Heroic Harvey Run
May 2023
By Bradley Lederer
The Harvey School boys basketball team won the HVAL and NEPSAC championships this past year for the first time since 1995. Guiding the team this year were head coach Denis Arnautovic and his assistant Connor Welles. There were 15 members on the team who all played a role in bringing two championships to Harvey. At the center position were starter Olaf Gorski, and subs Jackson Saccomanno, and Charles Treseler, who all brought defensive presence and height to the team. Olaf provided the height and defense the team needed for the championships. The forwards on the team consisted of Sukie Vongveeranonchai and Dylan Gueli. The guards contributed many points this year, with Kirk Ortega, MJ Diaz, Jonah Kass, Brandon Mallon, Myles Feldman, Cam Powell-Spruils, Aaron Providence, and Dante Meloni rounding out the team with scoring and passing. The Pulse had the chance to interview captains Kirk Ortega and MJ Diaz to get their insight on how the season went. In the interview, Kirk stated, “This was the best season of my life, and I wish it happened sooner, but I’m glad I went out on the top.” A notable moment in the championship run was when Jonah Kass was heating up, draining multiple 3’s in a row to get the Cavs out to an early lead. In the NEPSAC tournament, Harvey went undefeated and won the chip championship for the second time in school history. During the first morning meeting back from spring break, Mr. Lacen, Harvey’s athletic director, dedicated some time to talk about the accomplishments of both the girls and boys basketball teams. He called up each player from both teams and congratulated
them in front of the school. During the end of the morning meeting, a video was shown, where former National Basketball Association player Collin Sexton found out and congratulated the Harvey Basketball team. Coming into the season, Harvey brought in two international students. Sukie is from Thailand, and Olaf is from Poland. They both contributed by rebounding, scoring, and playing defense. Olaf was the top rebounder on the season, using his height to his advantage.
Photo of the Harvey boys basketball team after the NEPSAC championship win. Photo Courtesy of Harvey Parents
The top scorer, Kirk Ortega, had an fantastic senior season, leading the team in scoring. Jonah was second in scoring, and even as a sophomore, he was one the biggest leaders on the team, establishing his role early. Next up, MJ Diaz contributed to the team with scoring but was also a great defender, always managing to find a way to get a steal. MJ was very loud on and off the court, making sure his team knew he was there. Even when he was on the bench, he would start “Defense” chants to get the players focused on the game. Even though the players on the bench this season didn’t get many minutes, when their chance came, they put out their best energy, helping the team out for as long as they could. A game that stood out for players who started on the bench was the second game against Williams. Dylan Gueli and Wes Elkind combined for about 35 points, helping them to roll by The Williams School. This game helped boost Harvey’s confidence so much by creating a new threat off the bench.
ships last season, he responded with, “It felt amazing, and it felt like I made history during my senior season.” Throughout the season, the boys won almost all their games in the HVAL, only losing one game to Watkinson School, which was heartbreaking. But the boys came back in the second game, winning over Watkinson to make sure they had the one seed in the HVAL playoffs. Something that sticks out so much was when Wesley Elkind came in ice cold due to an injury to Kirk, and Wes knocked down two free throws to make sure Harvey got the win. This past season for the Harvey boys basketball team was one to remember, as they won two championships for the first time, etching themselves in the history books at this school.
As The Pulse interviewed MJ Diaz, asking how it felt to win two champion-
Prom Prep 101 By Emma Galgano
Prom season is officially here! The day that has been discussed and dreamed about since you entered high school.Prom, however, can be stressful. So, this article will serve you as your Fairy Godmother to ensure you go to the prom feeling like Cinderella. My biggest advice for junior and seniors, or anyone attending prom, is: Do not procrastinate! You want to give yourself enough time to find a dress or suit and secure hair and makeup appointments because, trust me, these appointments fill up!
The Harvey School 260 Jay Street Katonah, NY 10536
If you plan on wearing a dress, you should go shopping a few months before and have fun with it. Make an appointment beforehand to secure yourself a fitting room because Prom stores are hectic. Also, before going, I recommend surfing the internet to browse what shapes and colors you like. The best prom dress store in the area is A Step Ahead in Stamford, Connecticut. I suggest making an appointment, because when you do, a worker will pull
your dresses and work one-on- one to ensure you find the perfect one. They are also very talented at pulling dresses that look fantastic on different body types. Another plus is that while booking an appointment, they ask what high school you attend, meaning, they won’t sell the same dress to two people at the same high school. Over the summer, I was a sales associate for the dress store Windsor, which has a wide selection of affordable prom dresses. Although you’re not getting one-on-one time with someone, and the store can get busy, you will save a lot of money. While working there, however, I noticed that many dresses run extremely small, and they don’t have a wide selection of sizes. After finding your dress, the next step is finding your shoes. If you need alterations on the dress, you need to have your shoes beforehand to make sure they can tailor the dress to the exact height you will be on the day of the prom.
Emma Galgano and Dan Gasch at the 2022 Junior Prom. Photo Courtesy of Jessica Gasch.
Also, order heel cushions for your prom shoes, especially if you decide to wear heels. Your feet will hurt, so adding heel cushions can help soften that pain. You can order a three-pack on Amazon for about $6. Prom Prep 101 cont, on pg 4