It's Playoff Time for Varsity Fall Teams
By Andy Pogach, Director of Athletics
It's Playoff Time! We are excited that all seven of our varsity programs will enter the post-season this week. While golf (Tuesday) and cross-country (Thursday) will battle for conference titles, field hockey, soccer, volleyball and tennis will embark on their state tournament runs.
A huge thank you goes out to the Durham Academy community for an incredible Homecoming on Oct. 4 — which was one of our most well-attended fall Friday nights in years! Please make sure to support our Cavaliers in person this week or follow online (@DAAthletics on X and @DACavsAthletics on Instagram). Here are updates from our varsity programs:
Girls Golf
The girls golf team finished its regular season dual-match play unbeaten with a narrow 126–130 win over North Raleigh Christian last Tuesday in Raleigh. Jenna Kim ’27 led the Cavs with a 32, while Chloe French ’25 (42) and Kenzie Kim ’26 (52) also scored for DA. The Cavs still lay claim to the top spot in the NCISAA team index, and Kim, Saia Rampersaud ’25 and French remain first, second and eighth respectively in the individual rankings. The Cavs will look to clinch a TISAC (Triangle Independent Schools Athletic Conference) title on Tuesday at Wildwood Green Golf Club in Raleigh.
The NCISAA championship is set for Monday, Oct. 21, to Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Update: The girls golf team took first place in the TISAC tournament, with Kim being named Conference Player of the Year and Rampersaud and French also earning All-Conference honors.
Volleyball
The DA volleyball team finished the regular season with a 3–1 loss to Wesleyan Christian last Thursday in High Point. After dropping the first two sets, the Cavs rallied for a 25–13 third set win before ultimately falling in four. Rina Bolognesi ’25 led DA with seven kills, while ninth grader Nora McNealy ’28 added seven kills and had a team-leading .286 hitting percentage. Hayley Skye ’27 was the team leader in both digs (18) and assists (15). The Cavs will hit the road Tuesday to battle sixth-seeded 14–7 Cannon School in the first round of the state tournament. A win will send them to North Raleigh Christian on Friday in the state quarter-finals.
Update: The volleyball team fell to Cannon School 3–0.
Final TISAC Volleyball Standings
|
Team |
TISAC |
Overall |
4A Seed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
NRCA |
7–1 |
16–4 |
3 |
|
Ravenscroft |
7–1 |
17–4 |
4 |
|
Durham Academy |
3–5 |
8–10 |
9–12 |
|
Cary Academy |
3–5 |
8–12 |
9–12 |
|
Saint Mary's |
0–8 |
2–13 |
Field Hockey
The DA field hockey team finished the regular season on a four-game win streak and heads into the postseason 11–6 and seeded sixth. The Cavs will host Greensboro Day on Tuesday afternoon at Moylan Field. A huge thank you goes out to our friends at Ravenscroft who hosted the team’s senior day last Tuesday. The Cavs then took the field and blanked the Ravens 3–0 thanks to two goals from junior Sasha Bilsborrow ’26 and a goal from Avery Hilton ’27. On Thursday, despite giving up a goal to Saint Mary’s in the first minute, the Cavs rallied for a 4–1 win over the Saints. Logan Freedman ’26 scored twice. Goalie Leah Lipsitch ’25 has been outstanding in the cage, giving up just two goals in the last three games.
Update: The field hockey team topped Greensboro Day 5–0 in the first round of the state tournament and will play at Charlotte Latin on Friday.
Final TISAC Field Hockey Standings
|
Team |
TISAC |
Overall |
4A Seed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cary Christian |
6–0 |
13–0 |
1 |
|
Cary Academy |
5–2 |
6–4 |
4 |
| Durham Academy |
4–3 |
11–6 |
6 |
| Ravenscroft |
1–6 |
3–12 |
8 |
|
Saint Mary's |
1–5 |
3–19 |
9–12 |
Girls Tennis
It’s another unbeaten conference title for the DA girls tennis team. Their impressive conference win streak has stretched to 38, and the Cavs are now 73–1 in their last 74 conference matches dating back to 2016. The Cavs storm into the state tournament as the No. 2 seed and will host a state quarter-final match vs. Cary Academy on Friday afternoon.
