After a 9-3 effort last spring, the girls’ lacrosse team enters this season with high potential and expectations. The Wildcats proved they could contend with many of Montgomery County’s top programs a year ago, stacking convincing wins, navigating a challenging midseason stretch and earning a top seed in the postseason. 

WJ opened last season with a dominant start, pulling off four straight victories over Blair, Churchill, Whitman and Northwood by a combined margin of 52-21. That early run quickly established the Wildcats as one of the county’s teams to watch and showed off an offense capable of scoring in bucketloads. Even after their first setback, a loss to Quince Orchard, the team responded with resilience, winning four of its next five games. 

The heart of the schedule underscored how competitive WJ could be. Road wins at Rockville and B-CC, along with a dominant 19-6 victory over Einstein and a shutout at Paint Branch, highlighted the team’s ability to maintain energy and discipline on the road. However, tight losses to Damascus and Sherwood showed just how thin the margins were between the Wildcats and some of the region’s best. 

Looking ahead to the 2026 campaign, WJ faces a challenging slate that will quickly test whether last year’s success can be sustained. The Wildcats open with a tough non-conference matchup at Sherwood before diving into familiar county opponents, including Churchill, a program they defeated in the preseason. A rematch with Whitman looms large as both a chance to avenge last year’s postseason exit and an early measure of how far this group has come. Later clashes with B-CC, Quince Orchard and Damascus will again demand a lot of the CatLaxKillas, helping determine where they might land in the playoff picture by season’s end. 

“I’m really excited, I have really high expectations for this season because we have so much potential,” sophomore captain Alina MacDermott said. “We have already started well; hopefully, it will carry into the rest of the season. Everyone has their own role on the field. Trusting each other to do our jobs and be there for each other is really important.” 

The boys’ lacrosse team enters the season looking to build momentum after finishing with a 6-6 record last year. With a balanced mix of experienced leaders and developing talent, the Cats are focused on taking the next step this spring.

Leading the team are senior captains Graham McGuire, Evan Ryder and Henry Dash. Ryder anchors the team in the cage as the Wildcats’ starting goalie, providing leadership and stability on the defensive end. McGuire and Dash bring experience and energy, helping guide the team and set the tone both on and off the field. 

“In the offseason we’ve spent a lot of time getting together to shoot around and practice, which I think will be especially clear with our offense’s playmaking this spring,” Ryder said.

Now entering his fourth season as head coach, Jacob Anderson, better known as Coach “Bubba,” continues to shape the program’s identity. Anderson has emphasized discipline and teamwork as key parts of the Wildcats’ season. 

With experienced players and a motivated roster, the Wildcats are aiming to turn last season’s .500 record into a stronger run this year. 

“Our goal for the 2026 season is to go as far as we can in the playoffs,” Dash said. “We will achieve this by staying focused and continuing to push ourselves every day.”

As the season unfolds, the boys’ lacrosse team will look to rely on its leadership, skill and team chemistry to compete and make an impact in one of the best divisions in the county this spring. 

The WJ gymnastics team, well known as the gymcats, is preparing to begin its final season as a team, with a mix of returning experience and new talent. Post-tryouts, the team is focused on building on their strengths and competitive routines, and improving consistency as they get ready for their upcoming competitions. 

“This is my first year in gymnastics, and I’m most excited for the new uniforms and ready to compete and hopefully leave this season on a high note,” junior Averi Gurthie said. 

The gymcats compete in events such as vault, bars, beam and floor, where they are judged on both difficulty and execution. Practices usually are centered around improving technique and building confidence, so they show up to their upcoming meets with preparation and a competitive spirit. 

“Our goals for this season are to try to utilize everyone’s best talent and skills on the team to make our team as high scoring, and eventually, hopefully winning counties this year,” senior captain Shoshana Berger said. 

