Latest news with #DeMatha
Washington Post
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
DeMatha wins WCAC lacrosse title for the first time since 2009
After the DeMatha lacrosse program's turnaround reached its end point, with lacrosse sticks and helmets thrown in the air, a Gatorade bath for the head coach and a trophy to lift, senior Matthew Beachley had one request. Asked for an interview after the celebrations had faded, Beachley wanted to have his moment alongside fellow senior Nick Church.
Washington Post
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
With a dominant final day, DeMatha recaptures the WCAC tennis title
As the DeMatha tennis team formed a celebratory huddle after its dominant performance at Wednesday's Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships, Coach Mark Dalzell knew he was in for a Gatorade bath. A red wave crashed down onto Dalzell's shoulders, and he slowly trickled away from the group as the cold sports drink began pouring off of his white t-shirt. A large grin was plastered on his face, evidence of a win that felt like it meant a little bit more.
Washington Post
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Rodney Rice came home to Maryland, and he's got something cooking
After the Big Ten released its men's basketball all-conference teams this month at the conclusion of the regular season, Maryland's Rodney Rice took exception to receiving no recognition despite being among the leaders in several important categories for the Terrapins and a major contributor to their resurgence. The sophomore guard's teammates were somewhat bewildered as well, having witnessed his dedication to the program he transferred to this past offseason for a fresh start near his hometown. Rice grew up in Clinton, Maryland, and was a standout high school player at DeMatha, a short drive from Maryland's campus in College Park. Rather than pout publicly, Rice directed his discontent over the perceived slight toward the next opponent. Illinois never stood a chance in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals: Rice sank 7 of 9 three-pointers, the most in any conference tournament game for Maryland, and scored 26 points to spark an 88-65 win last week in Indianapolis. 'For sure,' Rice said with a wry grin when asked whether being snubbed for all-Big Ten honors served as incentive. 'I'm glad I got the motivation. I'm just going to continue to play and let my game do the talking.' The record-setting performance was the latest highlight in one of the more compelling comeback stories in major college basketball. The journey continues Friday when fourth-seeded Maryland (25-8) plays No. 13 seed Grand Canyon (26-7) in Seattle in the NCAA tournament round of 64. The 6-foot-4 Rice spent his freshman season at Virginia Tech, where he reunited with then-Hokies assistant Mike Jones. The current Old Dominion coach held the same position at DeMatha before departing the WCAC power in Hyattsville, Maryland, to join Virginia Tech's staff under Coach Mike Young. But during the summer before arriving on campus in Blacksburg, Rice broke his ankle and missed the first 16 games of the season. He scored two points in his debut at Syracuse in January 2023, then broke a finger diving for the ball in practice. Rice played in seven more games that season. While recovering from the fracture, Rice didn't have much interest in watching basketball, he said, because it proved too difficult to stomach, given he wasn't able to participate on the court. 'He's obviously dealt with some obstacles early in his career,' Maryland Coach Kevin Willard said. A month before the start of what was to be his sophomore season with the Hokies, Rice announced he would be stepping away from basketball. He used that lengthy pause to assess his future, landing on the decision to play for the Terps in part because of his comfort level with two assistants at Maryland. Jones had left Virginia Tech to join Willard's staff, which also included David Cox, now an associate head coach for the Terps. Cox had been the head coach at Rhode Island and was among the first to recruit Rice, who received his first collegiate offers as a rising eighth-grader at Bullis in Potomac, Maryland. Rice left Bullis after his sophomore year to complete high school at DeMatha, where he was selected first-team All-Met as a senior. Well before then, Rice was drawing comparisons to his father, also named Rodney, who was one of the top three-point shooters for Richmond from 1985 through 1988. The younger Rice has embraced that role for the Terps, though one of his most memorable moments came when he passed up a three-point attempt in the closing seconds against Penn State. He instead used a ball fake to get his defender in the air, dribbled several steps inside the arc and swished a baseline jumper to ice a 68-64 win in University Park, Pennsylvania, where the Terps had lost seven in a row. Rice had made only 1 of 12 shots from the field before that basket but did not hesitate during the closing seconds after receiving a pass in front of the Maryland bench from point guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie. Still, Rice's 74 three-pointers are the second most on the team behind Gillespie (80). Rice is the third-leading scorer (13.9 points per game) for Maryland and third in three-point field goal percentage (37.6) behind guard-forward Selton Miguel (41.6), a fifth-year transfer from South Florida, and Gillispie (41.2), a junior transfer from Belmont. That trio vaulted the Terps to third place in three-point field goal percentage (37.2) in the Big Ten. That accuracy from behind the arc is in stark contrast to last season, when Maryland shot 28.9 percent, the second lowest in the conference, and missed the NCAA tournament with a 16-17 record. The addition of Rice came not long after the Terps got a commitment from Baltimore native Derik Queen, one of the most coveted high school prospects in the country who went on to be selected Big Ten freshman of the year. Rice, Queen and senior forward Julian Reese, who grew up in Baltimore, are the three most prominent representatives from the state to wear a Maryland uniform this season. 'I think the other thing that was one reason [Rice] really wanted to come here was he knew he would have some freedom on the offensive end, but also that we were going to be patient with him and work with him to get him back' from injury, Willard said. 'He really liked that aspect of this program, that we were going to spend a lot of time on him and not put any pressure on him that's unreasonable. I think he's played great.'
