Category Archives: Athletics News

Athletes of the Week

Jaden Tanguay ‘18– Ultimate

This week Jaden made a significant contribution to the Ultimate team on both sides of the disc. As an offensive weapon Jaden proved nearly un-guardable in both games. His consistent high level of effort and his focus on improving his abilities has contributed to his successful season thus far. As a leader on the team, Jaden can be seen helping some of our newer players figure out different skills. He is always willing to lend his great knowledge of the sport to those who are learning how to play. Jaden has grown into a dynamic player and leader for the Wildcats and the team will continue to look towards him for his positive attitude, leadership and fantastic play.

Marielle McEnaney ’18 – Varsity Softball

Marielle has played well for the Wildcats this season. Her exceptional play continued this week as she went 4 for 6 from the plate and earned an RBI, stole 2 bases, scored 4 runs, and perfectly executed 2 sacrifice bunts. In addition to her offensive onslaught, Marielle has been consistent in the outfield, including a phenomenal diving catch against Deerfield to secure a much needed out for the Cats. Marielle always carries herself with a positive energy that has been contagious for the rest of the team!

Abood Abuissa ’18- Boys Track and Field

Abood just keeps improving this season!  On Wednesday, Abood lowered his time in the 110 hurdles by half a second to take the win in a quick 16.3. By Saturday, he’d lower it another four tenths to win in 15.9. This time puts Abood third on the Williston Top-10 list, and in a good position to score points at New England’s. Likewise, in the 300 hurdles, Abood has taken a second and a half off his time, most recently running a 44.0 to place fourth on the Williston Top-10 list. That time was also good enough for the win on Saturday. As team captain, Abood’s hard work and positive attitude provide a great example for the rest of his squad.

Claire Harrison ’19 – Girls Track and Field

Claire has been putting up tremendous times across a variety of events this season. Whether being asked to run an 800m leg of a relay or the 100m hurdles, she’s running quick! On Saturday, Claire put in a phenomenal 63.8 split of the 4×400 to put major distance between herself and the Hopkins runner. Also on Saturday, Claire placed second in the 100 hurdles in 17.5 and third in the 300 hurdles in 53.4 which moved her into 8th place on the Williston Top-10 list. While not her usual event, on Wednesday, Claire stepped into the 400 and ran 65.0 for the win and the sixth-fastest time on the Williston Top-10 list.  Her hard work, on and off the track, has been second to none and it is clearly paying off. Claire is coming into form at the perfect time as the team gears up for New England’s.

Connor Power ’18- Boys Varsity Lacrosse

Connor has been a strong contributor to the boys varsity lacrosse team’s success this season. In his first season playing lacrosse, Connor has improved tremendously and has been a staple defensively for the Wildcats. This past week he played excellent defense in the team’s two games against Suffield and Canterbury. Connor brings a positive attitude each day to practice and he works hard to improve his skills in the game of lacrosse. Connor sets a positive example for his teammates and proves that with a great work ethic, any goal can be achieved!

Sophia Schaefer ‘18 –Girls Varsity Lacrosse

Sophia has been a big part of the girls varsity lacrosse team’s success this season.  Playing in the midfield and taking the majority of the draws, her contributions have been significant!  This week she had 5 draw controls in each of our 2 wins and also provided a defensive and offensive spark in both games.  Sophia is a tireless worker who brings strength to all parts of the game for the Wildcats.  As a team captain, she has been a fantastic leader, helping her teammates realize the value of hard work and determination to be one’s best for the team.

Tyler Senecal ’19- Boys Varsity Golf

Tyler got off to a slow start in the first couple of matches for the Wildcats, but through his perseverance and consistently positive outlook, he rebounded to earn team or match medalist honors 3 times. Most notably, Tyler’s excellent round of 75 at the 8 team Suffield Invitational Tournament, earned him the individual championship, and helped the Wildcats win the team championship. This past Saturday, he again managed to win match medalist in the quad match against Choate, Loomis and Kingswood-Oxford, continuing his streak of fantastic play! Now in his fifth year as a varsity golfer at Williston, Tyler continues to practice diligently, compete fiercely, and always conducts himself with the highest level of sportsmanship.

Abbie Coscia ‘19- Girls Varsity Water Polo

Abbie has been a force in the pool all season for the Wildcats, and her strong play has continued during this back half of the year. She was key in important victories for the Wildcats over tough opponents in Hopkins and Deerfield this past week. Not only was she a scoring leader, her defensive work helped to neutralize the top player for each of the opposing teams. With the NEPSAC playoffs a week away, the Cats will continue to look towards Abbie for her strong play and her leadership ability as they move into the post season.

