Highlander Athletics

A New Generation of Highlanders Lacrosse Takes the Field

Laith Osborne

March 9, 2026

Under the lights at St. Andrew’s in the spring, the St. Andrew’s boys Lacrosse team has worked to their limit for the past four years. This is why they are the most dominant team in St. Andrew’s Lacrosse history in a four year span. The Highlander Lacrosse team has marched to four SPC championships in the past four years, winning three of them. This year the team knows what's at stake, as they try to be back to back to back champions and go to their fifth title game in five years, but one big challenge that stands in their path is youth. This team has a chance to build on top of a historic winning streak for St. Andrew’s lacrosse.

After being back to back champions, the Highlanders lost seven key players including many captains and great leaders who truly pushed the younger players to get better every day. Now going into this year the Highlander team is “78% sophomores and freshmen which will be the main challenge for the season,” said head coach Chris Delfausse. In the last four Championships we have fought four gritty battles against hardcore rival St. Stephen’s. In the past years the team has been dominant because of their leadership and fighting spirit, along with determination to be the best possible version of themselves. But this year it's different with an extremely young team who Coach Delfausse is “throwing into the fire to see if they can compete, because there is no JV team.” One thing Coach Delfausse wants to bring over from last year's success and change is to work on the players doing their role no more no less, along with giving up personal success for team success. Delfausse adds “I want to play as a team on offense this year, not like last year.” Even with seniors leaving, this dominant lacrosse program with great coaches and new leaders who know how to keep the young guys disciplined has “a chance to be better than last year's team, " said Delfausse.

The Lacrosse team has been practicing for three weeks and Delfausse is focusing on weightlifting with the whole team and during practice helping the young guys develop with their stick work and skills. During practice, Delfausse is setting the tone as “High pace and high energy” to keep up the speed of the game and out work the other teams. This team needs to be very physical to keep up with the tough SPC teams who put a target on the Highlanders' backs. Lacrosse is a very fast game and there are always balls on the sidelines, so when the ball goes out they will always continue to play as fast as possible. Delfausse is working the players hard and putting all of their effort in during practice so when game day comes they will be ready for the energy and speed of the other team.

Many seniors are stepping up during practice and are deserving of the honor to be a team captain. There are four captains this year and each one is living up to the title. Carson Henry, a class of 2026 senior is a defensive captain and is going into his twelfth year of lacrosse. This is his last season and it is a bittersweet moment for him. As Henry found out he was a team captain he said “I felt honored to be a captain and want to be like past captains and model my game after them to give 100% and mentor the young players like when I was young.” Henry wants all the young guys to not be afraid to step up and show you're a leader, to help the team get better. Henry is having a great time being with his friends and can't wait for the big games against larger public school teams. For Henry, “Gameday is the most exciting part and going out after to eat truly bonds the team after gritty wins on the road.” Henry notes that he wants the young guys to not be afraid to ask questions and going into his last year he believes it's important for him to step up and set the team up for the future.

The boys Lacrosse team is prepared for this season and ready for everything that comes their way. With great leadership and emphasis on a mindset of high pace, physical team lacrosse, Delfausse believes this team can overcome all the challenges in their way. With a historic chance to be back to back to back SPC champions and go to their fifth title game in five years, this team has strong goals and can't wait to see how far they can go. For Henry, a defensive player, he said “One main goal is to score my first ever goal this season!”

Photo Credit: Laith Osborne

Photo Credit: LA Times

Jordan Stolz: The Michael Phelps of American Winter Olympics?

Ryan Kipke

March 9. 2026

The 2026 Winter Olympics held in Milan-Cortina was historic for speedskating. On February 14th, 21 year old, 7 time World Champion Jordan Stolz won the 500m speed skating, setting a new record with a time of 33.77 seconds. He won by a narrow margin of one tenth of a second over Dutchman Jenning De Boo. Stolz was in the outside lane, and slightly behind in the final corner, but got a fantastic exit and began to skate away, allowing him to snatch the gold medal.

