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Sports Highlights 10.31.16
Football-First Boys'
Oct. 29: Football-First Boys’ 16 vs Kingswood-Oxford School 19
First Football fought valiantly to come from behind but ultimately fell short against a solid K-O team. The host Wyverns greeted Westminster rudely and scored on the opening drive of the game to take a 7-0 lead. Conor Brennan ’17 answered, though, on the ensuing kickoff, which he returned 55 yards to give the team a short field. Westminster ran the ball effectively, and Brennan scampered in from nine yards out. Tri-Captain Tim Callahan’s two-point run made it 8-7. The lead was short-lived, though, as K-O answered with an 80-yard drive to take a 13-8 lead. Westminster moved the ball fairly well and had two opportunities inside the “red zone” but couldn’t convert them to scoring opportunities. The team again moved the ball well in the second half but fumbled on consecutive possessions. Spurred by a key roughness penalty and a Ray Rivers sack, the Martlets had the crew from West Hartford up against the ropes on a third-and-22, but a broken coverage led to a 33-yard pass play, and the hosts punched it in from the five on the next play to go up 19-8. Westminster would not be denied, though, and, led by Tri-Captain Delando Clarke’s ’17 three receptions, the team drove 64 yards on its next possession. Callahan scored from four yards out, and Jack Stevenson’s ‘17 conversion pass from Jack Devlin ’19 brought the team to 19-16. Tri-Captain Dom Cirillo ’17 executed a perfect onside kick, which Clarke recovered. Westminster moved the ball effectively after that, but some clutch, key plays by the K-O defense forced a fourth-and-long, and a desperation pass fell incomplete. Westminster competed on its final defensive series, but a clutch 12-yard catch on third-and-nine clinched the win for K-O. Despite the disappointing outcome, the Martlets were happy with the way they competed. Callahan had another great all-around day, with 146 yards on 24 carries and eight tackles on defense. Clarke caught three passes, intercepted two, and defended two others. Brennan added 67 yards rushing and five tackles. Local boys Joe Patrina ’18 and Mason Horrigan ‘18, getting their first significant varsity playing time, contributed an interception and four tackles, respectively.
Cross Country-First Boys'
Oct. 29: Shaler Invitational at Williston Northampton School, First Boys 7th of 14
Westminster’s first running in the Shaler Invitational happened on a perfect late fall day -- mid-50s temperatures with no wind. This invitational is on the fastest course in the league and, with a strong field of 14 schools present, the runners knew it would be an opportunity to post some fast times. Right out of the gate, four runners (two from Loomis and two from Tabor) separated themselves from the pack, coming through the first mile in about 4:32. Emmett de Kanter ’19 was not too far behind, coming across at 4:49, but he was in 10th position at that point. He fought forward during the next two miles to move up to seventh position at the field, posting a new school record for a 5K of 16:00 flat. The pack of Martlets behind de Kanter was tight together. Captain and four-year runner Jordan Gabbidon ’17 broke his lifetime best today with a speedy 17:38. Three other runners broke 18 minutes for the first time: Teagan Stedman ’18, Daniel Pinckney ’20 and John Kuzminskas ’18. Only 25 runners have broken that threshold, and doing it in your first season, as this trio just did, portends well for their future running careers. Second-year runners Matt Norris ’19 and Justin Schuster ’19 both came in under 19 minutes, beating their lifetime bests, too. Unfortunately, Elliott Kennard ’19 experienced a painful side stitch, but he still crossed the line in a respectable 19:03. The team ended up right in the middle of the team scores, seventh out of 14, ahead of Founders League rivals T-P, Avon, and Kingswood. It was a great race for the team as it heads into its championship season.
Cross Country-First Girls'
Oct. 29: Shaler Invitational at Williston Northampton School, First Girls 7th of 14
The Martlets traveled to Williston for the second time this season to compete in the Shaler Invitational for the first time. It was a very fast and competitive field and the Martlets had a huge day, finishing seventh overall. The big story was Oumou Kanoute '17 who after missing last week's race came back with a vengeance. After missing going under 20 minutes by a second on this course three weeks ago, she was determined to do so today. Not only did she crack the 20-minute barrier running a 19:42, but also set a new school record and came in second overall. It was truly an amazing race for Kanoute who ran so hard that she pulled some rib muscles along the way. Looking strong and relaxed, Caroline Percival '19 also had her best run ever and came across the line second for the Black and Gold for the first time this season. Liz Casey '18, Bethany Winters '20 and Maggie Chaves '19 also achieved personal bests. Abby Hovey '18 ran her fastest race of the season and Sarah Minella '17 continued to run well. As a team, the group averaged over 20 seconds faster than the last time on the course. The top seven ran a 7:05 pace. It was excellent evidence of the hard work and progress this group has made. Well done, girls.
