![Standing center stage, senior Ananya Akula conducts the Phoenix Chorale. “[Conducting and teaching] is really fun,” Akula said. “Music education is what I want to do.” On the day of the choir assessment, Akula found out that she received the President’s Music Scholarship – a full ride to the University of Miami Frost School of Music.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ananya-1200x800.jpg)
![With the energy and effort the Bolts were bringing to the game, the Phoenix had to step up and match them to make it through their first game of the season. Many of the girls on the team, including freshman Nazly Rostom, have been playing soccer since their childhood and have grown a love for the sport as a result. “It was fun to see how we actually played in a [real] game,” Rostom said. “Even though the outcome was not what we were hoping for, I’m still happy we got to play together.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_0154-1200x800.jpg)
![Held up by a group of cheerleaders, flyer sophomore Leyu Yonas poses as part of a stunt, also supported by flyer junior Shayne Mitchell behind her. (Left) Prior to the pink out football game on Oct. 13, the athletes practiced in the aux gym from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Right) On Oct. 19, the cheerleaders competed in their District Championships at Woodgrove High School. “We definitely put all our effort on the mat [at Districts], and it showed,” Mitchell said. Left: Photo by Nadia Shirr. Right: Photo by Steve Prakope via Victor O’Neill Studios.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/feature-image-1200x823.png)
![Sophomore Xavier Smith (6), the Phoenix quarterback, runs the ball as his teammates help hold up the defense. “My [offensive] line collapses, so I just [have to run], and its a good way to get first downs because [Tuscarora’s] defense was really good,” Smith said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_5383-1200x897.jpg)
![As the referee throws the ball up for the tip-off, freshman Simone Diby leaps towards the ball to get it in Phoenix possession. Diby is a new member of the Phoenix girls basketball team, and despite it being a change, she finds it enjoyable. “It’s definitely a different experience if you’ve never played on a team, [but] I think it’s still fun.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DSC_0057-1200x662.jpg)
Springing into Action: Girls Tennis Plays First Home Game of the Season.
On March 27, the Phoenix varsity girls tennis team faced off against the Knights in the first official home game of the season.
Preparing to serve, junior Tarini Panidepu throws the ball up to initiate an overhead serve across the net.
May 10, 2023
On March 27, the Phoenix girls tennis team played against the Knights in their first home game of the spring season. The game concluded with a Phoenix win 9-0.
Starting off the season with a win, the team has been eager to get back into the sport since the last school year. The team went up against John Champe for their first home game. While they have seen success, the game served as a basis of where they need to improve. “Our team can definitely improve in doubles,” co-captain junior Tarini Panidepu said. “I know we have singles down, it’s just doubles that we need some work on. I think that our team is on a pretty good path.”
This is Panidepu’s third year on the tennis team and she serves as the co-captain alongside junior Rachel Adams. “We’re both juniors. And that’s like a pretty big thing to be captains,” Panidepu said. Even with the fact that they are only juniors, Adams and Panidepu both lead the team to perform better.
The team hopes to continue their success as they had an amazing season last year. “We were region runner-up,” junior Sannidhi Sangisetti said. “We won districts but just couldn’t get regions.” The team aims to go further this year, hoping to reach regionals by the end of this season. In order to do so, the team has been devoting their energy to analyzing games and deciding what they need to improve on, as well as preparing for the next upcoming game.
Additionally, to reach this achieve
ment the team plans to play to their fullest extent and practice often. “[We should] probably work on our stamina and the heat because it’ll start getting super hot in May.” Sangisetti said. “We’re just going to be too hot. We are going to go out of water. [We] need to get our endurance up.” However, your mental state can also affect how you perform, on and off the court. “Your mental state can be really tough,” Panidepu said. “You have to muscle through your mental states basically. You’re playing against yourself and that’s a really big thing with tennis, [it’s] a really big mental thing.”
The next game for varsity girls tennis is scheduled for April 18th against Loudoun Valley.
![With the energy and effort the Bolts were bringing to the game, the Phoenix had to step up and match them to make it through their first game of the season. Many of the girls on the team, including freshman Nazly Rostom, have been playing soccer since their childhood and have grown a love for the sport as a result. “It was fun to see how we actually played in a [real] game,” Rostom said. “Even though the outcome was not what we were hoping for, I’m still happy we got to play together.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_0154-600x400.jpg)
![As the referee throws the ball up for the tip-off, freshman Simone Diby leaps towards the ball to get it in Phoenix possession. Diby is a new member of the Phoenix girls basketball team, and despite it being a change, she finds it enjoyable. “It’s definitely a different experience if you’ve never played on a team, [but] I think it’s still fun.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DSC_0057-600x331.jpg)