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STONEHILL COMES ON TO WIN REGION 4 SEASON OPENER Hanover, MA - Kicking off a new season later than all but five other IHSA Regions, Region 4 gathered for their first competition of 2008-09 at Holly Hill Farm on October 25. When it was over less than six hours after it had begun, defending Region 4 champion Stonehill College was the first high point team of the new season, fairing well in the latter part of the day to edge Tufts 40-35. Leading the way for Stonehill was senior Brianna Touzjian, who won her novice flat while placing second in novice fences. The senior from Hopkinton, Massachusetts was joined in the winner's circle by teammates Christine Dwyer (also in novice flat), Quinn Traendley (open flat), Kate Perez (in advanced walk-trot-canter), Jenna Boyd (same) and Callie Ryan (in walk-trot). Touzjian, Perez and Ryan were the final three pointed riders on the Stonehill point sheet to compete during the afternoon. In addition to Touzjian six other Sky Hawks earned red, second place ribbons, including Chantel LeClair earning reds in both novice flat and fences.
However if you looked at the placings through the first twelve classes (which included all the open and intermediate) you might have been under the impression that Stonehill was not having that great of a day. Only Traendley had a first up until then, and only two other Sky Hawk riders had red ribbons. By contrast Boston College had a first and four seconds while host Boston University had two firsts and a second through four divisions (Of those two the hosts were ultimately better). Reserve high point team Tufts University also started slowly out of the gate, with defending Region 4 Cacchione qualifier Rebecca Renier earning the Jumbos' best ribbon with a yellow in open fences over the first six classes. Kathryn "Katie" Christiansen, a sophomore from Larchmont, New York who had won the Medal class at the Pre-Season Tournament of Champions on September 21st her previous time out, got things going in ernst for Tufts with a first in intermediate fences. From that point on Cecillia Pontoriero (also in intermediate fences), Leigh Cooper (in novice fences), Margot Lurie (in beginner walk-trot-canter) and Christiansen again (in intermediate flat) earned blue ribbons while Emily Young (in novice flat) and Caitlin Darrell (in advanced walk-trot-canter) were red ribbon winners. Christiansen was one of only two riders to qualify for the ride-off. Boston University had started the day very well, with sophomore Sarah Haydu winning the third section of open fences and Kelly Purchase doing likewise in the second section of intermediate flat. Terriers sophomore Euri Uchiyama was second in her section of open flat as well. Meredith Lovegrove, a sophomore from McLean, Virginia was a winner in her IHSA debut over novice fences while placing second in novice flat three classes later. Otherwise Boston University only managed one ribbon higher than third over the final twelve undergraduate classes, with that being a first in beginner walk-trot-canter for Kristina Dahm. Still the host Terriers scored 32 with several newcommers showing promise.
Boston College cornered the market on red ribbons with five, this after Sarah Flink started the show with a first in open fences. A sophomore from Charlestown, Massachusetts, Flink won a red ribbon four classes later in open flat. Lucy Huber (open fences), Bryana McGillycuddy (open flat), Marina Pardee (intermediate fences) and Shannon Fitzgerald (advanced walk-trot-canter) were the other red ribbon winners, while Julia Scobbo won the first section of novice flat. Boston College needed to do well early, as the Eagles posted a point sheet that did not include a walk-trot rider. Still the Eagles scored a healthy 28 points and could contend for the top three if they can come up with a walk-trotter. Endicott College finished fifth for the day with 25 points. While Leigh Fitzgerald won novice flat and Kim Davis won walk-trot late in the day, the star of the Gulls on opening day was clearly newcommer Meghan Hart. The freshman from Londonderry, Vermont won her open fences and open flat three classes apart, making the ride-off a two-way with Christiansen. Endicott may have had the next day on their minds, as the Gulls were scheduled to host the second Region 4 show in as many days. Brandeis University came within a point of Endicott, scoring 24 for sixth place. Mara Rosenberg, a freshman from Portland, Oregon who can claim her indentical twin sister Ilyana as a teammate, won her IHSA debut in novice fences while placing second in novice flat. Also into the top two for Brandeis was Alison Engel, who was second to Hart in open fences. Wellesley College scored 19 points. The Blue were at their best in the intermediate levels, as Julia Rosenblum was second to Christiansen in intermediate flat while Elizabeth Lillard finished second to Pontoriero in intermediate fences and Cleo Stoughton finished second to no one a section before Lillard. From Manhattan, Kansas, Stoughton was the only Wellesley rider to win a class on this day. Beginner walk-trot-canter rider Danielle Boudrow added a red ribbon to the Blues' total later in the day.
