Fall 2012 - Memphis University School

Bringing hOme
For the fifth consecutive year, the Owl contingent took first place at the Tennessee Junior Classical League State Convention.
LATiN SCHOLARS CLAiM FiFTH STATE TiTLE
Latin scholars took first place at the Tennessee Junior Classical
League State Convention for the fifth year in a row. With a school
record 1,497 points in the sweepstakes competition and numerous
athletic, arts, and academic awards, it was a runaway victory for the
Bubones (Owls).
“Even though we had won the state convention the past four years,
our students did not become complacent,” Ryan Sellers, instructor in
Latin, said. “They remained focused and motivated, and they held off
tough challenges from Nashville’s Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet and
White Station to win their fifth consecutive championship.”
Salman Haque ’14, William Lamb ’14, Aditya Shah ’14, Richard
Ouyang ’15, and yunhua Zhao ’15 all finished in the top 10 for individual
points scored among a field of 800 competitors.
Aditya Shah, William Lamb, Yunhua Zhao, Richard Ouyang, and Salman Haque
finished in the top 10 at the TJCL convention.
FENCiNG TEAM FOiLS STATE COMPETiTiON
With first-place finishes in the epee and saber divisions and a secondplace
finish in foil, the fencing team brought home the state fencing
championship title.
This year’s Tennessee State Secondary School Fencing Championships,
organized and hosted by Cheney Fencing in Franklin, drew a record 12
high school and homeschool teams and 71 individual competitors.
The 2011-12 fencers at the state Junior Olympic Qualifying Tournament in November: (front
row, left to right) Mark Sorensen, Ben Taylor, Aaron Clifft, Bennett Mercer, Doug McClew;
(back row) Coach Brad Kroeker, Jared Ashkenaz, Drew Hutson, Andrew Elsakr, Nick DiMento,
Utkarsh Mishra, and Andy Sorensen
The three MUS weapon teams, led by team captains Mark
Sorensen ’12, Ben Taylor ’13, and Drew Hutson ’13, performed
well against programs from across the state, including McCallie, St.
George’s, Christian Brothers, and Baylor School.
The La Ds
In the individual saber competition, Hutson placed second, followed
by Jeffrey Zheng ’15 in seventh place, utkarsh Mishra ’13 in
ninth, and Andrew Elsakr ’15 in 10th. With these finishes, the saber
team claimed the top spot in the division for the second year in a row,
beating out four other teams.
The foil division saw Sorensen place fifth and Zheng seventh, with
point contributions from Doug McClew ’14, Sam Ostrow ’14, and
kevin Tu ’16. The team finished second behind a powerful Baylor
squad, gaining ground from last year’s third-place finish.
In the hotly contested epee team competition, MUS bested 11 other
schools for the first-place finish. Taylor just missed the medal round
with a strong fifth-place finish. Aaron Clifft ’13 (who finished ninth)
and Jared Ashkenaz ’13 (14th), William Lamb ‘14, and Nick
DiMento ’16 all added to the team score.
“Our team depth and really courageous performances by every person on
each weapon team put us over the top,” Head Coach Brad Kroeker said.
LACROSSE TEAM WiNS EiGHTH TENNESSEE TiTLE
The varsity lacrosse team took a second straight lacrosse state title,
making this the eighth Tennessee lacrosse victory for MUS.
In the finals against Brentwood Lacrosse Club in Nashville, the team
looked as if they would win handily, as they led at the end of the first
quarter and seemed in control. But early in the fourth, Brentwood
gained momentum and led 11-8 with less than four minutes left.
However, the Owls scored four straight goals, including the gamewinner
with just 11 seconds remaining, to secure the title. Head Coach
Elliott Dent was elated with the outcome.
“What an awesome comeback,” Dent said. “Everything that had to
be done, was done. It was perfect team play the last three to four
minutes. We just never panicked, and it showed.”
He attributes much of the success to players from the Class of 2012:
James David Duke, Charlie Freeburg, Scott Freeburg, Garrott
Graham, Joe Morrison, Ross Warner, and Heath Wilder. Their
The Varsity lacrosse team celebrates winning the state title.
Owls Score in
Academics, Athletics,
and the Arts
skill combined with the talent of the younger players made the Owls a
formidable team. Offensively, attackmen Jackson Loeb ’13 and Patrick
DiMento ’14 along with Duke led the team to average more than 11
goals per game. Contributing to that offensive output were the Freeburgs
and Wilder; Class of 2013 middies Peyton klawinski, Andrew
Miller, Remy Rea, and Fort Robinson; plus Lucas Crenshaw ’14
and Hayden Hunt ‘15. Leaders of the defensive unit included Morrison,
Grant James ’13, Wil Rainer ’13, and Jackson Roberts ’14. Goalie
Selby Austin ’13 proved to be one of the best in the state.
The Producers cast members perform “Along Came Bialy” at the Orpheum’s High School Musical Theatre
Awards. (front row, left to right) Jules Jordan, Sam Shankman, Paul Stevenson, and Jace Watkins,
(back row, left to right) Margaret Shaul, Allison Blankenship, Caroline Bush, and Kacey Alexander
the pRoduceRs CAPTuRES ORPHEuM AWARDS
The MUS production of Mel Brooks’ classic, The Producers, garnered a dozen
nominations in the 2012 High School Musical Theatre Awards. At the Tony
Awards-style presentation at the Orpheum Theatre in May, members of
the cast performed “Along Came Bialy,” and the production claimed awards
for Outstanding Music Direction, Outstanding Scenic Design Tier I, and
Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role.
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