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Athletes of the Week – February 1st

February 8, 2016 jgrant Leave a comment

Sophie Carellas ‘18

Sophie has been an important part of the girls’ varsity ski team’s success this season. Sophie placed first last weekend in MISL race #3, 3.78 seconds ahead of the second place racer, which is an eternity in a ski race. Sophie is preparing for New England’s, which take place next week in New Hampshire.

Mike Siebold ‘16

Mike has been a strong addition to the blue line for the boys’ varsity hockey team this year. He leads all defensemen with 10 points a goal and 9 assists thus far. Mike can be found playing in all situations while leading the power play and killing penalties. Mike leads by example at all times and his mixture of physicality and control has been a catalyst for the Wildcats this season.

Rylee Leonard ‘16

Rylee has been a strong force for the girls’ varsity basketball team this season. She has been a big part of the Wildcats recent three game winning streak. Against Westminster Rylee put up 7 pts, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds. Against Wilbraham & Monson she had 4 points, 3 assists, and 1 rebound, and in the game against Stoneleigh Burnham she recorded 10 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, and zero turnovers. Rylee works tremendously hard and is a great role model for the younger players on the team.

Bina Sweet ’17

Bina is enjoying a solid season for the varsity wrestling team. Last week, he again went undefeated, while wrestling up a weight class to help the team. He uses his tools to help inspire and motivate his teammates to work harder and achieve more than they think they can. Bina is a model of good sportsmanship, and he has been a big part of the team’s success so far this season.

Sophia Schafer ‘18

Sophia has been playing very well for the girls’ jv hockey team this season. In the Wildcats four games in January, she has scored a pair of hat tricks and been one of the squad’s anchors on defense. She has helped lead the team to a 5-2-1 record.

Posted in: Athletics News

Caroline Wysocki Signs with the University of New Hampshire

February 3, 2016 dcrommett Leave a comment

Caroline Wysocki had done her share of traveling as a member of her elite U-18 club soccer team, the FC Stars of Massachusetts, so when it came time to look at colleges, the Agawam senior and honor student wanted to find a school close to home. Her parents couldn’t fault her reasoning, mom Colleen recalls: “She said, ‘If I’m going to be playing soccer for the next four years, I want you all to be able to come and watch me play.’ ”

No doubt they will. Colleen and her husband, Bill, will have to travel only as far as Durham, NH, for their daughter’s home games at the University of New Hampshire next fall. Caroline signed a national letter of intent to play for the Division 1 school in a ceremony Wednesday in the Dodge Room of the Reed Campus Center. As a bonus, her parents can still say their daughter is a Wildcat.

And one that will not soon be forgotten at Williston. “Caroline is one of the best overall athletes that I’ve ever coached,” says soccer coach Jen Fulcher. “She can be dangerous anywhere on the field. We put her up front, and she came up with numerous big goals, numerous game-winning goals, and was a threat from start to finish in every game.”

Indeed, Ms. Wysocki broke the Williston school record for most goals per game in a season, netting 15 in 16 games. That season total is also the second highest in school history.

Such success reflects a work ethic that impresses even her parents. “There were many nights when she would come home after sports practice at Williston,” her mother recalls, “and then go to Lancaster where her club team plays. You’ve got to be a pretty driven kid to be able to come home, sometimes at 10 or 10:30 at night, and then do your homework. I don’t think every kid could handle that, but she was able to. And she still made the honor roll.”

“I love to compete,” says Caroline, who was also recruited to play lacrosse. “And to create friendships with teammates and coaches that are like nothing else. Facing adversity can be difficult, but the positive energy from other people on my team keeps me going.”

One teammate she will miss is Emily MacDonald, who also signed a letter of intent Wednesday with Assumption College. The two have been playing together since they were 9 years old and together formed the core of a Wildcat team that will be hard to replace, says their coach.

Caroline and Emily “represent four-year impact players, both as people and as leaders—they were both captains of the team—and will certainly go down as two of the best players to play here,” Ms. Fulcher says. “They are the perfect balance of talent, personality, and leadership, and making everyone around them better.”