The University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth was next with 18 points. Meredith Milliner, a junior from Sutton, Massachusetts won her open flat class while Rebecca Viera was second in novice fences and Meghanne Mahoney second in novice flat. The Corsairs joined Brandeis, Boston University, Endicott, Tufts and Stonehill as the only schools present with full point cards. Wheaton College was without a rider in intermediate flat. Still the Crusaders were into double digits with 17 points. Kate Guiseppone, who was one of a small number of riders to ride in consecutive classes (having to dismount one horse and immediately mount another), won her novice fences while Jenny Brum was a winner in novice flat. Taylor Kim and Maris Jahnke rode in consecutive sections of walk-trot, with both Crusaders earning red ribbons. The three-year-old Bridgewater State College equestrian team were spectators for the first 16 classes of the day, but when their riders took part in the final three divisions the Bears charted into the high ribbons. Leslie Comstock was a winner in advanced walk-trot-canter while Dennis Murphy won the first of the sections of walk-trot. Lindsey Alexander was second to Ryan in the final class of the day. Considering that nearly every class had seven or eight riders entered, Bridgewater State should be proud that all nine of their riders placed inside the top six, something few if any other school entered can claim. Region 4 had a new school entered at today's show, as Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts made their IHSA debut. Audrey Suskind, a sophomore from New York, New York earned the first ribbon in Curry program history, placing sixth in the section of open fences that Hart won. Amanda Gildea equaled the feat in novice flat. The first section of advanced walk-trot-canter saw two Curry riders surpass this, as Sarah Amaral was fourth and Heather Blackwood fifth. One class later Hollis Moran would improve on this, earning the best ribbon of the day for Curry with a third. Eight riders in total competed for the Colonals in their inaugural IHSA appearance, and there was nearly a point to go around for everyone as Curry finished with seven points. Though they were not new to the IHSA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology made their first appearance at an IHSA show since the 2006-07 season. MIT had three riders entered, with Anne Jaffe leading the way after the very first class. A senior from Princeton, New Jersey, Jaffe was second to Flink while sophomore Kristen Anderson and senior Melinda Dooley were second in novice flat and walk-trot, respectively. Anderson was making her IHSA debut while Jaffe and Dooley had competed before MIT vanished for a year. Though this writer had their team total for the day as five points (via Jaffe in open fences) off the point sheet, MIT may have actually scored seven.
Sullivan's really big show: 2007 University of Massachusetts at Amherst graduate Kerry Sullivan was one of two riders making her alumni debut, and what a debut it was. Sullivan, who rode only one semester as an undergraduate, won both of the alumni classes versus several riders with an impressive resume. Former Yale rider and Head Coach Margot Sanger-Katz, who went to IHSA Nationals in alumni flat in 2005, was second in both alumni classes today. 2008 Mount Holyoke College graduate Heather Johnstone was third in alumni fences and fourth in alumni flat in her alumni debut. 2006 Endicott graduate Lauren Eldridge was third on the flat and sixth over fences. Anneke Bartelsman, who graduated from Penn State class of '98 was fourth over fences and sixth on the flat. Rounding out the placings was Tufts graduate and Head Coach Katie Schaaf, who was fifth in both alumni classes. Schaaf, who was showing alumni for the first time since the 2005-06 season, first reached Nationals as an undergraduate with an eighth in individual open flat in 1998, then rode as an alumni in one capacity or another at 2001, 2004 and 2005 Nationals. Sullivan won out against some very good competition, and the alumni survivors from Region 4 who go on to Zones will be formidable foes in South Hadley and perhaps Murfreesboro. The Ride-Off: Though Christiansen had come up big against some formidable open riders at the pre-season tournament, Hart remained undefeated in IHSA classes, earning the high point rider ribbon as decided by Judge Chris Johnson during the ride-off. "Not bad for the first IHSA show for the girl ever," said Endicott Head Coach Steph Andreottola. Endicott prevails a day later: On the Monday following the Boston University show, Andreottola informed us that her Gulls were high point team at the second Region 4 show on Sunday. Andreottola also thinks that it is the first time that Endicott has ever been high point team at a show hosted by UMass-Dartmouth. Delays, Delays: Due to issues obtaining accurate points, a considerable amount of time has passed between the time this show took place and when the article discussing the results was posted. While we are still awaiting the final fall team and open rider points for Region 4 to put things into perspective, we can tell you that two Region 4 teams competed at the Holiday Tournament of Champions invitational show in Concord, Ohio on December 6th, with one of those schools clearly delighted with the outcome. Tournament of Champions events are run not unlike a National show, with only one rider from each team competing in each of the eight divisions. Though we were originally told that Tufts had not scored in double digits at a previous Tournament event and that Tufts had placed as high as eighth neither statement appears to be accurate (Tufts scored in double digits at two of the three Tournament events in 2007-08; We are still trying to determine Tufts' highest team placing at a prior Tournament event. Also in an earlier version of this story we incorrectly stated that Stonehill had won seven of the last eight Region 4 season openers including three straight. Tufts won the 2007-08 opener which they also hosted). However Tufts broke 20 points for the first time in scoring 21 to tie Delaware Valley College for fifth place (Tufts won the Tiebreaker and received the pink ribbon). Renier single-handedly put the Jumbos at ten points, placing second in both open flat and open fences early on. Christiansen was third in intermediate fences while Sarah Nash, a sophomore from Encino Hills, California won the final team class in which Tufts competed, the novice fences (the Tournament concluded with four fences classes as unusual as that may sound to some - Editor). With Centenary College fielding two separate teams the only programs to finish ahead of Tufts on December 6th were Virginia Intermont College, Centenary and Mount Holyoke College, each of which carries impressive IHSA post-season credentials. Stonehill, which appeared to be leading both Tufts and Endicott by 12 points through four Region 4 shows, scored seven points at the Tournament. While four Stonehil riders came agonizingly close to earning points by placing seventh or eighth, freshman Nina Crossley did as well as anybody. From Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, Crossley won her walk-trot class to earn all seven of Stonehill's points for the day. --Steve Maxwell Show Incidentals: A mix of sun and clouds. Windy late in the day, with temperatures in the mid '60's. Start time: 9:36AM. Finish: 3:24PM - includes 20 minute Lunch Break/Coaches and Captains meeting. Point cards posted in this region?: Yes. Alumni Classes held in this region? Yes. Judge: Mr. Chris Johnson, Kingston, RI. Stewards: Andreottola/Endicott College, Watson/Stonehill College and Medieros/University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. Team Totals: Stonehill College (High Point Team) 40; Tufts University (Reserve) 35; Boston University 32; Boston College 28; Endicott College 25; Brandeis University 24; Wellesley College 19; University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth 18; Wheaton College 17; Bridgewater State College 13; Curry College 7 and Massachusetts Institute of Technology 5. High Point Rider - Meghan Hart, Endicott College
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