The Loomis Chaffee School 2012-2013 Winter Athletic Awards Ceremony
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Alpine Skiing Boys Basketball Girls Basketball Boys Hockey Girls Hockey Boys Swimming Girls Swimming Boys Squash Girls Squash Wrestling
Loomis Chaffee Winter Athletic Awards Ceremony Wednesday, March 27, 2013 6:30 p.m. Loomis Dining Hall
Tonight’s Program
Welcome Remarks: Bob Howe ’80, Athletic Director
Alpine Skiing: Jake Leyden
Girls Squash: Naomi Appel
Boys Squash: Elliot Beck
Girls Swimming: Bob DeConinck
Boys Swimming: Fred Seebeck
Girls Hockey Liz Leyden
Boys Hockey John Zavisza
Boys Basketball Jim Dargati ‘85
Girls Basketball Adrian Stewart ‘90
Wrestling Ben Haldeman 2012-2013 Winter Athletic Award Winners
Alpine Skiing
All New England: Tucker Santoro, Sara Corsetti Most Valuable Skiier: Tucker Santoro Coaches’ Award: Theodora Cohen
Boys Varsity Basketball
All New England: Joe Stortini Coaches’ Award: Durelle Napier Coaches’ Award: Dale Reese Most Valuable Player: Joe Stortini
Girls Varsity Basketball
All New England: Steph Jones and Abby Pyne Most Valuable Player: Steph Jones Most Improved: Chynna Bailey Coaches’ Award: Brooke Marchitto
Boys Varsity Hockey
U.S.HR Prep School Player of the Year Danny Tirone All New England Team: Danny Tirone Most Valuable Player: Danny Tirone Coaches’ Award: EJ Culhane Coaches’ Award: Nick Miceli Golden Buoy: Stephen Picard
Girls Varsity Hockey
Coaches’ Award: Brittany Bugalski Coaches’ Award: Molly Strabley
Boys Varsity Squash
Most Valuable Player: Alex Steel Most Improved Player: Kevin Cha Coaches’ Award: Wyatt French
Girls Varsity Squash
Coaches’ Award: Annie Ferreira
Boys Varsity Swimming
Founders League Award: Jeremy Bogle, Tucker Cheyne, Geneth Chin, RJ Finlay, John Furlong, Tripp Miller and Tyler Rehor
Medley Relay School Record Holders: Jeremy Bogle, John Furlong, RJ Finlay and Tucker Cheyne Coaches’ Award: Tucker Cheyne Riccio Award: Tyler Rehor Most Improved: Jeremy Bogle
Girls Varsity Swimming
NISCA Academic All-Americans: Helena Murray and Felicia Woron Coaches’ Award: Felicia Woron Coaches’ Award: Helena Murray Coaches’ Award: Hadley Merrill
Wrestling
New England Champion Zach Harris Coaches Award: Nathan Harris Most Improved: Emilio Arellano Most Outstanding Wrestler: Zach Harris
Opening Remarks Bob Howe ‘80 As we begin the spring term and graduation day begins to appear on the horizon for the seniors in this room I wanted to focus on you seniors for a moment before we get started with our team awards. I usually do a top ten moments of the athletic season and give credit to moments throughout the term that particularly caught my attention. This is not to say we didn’t have our share of great moments this winter, and you’ll hear the many tales shortly. I want to share with you tonight 10 ways in which I think our seniors here tonight will want to consider as they prepare to leave the Island at the end of this term.
So please, allow me to go on. And you underclassmen here in the room, please listen as well because everything I’m about to say to our seniors can easily apply to you now as well.
Seniors, my top ten to-do list for you to consider:
1. Thank your parents. No matter what the relationship is now, they will always be there for you as they have been these past 4 years. As you get older, you may find out they are also you best friends. 2. Thank your coaches. At some point this spring take a little time to figure out a way to communicate a thank you for all the little things these people did for you. Even when you are no longer here these people will be your strongest advocates and superb mentors. I should know, some of my dearest friends and advisors are people who I had as coaches when I was a student here. 3. Be a positive role model. In a time when it’s all about you…you’d like others to remember you a self-less contributor to this community. Do the little things for others, the things that make the day better for those younger and less confident teammates. The following 6 seniors come to mind immediately. I’m sure you have someone in mind yourself. I think of Miceli, Reese, Nate Harris, Hadley Merrill, Strabley, and Anne Ferreira. Who do you think of? 4. Participate until the end! Senior slide is a myth. The slide should only equate less pressure to do well. Finish strong and embrace all there is to offer. 5. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind…politely. How can your school be better? We want to know. 6. Tweet less. Unplug often. Solidify the meaningful relationship you have here and that means real conversations. 7. Social Media scrutiny: Try to understand the differences between good and bad social media use. Recently I read an article in the Hartford Courant that stated, “Don’t fool yourself, Steubenville Ohio is in our backyards. Bullying and hurtful messaging is everywhere and in the case of these football players in this small Ohio community, there are so many bad examples of behavior using social media one doesn’t know where to begin to ease the pain there. Be a part of a solution when it comes to this kind of hurtful behavior. 8. Work hard in your classes- respect your teachers because it’s the right thing to do. Remember in my point #3 about how you want others to remember you. 9. Set goals for yourself these next 10 weeks. Make one of these goals to be the best friend to others you can be. Stay positive and appreciate all the rules, traditions, and events we do here that have an impact on your life as an LC student 10. Finally, remember- student life, being on teams, in classes, in car pools, in dorms, is all the same when you break it down. Treat each other with respect and you’ll get it back twofold. Your dedication to LC athletics is well noted and I, along with your coaches thank you for this. What I want most of all from you now is a strong finish and to see you back on campus from time to time for the rest of your lives.
ALPINE SKIING Jake Leyden 2012-2013 ALPINE SKIING: Season Summary – The 2013 ski season was full of warm sunny days, snow cancellations, and windy race days! Through it all our Pelican skiers worked hard to improve during each training session. Their efforts were evidenced by some impressive team or individual showings at each competition. As a team, our best result came at the Brigham Ski League (BSL) slalom race held at Ski Sundown on January 23. Four skiers finished in the top eight on the first run of day to lead the team to victory. Co-captain Tucker Santoro spearheaded the Pelican charge, finishing first on both runs and first overall. John Fundock in fifth, and Maddy Fargis in seventh, joined Tucker in the top ten. Sara and Ali Corsetti finished the first run in second and sixth, respectively to help open a wide lead following run number one. In the second run, we had to rely on our depth to hold on to victory, with Isabel Guigui and co-captain Theo Cohen finishing the second run with top 20 times. At the end of the day, we defeated second place Avon Old Farms by 15 points. Two of our skiers earned all New England status by finishing in the top ten at the New England Alpine Championship. Tucker finished 5th in slalom, while Sara earned two medals, finishing 8th slalom and 6th in giant slalom.
