Athletes of the Week
Each week, a male and female athlete is selected from those nominated by their coaches. At the end of the month, a male and female Athlete of the Month will be selected by the Captains Council from all of those nominated during the month.
2013
Athletes of the Week for May 13-19
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Jakheem Hunt '16 from Track and Field. Jahkeem built upon a very successful season by being the spearhead for the Boys' Track and Field team at the New England Championships on Saturday. During a day of very tough competition, Jahkeem was the only WMA male to score a point in the meet. He did this with a great effort in the triple jump.
Nominees
- Baseball - Kenny Goodnow '13
- Lacrosse - Jackson French-Robitaille '14
- Rugby - Jack Viens '13
- Golf - Peter Nagle '14
- Volleyball - Curtis Cobb '15
- Tennis - Dado Nozirov '13
The Girl Athlete of the Month is Sarah Goolishian '13 from Tennis. Sarah was a driving force for the Girls' Varsity Tennis team at the Suffield Invitational on Saturday. Sarah capped a great season, winning two matches and successfully making it to the consolation finals.
Nominees
- Track - Anna McCarthy '15
- Softball - Emma Kindblom '17
- Lacrosse - Julia Beech '13
Athletes of the Week for May 6-12
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Erin Demers '16 from Softball. Erin had a great week as she experienced a tremendous outing against Marianapolis. Erin went 2 for 4 in the game. She had two singles, one for an RBI, and reached base a third time on a fielder's choice. Defensively, she had a perfect day with a fielding percentage of 1.000, with 7 putouts/assists on 17 chances.
Nominees:
- Tennis - Emma Bourgeois '13
- Lacrosse - Julia Winer '14
- Track - Anieth (Soraya) Da Silva '14
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Yijie (Evan) Qiao from Rugby. Evan experienced a great week for Rugby. His strong work ethic and focus in practice paid off for him as he played a very strong game against the Harvey School from New York. Evan scored two very impressive tries, as he combined his athletic talent with quickness and field intelligence. The second try of the day was the most impressive as he chased down a 50 meter kick, outfought his opponent for the ball and then ran in for the score.
Nominees:
- Volleyball - Kerem Kanter '13
- Golf - Peter Bowie '18
- Baseball - Phillip Jasak '14
- Lacrosse - Jackson French-Robitaille '14
- Track - Joshua Slater '13
Athletes of the Week for April 29-May 5
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Randolf Thurman '14 from Volleyball. Randolf experienced a great week in tough matches with Minnechaug and Central High School. During these matches, Randolf had three aces, two kills, 37 blocks and 17 digs. As a setter, he was also critical to team success as he was responsible for the control of the second ball and was depended upon to set up the offense.
Nominees:
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Track - Andrew Faulstich '15
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Rugby - Sasha Oliinyk '14
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Tennis - Dado Nozirov '13
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Lacrosse - Colby Hamwey '15
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Golf - Peter Bowie '18
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Baseball - Bryant Colon '13
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Carolyn Cross '15 from Lacrosse. During two demanding games with Cushing and Suffield, Carolyn was a critical part of the overall team effort. She continued her
season-long trait of hard work and played many different roles all over the field. Carloyn's efforts certainly paid off as she scored three goals for her team.
Nominees:
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Softball - Carly Venditti '16
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Tennis - Joy Weng and Monica Yao '16
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Track - Marissa Small-Towns '14
Athletes of the Week for April 22-28
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Heather Little '13 from Tennis. Heather had a great week. In competition with Cheshire and Worcester, Heather won her two #2 singles matches. During this stretch of games, she only lost three individual games. Heather has also been a strong leader for this team and has been a great mentor for younger players.
Girls' Nominees:
Lacrosse - Julia Beech '13
Softball - Katelyn Mercer '15
Track - Anna McCartney '15
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Alex Caldwell '15 from Baseball. Alex contributed to the efforts of the team in many areas and showed great poise in very difficult games with Pomfret, Kingswood and Berkshire. At the plate, Alex had a great week as he batted .500 (3 for 6) and had one RBI and a stolen base. Alex also showed great leadership by asking for the ball and pitching three innings against Kingswood.
Boys' Nominees:
Lacrosse - Cormac Garvey '13
Tennis - Dimash Aimurzayev '14
Volleyball - Curtis Cobb '15
Track - Marcus Klebart '15
Rugby - Sasha Oliinyk '14
Athletes of the Week for April 15-21
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Matt Naumec '15 from Golf. Matt was a team leader during a challenging week against very difficult competition as the Titans faced Williston, Suffield, Deerfield, Westminster and Salisbury in two matches. Matt has steadily improved his game and he shot an even par 36 during Wednesday's match. Matt was also a strong and constant mentor to the younger players on the team.
Boys' Nominees:
Baseball - Andrew Bemben '13
Volleyball - Randolph Thurman '15
Tennis - Dado Nozirov '13
Lacrosse - Jackson FrenchRobitaille '14
Rugby - Sasha Ollinyk '14
Track - Ju Li '15
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Carly Cronin '13 from Lacrosse. Carly experienced a great week for the Girls' Lacrosse team. Against Miss Halls and King, Carly was the anchor on defense. She led the team in ground balls and draw controls in two highly contested games. Carly worked tirelessly to contain the most dangerous offensive players and registered a goal in each game.
Girls' Nominees:
Track - Molley Shea '13
Softball - Erin Demers '16
Tennis - Chiara Masella '13 and Francesca Besana '13
Athletes of the Week for April 8-14
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Dimash Aimurzayev '14 from Tennis. Dimash experienced a great week for the tennis team. During his singles match with Northfield, Dimash ignored the rain and launched a great comeback against a very strong NMH player. He was able to overcome an early setback and battled back to secure two set points to force a tiebreaker. This dramatic finish allowed Dimash to win in straight sets, 6-3 and 7-6.
Boys' Nominees:
Shawn Boston '14 - Baseball
Marcel Pettway '15 - Volleyball
Dimash Aimurzayev '14 - Tennis
Colby Hamway '15 - Lacrosse
Netiwat Phukhachee '15 - Golf
Andrew Faulstich '15 - Track
Greg Krippa '14 - Rugby
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Emma Kindblom from Softball. In the games with Stoneleigh-Burnham and Pomfret, Emma experienced a tremendous week at the plate. She went 6 for 8 with a batting average of .750 and an on base percentage of .889. This included a single, 3 doubles and 2 triples. Emma added to this with two stolen bases and nine RBIs. Defensively, Emma had seven putouts or assists on eight total chances.
Girls' Nominees:
Emily Zeno '15 - Lacrosse
Emma Kindblom '17 - Softball
Anna Skvortsova '13 - Tennis
Marissa Small-Towns '14 -Track
Athletes of the Week for March 30-April 7
The Boy Athlete of the Week is John Tierney '15 from Lacrosse. During the early stages of the season, John has already set a torrid pace with goals and assists. John scored four goals and added two assists against Greens Farms. He followed this up with a 10 goal and three assist effort against Vermont Academy.
Nominees:
David Little'16 - Tennis
Matt Naumec '15 - Golf
Andrew Faulstich '15 - Track
Luis Montero '15 - Volleyball
John Tierney '15 - Lacrosse
Ken Goodnow '13 - Baseball
Gregory Krippa '14 - Rugby
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Marissa Small-Towns from Track and Field.
Marissa experienced a great day in the first meet of the season against Marianapolis and Hyde. She won the 400 meter with a time of 59.00, setting a new school record. Marissa then won the 800 in 2:34.94. She also finished the day running the 4x400 Relay, helping the relay team take first place.
Nominees:
Alyssa Natario '13 - Softball
Emma Bourgeois '13 - Tennis
Marissa Small-Towns '14 - Track
Christine O'Donnell '13 - Lacrosse
Athletes for the Week for Feb. 17-23
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Curtis Cobb '15 from Basketball. During the last week of competition, Curtis averaged 17.5 points in three games. He also added six rebounds and five assists. Curtis was critical to the overall performance of the team throughout the week.
Nominees
Wrestling - Olexandr Oliinyk '14
Swimming - Kevin Lambert '13
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Christina Wakefield '14 from Skiing. During the last week of competition for the Ski team, Christina secured a season's best 14th place finish at the league championships at Berkshire East. Her efforts helped the girls' team finish fifth in the league.
