill's third quarter scoring run. The team's balanced scoring was supported by the Scots performance on the defensive end: Nick Docter had two blocked shots, with rebounding support by Spencer Kim and Michael Tam.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders v. Foothill

Piedmont 29 – Foothill 45

The 7th Grade Boys Highlanders came out strong to remain tied at the end of the first quarter, and within two points at the half. Nathaniel Lowhurst and Graham Low led the charge with 10 and 8 points, respectively. Drew Bonnin fired up the defense with five steals, and Skip Hill had two blocked shots against Foothill’s relentless offense.

7th Grade Boys Highlanders v. Orinda Intermediate School

Piedmont 31 – Orinda 32

The Highlanders struggled to find their rhythm and found themselves down by 15 at the half. Excellent defense and clutch defense by Nathan Kruger, Quinn Burnett, Javier Prospero, Nathaniel Lowhurst, Drew Bonnin and Julian Cortes sparked the team to lead a fourth quarter come back. Kruger kept the Highlanders in it when he hit a free throw to tie it up with .4 seconds left. The Highlanders hopes for a win were crushed when Orinda answered with a free throw to win by one point with .1 seconds left in regulation.

7th Grade Boys Scots v. Stanley Middle School

Piedmont 25 - SMS 48

The 7th grade Scots started out strong against Stanley Middle School on Thursday, and stayed close through much of the first half, before losing 48-25. The final score was not indicative of the effort as Chase Betta (4 rebounds, 5 steals), Paul Kim (5 rebounds, 3 steals), Liam Schindler (6 rebounds, 1 steal), Hunter Abel (3 rebounds, 1 steal), and Joey Moyer (3 rebounds, 1 steal) led an aggressive defense. Ethan Leon added 2 timely rebounds and Andrew Liu and Chris Rexrode contributed with energetic play. On offense, Luke Smith (8 points), Tosh Meyers (4 points, 1 assist), Betta (5 points, 1 assist), and Kim (4 points, 1 assist), with Moyer and Abel also scoring, kept the heat on their opponent while threatening to make a comeback.

7th Grade Boys Scots v. Orinda Intermediate School

Piedmont 35 – OIS 40

The 7th grade Scots experienced a heartbreaking 40-35 overtime loss to Orinda Intermediate School, despite being in control throughout most of the game with a smothering defense and balanced offense. Michael Pacult (9 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks), Paul Kim (8 rebounds, 1 steal), Chase Betta (7 rebounds ,4 steals), Liam Schindler (8 rebounds), Hunter Abel (3 rebounds), Andrew Liu (2 rebounds) and Tosh Meyers (2 rebounds, 8 steals) led the defense, while Meyers (10 points), Joey Moyer (9 points, including a deep 3-pointer) and Luke Smith (5 points) combined for several assists and kept the offense moving. Kim, Betta, Pacult, Schindler and Abel also scored. Ethan Leon and Chris Rexrode added energy and effort at both ends of the court.

7th Grade Girls Scots Finish Strong in Final Game of the Season

7th Grade Girls Scots basketball team topped off a great season with a machine like win over Albany, 19-11. The Scots spread around the highlights. Defensively, the team recorded a remarkable 29 steals with Noelle Lautt (6), Julia Ormond (5), Abby Ramsey (5) and Johanna Rapport (4) leading the way. On the boards Maya Kiruluta and Sofia Lautt led the team with five rebounds each while Johanna Rapport, Sabrynna Yarbrough and Noelle Lautt each brought down four. Point guard duties were equally shared between Remy Afong, Abby Ramsey and Sofia Lautt who was also top scorer with 6 points.

The Scots end the season with 11 wins and 2 losses. Sofia Lautt, speaking for the team, is quick to credit first year coaches Vanessa Robbins and Bryttanni Black with inspiring the team, “They became friends with us quickly, so we all wanted to play our hardest!”

7th Grade Girls Highlanders End Regular Season 5 - 3

Highlanders Lose to Montera 18 - 60

Montera outplayed the Highlanders, both offensively and defensively. Montera led at the half 8 - 35 and continued to drop buckets, steal constantly, and drive to the basket with strength until the end. Sydney Williams played with a hurt shoulder but still achieved 6 rebounds for the Highlanders. Angel Rael, Lindsey Vaughn, Maddie Baum, and Madie Eidam each scored 4. Nicole Cosares scored a basket and forced a Montera turnover. Maddie Baum and Lindsey Vaughn stole and rebounded several times to challenge Montera.