Team Roster – Senior: Theo Cohen; Juniors: Ali Corsetti, John Fundock; Sophomores: Isabel Guigui, Tucker Santoro; Freshmen: Abby Biddle, Sara Corsetti, Maddy Fargis
Results – January 9th Slalom – 3rd of 6 teams January 23rd Slalom – 1st of 5 teams BSL Championship – 6th of 11 teams (7th in GS, 6th in Slalom) Boys Class B NEPSAC Championship – 14th Place Girls Class B NEPSAC Championship – 6th Place
Individual Accolades – All New England Skiers – Tucker Santoro (6th place in slalom); Sara Corsetti (6th place in giant slalom and 8th place in slalom)
Team Award Winners – MVP – Tucker Santoro. Tucker finished as the fastest skier on the mountain at two races, and was the first Pelican finisher at almost every other race. As a sophomore, Tucker already ranks amongst the top few skiers in the league. And with another year of experience under his belt, his innate ability coupled with his intense competitiveness should lead Tucker to even greater success in the future. Congratulations, Tucker! Coaches’ Award – Theo Cohen. Theo, as a co-captain and the only senior on the team, provided an excellent example to our team all season. She was a model of consistency on the slopes, always skiing within her ability and maintaining a positive attitude throughout the season. That attitude, combined with her friendly nature and selflessness made her an outstanding role model for our young team. She will be sorely missed next year. Congratulations, Theo.
GIRLS VARSITY SQUASH Naomi Appel Loomis Chaffee Girls Varsity Squash
Regular season record: 5 wins, 12 losses 5th place finish in the Class B New England Tournament
Player Year of Graduation Years on Varsity Annie Ferreira 2013 2 Gaby Foti 2015 1 Katie Kent 2013 2 Sophie Kokoska 2013 1 Caroline Landy 2013 1 Esmeralda Mejia 2016 1 Alex Moreno 2014 2 Rowan Rice 2013 1
To begin, I would like to thank a number of people without whom this season wouldn’t have been the same. Parents and fans – we are so grateful to you for the overwhelming encouragement you provided at matches this winter, both home and away. Kathryn Mullin, girls JV coach, thank you for all your help and support. And thank you to Bob Howe, Vicky Scanlon, Joe Billera, Keith Armstrong, Don MacGillivray, Jean Sapula, Bobbi Moran and Dania Haughton for making sure that our season went so smoothly.
I think it's fair to say that this year's girls squash team didn't know what to expect from the New England tournament at the end of the season. We entered the weekend in 12th place out of 15 teams. At the end of the tournament we sat together at a roundtable as the tournament directors announced the finishes of all of the teams that were there, starting with last place. “In 15th place is Portsmouth Abbey. In 14th place is Tabor. In 13th place is KO” etc. Eventually they got to “There’s a three-way tie for 8th place…”. Loomis wasn’t one of the three, so at that point the girls looked up at me, certain that they had forgotten about us. They called a few more schools before announcing our fifth place finish for the weekend. I couldn't think of a better way to end the season and I hope you girls know how proud I am of all the hard work and energy that you put in over the last three months.
I can honestly say that this is the nicest group of kids I have had the pleasure of coaching in the eight years that I've been here. You guys came to practice each day with smiles on your faces and truly enjoyed the time you spent together on the squash courts. You never complained that the conditioning was too difficult and you always gave 100% in drills, games and matches. You worked hard, laughed often, and were determined to find success through improvement. As Winston Churchill once said “success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” This described our team perfectly. We were overly matched many times this season, as we faced teams like Choate, Taft, Deerfield and Greenwich Academy where the girls have been playing squash for a good part of their lives. We knew we wouldn’t win those matches, but we never gave up trying when we stepped on the court with those opponents. We continued to come to practice each day just as enthusiastic and energetic as the days before. Most importantly, we continued to have fun, to laugh with each other, to learn from each other and to support each other. I don’t believe that this culture would have existed without the leadership of our captains Annie Ferriera and Katie Kent, or without the examples set by the other seniors on the team – Sophie Kokoska, Caroline Landy and Rowan Rice, thank you for paving the way for your younger teammates. We will miss you guys tremendously next season.
As we got out of the bus after our long weekend away at New Englands, Kathryn Mullin, the JV coach, turned to the girls and said “when am I going to see you guys again?”. The girls responded with “what do you mean?”, to which Kathryn said “well, the season is over.” The girls looked at each other, as if it were a silly question, and said “we’re going to be at the courts at 3:45 tomorrow afternoon. Come play with us!” Kathryn and I did go to the courts the next afternoon to find almost the entire team there. The fact that more than three-quarters of you chose to continue playing the following week, once the season was over, is a testament to your commitment and dedication to the sport and to each other. Thank you for giving me the chance to work with such a wonderful group of you this season. It was everything I could have asked for as a coach.
Thinking about award winners for this winter was amazingly challenging. Each of you has done some things over the course of the season that are award-worthy. I want to recognize Annie Ferreira tonight with a coach’s award for her numerous contributions to the Loomis Chaffee squash program over the last four years. Annie served as a captain for the program this year and led the team by example every day. Her genuine enthusiasm and excitement for the game, for the success of the team, and for the development of her own squash skills were ever-present. She brought 110% with her to every practice and every match and did everything she could to ensure that her teammates did the same. The girls squash program will miss her positive attitude, her endless smile, and her words of encouragement tremendously next season.
Thanks for the laughs, the hard-work, and the enthusiasm you shared this winter. I can’t imagine working with a nicer group of kids, and for that I am endlessly thankful.
BOYS VARSITY SQUASH ELLIOT BECK The boys varsity squash team had a rough-and-tumble season this year, but it was one that turned out to be very successful in the end. Early on in the year the matches played were quite one-sided, with almost every one decided by a score of 6-1 or 7-0. It is nice to win decisively, but all of these matches left myself (and the team) a little unsure of where we fit in the overall scheme of things.
The past two years we ended with 15th and 12th place finishes in New England, and so we were trying to gage if, even having lost 4 seniors, the team would be as strong as last years’ team. As it turned out we didn’t have to worry, as we had a very strong finish and had the most successful finish in the New England tournament since I’ve started coaching here at Loomis.
Notable matches of the year included 4-3 wins over Suffield and Salisbury, both of which occurred while missing key players from the lineup. In the New England tournament, Loomis finished 10th out of 16 teams in the A division, a stronger finish than last year and one that hopefully bodes well for even better performances in the future.
Before I go on to the award winners I would like to specially thank the seniors on the team: Noah Blumenthal, for his four years as a varsity squash player, Wyatt French, Drew Lavine, Robert Lusardi and Phil Shannon. I appreciate all of their hard work, and I would like to especially thank returning co-captains Wyatt French and Noah Blumenthal for the great leadership they provided.
I would now like to call Alex Steel, Kevin Cha and Wyatt French to the podium:
MVP: This year’s MVP award goes to Sophomore Alex Steel. The MVP is awarded based purely on the number of wins during a season, and Alex has now tallied two seasons in a row where he has been victorious the most. Great work Alex!
MIP: This year’s Most Improved Player goes to Junior Kevin Cha. Kevin is a very good tennis player, and has been working hard to adapt his game to the squash court. Mainly Kevin struggled with his movement and his point construction early in the season, but has since made great strides in both categories, congratulations Kevin we look forward to more great play from you next year!
Coaches’ Award: The coaches’ award this year goes to senior co-captain Wyatt French. Wyatt retained his #1 status from last year and used the position to work a lot on his mental game, his point planning and his leadership on the team. Most impressively, Wyatt took games off of two of the top seeded players at the number one position at New Englands, and has really shown his dedication to this team and to the sport this year.