Nominees
Basketball - Heather Little '13
Swimming - Ivy Durepo '13
Athletes of the Week for Feb. 6-16
Helen Assefaw'14 of Girls' Basketball selected girl Athlete of the Week
Dimash Aimurzayev '14 of Riflery picked boy Athlete of the Week
Athletes of the Week chosen for Jan. 21-27
Ivy Durepo of swimming picked girl Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Ivy Durepo
Sport: Swimming
Accomplishments: Undefeated in individual events for the season, going 18 for 18; won the 50 free and 100 butterfly in a home meet against Williams before winning the same two events in a tri-meet vs. St. George’s and Winsor. Narrowly missed a pool record in the 50 free at St. George’s. The record is held by Elizabeth Beisel, who won two medals at the 2012 Olympics.
Of note: Has four individual school records and part of two relay marks; won the 50 free at the New England Championships last season.
College plans: Will attend Connecticut College
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: Science
- WMA teacher: Ms. Cole
- Food: Pecan chicken
- Music: “I like everything”
- Movie: “Any chick flick”
- Ice cream: Strawberry cheesecake
- Athlete: Missy Franklin
What they’re saying
Coach Moran on Ivy’s season: “She’s working hard and starting to catch fire. Her hand speed is coming back and her kick is coming back. She’s had some really good swims so we’re excited.”
Ivy on nearly breaking a pool record held by Elizabeth Beisel: “I’ve looked up to her since I was 11 or 12. It would have been such an accomplishment to have broken her record. I was so close.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Basketball: Helen Assefaw ‘14
- Skiing: Christina Wakefield ‘14
Jose Velasco Pons '13 of wrestling picked boy Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Jose Velasco Pons
Sport: Wrestling
Position: 152 pounds
Accomplishments: Earned wins over opponents from Suffield, Canterbury, Forman and Gunnery; has a six-match winning streak.
Of note: From Mexico; first year of wrestling; also on water polo team; plans to play rugby.
College plans: Considering spending a year in Germany to learn a technical career before attending college or returning to Mexico.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: Environmental Science
- WMA teacher: Mr. Elliott
- Musician: Luis Miguel
- Actor: Brad Pitt
- Ice cream: Mexican flavors
- Athlete: David Beckham
- Team: Toluca of Mexican soccer league
What they’re saying
Jose on joining the wrestling team: “I’ve never wrestled before. I’ve fought but this is totally different. I used to do mixed martial arts but wrestling is a different sport.”
Jose on how his season is going: “I’ve learned fast about what’s the purpose of wrestling. I don’t have technique but I’m smart and I fight. I’ve been improving.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Basketball: Curtis Cobb ‘15
- Riflery: Joelson Van-Dunem ‘13
- Swimming: Kevin Lambert ‘13
Athletes of the Week named for Jan. 14-20
Marissa Small-Towns picked girl Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Marissa Small-Towns '14
Sport: Winter track
Position: Middle distance
Accomplishments: Placed second in the 600 meter run at a tri-meet at Phillips Academy; won the 400 and the 800 at an All-Comers Meet at Smith College.
Of note: Finished fourth at the New England Class C Championship Meet for Cross Country before taking 11th at the New England All-Star Meet; also Athlete of the Week in the fall for Cross Country.
College plans: Plans to pursue a career in the medical field
Favorites/Interests
- Dining hall food: Chicken tenders and French fries
- Spa food: Killer quesadilla
- Sit-down lunch faculty member: Mr. Whitcomb
- On a really cold day I like to: “sleep”
What they are saying
Marissa on how she has performed this winter track season: “It’s going really well. My times are where I want them to be right now, especially for just getting back into the season.”
Marissa on what she hopes to accomplish on the track by the end of the school year: “I’m shooting for 58 seconds in the 400 and maybe a 2:20 in the 800.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Basketball: Ashley Theriault '15
- Swimming: Ivy Durepo '13
Ian Robinson '15 named boy Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Ian Robinson '15
Sport: Swimming
Accomplishments: At a tri-meet against Westminster and Eaglebrook, Ian won the 100 freestyle with one of the best times in New England this season. He also swam some of the best times in school history in the 200 IM (third) and 50 free (fifth).
Of note: Joined the school following winter break; from Cooperstown, N.Y
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: History
- Food: Lobster
- Music: Classical
- Ice cream: Coffee
What they’re saying
Ian on how he has done so far this season for WMA: “It’s varsity swimming so it’s fast-paced. It’s not what I’m used to but I’ve already gotten some of my best times. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Coach Dan Moran on how Ian has done since joining the team in January: “Ian has been a great addition to our program. In just the past two weeks he has achieved three personal best times, and he’s really buying into the system and training hard.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Basketball: Kerem Kanter ‘13
- Wrestling: Kiernan Summers ‘14
Athletes of the Week named for Jan. 7-13
Maddy McCloskey '15 selected girl Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Maddy McCloskey '15
Sport: Swimming
Accomplishments: Set school records in the 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke at a meet at the Canterbury School; undefeated in individual events for 2012-13 season, going 12 for 12.
Of note: Also owns the school’s 200 free record; member of the 400 free relay and 200 medley relay school records; honor roll student; also plays field hockey.
College plans: Considering a career as a medical examiner.
Favorites/Interests
- Dining hall dinner: Lasagna
- Dining hall dessert: None
- Event: 200 backstroke
- Sitdown lunch faculty member: Mr. Headman
What they’re saying
Maddy on how setting two records at the meet at the Canterbury School: “I felt nervous going into the meet. I didn’t think I would race that well. We had a two hour bus ride. It felt good to beat one of my records and someone else’s.”
Maddy on what she hopes to accomplish the remainder of the season: “I hope to get some better times and a record in the 200 IM.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Girls’ Basketball – Megan Pehoviak ‘14
Sasha Oliinyk '14 picked boy Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Sasha Oliinyk '14
Sport: Wrestling
Position: 195 and 220 pounds
Accomplishments: Won all four matches, including three via pin, in a meet against Williston Northampton, Worcester, Tabor and Tilton.
Of note: First season competing in folkstyle wrestling; has a background in freestyle wrestling; Florida state champion in jiu-jitsu at 184 pounds.
College plans: Hopes to wrestle and major in economics or business at a Division I college.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: History
- WMA teacher: Mr. Warden
- Food: Pizza (“But I haven’t had it for months”)
- Music: “Anything with good lyrics”
- Actor: Jackie Chan
- Ice cream: Banana
What they’re saying
Sasha on how he performed at Williston: “There have been schools this year whose coaches didn’t have anyone wrestle against me. My coach wants me to wrestle so I wrestled two matches at 220 at Williston. I won both of those by pin. One was against a captain.”
Sasha on his improvement this season: “I’m getting used to the rules. There is a lot of difference. The points are different.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Riflery – Josh VanVooris '16
- Basketball – Kamali Bey '13
- Skiing – Ben Soder '15
- Swimming – Austin Fabbo '15
2012
Athletes of the Week named for Dec. 3-9
Maddy McCloskey '15 named girl Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Maddy McCloskey ‘15
Sport: Swimming
Accomplishments: Has won all six of her individual races through three meets for WMA; won the 200 IM and 500 freestyle at the Kingswood Oxford Invitational, and also swam on the winning 400 free relay.
Of note: High honors student; placed third in two events at the New England Division III Championship Meet; swam the 100 backstroke at the U.S. National YMCA Championship Meet during the summer.
Favorites/Interests
Subject: Math
WMA teacher: Ms. Dangleis
Food: Macaroni and Cheese
Song: Girl on Fire, by Alicia Keys
Ice cream: Vanilla
Pre-race habit: After getting on the starting blocks, looks down at the end of the pool and thinks, “I know I’m going to be done soon.”
Athlete: Natalie Coughlin
What they’re saying
Maddy on how she has swum this season: “My season is going well. I’m hoping to improve my times.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominee
- Girls’ Basketball: Ashley Theriault ‘15
Goodluck Okonoboh '14 picked boy Athlete of the Week
Goodluck Okonoboh ’14 named boy Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Goodluck Okonoboh
Sport: Basketball
Position: Forward
Accomplishments: Averaged 11 points, 11 blocks and 10 rebounds a game as the Titans opened their season 4-2.
Of note: Being recruited by a number of the top college basketball programs in the country; from Boston.
