Wisdom Afrani ’22- Boys Varsity Soccer
Wisdom has helped Williston explode for four consecutive wins since the fall long weekend. The dynamic winger from Accra, Ghana scored two important goals against Deerfield this past weekend, lifting the Wildcats to a big 2-1 win. Afrani’s two goal performance against local rival WMA earlier this month helped secure a 3-0 win against a well-organized defense. Wisdom will have to continue his scoring ways this week as Williston travels to Kingswood-Oxford on Wednesday and hosts NMH on Saturday in preparation for an exciting playoff run.
Ellis von Schoeler-Ames ‘ 26- Girls Cross Country
On Saturday against Suffield, Canterbury, Berkshire, Miss Halls, and Millbrook, 8th grader Ellis von Schoeler-Ames had one of her best races ever, placing 4th for the team and 13th overall, out of 59 runners. The top three runners again controlled the front of the race, but we needed big races at #4 and #5 to beat Canterbury, who had beaten the Wildcats at the Westminster Invitational in October. Ellis rose to the challenge, moved up in the middle of the race, and gave the team one of the spots they needed to beat Canterbury. Ellis’s stride for stride battle in the last mile, with the #2 runner from Suffield, was exciting to watch, and she held off the #3 Canterbury runner to seal the victory for Williston. Ellis continues to bring energy and hard work to every practice. She has achieved a great deal in cross country at a young age, and her coaches predict that she will be a big part of the varsity team for many more years.
Bryce Akroyd ’25- Boys Cross Country
Bryce has had a great year for the boys cross country team. He ran a phenomenal race last Saturday at Suffield in a six-school meet cappinh off an impressive season. Bryce has stayed focused this fall and has done a great job staying positive throughout the season despite small setbacks early in the year. Overall, Bryce brings great energy to the team and has improved tremendously. He has taken more than three minutes off his 5k personal best from last season. The Wildcats will continue to rely on Bryce for a few years to come.
Gianna Langone ‘22– Girls Varsity Soccer
Gianna has been a huge part of the Wildcats success this season. A strong leader on defense, she has helped shut down very potent attacks from opponents. In the team’s game against Loomis on Saturday, Gianna stepped up numerous times to break up key plays, providing momentum for her teammates. Gianna has an uncanny ability to lead by example as she brings a combination of talent, coachability and a team-first mentality with her to each practice and game. Because of this, her teammates and coaches look to her to guide and inspire, helping to raise the level of play. The Wildcats will continue to rely on her as a force on the field as they move through the final stretch of the season.
Andrew Yu-Hwang ’23- Varsity Water Polo
Andrew has been a crucial part of the success of the water polo team all season, but especially over the past week. He contributed timely goals and staunch defense while playing valuable minutes for some of his injured teammates, helping the team pick up wins against WMA and Loomis. With great effort during practices and attention to the nuances of the game, Andrew has made significant strides in all aspects of his game. The improvement that Andrew has made over the fall will be counted on as the team moves into the NEPSAC tournament this weekend.
Julia Borden ‘22 -Varsity Volleyball
Julia’s dedication to the team has been evident throughout the varsity volleyball season. She provides an excellent example for all her teammates in the effort that she puts in during practice and the seriousness with which she learns her positions on the court. Placed in different roles throughout the year, Julia has willingly taken on this responsibility without complaint, proving her team-first type mentality. Her breakout game this past Saturday against Ethel Walker illustrated this well as Julia notched stats in kills, digs, on-target passes, and service winners. Her coaches and teammates appreciate all of her contributions this season and will miss her positive attitude and leadership through example next season.
Zach Walker ’22- Varsity Football
Zach has been vital to the success of the varsity football team this season. A four-year starter and two-year captain for the Wildcats, Zach has never missed a game or practice. In addition to his dedication and his skill from his center position on the offensive line, he is also the consummate teammate. He always has a positive attitude and is constantly looking for ways to make himself and his team better. He has worked incredibly hard each off-season to improve his game, creating undeniable growth, and the way he approaches each day has left a lasting impression on his peers. His coaches and teammates appreciate all he has given to the football program, and he will be greatly missed next year.
Abby Booth ’22- Varsity Field Hockey
Abby has been a staple to the success of the varsity field hockey team this fall. From her position in goal, she has been able to leave an indelible impact and is a big part of the Wildcats playoff berth this season. Her teammates and coaches are so grateful that she decided to return to field hockey and be part of the program. Her competitive nature is evident every day as she works hard to support the team and improve her skills. This past Saturday she had a huge game with ten saves against Loomis – her efforts were critical in the win that day. The Wildcats will continue to lean on Abby for her positive attitude, tremendous work ethic, and inspiring play as they move into post-season play!
Peter Wang ’23- Boys JVB Soccer
Peter has been a consistent player for the boys JVB soccer program this whole season. His talent, knowledge of the game, and numerous goals have contributed to the success of the Wildcats season. Last Saturday, he had a great game where he scored two goals helping the team to win the last game of the year. Peter has also finished the season as the leading scorer, netting six goals this fall. Peter’s teammates and coaches appreciate his efforts this season and are excited to watch his continued growth in the seasons to come.
Maya Green ’26- JV Volleyball
Maya has had an incredibly positive attitude all year for the JV volleyball team. She works hard every day to get better, and she has been improving steadily all season. Maya spearheaded the most inspirational play of the week, on Saturday, when serving for one of the first times. Her serve started the longest most dynamic volley of the season with both teams having dramatic diving saves. The Wildcats all worked extra hard to win the point for Maya. It was the highlight of the week! Maya’s coaches look forward to her continued growth on the floor as the years pass.
Connor Nizolek ’24-JV Football
Connor has had a solid season for the JV football team this year. He answered his team’s call week when he stepped up to play quarterback despite getting minimal time to practice the position. Despite this, Connor was fearless and did an excellent job managing the offense against Loomis Chaffee on Wednesday. He was poised under pressure and made some big plays running and passing the ball. On defense, he made numerous tackles and was outstanding in pass coverage, shutting down some of Loomis’s best receivers. The coaching staff is very appreciative of his “team first” mentality and his quiet but positive leadership style. Connor is poised to have a great couple of years in the varsity program in the years ahead.
Ava Howard ‘25- 3rds Volleyball
Ava has been a strong and supportive influence on the 3rds volleyball team this season. She brings her best to every practice and has taken her progress seriously from day one. She is kind, resourceful, and patient. She is extremely coachable and this has led to a direct improvement in many of her skills, but especially her serving. Her techniques all came together in the team’s first game this past Wednesday at Miss Porter’s School. During this game, she went on an important run for the service line twice, with 4 and 5 successful serves in a row. This provided a momentum shift for her teammates, giving them a big boost in confidence, and was important for the team’s overall success. As one of the team captains, she provides a positive example daily as she helps to raise the overall team cohesiveness and morale. Ava’s coach is excited to watch her skill and passion evolve and she is hopeful that her perseverance will continue to resonate with other players.
Kana Kitano ’22- JV Field Hockey
Kana has been a critical piece to the success of the JV field hockey team this season. She continued her important role as she played an outstanding game this week; her performance on defense propelled the team to a 2-0 win over Loomis. Kana was aggressive in the backfield, tackling the ball and taking it from Loomis then moving it up the field and feeding the ball to the offense. Additionally, Kana’s leadership doesn’t end when the game is over. She’s the first person to help her teammates and coaches, always volunteering to pick up equipment or demonstrate a drill. Kana’s positive attitude helps keep her teammates focused and motivated in games and practices, and her teammates and coaches look forward to more of her leadership in the final week of the season.