GIRLS VARSITY SWIMMING Bob DeConinck 2012-2013 Girls Varsity Swimming and Diving
The Girls Varsity Swimming and Diving team enjoyed a successful season. As a team, the Pelicans finished the season with a record of 4 wins and 6 losses, finishing fourth at the Founder’s League Championship Meet. In a highly competitive Division I New England championships, the Pelicans dove and swam their way to a hard fought eighth place finish. Most importantly, the athletes had fun, worked hard and saw significant personal improvement throughout the season.
The season is divided into three segments: a preseason, which runs through the New Year, the dual meet season, and the championship season. The season began with preseason training and tryouts where the team of 18 swimmers and 3 divers were chosen, with 7 new team members. During this preseason conditioning period the team began to establish a conditioning base for the season and began to form a base of working together as a team. This team concept would be very important in making it through a demanding swim season as the team would certainly be seeking a new identity after losing some very talented members of last year’s squad. We split our two dual meets before the holidays, with a tough loss against a young Miss Porter’s team and a solid win against the Convent of the Sacred Heart. The team was still searching for the lineup that would best use the talents of the Pelicans to our advantage. There were some good early season swims in those two meets and the team broke for winter break with their sights set on a winter training trip to Vero Beach to look forward to. Unfortunately, Mother Nature interfered and the trip was cancelled due to travel complications. Resiliency was the key, and the Pelicans assembled on campus for a mini-training camp, which propelled them into the New Year, ready for the long season ahead.
As the New Year began, at a meeting, the team discussed the tough month of January. We would have six meets, and the reality was that four of the meets were certainly within our reach, while two of the meets were probably not, based on our team depth, etc. We began to focus on performing our very best when it counted the most. We began the New Year at Kent, where the Pelicans swam very well, pulling away as the meet progressed in their win against the Lions. It was nice to see the girls swim and dive with passion and enthusiasm. This was a sign of good things to come. The meet showed the positive effect of the hard training the team has done, and also gave some members of the team the opportunity to swim in meaningful events, allowing the coaching staff to get a better idea as to the versatility of this year’s squad. Our next meet was against a deep Andover team. We swam very well but didn’t quite have enough depth to beat the Blues. One of our “focus meets” was Williston and the girls were disappointed when the meet was cancelled due to a flu epidemic at Williston. We were ready to race on that day, but staying healthy was far more important! The Hopkins Mariners were next up on the docket. Hopkins is always tough and well-coached, and this year was no different. At this meet, the Pelicans swam very well with many season and life-time bests. Next up was a very hard fought win over Hotchkiss, with that team led by their talented exchange student from Australia. This meet showed the importance of an entire team being stronger than just a few talented individuals. Prior to leaving for the long weekend, the girls geared up for the last meet of January, against the Hilltoppers of NMH. This meet would be tough because there is no diving board at NMH and we would not be counting on the divers for their important points. The team was focused and ready and they swam like true Pelican warriors, pulling out a very close meet that went down to the final relay. Awesome way to head into Head’s weekend! The goal for January was to focus on four meets and the plan was a success, winning three of them and the fourth (Williston) being cancelled. Following the Head's Holiday, the Pelicans returned rested and rejuvenated and swam very well in a loss to a talented Suffield squad. Our trip to Exeter also ran into bad weather and was cancelled. Unfortunate because it gives us a chance to swim in an eight lane pool and add some diversity to our lineup. Following the Exeter weekend, the showed their spirit, swimming well at home against Choate on Senior Day. On that day, we honor our seniors for all they have done for us throughout the years. The team finished the dual meet season with a loss to a very tough Deerfield team, allowing us the opportunity to compete in the pool in which New England’s would be held. During the dual meets, the girls swam and dove great and laid the groundwork for what would prove to be a very exciting championship phase.
As the season progressed, improvement through hard work was continually emphasized. The team’s work ethic was outstanding, not only in the pool, but also on the deck during dry land. Thanks to Coach Bucceri, we instituted “BBC” this year. Bucceri Boot Camp! A great way to work on abs and core strength. This improvement was evident all season long and going into championships we were confident that we would swim well.
As we began the final phase of the season, the Championship Phase, we began our “taper”, or resting period. The Founder’s League Championship ended up being an exciting meet highlighted by some great swims. At this meet, our streak of four consecutive championships was broken but the Founder’s League meet was a great meet for the Pelicans and, as a team, we swam extremely well. Overall, the team had roughly 84% season and personal bests! Our performances at this meet gave the swimmers and divers the confidence that they needed heading into the New England Division I Prep School Championships. At the Division I New England Championships, of which 13 schools participated, the girls swam well, with a vast majority swimming personal best times. As always, this year’s meet was again very exciting with fast swimming all around. In the morning during trials, swimmer after swimmer swam best times, both personal and season bests. It was an exciting morning and the afternoon was filled with anticipation, as not only were the finalists swimming but all of our relays would have a chance to compete. Younger swimmers were called upon to make an impact in relays and the veterans swam with confidence. This year, during our two championship meets, the diving was conducted on separate days. Although we weren’t there to root the divers on at the end of the season, I appreciate all their efforts throughout the season, their valuable points during dual meets, and their improvement this year.
From the very beginning of this season, the swimmers and divers came to practice every day focused and ready to work hard. The coaches are so proud of every member of this team for their attitude, effort, and commitment to excellence. Their improvement was phenomenal. Their work ethic was admirable, as was their enthusiasm. Every meet personal best’s were broken, time and again. It was especially nice to see the team really enjoy each other’s company this season and support each other day in and day out when things were tough. Psyche boxes, team dinners, and spirit days were welcomed by all. This team has been a lot of fun and a pleasure to coach!
The team will miss the fine leadership of senior co-captains Hadley Merrill and Helena Murray, as well as Grace Foster, Lauren Horn, and Felicia Woron. This is a great group of seniors and they will be sorely missed, both for their talents in the water and for their strong leadership. They have set an example of excellence for others to follow. Thank you seniors and good luck!
As this season comes to a conclusion the coaches are already looking forward to next season. The girls have shown that hard work and commitment will produce positive results. We hope that the returning members of this team will work hard over the off season and return stronger, faster, and ready to pick up where we left off this year. Awesome season, girls. Thank you for all your efforts!
COACHES AWARDS:
Felicia Woron: Hard to believe that four years have passed since Felicia came to the Island. During that time she has given all she has had to Loomis Chaffee swimming. Felicia has been quite versatile over the years, swimming in any event in which she was needed and making contributions in whatever she was asked to swim. As a senior, Felicia has been a positive role model for those around her. Felicia comes across as a bit on the quiet side, but there is a great sense of humor that comes out down the pool. She has been a great and loyal Pelican and her coaches and teammates will surely miss her. I wanted to also announce that Felicia has qualified as a NISCA Academic All-American. Congratulations, Felicia.
Helena Murray: As co-captain and 4-year member of this team, Helena set a positive tone of leadership throughout the season during workouts and meets, supporting her teammates, lifting them up when necessary and providing the positive reinforcement that the girls needed. This was especially evident during our two championship meets. Helena was one of our biggest cheerleaders during those meets, as well as swimming some very tough races herself. Over four years, Helena is our most improved swimmer. Through hard work and toughness, Helena finished her Loomis career by scoring valuable points at New England’s, dropping 11 seconds in the 500 freestyle, from last year alone. I also wanted to recognize Helena for her efforts in the classroom. Helena has also been selected as a NISCA Academic All-American. Thank you Helena for four years of hard work and best of luck next year.