Cross Country-Second Boys'
Oct. 29: Shaler Invitational at Williston Northampton School, Second Boys, no team score
This crew of harriers has improved every weekend this season, and with the promise of a fast course and a pile of treats brought by parents after the finish, the Second Boys were in high spirits on the start line. They did not disappoint themselves. Three boys (Matt Cosentino ’18, Andrew Doucette ’18, Alex Ellis ’20) broke 19 minutes, an impressive barrier as it means running faster than a 6:07 mile pace for the 5K course. For Doucette, a three-year member of the team, it was his first time below 20 minutes. John Rao ’17, another three-year runner, broke his lifetime best to finish fourth for the team. My vote for performance of the day, however, went to Ryan Syzkowny ’18, who dropped almost two minutes off his previous lifetime best to go under 20 minutes for the first time. That is a tough threshold for most runners to cross, and Syzkowny, who struggled with knee issues at the start of the season, has progressed quickly during the last few weeks and zipped right past that mark. There were other highlights among the non-scoring runners. Sean Ryan ’18, who had major surgery this summer, broke his lifetime best today; Azat Mukhametkulov ’19 dropped almost two minutes and looked like a runner coming across the finish line; Sixth Former Matt Swenson ’17 dropped another minute off his lifetime best; Matt Quinn ’19 and Matt Marciano ‘19 are showing heart as they enter their final week of their first season; and Carter Henshaw ’20 dropped almost four minutes off his previous season best.
Soccer-First Boys’
Oct. 26: Soccer-First Boys’ 0 vs Loomis Chaffee 5
The Martlets started the last part of the season on the road up at Loomis. Westminster will play five of its last six games on the road. The Martlets started a bit slow after coming off the long weekend. The score at the half was 2-0 Pelicans. The Martlets had some more fight in the second half, lead by Alex Semler '17 in the back and Jack Griffith '17 up top. Jeff Guiliano '17 would play a hard 90 minutes in the midfield. Alec Costanza '17 would be moved to the outside right back to help cover a very speedy and clever Loomis player. Max Powers '17 would have a very busy day in net with 15 saves. Loomis would score a couple highlight goals, which Powers would not have a chance at.
Oct. 29: Soccer-First Boys’ 1 vs Canterbury School 3
Westminster made the long trip out to New Milford for an early Saturday game. The Martlets had a tough start, conceding a goal in the second minute and then again in the ninth minute. The game then settled in and Westminster was able to gain a little momentum with some possessions. Canterbury would capitalize late in the first half off a free shot and rebound to make the lead 3-0 at halftime. Westminster got organized at halftime and came out to compete. The Martlets would score off a highlight pass from Alec Costanza '17 to Jack Griffith '17 who would volley a ball into the net just five seconds into the half. The second half would be some of the best soccer Westminster has played over the last few weeks, winning ball in the air, tackling hard and getting balls into the box. Will Leathers '17 stepped into the net during the second half and made six solid saves. Alex Semler '17, Jeffrey Guiliano '17, Artur Szopa '17 and Will Lynch '20 were all great on the backline today. Costanza and Darien Purcell '19 worked extremely hard in the mid-field marking some tough opponents.
Soccer-First Girls’
Oct. 26: Soccer-First Girls’ 1 vs Suffield Academy 2
It was a very physical match on a crisp fall day for the lady Martlets. Suffield struck first in the first half. Westminster would continue to put on the pressure and generated good offensive sequences but could not find the back of the net. The second half was a battle, Suffield found the net again. The Martlets showed their grit and continued to fight back scoring a goal just a few minutes later Katherine Eckerson ’17 played herself the ball after a pass from their back and shot a nice left footed shot right over the outstretched finger tips of Suffield's goalie. The girls fought hard but there was just not enough time left on the clock to find an equalizer.
Oct. 29: Soccer-First Girls’ 2 vs Canterbury School 0
The Martlets traveled to New Milford to play the Canterbury Saints. After a long season the girls battle through and were able to get their first win! In the first half there were great plays and many opportunities. Blake Cote ’19 made a strong run on the outside on the field and landed a cross to Katie Neilsen’s ’18 head, finding the back of the net. The Saints did not give up with some dangerous runs by their forward Kenzi Pfeifer. Luckily, Westminster’s defense and goalie Cynnie White ’17 was able to ward off any goals. The second half was continuous strong play from the Martlets. This time Katherine Eckerson ’17 found the back of the net as the ball bounced around the goalie off the post and in! Eckerson would go on to have a few more chances towards the end of the game but the Saints goalie stepped up.
