On October 31, during a beautiful fall afternoon, sophomore Rob Champigny set a blistering pace on the Williston Northampton home course during the Shaler Invitational. He would ultimately break Williston’s Boys Cross Country’s Honor Roll record with a time of 15:42,  crushing the first-place mark of 15:57 set by Evan Jacobson three years ago.

Rob is only in his second year running with the cross country team, and he has already achieved a great deal of success.  With five wins, one second-place finish, and one third-place finish this season, he has helped lead the boys team to a 12-1 record.  As he gears up for the New England Championship this weekend, Rob talked about his record-breaking season.

What did it feel like breaking the honor roll record?

I was so overjoyed when I broke the honor roll record.  I am so happy that I will have my name written in Williston history. I have to thank my coaches and teammates so much for pushing me to be the best I can be.

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With a combined record of 26-2, Williston’s boys and girls cross country programs have set a championship pace this season.  Members of both teams say they have achieved this success through of a combination of supportive coaching, a team-first mentality, and a competitive, but healthy, environment.  Despite their impressive results this fall, the teams remain focused on running their best races at the New England Championships at Westminster this Saturday.

The boys team (14-1) has had a stellar season.  Head Coach Christa Talbot-Syfu, and assistant coaches Peter Gunn and Chris Pelliccia, have pushed the boys to work harder and test their limits, their athletes say.

One of the team’s star runners, Nick Hill ’17 of Northampton—who finished in the top three in six out of the eight races this fall—attributes much of his success to his coaches.

“I started to get more into running as my times got faster, and that was largely in part to Mrs. Talbot-Syfu because she pushed me to work harder,” he said.

Rob Champigny ’18 of East Longmeadow, also speaks very highly of his coaches.

“They know me really well, and they know the strategy I need to use to run well,” he said. “They are some of the best coaches I have ever had, and they know what I need to do to be at my best.”

Although he’s in his sophomore year, Mr. Champigny has finished in the top four in every race this season. He has five wins, one second-place finish, and one third-place finish. Perhaps the most impressive statistic of his brief running career is being ranked first all-time on the Boys Cross Country Honor Roll, a competitive list of all the Williston runners.  He expects to see even more success during his next two years on the team, but for now he is focused on bringing home silverware from New Englands.

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Zach Rouleau ‘16

Zach, a senior captain, has been an integral part of the varsity football teams’ success this season.  This past Saturday against Tabor, Zach had a terrific game recording 8 tackles, 5 of which were for loss of yards, 2 sacks and a forced fumble. In addition to Zach’s great performance, he brings a strong knowledge of the game to which he passes on to the younger athletes on the team.

Hannah Touzos ‘16

Hannah has enjoyed a solid season for the girls’ varsity field hockey team thus far. Hannah recently started playing midfield for the Wildcats and has done a great job with the transition.  Hannah’s field vision is one of her strongest skills as a player. Her skills have created many scoring opportunities for the team this season. On Saturday, Hannah scored the first goal of the game for the Wildcats in the team’s victory over Suffield.

Davis Smith ‘17

Davis has played great for the boys’ varsity soccer team this season. Davis’ greatest attribute on the field is his ability to push himself and his teammates to reach the highest quality of play possible. Davis scored two goals in the team’s 3-0 win over a tough Salisbury squad.

Haley McCreary ‘16

Haley is enjoying an outstanding season for the girls’ varsity soccer team. Playing at the center midfield position, Haley has been an anchor for the Wildcats all season, on both the offensive and defensive side of the field. Last week, Haley played a huge role in the team’s win over Suffield holding down the middle of the field. Haley’s contributions have been vital to the success of the Wildcats this season.

Bryan Soder ‘18

Bryan has run very well for the boys’ jv cross country team this season. On Saturday, Bryan was second in the JV race at the Shaler Invitational with a time of 17:44. Bryan continues to push himself in every meet as well as during practice. Bryan’s hard work has resulted in huge improvements throughout the season.

Jake Ross ‘16

Jake has had a great year for the varsity football team, both as a wide receiver and a defensive back. Last Friday, Jake had 12 catches for 321 yards and 3 TDs. Jake brings toughness, athleticism and competitiveness to the Wildcat’s squad. Jake is a tireless worker who has improved tremendously in his first year as a high school football player.

Dani Anastasovites ‘16

Dani has had a tremendous season for the girls’ varsity soccer team this fall. Dani’s play has anchored a strong defense for the Wildcats’ and she is a major reason why the team has only allowed 3 goals in 10 games. Dani is a force on the defensive end of the pitch.

Imran Hayatu-Deen ‘16

Imran has been a solid contributor all year for the boys’ varsity soccer team. Last Wednesday, Imran had a goal and 4 assists in the team’s 5-1 win over Cheshire. Imran has provided solid leadership for the younger guys on the team.

Rob Champigny ‘18

Rob has run very well for the boys cross country squad this season. Rob won the race on Saturday against Taft in a time of 16:06.  His performance was a personal best by 12 seconds and this time moves him to second place on the Honor Roll.  Rob is a fierce competitor, who is always ready to give his best in practice and on race day

Danny Rowe ’12 has had an outstanding season for the University of New Hampshire’s football team.   His impressive accomplishments this fall include being ranked seventh in the nation in forced fumbles and a career-high, thirteen-tackle game against San Jose State.

In addition to his success on the field, Mr. Rowe is very proud of his focus and drive in the classroom at UNH.   He was recently informed by Williston’s Head Football Coach, Mark Conroy, that he was a semifinalist for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy, an honor awarded to the nation’s top football scholar-athlete.