Hadley Merrill: Since she arrived at Loomis three years ago, Hadley has been a mature, hard-working anchor of our program. Each day, she has come to the pool and given nothing less than a strong, consistent effort, serving as a mainstay in our distance lane. This year, more than the past, Hadley’s versatility has come into play, able to swim many different events in the pool, doing what was necessary to help the team fill out the lineup. As a co-captain, Hadley has been a calm and mature presence, effectively handling these duties as well as the demands of a busy senior year, all the while maintaining an incredibly positive attitude. Her toughness during practice and meets, particularly towards the end of this season, is phenomenal. I will certainly miss Hadley’s presence in the pool each day but I know she will thrive at Trinity College next year. I thank Hadley for all she has done for Loomis Chaffee swimming.
Letter Winners Adams, Kaitlin 10 Catuogno, Julia 10 Duffy, Kelsey 10 Farrell, Caitlin 11 Foster, Grace 12 Gwyn, Emma 10 Horn, Lauren 12 John, Ali 11 Kornblatt-Stier, Ruth 9 Li, Jenny 11 Liu, Aurelie 9 McCarthy Potter, Hannah 9 Merrill, Hadley 12 Murray, Helena 12 Perry, Samantha 11 Pipernos, Sara 10 Scanlon, Mia 11 Shao, Penelope 10 Sung, Krystal 10 Wanikpun, Winda 9 Woron, Felicia 12
Head Coach: Robert A. DeConinck, Jr. Asst. Coach: Liz Bucceri ‘07 Diving Coach: Memo Alejandro Captains: Hadley Merrill ’13, Helena Murray ‘13
Results 4 wins, 6 losses
LC 79 Miss Porters 107 LC 103 Sacred Heart 80 LC 102 Kent 83 LC 71 Andover 107 LC 80 Hopkins 99 LC 97 Hotchkiss 89 LC 88 NMH 82 LC 72 Suffield 108 LC 86 Choate 95 LC 82 Deerfield 94
Founders League Championships 4th
Founders League Awards: (TOP 3) Jenny Li ’14 (200 FR) Hadley Merrill ’13 (200 FR) Krystal Sung ’15 (200 IM, 200 FR) Winda Wanikpun ’16 (50 Free, 200 FR)
New England Championships 8th
Medalists: 6th Caitlin Farrell ‘14 200 yard Freestyle Relay (TOP 8) Ali John ‘14 200 yard Freestyle Relay Krystal Sung ’15 200 yard Freestyle Relay Winda Wanikpun ’16 200 yard Freestyle Relay 7th Caitlin Farrell ‘14 400 yard Freestyle Relay Jenny Li ’14 400 yard Freestyle Relay Krystal Sung ’15 400 yard Freestyle Relay Winda Wanikpun ’16 400 yard Freestyle Relay
NISCA Academic All-American
Helena Murray ‘13 Felicia Woron ‘13
BOYS VARSITY SWIMMING Fred Seebeck
2012-13 Boys' Varsity Swimming Dual Meet Record: 7-3-0 Founders' League: 1st Place New England Division I: 5th Place
Tucker Cheyne '13 Paul Lee '13 Tyler Rehor '13 Dan Wade '13 Jeremy Bogle '14 Geneth Chin '14 Sid Dalal '14 James Daring '14 John Furlong '14 Tripp Miller '14 Fred Mun '14 RJ Finlay '15 David Marchena '15 Neil O'Brien '15 Landon Thies '15 Evan Vehslage '15 Bobby Cecere '16 Michael Cerny '16 David Chen '16 Pat Cody '16 Trevor Fachko '16 William Meng '16
Simone Hugh-Sam, Manager '14 Jordan Williams, Manager '13
Memo Alejandro, Coach Fred Seebeck, Coach Isso Shimamoto, Coach
By every measure, the 2012-13 boys' swimming and diving season was our most successful in many years. Among the highlights, a Founders' League Championship (our first since 2000), a school record in the Medley Relay (eclipsing a 19 year old mark) and a fifth place finish at the Division 1 New England Championships rank as our boys' three most concrete milestones this winter. Truthfully, though, along with those achievements, the terrific camaraderie on this team (always quite strong) helped drive our boys to work very hard, day in and out, toward achieving these goals, and their unique talent for making a very tough sport fun - during practices, weight workouts, meets, and other team pursuits - bonded the team togther, virtually guaranteeing the individual and team success they accomplished. Consequently coaches Cali, Memo and Seebs will long remember this very special season and these wonderful athletes.
In November, as we embarked on this long journey, optimism abounded, and though it waned from time to time (when our Florida training trip was cancelled due to a snowfall, for instance, and when one of our very promising new members suffered a season-ending injury), that confident and buoyant mood helped to fuel our considerable success. The infusion of some very talented new folks certainly sparked a lot of the aforementioned energy. First, Junior James Daring volunteered to join the diving team last April, and due to his dancer's kinesthetic awareness, James made dramatic progress, culminating in a 14th place showing at the New Englands. Sophomore Evan Vehslage also took the plunge in hopes of improving his water polo potential, and by season's end, he had become a real "player" in the breaststroke and sprint freestyle events. Along with those boys, eight new students joined the team: junior Sid Dalal, sophomore RJ Finlay, and freshmen Bobby Cecere, Mike Cerny, David Chen, Pat Cody, Trevor Fachko and William Meng. Never have we seen such a large group rise through the ranks to veteran status so quickly, as each of these boys brought passion, personality, good sportsmanship and an impressive work ethic into the Hedges Nataorium and our surrounding environs EVERY day of the season. And four of those young Pelicans scored points for the team at the New England championships!
With the assignment of bringing along exactly half a team of new members, our veterans more than rose to the occasion. Tri Captains Tucker Cheyne, Tripp Miller and Tyler Rehor, joined by seniors Paul Lee and Dan Wade, set an unfailingly positive and supportive tone, passing along the team's culture, values and traditions onto the neophytes, who responded with alacrity and considerable commitment. Fellow junior veterans Jeremy Bogle, Geneth Chin, John Furlong and Fred Mun provided considerable motivation and inspiration with their exceptional work in the pool and the weight room, not to mention their dramatic improvements over last year. Sophomores David Marchena and Landon Thies followed suit, too, stepping up their work ethic dramatically and posting some great races of their own along the way. Sophomore diver Neil O'Brien also had a breakout season this winter, tackling a new hurdle and adding some very demanding new dives to his impressive repertoire. And we cannot overestimate the generosity of individuals like Dan Wade and Dave Marchena who dutifully assumed every challenge assigned to them, demonstrating to their newer teammates that the individual members of the team serve wherever and whenever the line-up may dictate. That kind of selflessness has become a mainstay of our program, and once in a while it produces some unexpected and quite exciting performances, as in Landon Thies's foray into the backstroke in February.
