Written by Zara Khemlani

The Rye Country Day School Girls Varsity Ice Hockey team has had a remarkable winter season, with a record of 7 wins and 2 exhilarating ties. Led by their accomplished captains, Julia Heintz ‘25 and Freya Collins ‘26, the team has made significant strides. Heintz reflected on the season so far and highlighted some of the team’s victories. She shared, “2 notable games have been tying GCDS 3-3 and beating Morristown-Beard 3-1.” These games showcased the team’s collaboration and determination. “We have improved so much throughout the season,” Heintz stated, “and it has been great to watch everyone’s progress.” 

Looking back, the team has had an exciting schedule. On January 31st, the girls faced off against Sacred Heart as a part of Wildcat Weekend, where they won with a score of 2-1! On February 11th, the team had their Senior Day which celebrated two crucial members of the team, Heintz and Ellie Block ‘25.

For both Block and Heintz, Senior Day was a bittersweet moment, which highlighted their commitment to the team, and celebrated their accomplishments. Olivia Bongiorni ‘26 shared her gratitude by stating “While I have only known our seniors for 2 years, I can say without a doubt that they each bring so much to this team and RCDS GVH would not be the same without them. Ellie shows up to hockey every single day with a smile on her face, she is always willing to improve her game and give everything her all. Julia is always willing to put the team first and also gives her all on the ice, she also never fails to get everyone going before games.” 

Block (#7) was originally a figure skater but decided to pick up ice hockey during her sophomore year. Since then, she has been a crucial part of the team and has greatly contributed to their success as a winger. Heintz (#18) has been playing ice hockey for her whole life and is currently a defenseman who plays for both the varsity team at RCDS and an outside club team. Without her incredible leadership for two years as a captain, the team would not be where they are today.

We encourage the RCDS student community to go out and support the Girls’ Varsity Hockey team on February 28th at 5:15 pm for their FAA League Finals Tournament, and their final game of the season!

Roll Cats!