(MTA Sports) Rabbi Kahn once said, “When people come together and form a community, they can accomplish great things together.” MTA talmidim took that very seriously this past week. Varsity basketball and varsity hockey, each taking on multiple opponents, came away victorious wherever they were. The week started off with varsity basketball. The Lions traveled to North Shore to play the Stars for the first time since 2018. A day later, they battled a struggling Heschel Heat roster who were looking for their first win in almost a month. They then had a brief one-day hiatus before making the trip to Elizabeth, looking to continue their win streak of three games, and shut down the Thunder on their Senior Night. Varsity hockey, after a tough loss to TABC before the break, looked to bounce back and regain their spot in second place in the division, with a win over JEC in the Lions’ Den. They then looked to end their regular season strong with a win going into the playoffs on Thursday night, as they went to war with the Flatbush Falcons. It was a week filled with much action for these teams and they did not disappoint at all.
The winning started off on Sunday afternoon for the varsity basketball Lions as they took on North Shore. Despite missing starters Donny Book and Abie Schwartz, the Lions kept 100% effort throughout the game. Seniors Eli Sheer and Yosef Shmuel stepped up big time, each taking advantage of their opportunities in the best way possible and earning their team a win. The Lions never lost a lead in the game, but a late 3-pointer from North Shore cut MTA’s lead to four with three and a half left in the game. The Lions controlled on defense and stopped a potential comeback from North Shore in its tracks, picking up their first win of the week.
After a tight game against Heschel in the preseason, a close game was not an option. With a playoff berth on the line, MTA had to shine. Star senior duo Dani Wolk and Book went for a combined 26 points, 23 rebounds and 13 assists, sealing the game for the Lions. Although the first half did not look too great for the Lions, they came out with a force the second half, showing they wanted it much more. Junior Gavriel Rudman netted 13 of his game high 19 points in the second half, and the Lions did not look back. Stellar passing and limiting the turnovers helped push the Lions past the Heschel Heat, setting them up for success and punching their ticket to the postseason.
The varsity hockey Lions looked to continue the winning streak, entering their final week of the regular season. JEC made the trip over the GWB hoping their losing streak wouldn’t reach 10 straight. Junior Akiva Morris made the first start of his career, letting nothing past him through two periods of play. Senior Noam Kornwasser led the way for the Lions with his first hat trick of the season, while seniors Dovi Friedman and captain Ezra Landa netted two goals apiece. MTA finished off strong defensively and ended with a 9-0 score. Although they didn’t quite get the “large margin” label on MYHSAL.com, MTA did not slow down one bit.
Varsity basketball decided to make it their mission to close out the JEC Thunder’s season as they took them on, looking for the season sweep of the Thunder. This game was different for the Lions. With a winning streak to defend, the Lions had even more of an incentive to win. Right after JEC’s Senior Night ceremony, MTA took the court for the game. Senior Abie Schwartz led the Lions past the Thunder on the offensive and defensive sides, highlighted by a number six in the steals category. The varsity Lions completed a sweep of the week, as well as a season sweep of the JEC Thunder.
Varsity hockey looked to put double digits in the win column with a win on Thursday night against the Flatbush Falcons. In their last game, MTA varsity hockey seniors were honored during the first intermission for their play over the past four years of their high school careers. Although the past years have not resulted in championships, this year has been looking like it will have a different outcome—a banner hanging in the rafters of the Lions’ Den. Flatbush played strong, but more skill was what they would need to snatch a win against a top seeded Lions team. Junior Abie Rosenberg notched the first two-goal game of his career, and the offense propelled their way to an 8-0 win in their final game in The Den. 17-0 was the combined score of their two games this week. That’s not something teams facing the Lions in the playoffs want to see.
The varsity Lions had a 5-0 record this week. Playoffs are coming and the Lions are ready. When asked about the sports success, Rabbi Kahn said, “This is a very special group and I’m proud of their accomplishments. Now let’s go win a championship!” The Lions are ready for that and won’t stop until it’s done.
