Cristina Negron ’22 – Girls Varsity Basketball
Cristina’s strong two-way play has been one of the keys to the success of the girls varsity basketball season thus far. In Saturday’s game against rival Pomfret, she had her finest game of the season with 24 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. She played her best in the crucial fourth quarter helping her team overcome a double-digit deficit to earn a thrilling two point win. During the quarter Cristina scored 11 points including draining six clutch free throws, all of which were needed! Not to be overshadowed, Cristina’s versatility as a defender makes her very valuable as she is able to guard a number of different positions. The team will continue to count on Cristina’s strong two-way play as they face the last couple weeks of their season.
William Gunn ’20- Varsity Wrestling
William has had a season to remember for the Wildcats wrestling program. He capped this amazing run off by win the New England Championship on Saturday at 220# weight class. He won in convincing fashion by pinning all five of his opponents he faced on the day! He heads into next week’s National Prep Championships as a likely top 5 seeded wrestler. William has been a captain for two years, and his dedication to the team has helped keep it together during a difficult time of low numbers. William has brought a supportive and positive attitude to a tough situation and managed to increase membership two-fold since last year. His hard work and perseverance are unmatched, and the team looks forward to seeing how the final tournament pans out for William.
Natalie Stott ‘22-Girls Varsity Hockey
In her second season with the girls varsity hockey team, Natalie has been a key member of the defensive group as the teams netminder. Her athleticism and competitive fire make her a top goalie in the league. Natalie had a terrific week between the pipes, posting two shutouts in the team’s 3-0 win over Choate and their 5-0 win over Andover this past week. She racked up 17 stops on the road against Choate on Wednesday. Not to be outdone on Saturday against Andover she managed to make 32 saves, including many key saves to keep the momentum going for the Wildcats. Natalie has posted an outstanding 8 shutouts on the season and has a save percentage of 95%. The team looks forward to her continued strong play as they finish their regular season efforts.
Luke Po ’20- Boys Varsity Squash
As a senior captain, Luke has had a phenomenal season for the boys varsity squash team, proving that he is one of the best squash players at Williston. All season he has competed against some of the best players in New England, and he has secured some major wins along the way. Luke has shown that he is a program first type player as he is quick to help train developing athletes. He shows this consistently as he is always willing to assist his fellow teammates and can be seen mentoring junior varsity players lending invaluable guidance. No matter the situation, Luke always keeps his cool and sets a good example for his fellow Wildcats, the consummate leader! The team will continue to rely his strong play and fantastic leadership ability as they move through the remainder of the season.
Jasmine Simmons ‘24- Girls JV Basketball
Jasmine had a standout performance against a competitive Miss Hall’s team this past weekend. Defensively she hit the floor many times coming up with key stops, proving her innate and determined competitiveness. Her hard work played an instrumental role in holding Miss Hall’s to just 2 points at the end of the first quarter. Jasmine’s competitive attitude is infectious as she often raises the spirits of those around her. Her teammates will continue to look to her for the remainder of the season to bring her intensity, and her coaches are excited to watch her hard work persist.
Jack Fay ‘21- Boys JV Hockey
Jack has logged a lot of minutes playing a key role on defense for the boys JV hockey team this season. His ability to disrupt the opposition’s offense and advance with the puck has contributed greatly to the team’s ability to move up ice and generate scoring opportunities. In addition to strong defense, Jack played a critical role in the team’s recent overtime victory against a talented Eaglebrook squad on the road. Jack scored first with a shot from the point that found a way through the confusion in front and into the back of the net. With under three minutes remaining, Jack scored his second goal of the night with a snapshot from the high slot on a powerplay to tie the game and force overtime. All season Jack has provided steady play that has been critical to the team’s competitiveness. The Cats will continue to look to Jack for his larger role on offense to help the team to more wins down the final stretch of the season.
Lauren O’Donald ‘22-Girls JV Hockey
Just returning to the team, Lauren scored a goal in her first game back with the team on Friday! It has been great having Lauren on the ice with the team again, but she has been with the team all along as a positive and helpful presence every day taking in managerial duties at practice, and on the bench or keeping the book in the scorebox for games. She has maintained a positive attitude the whole time despite being sidelined. Even though she is now playing, she is still mindful of helping with all the tasks that make here a great teammate. She is always asking about what she can do to improve her skills, and has been an inspiring presence for the girls all season long. We are looking forward to watching her shine even more in our last few games of the season!
Wade Nguyen ’23- Thirds Squash
Wade has become a remarkably more consistent player for the thirds squash team this season. He has learned how to focus on every point regardless of the adversity he is facing on a particular day. This attitude of constant improvement has led to a steady rise up the ladder for Wade. He started the season at number 7 and played at number 2 for Williston last Saturday. Against a tough opponent, Wade stayed focused and fought for every point taking the first game to extra points and was still fighting hard in the last game that ended in a score of 8-11. Wade consistently comes to extra court sessions and is always the first player at practice. This dedication has led to his consistent improvement and will make him a valuable piece to the success of the program for the remainder of this season and in seasons to follow.
Linda Askenazi ’21- Girls JV Squash
Linda has had a season of growth competing with the girls JV squash team. She’s made tremendous progress over the season and takes pride in each match she plays in. This past weekend against Suffield, she won her match after 4 games. In the first game, Linda pushed her opponent to play 12 points eventually falling in the game. She demonstrated tremendous perseverance and resiliency as she never gave up on the match winning the next three games to 11, ending in a match win for the Wildcats. She provides a great example for her team as she owns a level of coachability and a work ethic that is second to none. She takes instruction in practices and during games and turns around and applies them right then and there. Linda has worked hard every day to make her game better and this work ethic has paid off for herself and her team. The Cats will continue to look towards Linda for her leadership through example as they finish up the season.
Will Chalfant ’23- Boys Thirds Basketball
Will has had a fantastic season for the boys thirds basketball team this season. Not only is he the team’s leading scorer, but more than scoring a lot of points, he scores points at key moments in games. That knack was most apparent in a recent win over Kingswood-Oxford. Every time the Wyverns made a run, Will knocked down a three pointer to quell their momentum. He ended up with 16 points (including 4 three-pointers) in the win. Will is also a leader by example every day at practice, as he is coachable and provides a team first type mentality by giving 100% to his coaches and teammates. The team will continue to look toward Will for his inspiring play as they head into the final stretch of the season.