Washington Post
09-02-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
DeMatha claims first Metros swimming title; Walter Johnson girls cruise
All DeMatha needed was a second-place finish in the final relay of Saturday's Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Championships to accomplish what no swim team in school history had ever done. That's what senior anchor Jayson Ross thought, at least. His team leading rival Gonzaga by just nine points entering the meet-closing 400-yard freestyle relay, Ross dove into the water at Germantown Indoor Swim Center desperate for a second-place finish to clinch the Stags' first-ever Metros win. In 44.70 seconds, he out-touched third place Georgetown Prep by one-hundredth of a second. In reality, all Ross and the Stags needed was third to claim their first Metros crown in the meet's 60-year history. DeMatha (387) edged out Gonzaga (384) and third-place Walter Johnson (311) to make history Saturday night — Ross's thrilling finish provided the icing on the cake. 'It's awesome just to see the growth from freshman year to now,' Ross said. 'I had different captains rotating through and now I'm a captain, so to be able to bring our team such a big win that's never happened before is awesome.' DeMatha Coach Tom Krawczewicz, who took over the program in 1991, has waited decades to watch his team flip off of the blocks and into the water in blissful celebration of a Metros title. The Stags have gotten close before — Saturday's meet marked the 20-year anniversary of DeMatha's half-point loss to Georgetown Prep in 2005 — but they'd yet to emerge victorious in the area's most raucous meet of the year. Finally getting over that hump, Krawczewicz said, took a complete team performance. Ross shined in all four of his events; the senior won the 50-yard freestyle in 20.45 seconds, took third in the 200-yard freestyle (1:39.70) and anchored the team's first place 200-yard freestyle relay (1:23.94). Senior Joshua Lopez won the 500-yard freestyle in 4:30.43, while sophomore Alexander Jungbluth placed second in the 100-yard butterfly (48.84). 'They were on a mission,' Krawczewicz said. 'The seniors here, they had the goal … they worked together, and they were like, 'We're going to get this.'' For the final lap of the girls' 400-yard freestyle relay, Walter Johnson senior Madeleine Simmons was alone in the center of the pool. Clear of the pack by several body lengths, Simmons pulled and kicked until her hand slammed into the wall, leaving a slew of relay teams in her wake. The Wildcats' time of 3:31.93 in the final race of the meet was an encapsulation of the team's dominant performance Saturday. In a competitive meet sometimes won by single-digits, Walter Johnson scored 298 points to easily clear second-place Whitman (258.5) and third-place Stone Ridge (235.5). 'Winning felt amazing,' Simmons said. 'We've won states before, but winning Metros is even cooler.' Simmons starred in the final Metros of her high school career, winning the 200-yard individual medley in 2:03.09 and taking second in the 100-yard butterfly at 55.67. Simmons also provided strong legs in the 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard freestyle relays as the Wildcats won both. Last winter, Walter Johnson came just points shy of the title behind first-place Richard Montgomery. That loss left a sour taste in the mouths of the Wildcats, sophomore Elanor Saybolt said, giving the team extra incentive to prevail a year later. Saybolt took third in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:53.03 and broke the five-minute mark in the 500-yard freestyle to score big points for the Bethesda program. Senior Isla Bartholomew placed third in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:04.14. 'Last year, [to] watch everyone else jump into the pool was heartbreaking,' Saybolt said. 'I've never felt so excited because I've never won something so big. … This win is pretty amazing.'