Caroline will be joining a UNH team coached by Steve Welham, who took over the program in 2014. Colleen said her daughter connected with Mr. Welham from their first meeting. “He was so enthusiastic about taking over the program, his vision going forward, and that was definitely another draw,” she says.

The Wysockis, both public school teachers, credit Williston with helping make their daughter’s next step possible. “Williston challenged her, athletically and academically, to a level she would not have experienced elsewhere,” says Colleen. “We cannot say enough about it. For us, it was a privilege to be able to have our daughter go there.”

View photos from the signing ceremony on Williston’s Flickr site.

Posted in: Athletics News, NCAA Commitments

Aaron James signs with the University of Virginia

February 3, 2016 dcrommett 1 Comment

As one of the top-rated U-18 club soccer players in the country, Williston senior Aaron James has traveled extensively with his New England Revolution Academy club and trained with candidates for the U. S. National Team. Still, he says, “Playing under the lights on Sawyer Field are some of my favorite memories. Getting to play in front of friends and community is always exciting.”

Now the Amherst, MA, forward will get the chance to play before the fans at the University of Virginia, a Division 1 soccer powerhouse that won its most recent NCAA championship in 2014. He signed his national letter of intent to play with the Cavaliers Wednesday at a signing ceremony in the Dodge Room of the Reed Campus Center.

Aaron played his freshman and sophomore years as a Wildcat “before receiving a very rare waiver to pursue soccer on this elite national level team,” explains Mark Conroy, Williston’s Director of Athletics. (U.S. Soccer requirements prevented him from continuing with his high school team.) In his time with Williston, notes assistant coach Andrew Syfu, “Aaron made an immediate impact and started on a team that earned a number eight seed in the New England Tournament his freshman year. He was one of two freshman that started and played significant minutes on a senior-heavy team. His sophomore year he played a much more prominent role and was the focus of our offense. He scored 5 goals his sophomore year and 3 goals as a freshman.” That year, he was one of just two sophomores named to the Western New England Prep School Soccer Association all-star team. More recently, Top Drawer Soccer rated him the number 2 club player in the Northeast region and the number 15 club forward in the country.

But he still appreciates his time as a Wildcat. “Playing for Williston was at times challenging because we always played a tough schedule,” Aaron recalls. “However, I enjoyed it and it enhanced my skills as both a leader and competitor.”

As a member of the Revolution Academy club team, Aaron “made 33 appearances, including 21 starts on the season, tallying four goals and eight assists,” the club reports. “He appeared 13 times for the Under-16 team, scoring once and adding five assists, while he also appeared 20 times for the Under-18s, where he notched three goals and three assists.”

At Virginia, he’ll be joining a program that has qualified for the NCAA Division 1 championship tournament a record 35 years in a row. “He’s really excited about Virginia, and so are we,” said his mother Lara, who with his father David attended the signing. “Obviously we are immensely proud of him and all the hard work he has put in. He’s a hard-working kid.”

Before joining the Revolution Academy, Aaron lived with his family in the Washington, D.C., area and played with D.C. United’s Under-14 team. He also served as captain of D.C. Stoddert’s U-13 team. With his decision to attend Virginia, he’ll be returning to the soccer-friendly mid-Atlantic, but taking some of New England with him.

“Williston has had a profound impact not only on me as a player but also on me as an individual,” Aaron says. “It has been a place where I’ve been able to grow and I’m keen to bring these traits I’ve learned with me to the University of Virginia.”

View photos from the signing ceremony on Williston’s Flickr site.

Posted in: Athletics News, NCAA Commitments

Emily MacDonald Signs With Assumption

February 3, 2016 dcrommett 1 Comment

From her sweeper position in the soccer backfield, Emily MacDonald always had a panoramic view of her Williston teammates as they battled their opponents downfield. That perspective may have been a key to her remarkable success. “Something that has always inspired me and keeps me going no matter what the situation might be,” says the senior honor student and team captain from Ludlow, “is seeing other people want something just as bad as you do, or seeing someone working their butt off, which kind of lights the fire for me.”

On Wednesday, however, in the Dodge Room of the Reed Campus Center, all eyes were on Ms. MacDonald, as she signed a national letter of intent to continue her soccer career at Division 2 Assumption College in Worcester.

