All posts by jgrant

Fall Athletic Awards Announced

On December 4, Athletic Director Mark Conroy announced the fall season athletic awards at a special Wednesday assembly. In his recognition of the 10 programs, Mr. Conroy shared highlights and recognized the award winners, which were announced during banquet nights in the week before Thanksgiving.

“I wanted to thank all of those of you who wore the blue and green this fall for competing so hard and so well,” Mr. Conroy said. “Your sportsmanship was outstanding.”

Below are details for each team, including the award winners.

rockwell2DSC_0005Girls Cross Country
Led by Coaches Greg Tuleja, Michelle Lawson, and Jane Lucia, Williston girls cross country had a terrific season and finished with a record of 10-2.  As usual, the team enjoyed wonderful team spirit as 34 girls participated. According to Coach Tuleja, highlights included closely contested wins over Division 1 opponents NMH and Miss Porters, and a great late season race at Suffield in which the team defeated four out of its five opponents.  This was only the second time in history that the team achieved double figures in victories with its 10 wins.

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Athletes of the Week – November 4th

berkDSC_0334Olivia Berk-Krauss ‘16

From her goalkeeper position on the girls’ varsity soccer team, Olivia has proven herself to be the backbone of the squad. Opposing teams have only scored 10 goals against the Wildcats this year. Olivia is hardworking, tenacious, and one of the strongest goalies in Class B. She’s a true leader on and off the field has the mental toughness that every coach looks to instill within their players.

 

greenwoodDSC_0617Tyler Greenwood ‘17

Last weekend Tyler finished 4th for Williston in the varsity race at the New England Championships for the boys’ cross country team. Tyler has shown tremendous improvement over the course of the season. He has been a contributor to the varsity team in the last three races. His grit and competitiveness can’t be matched!

 

 

 

Sophia Schaefer ‘18

schaefferDSC_0159Sophia helped secure girls’ jv soccer team a .500 season with two goals in a 4-1 victory over NMH. The team went down 1-0 in the first half, but Sophia scored twice to give the Wildcats a lead that they never relinquished. This was Sophia’s second two-goal game of the season – not an easy achievement for someone playing on the wing.

 

Field Hockey and Girls Soccer Headed for NEPSAC Tournament Play

fitzgeraldDSC_0035The varsity field hockey and girls varsity soccer teams have been selected to play in  New England Prep School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class B Tournaments. The field hockey team is seeded third and will host sixth seeded Buckingham, Browne & Nichols at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday at Berube Stadium on Sawyer Field. The girls soccer team is seeded fifth and will travel to face fourth seeded host Groton School at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Below are links to the full brackets of both tournaments.

Field HockeyparkerDSC_0210

Girls Soccer

 

Athletes of the Week – October 28th

szawlowskiDSC_0362Megan Szawlowski ‘16

Megan is one of the hardest working athletes Coach Brown has had the privilege of coaching on the varsity field hockey team. She always pushes through adversity with her fiercely competitive spirit. Megan’s tireless efforts have paid off and she has made great strides as a field hockey player. She played with heart and was integral in field hockey’s strong performance against Loomis Chaffee.

 

 

bretonDSC_0032Gabe Breton ‘14

Gabe played an outstanding game in the varsity football team’s win over Pomfret on Saturday. He led the defense with 12 tackles while also notching a sack. He also contributed on the offensive side of the ball with a catch for 35 yards and tremendous perimeter blocking. Gabe’s outstanding work ethic and competitiveness have been a big part of the team’s success.

 

sovjaniDSC_0172Mika Sovjani ‘18

In a tough loss to Loomis, Mika Sovjani owned the midfield, helping the girls’ jv soccer team control the majority of possession against a team that usually dominates its opponents. She’s been the key cog in a team that has played some of the best soccer that Coach Johnson has seen at the jv level.

 

Athletes of the Week – October 21st

fitzgeraldDSC_0035Maggie Fitzgerald ‘14

Maggie has been an incredibly strong defensive force for varsity field hockey this season. She had particularly strong performances this week against Wilbraham & Monson and Suffield. Maggie played with speed, smarts and aggression. She beat her opponents to the ball, saw the field well, and gave great passes to her teammates.

 

cavanaughDSC_0180Matt Cavanaugh ‘14

After a couple weeks of battling illness, Matt went all out in Saturday’s Shaler Invitational to be the second Williston runner this year to make it onto the Honor Roll with a time of 17:34 on the 5K course. In addition being one of the top runners in recent years, Matt is a key leader on the team and a positive role model for younger runners.

 

 

 

Clara Stokes ‘19

stokesClara had a great game in the girls’ junior Soccer team’s win over Ethel Walkers netting five goals. She was dominant in all aspects of the game, but really made her presence known on the forward line. She scored from all areas inside the 18 yard box…whether it be aggressively attacking the ball inside the box off of a rebound, or creating shots for herself from outside.

 

 

 

Joey Teresi ‘16

teresiDSC_0156Joey has been an invaluable member of the boys JV soccer team all season long. He has played multiple positions and has played them all well. He brings hard work and intensity to every practice and game. He commands the field well and also helps his teammates step up their game.