So about that school record...when the team of Jeremy Bogle, John Furlong, RJ Finlay and Tucker Cheyne managed to post our fastest relay time in nearly 15 years at the Iona meet in December, they set the stage for a potential record-breaking swim. About five weeks later, at the Hotchkiss meet, those same boys shaved 1.5 seconds off their Iona time, drawing even closer to the 1994 record. Finally, in our most competitive and most memorable dual meet of the season (against Choate, our first win over the Wild Boars in six years), the boys pulled through with a 0.16 second improvement on the mark set by Pelican luminaries Matt D'Amour, Chad Filiault, Brendan Grant and Alex Poole. Regrettably, a false start (by a nanosecond) at the New Englands kept Jeremy, Furry, RJ and Tucker from smashing the same boys' Medley Relay record in yards, though their incredible speed in that race will last in their memories (and their teammates', coaches' and parents') for years! And about that Founders' League Championship...when the meet started, coaches Cali and Seebs had their minds set on the final meet of the season, the New Englands, hoping that the grand finale would not become anticlimactic in the wake of what could be a great Founders' Championship. As things turned out, both championships brought the best out of our Pelicans, who managed 80% best times at the Founders' meet in a very impressive triumph there, and then logged in another 68% best times at the New Englands for our most impressive overall performance there since 2007. And perhaps our most exciting moment at the Founders' meet came right at the outset when our A and B Medley Relay teams surprised everyone at the Hotchkiss pool with a very dramatic 1-2 finish in that banner event. Individual firsts from Tyler Rehor, Tripp Miller (2) and Jeremy Bogle, supplemented by seconds from John Furlong (2) and Bogle, along with a winning 200 Free Relay and second place 400 Free Relay, helped to secure that fulfilling win.
We have had (and will have again in May) several opportunities to salute our departing seniors, a devoted group of energetic and charismatic young men who have fostered a dramatic renaissance of Loomis Chaffee boys' swimming and diving over these past four years. First, special thanks to two-year manager Jordan Williams, ever cheerful and dutiful in spite of the myriad other hats she wears here as a member of the LC community. With two years on the team under his drawstring as well, Paul Lee gave us the kind of optimism, dedication to the practice regime, attention to coaches' suggestions, and terrific sportsmanship that characterize the Loomis team year-in and year-out. Paul enjoyed some success this winter as a butterflyer (including a couple of points at the NMH meet) in addition to his enthusiasm for breaststroke and sprint freestyle. Dan Wade, meanwhile, in his third winter on the squad, graduated into the ranks of the big guns as a workout swimmer, setting the tone for a number of his younger teammates while witnessing regular improvements in his favorite backstroke and sprint freestyle. DWade's especially energetic work in the Fitness Center will complement his broad smile as our fondest memories of his 2013 season (along with that point scored in the backstroke at Founders!). Four year stalwart Tucker Cheyne has had a memorable career as a Pelican sprinter, erstwhile butterflyer, occasional backstroker and aspiring breaststroker. Tucker's anchor-leg sprints in our Medley and 200 Free relays this year gave his teammates the confidence that we would inevitably come up with a win, a season's best, a school record...or all three. His jokes and inspirational comments before and after our meets and during team meetings buoyed morale throughout the winter, and his inspired performances at our Choate meet virtually guaranteed our victory before a capacity crowd on Senior Day. Finally, Tyler Rehor's storied career dates back to his brother's membership on the team, when Tyler's motivation to become a Pelican actually began. Tyler has tackled most every event in the line-up and has emerged as a respectable IM swimmer, a journeyman distance freestyler, an estimable 100 and 200 Free sprinter, and a clutch relay performer. His contributions to team culture and morale, including his hair dying/cutting prowess and garment designing expertise (applications now being accepted), cannot be quantified, though their impact has been dramatic. We will miss all of you boys, and we look forward to following Tucker's football career at MIT, Tyler's swimming and polo careers at Hamilton, and Paul's political career at Yale. Be sure to stay in touch and watch the seeds of your good work continue to blossom!
Special thanks go out to junior tri-captain Tripp Miller, who, along with several other devoted classmates, inherits the mantle of leadership from our graduating seniors and promises to keep the momentum flowing. To Coaches Bucceri and DeConinck, who, along with the girls' team, inspired us to some of our greatest achievements this winter, we express our gratefulness. For all of his help in "the booth," Coach Pond deserves our appreciation - wish we saw more of you, Coach! Thanks, too, to diving coach Memo Alejandro, who has guided our divers to tackle some ambitious new "lists" this winter, fostering a tone of self-improvement that we hope will continue to blossom next winter. Finally, to Coach Cali, despite her threats of violence and promises of doom, we offer our collective gratitude for her excellent technical acumen, her confidence and faith in our potential, and her bottomless supply of encouraging complements and witty rejoinders. Where would we be without Coach Cali?
Stay tuned, you all, for news of the 2013-14 season, another very auspicious year ahead, we hope!
AWARD WINNERS:
First: We commend the following swimmers for their accolades (first place finish) in the Founders League Championship meet and recognize them tonight with All- Founders League Honors for the 2012-13 season: Jeremy Bogle, John Furlong, RJ Finlay, Tucker Cheyne, Tyler Rehor, Tripp Miller, and Geneth Chin. Congratulations Gentlemen!
And tonight we recognize three individuals for special contributions to the 2012-13 Pelican swimming and diving program.
Most Improved: Among a group of highly dedicated and diligent athletes, it's often tough to identify a most improved candidate, but no one will dispute this year's winner, who lives, eats, breathes and dreams swimming, and whose improvements this winter dramatize his dedication. Congrats to Jeremy Bogle.
Coaches' Award: Anyone present at the Choate meet in February would, upon reflection, agree that this individual provided the emotional and physical inspiration to our team's success that day, not to mention numerous subsequent stellar performances at the Founders' Championships and the New Englands. We congratulate tonight a boy whose physical mastery of freestyle technique is exceeded only by his commitment to his teammates and his deeply competitive nature: Tucker Cheyne.
Finally, tonight we present the Riccio Award, in memory of Tony Riccio '92, to that member of the team who possesses unusual spirit and dedication to his teammates (and in this case a great deal of personal success) and who has given far more to this program than he has taken. From his jovial approach to this extremely demanding enterprise/ to his caring stewardship of team traditions/ to his devotion to welcoming new prospects into the fold/ to his daily determination to improve his skills, we thank and honor Tyler Rehor.
