Athletes of the Week

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Oscar DeFrancis ‘20– Boys Varsity Cross Country

Oscar has had a great season for the boys varsity cross country team this year. He ran his best race of the season this past weekend at the Shaler Invitational, finishing 9th overall in a time of 17:40. This is his fastest time on the course in his career. He has shown tremendous persistence and resilience as he continues to put forth his best efforts in his training and his hard work has allowed him to run well down the final stretch of the season. Oscar has served as a two-year captain and continues to work hard to bring the team together by providing positive energy to practice daily.  He’s admired by the team for his passion for running and inclusivity as he has helped to provide a positive experience for all of his teammates to improve this season.  The team and his coaches look forward to seeing Oscar compete in his final two meets and finish his cross country season and career on a high note with strong performances.

Natalie Stott ’22- Varsity Field Hockey

Natalie has been a valuable part of the varsity field hockey team this season. This past week she continued her contributions as she had a great couple of games, coming away with four goals in three games, including a hat trick against Wilbraham and Monson. While she has been an important part of the team all season, she has really turned it on this week, and the energy boost has been vital in helping the squad’s offensive attack. She has provided the team with a strong presence out on the wing, and her reflexes near the goal have truly been fantastic. She is truly a team first type player, she leads by example, helping the team when they are in need as she is always ready to leave her position and hop into net when called upon. Natalie is a great student-athlete and her work ethic and positive attitude have been a staple in the team’s successful season.

Connor Cavanagh ’20- Varsity Football

Connor has had a great season on the field for the varsity football team. On Saturday night in a closely contested matchup against Hotchkiss, he truly impacted all three phases of the game. Offensively he rushed for a career high 30 yards, stepping up in a big way when his team was faced by adversity. On defense he had an impressive play from his cornerback position, coming up with a great interception in the second quarter. This play alone showed evidence of his athletic ability and football IQ. Additionally, he also recorded two tackles. His third phase impact came on special teams where he contributed in a variety of ways, providing an experienced foundation for all aspects of kick-off, kick-return, punt, punt block and the field goal unit. The Cats will continue to look towards Connor for his strong play as they head into the final weeks of their challenging season.

Lily Harris ’20 – Girls Varsity Cross Country

On Saturday in the varsity race at the Shaler Invitational, senior Lily Harris knocked 26 seconds off her home course PR.  Her time of 24:00 gained her two places on the Honor Roll, where she stands now at #10.  Lily has been a leader on the team all season, and she has never placed lower than 7th for the team in any of our seven races.  Finishing her 21st race in a Williston uniform on Saturday, Lily is on her way to earning another “plank,” an award given only to runners who complete every race over the course of the season, regardless of illness or injury.  She brings a positive attitude to every race and practice, and she is well regarded by her teammates as a resilient, veteran runner whose experience and determination are likely to emerge every Saturday. The team will continue to rely on Lily for her consistent approach and determination as they head into the final weeks of the season.

Eghan Reihandra ’21- Boys Varsity Soccer

Eghan has given his best effort in practice and in games throughout the fall for the boys varsity soccer program. Eghan started the season with the JVA team, where he impressed his coaches in practices and in games. As a result, he was called up to the varsity team in early October and has used his athleticism and excellent defending skills to help the Boys team to a 7-2-2 record in WNEPSSA. He has thrived playing soccer at the most competitive level possible here at Williston and his toughness and determination have provided a boost to his team. The Wildcats will continue to look towards Eghan for his consistent level of play and his ability to set a great example of what hard work can provide as they head into the final stretch of the season.

Emma Merrill ‘22– Girls Varsity Soccer

Emma has had an amazing season for the girls varsity soccer team. She has been a staple in every game this season, playing in the back for the Wildcats, shutting down very dangerous opponents game after game.  On Wednesday against Kent, her offensive prowess shined as she made an outstanding aggressive run out of the back to perfectly finish a cross for the only goal of the game, eventually leading the Cats to the victory. On Saturday her defensive ability was evident as she worked incredibly hard to shut down a very fast and skilled Suffield attack. A tremendous athlete, she has been a huge part of the team’s success this season as she brings a high level of leadership and strength to every practice and game. Emma works hard every day to be her best self and she encourages her teammates to do the same.  Her teammates and coaches will continue to look to her to help the Wildcats finish the season strong.