After a Homecoming 7–2 win over Ravenscroft to clinch the conference crown, the Cavs went on the road last Tuesday for a hard fought 5–4 win over North Raleigh Christian. DA won at second and third doubles before getting singles wins from Leah Yang ’29 at two, Annika Lee ’26 at three and Taylor Hill ’29 at five for the win. The Cavs then completed the regular season with a 7–2 road win over Wesleyan Christian Thursday. Zara Miller ’25 won her first singles match in the victory.
Final TISAC Tennis Standings
| Team | TISAC | Overall |
4A Seed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham Academy |
8–0 |
14–3 |
2 |
|
NRCA |
5–3 |
9–6 |
6 |
| Cary Academy |
4–4 |
9–9 |
7 |
| Ravenscroft |
2–6 |
4–13 |
9–12 |
| Saint Mary's |
1–7 |
2–10 |
out |
Boys Soccer
The Boys soccer team has also won the TISAC championship for a fourth straight year. This overtime game-winner by Garrett Zhou ’27 beat Ravenscroft on Homecoming and gave the Cavs a share of the TISAC crown. While the Cavs could not win the title outright as they fell 2–0 on the road to Cary Academy last Tuesday, they rebounded for a 3–1 win over the New Life Storm on Senior Night Thursday to close out the regular season. Gavin Lamb ’27 scored twice while Zeke Kalla ’25 added another in the win over the Storm. The Cavs just missed out on hosting a state tournament game and will go on the road Tuesday to battle No. 6 seed Charlotte Latin in the 4A state tournament.
Update: The varsity boys soccer team won its NCISAA math vs. Charlotte Latin 2–1 on Tuesday and advances to play at Covenant Day School on Friday.
Final TISAC Soccer Standings
| Team | TISAC |
Overall |
4A Seed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham Academy |
5–1 |
11–6–2 |
9–12 |
| Cary Academy |
5–1 |
12–3–1 |
7 |
|
NRCA |
1–5 |
3–13–1 |
OUT |
|
Ravenscroft |
1–5 |
4–13–1 |
OUT |
Girls Cross-Country
The DA girls claimed the annual Durham City/County Championship on Tuesday afternoon by the slimmest of margins. Led by an individual championship by junior Audrey Crowder and a third-place finish from senior Evan Register, the Cavs finished with 47 points and claimed the trophy over N.C. School of Science and Math based on a better sixth-place finish. Ninth-graders Elliott Register (11th), Harper Maxwell (12th), Liesl Walukewicz (20th) and Helen Barritt (21st) provided the depth that led the Cavs to the special accomplishment.
The girls are favored to capture the conference title Thursday at the TISAC championship race at Wake Med Park.
NC Milesplit 4A Team Rankings
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
|
Charlotte Country Day |
63 |
|
Charlotte Latin |
84 |
| Durham Academy |
86 |
|
Metrolina |
100 |
| Forsyth |
154 |
Boys Cross-Country
The boys cross country team placed third in the City/County race last Tuesday. Despite finishing behind both Riverside and Jordan, the Cavs ran well to finish with 61 points. Angus Cook ’25 continues his strong senior campaign with a third place finish and a time of 16:01. Nick Friga ’26 (9th), Eli Kraskin ’26 (15th), Redmond Thorne ’27 (16th) and Tate Duensing ’26 (18th) scored for DA.
The Cavs will head to Wake Med Park on Thursday afternoon for the TISAC meet.
NC Milesplit 4A Team Rankings
| Team |
Score |
|---|---|
| Metrolina |
83 |
| Cary Academy |
99 |
|
Christ School |
103 |
|
Forsyth |
105 |
|
Durham Academy |
135 |