College plans: Interested in business and sports management.
Favorites/Interests
Subject: Entrepreneurship
Food: Pizza
Musicians: Meek Mill; Wiz Khalifa
Movie: He Got Game
Ice cream: Cookie Dough
Pre-game habit: Listens to motivational music; prays
Athlete: Kevin Garnett; Usain Bolt
Team: Boston Celtics
What they’re saying
Goodluck on how the team has performed this season: “So far we’re playing well. We have a lot of growing to do. You can tell in practice that everyone just wants to get better. We’ve only played six games. We have around 24 games to go. We have a lot of the season left. We’re going to get a lot better.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Swimming: Kevin Lambert ‘13
- Wrestling: Joe Thibault ‘13
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Athletes of the Week announced for Nov. 5-11
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Joe Thibault '13 named boy Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Joe Thibault
Sport: Cross Country
Accomplishments: Placed 24th at the NEPSAC Division III Cross Country Championship Meet.
Of note: Finished first in every meet this season for WMA, leading the team to an 11-1 record during the regular season; named team MVP; three-time qualifier for New England Championships in wrestling and two-time qualifier for Nationals.
College plans: Interested in business; considering a post-graduate year; plans to wrestle in college.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: English
- WMA teacher: Ms. Markowski
- Food: “Everything”
- Music: AC/DC
- Movie: Talladega Nights
- Ice cream: Cookie Dough
- Pre-game habit: Gets team pumped up
- Athlete: Jordan Burroughs, Olympic wrestling champion
- Team: Penn State wrestling
What they’re saying
Joe on how the team performed this season: “This year was great. I enjoyed being with the team for my last year and I wish I could do it all over again. Mr. Moran did a very good job getting everyone ready. We did come up short (at the championship meet) but for what we had we did very well.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Football: Kenny Goodnow ‘13
- Soccer: Gregorio Galletti ‘13
- Water Polo: Kevin Perez ‘13
Bailey Giese '15 picked girl Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Bailey Giese
Sport: Volleyball
Position: Setter
Accomplishments: Had 25 assists, six digs, two kills and three aces in five-set win over Berkshire School; was selected to participate in the New England Prep School Girls Volleyball Association all-star game.
Of note: Captain; was selected Athlete of the Week in softball in the spring of 2012; from Florida.
Favorites/Interests
- WMA teacher: Ms. Markowski
- Food: Spaghetti
- Music: Dave Matthews Band
- Movie: Blindside
- Ice cream: Cookies and Cream
- Pre-game habit: Gets focused
- Athlete: Anna McCartney ‘15
- Team: “Our team”
What they’re saying
Bailey on how the team performed this season: “We worked together a lot. We developed a lot. We’re a young team. We’re going to progress and I can see us winning a lot more games.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Cross Country: Heather Little ‘13
- Soccer: Julia Beech ‘13
Athletes of the Week announced for Oct. 29-Nov. 4
Zoe Bloomfield '18 selected girl Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Zoe Bloomfield
Sport: Field hockey
Position: Forward
Accomplishments: Scored first goal of her career Saturday; goal tied the game 1-1 before WMA beat Ethel Walker 2-1.
Of note: First season playing varsity field hockey; also plays basketball and lacrosse; honor roll student.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: Math
- WMA teacher: Ms. Krassin
- Food: French fries
- Music: Maroon 5
- Ice cream: Cookies and cream
What they’re saying
Zoe on scoring her first goal: “I didn’t really know it went in until people started screaming. I didn’t think I was going to score. I didn’t warm up for the game because I showed up right when it started. I wasn’t used to running and I was slow for the first half. I thought it was going to be my worst game but it ended up being my best game.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Cross Country: Marissa Small-Towns ‘14
- Volleyball: Katelyn Mercer ‘15
Joey O'Connell '14 named boy Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Joey O'Connell
Sport: Soccer
Position: Defense
Accomplishments: Played very well at center back in 2-0 loss at Deerfield and 3-1 victory at Kingswood-Oxford.
Of note: Plans to run indoor track in the winter and play lacrosse in the spring.
College plans: Looking at NESCAC schools; hopes to play soccer in college; interested in history and international business; high honors student.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: History
- WMA teacher: Mr. Harrington
- Food: Chicken Alfredo
- Music: Anything but country
- Movie: Shawshank Redemption
- Ice cream: Chocolate
- Pre-game habit: Always showers: “Feel good, play good is my motto”
- Athlete: Tiger Woods
- Team: Bayern Munich
What they’re saying
Coach Gary Cook on how Joey played against Deerfield and Kingswood: “Joe experienced a very strong week for the Boys' Varsity Soccer team. His work as a central defender was a critical piece of the team's effort in games with Deerfield and Kingswood. His strong work ethic and sheer determination was a key for this unit throughout the week.”
Joey on how this team played this season: “I think we were a much better team than our record showed. I’m excited to come back next year and maybe get a winning record. Even though we didn’t make the playoffs, the last game of the season defined what kind of team we were. We really played together and it was nice to be playing in the last game.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Cross Country: Andrew Faulstich ‘15
- Football: Shacor Privott ‘14
- Water Polo: Tommaso Bendinelli ‘13
Athletes of the Week announced for Oct. 22-28
Austin Fabbo '15 picked boy Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Austin Fabbo
Sport: Water polo
Accomplishments: Scored two goals on offense and played goal against Eaglebrook.
Of note: Also on swimming and baseball teams; honor roll student.
College plans: Plans to pursue a career in marine biology.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: Science
- WMA teacher: Mr. Whitcomb
- Food: Steak
- Scary movie: Friday the 13th
- Ice cream: Vanilla
- Athlete: Michael Phelps
- Team: New England Patriots
What they’re saying
Coach Steve Gray on how Austin has performed this season: “Austin is a second year squad member who is a great example of the young players we have coming up in the program. He listens and follows instructions extremely well. He is a true team player that is willing to try most anything that will improve his individual play and help the team. He is a natural athlete who will positively impact our team in the future.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Cross Country: Andrew Faulstich ‘15
- Football: Brendan Butcher ‘13
- Soccer: Adolph Kawuba ‘13
Iris Liu '15 choosen girl Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Iris Liu
Sport: Cross country
Accomplishments: Placed fifth on the team at the Williston Northampton Invitational for her best finish of the season for WMA.
Of note: Also on riflery and outdoor track teams; from China.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: Chemistry
- WMA teacher: Mr. Dezieck
- Food: Spaghetti
- Music: Indie Rock and British Rock
- Movie: Perhaps Love
- Ice cream: Oreo
- Pre-game habit: Listens to music
What they’re saying
Coach Caroline Smith on how the team has performed this season: “We were missing one of our girls at the Williston Invitational and we needed one of our girls to step up. I knew I could count on Iris. She has been running so well: running right along with the top five. I went up to her on race day, put my arm around her and told her I needed her to be my fifth runner. She went out there and ran her best race. I’m so proud of her.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Field Hockey: Sarah Goolishian ‘13
- Soccer: Brielle Robinson ‘13
- Volleyball: Anna McCartney ‘15
Athletes of the Week announced for Oct. 15-21
Shawn Boston '14 named boy Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Shawn Boston
Sport: Football
Position: Running back, free safety
Accomplishments: Rushed for 73 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Williston Northampton. Also made six tackles and an interception.
Of note: Plays baseball and may run indoor track.
College plans: Hopes to pursue a career in sports management or entrepreneurship.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: History
- WMA teacher: Dr. Gorski
- Food: Homemade lasagna
- Music: Hip-hop
- Scary movie: Halloween
- Pre-game habit: Listens to music
- Athlete: Derek Jeter
- Team: New York Yankees
What they’re saying
Coach Jeff Vartabedian on how Shawn has performed this season: Shawn is a tremendous team player in every sense of the word. He had a terrific week for us on both offense and defense. Shawn is a very versatile player who can fill multiple roles on both sides of the ball while also being our primary kick and punt returner. His unselfishness and ability to play through injury makes him a guy that the team can always rely on.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Soccer: Nelson Cheung ‘13
- Water Polo: Andrew Buxton ‘13
Carly Cronin '13 selected girl Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Carly Cronin
Sport: Soccer
Position: Forward
Accomplishments: Recorded three goals and four assists in wins over Northfield Mount Hermon and Ethel Walker.