Soccer-Second Girls'
Oct. 29: Soccer-Second Girls’ 0 vs Loomis Chaffee 1
The girls were eager for the rematch with Loomis today, but unfortunately came out on the same side of another 1-0 result. The first half was a scoreless draw played mostly in midfield as the two teams battled to establish dominance. Unlike the first game between the two teams, when the Martlets seemed to spend the whole games chasing the Pelicans as they possessed, the home side had more than its share of possession in the first half. Still, the best chance for a score came late in the half when a Pelican shot from outside of the box rocked the crossbar. In the second half the visitors did a better job of stringing passes together, forcing the home side to scramble and defend and settle for counterattacks. The lone goal of the game came midway through when a Pelican cross was perfectly redirected into the side net – no chance for the Westminster keeper. The last 10 minutes saw the Martlets desperately trying for the equalizer, but despite their will, they could not find a way. Natalie Rubin ‘19 and Lizzy McCoy ‘20 in midfield turned in great efforts in defeat, with solid work by Daniela Mays Sanchez '20 and Dallis Alvarez '18 on defense.
Soccer-Second Boys'
Oct. 26: Soccer-Second Boys’ 4 vs Loomis Chaffee 3
Second Boys' Soccer made the short trip to Loomis today and took on a fast and skilled team in a tactical duel that resulted in the Martlets best soccer yet and an upset victory on a last minute goal. Westminster struck first in the seventh minute on a beautiful combination down the right side starting with Brett Daubert '20 who won the ball and laid it off to Aly Tolba '18. Tolba combined several fine give and gos with Walker Stevens '19. Stevens handled the ball on the end line and draped a perfect cross on the ground to SK Lee '17, who touched it in from eight yards in front of the goal. Loomis evened the score in the 30th minute off a brief defensive breakdown and a nicely executed cross and volley by the Pelicans. Lee scored again eight minutes later after a loose ball bounced at him off a corner kick. Loomis again equalized off a corner of its own with about 20 seconds remaining in the first half. Lee completed the hat trick in the 57th minute as he and Liam Seeley '20 worked down the left side together. Lee worked his way in along the 18 through traffic and unleashed a low bullet toward the near post and into the net. The Martlets were up 3-2. Loomis evened it again with 12 minutes remaining, and both sides threatened in the final minutes. With two minutes to play, Daubert and Stevens combined to advance the ball along the right side and Stevens sent a shot toward the far post that missed wide to the left. In flew Wick Carter '19 who cleaned it up with a drive to the far side netting to put Westminster up for good. Staunch defending by Kyle Forsyth '17, Myles Hamm '17 and Henry Mitrano '19 kept the Pelican attack off balance, and keepers Malcolm Kleban '20 and Ian Shane '20 both made several miraculous diving saves. It was a huge win for the Martlets!
Oct. 29: Soccer-Second Boys’ 3 vs Canterbury School 3
The Martlets were slow to get off the bus today after the long ride to Canterbury, and quickly found themselves down 0-3 at the end of the first half. All three Saints goals came off set pieces, where they capitalized on good crosses and got behind the Westminster defense. The second half was all Martlets, however, who attacked relentlessly but still struggled to find the net. Finally, Lukas Dudzik '19 converted a penalty kick into the right netting in the 57th minute after Brett Daubert '20 was hauled down in the area. Three minutes later, a deflected Westminster corner kick bounced to Aly Tolba '18 who volleyed it in from the six-yard line. During the next 15 minutes the visitors won loose balls, possessed, and worked the ball down the wings authoritatively. Despite playing many balls into dangerous spaces, the team still struggled to put quality shots on frame. Finally, Daubert ran onto a perfect pass from Tolba and outraced his defender, striking it past the keeper to even the score at 3-3. Westminster created many more chances in the final minutes but could not convert to get the win. Despite the exciting second-half comeback, this tie still left a sour taste as the Black and Gold were dominant late in the game but couldn't finish.
Soccer-Third Boys’
Oct. 26: Soccer-Third Boys’ 1 vs Suffield Academy 2
Autumn made it presence felt on this sunny and brisk afternoon. The boys battled a tenacious group of Tigers from the Academy in nearby Suffield. Once again, Cameron Jury '19 led the Martlets with stellar play in net. The defense, anchored by Carl Ekholm '19 and Eddie Lie-A-Cheong '19, continually tamed the Tiger attack. Ekholm had several saves all by himself. Tucker Wieber '18 and Willie Noble '20 led several Martlet chances throughout the game. Wieber played two balls off of the post! Ned Blanchard '20 and Jacob Monroe '20 kept the pressure on when Wieber and his mates got a breather. Blanchard, Monroe, and their midfielder James Plumb '18 played some spectacular balls down the left side of the field. When Plumb left the game, Hayden Cathcart ‘18 replaced him. Cathcart had the best game of his young career. He played several balls back to the middle and he allowed his strikers to keep shooting on the Tiger keeper. While almost all of the Martlets played well, the day belonged to Riley Larsen '18. Although he is still learning the game, Larsen made his presence felt on the offensive end. In the second half, trailing 0-2, Nate Swift '19 played a floating ball from the middle of the field to Larsen as Larsen was streaking down the left side. Larsen pounced on one Tiger, tamed another one, and ended up with a perfect shot from the left side. Since Larsen kicks only with his right foot, he spun around and placed a ball across the face of the goalkeeper from an impossible angle. The ball zipped into the net and the Martlets cut the lead in half. The Martlet bench was fired up after that play and Westminster had several more opportunities. Unfortunately, time was running out on the Martlets. As the final whistle blew, the Tigers escaped with a 2-1 victory.