Among those present was her coach, Jen Fulcher, who did her own share of admiring when Ms. MacDonald was on the field. “Emily is just a beautiful soccer player to watch,” she says. “Much of what she does is so difficult, and she makes it look so easy. We gave up fewer goals this season than we have ever given up. We broke the school record. That is clearly a team effort, but Emily was central to that.”

The previous Williston record was set in 1997, when the Wildcats allowed 12 goals. This year the team gave up a miserly 8 goals over the course of 15 games, and also recorded a record 10 shutouts.

Ms. Macdonald will be joining an Assumption team led by head coach Kevin Meek that finished 10-8-1 last year. Ms. Fulcher says Assumption may move MacDonald to a forward position, which is where she plays for her Elite Clubs National League team, FC FSA. “I really believe she could play anywhere on the field,” Ms. Fulcher says. “She’s one of the most talented kids we’ve ever had when it comes to controlling the ball.”

Emily’s parents, Melissa Kudla and Kurt MacDonald, are looking forward to their daughter’s college career. “We cannot wait to see her play at Assumption,” says her mother. “It will be a very exciting and memorable moment for her when she steps on the field in Worcester for the first time. It hasn’t always been easy—long car rides, a lot of travel, missing events at school—but she has really persevered and remained constant in her goal to play in college.”

And when she does take the field, she’ll be bringing the memories of her Williston success with her. “Playing soccer at Williston for four years has given me so much more than I ever could have imagined,” she says. “I will always appreciate the support that the girls soccer team was given by the school and I will never forget the amazing memories that the team has given me to remember for the rest of my life.”

View photos from the signing ceremony on Williston’s Flickr site.

Posted in: Athletics News, NCAA Commitments

Nick Garofano Signs with Army West Point

February 3, 2016 dcrommett 1 Comment

Nick Garofano was originally recruited by Williston to play hockey. As a football running back, however, he eventually would rush for more yards and score more points than any player in school history. So what Division 1 sport will the Yorktown Heights, NY, senior be playing next year at the U.S. Military Academy?

Lacrosse, of course.

Mr. Garofano, a three-sport athlete and four-year honor student, signed his national letter of intent with Army West Point Wednesday in a ceremony in the Dodge Room of the Reed Campus Center. He’ll be joining a Black Knights lacrosse team coached by Joe Alberici that reached the Patriot League championship game last year and took the league title in 2010. “On his visit to West Point, he just fell in love with the whole place,” recalls his father, Ralph. “The coaches were just awesome and stayed in touch with him.”

In his three seasons of lacrosse at Williston, Mr. Garofano has scored a total of 77 goals with 69 assists. He was named 1^st team All WNESSLA Division 2 after his sophomore season and his junior season, and he was selected as the William LaBelle Offensive player of the year for WNESSLA Division 2 after his junior season. As a player, he has stood out for his athleticism, his strength, and his determination, says his coach Christopher Dietrich. “He’s faster than most of the people who try to cover him. He’s got a really strong shot. He’s just a relentless competitor.”

That same competitive fire also came to serve him well in school, once Nick arrived at Williston, says his father. “He just jumped on board and became very intense in the classroom,” he recalls. “I don’t know if he would have been able to go to an Ivy League-type school or a West Point and be prepared in the classroom without going to Williston. I know he wouldn’t.” Adds his mother, Anna, “His determination and perseverance have made him a well-rounded young man. I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

For his part, Nick credits Williston with providing him with a challenging but supportive environment. “What is so special about the program is that my coaches and teammates all want to see me succeed and pushed me to the best of my abilities, something that is very important to me,” he says. At the same time, says his father, Nick always pushed himself. “He woke up in the morning and went to the gym, always watches what he eats, lifts like a maniac,” he says. “He works hard.”

As dedicated as he is to lacrosse, Nick is not ruling out continuing his football career at West Point. That would not surprise his Williston coaches. “There is no question in my mind that Nick would be a tremendous college football player,” says Mark Conroy, Williston’s director of athletics and head football coach. “He is the finest running back I have had the privilege of coaching during my career.”

