The IHHS Braves sports teams have kicked the athletic year off right. Various teams have made it to county tournaments, gotten dozens of wins all around and many athletes and teams have been nominated for player/team of the week. With seniors playing their last seasons of football, volleyball, etc, it’s important to reflect not only on the team’s success, but also the experiences of our senior athletes.
All records current as of November 10, 2025
Football
The boys football team had a successful season this year. Starting off with a loss in the preseason, the Indian Hills team turned it around going off to win five games this season. Large student section crowds were persistent throughout the season, especially on nights like USA and Black Out. The biggest night this season by far was the team’s close win against Fair Lawn High School in September. Senior Ryan Morrison described the night as “electric” with large crowds and cheers from the student section. The team ended their season on a high note beating Hackettstown High School 16-12 at home.
Words of Advice: “Get better everyday and always lift each other up.”
– Ryan Morrison ’26
Current Record: 5-5
Boys Soccer
The Indian Hills boys soccer team experienced some ups and downs throughout the season. Starting off against tough teams like Ramsey High School, the team was able to battle throughout the rest of the fall season to beat Pascack Hills twice in a row with large leads. The team was also able to take home a senior night win against Westwood High School with a score of 1-0. However, there was one team that was an exceptionally tough competitor for the boys soccer team and that was Mahwah. Senior Angelo Iapicca commented on the Braves performance against Mahwah, “We played 100% those games and they were definitely a good challenge for us.” The team was able to wrap up the regular 2025 fall season with a win against Dumont High School with a score of 3-2.
Words of Advice: “Always train in the off season. The soccer season is always closer than it seems so definitely be well prepared all year round.”
- Angelo Iapicca ’26
Current Record: 7-11
Girls Soccer
The girls soccer team has been putting in the work this fall season facing tough competitors every week. Beginning with a tough loss against Old Tapan early on, they were able to come back later in the month to beat schools like Leonia, Bergenfield and Riverdell. By far the team’s toughest competitor, according to Senior Morgan Quill was “definitely Ramsey. They’re a great team; however, we do not give up and we give it our all. In games against the Rams we focus on simply improving our personal game for the next and keeping our heads up.” The girls were successful in the Bergen County Tournament getting all the way to the final round against Cresskill High School. The girls also had a good run in the state tournament making it to the quarter finals against Midland Park High School.
Words of Advice: “Never lose sight of what sports are about. Learning lessons of time management, sportsmanship and being a good teammate are a few of the many things that you learn from the sport and what makes sports such a fun and rewarding opportunity. It’s important to remember that playing soccer is about more than just the wins.”
- Morgan Quill ’26
Current Record: 11-13
Volleyball
This season, the girls volleyball team has experienced a lot of growth to their program. This season alone, the Indian Hills team has welcomed 15 freshmen and several upperclassmen as well. The program also introduced a new head coach this season: Coach Dolce. Dolce has used his previous experience coaching volleyball to implement new habits and approaches within the team. The senior girls had an eventful senior night, beating Mahwah High School in a landslide and enjoying their celebration. Through the ups and downs of the season, the team’s toughest competitor this fall season was Westwood. According to Senior Gabby LiButti, “The first time playing them (Westwood) wasn’t an ideal outcome, so we worked harder and focused on our weaknesses. Although we didn’t win the second time facing them, it could be considered a success because we improved a lot from the first outing and the close game showed progression.” The girls have a lot to work on but with guidance and support from their coach and teammates, they are sure to succeed in the future.
Words of Advice: “Always work hard and enjoy every moment- when you’re having fun, the hard work feels worth it, and that’s when you really grow as a player.”