Coach Conroy speaks very highly of Mr. Rowe: “Considering the young man I worked with for four years at Williston, I cannot say that I am surprised! During his time here, he took full advantage of every opportunity, both on the playing field and in the classroom. He is a wonderful role model for young scholar athletes. His nomination recognizes everything we would hope to see in a graduate: leadership, citizenship, and a strong academic record.”

We were fortunate to speak with Mr. Rowe over the past few weeks.  His busy schedule has him booked from 6 a.m. to midnight on most weekdays, but he was able to carve out some time to speak with us about his nomination after reading to at-risk youth who live around UNH’s campus.

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Caroline Wysocki ‘16

Caroline has done a great job for the girls’ varsity soccer team this season. Caroline continued her potent offensive play for the Wildcats’ this week scoring 3 goals and an assist against Cushing. On Saturday, she netted the only goal of the game as the team edged Westminster 1-0. Caroline’s positive attitude is infectious and she leads by example for the rest of the Wildcats.

Nick Garofano ‘16

Nick has had a great start to the season for the varsity football team thus far. Nick ran for 215 yards and 3 TDs on 16 carries on Saturday in the team’s 31-20 win over St. Luke’s.  Nick’s ability to get to the edge of the field and out-maneuver would be tacklers is one of a kind. Nick is a big part of the Wildcat’s potent offense this season.

Elin Blomquist ‘18

Elin has placed first or second for the girls’ varsity cross country team in every race this year, on Saturday Elin battled the second and third Porter’s girls for over two miles, before pulling away in the last mile. Elin’s performance was a key factor in the team’s victory over Porters.  Elin currently sits fifth on the Wildcats all-time Honor Roll, with a time of 20:35 on the 3.1 mile course. In addition to her stellar performances she is also a great role model as her work ethic is second to none.

Delaney Belinskas ‘16

Delaney is enjoying an outstanding season for the girls’ varsity field hockey team this season. On Wednesday, Delaney netted 2 goals and an assist in the team’s 5-1 win over Ethel Walker. On Saturday night, Delaney played a strong game against a very tough Westminster team. Delaney leads by example with a strong work ethic and team a first mentality.

Emily Warren ‘19

Emily has been playing excellent soccer for the girls’ jv soccer team this season. The Wildcats were victorious in two of their three games this past week, during which Emily scored five goals. Emily’s versatility, speed, and all-around play has been integral to the success of the Wildcats this season.

Caroline Borden ‘16

Caroline has been an outstanding runner for the girls’ cross country team in her first season as a runner. Caroline is currently second on the Wildcats honor roll of the top 15 runners on our home course. Two weeks ago, Caroline finished 2nd of 64 runners at the Westminster Invitational. Last Saturday she finished first overall in the team’s meet against Kingswood-Oxford and Westminster, helping the Wildcats to two more victories and a current record of 5-0.

Noah DeVos ‘17

Noah has been a key part of the success of the boys’ varsity water polo team’s season thus far. Last week, against Loomis Chaffee, Noah finished the match with 19 saves. Each save proved to be more impressive than the last, demonstrating Noah’s athleticism and relentless work ethic. Noah is not only a key player for the Wildcats, but is also a great leader and role model for the younger athletes on the team.

Emma Reynolds ‘17

Emma continued her successful season by adding another great week of play for the girls jv soccer team. Emma scored two goals in a 3-1 win against Berkshire on Saturday. Emma has scored four goals in four games thus far this season and has been the lynchpin in most of the team’s offensive attacks this year. Emma’s team first mentality provides a positive example for the rest of her teammates.

Michael Dereus ’16

Mike had a fantastic performance in varsity football’s win over Rye Country Day school on Sunday. Mike had 9 catches for 168 yards enroute to scoring 3 touchdowns, helping to lead the team to a 38-7 victory. In addition to Mike’s performance on the field, he adds infectious positive energy and is a positive role model for the younger kids on the team.

Jada Goodrich ‘16

Jada played exceptionally well in both of varsity volleyball’s contests last week. On Wednesday, Jada had some great digs and serves against Pomfret. On Saturday against Stoneleigh Burnham, Jada’s performance helped secure a Williston win. Her skillful serving helped keep Stoneleigh’s offense at bay and by the end of the week Jada finished with double digit digs as well as aces. Jada leads by example as hard work during practice sets the tone for her teammates.

Matthew Seltzer ‘20

Matt has had a great season thus far for the boys’ junior soccer team. On Saturday, against Rectory, he did it all for the Wildcats.  Matt played very well on defense in the sweeper position and he scored two goals in the team’s 4 -1 victory. Matthew is an unselfish player whose work ethic is second to none.

Nick Hill ‘17

Nick ran an outstanding race on Saturday finishing third overall in a time of 16:10.  That time places Nick third on the Williston Cross Country Honor Roll of fastest times on the home course by a Williston runner. Nick’s time is more than a minute faster than his best from a year ago. Nick trained very hard this summer and his efforts are definitely paying off.

Tori Palumbo ‘18

Tori played a fantastic game against a powerhouse St. Marks in the team’s opening game. On Wednesday Tori had a pair of goals and two assists in the teams win over Miss Porter’s. Playing midfield, Tori has great field vision and knows how to incorporate her teammates to make the team more successful. Tori is a hard worker and has a team first mentality.

Sam Milnes ‘18

Sam has had a strong start for the JVB boys soccer team. He is a strong all around player. In the team’s first game against Cushing he was a lock down defender in the center of the field during the first half. In the second half, Sam he made 6 saves as goalie. Sam has become a leader on and off the field in games and practices.