Soccer-Third Girls’
Oct. 26: Soccer-Third Girls’ v1 s Miss Porter's School 5
Oct. 28: Soccer-Third Girls’ 0 vs Suffield Academy 3
Despite Soccer Third Girls’ record, this was the team’s best game of the season. The defense played one of its better games, holding Suffield to only one goal in the second half.
Soccer-Fourth Boys’
Oct. 26: Soccer-Fourth Boys’ 1 vs Renbrook School 7
Aidan Wood ’20 scored on an assist by David DeFronzo ‘19. Carson Roth ’19 was a rock in goal.
Oct. 28: Soccer-Fourth Boys’ 0 vs Suffield Academy 1
Despite dominating the entire game and earning the praise of the official, fourth boys lost a heartbreaker to Suffield.
Oct. 29: Soccer-Fourth Boys’ 2 vs Taft School 5
Three games on four days proved too much for the Quad Squad and the team lost 2-5 to Taft. Kevin Kuang ’19 scored on an assist from Harry Stevenson ’20 and Charlie Flam ’20 scored unassisted from 70 feet out. Carson Roth ’19 continues to excel in goal.
Field Hockey-First Girls’
Oct. 26: Field Hockey-First Girls’ 2 vs Suffield Academy 0
Westminster played well against Suffield, but the team needed to be more ruthless in the circle. Westminster had a lot of time in the Suffield half, but struggled to score from open play, which is something the team will work on this week. The Martlets scored two nice goals from corners. Madie Bologa ’17 scored on the left post with a nice lifted tip-in and Maddy Paro ’17 scored directly with a shot to the left corner from the top of the circle.
Oct. 29: Field Hockey-First Girls’ 0 vs Hopkins School 0
Westminster traveled to Hopkins to play at its Homecoming. Westminster started slowly and Hopkins worked hard to make pressure in all areas of the field. The game was hard fought with both teams having chances. In overtime Westminster had most of the pressure, but no goal resulted. A draw was a fair result to a great contest.
Field Hockey-Second Girls’
Oct. 26: Field Hockey-Second Girls’ 3 vs Suffield 0 Academy
The Martlets traveled to Suffield for a game on a beautiful, chilly fall Wednesday. It was the first time the team had played together since Saturday because of the much-deserved long weekend. While the team played slower than it normally does, the Martlets still managed to dominate the play and successfully pass the ball up the field. Playing a nine-versus-nine game, the field had more open space that enabled the team to use and rely on each other more. Their sense of teamwork paid off with Sophia Gasser '18, Katie Kosior '18, and Abby Moss '20 making goals with the help of their teammates. The midfield (Gabby Nemarich '20, Chloe Ferro '20, Liz Murphy '19, Adena Ajike '19, Annabel Bradley '19 and Kosior) worked hard throughout the game to support both the offense and defense. Olivia Zhang '20 also played well and aggressively with this being one of her first games in the defensive end. The Martlets had a wonderful first day back winning the game 3-0. A great day for the team and the results show how quickly the Martlets can fly together again after a long weekend.
Oct. 28: Field Hockey-Second Girls’ 2 vs Granby High School 2
The team was looking forward to playing Granby High School’s thirds team again on a chilly October day. Without much time to warm up, the team started slow in the first half. The defense worked hard to get it out of its end and offense was able to bring it up a few times, however there weren’t many shots on goal. After halftime the Martlets were ready! The team went to the field and scored a goal within the first three minutes. The team had a breakaway, Abby Moss ‘20 took a well-placed shot but it was stopped by the goalie. Rebecca Sargent ‘20 was in the right place at the right time and pushed the ball into the goal for the first point. Granby came back with energy and scored its first point in the next minute. This still didn't throw the team off. The team worked hard and well together to keep the ball in its offensive end. Katie Kosior ‘18 scored the second goal off a corner. The Martlets held the lead for the next few minutes until Granby scored again. The game ended in a tie 2-2. It was a good effort by the team on such a cold day. The team is looking forward to its game against Hopkins tomorrow.
Oct. 29: Field Hockey-Second Girls’ 0 vs Hopkins School 3
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