Of note: Also plays lacrosse and basketball; was recruited to play Division I at Fairfield University for soccer on athletic scholarship; high honors student.
College plans: Will play lacrosse on athletic scholarship at Division I Bryant University.
Favorites/Interests
Subject: EnglishWMA teacher: Mr. HeadmanFood: ChocolateWMA Food: Chicken fingersMovie: The Lion KingIce cream: Cookie DoughAthlete: Alex Morgan, U.S. National Soccer team memberTeam: U.S. National Soccer team
What they’re saying
Coach Don Nicholson on how Carly performed last week: “Carly worked tirelessly to pressure the opponents’ defenses and to support all of the offensive efforts.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
Field Hockey: Megan Wells ‘16
Volleyball: Bailey Giese ‘15
Athletes of the Week announced for Oct. 8-14
Jakheem Hunt '16 picked boy Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Jahkeem Hunt
Sport: Soccer
Position: Forward/midfield
Accomplishments: Scored first career goal in loss to Millbrook School; scored game-winning goal in victory over Tabor Academy.
Of note: Member of Bermuda’s U15 National team.
College plans: Considering an engineering career.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: English
- WMA teacher: Mr. Whitcomb
- Food: Cod fish and potatoes (Bermudian style)
- Music: Drake
- Ice cream: Chocolate chip
- Pre-game habit: Must listen to music
- Athlete: Lionel Messi
- Team: Barcelona
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Cross Country: Andrew Faulstich ‘15
- Football: Korey Kajko ‘13
- Soccer: Frankie Baltazar ‘13
- Water Polo: Andrew Buxton ‘13
Nina Lu '13 named girl Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Nina Lu
Sport: Volleyball
Accomplishments: Had a 100% serving average in matches against Williston Northampton School and Suffield Academy.
Of note: From Taiwan; also plays basketball and softball; holds a 3.6 GPA.
College plans: Interested in a business major; considering Northeastern University, Boston University, Boston College and Bentley University.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: Math
- WMA teacher: Mr. Fischer
- Food: Fried rice
- Music: Pop
- Movie: Batman
- Ice cream: Cookies and cream
- Pre-game habit: Focuses on getting all of her serves in
- Athlete: Kobe Bryant
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Cross Country: Olivia Neiswanger ‘15
- Field Hockey: Christine O’Donnell ‘13
- Soccer: Julia Beech ‘13
Athletes of the Week announced for Oct. 1-7
Casey Keeley '14 named boy Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Casey Keeley
Sport: Cross Country
Accomplishments: Finished fifth in a field of 50 runners to lead the Titans to a win over Cheshire, Chase Collegiate and Hyde.
Of note: Also on snowboard and lacrosse teams.
College plans: Being recruited to play lacrosse by Division I University of Hartford.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: Science
- WMA teacher: Mr. Dezieck
- Food: Wing bar
- Music: Alternative rock
- Movie: Star Wars
- Ice cream: Soft serve cotton candy
- Pre-game habit: Must wear headband and spikes
- Athlete: Paul Rabil, Boston Cannons
- Team: Boston Bruins
What they’re saying
Casey on how the team has performed this season: “The team has done great. We’ve done well at a number of invitationals – we actually came in second at one of them. We’ve won all of our regular season meets, which is pretty impressive.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Football: Mike Bryne ‘14
- Soccer: Joe O’Connell ‘13
- Water Polo: Kerem Kanter ‘14
Marissa Small-Towns '14 selected girl Athlete of the Week
Student-athlete: Marissa Small-Towns
Sport: Cross Country
Accomplishments: Took the lead late in the race to win a tri-meet against Cheshire and Chase Collegiate, leading the Titans to the win.
Of note: Holds a 3.3 GPA; also runs indoor track and outdoor track.
College plans: Hopes to run track in college and pursue a career in the medical field.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: Spanish
- WMA teacher: Dr. Gorski
- Food: Falafel
- Music: J Cole
- Movie: Inglorious Bastards
- Ice cream: Cake batter
- Pre-game habit: Spikes have to be in good condition
- Athlete: Sanya Richards
- Team: Atlanta Hawks
What they’re saying
Marissa on how the team has performed this season: We’ve done a lot better compared to any other season I’ve been here. We have a really strong team this year.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Soccer: Julia Beech ‘13
- Volleyball: Anna McCartney ‘15
Athletes of the Week announced for Sept. 23-30
Michael Caine ‘14 named boy Athlete of the Week
Sport: Water polo
Accomplishments: Played well defensively in losses to Hopkins and Williston Northampton.
Of note: Also on swim and outdoor track teams; holds a 3.5 GPA.
College plans: Plans to pursue a career in architecture.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: AP Human Geography
- WMA teacher: Dr. Gorski
- Food: Chicken bacon ranch pizza
- Music: Alternative rock
- Movie: The Dark Knight
- Ice cream: Cookies and cream
- Superstition: Wears same goggles for swimming all season
- Athlete: Michael Phelps
- Team: U.S. men’s swim team
What they’re saying
Michael on how the team has performed this season: We’re off to a rough start but our teamwork has definitely improved. We’ve had a new influx of young teammates since we retired so many seniors. We’re up to 30 team members and we’ve been trying to get to know each other, learn about each other, and become a better team than last year.”
Coach Steve Gray on how Michael has played this season: “Michael has been a key member of the team this season. Michael has been invaluable on defense and has been a cornerstone to the success as a unit. He has also contributed offensively as he scored in each of the last two games. Michael plays a tremendous amount of minutes for the team and is a strong leader.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Cross Country: Wing-Ho Chan ‘13
- Football: Brendan Butcher ‘13
- Soccer: Adolph Kawuba ‘13
Allie Cerpovicz ’13 named girl Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Allie Cerpovicz
Sport: Field hockey
Position: Center midfield
Accomplishments: Has helped team to a better outcome compared to last season in all four games for the Titans.
Of note: Holds 3.8 GPA; member of ski team; manager for rugby team.
College plans: Will major in engineering; has narrowed college choices to Holy Cross, RPI, University of Rochester, and Hobart & William Smith; plans to play field hockey.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: AP Literature
- WMA teacher: Mr. Harrington
- Food: Watermelon
- Music: Pink Floyd and Grateful Dead
- Movie: Lilo and Stitch
- Ice cream: Mint chocolate chip
- Pre-game habit: Stays loose
- Athlete: David Krejci
- Team: Boston Bruins
What they’re saying
Allie on how the team has performed this season: “I think our team this year is a big step up from last year. We’ve picked up right from the end of last season. We’re getting stronger and stronger and I’m excited to see what happens in years to come.”
Coach Liz Fontaine on how Allie has played this season: “Allie has played a critical role for the team as the center midfielder. She has also been key on offensive and defensive corners. Allie has been a key contributor on the field and a great leader as one of the team captains.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
- Cross Country: Megan Pehoviak ‘14
- Soccer: Julia Beech ‘13
- Volleyball: Nina Lu ‘13
Athletes of the Week announced for Sept. 12-22
Shacor Privott '14 picked boy Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Shacor Privott '14
Sport: Football
Position: Running back; linebacker
Accomplishments: Led team with 7.5 tackles in 37-20 loss at Canterbury; also forced three fumbles; rushed eight times for 40 yards.
Of note: Is being recruited by Division I football programs.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: Math
- WMA teacher: Mr. Lombard
- Food: Hot wings
- Music: Tupac
- Movie: He Got Game
- TV Show: Khloe and Lamar
- Pre-game habit: Listens to slow music
- Athlete: Ray Lewis
- Team: Philadelphia Eagles
- What they’re saying
Shacor on how the team has performed this season: “We had a rough start. We have to work on finishing games a lot better. But there have been a lot of positives we can take away. Every day and every game, we just have to take away the negatives and just move on. We can’t let the same loss beat us the next week.”
Shacor on how he has played this season: “For the standard I’ve created for myself, I’m just doing OK. I’m working to improve every day.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
Cross Country: Joe Thibault ‘13
Soccer: Drew Bemben ‘13
Water Polo: D.J. Jean Baptiste ‘15
Christina Wakefield '14 picked girl Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Christina Wakefield ‘14
Sport: Soccer
Position: Forward
Accomplishments: Scored six goals in five games to help team get out to a 5-0 start; scored twice against Westminster in 2-0 victory; has two multiple-goal games.