 

Athletes of the Week – October 14th

cruzDSC_00100Anthony Cruz ‘14

In the football team’s 55-14 victory over Wilbraham & Monson, Anthony had a terrific all-around game – 135 yards rushing on 9 carries and 2 touchdowns. Caught 2 passes for 95 yards. (230 yards on 11 plays!) On defense, he had 8 tackles and one interception. Anthony has brought tremendous leadership and competitiveness to the team all season.

 

simpsonDSC_0013Grace Simpson ‘15

Grace scored the winning goal for the girls’ varsity soccer team against Taft with just under two minutes to go in the game on Wednesday. Grace is a positive leader during games and practices and always gives 100%.

 

 

 

 

 

ostbergDSC_0107Ian Ostberg ‘17

Ian did a great job running the JV football team’s complicated offense in a 46-28 victory over Pomfret Saturday. He engineered 5 total touchdowns, including 2 TD passes and 2 passes for extra points.

 

Athletes of the Week – October 7th

hohmannDSC_0161Gabe Hohmann ‘14

Gabe ran 18:18 and was third for the boys’ cross country team this week. He has moved from the team’s 7th runner to 3rd in the last two weeks.  He has pushed himself in practice and has challenged others to go with him.  He has been a leader during the week at practices and has been moving up because of his hard work!

 

 

Caroline Musicant ‘17 and Ellie Pitcher ‘17

UnknownCaroline (coxswain) and Ellie (rower) were part of a boat that won first place (1st out of 11 novice boats) at the 4th annual New England Junior and High School Regional Championship Regatta in Worcester, MA. Caroline and Ellie are used to coxing and rowing, respectively, in an 8 person boat. During practice last week, they were asked to switch into a 4 (coxed, 4 person boat), only having two days to practice together with three other girls. Caroline did an outstanding job of coxing a new boat, which can be very challenging as each boat has a unique feel to it. It takes great leadership to lead a set of rowers that cannot see the direction in which they are going. Ellie has been working very hard to synchronize her stroke rating and technique with her teammates.

 

Nick Hill ‘17

Cross country runner Nick Hill improved his best time by over two minutes to 19:27 on Saturday.  He has started to run with the top group in the past week and has become more serious about his efforts, which helped earn him a great time on Saturday.

 

Athletes of the Week – September 30th

larawayDSC_0201Catie Laraway ‘14 

Catie played a great game against Kent on Wednesday. She had an important assist, a beautiful cross to a teammate, in the sudden death overtime period that won the game for the Wildcats. On Saturday, Catie scored 4 goals against Berkshire. Catie’s third goal of the game, her 61st while at Williston broke the school record for career goals, previously held by Bridget Instrum who had 60 goals. With her impressive stick skills, aggressiveness, competitive, never-give up attitude, she is a powerful attacking force for Wildcat field hockey.

 

Curt McLeod ‘15

mcleodDSC_0561Curt stepped in and played tackle on offense to help solidify the line in the team’s 49-22 win over The Gunnery.  Curt’s unselfish attitude and strong physical play helped the offense average over 15 yards per play in the game.  Curt is also a force at defensive end where his athletic, hard-nosed play makes him a big part of the team’s defensive success.

 

Rachel Lloyd ‘14

Rachel is on the Williston equestrian team and placed first on Saturday in her division at an Interscholastic show held at the Mt. Holyoke College Equestrian Center.  It was a great win for the team, helping them to win 3rd overall against 9 teams competing on Saturday. This follows last weekend when she placed 2nd in her division helping the team finish as Reserve Champion out of 8 teams.

 

Alexis Ryan ‘17

Alexis played an amazing game against Berkshire on Saturday.  She consistently demonstrated patience and leadership on the field as a center back, and she also moved the ball down the field in her role as the center midfielder.  Twice she entered the circle with the ball, faked out the defender with a quick and sneaky dodge, and drove the ball into the goal, scoring both of the team’s goals that day.

 

Catie Laraway ’14 Sets Goal Scoring Record

larawayDSC_0201Senior Catie Laraway (Westfield, MA) broke the Williston career goal scoring record this past Saturday in a field hockey game played at Berkshire School.  Laraway, a four year varsity player, scored four goals in the team’s 5-1 victory.  Her second goal tied the 60 career goal record and her third broke it.

The previous record holder was Bridget Instrum, Class of 2012, who held a record of 60 goals.  Instrum currently plays field hockey and lacrosse at Middlebury College.

Laraway has 62 career goals including 15 goals in six games this fall.  Laraway’s outstanding season has helped lead the Wildcats to a 5-1 thus far.

Athletes of the Week – September 23rd

calderoneDSC_0280Liz Calderone ‘14

Liz played a pivotal role in varsity volleyball’s 3-1 win over Stoneleigh Burnham. She totaled nine aces and two kills, including some clutch serves to finish game four and secure the win. Her leadership on the court and during pep talks during time outs helped the team focus and stay positive throughout the match.

 

 

 

robinsonDSC_0045Ledell Robinson ‘14

Ledell had a terrific game in leading varsity football to a 51-0 victory over Canterbury. He threw three touchdown passes, ran for two scores and returned a punt 60 yards for a score. It was quite a performance. Ledell’s poise and playmaking ability has been a big part of the team’s early season success.

 

 

 

bundyDSC_0197Fiona Bundy ‘18

Fiona had a goal and two assists in the JV girls’ soccer 6-0 victory over Wilbraham & Monson. Her strong, tenacious defense in the second half helped to preserve the victory. She is off to a great start to the season with a goal in every game so far.