Herrick Stevenson ’25- Boys Varsity Water Polo
Herrick has been a welcome surprise to the water polo program this season. In his first year in the sport, he was quickly thrust into a starting spot due to injuries and has made a significant impact. His swimming speed extends the pool for the fast break on offense, and he can chase down opponents in their transition, making him an impact player on both ends of the pool. This past weekend, in a big win at Hopkins, all these skills were on display. Additionally, he further proved his offensive capabilities as he scored two timely goals. Herrick is an important addition to the program and will continue to be looked to as the season pushes toward the playoffs.
Monique Lyons ‘24- Varsity Girls Soccer
Monique has been a solid, reliable defensive player for girls varsity soccer all season, but she really stood out this past week. In the game against Taft, Monique played strong defense as a center back the entire game. On Saturday versus Pomfret, Monique was a major contributor pushing the team for the win when she was moved up to striker. With her intensity and speed, it set the tone for the whole team, who came back from being down 1-0 at the half to win 2-1! Her coaches are thankful to have Monique on the team, as she brings athleticism and game intensity to the squad!
Jeremy Dube ’24- Boys Varsity Cross County
Jeremy has been a stalwart all season for the boys varsity cross-country team. He consistently places in the top ten of every race and has been a major factor in contributing to the teams’ success this fall. Jeremy had a great run during the Wildcats meet against Taft. He showed poise during the entire race and used his speed in the final mile of the race to chase down and pass opposing runners in the home stretch. The Cats will continue to rely on Jeremy for his point scoring ability and work ethic as they move through the final weeks of the season.
Ava DeCoste ’23- Varsity Field Hockey
Ava has led by example each year she has been a member of the field hockey program. This year, Ava has stepped into a larger role and has risen to the occasion as she has been critical to the success of the squad this fall. She has been a facilitator in moving the ball up the field with ease from defense to offense. Ava has worked hard at her craft and showed off some particularly great moves this week against two challenging opponents. She also has greatly improved the consistency of her shots. Ava’s coaches and teammates know Ava will continue to play an integral role for the rest of the season!
John Ogletree ’23- Varsity Football
John has been a critical piece to the puzzle of success for varsity football this season. He had his best game of the year for the Wildcats in their 38-37 OT win over Wyoming Seminary on Saturday. He finished the game with 3 catches for 73 yards and 2 touchdowns. More importantly, John has proven himself to be one of the best blocking tight ends in NEPSAC Class A. John’s coaches and teammates appreciate all his contributions, his mental and physical toughness, and his leadership through example!
Hazel Jacobs ‘25-Varsity Volleyball
As one of the team’s setters, Hazel has proven invaluable for the varsity volleyball team in multiple facets of the game. She has embraced her role in initiating the offense for the team, distributing the ball to all parts of the court, and sprinkling in some crafty tips over the net to keep opposing teams honest. One of her greatest assets in games is her court coverage where she uses her hustle to get into place to set up the pass. However, since the first day, Hazel has shown an incredible persona that balances a focused attitude when the ball is in the air with a constant sense of joy that often reminds her teammates about the privilege of playing this game. This approach has been invaluable to the team, especially when the chips are down- this is when Hazel is at her best. The Wildcats will rely on Hazel’s positive attitude, inspiring hustle, and consistent play as they move through the back half of the season.
Ayden Kokoszka ’24- Boys Varsity Soccer
Ayden, a junior midfielder, has been pulling the strings for the boys varsity soccer team throughout the fall. Ayden’s dynamic attacking play has helped the Wildcats to big wins over Class A powers Choate, Loomis and Taft in recent weeks. His ability to dribble out of pressure, distribute the ball into dangerous spaces behind the opposition’s defense, and quickly accelerate away from defenders makes this Wildcat one to watch down the stretch. The Wildcats are back in action this week as they take on local rivals Wilbraham & Monson on Wednesday and host Suffield Academy of Friday night.
Ellis von Schoeler-Ames ‘26-Girls Varsity Cross Country
The Wildcats are proud to be recognizing Ellis this week for her performance at the Taft cross country race on Saturday. Ellis rejoined the team just a few weeks ago, and she clearly found her footing on the Williston team. Although competing against a very strong Taft team, Ellis held off three Taft runners throughout the race and pushed hard to finish with a time of 24:23. Ellis’ team looks forward to her continued strong performance as they enter the final phase of their season!
Jefu Lee ’23- Boys JVA Soccer
Jefu has been a steady, strong presence in the back line of the JVA boys soccer team all season long. He consistently demonstrates great calmness on the ball and is crucial to the transitions from defense to offense. He knows when to step out from the back and has demonstrated great recovery pace to help teammates out. Despite facing some occasional adversity, he has often played every minute of some of our games. He is key to the strongest part of our team – defense and has a calm, even-keeled attitude to play under pressure. Jefu is a pleasure to work with and coach as he provides an excellent example for his whole team.