GIRLS VARSITY HOCKEY Liz Leyden
Loomis Chaffee Girls Varsity Ice Hockey 2012-2013
Roster: # Name Pos. Year 3 Catriona Hong F 2016 4 Abby Marmer D/F 2016 5 Lauren Yue** F 2013 9 Alli Byrne*** D 2013 10 Gina Mangiafridda* D 2015 11 Effie Xistris** * F 2013 12 Danielle Marmer*** F 2013 Captain 13 Claire Foran* F 2015 14 Sierra Semmel* F 2015 15 Shannon Strawinski F 2015 17 Danielle Comorre D 2015 19 Melissa Haganey** F 2013 Captain 20 Hannah Oganeku* D 2014 21 Molly Strabley* D/F 2013 Captain 23 Jordan Niezelski*** F 2013 35 Brittany Bugalski* G 2015
Coaches: Liz Leyden, Chuck Vernon, Maggie Kennedy * Repeat Letter Winners – one star for each year Team Record: 13-9-1 Season Summary: The 2012-2013 girls varsity hockey team was a team with experience. With seven seniors the team had slightly more depth than in the past few years and despite some close early losses the team remained positive by competing each day in practice and battling and playing determined hockey in games. After dropping three of the first four games of the season to perennial powerhouses Nobles, Westminster and Choate the team learned to work together to put the puck in the net and began to win games. The team closed out 2012 winning three straight at the 30th annual PKO Taft Tournament (earning 3rd place) and continued to succeed in January, losing only twice until Head’s Holiday. This meant that after a slow start the team went 10-2-1 in their next 13 games. During this stretch the team saw great success against Founders’ League foes beating Taft three times, achieving a victory against Kent and tying and then winning against Hotchkiss. After Head’s Holiday and the snow storm the following weekend the team played five games in eight days prior to concluding the season against Deerfield. On the scoreboard the team was not as successful in this time; however it was in this stretch of games that the girls really showed their progress and here the girls played some of their best hockey of the winter, playing fast and confident against some of the best teams in New England. Of particular note the team pulled together the day after losing a heartbreaking game to Westminster and achieved a come-from-behind 5-4 overtime victory at Williston. Williston jumped out to an early lead but Loomis did not give up and each player contributed, wearing down the opposing defense and forcing them to earn penalties. On this day the power play dominated scoring on each of their final five power plays, including the last one less than a minute into overtime. The senior group of Alli Byrne, Melissa Haganey, Danielle Marmer, Jordan Niezelski, Molly Strabley, Effie Xistris, and Lauren Yue was a strong group and with the seven of them each playing different roles on the team they led by example and led by committee. These seven will be missed next year and should be proud of their efforts. With Danielle, Melissa and Molly serving as tri-captains they officially led the team, however Alli, Jordan, Effie and Lauren all played significant roles on and off the ice and their camaraderie and commitment to working hard and playing together meant that all seven were well respected and the underclassmen looked up to them all. They leave behind a strong legacy and the returning players should be prepared to fill the many holes left by the class of 2013 next winter. Class of 2013 Shout Out: Of the seven seniors four seniors – Alli Byrne, Danielle Marmer, Jordan Niezelski, and Effie Xistris – joined the girls’ varsity hockey program the same year as Coach Leyden. These four with the addition of Lauren Yue and Melissa Haganey the following year, and Molly Strabley the year after combined to make a formidable group. Alli played her best season this winter. Stepping up on defense Alli was a consistent contributor and her coachability led a young but talented defensive corps. Danielle led the team with her speed and her drive. A stand-out player all four years Danielle was a player opposing coaches feared. Jordan’s hard shot and powerful stride made her a strong player. She was a mainstay at left wing for four years and took on the role as a lead penalty killer this winter. Effie’s passion for hockey is infectious and she too had her strongest season this winter. Playing all forward positions Effie earned significant playing time and created many opportunities for herself and others. Further, Effie’s positive attitude made the locker room a more welcoming place. Lauren earned a spot on varsity as a sophomore and in three years on varsity she developed into a strong and defensively reliable forward. Lauren’s upbeat personality and desire to be better each day on the ice helped some of the younger players on the team. Melissa came to Loomis as a sophomore and made an immediate impact on the team. Her strong passing ability and game sense boosted the team and her good natured personality was appreciated by all. Molly was the last addition to the class joining her junior year. Another strong player Molly immediately became a fixture on both special teams and her strong shot from the point was a constant scoring threat. These seven will be sorely missed and we wish them well in all their future endeavors. Awards: NEPSGIHA Second Team All-Star: Brittany Bugalski Coaches Award: Brittany Bugalski Brittany was our lone goalie this winter and she was our best and most consistent player all season long. With no one to push her or compete with, Brittany learned to compete against herself in practice to strive to be ever better. Brittany’s statistics are quite impressive, in 24 games played she allowed 32 goals for a 1.39 GAA, made 530 saves for .943 save percentage average, and had 7 shutouts. Brittany’s strong play was recognized by the league as she earned a spot on the second All-Star All- New England team. Brittany still has half of her LC career in front of her and the future is bright! Coaches Award: Molly Strabley Molly set the bar for her teammates all season long. While she is naturally a defender she willingly played wherever she was asked and she ably led our successful power play and penalty kill units all winter. In practice Molly did all of the little things most players do not notice: she moved nets, pushed pucks and got players organized and moving. These types of small acts help a team run and on top of this she led vocally and by example. Molly’s positive presence is well appreciated by all three coaches and we thank her for her contribution to the program and we wish her well in her future hockey career as she moves on from the Island.
BOYS VARSITY HOCKEY J.R. Zavisza
2012-13 Loomis Chaffee Boys Varsity Ice Hockey
The 2012-13 boys varsity hockey team had an outstanding season finishing the year 14-11. The team’s success was contingent on the strong leadership that was established in the fall by senior captains Danny Tirone, Stephen Picard, and EJ Culhane. Such leadership helped grow a cohesive group formed on the principles of hard-work and discipline and laid the foundation for our work in the winter. When the season began the only expectation was to bring our best effort to every practice, workout, and game. As it turned out, that effort was often exceptional, and that coupled with our high level of talent, we experienced a satisfying level of success this season.
The season began the last weekend of November with a jamboree at the St. Paul’s School where the team scrimmaged St. Paul’s and Canterbury, and faced off against Tabor in their first game of the year. With ties in the two scrimmages and the team’s first regular season win, the group came away from the two-day event with an increased confidence and a growing sense of team unity. The 1-0 victory against Tabor saw a team effort from the net out. Danny Tirone earned the shutout, the defensive core of Matt Bytalan, EJ Culhane, Max Harrington, Zach Giuttari, Colin Merrill, and Matt O’Donnell had a great day, the offense outshot the Seawolves, and the power-play came together for the first goal of many on the season with Cory Swift’s second period goal.
The Pelicans followed with their first Founders League win against Trinity Pawling on the road. Again the power-play came up big with two goals in the 4-1 win. It was an extra special day for Coach Zavisza whose daughter was born later that evening. The team extended their win streak to 3-0 in the next game against Pomfret, but was stopped by a more polished Canterbury team at home on December 8.
Loomis entered the Avon Old Farms Christmas Classic with a 3-2 record and a challenging draw against three top-ranked teams: Kent, St. Paul’s, and Gunnery. In the first game of the weekend, Loomis came away with one of its most exciting wins of the season in a 4-3 shoot-out victory over Kent in front of a packed house at Avon. Goaltending was the difference but special teams came up big as the Pelicans tallied two power-play goals, and killed off twelve minutes of penalties. In the shootout, Danny Tirone stopped all three Kent attempts and Matt O’Donnell scored the lone Loomis goal for the win. The Pelicans were back at it the following morning with a 2-1 victory over St. Paul’s. The winning goal came from Cory Swift with fifty-three seconds remaining in the game. Later that afternoon the team lost a tough 3-2 decision to Gunnery, but learned much about team discipline. Loomis finished with weekend with another 4-1 victory over Trinity Pawling on Saturday morning where the power-play was again the story coming up with two big third period goals. The team started the New Year on a high note. To demonstrate that the first Kent victory was not a fluke, the Pelicans defeated the Lions once again, this time more decisively, with a 4-1 win at home on January 5. Tirone had a great game and the offense was on fire outshooting the Lions in each period. Alex Esposito had big game with two goals, and again the Defensive corps had a strong effort.
Another exciting victory came at home on January 19 against top-ranked Westminster. In front of a standing room only crowd, several of them dawning their Winterfest Whiteout t-shirts, the team earned the 3-1 decision. Danny Tirone was again on his game, turning away 35 Westminster shots, and Alex Esposito scored the game winner with ten minutes left in the game.