Of note: Has verbally committed to Division I Boston University.
Favorites/Interests
- Subject: Math
- WMA teacher: Mr. Lombard
- Food: Shepherd’s Pie
- Music: Hip-Hop
- Movie: Sunshine Cleaning
- Pre-game habit: Specific playlist on iPod
- Athlete: Cristiano Ronaldo
- Team: Real Madrid
What they're saying
Christina on how the team has performed this season: “We’re a lot better and I think the season is going to be great. We have tough games coming up, but with the way we’ve been playing I think we’ll be able to beat them.”
Coach Don Nicholson on how Christina has played this season: “Christina provides tremendous energy to the offensive efforts of the team and is often able to overcome very close attention and marking from opposing defenses. Her high work rate also applies continual pressure on the efforts of other teams in their defensive third.”
WMA Athlete of the Week nominees
Cross Country: Sara Burke ‘15
Field hockey: Sydney Liptak ‘16
2011 - 2012
Athletes of the Week announced for the week of May 14-20
Max Rankin '12 picked boy Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Max Rankin
Sport: Rugby
Class: Senior
Position: Flanker (forward)
Accomplishments: Scored in final seconds to help the Titans beat Springfield RC and retain the Maxwell Cup; also scored in loss to Harvey School.
Of note: Also played football and wrestling; honor roll student will attend and play rugby at Ithaca College.
Favorites/Interests:
- Food: Chicken parm
- Subject: History
- Athlete: Sebastian "The Caveman" Chabal
- Teacher: Mr. Kwan
- Team: Irish Rugby Union
- Pre-game habit: (for football) Always wet hair.
- Music: Classic Rock
What they’re saying:
Max on WMA beating Springfield: “It meant a lot to come back after being down early in the game and having to struggle through some questionable plays and calls by us and the other team. It meant a lot to finish on top that game.”
Max on playing on the first three rugby teams at WMA: “When I first heard of rugby I didn't even know what it was. But when I got out there I really enjoyed the sport and I'm happy I put myself out there.”
Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention:
- Baseball: Mike Mendes '12
- Lacrosse: John Tierney '15
- Tennis: German Ortega '12
- Track: Jared Osumah '12
- Volleyball: Maodo Lo '12
Emma Hjarne '12 named girl Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Emma Hjarne
Sport: Golf
Class: Senior
Accomplishments: Shot a 2-over par 37 in a match against Worcester Academy.
Of note: Will attend and play golf at Towson University.
Favorites/Interests:
- Food: Nepalese
- Subject: English
- TV show: Psych
- Golfer: Ben Crane
- Teacher: Mr. Mazeika
- Team: New York Rangers
- Movie: Scoop
- Golf course: Halmstad G.C. in Sweden
What they’re saying:
Coach Doug Hutcheson: “Emma has been a consistent performer for the golf team and has worked very hard to improve her overall game against tough competition.”
Emma on her season: “It started off with a rocky start but as I kept practicing I got better and began to see improvement in my scores.”
Emma on getting the opportunity to play golf in college: “It's a great opportunity to have a set place to be in college, and to be able to play at another level.”
Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention:
- Lacrosse: Julia Beech
- Softball: Richelle Davis
- Tennis: Heather Little
- Track: Molley Shea
Athletes of the Week announced for the week of May 7-14
Desmond Gray '12 picked boy Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Desmond Gray
Sport: Rugby
Class: Senior
Position: Prop (forward)
Accomplishments: Scored a try and set up another score in a win over Lincoln-Sudbury; critical member of scrums and made many key tackles.
Of note: Six-foot, 310-pounder is in his first year of rugby; will play football and major in Sports Management at Nichols College.
Favorites/Interests:
- Food: Chicken Bacon Ranch grinder at Subway
- Subject: English
- TV show: Jersey Shore
- Athlete: Drew Brees
- Teacher: Mr. Shaw
- Team: New Orleans Saints
- Pre-game habit: Pray
- Movie: Friday Night Lights
What they’re saying:
Coach Tim Harrington on Desmond's play against Lincoln-Sudbury: “His offensive contributions were rare to see from a player who plays his position.”
Desmond on why he decided to go out for rugby: “It's pretty similar to football - a little faster and with no pads. I thought I would give it a try, hit some people, and get to run with the ball for the first time in my life. I thought it would be a good experience. I'm glad I went out. If I get bored with football in college I might be able to pursue rugby.”
Desmond on the team's play this season: “The team has been playing very well. We only have a couple players who have experience playing rugby. The rest of us are pretty new to it. It's been a good year for us. We didn't reach our goal of going undefeated but overall I'm happy with the season.”
Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention:
- Baseball: Robinson Vilmont '12
- Lacrosse: Andrew Mordasky '13
- Tennis: Dado Nozirov '13
- Track: Robert Kelley '12
- Volleyball: Elijah Barrows '12
Nika Hickson '12 named girl Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Nika Hickson
Sport: Lacrosse
Class: Senior
Accomplishments: Played two strong games defensively against Gunnery and Hyde.
Of note: Four-year varsity player; will major in Hotel & Restaurant Management and play lacrosse at Lasell College; also played basketball and cross country.
Favorites/Interests:
- Food: Mediterranean
- Subject: Science
- TV channel: Food Network
- Movie: The Notebook
- Teachers: Mrs. Finley, Mr. Whitcomb, Mr. Harrington
- Pre-game habit: Must listen to music for 15-20 minutes alone
What they’re saying:
Coach Caroline Burke: “Nika's efforts on the field and her decision making have been outstanding. She is a leader both on and off the field."
Nika on her play this season: “I think I've played well. I was hoping for some better competition, but our team overall is better all-around, so our competition isn't as strong because we've all gotten better. I'm excited to move onto a higher level and have lacrosse be more intense.”
Nika on how the team has performed this season: “When it comes game time, we focus, pull through and get the win. I think we've done well.”
Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention:
- Softball: Hannah Clewes '15
- Tennis: Sarah Goolishian '13
- Track: Brianna Goncalves '12
Athletes of the Week announced for the week of April 30-May 6
Matt Antonacci '13 picked boy Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Matt Antonacci
Sport: Golf
Class: Junior
Accomplishments: After a solid week of practice, Matt shot a season-best 3-over-par 39 in a match against Loomis-Chaffee and Cushing.
Of note: Has shot a 1-under-par 35 at Country Club of Wilbraham; features a good short game; 2.2 handicap; plans to major in business; plays club hockey for Springfield 'Pics.
Favorites/Interests:
- Food: Steak
- Class: Math
- TV show:HBO 24/7 series
- Athlete: Tiger Woods
- Golf course: Augusta
- Golf club: Sandwedge
- Match habit: Always drinks water while playing
What they’re saying:
Coach Doug Hutcheson: “Matt is ready to have a strong finish to the season. He's been focusing on all aspects of his game; course management, ball-striking, short game and putting.”
Matt on his play this season: “My season has been alright. It started off a little rough but it's improved a little bit as the season has gone on and I've gotten to practice more.”
Matt's goal for the season: “I'd like to shoot a 68 or better. Anything under that because I haven't done that yet this season.”
Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention:
- Baseball: Scott Bicknell '14
- Lacrosse: Jordan Brown '15
- Rugby: Ryan McLarney '12
- Tennis: Brandon McKenna '12
- Track: Jameil Ali '12
- Volleyball: Lap Chun (Nelson) Cheung '13
Lauryn Picknelly '14 named girl Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Lauryn Picknelly
Sport: Track
Class: Sophomore
Events: Long jump, 100-meter dash, 200
Accomplishments: Qualified for the New England Prep School Athletic Council Championship meet in the long jump and 100 in a meet at Suffield Academy; won the long jump, placed second in the 200 and third in the 100.
Of note: High honors student also plays soccer and runs winter track; member of Gold Key and WMA musical; plans to major in business in college.
Favorites/Interests:
- Food: Nachos
- Subject: Math
- Teacher: Sarah Barnes-Vallandingham
- Movie: Titanic
- Team: Boston Red Sox
- Event: Long jump
What they’re saying:
Track Coach Paul Ekness “Lauryn rises to the ocassion when competing. She has a lot of promise as a track athlete.”
Lauryn on the meet at Suffield: “I think it was one of my best meets. I qualified for New Englands in two events and I just missed in another.”