Highlanders Advance Over Albany 36-2

In a game with numerous fouls called in the first half on both teams, Highlanders easily took the game. Piedmont led 20-0 at the half and kept Albany to only one field goal. Albany's defense picked up in the 4th quarter, only allowing Piedmont 2 points. Lindsey Vaughn led the offense with 8, Clare Keating, Madie Eidam, and Sarah Mooney each scored 6, Kerry Krohn and Maddie Baum scored 4, and Marley Bratman scored a basket. Cecilia Soghikian, Clare Keating, and Madie Eidam each had 2 assists. Madie Eidam led the team with 4 rebounds, Sarah Mooney played aggressive defense with 3 forced turnovers and 4 steals, and Lindsey Vaughn had an astounding 10 steals and 2 blocks.

Highlanders Defeat Redwood Day, 49 -23

Piedmont came out strong with 18 points in the first quarter and another 8 in the second and kept Redwood Day to 2 points up to the half. (26-2) After the half, Redwood Day scored 6 points in the first minute and a total of 16 in the 3rd quarter. Piedmont responded with 10 points of their own and kept Redwood Day to 5 points in the fourth quarter to take the victory. Angel Rael led with 14 points, Clare Keating and Lindsey Vaughn each scored 8, Marley Bratman scored 5, Claire O'Connor, Maddie Baum, and Madie Eidam each scored 4, and Cecilia Soghikian scored a basket. Lindsey Vaughn led in assists with 4 and pulled off 3 steals. Angel Rael had yet another strong game, leading with 3 rebounds, 5 steals, and 3 blocks. Clare Keating played aggressive defense with 3 forced turnovers, 3 steals and contributed 2 assists. Marley Bratman played well with 2 assists, 2 steals, and a block.

7th Grade Boys Basketball Highlanders v. Edna Brewer

The 7th Grade Boys Highlanders put up a valiant effort against Edna Brewer MS last Tuesday, before going down 25 to 48. Piedmont was led by the hot shooting of Cole Gruendl and Dylan McBirney, who had eight and six points, respectfully. Feeding them the ball was Skip Hill who led the team with four assists, while Julian Cortez pulled down eight rebounds. Graham Low, Drew Bonnin and Sam Hunt contributed strong play on both sides of the court.

7th Grade Girls Highlanders Stymie Stanley

The 7th Grade Girls Highlanders started with a strong lead and finished with resolve to beat Lafayette Stanley. The Highlanders showed off their teamwork in the first quarter, pulling ahead 14-2. Stanley woke up in the 2nd quarter, pulling within 4 at the half and even led by 1 in the 3rd quarter. Piedmont responded in the 4th quarter with two critical fastbreaks by Marley Bratman, several successful offensive plays, and strong defense to win by 4.

This game highlighted the all around team contributions. Offensive successes included Angel Rael scoring 10 points, Claire O'Connor, Lindsey Vaughn, and Marley Bratman each scoring 4, and Cecilia Soghikian, Kerry Krohn, Madie Eidam, Nicole Cosares, and Sarah Mooney each contributing a basket. Maddie Baum had four assists, and Clare Keating and Sydney Williams had three.

Overall the team played very aggressive defense. Angel Rael had a stunning series of defensive blocks. Maddie Baum led the team with steals, and Madie Eidam led with rebounds.

Final score: PMS 32 - SMS 28

Rematch: 7th Grade Boys Highlanders v. Lincoln Middle School

In a rematch of their overtime loss to Lincoln Middle School back on December 17th, the 7th grade Highlanders came up just short again, losing 42 to 37 in what was another exciting game at Buzz Gym. Piedmont was paced by the strong inside play of Julian Cortez, who led the team with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Other top scorers were Nathan Kruger with six points, Drew Bonnin with five points and Javier Prospero with four points. Dylan McBirney pulled down seven rebounds and Graham Low led the team with four steals and four assists.