In the whole of January, the Pelicans were 6-4 with additional wins versus, Brunswick, Williston, Deerfield, and Kingswood, all on the road. The team found greater difficulties down the stretch as they entered the heart of their Founders League schedule but still managed to end the season with a .500 record in the Founders—not an easy task. The Pelicans experienced some tough one goal losses but showed their resilience with big wins against Choate and finishing the season sweep against Deerfield. In the final game of the season versus Avon, the Pelicans found themselves battling for a spot in the playoffs. They got down early, but again showed all the things that made them good all season and battled back but unfortunately could not get ahead. Though disappointing it was a proud day to be a Pelican.
Awards:
MVP: Danny Tirone—Danny had a remarkable season; this is not just by our standards. He was selected by New England coaches to the All New England Team and was named USHR Player of the Year. As USHR wrote, “no player in prep school hockey meant more to his team than Danny Tirone.” Danny played in all but eighty minutes of the team’s games, amassed thirteen wins and ended with a .933 save percentage. More than that, Danny was the heart and soul of the team with his leadership, maturity, and commitment to his teammates.
Coaches’ Award: EJ Culhane—EJ has been an energizer for the entirety of his two years at Loomis. Even when he was out last season with an ankle injury he was at the rink supporting his team. He is a great kid and great leader whose consistent energy and undying commitment to the team will be missed next year.
Coaches’ Award: Nick Miceli-- Nick did a fantastic job this year. Last spring he came to me and expressed his eagerness to be a part of this team. Already having three goalies, Nick accepted the role as a behind the scenes captain, where he paid close attention to our younger players in particular, and helped them to adjust to the demands of prep hockey. As a result, Nick was instrumental all year in helping to maintain one of the best locker rooms I’ve ever experienced.
Golden Buoy: Stephen Picard—This award is voted on by the team and goes to the hardest working player of the year. This player’s efforts were always visible whether it be through his scars, his bruises, or his soaked workout shirt. He established his commitment to hard-work and dedication from the start in the fall workouts and was instrumental in establishing the mentality that contributed to the team’s success this year. His hard-work showed on the ice too as he matched up against the opposition’s top line and played an important role on our penalty kill. All year, he showed his courage in blocking shots, his toughness in his down-low work, and his team first mentality in accepting an inglorious role.
BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL Jim Dargati
After losing many of our top scorers to graduation last season, this year’s boys basketball team had a monumental challenge in front of it to try to maintain the high level of play for which Loomis Chaffee basketball has become known. We entered the season with many new faces and as usual, high expectations.
The team kicked off the season by defeating Belmont Hill 76-54. Early in the season our offense was clicking and we went into the holiday break with a 5-2 record, including a third place finish in the 8-team, 3-day Robert L. Southall Christmas Tournament held at Loomis Chaffee. The Pelicans, a perimeter shooting team, were led by Joe Stortini, Kevin Coyle, Bryan Jones and Patrick Dickert, all four players averaged double figures and they were at their best when they shared the ball and played to their strengths.
The team continued its winning ways after the break and improved their record to 8-2 until they hit a slump in mid-January. Our match-up with Choate deserves to be recognized. We led the Class A runner-up for the entire game before eventually losing in overtime. As a result, we had trouble recovering from that devastating loss and hovered around the .500 mark for the remainder of the season. While the team was in almost every loss, often leading late in games, we were unable to get over the hump and close the deal in those games that came down to the wire.
However, heading into the final two weeks of the season, we still controlled our own destiny and were in contention for a tournament berth. In fact, Loomis and Hotchkiss were tied for the final spot in the Class A New England Tournament going into the last weekend of season, which set up a winner take all contest against Hotchkiss in the season finale. Unfortunately, LC ended up on the wrong end of a close decision, relegating Loomis to the 9th spot in the New England Class A field, and leaving the Pelicans to wonder ‘What if?’ until the tournament brackets were released.
Overall, we were not able to consistently play the brand of basketball that has brought Loomis Chaffee great success over the past decade. Hopefully we will learn from this and move on with the goal of getting back on track and competing for a title next season. We appreciate the many contributions of the senior class: Kevin Coyle, Bryan Jones, Greg Duvergé, Dale Reese, Durelle Napier, Joe Sortini, Chris Pauzer, Ashton Ross and Manny Williams, we thank them for their hard work and dedication.
At this time I would like to call the following individuals to the podium to receive their awards: Durelle Napier, Dale Reese and Joe Sortini
Coaches Award: Durelle Napier
Durelle Napier was a fierce competitor and a great team leader because he was not only highly driven and intrinsically motivated but he had an infectious enthusiasm. His passion, energy and work ethic trickled down to most every teammate. The court became a brighter place when he stepped on the floor. Whether in practice or in games, he was always pushing himself and his teammates to new limits. Despite being undersized at his position, Durelle was a wrecking ball on the glass and provided the team with strong interior defense in the paint. He never backed down from a challenge on the court and thrived on hard work. Durelle is an outgoing and personable young man and was an outstanding role model for his peers. I do not think Princeton has any idea how lucky they are to have him. We will miss him very much next year.
Coaches Award: Dale Reese
Dale Reese represents everything that is good about Loomis Chaffee athletics. He is an ambassador for the school and a true leader on and off the court. On the hardwood, Dale was a cerebral player, who looked to pass first but could score when necessary. His 20 point performance against Kingswood and Williston while only missing one shot was an example of the lift he was capable of providing the team in his role as 6th man. Dale was the perfect captain, always leading by example while earning the respect and trust from both coaches and teammates. Dale’s strength of character, self-discipline and unselfishness made him a valuable and effective team leader. Teammates often went to Dale for help, advice or even just conversation. Dale is a winner and understood that a strong team is built upon intangibles such as team dynamics. Therefore he worked hard to motivate teammates, build confidence, develop team chemistry and energize practices. Dale gave his heart and soul to the program and is one of the finest young men I have ever had the pleasure of coaching at Loomis Chaffee.
Joe Stortini: MVP
Joe Stortini was our most valuable player during the 2012-13 season and led us in many offensive categories, including scoring, 3-point field goals, and free throws. But Joe’s statistics hardly tell the whole story. His desire to win and excellent play kept us in many games and on numerous occasions was the critical factor in our victories. However, what we will remember most about Joe is his long range shooting marksmanship. His ability to hit shots from every angle, spotting up and driving and finishing around the rim made him a dynamic offensive player. Joe was a pleasure to coach and came to practice each day ready to listen, work and improve. His positive attitude, his sense of sportsmanship, his effort and well as his high level of play will be sorely missed next season.
GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL Adrian Stewart
The 2012-13 basketball team was one that featured plenty of talent, a mixture of experience and 7 new faces, 5 of whom were freshmen, resulting in a 14-8 record, a #5 ranking in New England and the opportunity to compete for a New England championship. Unfortunately our season was cut shorter than we would have liked when we lost by two to an experienced Tabor team in the quarterfinals of the NE Tournament.
We are proud to announce that we had two representatives on the Class A All-Star team. Congratulations to sophomore Steph Jones and junior Abby Pyne for their selection as New England Class A All-Stars.
We have 3 award winners this evening, but before I talk about them I’d like to highlight some of the things that helped our award winners and team succeed.