Joey Nolte ’19- Boys Varsity Tennis

Joey has been a strong contributor to the boy tennis team this whole season. This continued on Saturday as he fought an incredibly challenging match against Avon Old Farms. With the team needing another win to secure the team’s victory, Nolte lit the internal fires after going down 9-5 in a tie break game and earned a 13-11 victory! This helped Williston earn its first win over Avon in six years!  Joey is consistently working his hardest to improve his game, both on and off the court. This hard work has clearly paid off as Nolte is currently undefeated and holds Williston’s only 8-0 record this season.

Tim Fay ‘18- Varsity Baseball

Tim has been an integral part of the Wildcats success this season. Tim had an outstanding pitching performance on Wednesday, earning the win in Williston’s come-from-behind, extra-inning effort at Suffield last week. Replacing an injured Will Jordan on the mound in the 4th inning, Tim held the Tigers scoreless for the next six innings, giving up only four hits and striking out six batters. All season, Tim has played excellent defense at 3rd base and 1st base respectively in addition to being the Wildcats’ top relief pitcher. Tim has also shined as a leader in his role as one of the team’s co-captains.

Katie Han ‘19–Girls JV Tennis

Katie has shown all year that she is full of fight and is extremely passionate about improving her tennis skills. She holds herself to high standards and she constantly analyzes her strengths and weaknesses. This past week, Katie stretched herself in a game by diving to get to a difficult ball. She immediately jumped up to hit the next ball, proving her mental toughness and will to win. On the play she hurt herself, however during the rest of the week she didn’t let her ankle bother her play as she continued to play strong. She played two more very close matches, some of the longest matches our team has seen this year. She is often seen after practice hitting more shots to even further develop her play. Katie’s work ethic is second to none and through this work, she provides a positive example for the rest of the team.

Chelsea Clark ’19- Girls JV Lacrosse

Chelsea has been the rock of the Girls JV Lacrosse team’s defensive unit all season.  She is a hard worker, fearless competitor and a leader amongst her teammates. Chelsea has the ability to jump start the entire team by running through a 50/50 ground ball, intercepting a pass or forcing a turnover.  This week she did all three in the team’s close games against NMH and Choate!  Her field sense and bulldog efforts are a big part of the Cat’s success this year. Chelsea has not only provided strong play but she is also constantly trying to make herself and her teammates better as she helps the rest of the defensive group learn the position.

 

Athletes of the Week

Solomon Neuhaus ’19 – Boys Varsity Basketball

Solomon has been a valuable contributor to the success of boys varsity basketball all season.  Coming off the bench, he consistently provides the team with strong play on both offense and defense.  In Saturday’s big win over Suffield, he played a critical role in getting the team off to a great first half by scoring 8 points, including two three pointers.  Solomon’s continued development and contribution will be one of the keys to the team’s stretch run.

Natalie Romain ‘18– Girls Varsity Basketball

Natalie has been a big part to the Wildcats success this season. She has worked tirelessly, on and off the court, to improve her game. On defense she puts forth significant effort to gain control of each rebound and consistently provides a spark that gets fire in her teammates burning. On offense, she continues to be a force with outstanding offensive rebounding. She’s strong, and isn’t afraid to make contact! Natalie’s energy was contagious this week against Loomis, Taft, and Cheshire. Natalie is always willing to use her strength to gain possession and plays with tremendous heart.

Kevin O’Sullivan ’18- Varsity Wrestling

Kevin is an outstanding captain who leads the team every day with an incredibly upbeat attitude.  His sense of humor makes even the hardest workout more bearable. Kevin has wrestled at 170# and 195# this year.  He was highly ranked at both of those weight classes. Choosing to wrestle at 182#, though, conceding weight classes to his teammates, clearly showing Kevin’s team first mentality. At the NEPSAC championship, Kevin was seeded tenth, but defeated the 7th, 6th, and then 4th seeded wrestlers, two of which by pinfall on his way to a fourth place finish.  This earns him a trip to the National Prep Wrestling championships this coming weekend at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. Kevin has been a positive role model all season and a key to the team’s success.

Maddy Cardaci ‘20- Girls Varsity Hockey

Maddy has had a great season for the Wildcats and has been a big part of the team’s success. On Wednesday, she had a goal in the 4-0 win over NMH. Again on Saturday, she continued her inspired play as she had another goal against Loomis in the 3-4 loss.  She plays with passion, always giving great effort every shift, practice and game.  She causes a lot of problems for opponents because of her aggressive forecheck.  In addition to her stellar play, Maddy is an excellent teammate, one that is always positive regardless of the situation.