Stolz, who is known for his quiet confidence and insatiable drive had already won the 1000 meter event earlier in the week, also setting an Olympic record in the event. He is the first American in over 20 years to win the 500 meter Olympic event, bringing renewed confidence and strength to the whole American speed skating program.

Stolz reflects the almost machine-like precision and focused attitude needed to win at the highest level. He is seen by other competitors as being in a league of his own. Stolz seems to not feel the pressure, he goes out and runs his own race. In an interview with the New York Times, Canadian skater Laurent Dubreuil described him as “Incredible: whatever he decides to do, he can be the best in the world at it.” This shows how Stolz has a mental edge over his opponents. He has already won the race before it happened, by making them believe he is almost supernatural compared to them. Stolz exceeds the known boundary of the sport and shows what is truly possible, elevating the rest of the field to a higher level to push the limits, making the spectacle more exciting for fans.

The timing of Stolz’s success is also important. The United States overall has had a disappointing performance at the games, with several favorite athletes underperforming or being injured. Stolz has been a bright spot in the games with several media outlets calling him the “Winter Olympic hero the United States has been waiting for,” further elevating his popularity and brand image. It seems he is a star in the making.

Since he was a young boy in Wisconsin, Stolz has been shaped by winter sports. He grew up skating on the pond in their backyard with his older sister, playing and racing for hours on end, even after dark. During the 2010 Winter Olympics, Stolz became inspired to pursue speed skating after watching American stars Apolo Ohno and Shani Davis. Stolz continued skating on his family pond until he quickly became too fast for it. He entered regional competitions, quickly rising to the national level and setting the U.S. junior records in both the 500 meter and 1000 meter events aged just 15. He competed at the international senior level at the 2022 Beijing Olympics aged 17, gaining valuable experience and learnings from the games, impressively placing in the top 15 in both events. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, his coach Bob Corby, described him as having a “methodical approach,” being “disciplined and mature beyond his years.” This work ethic and tireless search for performance and eagerness to innovate and learn has allowed him to grow so quickly and become the force he is today.

The popularity of Stolz will likely generate renewed interest for American kids to pursue speedskating. The impact of Stolz’s performance does not have to be temporary. He can highlight future skating talent and prowess in America, and his success can help support funding and initiatives for young athletes to enter and compete in speed skating. We have seen how athletes like Michael Phelps can increase participation in their sports by inspiring future generations. It seems that Jordan Stolz may have a similar impact in the Winter Sports community, and this may help push evolution in the landscape of the sport in America.

Pushing Past Comfort: How Extreme Temperatures Build Stronger Athletes

Elise Moore

March 9, 2026

From freezing cold plunges that make your muscles tense tightly, to rooms filled with heat making you drip with sweat, ice baths and saunas have surged in popularity, not only with professional athletes, but also in everyday routines for adults and kids. People are starting to embrace hot and cold therapy to help boost and aid their recovery after exercise. Proponents of these therapies claim that they help reduce inflammation, boost mood, and decrease muscle soreness. Saint Andrew’s newest athletic facility, Highlander Hall, offers a brand new state of the art cold plunge, making a huge difference in your body after a long and exhausting practice.

Ice baths may sound absolutely unbearable or amazing. The first time you enter, you probably will want to jump out immediately, but they really do have awesome benefits for your recovery. According to Plunge, one of the most popular ice bath makers, elements like ice and heat have the power to both heal and harm us. When you submerge yourself in freezing cold water, your blood vessels constrict, reducing blood flow and limiting inflammation. This helps with muscle soreness and supports your immune system. Your lymphatic system activates, causing your vessels to pump white blood cells through your body. This helps get rid of toxins. Research by Harvard Health explains that being in the cold can increase dopamine and noradrenaline levels. Plunging in cold water can give you an amazing start off to your morning and help increase your mood.