Lauryn on how the Titans are doing this season: "I think we're doing pretty well. We won our first meet, came in second in another meet, and last week we came in first. Usually the meets we have are tri-meets so we're usually beating at least one team."
Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention:
- Lacrosse: Christine O'Donnell '13
- Softball: Hannah Clewes '15
- Tennis: Molly Socha '15
Athletes of the Week announced for the week of April 22-29
Abdurasul Nozirov '13 picked boy Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Abdurasul Nozirov
Sport: Varsity Tennis
Class: Junior
Position: No. 1 singles
Accomplishments: Won at #1 singles and #2 doubles to help WMA beat Worcester Academy.
Of note: Plans to major in business in college; considering Northeastern, Bentley and Babson; missed soccer season due to lower back injury; plans to play tennis in college.
Favorites/Interests:
- Food: Food from Tajik
- Class: Entrepreneur
- Athlete: Rafael Nadal
- Pre-match habit: Listens to relaxing music and prays
What they’re saying:
Coach Brad Waluluk: “Dado leads by example and his intensity is a great boost to the other members of the team.”
Abdurasul on his play this season: “The season has started really well for me. The first match I played I lost, but the other three matches I played I won.”
Abdurasul on how WMA has played this season: “From what I heard, the team did worse last year, so this year we've improved a lot and we're doing much better. I really like my teammates and the spirit of the team.”
Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention:
- Baseball: Ben Marcus '12
- Golf: Matt Antonacci '13
- Lacrosse: Justin Forstmann '14
- Rugby: Jack Viens '13
- Track: Jameli Ali '12
- Volleyball: Marcel Pettway '15
Julia Bell '12 named girl Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Julia Bell
Sport: Varsity Lacrosse
Class: Senior
Position: Attack
Accomplishments: Scored three goals in a 21-3 win at St. Andrew's before pumping in eight more goals in an 18-8 victory over Worcester Academy.
Of note: Heading into Wednesday's game, had 95 career goals in two seasons at WMA; honor roll student; member of Gold Key; also plays field hockey; will play field hockey and lacrosse at Mount Holyoke College, where she will major in English.
Favorites/Interests:
- Food: Burritos
- Subject: AP Literature
- Teacher: Mrs. Hutcheson
- TV show: Pretty Little Liars
- Movie: Finding Nemo
- Team: Boston Bruins
What they’re saying:
Lacrosse Coach Caroline Burke: “Julia is a leader on the attack: frequently calling plays and helping the substitutes adjust to the flow of each game.”
Julia on her season: “I've definitely grown as a player since last year. I took a lot of steps during the summer to make sure I had a really good shot. My shot is much harder and my angles are better. I've become a good offensive leader: running the plays.”
Julia on how the Titans are playing: "Everyone can catch and throw, and that's a big improvement over last year. We work really well together offensively and defensively. We work well in transition, which has set a bunch of us up for goals. Everyone is getting goals this year, which is really good."
Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention:
- Softball: Hannah Clewes '15
- Tennis: Sarah Goolishian '13
- Track: Brianna Goncalves '12
Athletes of the Week announced for the week of April 16-22
Mike Boornazian '12 picked boy Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Mike Boornazian
Sport: Varsity Volleyball
Class: Senior
Position: Setter, Outside hitter
Accomplishments: Had 10 service points, 12 assists, three kills, eight tips and four blocks to help the Titans to a win over Phillips Andover Academy.
Of note: Plans to attend and play basketball at Bates College; will pursue a career in communications; holds a 3.6 GPA.
Favorites/Interests:
- Food: Buffalo wings
- Subject: English
- WMA teacher: Mr. Dziura
- Athlete: LeBron James
- Sports team: University of Connecticut
What they’re saying:
Volleyball Coach Donna Barone: “Mike experienced a tremendous week in practice and in match competition. He was a critical ingredient to the victory over Phillips Andover.”
Mike on his play this season: “I'm fairly new to the sport but my coach has done a great job teaching me the basics and the rules. I've done pretty well so far and I'm trying to get better.”
Mike on how WMA has played this season: “I think the team is doing well. We're 1-3 and that could be better, obviously. We have a lot of athletes from different sports and I think we're going to get better and put bigger numbers in the win column.”
Mike on playing basketball at Bates: “I'm excited. To have an opportunity to play in the NESCAC is great. It's such a great academic league. A lot of Division I recruits who want a good education go to that league. It's going to be fun to play in a tough athletic setting and get the education I will be getting.”
Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention:
- Baseball: P.J. Jasak '14
- Golf: Jake Grondin '16
- Lacrosse: O'Brian McHayle '12
- Tennis: Abdurasul Nozirov '13
- Track: Jared Osumah '12
Heather Little '13 named girl Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Heather Little
Sport: Varsity Tennis
Class: Junior
Position: No. 1 singles
Accomplishments: Won match 6-3, 6-1 to lead WMA to a 6-1 victory over Stoneleigh-Burnham.
Of note: Also runs cross country and plays basketball; holds a 3.7 GPA; may pursue a career in science; involved in Student Government, Global Scholars, Gold Key, Mosiac Harmony and Captains' Council.
Favorites/Interests:
- Food: Chocolate
- Subject: Science
- Teacher: Mr. Headman
- Music Group: Third Eye Blind
- Movie: Away We Go
- Sport: Tennis
What they’re saying:
Tennis Coach Jay Hamilton: “As a captain and as a player, Heather has been a solid presence for her team this season. Heather's work ethic and focus paid off this week as she had her strongest performance in practices and matches.”
Heather on picking up her first win: “The girl I played was pretty good. I was patient and there were a lot of long rallies, and my consistency is what ended up helping me in the end.”
Heather on how the Titans are playing: "The team has done very well. We started out with some difficult matches. We've been improving in general and the season looks good."
Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention:
- Lacrosse: Emily Zeno '15
- Softball: Richelle Davis '12
- Track: Molley Shea '13
Athletes of the Week announced for the week of April 9-15
No-hitter lands Ben Marcus '12 boy Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Ben Marcus
Sport: Varsity Baseball
Class: Senior
Position: Pitcher
Accomplishments: Senior right-hander fired a no-hitter in 7-0 victory over the Millbrook School; struck out seven and walked four to lift the Titans to their first victory of the season.
Of note: Plans to major in business at St. Bonaventure or Gannon; will play water polo if attends Gannon.
Favorites/Interests:
- Food: Chicken parm
- Subject: Math
- Musician: Moufy
- Baseball player: Nick Swisher
- Sports team: New York Yankees
- Pitch: Curveball
What they’re saying:
Baseball Coach John Boozang: “Ben Marcus is a four-year varsity baseball letter winner who emerged as one of our relief pitchers in his sophomore year. His passion for baseball is clear and is a key ingredient to his overall development as a pitcher and everyday player. We look forward to more highlight performances from Ben this year.”
Ben Marcus: “It was a great game all around. The team played well behind me. It was special. It was the first time I had ever pitched a no-hitter. Hopefully it will happen again.”
Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention:
- Golf: Jake Grondin '16
- Lacrosse: Charles Callahan '14
- Rugby: Shacor Privott '14
- Tennis: Abdurasul Nozirov '13
- Track: Robert Kelley '12
- Volleyball: Marcel Pettway '15
Bailey Giese '15 named girl Athlete of the Week
Student-Athlete: Bailey Giese
Sport: Varsity Softball
Class: Freshman
Position: First base
Accomplishments: Went 3 for 5, with a double, home run, six runs scored and four RBI in a win over Stoneleigh-Burnham and loss to Pomfret; didn’t make in error in 16 chances at first base.
Of note: Also plays volleyball and basketball; holds a 3.6 GPA; member of Cooking and Break Free clubs; didn’t play softball in grades 5-8.
Favorites/Interests:
- Food: Pasta
- Subject: Global Studies
- Teacher: Mr. Swanson
- Musician: John Mayer
What they’re saying:
Softball Coach Erik Kindblom: “Bailey has done a tremendous job as a freshman anchoring the defense at first base, and has been a constant offensive threat against opposing pitchers. In two games she has a perfect fielding percentage and very impressive batting stats.”
Bailey Giese: “Going into the season, I really didn’t know how to play softball. Coach Kindblom helped me develop a swing and I’ve been getting better each day.”
