Abbie Coscia ’19-Girls Varsity Water Polo
Abbie has had another fantastic start to the season for the Wildcats. This past week she had a great weekend in a double header at Suffield. In the first game against Staples HS she led the team to a 14-6 victory, netting 5 goals and accumulating 4 steals. In the second game, a 15-5 win over Suffield, she scored 3 more goals adding 4 assists and 6 steals to her stat sheet. While her scoring ability is strong, her biggest strength is her ability to get her teammates involved and adding stellar defensive play into the mix. In this second game, Abbie reached the 300 goal milestone in her career, the first to do this in Williston water polo program history – boy or girl! Abbie has been instrumental in the success of the girls varsity water polo team for the past 5 years and her team will continue to rely on her as they head into the final weeks of the season.
Nick Heafey ’20- Varsity Baseball
Nick has been a big part of the Wildcats success this season on the diamond. In the team’s last three games, he has gone 5-10 at the dish with a home run and three doubles. His success at the plate this week led to him racking up 5 RBI, 5 runs scored, and 4 stolen bases. Williston went 2-1 for the week with two shutout wins over Pomfret and a tough loss to Cheshire, largely due to Nick’s strong play. In addition to his skills on the field, Nick possesses a consistent work ethic and a strong competitive drive providing an excellent example for his teammates. Nick is looked upon as a team leader as he is respected by both his teammates and his coaches.
Annika Johnson ‘19- Girls Varsity Golf
Annika turned in two solid performances over the past week with a 2-1 record for the girls varsity golf team. This past week she won both of her matches over Miss Porter’s and Hotchkiss while dropping her match to a strong opponent from Loomis. Annika’s steady play was apparent in her Hotchkiss victory as she parred three of the first five holes on Hotchkiss’s home course, despite adverse weather and course conditions, taking a solid lead in her match. Annika works tremendously hard every day to improve her game, not only has this paid off but it has also provided an example to her teammates of what hard work can provide. The team will count on Annika for her point scoring ability for the remainder of the season.
Kate Holmes ’19-Girls Varsity Lacrosse
Kate has steadily been one of the hardest workers on the girls varsity lacrosse team, and her skill level continues to grow with that effort. In a disappointing loss to Deerfield on Wednesday, the team’s lone game of the week, Kate led the team with a “never quit” mindset. Despite the score, Kate’s determined effort made her a standout. She chased loose balls, fought for ground balls, and made life difficult for her opponent. In the process, she finished with one goal, one assist, two ground balls and one draw control. Kate is poised for a strong finish to her senior season and the team will continue to look to Kate for inspiration for her passionate and intense play.
Cole Drugotch ’19- Boys Varsity Track and Field
Cole was responsible for 16 of Williston’s 67 points on Saturday. He started the day by leading off the winning 4×100 relay – passing off the baton even with the strong NMH and Avon lead runners. His teammates ran fast and passed cleanly to ensure Williston won the event. Next, Cole jumped 18’6″ to win the long jump. While short of his season best, it was still a great jump on a cold and windy day. Back on the track, Cole placed second in the 100 with a run of 12.1, and second in the 200 with a time of 24.8. Both were solid times given the conditions of the day. Cole continues to help lead the team by example and the boys will look to him for big things in future meets and at the NEPSAC championship.
Chloe Prouty ‘20- Girls Varsity Track and Field
Chloe had a full day on Saturday, running the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, and anchoring the 4×400 relay. She scored 11 of the team’s 47 points on the day. Chloe began with a hard fought race in the 100 hurdles, just barely getting out leaned at the line by her opponent from NMH. Still, she ran a quick 18.3 time in the race. She came back to dominate the 300 hurdles, running 52.6 for the win. Both times were off her personal bests, but admirable given the cold and windy conditions. For the final event of the day, Chloe anchored the 4×400 relay. She did her part and ran a tough anchor leg, but just couldn’t get around a strong NMH runner. Despite finishing second, Chloe and the team proved they’re ready to compete each week. While she ran admirably, Chloe’s strength rests in not being satisfied and wanting more. Her results from this week will propel her to train hard and fight even more fiercely in upcoming races, providing a positive example for the whole squad.
Sophia Jones ’22- Varsity Softball
Sophia has been a huge part of the Wildcat’s success so far this season. On Wednesday against a talented Cushing team she went 2/3 from the dish, earning the team’s only two runs with a double and 2 stolen bases. Her strong play was not finished as she had yet another strong performance on Saturday in the team’s win against Deerfield. She hit a double and stole third on an aggressive heads up offensive play. In addition to her offensive ability she has been rock solid behind the plate as the team’s catcher and “quarterback” on the field. The team has been impressed and inspired by her vocal leadership and “lead by example type play” in practices and in games and the team will continue to lean on Sophia for the remainder of the season.
Liam Coughlin ‘ 21- JV Baseball
Liam has been an integral part of the JV baseball team’s success this season. This past week he continued his strong play as he put together a 3-hit, 3-strikeout, 1-walk shutout from the mound against Loomis. It was a dominant performance against a mature lineup for the Pelicans. Liam was a fiery competitor and unflappable on the bump. He was also well supported by many fine defensive plays by his teammates flashing the leather all afternoon. It was a great team effort, though Liam got it started with a superb pitching performance. The team will continue to rely on Liam for his talent and strong work ethic this season.
Naomi Simpson ’24- Girls Varsity Ultimate
Naomi has made a positive impact on the girls varsity ultimate team this season. She has been seen stepping up all over the field, coming up with great receptions in recent games against NMH and Four Rivers. Additionally, her backhands have become excellent at mid-range. Naomi brings a perpetually positive attitude to every practice and game which helps keep the team on her level. Naomi is always willing to help her team grow and get better as she provides a great support system for all of her teammates.
Vasu Jain ’22- Boys JV Tennis
Vasu’s contributions to the Boy’s JV Tennis team goes well beyond his tennis skills. Boisterous, improvement-oriented, and friendly, Vasu’s personality demands acknowledgement. Through this personality, Vasu strongly contributes to the cohesiveness of the team. His consistently positive outlook provides a great example, and a judgement free zone which fosters a growth-mindset for the whole team. Additionally, he brings some strong tennis skills as he is a hard hitter, especially with his first serve and forehand strokes. He is growing more comfortable seeking out the right openings to unleash his preferred style of play – power! Vasu has been a valuable addition to the squad this year and the team looks forward to his continued growth.
Jessie Tran ’21- Girls JV Tennis
Jessie has been working hard improving her game this year while competing for the JV girls tennis team. This week she stepped out of her comfort zone and tried her first official singles match. Jessie played well against a talented WMA opponent in tough weather conditions. She was continually analyzing her opponent, thinking about how to take advantage of each point. Additionally, this week, she analyzed her own strengths and weaknesses and changed her game play accordingly. Jessie utilizes her strong backhand play to her advantage, while striving to improve forehand hits as well. She has continued to bring a fun atmosphere to our games and practices and her teammates look to her for this attribute.