On the other hand, saunas are in small spaces with the temperature ranging from 150 to 195 degrees Fahrenheit. There are three types of saunas. For example, an infrared sauna uses radiant heat to warm the body directly instead of heating the air around you. It penetrates deeper into muscle tissue, which helps relieve your joints. They cause you to have deep sweats, but are often more tolerable than others. Another example are steam rooms, which combine warm air and very high humidity. The temperature is usually lower than a traditional sauna, but humidity makes it just as intense. Steam rooms are mostly known for respiratory benefits as well. They help clean your sinuses and loosen congestion. Lastly is a traditional dry sauna that can often be electric. They use electrical heaters, or heated stones. This creates very high temperatures with lower humidity. Often, water is poured over the heated rocks to create steam, but besides that your time there is mostly dry. Many athletes often prefer this sauna because it creates a quick sweat and helps stimulate circulation. Now all three of these types help raise your body temperature and have many benefits to your recovery. Your body often releases a pint of sweat. During your time, your pulse rate can jump by 30%, making your heart pump double the blood. This process, known as vasadilation widens blood vessels, speeds up muscle recovery, reduces inflammation, and enhances your pores. According to Harvard Health, your skin often reaches up to 104 degrees! Saunas also trigger a human growth hormone, which helps your muscles growth and recover.

All of these benefits sound amazing, but you have to be careful in the way you use these products. Ice baths are also known to cause hypothermia, rapid breathing, spikes in heart rate, and even shock if not done carefully. Similarly, the intense heat on your body can shift circulation away from your internal organs and toward the skin, which can be scary on someone who is ill or stays in there for too long. Hot and cold therapy show that pushing your body out of its comfort zone is the best thing you can do when it comes to recovery. When used safely, ice baths and saunas serve as strong methods in recovery to get athletes back in the game.

From a professional sports perspective, Ms. Abby, Athletic Trainer, started our interview off by saying “it's your personal preference.” She believes using hot and cold therapy needs to be on your terms. She says that these therapies help with releasing endorphins, which can help with mood, decreasing stress, and leave athletes refreshed. According to Ms. Abby, one of the best outcomes of using these amenities is athletes learning how to “get on top of the game” before rather than later” This helps with prioritizing recovery just as much as training. She recommends people to stay in ice baths from 6-10 minutes max, and she strongly emphasized the importance of “listening to your body.” While resting is good during recovery, she added that it often “does the body more good to move,” suggesting light cardio on certain recovery days. Ms. Abby often suggests “ice after, heat before” as a part of an athlete's recovery routine, but one of her biggest pieces of advice is to meet with a trainer first to “come up with a game plan” on how to fit your recovery needs. For her, the goal is to help athletes “get on top of the game” and not ignore injuries. It’s not just pushing through the icy pain, it’s making smart choices about your body to help it get to its fullest potential.

Student athletes Hayes Paddock ‘28 and Heidi Korth ‘27 both strongly agree with starting recovery sooner rather than later. According to Korth, she believes in “prehab rather than rehab.” This means, start your recovery before you're even hurt. She says this is something her lacrosse coach emphasizes heavily and that you should “rather be safe than sorry.” Korth loves the saunas because “they get all the toxins out of your body” leaving her refreshed and restored. She reflects on the ice baths as an "ice pack over your body,” which hurts in the moment, but the outcomes are truly “game changing.” Paddock also uses these recovery habits often making sure he stays in “peak shape.” He loves using these recovery tactics and after using them he always feels “very rejuvenated.” He says after cold and hot therapy his muscles feel restored and often he “feels like a whole new person.” Whether it's your mood, skin, or muscles, they are all leaving the ice bath good as new. His one piece of advice for student athletes is "don't be lazy and sit around.” Paddock strongly agrees with Ms. Abby, and believes to start recovery before anything happens, and take those steps to ensure that your body is getting taken care of. Together, these athletes' perspectives show that recovery isn’t optional, and in order to stay in shape and on the field, hot and cold therapy can be a key part of staying strong and healthy.

Hot and cold therapy has been proven to be more than just a trend. Both share a common goal for athletes: to make them stronger. While the science behind these amenities are important to understand, the consistency really is what matters. When practiced safely, hot and cold therapy truly is life changing to athletes. The key takeaway? Prehab. Do it before you get injured, and make a plan with your trainer to keep you healthy and on the field or court.