Athlete of the Week Honorable Mention:
- Lacrosse: Marissa McDermott '12
- Tennis: Emily Dromgold '17 and Molly Socha '15
- Track: Brianna Goncalves '12
Week of February 20-25
Girl nominees are: Carla Dippe - Skiing, Ivy Durepo - Swimming, Megan Pehoviak - Basketball
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Carla Dippe, led the Girls' Ski Team to a season-best 4th place finish in the last race of the season.
Boy nominees are: Kevin Lambert - Swimming, Maodo Lo - Basketball, Ryan McLarney - Wrestling
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Maodo Lo, whose play was outstanding during a week crucial for the playoff seedings for Boys' Varsity Basketball. He averaged 18.2 points per game and was a defensive standout as well.
Week of February 13-18
Girl nominees are: Michaela Fortin - Basketball, Emma Hjarne - Skiing, Madeline McCloskey - Swimming
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Emma Hjarne, who led the team at the NEPSAC Class C Championships at Mt. Sunapee with a season's best 20th place finish in the Grand Slalom.
Boy nominees are: Elijah Barrows - Swimming, Jordan Brown - Riflery, Maodo Lo - Basketball, Ryan McLarney - Wrestling
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Jordan Brown, who finished as the top scorer against Xavier. He has made steady progress throughout the month.
Week of February 1-11
Girl nominees are: Sara Burke - Winter Track, Mia Konstantakos - Swimming, Brielle Robinson - Basketball, Christina Wakefield - Skiing
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Mia Konstantakos, who, during this extended period, took first place in one of her more difficult events against Cheshire and won both the 50 and 100 Freestyle against Canterbury, while also swimming the first leg on the medley relay team that broke the school record in that meet.
Boy nominees are: Kamali Bey - Basketball, Wing-Ho Chan - Wrestling, Kevin Lambert - Swimming
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Wing-Ho Chan, who posted a record of 4 wins and 3 losses. His dramatic progress on the the team also gave him a 3rd seed in the Class A's. He finished 5th, but certainly has done very well for a first year wrestler.
Week of January 23-28
Girl nominees are: Alexandra Baltazar - Winter Track, Michaela Fortin - Basketball, Madeline McCloskey - Swimming, Christina Wakefield - Skiing
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Alexandra Baltazar, who placed second in the Girls' 300 Meter Dash and took third place in the 50 Yard Hurdles in the meet with Phillips Andover, accounting for 6 of the 12 points the team earned that day.
Boy nominees are: Kamali Bey - Basketball, Wing Ho Chan - Wrestling, Kevin Lambert - Swimming, Robert Taylor - Riflery
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Kevin Lambert, who was a double winner in the 100 Fly and 200 Free against Westminster. Kevin's times placed him among the top eight performers in both events in all divisions across New England.
Week of January 16-22
Girl nominees are: Ivy Durepo - Swimming, Megan Pehoviak - Basketball, Christina Wakefield - Skiing
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Christina Wakefield, who led the team, finishing 26th in the Giant Slalom at Berkshire East.
Boy nominees are: Jaylen Brantley - Basketball, Kevin Lambert - Swimming, Jared Osumah - Winter Track, Chongxuan Ethan Qiu - Wrestling
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Jared Osumah, who took first place in the Long Jump (6' 0") and the High Jump (18' 8"), second in the 50-Yard Dash, and accounted for 12 of the team's 36 points in the tri-meet at Phillips Andover.
Week of January 7-15
Girl Nominees are: YiJia (Jenna) Chen - Riflery, Madeline McCloskey - Swimming, Megan Pehoviak - Basketball
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Jenna Chen, who has been one of the top five shooters during the first two matches of the season and the WMA high scorer against Suffield.
Boy Nominees are: Jaylen Brantley - Basketball, Zachary Meunier - Swimming, Joe Thibault - Wrestling, Max Zielinski - Skiing
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Joe Thibault, who is having a great season. Undefeated last week, Joe has a 6-0 record in two multi-team matches.
Week of December 3-10
Girl nominees are: Ivy Durepo - Swimming, Michaela Fortin - Basketball
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Ivy Durepo, who enjoyed a great week in the pool as she dominated the competition in the 100 Breaststroke, 50 Free and 100 Free. Ivy was undefeated in six individual races and contributed to a school record in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Boy nominees are: Jaylen Brantley - Basketball, Siyuan Ding - Swimming, Ryan McLarney - Wrestling
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Jaylen Brantley, who played a pivotal role in victories over Blair, Hun, Phelps and Williston during this stretch of games. He also scored his 1,000 career point versus Phelps in the Peddie Tournament.
Week of November 7-12
Girl nominees are: Victoria Bernardo - Soccer, Richele Davis - Field Hockey, Bailey Geise - Volleyball, Eva Landers - Water Polo, Marissa Small -Towns - Cross Country
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Marissa Small -Towns, who placed 19th out of 144 runners at the Division 3 New England Championships, which qualified her for the New England All Stars meet being held November 19.
Boy nominees are: Alan Fu - Cross Country, Adolph Kawuba - Soccer, Kevin Lambert - Water Polo, Craig Martin - Football
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Adolph Kawuba, who continued to perform at the highest level in games against Gunnery and Avon. His work on both offensive and defensive was critical to the team's effort during the final week of the season.
Week of October 22-29
Girl nominees are: Marissa McDermott - Field Hockey, Anna Misiewicz - Volleyball, Olivia Neiswanger - Cross Country, Christina Wakefield - Soccer
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Marissa McDermott, who had 12 saves in goal versus Williston and worked extremely hard in a tough loss, maing many remarkable saves and continually displaying strong leadership.
Boy nominees are: Darnay Gray - Football, Trey Kelley - Cross Country, German Ortega - Soccer
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Darnay Gray, who was an impact player on both sides of the ball for the Titans against Williston and Tabor. On offense, he ran the ball effectively, including scoring a touchdown. Defensively, his ability to make tackles in the opponents backfield was outstanding.
Week of October 10-19
Girl nominees are: Allie Cerpovicz - Field Hockey, Carla Dippe - Volleyball, Emma Hjarne - Soccer, Eva Landers - Water Polo, Marissa Small-Towns - Cross Country
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Carla Dippe, who has been a top performer on the squad with a serving percentage of 85%. She also had 24 hits, 3 kills, and 11 digs.
Boy nominees are: Ben Cobleigh - Water Polo, Desmond Gray - Football, Hyun Seok Jung - Soccer, Joe Thibault - Cross Country
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Ben Cobleigh, who scored 4 goals and 6 assists during this stretch and is currently the second leading scorer on the team. He plays most of the game and has emerged as a top defensive player.
2010 - 2011
Week of May 11 - 14
Girl nominees are: Michelle Ding - Tennis, Kelsey Gomes - Softball, Emma Hjarne - Golf, Marissa Small-Towns - Track
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Michelle Ding, who continued to lead the team against very difficult competition and was the top performer from WMA at the Suffield Academy Invitational to conclude the season.
Boy nominees are: Derrick Barnagian - Lacrosse, Ben Marcus - Baseball, Jared Osumah - Track, Austin Pinckney - Volleyball, Naru Sugiura - Tennis
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Austin Pinckney, who had solid front row play in victories over Andover and Choate. During this span, Austin had 30 kills, 25 hits, 10 blocks, and 12 points.
Week of May 11 - 14
Girl nominees are: Julia Bell - Lacrosse, Casey Berg - Softball, Mary Vincunas - Track & Field, Nancy Wong -Tennis
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Nancy Wong, who had two consecutive winning matches against The Gunnery and Ethel Walker. Nancy played extremely well in both convincing victories.
Boy nominees are: Karl Baptiste - Volleyball, Jacob Conlon - Track & Field, Jeremy Gilfor - Rugby, Nicholas Manning - Lacrosse, Ben Marcus - Baseball, Brandon McKenna - Tennis
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Ben Marcus, who pitched well in a great comeback win against Cheshire. Ben gave up only two hits in the effort, had nine strike-outs, and hit a two-run single to tie the game in the 7th inning.
Week of May 2 - 9
Girl nominees are: Hannah Clewes - Softball, Carly Cronin - Lacrosse, Michelle Ding - Tennis, Brianna Goncalves - Track & Field, Emma Hjarne - Golf
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Emma Hjarne, who was the match medalist against Cheshire this week. Emma is a strong competitor in what is, at this level, a predominently male sport.