With several returning athletes, the seniors are expected to play key roles this season, bringing experience and leadership to the team. This is always a great attribute, allowing newer faces to learn and get more comfortable with guidance. At the same time, the newer gymnasts will have the opportunity to gain experience and contribute during competitions. 

“I think that having a team that’s very supportive of each other keeps us all motivated for the season and helps us compete so much better,” senior Madeline Manukyan said.  

For many of the gymnasts, meets are a chance to see how their training translates into performance, continuing to improve throughout the year. This is what many of them look forward to at the start of the season, along with the opportunity to compete together after weeks of preparation. So as the season progresses, the gymcats are looking forward to putting their skills to the test in competition. With a fresh new squad, the team hopes to continue improving and building momentum throughout the year. 

Coming off a 10-3 season last year, head coach Sara Williams will lead the team in one of the toughest schedules in the county. The team sets their expectations and spirits high after facing a heartbreaking loss to Seneca Valley in the playoffs last year.

The Cats will look to prove themself after losing senior captain Noah Rosner and many other strong senior leaders. Thirteen players earned a roster spot this season with multiple positions scrambled around, as new faces from various grades step up and dig their way into an impactful role.

“I think we have a good roster this year,” senior Peter Yankov said. “We try to fill their [seniors’] positions. Some positions aren’t as good as they were last year, but some are even better. Other teams also lost their seniors, so it’s kind of even for now,” 

The game circled on the boys volleyball team’s calendars is against Churchill on April 14. Undefeated in the regular season last year while only losing two sets, the Bulldogs are composed of a stacked lineup and are looking to claim the county title.

The Cats will try to object and compete for a title. The journey for the chance at the title will start April 20 with a challenge in the Den as they face the Northwest Jaguars, who went 12-1 last season.

“We have a lot of potential,” Yankov said. “We’ll fight as hard as we can and we’ll definitely make it as far as we can.” 

The boys’ and girls’ tennis teams enter the 2025-26 spring season looking to build on a solid foundation and push deeper into postseason contention. 

Girls: 

On the girls’ side, the program is entering a new era under head coach Michael Laukaitis, with senior captains Elizabeth Martin and Marie Boy leading the way. The Wildcats are coming off a dominant 10-1 campaign last season, rolling through a tough county schedule and losing only to Wootton. 

“I’m excited to have a great season with my teammates and hopefully I’m able to maintain the same success I had last season,” Martin said. “We have a senior-heavy team this year, which strengthens our leadership as a team and hopefully guides the new members of our team to success.” 

This season, the Wildcats face another demanding slate that should quickly reveal the depth of this group. They open with back-to-back home matches against Sherwood and B-CC before a challenging road stretch and a key midseason showdown with Wootton. With a new head coach setting the tone and a strong core of upperclassmen providing experience and leadership, the girls’ tennis team is poised to keep itself among the county’s elite this spring. 

Boys: 

The boys are gearing up for a season full of change after losing nine seniors following last year. The Wildcats went 5-5 in the regular season, and they are hyped and ready for this season.

“I think it’s just about being consistent,” senior captain Vijay Kannan said. “To have a really good team, you’ve gotta have commitment and consistency, and that comes down to showing up every day. It’s just important to develop a real love and a sense of passion for tennis.”

Despite the loss of seniors from the previous season, the Wildcats are fueled by the excitement of new players, as well as returners stepping into leadership roles within the team. Head coach Chase Rieder, in his second season coaching the team, anticipates a season filled with growth.

“Obviously [the nine seniors from last year] all graduated, and we have five returners, a lot of freshmen and a lot of sophomores,” Rieder said. “We’re going to be pretty good this year. Our bench is pretty deep, and so it’s going to be a very interesting year for us.”

The co-ed volleyball team is ready to launch into the 2025-26 season.  

With a fresh start ahead, the Wildcats bring back valuable experience from last year’s schedule where they went 2-7, which featured strong opponents such as Sherwood, Churchill, Whitman and more. These tough matches have given the team a clearer sense of the speed, power and consistency needed to compete at a higher level. 

