With NVD fall sports returning this season, freshmen are stepping it up and bringing something new to the table. This year, a few notable freshman athletes have been making their way onto varsity teams, working hard and proving their skills.
Starting off with the girls volleyball team, Deanna Finkleston has become an essential player to the team. Out of 15 players on varsity, Finkleston starts on the court. She is filling more than one position as a middle and an outside hitter.
Finkleston’s coach, Powell, explains how, “Deanna is a steady, very athletic freshman who can hit and block at a high level and has a propensity for low errors,” said Powell. As a freshman she has already become a “top notch player” and is a pleasure to coach.
Next up, Panayiotis Amitsis, a varsity player on the football team, plays on the offensive and defensive lines.
According to coach Guttuso, “In his short time with our team he brings energy and passion for the game. He works hard and he is improving every day at practice.”
Guttuso expects Amistis to continue to work hard both on and off the field and “become a starter and leader among his peers.”
Girls soccer have also had a good start to their season. On the girls side, freshman Lexi Brisman has earned a starting position on the girls varsity team as goalie. Brisman is a very “vocal keeper” and is great at communicating with her defensive line, girls soccer coach, Boselli said.
As she progresses with her next four years of high school, Boselli expresses goals she holds for Brisman. “Future expectations for Lexi would be to continue to lead through the back of her years in the program here at NVD. One long-term goal to set would be to continue to dominate in the box on every attack,” Boselli said.
Lastly, the girls tennis team has a record of 7-0 with key victories over Old Tappan and Tenafly. Freshman, Sabrina Chu, has become a starter for the number one singles position. She is 7-0 in team matches and overall 8-1. Chu was able to advance to the quarterfinals of the Bergen County Tournament before losing to the number two seed, Holy Angels.
According to coach Johnson, Chu has “created a tremendous amount of depth on the team. She has made all the other positions so much stronger by earning the 1st singles position. Sabrina has a tremendous work ethic and is a very coachable individual. “
With the progress Chu will make over the next four years, her coach expects her to compete to become one of the best players in the county and in the state.
Overall, Finkelston, Amistis, Brisman, and Chu are all newly talented players who have made major contributions to their team. Their coaches and teammates are all excited to see their progress and what more they can bring to the team.
