Alumni Turn Out for Great Competition

Despite a fierce snowstorm the night before, more than 50 alumni turned out for spirited competition on the ice and the backboard on Jan. 11 for Alumni Games Day.

Hockey
In one of the most competitive and engaging alumni hockey games in many years, the alumni, who were on the brink of victory, saw their younger counterparts steal their anticipated celebration in the final few seconds of the game to win 6-5 in overtime. Alumni coaches Tom Earl and Peter Briggs ’71 remarked that the defeat ranks right up there with the most devastating in their long coaching careers.

Despite the snowy weekend, the alumni returned "quantity and quality” to the Hill. Every alumni player had productive minutes in the epic battle. Current Westminster varsity coaches, Tim Joncas ’00 and Tim Quinn ’96 formed a line with Jack Kennedy ’98 and had a great time mixing it up and scoring against their student charges. Chris DeJohn ’06, Stonehill forward Andrew Web ’07 and Trinity's Chris Oetting ’04 teamed up to provide some great offensive shifts. The unit of Chris Suchy ’08, James Einstein ’08 and Steve Theall ’83 made their presence known all afternoon. The "older timer" line of Frank O'Brien ’81, Lou Shipley ’81 and Seth Worcester ’83 were a forechecking force down the stretch — helping to create the go-ahead goal in the third period.

The impressive group of alumni blueliners included Boston College's Tommy Cross ’08, Jordan Dewey ’08, Babson's Casey Fazekas ’06, Trinity's Derek Sandberg ’07, Mike Ashe ’85 and David Rush ’98. Luke Brindamour ’04 returned to give some quality minutes between the pipes. Despite the stacked lineup of many former Westminster captains, past and current college players, somehow the alumni squandered a 5-4 lead with only 15 seconds remaining in the contest. To make matters worst, the overtime session went to the current Martlet players. Nonetheless, the game was fast-paced and fun, thanks to all the alumni who braved the weather and showed up to play.

Basketball
For the second straight year, the snow tried to keep loyal basketball alumni from the Hill, tempting them further with the NFL Divisional playoffs, but they were eight strong for a tilt against the very athletic First Boys’ team. Time constraints kept the game from going into overtime as the two halves ended in a 44-44 tie, following a late-game comeback by the alumni, led by CG Grant ’07, who led all scorers with 14 points and dropped 6 dimes along the way.

Kevin García-Ramirez ’08, Ryan Naujoks ’93 and Desmond Mighty ’08 were large in the paint at both ends of the floor, but T.J. Doherty ’07 dominated in rebounds, 11, and "pips" (points in the paint) with 12. Other notables were swing man Todd McDonald ’00, who led all players in the "step in the gym and I'm in range" category, and, along with CG, Freddie Linton ’03 was all over the floor defensively, hitting a few "trays" of his own to round out the powerful alumni back court. Representing the "older guard" were Dave "Ansel Adams" Werner ’80 who spent the entire 32 minutes trying to get the perfect shot for posterity and Peter Newman ’80, who peaked in the lay-up drill and led the alumni in most wisecracks from a coach's seat.

For the fourth annual alumnae basketball game, eight determined women made it to the hardwood floor to take on the First Girls’ Basketball team in front of appreciative spectators that grew in numbers as the game went on. The alumnae team, made up of older graduates Whitney Jackson ’96, Rebecca Brooks ’96, Emily Hoffman Vincent ’98, and Jane Zink ’98 reinforced by recent grads Michele Ribaudo ’08 and Lyndsey Zavisza ’08 and rounded out by always reliable Maria Leonardi ’05 and Margaret Obermeier ’02, managed to hold on to slim leads throughout all four quarters. Executing some snappy passing and mixing up their defenses against the varsity, which had not played a game in more three weeks, the alumnae finished up on top, 39-35. With Brooks ’96 dominating the boards and Zink ’98 driving the lane, the young Martlets had their hands full. Zavizsa ’08 and Ribaudo ’08 teamed up for the first time in almost a year, and the chemistry was evident up and down the floor. Clearly, the two have found ways to stay in shape as first-year college students.