1. Junior Captain Maxine Offiaeli's ability to defensively intimidate in the paint and cover up any perimeter defensive mistakes 2. Junior Captain Abby Pyne's ability to light it up from 3-point range. 3. The daily spirited play and vocal leadership from Junior Lauren Rubino 4. Kayla Schreibstein's ability to stretch the defense at practice with her perimeter shooting. 5. The consistent perimeter defensive play from junior Sarah Breckinridge.
And then there's Loomis' version of the fab five:
1. Vanessa "stretch" Young's perimeter shooting was the "nail in the coffin" for most teams. 2. Meera Miller's shot blocking and 3. Kendra Offiaeli's quick first step helped us prepare for each opponents post presence. 4. Izzy Hanson's dominance on the boards and ability to finish inside 5. Sam Roy's intensity and consistency day in and day out which helped set the tone at practice and games. 6. And finally the work our managers, Demarco Palmer, Kent Picou and Stuart Poplin, did which made our lives much easier.
I would now like to call the following individuals to the podium to receive their awards: Steph Jones, Chynna Bailey and Brooke Marchitto
MVP – Steph Jones: it was clear that all of our opponents needed to stop Steph’s 19 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals per game. Fortunately for us and unfortunately for the rest of NE we have her for 2 more years.
Most Improved – Chynna Bailey: Every basketball team needs a “stopper” as a freshman last year Chynna was pretty far from being a stopper. This season though Chynna accepted as well as requested to guard our opponent’s best player. Her athletic versatility allowed her to do this as she successfully annoyed and shut down the opponent’s scorer on a regular basis. Fortunately for us and unfortunately for the rest of the scorers in NE we have Chynna for 2 more years.
Coaches Award – Brooke Marchitto: As one of our captains and our only senior we recognize you Brooke for your body of work over 3 seasons. Your commitment, strength, courage and spirit will have an impact on our program for years to come. Thank you for all you have given up for and given to this team. We will miss you.
I'm really proud of all this team accomplished this year. They laughed, cried, fought, made up, played together, loved and supported each other. Thanks to the athletic department and our parents for your unwavering support.
BOYS VARSITY WRESTLING Ben Haldeman
It seems to me that every season has a sort of distinct story, and for us, that story began like this: "I don't know if we're going to win even half of our matches this year." Somehow, it ended with a season that surpassed last year in nearly every measurable way--an 18-3 dual meet record, nine New England qualifiers (up from five), five New England placewinners (up from three), and a 7th place finish at the New England Championships (up from 12th).
But I'm an English teacher, and if you've ever taken a class with me, you'll know that it's not the outcome that concerns me most. (Yes, Hamlet is going to die; get over it.) What's interesting is the evolution by which a set of inputs, through accidents of fate, gifts of skill, and the blessing of meaningful passions, conspire to produce that outcome.
This year, our starting lineup had only two seniors and fully six first- or second-year wrestlers. (That's almost half the lineup, if you're wondering--and not a promising start.) Since, over the course of the season, these inputs didn't really change, we'll have to look elsewhere to solve the paradox of our success this year. Certainly, we had an accident of fate in John Reddington, and in the work of some of our freshmen, a gift of skill. And, if you ever watched one of Ryan Wilde's matches, you were blessed to witness a meaningful sort of intensity. But even these tricks of plot do not an 18-3 season make. Let's look closer:
Fact: Many of our matches could have gone the other way--the difference being one or two wins--but they overwhelmingly did not.
Fact: We weren't more healthy than other teams, but we had lots of wrestlers (39, up from 33 last year). When we came back from break, for instance, fully half of our starters were injured or sick, but we still managed to field a full lineup. When Kyle Douglas broke his arm, we still managed to fill the 106-lb. slot. In fact, we didn't forfeit a single match--at any weight--all season.
Fact: Benzi Edelson sealed the match against Taft; Alex Calle had a crucial pin against Exeter; John Reddington and Kyle Douglas produced clutch performances against Trinity-Pawling; Harrison Parsons and Andrew Jones won the Hotchkiss match for us; Alex Smith stole a match-winning pin against Avon; Javier Barreto sealed our win against Choate with a takedown in the last ten seconds of his match. In fact, every single wrestler on the varsity lineup--and a bunch who weren't--can point to a match we would have lost if he hadn't wrestled his very best.
Fact: As a team, we were on our feet, cheering for each other, far more often than any team we wrestled.
On their own, these facts don't mean much, but when you look at them all together, the story of the season begins to make sense. You see, even when you've been around wrestling as long as I have, it's easy to go back to counting matches, stacking record against record, experience against experience, forgetting that wrestling simply refuses to abide the clear and sensible laws of addition and subtraction. It's a sport of defiance, but also one of multiplication.
And so, after winning his New England title, the first thing Zach did was walk right to the enormous wall of his teammates surrounding the mat. After all, what else could he do? There's really no other explanation for our success this year but what you get when a bunch of individuals come together to support each other and find they've become a team.
So let’s have a round of applause for this year’s graduating wrestlers, without whom we might still just be a bunch of goofy-looking guys walking around in spandex: Win Suthapradit, John Reddington, Young Choi, co-captain Nathan Harris, co-captain Javier Barreto, and the indomitable Hannah Slitzky, the best four-year manager a team could ask for.
Most Outstanding Wrestler: Zach Harris '14
Co-captain Zach Harris is this year's Most Outstanding Wrestler. After coming back from a concussion to compile a 16-1 record in the regular season, Zach pinned his way through the first three matches of New England's, setting up a rematch with the one wrestler who'd beaten him. In the finals, he upset that wrestler, the #1 seed, in a resounding 15-1 victory (one point shy of a technical fall, wrestling's equivalent of the "mercy rule" in Little League baseball). At Prep Nationals, Zach went 3-2, picking up two technical falls and one pin on the way to a top-12 finish. In addition to being Loomis's first New England Champion since his brother Caleb, Zach's efforts in the room have made him a key role-model for our younger wrestlers, and we're looking forward to a solid final season next year. Great work, Zach.
Most Improved Wrestler: Emilio Arellano '14 This year's Most Improved Wrestler is Emilio Arellano. In only his second year of wrestling, Emilio has proven himself to be one of the hardest working wrestlers on the team, exhausting himself in practice and coming off the mat after each match, win or lose, looking like he's been caught by a hurricane of man-sweat and dashed against the Beach of Unparalleled Misery. But it's paid off: Emilio has the quickest turn-out on the team, and one of the meanest snatch singles in the league--all of which earned him not only the varsity spot at 132, but also an 8th-place finish at the New England Tournament. Keep it, Emilio. We're expecting a good senior season!
Coaches’ Award: Nathan Harris '13
Co-captain Nathan Harris is the 2012 wrestler who best embodied the values of Loomis Wrestling: teamwork, discipline, and intensity. Though a four-year wrestler at Loomis, Nathan was unable to compete this year. Impressively, his teammates still saw fit to elect him captain. After a season, we can see why. Nathan was consistently able to put aside his own frustration with not being able to wrestle in order to lead his team in meaningful and effective ways. You could find him alternately keeping veterans in line and encouraging first-year wrestlers, coaching on open mats, offering sound technical advice in practice, and running a workout program for any injured wrestler who could keep up. His teammates looked up to him, and we coaches would've had a tough time without him. We're sure, functioning joints or no, Nathan has a long future with the sport, and we appreciate all he's done for the program at Loomis. Best of luck next year, Nathan, and thanks.