Top 10 PSAL Athletes: Fall Season

This fall, Stuyvesant boasted 15 PSAL teams, with a total of 362 athletes. Many went above and beyond to lead their teams to success, and to talk about all of them would require the entire Spectator. Amid all the talent, there were some especially notable athletes who were excellent at their sports and played major roles in their teams’ wins. Here are the Sports Department’s Top 10 PSAL Athletes of the fall 2022-2023 season.

Lukas Chang (boys’ varsity badminton)

When asked about the best sports teams at Stuyvesant, the boys’ varsity badminton team always seems to pop up, and it’s not hard to see why. They reached the PSAL playoff finals in all of the past three seasons, and each time, senior Lukas Chang played a crucial role in the first singles position. At the high school level, Chang just can’t seem to be challenged. The 11th best singles player nationwide breezed through the PSAL season without losing a single set as he led his team to become PSAL champions, comfortably beating Townsend Harris in the finals 4-1. For the last four years, Chang has been at the heart of the boys’ varsity badminton team, and he’ll surely be missed next season. “My games are like tapioca pearls. They’re either really good or horrendously bad. [There’s] no in between,” Chang said.

Sienna Hwang (girls’ varsity golf)

It’s safe to say that golf isn’t as prominent in New York City as other sports such as soccer or basketball, with many high school golfers just starting out. As a result, anyone with prior experience has a big advantage. Freshman Sienna Hwang started playing golf in middle school, and that experience, combined with her talent, makes her an excellent player. In her first year on the team, Hwang has cemented her place as the best player, proven by her success this season. While she did start the season off a bit slow, with a regular season record of two wins and two losses in four games, she showed her skill in the playoffs, where she was undefeated with three wins and no losses. Her most impressive feat this season was a league-low nine-hole score of 39 in the finals against Bayside, where the team went on to win the PSAL Championship. “I think the entire team played a really big role winning this year. After all, it’s the first time we’ve won in 13 years,” Hwang said.

Jack Colvin (boys’ varsity soccer)

Despite the boys’ varsity soccer team’s struggles early on in the season—losing three of their first four games—they managed to piece it together in time to qualify for playoffs, in large part due to senior Jack Colvin. Colvin, the top scorer of the Manhattan/Queens AA division (often considered the most difficult division) managed eight goals and two assists in 13 games, with some especially clutch goals that decided the fate of the team’s final league standings. In both a 2-1 win against Washington Irving and a 1-0 win against Long Island City, Colvin scored the winning goal. “It’s been a great experience playing with the team over the last two years, and I just wish we had been able to keep our run going further into the playoffs,” Colvin said.

Sabrina Xu (girls’ varsity tennis)

Tennis, similar to badminton, separates their players by positions of first to third singles and doubles based on skill. In most situations, one would expect the first singles player to be the top athlete of the team. In this case, however, while the girls’ varsity tennis team certainly had their ups and downs, one player who consistently played well throughout the season was sophomore Sabrina Xu, in the third singles position. Even though the team’s regular season, with a record of three wins and seven losses, did not reflect their playoff success, Xu herself maintained an impressive record of seven wins and two losses in nine games. In the playoffs, she continued to win, remaining undefeated in the team’s three games. Despite being in her first year on the team, Xu has really stepped up and played a big role in the team’s success. “I’m Batman,” Xu simply said, when asked for a quote.

Angelina Lin (girls’ varsity swimming)

While girls’ varsity swimming has many great swimmers, this year, sophomore Angelina Lin showed to be one of the best of the best. In the regular season, she placed first in every race, also swimming the fastest 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle in the Bronx/Manhattan I division. She performed well through the playoffs, placing second in her races against Francis Lewis, where the team’s season would come to an end, barely losing 46-52. Overall, Lin has had a great season, culminating in her spot at States. “Pain is temporary, but glory is forever,” Lin said, truly the words of an athlete.

Jacob Guo (boys’ varsity fencing)

Fencing doesn’t really allow for excellence in terms of stats, as typically, a player can only get five touches per game. Additionally, given how strong every player on the boys’ varsity fencing team is, it is difficult to choose a “top” player. The most impressive players end up being the ones who play well most consistently. Finishing 9-0 without any major challenges shows just how good the boys’ varsity fencing team is, and their captain, senior and foiler Jacob Guo, has been especially impressive. Playing 13 games, winning 12, and getting 65 touches proves that he’s good at what he does. With his and his teammates’ skills, the team continued into the PSAL playoff tournament, where they placed second in the city.

Isabella Stenhouse (girls’ cross country)

Usually a major factor in athletes’ “impressiveness” comes from their consistency over the course of the season, because while any good athlete can have a lucky game or two, only the best can replicate that skill over and over again. In running, there is no luck, and all that matters is who is the fastest on the track. Senior Isabella Stenhouse was certainly the fastest. Due to injury, she wasn’t able to take part in any runs in the early season, but when it came down to the biggest race of the season, she showed up to win. In the City Championship 5k race, she placed first, leading the Greyducks to be crowned the 2022 XC Champions. “It was a tough season for me individually, but I’m really happy to come away with both the individual and team win[s]. I’m very thankful for how my teammates and coaches supported me as I built my fitness back up,” she said.

Susan McKnight (girls’ varsity soccer)

It’s hard to imagine how the girls’ varsity soccer team would have performed without its captain, senior Susan McKnight, who ended the season with 15 goals and seven assists in 11 games. With the fourth most goals in the Manhattan AA division, McKnight played a crucial role in all of the team’s close games. She contributed a clutch goal in a 3-0 win over Fiorello H. Laguardia, and in a 3-0 win over the High School of Art and Design, she scored two and assisted one. “I’m so grateful for the team and community we have created throughout the season. Soccer season is truly the best time of the year,” McKnight said.

Sam Glusker (boys’ varsity football)

While the boys’ varsity football team narrowly failed to make the playoffs this year, senior and running back Sam Glusker still managed to have an incredible season. With 15 touchdowns and 100 total points in seven games, Glusker led the Peglegs offense in many of their victories. In a 12-8 win against Franklin K. Lane High School, Glusker aided the team with two touchdowns, and in a 21-14 win against Christopher Columbus High School, he helped with two touchdowns again. Of course, he couldn’t have done it without the help of his teammates, namely senior and quarterback Efe Kilic, who threw for all of Glusker’s seven receiving touchdowns. “I just showed up, and my teammates and coaches had faith in me and put me in positions to succeed,” Glesker said.

Shivani Shah (girls’ varsity volleyball)

A centerpiece in the success of the girls’ varsity volleyball team was senior and setter Shivani Shah. Shah ended the season with the most assists in the Manhattan A I division, with 149 in 11 games. Not only did she accomplish that feat, but with 24 aces and 53 service points, she led the team in points, as well. It is clear how large of a part she played in the team’s undefeated regular season, with nine wins in nine games, as well as their playoff success, where they made it to the quarterfinals, only narrowly losing to number one seed John Jay Campus. “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game,” she said.

Honorable Mentions:

Efe Kilic (boys’ varsity football)

Venus Wan (girls’ varsity volleyball)

Siddhartha Mutha (boys’ varsity soccer)

Daria Minhas (girls’ varsity swimming & diving)

Julian Huang (boys’ varsity badminton)

Alika Peker (girls’ varsity tennis)