When Mark Conroy thinks about one of his star football players, two words spring to mind: reliability and unselfishness.

George “Curt” McLeod ’15 never missed a practice. He never missed a game. When his Williston Northampton team needed an offensive guard and tackle, he switched from his position as tight end.

Curt McLeod could be counted on—in the classroom, on the field, and in the community.

No wonder, then, that Cornell University also selected Mr. Mcleod to be among their “best and brightest.” On Monday, Mr. McLeod committed to the Big Red during a special ceremony in the Reed Campus Center.

Coach Conroy, who was on hand for the ceremony, said that Mr. McLeod’s was “an excellent two-way player,” whose dependability make him that much more valuable.

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The high point in the boys varsity basketball regular season—the championship game would come later—happened early, against the perennial power house Phillips Exeter Academy.

The two schools had been dueling back and forth all game. First the Williston Northampton boys took the lead, then Exeter came back in the second half.

“Now they’re up 10 on us and it’s like four minutes to go,” recalls Coach Michael Shelton. “As a coach, you’re like, ‘Man, this is crunch time.’”

A three-point shot by Chris Hudson tied the game 66-66. With 15 seconds left, the ball went out of bounds and Coach Shelton called in Ryan Richmond ’15.

“We call Ryan’s number and he just comes off and it’s just like how you see on TV,” said Coach Shelton. “He takes a couple of dribbles, then 18 feet…right down the middle of the key. He just drains it.”

Such was the strength of Williston’s point guard, who Coach Shelton praised for being able to handle pressure, knock down the big shots, and be a leader, even after disappointing games.

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A relative newcomer to football, having only played for the past two years, Alex Ganter (Lynnfield, MA) made his mark on the Williston Northampton varsity team defense this year, finishing the season with Second Team All-League honors.

Mr. Ganter, who made the switch from hockey in his junior year at Lynnfield High School, said he had always wanted to play football, and at 6’5” and 260 pounds, discovered a talent on the offensive line.

“I loved it,” he said. “I came here and had an awesome experience.”

On February 4, Mr. Ganter signed a National Letter of Intent to play with the University of Rhode Island Rams next year, committing to a school that he said already felt like family.

“I’m happy for him, it seems like a good fit,” agreed his father, Marc Ganter. “When I watch him from the stands, it seems like he really loves football.”

Alex Ganter racked up 38 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery this fall. That’s after being named a Cape Ann League All-Star and Colonial Prep League All-Star and being selected to play in the Agganis All-Star Classic twice as a student at Lynnfield.

Mr. Ganter said he was looking forward to joining a program in the process of rebuilding. The Rams are a Division 1 FCS team and had a 1-11 (1-7 CAA Football) record from last season.

“They have really nice coaches from D1 programs that are looking to change the culture there,” he said. “They’re redoing how everything is done, from big time games to practicing harder. I think I’ll be a big part of that.”

A dislocated elbow early in the season could not keep Williston Northampton’s quarterback from leading the charge this fall.

Instead, his arm fortified with a brace, John “Johnny” Aylward (Tewksbury, MA) led the Wildcats to a 7-1 record, with a team total of 1,700 yards thrown and 21 touchdown passes.

On February 4, as he signed a National Letter of Intent with Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he hopes to major in economics, Mr. Aylward said he had had a great experience at Williston.

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Ever since fifth grade, before he even knew whether he wanted to wrestle or play football in college, John Kay (Hingham, MA) has been a force on the field—and a friendly, welcoming presence off it.

On February 4, Mr. Kay committed to football by signing a National Letter of Intent with the University of Maine.

“It’s a phenomenal day for John and I’m just so proud of him,” said Matt Kay, his father, who was at the signing ceremony at the Williston Northampton School. “For John—and maybe a little bit for me—it’s a dream, something he’s worked for since 8th grade.”

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When there was no local female lacrosse coach to help her young daughters learn the sport, Pamela Simpson picked up a manual and taught herself enough to coach the local recreational team, the South Hadley Tigers.

It was a strategy that appears to have paid off in spades. On Nov. 12, Mrs. Simpson was at the Grubbs Gallery to watch her younger daughter sign a National Letter of Intent to play with Elon University in North Carolina.

Her older daughter, Karly Simpson ’13, also received multiple honors while at Williston, including the Alumnae Bowl, and went on to play varsity lacrosse at Trinity College.

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