![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)
Phoenix Commanded by the Captains
On May 11, the Phoenix varsity boys soccer team faced the #1 ranked Loudoun County Captains in one of their last games of the regular season. The matchup resulted in a hard fought Phoenix loss of 5-0.
Junior Carter Divalerio dribbles the ball to keep it away from Captains. “It was a rough season, there were some ups and downs, we took some L’s, but we’ll bounce back next season,” Divalerio said.
May 22, 2023
On Thursday, May 11, the Phoenix varsity boys soccer team played the top-ranked lineup in the Dulles district, the Loudoun County Captains. After putting up a solid effort to close out their season, the Phoenix fell to the Captains 5-0.
The game started out with a strong defensive front from the Phoenix, but the Captains began to take hold of offensive zone time, scoring twice early in the first half. The first half ended with a score of 3-0.
After the halftime break, the Phoenix took the chance to make some adjustments in their game plan. Attacking more on offense, key players, such as junior captain Ibrahim Rostom, kept the team’s communication high, voicing updates from across the field. While they maintained their intensity and had a few close shots on goal, the game ended with a Phoenix loss of 5-0. “I don’t think we were ready to go in that game, I think we were ready to lose going into the match, because we all know County is one of the best teams,” junior Keyaan Bashir said.
On Wednesday, May 17, the Phoenix varsity boys played their first playoff game against the Heritage Pride and took the win 2-0, moving onto the next round on May 18 against the Loudoun County Captains, again. The phoenix took a loss of 3-0, ending the soccer season as a whole. ¨[This season] was interesting, there were barely any seniors on our team, so we were just carried by a bunch of sophomores and juniors and this season didn’t really go as planned overall,¨ freshman Arjav Iyer said.
![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)