Whatever he ends up pursuing, Nick is sure to approach it with that same determination that helped him set athletic records at Williston, say his coaches. As an example, Mr. Dietrich recalled a lacrosse game last year against Taft. “The boy who was covering Nick was a senior, a very, very good defensemen. Nick has a competitive fire. When he is playing against someone who is supposed to be better than him, who is supposed to shut him down, those often are his best individual performances. We won that game 9 to 8.”

As for Nick, he had 5 goals and 3 assists.

View photos from the signing ceremony on Williston’s Flickr site.

Posted in: Athletics News, NCAA Commitments

Bridget Instrum ’12 Leads Middlebury Panthers to National Championship

January 26, 2016 jchiavaroli Leave a comment

Bridget Instrum ’12 was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after leading the Middlebury Panthers to the 2015 NCAA National Field Hockey Title!

Instrum was recently honored as a member of the Division III All-Region First Team by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association for her strong performances throughout the season, where she played in all of Middlebury’s 22 games and finished with 8 goals and 10 assists for 26 points.

The two-time all-conference forward scored a point in 13 contests, including eight-straight during the middle of the season and tallied a season-best four-points (1 G, 2 A) in a victory over Smith on September 14. The senior saw action in 54 games during her three years on the team, tallying 35 goals and adding 21 assists for 91 points.

Ann Pickrell, Bridget’s field hockey coach at Williston, recalls Instrum’s talent and love for the game, “Her speed, quickness, and ability to read the defense made her extremely difficult to stop in the midfield and in the penalty circle. What I recall most about Bridget is her enjoyment of the game – she loved to practice and play, and she worked hard every day to get better.”

Instrum had a decorated career at Williston, where she set numerous records for assists and goals and was instrumental in leading the team to both the WNEPSA Class B Championship and NEPSAC post season play in each year she competed for the Wildcats.

Under the leadership of Head Coach Katharine DeLorenzo, Middlebury’s field hockey program has emerged as one of the strongest in the nation. Since DeLorenzo took over in 2001, the Panthers have gone 211-51 for a winning percentage of .805, and they have won New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship four times. This is Middlebury’s second NCAA national title in field hockey, with their first coming in 1998.

Posted in: Athletics News

Max Chipouras ’15 Earns All-American Award

January 22, 2016 jchiavaroli 1 Comment

Trinity College’s first-year running back, Max Chipouras ’15, was recently honored as a USA College Football Division III Rookie All-American. This awards caps off the end of an exceptional season for the Williston post-graduate.

Chipouras took over as Trinity’s starting running back in week three and finished the year with 649 rushing yards, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. He led the league with 12 touchdowns and ranked third in the conference with 81.1 rushing yards per game.

Williston’s Football Coach Mark Conroy knew that Max was destined for success in college, “Max Chipouras was one of the hardest working players I have coached in 30+ years. His work ethic both on and off the field was second to none. He had only one speed – full speed every day! His success at Trinity is not a surprise for those of us who worked closely with him last year. I could not be more proud of him.”

Chipouras speaks highly of Coach Conroy’s influence on him, “Coach Conroy was more than just a coach to me, as he truly cared about my personal success and well-being. Whether it was on the field or off, he always expressed interest and enthusiasm in whatever I was doing and inspired me to go further. Coach Conroy put a great effort in getting me recruited and without that, I would not be anywhere close to where I am today.”

“Williston taught me how to manage my time and maintain a proper balance between my schoolwork and athletics,” says Chipouras about personal growth during his time on campus. “This skill is essential during the college football season because time is limited and it is important not to get too overwhelmed.”

Trinity College’s football program is the most decorated program in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). Since 2000, Trinity has won the NESCAC Championship six times – a record they currently share with Amherst College – and has finished Runner-Up six times.

Earlier this winter Chipouras was named to the All-NESCAC second team and earned the NESCAC Rookie of the Year Award. Max is Trinity’s second running back to win the Rookie of the Year Award.

Williston is very proud of Max’s accomplishments, and our community wishes him continued success in his college career.

Posted in: Athletics News

Athletes of the Week – January 18th

January 21, 2016 jgrant Leave a comment

Kevin O’Sullivan ’18

Kevin has started out strong for the varsity wrestling team this season. He went 4-0 this weekend to help anchor a team that went 31-5 as a group. Kevin is becoming one of our most reliable and successful wrestlers. As a younger wrestler for the Wildcats, Kevin has shown great leadership skills by constantly giving his all in practice and in meets and his attitude has become contagious.

