The 2022 season was one of improvement for the Greenwich Country Day School football team, which raised its win total from one game in its inaugural season in 2021 to three victories last fall.

Now the Tigers are intent on having a winning season and making their mark in the NEPSAC Evergreen League, after competing in the competitive league for the first time one season ago.

Guided by head coach Kevin Avery, Greenwich Country Day is coming off a 3-6 season that featured a 21-8 victory against New York Military Academy, a 37-13 victory over Portsmouth Abbey and a 44-20 triumph versus Austin Prep. The Tigers also had close losses against St. Luke’s School (a 21-18 defeat) and Canterbury School (a 40-32 loss).

“We’re really proud of the steps that we’re taking and the progression we’re making,” said Avery, who is entering his third season at the helm. We’re never going to be complacent. We play the same schedule this year, which is awesome.”

GCDS opens its 2023 campaign with a home game against Capital Prep Harbor from Bridgeport. Some of the Tigers’ other games this fall include a road game against Canterbury School on Sept. 30, a home matchup against NEPSAC Evergreen foe Proctor Academy (Oct. 7), a home game against league opponent Austin Prep (Oct. 21) and a home contest versus St. Luke’s School (Nov. 11). The Tigers will also visit Hamden Hall Country Day School on Nov. 4 and travel to Dexter Southfield on Oct. 28.

This summer, numerous members of the GCDS squad have spent time competing in 7-on-7 passing competitions throughout the tri-state area in preparation for the upcoming season. Last week, a group of varsity football players helped out at the Greenwich Country Day School Tiger Football Academy, which was held in association with the Simms Complete Quarterback Experience at Greenwich Country Day.

Jesse Ripka, Greenwich Country Day’s senior quarterback, was one of the athletes who lended a hand at the school’s football camp a week ago. Ripka is heading into his third varsity football season and is comping off a 2022 season that saw him pass for an impressive 2,164 yards. The Tigers had a high-scoring offense last season behind Ripka, who threw 23 touchdown passes, while only being intercepted seven times.

The Tigers’ experienced quarterback knows last season was a learning experience and is optimistic about the team’s potential.

“Obviously, moving up leagues last year was tough,” Ripka said. “We knew it was going to be tough going into the year, so we had that philosophy to prepare for it. We played in the Evergreen League with a lot of talented teams in there, so we knew it was going to be tough. I think we definitely took a step forward in Year 2.”

“We had our first real graduating class, but we are going to have young guys that can fill the spots,” Ripka continued. “They are doing a great job of getting in the weight room in the offseason and getting on the field with us.”

Last Wednesday, Greenwich Country Day played in 7-on-7 games against several teams in order to sharpen up their passing, receiving, defensive backfield skills for the rapidly approaching season.

“I’m excited, this is my last year here, so we’re just trying to make every day count,” Ripka said. “Watching the program grow from the ground up is a pretty special experience. I couldn’t ask for a better experience. I feel very fortunate, we couldn’t ask for a better guy than coach Avery to lead the program from the ground up.”

Ripka is one of the Tigers’ senior captains.

“He is a three-year starter, with a tremendous accurate arm,” Avery said of Ripka. “He is incredibly smart, very agile, a great decision maker and a true field general. Jesse is an unbelievable worker, he really kind of has the pulse of the team and they follow him.”

Senior Cooper Edwards is another team captain. A wide receiver, Edwards registered 35 receptions for 519 yards in 2022, scoring eight touchdowns in the process. Edwards averaged 14.8 yards per reception and 64.9 receiving yards a game a year ago.

“Cooper Edwards is one of the more dynamic receiving threats that I’ve every coached,” Avery said. “He’s a tight end type. He can play outside, he can play in the slot, he’s got unbelievable catch radius and he’s incredibly physical. Cooper is a huge factor in our offense and he’s a great leader. He’s a tremendous worker at practice and all of the other receivers in our program look up to him because of his work ethic.”

Versatile athlete Bailey Gendason, who also attended the Tiger Football Academy last week along with Ripka and Edwards, serves as a team captain as well.

“Bailey Gendason plays safety, corner and receiver for us and he’s a special teams phenom – he’s all over the field,” Avery noted. “He plays in all three phases. Bailey is a high-character, high-energy leader. He really sets the tempo for our team and what it means to be a student-athlete.”

Zach Powell was one of the graduates from last season’s squad. Powell was Greenwich Country Day’s leading receiver, with 59 receptions for 817 yards and 10 touchdowns. Therefore, GCDS will rely upon Edwards, rising junior Austin Rinello, rising junior Luke Miles and Connor Crain (rising junior) to spark the receiving corps.

“Guys are ready to take it to the next level and we’re all really excited,” Ripka noted. “Now, I’m finally a senior, so I have to be the one to lead the troops with guys like Cooper and Bailey. We are going to make everything count.”

Avery is looking forward to seeing what season three has in store for his program, which is gearing up for the challenge of competing in the NEPSAC Evergreen Division.

“We’re fortunate to play in the NEPSAC Evergreen League, which is awesome,” he said. “It’s a great conference, there’s 16 teams in total, eight are boarding schools. All the schools have been playing football considerably longer than we have. We are only in year three, so we’re excited to have an opportunity to change our best and run it back and see what we can do this year.”