- Gabby LiButti ’26
Current Record: 4-15
Boys Cross Country
The boys cross country team has had an incredibly successful 2025 season. The team placed first in the Bergen County Group Championships and State Sectionals while also finishing second at the Bergen County Meet of Champions in late October. Recently added to the season schedule was the Manhattan College Invitational. Replacing the beloved Six Flags Safari Meet, the Manhattan Invitational gave the runners a chance to run in New York City. Throughout this season, the boys cross country team’s biggest competitor was Leonia High School. Junior Lukas Kertesz comments, “We kept working every day and knew that once everyone was healthy we would have a very good shot at beating them, and we did with a win of 3 points.” Overall, this year’s cross country season for the boys team was extremely successful. They’re headed to the NJSIAA Meet of Champions at Holmdel Park on November 15th to finish off the season. Best of luck to the Braves boys cross country team in the final leg of the 2025 season!
Words of Advice: “Not everything is going to go your way, so you have to be ready to take a different path than you were expecting and be able to still stay in the game mentally. Remember that everything happens for a reason and trust your coaches.”
- Lukas Kertesz ’27
Girls Cross Country
The girls cross country team, like the boys team, has had a very successful fall 2025 season. They faced many challenges, one being their small team size, throughout the fall. The team’s biggest competitor according to Senior Carolina Pepe was “myself. I was barreling through ankle injuries and running through that definitely wasn’t easy.” Regardless of these circumstances, the team has put up some good numbers at meets from the season opener back in September until now. Closing up the fall season, the girls cross country team looks to push forward and continue to improve through consistent training and teamwork for the future.
Words of Advice: “Stay consistent and always give 100% to the sport.”
- Carolina Pepe ’26
Girls Tennis
Over the 2025 tennis season, the girls tennis team has gained some new members this year. The team has put in the work during practices and games, perfecting skills in order to face tough competitors. Although the girls team didn’t have a game on their Senior Night, it was still Senior Nehali Reddy’s favorite memory from this season. Reddy describes, “Although we didn’t have a match that day, it was fun playing tennis with the girls and Coach Dunbar.” All in all, the Indian Hills Girls Tennis team has had a season of self-improvement and have come together to create a girls tennis family.
Words of Advice: “Don’t stress even if you don’t know the basics. Girls Tennis has two amazing coaches, who help with everything. The coaches aren’t looking for skill, but effort. When I started tennis in my sophomore year, I didn’t know how to play, however, with their guidance, I was able to become a lot better and advance each year. Additionally, through tennis, you meet a lot of new people. Some of my closest friends are those I met in this sport.”
- Nehali Reddy ’26
Gymnastics
Regardless of having such a small gymnastics team, it doesn’t stop the Braves from putting up many successful numbers. The team has placed well on events such as vault, beams, floor, etc with an average of around 88 to 94 points each meet. This season, the team’s biggest competitor, according to Senior Anella Cavalieri, was “AHA because all year both of our scores were so close. When we have had to compete against them the team really focused on fine tuning all the small details for better scores.” At their last meet of the year, the team placed 4th at the North Jersey Gymnastics Championships and ultimately had a greatly successful season.
Words of Advice: “Always push yourself even if you are scared but make sure you have fun because these 4 years will fly!”
- Anella Cavalieri ’26
Current Record: 2-4
Marching Band
The Indian Hills Marching Band has brought musical life back into football this season. Playing some famous songs at every game, rain or shine, has been a highlight for many Braves spectators this fall season. Overall, the marching bands season has gone exceptionally well. They competed in the Music in the Parks competition earlier this season in Midland Park. At that competition they battled against schools such as Ramapo, Pascack Valley, Teaneck, etc and the Braves were able to secure a win in the D Division for the best music award.
Words of Advice: “Stay in the band, we need you!”
- Michael Reisch ’26
Cheerleading
The cheerleading squad has been working consistently this fall season to put life and excitement into the halftime shows. Performing new stunts and routines to popular songs has kept the crowds entertained throughout football games this entire season. Starting out in the late summer months, the lady braves have perfected and fine tuned their skills to be the best they could be out on the turf. After finishing off their fall season at the last football game against Hackettstown, it’s now time to prepare for the winter cheer season.
Words of Advice: “Hard work pays off.”
- Alexa Silverstein ’26