Co-ed volleyball  differs from standard rules in that a girl must touch the ball during every sequence before the team returns the rally, so team chemistry and communication will have to be especially high for the Wildcats to succeed this season. This rule places added importance on setting accuracy, court awareness and trust between teammates, as every player must be ready to adjust and cover for one another on every point. 

“This year is probably the best group of kids we’ve had,” senior Riley Berneburg said. “Honestly, we mesh well together and I’m really excited to see what we can accomplish this year.” 

Head coach Liam Morris is continuing his tenure at WJ, where he previously played and earned the WJ Player of the Year award in 2017. Drawing on his own experience as a former Wildcat, Morris has challenged the team to raise its expectations and set clear goals for the season, including competing for a top spot in the division. 

This spring, the outdoor track team will look to learn from and build on what they achieved during the indoor season, specifically strong performances in relays and mid-distance races at regionals and states. 

“We had a really good indoor season and we’re still competing against the same teams basically, so there’s no reason not to have the same success,” sprinter, senior Alessandro Marenco said. “There’s not really any way to know whether we’ll do better or worse than last year because competition is different, so only time will tell.” 

After winning the 800m and finishing third in the 500m at states, junior Jack Fiening will look to continue his mid-distance dominance, as well as succeed in relays alongside Marenco, sophomore Kaius Green, junior Amadeo Apolinar and senior Grant Levens.

“The transition from indoor to outdoor track will be easy for the returners because they have all the training from indoor,” Marenco said. “But for newcomers, it’s gonna be hard to adjust to doing workouts and that, but usually they get [used] to it pretty quick.”

The preeminent runner to watch for the girls’ team this season will be junior Sydney Walsh, who is coming off a fifth-place finish and a broken school record in the 500m at states. While the girls’ team may have fewer standout runners, they can still make up lots of ground in their relays, with several solid short, mid and long-distance runners. 

Following a few days of intense tryouts and time trials in varying weather conditions, the team is preparing to begin their season up in Glen Burnie with The Gopher Invitational on Saturday, March 21. After that they’ll host Churchill on Wednesday, March 25 and face a quick turnaround heading into the Linganore Invitational on Saturday, March 28. 

“Practicing in cold weather is a lot more unpleasant than in 80-degree, 70-degree weather, which is just a lot easier and more enjoyable to run,” Marenco said. “Consistency and discipline are the biggest factors in who’s gonna stay on the track, because every little thing you put in your body really affects you, especially in track when you’re just running.” 

The softball team looks to hit the ground running following their 10-6 record last year, as they start the season with their home opener on Monday, March 23 against Blair. The team hasn’t won a home opener since 2023, and a win against the Blazers would be a crucial step in early-season success.

“I think our biggest challenge is going to be being really talkative in the dugout,” sophomore pitcher Logan Strbak said. “But I think if we work together it’s going to be a really good season.”

Led by head coach Richard Carter and seniors Addie Strbak, Ella Reynolds and Alina Bonior, the softball team has high aspirations for the season. All three of the aforementioned seniors have been on the team since they were freshman, and they all experienced a state semifinals run two years ago that saw them come up short in the semifinals against Leonardtown.

“Because we’ve been so successful, they’ve given us most of the tough teams [to play against],” Carter said. “Inside the region, B-CC is always a concern because they have really good hitting, and Quince Orchard beat us by one last year, so they’re probably our biggest threats inside the region, but we just have to get prepared mentally.”

After the home game against Blair, the Wildcats will head to Seneca Valley to play the Screaming Eagles on Wednesday, March 25, before hosting a game on Friday, March 27 against Clarksburg before spring break. All three games will have the first pitch at 3:45.

“We have a lot of returners, since we only lost a few seniors last year,” Carter said. “Even with all of the weather problems and different things like that, they’re pretty much ready to go, because they’ve been preparing all offseason.”