Erin Chai ‘21– Girls Varsity Water Polo
Erin is an important part of the girls water polo program this year. She has worked diligently to get back into water polo shape this spring after two years out of the pool and has made the most of her final season! Her outstanding work ethic and team spirit make her a popular teammate, and in her first extended play of her career this past weekend, Erin regularly found herself in the right places and making great decisions. Her three goals and strong defense are telling signs of the success to come this spring! Her teammates and coaches will continue to rely on her leadership through example and her inspiring play as they move through the season.
Jack Fay ‘21- Boys Varsity golf
As a co-captain of the boys varsity golf team, Jack has worked hard to encourage and guide new varsity golfers to perform at their best in practices and matches. Despite losing our most recent match to NMH, the team posted its best match score of the season thus far. Jack contributed to this effort by earning team medalist honors, shooting 40 and helping the team be competitive as our final groups finished play. Throughout the match, Jack demonstrated a high level of sportsmanship by applauding the fine shots of his opponents and acting as a gracious host toward the NMH team. At the same time, his strong performance, as well as the improved play of his teammates, inspired the team to look forward to our upcoming matches with an attitude of determination and optimism. His efforts are appreciated by his coaches and teammates alike.
Natalie Stott ’22- Varsity Softball
Natalie has been a consistent and prominent leader both on and off the field for the varsity softball team this spring. In the Wildcats first match up against Suffield, the team found themselves down 2-0 at the top of the sixth inning. With one on in scoring position, Stott shot a two-run homer over the fence to tie the game. Stott’s reliability at shortstop, her work ethic and positive attitude provides a spark for her teammates and plays a major role in the team’s early success this season. Natalie’s teammates and coaches are so excited to see what else Natalie has in store for the season ahead!
Frannie Cataldo ‘22-Boys Varsity Tennis
Frannie has been an impact player for the Wildcats for a number of years and has continued this trend this spring for the boys varsity tennis team. He interacts with his teammates by listening attentively; giving a thoughtful, caring response; and adding a disarming sense of humor that is often accompanied by an easy laugh. Despite the natural way that he displays this demeanor, his approach subtly buoys the camaraderie of the team. This is paired with a willingness to assertively speak his mind when the moment calls for it, as well as excellence on the court. In this latter arena, he has dominated from his number two singles position. With two doubles wins and two singles match wins, he is undefeated to start the season. The most recent doubles match at the home opener saw him team up with Jefu Lee to fight back from a 0-3 deficit and pull out a victory- add calmness under duress to the list of positive attributes he brings to the Williston Tennis program. Frannie’s positive attitude and leadership will continue to be an important cog in the wheel of success for the Wildcats this spring!
Anita Hua ’21- Girls Varsity Ultimate
Anita has been crucial to the success of the Wildcats so far this spring. Once again Anita played a central and important role on the girls ultimate field. In the Wildcats game against NMH on Saturday, Anita made several key receptions and supported her team with several key assists. Her laser-focused forehand cut through defenses along with her strong cutting skills provides a much-needed boost to her team when they need it the most. Anita has worked hard on and off the field to put herself and her teammates in a position to succeed. The Wildcats will look to Anita for continued strong play as they move through their season.
Emmet Mahoney ’22- Boys Varsity Ultimate
Emmet has had a great start to the season for the boys varsity ultimate team. After throwing the game winning score in week 1, Emmet had a breakout game against NMH in week 2. NMH adjusted their defensive look mid-game and Emmet stepped into a new role finding gaps in the opposing zone. He caught 4 goals and threw for an additional goal while also playing great defense, always matching up against one of their best players. Emmet has shown great improvement in the team’s new season and his coaches and teammates look forward to watching him continue to develop!
Emma Merrill ‘22- Girls Varsity Lacrosse
Emma has been a critical piece to the girls varsity lacrosse team so far this season. Tough and gritty, she does everything for the team without receiving glory – proving daily her team first mentality! She takes the draws giving up considerable size but making up for that in strength and toughness. She helps to control the Wildcats offense with poise and understanding of what the team is trying to accomplish and she is relentless in pursuit of the ball when the other team has it. Emma is a tireless competitor and personifies a big part of the team culture. The team will continue to look towards Emma to provide stellar leadership and inspiring play as they move through the rest of the season.
Jack Haddad ’22- Boys Varsity Lacrosse
Jack has been a critical piece of the puzzle for the boys varsity lacrosse team so far this season. Jack has worked tremendously hard on the field and in the weight room to improve his game, providing leadership through example. His determined hard work has paid dividends as he won 12 face offs for his squad against a talented Pingree team on Saturday, giving the team an offensive edge. Additionally, he picked up 6 ground balls and added a goal to his stat sheet. Jack’s team first mentality, his can-do attitude and gritty play will continue to be relied upon as the team moves through the rest of the season.
Sonia Whitman ‘21- Girls Varsity Tennis
Sonia’s performance on and off the court has been exceptional this spring as her leadership has been critical for the growth of the Wildcats girls tennis team. As a team captain, she has done a wonderful job leading her peers over the past month. Her speeches before matches and practices have inspired her teammates, and her strong all-court game has helped the team remain competitive in both matches against Suffield and NMH, where she won two close matches in both doubles and singles. The team will continue to need Sonia’s leadership in the coming weeks as they prepare for very competitive matches.
Austin Conroy ‘23–Boys JV Tennis
Austin has been pivotal in the growth of the boys JV tennis team so far this season. He steps into a quiet leadership role in an unassuming manner with a focus on leadership through his actions instead of merely his words. He works hard every day at practice to play well and is constantly looking to improve his game. By doing so he has effectively created a competitive atmosphere which has caused his teammates to raise each of their own levels of play. His efforts have contributed to the consistent improvement that can be seen throughout the whole squad. Austin also takes the time to respond to his teammates questions and encourages each and every one of his peers to be just a little bit better than they were yesterday. The team and his coaches look forward to Austin’s continued leadership and growth this season.
Sam Yunes ‘23 – Girls JV Lacrosse
As a returner to the squad, Sam has provided an important leadership role for the girls JV lacrosse team. She provides a team first mentality and leadership through example which has left a positive impact on all her teammates. Sam has been such a positive and inclusive voice on the field, exactly what the squad needed to come back after missing last year. She has worked tremendously hard to improve her skills on the field and it has paid off as she has developed into a more confident and extremely capable lacrosse athlete. Her teammates and coaches look forward to watching her lead the Wildcats into game play!