48 APRIL 2023 PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA FISCHER Brophy Prep is sending five archers to Nationals in April. By Justin McCoy An exciting archery season has ended at Brophy and Xavier Prep, with Brophy bringing home its third state championship in a row, and both schools sending students to compete at the National Archery in the Schools Program 2023 Western Nationals in Utah in April. Brophy shined once again at the state championship, taking the top spot in bullseye and 3D, which has the archers shooting three- dimensional foam animals from various distances on an open course. Head Coach Lisa Fischer was overjoyed when the results were revealed in March. “We won State. We got first place in the bullseye and first place in 3D. Three-peated!” Fischer exclaimed. Brophy has consecutively placed first at the AZ State Championships in 2021, 2022 and 2023. They led all other schools in bullseye and 3D, scoring 3250 and 1674, respectively. For the Bullseye individual scores, Luciano Beninato finished fifth with a score of 283 out of 300. Michael Sisco placed sixth and Jonah Bae finished 10th place with a score of 279. Luciano also won the 3D competition with a score of 292 out of 300. The Broncos had three others in the Top 10 finishers: Hunter Adams in fourth place, Michael Sisco in seventh, and Joshua Mamola in ninth. How scoring works is this: there are five colors on the target; yellow, red, blue, black, and white. Each color has two rings, with points assigned to each ring. The very center ring (yellow) is worth 10 points. The next center ring (also yellow) is worth 9 and the points and colors go down from there, 8, 7, etc. until archers reach 1, which is the outermost ring. Brophy did qualify to go to Nationals, but Fischer explained that it was the coach’s decision to abstain from the team competition so the individuals can focus on their own matches. Juniors Luciano Beninato, Hunter Adams, Michael Sisco, Jonah Bae, and sophomore Joshua Mamola will all head to Utah to represent their school. A genuinely memorable experience for Fischer and her team capped off Brophy’s red-letter season when senior Cesar Yanez Ruiz, who is entirely blind, scored his very first bullseye. “He was overjoyed! That moment told me archery is truly an adaptive sport,” Fischer said. “People assume archery is all about aiming. It isn’t about aiming; it’s about form.” Around 60 boys tried out for the team in September, with 50 (the highest number ever to try out previously) deciding to remain on through the season. Fischer said archery is a “no-cut” sport. If the student shows interest in playing, and a desire to compete, they can stay on the team. The Broncos played five tournaments this season, consisting of a monthly qualifier from October to January and the state championship in February. They competed against Central High School in Phoenix and Arete Prep in Gilbert, among other schools in the state. Overall, Fischer was very impressed with the season. “This year’s state championship was the best the boys have ever played. We did amazing. I’m so proud of the team; they were super focused and calm.” Fischer said. “Archery is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical. You need to be calm under pressure.” Meanwhile, Xavier played in seven tournaments this season, culminating at the AZ State Championships in February. While the team did not qualify for Nationals in bullseye – coming in just three points shy – they did qualify in team 3D, placing fourth overall. A consortium of 24 girls will head to Utah to represent Xavier at Nationals for team 3D competition. In addition, senior Felicia FitzGerald, sophomore Olivia Fisko, and junior Thy Pham will enter the individual competition. Xavier Head Coach Kelsey Gerchar said that many students shot their personal best this season. “Thy Pham, who didn’t make the competition team just last year, is now in the top 10 in the State for high school girls, and she’s going on to nationals. That, I think, is a great accomplishment.” Gerchar said. Archery teams on target for Nationals Our classroom is so uplifting it has wings. Opening Fall 2023 | Grades 5 & 6 | Midtown Phoenix Our classroom is so uplifting it has wings. Learning ecology in the field at Desert Botanical Garden. It’s just one way we create unique student experiences that feed a sense of inquiry, reflection, action, and discovery. Phoenix Friends School offers a learning experience in the tradition of Quaker-led academies welcoming all faiths and practices. We encourage a whole-student approach that values academic excellence and spiritual depth. Visit PhoenixFriendsSchool.org for more information.

49 APRIL 2023 By Rachael Bouley After a strong showing at USA Spirit Nationals last year, Xavier Spiritline returned to the stage in style in 2023, with cheer finishing second in Crowdleader and Show Cheer Advance out of more than 30 teams from around the country. Adding to the Gators’ achievements for this season, Xavier’s pom team took seventh place in the Medium Pom and Jazz events against more than 50 teams. USA Spirit Nationals incorporates cheerleading, song/pom, mascot, and pep flag competitions for an action-packed weekend of school spirit and athletic abilities. Crowdleader cheers focus on displaying school spirit and getting the crowd involved in the cheer – this includes a band chant and a fight song. Varsity Show Cheer Advanced focuses on a competitive routine that showcases the team’s stunting and tumbling skills. As the event celebrated 38 years, the Gators had a celebration of their own after carrying the momentum from their standout performances all throughout the year. They came into nationals with confidence from cheer’s clean sweep at the 2022 National Championships and top five placements for jazz and pom, too. “Our season was amazing,” Head Coach Monica Gaspar said. “Our cheer team won the AIA State Championship in December for the Gameday Division, and all of our teams qualified to compete at state and nationals.” The Gators remained dedicated to training leading up to nationals, practicing Show Cheer, All Girl Stunt, and Gameday routines to make sure they were ready to impress the judges at the event in Anaheim in February. They certainly left their mark, with Varsity Show Cheer and Crowdleader placing second on day one prelims to advance to finals. Thanks to their collaboration and enthusiasm, the Gators were able to finish the season on a high note, feeling proud of their performance, especially after overcoming injuries and training new positions last minute. “Though we have not won every competition this year, these girls have learned to get back up and keep going when the odds are against them,” Gaspar said. “They have so much determination and never seem to give up and they continue to inspire me every single day.” The Gators had their first-ever Spiritline captain this year in senior Lauren Carpita. She continued competing with cheer while also enjoying her first year on pom, learning a lot about leading the team and building a positive culture along the way. “The program’s bond and unity has always been impressive, but this year in particular, in the face of injury, setback, failure, a new level of selflessness and team camaraderie emerged,” Lauren said. “I am indebted to my teammates, coaches, and the alumni who guided me in this new role and laid the foundation for our season’s success. There’s really nothing like the Xavier Spiritline family, and I’m proud to have been part of it.” They’ve got spirit, yes they do! Xavier’s Spiritline Cheer Team. PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA ZUBA 480.946.5076 • 4130 n marshall way • scottsdale art one gallery | foundation Representing students and local Arizona artists since 1993 artonegalleryinc.com @artonegalleryinc Look by Herb Schultz • acrylic on canvas • 60” X 48” X 1.5” • $1500