Kira Wilson ‘16

Kira has been critical to the girls’ varsity squash teams’ success this season. She has a perfect 5-0 record for January winning last Saturday versus Ethel Walker, this past Wednesday against Berkshire, and then three times this Saturday over Millbrook. Kira is a strong and determined athlete, and when combined with her exceptional effort, makes Kira tough to compete against.

Noah Clack ’18

Noah has been playing very well for the boys’ thirds basketball team this season and is a big part of the team’s success. In the Wildcat’s two competitions this past week against Suffield and Bement, Noah averaged 14 points and 14 rebounds. His tough inside play was vital in the win against Bement. Noah’s team first mentality provides a great example for the younger guys on the team.

Chris Barber ‘21

Chris has been off to a tremendous start to the season for the boys’ fourth basketball team. Chris scored a combined 27 points and pulled down numerous rebounds in the opening two games of the season helping to lead the mighty fourths to a strong 2-0 start. Chris is a coachable young man and a team player.

Posted in: Athletics News

Athletes of the Week – January 11th

January 15, 2016 jgrant Leave a comment

Joe Shively ‘17

Joe has played very well for the boys’ varsity squash team so far this season. On Saturday Joe won both matches in the team’s matches with Trinity-Pawling and Berkshire. In both matches he played at #2 against some tough opponents and showed serious grit.

Lindsay Whipple ‘17

Lindsay has been a vital piece for the girls varsity squash team’s success so far this season. Lindsay works hard in practice, supports her teammates during matches and displays grace under pressure in her own matches. Lindsay is always willing to learn and listens to her teammates to continually improve her play.

Olivia Bonavita ‘17

Olivia has been playing well for the girls’ varsity basketball team this season. On Saturday, against Berkshire, she took her game to the next level as she had 17 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds. Olivia was relentless with her efforts throughout the entire game until the final buzzer.

Andikan Ntia-James ‘18

Andikan has had a great start to the season for the jv wrestling squad. Andikan had a very successful day at Tabor as he went 2-1 on the day, pinning his first two opponents and only losing in the finals of his weight class by one point. He comes to practice ready to work and is improving every day.

Posted in: Athletics News

Holiday Tournament Schedules

December 18, 2015 jgrant Leave a comment

Below are schedules and results (when available) for holiday tournaments in which Williston teams are participating. Scores will be updated as they become available.

Jump to:
Girls Basketball: 28th Annual Ray Brown Holiday Tournament at Williston
Boys Basketball: 2015 Class A Winter Classic
Girls Hockey: 35th Annual Harrington Invitational Hockey Tournament
Boys Hockey: St. Sebastian’s Holiday Hockey Tournament
Wrestling: Battle on the Bay Tournament
Boys Hockey: Nobles-St. Sebastian’s New Year’s Showcase
Girls Hockey: 2016 Winchendon Invitational Hockey Tournament

Girls Basketball: 28th Annual Ray Brown Holiday Tournament at Williston

Friday, December 18

BB&N 59 – Hopkins 54

Williston 36 – Brooks 35

Saturday, December 19

BB&N 40 – Brooks 31

Williston 54 – Hopkins 37

Brooks 49 – Hopkins 44

BB&N 59 – Williston 45

Tournament Champion – BB&N

Tournament Runner-Up – Williston

All-Tournament Team

MVP – Kayla Kaloostian – BB&N

Sarah Marion – Williston

Annie Barrett – BB&N

Sarah Sullivan – Williston

Alex McCraven – Hopkins

Alexia Ames – Brooks

Boys Basketball: 2015 Class A Winter Classic

Hosted by Exeter, St. Sebastian’s, and Tabor

Thursday, December 17

At St. Sebastian’s

Nobles 58 – St. Sebastian’s 42

Friday, December 18

At Exeter

Hotchkiss 73 – Andover 71 (ot)