Elise Edmunds ’28- Girls Thirds Volleyball
Elise has been a quiet and steady improver all year for the thirds volleyball squad. She has gone from a player with no experience to one of the teams go-to servers and serve receivers. Last week, she started the third set with an incredible 7 service points in a row, the highest number in that stat column for the squad this season. Her performance on the service line helped the Wildcats come out to a blazing start. Elise works hard each day with a lot of positive energy providing a great example for her teammates. Her coaches appreciate all her contributions this season and look forward to more from Elise as the team moves through the rest of the fall.
Teppei Morita ’26- Boys JV Water Polo
Teppei has been one of the hardest working members of the program this year. In his first season with the squad his work ethic has paid tremendous dividends. In practice he is always attentive, trying to learn as much as he can about this new game for him. His positive approach to every practice opportunity is infectious as his energy helps to provide a much-needed boost to his team. This past week the JV team had their first games, and Teppei was a leader in the pool as well, scoring several goals and playing sound defense. The program looks forward to seeing his continued growth in the final weeks of the season.
Niamh Cleary ’25- JV Field Hockey
Niamh has been a force on defense this season competing for the girls JV field hockey squad. She’s quick and aggressive to the ball, setting an example for her team by showing them how the game should be played. She often carries the ball up from the backfield and puts it in play for the offense. In practice she works hard and always has a positive team-first attitude. Her coaches and teammates are looking forward to more great play from Niamh in the final weeks of the season.
Thomas Neal ’28 – Boys JV Cross Country
Thomas has shown tremendous determination since the start of the cross-country season. He comes to every practice prepared to work hard and improve his running. Thomas ran in his first race last week against Eaglebrook and did extremely well on a challenging course. The coaches are very pleased with the improvement Thomas has demonstrated during the season and think he has a great future in the program.
Ava Richardson ‘26 – Girls JV Soccer
Ava has had an excellent season making her a solid presence in goal for the JV soccer Wildcats all fall. On Wednesday, she made numerous saves especially at the end of the game to help preserve a 2-0 win against a talented Taft squad. On Saturday, she again played very well in a 0-3 loss versus a tough Kingswood-Oxford team. Ava’s coaches appreciate her hard work and dedication to the team, and her teammates will continue to rely on her as they move through the rest of the season.
Durgin Shields ’24- Boys JVB Soccer
Durgin has proved to be a very versatile player for the Wildcats as he consistently displays great speed, control, and game vision. He has improved his soccer techniques a great deal since the beginning of the season, proving his strong work ethic. He had a great game last Wednesday against Cheshire, where he was in control of our defense, and he was able to connect well with the rest of the players during the match. He always listens, plays hard, and is a role model for the other members of the team. Durgin is a big part of the recent success on the field for JVB soccer and the team will continue to rely on him as they work through the rest of the season.
Sophie Chou ’24- Girls JV Cross Country
Sophie proved herself last weekend at Taft and showed how much she can give during a race. Coming in second place for the Wildcats’ JV team, Sophie ran her best time of the year at 26:58. Sophie is in a good position to show how strong she can finish out the season, and her coaches are excited to see her give this strong effort for the remaining races this season!
Avery Blumberg ’27- Riding
Avery competed at the cohost show on Sunday at Mount Holyoke College. She competed against high school riders and took third place both over fences and on the flat helping the middle school team win the championship. Avery not only served her team by helping set up the night before and cleaning up after the show but also by holding horses and working with her teammates to keep the show running smoothly. This effort proved her team first mentality. As if that wasn’t enough, she also showed great compassion and support for one of her teammates who had a challenging ride by gifting her one of her ribbons she won. Avery’s coach is so proud of her and appreciates all she has dedicated to the team.
Ava Howard ‘25- JV Volleyball
Ava had a phenomenal week for the JV volleyball team. On Wednesday at Cushing, she had several kills by pouncing on stray balls near the net without hesitation. She also defended with a calm precision; seeming to slow down time and the ball with her steady accurate passes. Her positive leadership both on and off the court held the team together bringing them to within striking distance of victory. Not to be outdone, she also played great in the Cats’ game on Saturday at Worcester. She stayed calm even under a variety of very intense high-pressure situations, including serving the ball on target three times in a row to bring us to 24-24 in the first set and an extra points situation. In addition to all this, Ava’s dedication to the sport is evident in the way she approaches practice with a growth mindset every day. Her coaches anticipate that her team first attitude and positive demeanor will help lead the team through a strong second half of the season!