Thomas Motyka ‘21 – Boys JV Hockey

Thomas’s dedication to the hockey program, as well as his own personal development as a goalie is illustrated through his hard work at both varsity and JV practices. In the JV game against Deerfield last Saturday, Thomas’s excellent play in goal kept the contest close all the way to the end. His strong performance was highlighted when he faced a 5 on 3 disadvantage without giving up a goal. Thomas is constantly trying to perfect his skills on the ice, and his work ethic provides a great example for the rest of his teammates.

Connor Capshaw ‘23- Boys 4ths Basketball

On Wednesday, in a come from behind OT thriller against Eaglebrook,  Connor led the way with 14 points. Connor came up big with several crucial baskets and big time rebounds down the stretch helping to erase a 16 point Eaglebrook lead. In Saturday’s game vs. MacDuffie, Connor finished with 10 points. Connor has risen to the occasion guarding the other team’s most skilled players and continues to leave his heart on the court during every practice and game.

Megan Ward ’21- Girls JV Hockey

Megan has been a strong presence for the Wildcats all season.  In the last week, she scored two goals in a gritty 6-3 team loss to Deerfield. On Saturday, she had four points, including a hat trick in a come from behind 5-2 win over Loomis Chaffee. Megan has helped the team as both a forward and a defenseman when needed and currently leads the team with 23 goals and 9 assists in 12 games.  In our 9-3 win over Choate, Megan had a record 7 points, with five goals and two assists.  Megan is a competitor, always striving to take her game to the next level. She inspires her teammates to work hard, have fun, and get better every day.

Kai Paik ’22- Coed 3rds Squash

At the Thirds Squash match last Saturday, Kai played an impressive five-game match against his Eaglebrook rival. Kai dominated games three and four with a blend of boasts and cross-court shots. Game five was one of the most exciting games of the Thirds Squash season, as a back and forth battle ensued. At the close of the match, he showed excellent sportsmanship and poise, as he has done all season long. Throughout the Thirds squash season, Kai’s commitment to the sport and to his team has exemplified the core values of Wildcat sportsmanship and how valuable team spirit is to all players.

Most Athletics News Now Lives on the Williston Website

Thanks for being a loyal reader of our Athletics News blog. As we’ve enhanced our website, we’ve changed how we display many of these stories. From now on, to find most posts about athletics at Williston, please visit our Sports Information Center, bookmark the page, and check back frequently. One exception: the Athlete of the Week feature will still be posted on this blog.

Another way to stay up to date on Williston news stories is to follow us on social media (FacebookTwitter, and Instagram). We also post content to YouTube and Flickr. Go Wildcats!

Duncan LeXander to Play Basketball for Charleston Southern

Florence, South Carolina’s Duncan LeXander, agreed to play basketball at Charleston Southern’s Division I program. He signed a national letter of intent during a Nov. 10 ceremony recognizing seven Williston students signing to play college sports at the Division I and II levels.

Duncan is a forward who has played for the Wildcats for two years. His coach, Ben Farmer, enthused about his skills on and off the court: “Duncan LeXander set the bar very high for our basketball program here at Williston. His versatility on the basketball court will serve him well at the next level; his ability to shoot the basketball and guard multiple positions is what separates him from other players. Duncan’s approach in the classroom, on the court, and in the community has been remarkable.  He set a great example every day for everyone around him. I am very proud of everything he has accomplished up to this point in his life and am looking forward to following his career at Charleston Southern.  They are getting a good one!  We will miss him dearly but wish him nothing but the best.”

“Our offense flows best when we have forwards that can really shoot the ball,” Charleston Southern coach Barclay Radebaugh told The (Charleston, South Carolina) Post and Courier. “Duncan is a 6-8 forward that is supremely skilled on the offensive end. His ability to handle the ball, pass and shoot, combined with his size, is very hard to find and recruit.”

Rob Champigny Signs to Play Lacrosse for Rollins College

East Longmeadow’s Rob Champigny agreed to play lacrosse for Florida-based Rollins College’s Division II program. He signed a national letter of intent during a Nov. 10 ceremony recognizing seven Williston students signing to play college sports at the Division I and II levels.

Rob, a two-way midfielder, has been playing lacrosse since third grade. His proudest moment on the field came last season. “We were able to win our league and then go on to win the Colonial Tournament. It was a great way to end our season and I loved playing with that group of guys.”

As a leader, Rob has “very high expectation for myself and my teammates,” he said. “There is a certain level that we are expected to perform at, and when we are not playing at that level it is challenging to keep everybody calm and focused on our goal as a team.”