Jack Coscia ’23- Boys Varsity Water Polo

Jack has been an important contributor to the success of the boys varsity water polo team this season. Over the fall he has become a steadfast defender and this past week he neutralized the center forwards of both Deerfield and Choate. Additionally, Jack has contributed important goals offensively with accurate perimeter shooting. Jack possesses an excellent work ethic, as he works to become a better player every day in practice. He shows no fear and a great amount of confidence in his game as he is willing to take on all challenges. By doing so, he has provided an excellent example for all his teammates, both new and returning. The team will continue to rely on Jack as they finish the season and look forward to his continued growth in the sport of water polo.

Olivia Lawry ’22- JV Field Hockey

Olivia has had a tremendous season for the JV field hockey team. She has been a critical part of the team’s offense as she is the Cats leading scorer. She has racked up five goals in eight games this season.  This past week she had yet another incredible string of games, as she scored all three goals in a 2-1 win over Westminster and a 1-1 tie with Suffield.  Her speed and strong stick skills make her a force on the forward line and her positive attitude and sense of humor make her a great teammate and a pleasure to coach. The Wildcats will need her strong play and excellent work ethic as they head into the remainder of the season.

Hudson Fulcher-Melendy ‘24-Boys Junior Soccer

Hudson has had a great season for the boys junior soccer team. On Wednesday, he scored 3 goals and had one assist against a strong squad from Wilbraham and Monson to help the team win their second game of the season. He has been a consistently competitive and tenacious member of the squad, inspiring others to match his competitiveness. By doing so, he has been a leader on and off the playing field all season long. His coaches and his teammates will continue to lean on Hudson as they head into the final stretch of the season.

AnnaBelle Calvanese ’24 – Girls JV Soccer

AnnaBelle has been working hard all season to improve on her skills for the girls JV soccer team. Her work ethic has allowed her to refine her long ball and shot to a stronger and more accurate form. Her hard work, hustle, and “team first” mentality have been a big part of the team’s success this season, and it continued this past week against strong opponents from Ethel Walker and Suffield. Playing on both sides of the ball, she was able to chase down opponent attackers, steal the ball and clear it out on defense. On offense, she used her speed to dribble forward and start our attacks. Moreover, she answered her team’s call as she played goalie last week, a position new to her. She brings a positive attitude every day and, by doing so, provides a strong example to her teammates.

Lam Thieu ‘22- Boys JVB Soccer

Lam has been steadily improving his soccer skills since the beginning of the season for the boys JVB soccer team. His improvement this season has led him to be one of the strongest forces on the Wildcats defensive line. His reliability has, without a doubt, been a big part of the teams success. Lam works hard during practices, always bringing a smile, and his coachability and “team first” mentality have allowed him to gain steady growth this year.  In addition, Lam always provides a great example of sportsmanship on and off the field. The team will continue to look towards Lam for his positive example for the rest of the season.

Brooke Manfredi ’24- Girls JV Cross Country

Brooke has completed all seven races this season, and her energy, interest, and effort every day in practice have resulted in a steady improvement from the first race against Kent.  On Saturday, in the Shaler Invitational JV race, Brooke placed 18th out of 36 runners, registering a personal best 5K time of 27:07, about 45 seconds better than her previous best time on her home course. Brooke is on her way to earning a “plank” award, given to runners who finish every race over the course a season, an unusual accomplishment for an 8th grader. Her work ethic and consistency have provided a great example for her squad and she will continue to be an important part of the Wildcats’ success as the season progresses.

Matt Seltzer ’20- Boys JV Cross Country

Matt is a veteran on the cross country team and has been a consistent contributor of the JV team during the past few years. He had an exceptional race on Saturday at the Shaler Invitational. He ran his best time of the season by over a minute, finishing 5th on the team in the JV race. Matt is a fierce competitor and often runs even when he’s not feeling 100% as he refuses to miss a workout or race. The team appreciates the positive spirit that he brings to every practice and meet and by doing so he has proved to be a great teammate. The team looks forward to seeing him finish his career on a high note in the final two races.

Will Sawyer ‘22-JV football

Will has been a vital piece of the JV football team’s success all season. He continued to demonstrate these traits on Wednesday against Suffield Academy having a productive game on both offense and defense. Will scored Williston’s only touchdown on a beautiful catch and run in which he eluded numerous defenders to get into the end zone. On the defensive side of the ball, he made many tackles from his corner back position and shut down Suffield’s top receivers throughout the game. Will brings a tenacious work ethic to every practice and by doing so has provided an excellent example for his teammates day in and day out. Will’s coaches look forward to his continued growth on the field and they have no doubt that he will be a major contributor to the varsity team in the coming seasons.