CSD’s winter Spartan athletes are back to bring life to Griffin Gym and the school during the cold winter months of the school year. With more than 100 athletes competing across multiple sports at both the varsity and junior varsity levels, the energy of competing indoors, and in tight spaces where fans and players are often very close, is something special.

Athletic director and lacrosse coach, John Belissimo, sees the winter season as a great way for the school to grow and come together.

“I believe that winter sports at CSD mark the transition into the holiday season, which everyone is excited for,” John Belissimo said. “Our student sections at games seem to be louder, more energetic and enjoyable. This could all be by default since they get to be slightly tighter together due to the space, but I think having all the kids so close together in our gym only raises the excitement. Their cheers are louder, more coordinated and they get to be much closer to the game, as opposed to games at Spartan Park where there is some distance from fans to the field.”

Boys Basketball

Boys varsity and junior varsity teams look to make a strong impact this year in trying to win the conference.

After winning their first game of the season at home to start off the year on a strong outing, varsity plays host of strong, non-conference opponents before beginning conference play.

Seniors lead the way. There are seven seniors on the team out of the total of 14 players.

The varsity team also welcomes a new coach for the first time with Ty Johnson leading the Spartans into battle.

With 13 players on the junior varsity team, both squads are looking forward to big buckets this season.

Girls Basketball

Girls varsity basketball is back in action this winter season led by five seniors and, for the first time in many years, they have a coach returning for the second straight year. Coach Matt Forrest’s high energy play will continue.

The girls won the conference regular season and were the conference tournament runner-ups last season losing only in the conference championship game to a team they had beaten earlier in the season. And their run continued deep into the playoffs.

This season there are 13 total players on the team with five of them being seniors including Colette Morrell, Olivia Stewart, Scarlet Soares, Reagan Downey and Blakely Hager. Fans and the coach hope the seniors bring good leadership and continue what started last year.

Coach Matt Forrest said, “I am looking forward to the season starting and getting off to a good start to the season. We hope that history repeats itself and we win the conference again and to go even further than we did last year.”

Cheer

The cheer squad rolls right from fall into the winter to cheer on the winter sports teams at CSD. After a lot of chants during the fall, expect to hear even more this winter, too. The cheer squad attends all the varsity and junior varsity boys and girls games, adding more energy alongside the fun and active student sections.

Indoor Track

This year the Spartans indoor track team is led by 19 boys including four seniors. It should be a very good year for them.

With 14 on the roster this year the Spartans indoor track girls are led by four seniors who look to get the team back to states. Last year the girls track team placed fourth in the 4×800.

Taylor Worley (‘26) hopes for good things.

“This year I want the four by eight to podium and me personally I’d like to medal in the 1000 meter,” Taylor Worley, who is committed to run track in college at Wesleyan University, said.

Swim and Dive

The CSD swim team dives back into action this year with 33 athletes in total.

However, this is a very young team this year with only three seniors. Julia Webber, Carter Darling and Keenan Addis serve as leaders.

Led by coaches Jeff Patterson and Tiffany Saborido, the Spartans look to capture yet another terrific season.

Senior, Keenan Addis, is optimistic.

“I look forward to competing in my last season as a swimmer for CSD,” Keenan Addis (‘25) said. “I think there is a chance for us to win the conference. And as I’m in my last year of swimming I just look forward to competing and having fun.”

While winning is great, and hanging banners in the gym is special, there is more to a winter sports season for the athletes, fans and the school.

“Outside of winning conference or state championships, a successful season for our winter sports is winning big games, beating our rivals and making a run in playoffs,” Belissimo said. “Some programs [show] growth year to year, improving on where they left off the year prior, [and that] is a huge success for our teams.”

So with all teams bringing a good mix of newcomers and seniors it should be a successful season for winter sports.

And to the fans, it’s time to bring good spirits during games in the true Spartan way.

Go Spartans!