That goal? Simply, to win. “I think the most rewarding part, for any athlete, is winning a hard game and really feeling like you earned the victory. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take any victory, but really working hard and winning a close game feels amazing.”

He credits his time at Williston for supporting him on his road to college sports. “Williston has always been there to support my athletic aspirations. The facilities on campus constantly allow me to practice and improve my game. My coaches really walked me through the college process and contacted multiple coaches for me. Overall, something or someone was always there for me to help me improve and find my new home for the next four years.”

As he prepares for his final season at Williston, he looks to a promising future in college. “I want to be an impact player who is helpful with the overall success of my team. I am really looking forward to heading down to Florida and competing extremely hard for my new coaches and teammates.”

Rob’s lacrosse coach, Christopher Dietrich, spoke highly about his performance: “Rob Champigny is not only one of the best athletes we have had, but he is also one of the most selfless players I have worked with in many years. Rob is gifted with speed, agility, and talent that many other players simply do not have, but he never rests of those talents and he is always pushing himself to be faster, stronger, and better. He established himself as one of our best two-way middies during his freshman year in spring 2015, and played a major role in what was ultimately our most successful season in decades. During his junior year, Rob truly established himself as one of our top offensive threats and he, along with a talented group of juniors, helped to create one of the most prolific offenses we have had here at Williston. We will rely heavily on his leadership by example this spring, and I truly cannot wait to see the impact he will undoubtedly have as a member of the Rollins lacrosse program next year.”

Xavier Thibault: A Natural Leader On and Off the Field

By Sports Information Director Matt Liebowitz

It’s hard to miss Xavier Thibault. Even on the football field, where identities can blend into a huddle of helmets and pads, Xavier, at 6’5” and 240 pounds, stands out high above the rest.

“His effort is relentless and infectious to everyone on the field,” said Jacob Rivers, Williston’s Co-Defensive Coordinator. “When you see a guy like that giving 100 percent on every play, you know what’s expected of you and that anything less is unacceptable.”

Aside from a stint in 7th grade when he was “short and skinny and couldn’t tackle,” Xavier quickly grew into a formidable force at at defensive end, a position he’s played since beginning his football career in 4th grade in his hometown of Quebec City, Canada. Continue reading

Marielle McEnaney ’18 Shines on Soccer Squad

By Victoria Zingarelli ’18, Staff Writer

The newest face on the girls’ varsity soccer team, Marielle McEnaney, has been lighting up the field. Marielle, an 18-year-old post graduate, has only been at Williston for three weeks, and has had a positive impact on her fellow athletes and students.

Marielle decided to do a PG year because she got injured while she was a junior at Nausea Regional High School in Orleans, Cape Cod. She wanted another year to get stronger so she could play in college.

“I want to play soccer at the collegiate level and be successful there,” Marielle said.

Her teammates and coach have the highest praise for her play.

“She has really great speed which makes her a great outside midfielder since she is able to beat people up and down the side line,” Madison Fulcher-Melendy ’18, one of the two captains of Girls Varsity Soccer, said. “She is also really great in the air which has proven to be an asset all over the field.” Continue reading

Athletes of the Week

Tom Lawry ’19 – Boys Varsity Water Polo

Tom led the young water polo team in an opening season double header. He showed great heart and determination, playing the majority of both games, leading the team in scoring with 3 goals, and serving as a positive role model for the new players. His sustained effort while in the pool, and “never quit” attitude against strong opposition were great examples of what Williston water polo exemplifies. Continue reading

Athletes of the Week

Campbell Nyarady ’19- Girls Varsity Lacrosse

Campbell ended the season strong for the Wildcats.  Her movement and distribution on offense, her tenacity on ground balls and her redefending defense were a huge part of the teams’ success down the stretch.  In the Wildcats last game against Tabor, Campbell stepped up and played on both sides of the field for the entire game and won huge draws, moved the ball up the field, won huge ground balls and played with great confidence.  She had a tremendous week and season for the Wildcats and her work ethic helps inspire the rest of the squad. Continue reading

Heartwarming Memories Mark Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

By Matt Liebowitz

Emotions ran high, and tears mixed with levity and laughter as the entire campus community, alumni included, gathered under the tent to pay homage to competitors of the past and induct a select group into Williston’s Athletic Hall of Fame on May 12, 2017.

Athletics Director Mark Conroy summarizes a successful Wildcat year.

Athletic Director Mark Conroy, in a brief introduction, shined a spotlight on a handful of current student athletes, including Gabby Mercier (diving), Nick Hill (cross-country), Devin DeVerry (skiing), David Fitch (swimming), and Hunter Adams (wrestling), whose accomplishments have set them apart in their Williston careers. Continue reading