Milton 74 – Trinity Pawling 53

Williston 61 – Belmont Hill 48

Hotchkiss 52 – Exeter 49

At St. Sebastian’s

Nobles 78 – Avon 66

St. Sebastian’s 61 – Deerfield 60

Avon 76 – Deerfield 66

At Tabor

Tabor 66 – Brunswick 57

Suffield 53 – Taft 50

Taft 60 – Brunswick 40

Tabor 55 – Suffield 53

Saturday, December 19

At Exeter

Andover 62 – Williston 53

12:15 p.m. Trinity Pawling vs. Belmont Hill

2:00 p.m. Nobles vs. Exeter

Williston 78 – Trinity Pawling 49

5:30 p.m. Belmont Hill vs. Exeter

At St. Sebastian’s

11:30 a.m. Deerfield vs. Milton

1:15 p.m. Hotchkiss vs. St. Sebastian’s

3:00 p.m. Avon vs. Milton

At Tabor

12:00 p.m. Suffield vs. Brunswick

2:00 p.m. Taft vs. Tabor

Girls Hockey: 35th Annual Harrington Invitational Hockey Tournament

Hosted by Nobles & Milton

Friday December 18

At Flood Rink, Noble & Greenough

Game 1 Nobles 5 – St. Mark’s 0

Game 2 Lawrence 4 – Pomfret 1

Game 3 Williston 2 – Westminster 1

Game 4 BB&N 1 – Milton 0

Game 5 Nobles 4 – Pomfret 0

Game 6 Lawrence 1 – St. Mark’s 1

Saturday December 19

At Roberts Rink, Milton

Game 7 Westminster 2 – Milton 0

Game 8 Williston 7 – BB&N 0

Game 9 12:30 p.m. Pomfret vs. St. Mark’s

Game 10 2:30 p.m. Nobles vs. Lawrence

Game 11 4:30 p.m. Williston vs. Milton

Game 12 6:30 p.m. BB&N vs. Westminster

Sunday, December 20

At Flood Rink, Noble & Greenough

Game 13 8:00 a.m. 7th Place Game – 4th Milton vs. 4th Nobles

Game 14 10:00am 5th Place Game – 3rd Milton vs. 3rd Nobles

Game 15 12:00 p.m. 3rd Place Game – 2nd Milton vs. 2nd Nobles

Championship Game – Nobles 4 – Williston 3 (ot)

Boys Hockey: 2015 St. Sebastian’s Holiday Hockey Tournament

At St. Sebastian’s

Friday, December 18

Game 1 Winchendon 3 – Thayer 2 (so)

Game 2 St. Sebastian’s 2- Albany 0

Game 3 St. Andrews 3 – Rivers 2 (so)

Game 4 Northwood 9 – Williston 1

Saturday, December 19

Game 5 Albany 6 – Thayer 1

Game 6 Rivers 3 – Williston 1

Game 7 Winchendon 4 – St. Sebastian’s 3 (so)

Game 8 Northwood 6 – St. Andrews 3

Sunday, December 20

Game 9 Williston 5 – Thayer 3

Game 10 Rivers 3 – Albany 2

Game 11 St. Sebastian’s 3 – St. Andrews 2 (so)

Championship Game Northwood 7 – Winchendon 1

Wrestling: Battle on the Bay Tournament

At Tabor Academy

Williston finishes 5th of 15 teams

Boys Hockey: Nobles-St. Sebastian’s New Year’s Showcase

Saturday, January 2, 2016

At St. Sebastian’s

12:45 p.m. Berkshire vs. St. Sebastian’s

3:00 p.m. Nobles vs. Williston

Sunday, January 3, 2016

At Nobles

12:15 p.m. Berkshire vs. Nobles

2:45 p.m. St. Sebastain’s vs. Williston

Girls Hockey: 2016 Winchendon Invitational Hockey Tournament

At Windendon

Saturday, January 2

9:00 a.m. Cushing vs. BB&N

10:45 a.m. Lawrence vs. Winchendon

12:30 p.m. NMH vs. Cushing

2:15 p.m. Williston 1 – Lawrence 0

4:00 p.m. BB&N vs. NMH

Williston 4 – Winchendon 1

Sunday, January 3

9:00 a.m. Ritchie 3 vs Wapiti 3

11:15 a.m. Ritchie 2 vs. Wapiti 2

1:30 p.m. Williston vs. BB&N

Posted in: Athletics News