Boy nominees are: Mikey Callahan - Lacrosse, Ben Marcus - Baseball, German Ortega -Tennis, Jared Osumah - Track & Field, Andrej Pajovic - Volleyball
The Boy Athlete of the Week is German Ortega, who was 2-0 in matches this week, playing both singles and doubles. The extra practice time he puts in and his consistently positive attitude make him a great team leader.
Week of April 20 - May 1
Girl nominees are: Julia Bell - Lacrosse, Michelle Ding - Tennis, Emma Hjarne - Golf, Brooke Mele - Softball, Marissa Small-Towns - Track & Field
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Julia Bell, who scored 20 goals and added 5 assists in three games against Worcester, St. Andrews, and Miss Hall's. Julia is the primary connector in the midfield and the leader of the offense.
Boy nominees are: Elijah Barrows - Volleyball, Hyung Seok Jung - Rugby, Niko Manning - Lacrosse, Brandon McKenna - Tennis, Mike Mendes - Baseball, Jared Osumah - Track & Field
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Jared Osumah, who took two first place finishes against very strong challengers during competitions against Williston and Northfield Mt. Hermon. Jared also set a new school record in the High Jump in the tri-meet with Vermont and Cushing.
Week of April 6 - 16
Girl nominees are: Allison Arnieri - Softball, Elise Dhamodharan - Tennis, Marissa McDermott - Lacrosse
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Allison Arnieri, who is off to great start this season in the critical role of catcher. She has been key in supporting the development of the younger pitchers. Her calming leadership style has allowed her staff to get through many difficult situations. Alison has also done well with the bat, either by having great statistical performances or being a very tough out for opposing pitchers.
Boy nominees are: Matthew Antonacci - Golf , Thomas Cook - Baseball, Nicholas Manning – Lacrosse, Brendan Simons – Volleyball, Naruhiko Sugiura – Tennis, Scott Watson - Rugby
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Niko Manning, who scored 8 goals and added 3 assists during the first three Varsity Lacrosse games of the season. His hat tricks against Vermont and Worcester were highlights. He has also been critical on face-offs and ground balls, and his overall work ethic has been tremendous.
Week of February 21 - 26
Girl nominees are: Emma Hjarne - Skiing, Mia Konstantakos - Swimming, Chloe Snyder - Basketball
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Emma Hjarne, who had one of her best Giant Slalom runs of the season in the league championships at Eaglebrook.
Boy nominees are: Keoni Colson - Wrestling, Kevin Lambert - Swimming, Joe O'Connell - Basketball
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Joe O'Connell, who scored 20 points and secured 6 rebounds in the win over Berkshire and put up 8 points in the win over St. Andrew's.
Week of February 14 - 20
Girl nominees are: Elizabeth Hodson - Skiing, Megan Pehoviak - Basketball, Alexandra Zulkiewicz - Swimming
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Megan Pehoviak, who averaged 10 points in games against Deerfield and Hyde and was instrumental in leading the team to the victory over Hyde.
Boy nominees are: Xavier Braham - Basketball, Jacob Conlon - Riflery, Kevin Lambert - Swimming, Joseph Thibault - Wrestling
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Kevin Lambert, who experienced a great week against both Williston and Avon and was a double winner in the 100 Fly and the 200 Free in both meets.
Week of February 5 - 12
Girl nominees are: Michaela Fortin - Basketball, Elizabeth Hodson - Skiing, Mia Konstantakos - Swimming
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Michaela Fortin, whose contributions on both offense and defense were critical to the success that Girls' Varsity Basketball enjoyed.
Boy nominees are: Xavier Braham - Basketball, Tashfiq Mannan - Riflery, Nicholas Sarno - Swimming, Joseph Thibault - Wrestling
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Tashfiq Mannan, whose tremendous season on the Riflery team was highlighted with a great performance against Avon.
Week of January 24 - 30
Girl nominees are: Elizabeth Hodson - Skiing, Brielle Robinson - Basketball
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Brielle Robinson. Brielle scored 18 points to lead the team to victory over Williston. She has also been critical in the defensive efforts of the team.
Boy nominees are: Adam Schrecengost - Basketball, Joseph Thibault - Wrestling
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Joseph Thibault. Joe continued his great work this season as he set a mark of 2 wins and 0 losses for the week.
Week of January 17 - 23
Girl nominees are: Carly Cronin - Basketball, Elizabeth Hodson - Skiing, Madeline McClosky - Swimming
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Elizabeth Hodson. Libby placed 16th of 42 girls last Wednesday in the slalom, skiing in poor conditions.
Boy nominees are: Jaylen Brantley - Basketball, Chris Glabicky - Winter Track, Kevin Lambert - Swimming, Joseph Thibault - Wrestling
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Jaylen Brantley. Jaylen exploded this week with 15 points against Marianapolis on Wednesday and 27 points against Suffield on Saturday.
Week of January 8 - 16
Girl nominees are: Marissa McDermott - Winter Track, Megan Pehoviak - Basketball, Kaylee Walton - Swimming
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Kaylee Walton. Kaylee paved the way for the girls' victory over Cheshire with first-place finishes in the 200 and 500. Kaylee is also providing great leadership as a captain.
Boy nominees are: Chris Glabicky - Winter Track, Kevin Lambert - Swimming, Tashfiq Mannan - Riflery, Andrej Pajovic - Basketball, Joseph Thibault - Wrestling
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Chris Glabicky. Chris has gotten off to a great start this season. He ran the 55, 200, and the 800. He finished 8th of 69 runners in the mile at the Smith College meet, a great accomplishment as many of the competitors were college athletes.
Week of December 3 - 11
Girl nominees are: Carly Cronin - Basketball, Christine O'Donnell - Winter Track, Kaylee Walton - Swimming
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Carly Cronin. Carly has been key to the 3-0 start for the Girls' Varsity Basketball team. She is averaging 11.6 points per game. She scored 17 points against Westover and had 14 steals in the win over Miss Hall's School.
Boy nominees are: Jaylen Brantley - Basketball, Wing Ho Chan - Winter Track, Keoni Colson - Wrestling, Kevin Lambert - Swimming
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Keoni Colson. Keoni is off to a great start this season. He is currently undefeated with 10 wins. He was also named the Outstanding Wrestler at the Canterbury Invitational Tournament.
Week of November 1 - 6, 2010
Girl nominees are: Richelle Davis - Field Hockey, Rachael Kantor - Soccer, Megan Pehoviak - Cross Country, Abby Rockmacher - Volleyball, Kaylee Walton - Water Polo
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Megan Pehoviak '14 - (Cross Country)
Boy nominees are: Jeremy Gilfor - Soccer, Chris Glabicky - Cross Country, Kevin Lambert - Water Polo, Jared Osumah - Football
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Kevin Lambert '13
Week of October 18 - 23, 2010
Girl nominees are: Rachael Kantor - Soccer, Elizabeth McClellan - Field Hockey, Megan Pehoviak - Cross Country, Nicole Robitaille - Water Polo, Lexie Silvia - Volleyball
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Rachael Kantor '11 (Soccer)
Boy nominees are: Chris Glabicky - Cross Country, Carl Gottschall - Soccer, Nick Sarno - Water Polo, Kyle Sweeting - Football
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Kyle Sweeting '11 (Football)
Week of October 11 - 16, 2010
Girl nominees are: Brittany Barry - Soccer, Vivian Lin - Volleyball, Brooke Mele - Field Hockey, Marissa Small-Towns - Cross Country, Kaylee Walton - Water Polo
The Girl Athlete of the Week is Marissa Small-Towns '14
Boy nominees are: Jose Andrade - Football, Kevin Lambert - Water Polo, Brendan Simons - Soccer, Joe Tibault - Cross Country
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Brendan Simons '11
Weeks of September 13 & 20, 2010
Girl nominees are: Richelle Davis - Field Hockey, Casey Berg - Volleyball, Eva Landers - Water Polo, Rachael Kantor - Soccer, Marissa Small-Towns - Cross Country
Girl Athlete of the Week is Casey Berg '11
Boy nominees are: Ben Marcus - Water Polo, Chris Glabicky - Cross Country, Adolf Kawuba - Soccer, Keoni Colson - Football
The Boy Athlete of the Week is Chris Glabicky '11
