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Winter Sports Highlights 12.5.16

Basketball-First Girls'
Dec. 3: Basketball-First Girls’ 38 vs Watkinson School 64
Westminster had a tough opener against a tall, talented, and competitive Watkinson squad. The team hung close for the first five minutes of the game, but succumbed to pressure and gave up too many second-chance baskets, and missed a few makeable shots to boot. The team found itself down 38-13 at half. To Westminster’s credit, the team’s effort never waned, and even though the visitors played their starters and pressed for most of the second half, the Martlets played them all but evenly to finish the game at 38-64. Frankly, the coaching staff can't remember a time when we've been so optimistic after a 26-point loss. Co-captains Oumou Kanoute '17 and McKenna Burelle '17 provided toughness and leadership and a combined four three-pointers. Emma Alpaugh '18 played the best game of her career, and third-former Jaclyn Laplante provided seven points off the bench.
 
Basketball-First Boys'
Dec. 3: Basketball-First Boys’ 71 vs Kingswood-Oxford School 66
The Martlets opened up the season against a gritty Kingswood team. Westminster led most of the way, but in the second half KO stormed back to take the lead late. Devonte McCall '17 led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Third former Chris Robinson '20 also had 15 points and 8 assists. Seniors Chris Swanson and Daniel Kong both played great defense and added seven points respectively. It was a nice way to start the new basketball season.
   
Basketball-Second Boys'
Dec. 2: Basketball-Second Boys’ 48 vs Eaglebrook School 54
Dec. 3: Basketball-Second Boys’ 32 vs Kingswood-Oxford School 31
 
Basketball-Third Boys'
Dec. 3: Basketball-Third Boys’ 31 vs Eaglebrook School 34
Lukas Dudzik ’19 scored a three-point shot to put the Martlets within three points of a tie with one minute remaining in the game. Despite a late turnover, Edward Lie-A-Cheong ’19 was not able to score to tie the game.
     
Hockey-First Girls'
Nov. 30: Hockey-First Girls’ 1 vs St. Mark's School 1
First Girls Hockey started the 2016-2017 season off with an incredibly exciting game against a visiting St. Mark's. The team needed the first few minutes to work out the nerves, but weathered the storm to find the rhythm needed to meet a talented and tough St. Mark's team. Captain Lily von Stade '17 led the way by doing the simple things in the defensive end and encouraging the newer younger players while on the bench. Westminster faced the first bit of adversity half way through the first period when St. Mark's capitalized on a shot from the point. Goalie Leah Klassen '17 was undeterred and came up big in the final minutes of the period. Westminster took the time between periods to re-group. The second period was much improved as the team began to make better decision with the puck in the defensive end. Lilly Holmes '18 helped the team gain momentum by making the most out of power play chances. Despite an increased tempo and focus, the team broke for the second intermission still down by one. The third period was full of back and forth play. Klassen continued to be solid in the net, giving the team opportunity to get back in it. Finally, with just under two minutes left, Westminster gained a power play. The coaches pulled the goalie and took a chance on six on four play. With just one minute left, Jill Parsons '19 managed to find the back of the net after a scramble in front. The game headed into overtime and Westminster was truly hitting its stride. The team was hungry and impressive shots by Emma Lange '18 and Lauren Ferriauolo '17 kept the momentum on Westminster's side. Yet, the clock ticked down and the game ended in the 1-1 tie. It was a great first effort by a young team.
 
Dec. 3: Hockey-First Girls’ 5 vs Hill School 1
Westminster First Girls’ Hockey took on a tough Hill School team this evening in Jackson Rink. Jill Parsons '19 started off the scoring in the first period as she walked out of the corner and slipped a quick wrist shot past the Hill goalie. The beginning of the second period belonged to the Hill squad as they built some momentum beating Westminster in one-on-one battles. Their efforts paid off as Hill scored to even it out 1-1 with a goal at the 13-minute mark. Westminster used this moment to re-group and get back to basics. Led by winger Mackenzie Griffith '17, each player kept their shifts quick and simple, being sure to do their job well. Ashlee White '18 found the back of the net by sending a low and hard puck from the point giving Westminster the lead yet again. Lilly Holmes '18 broke free from the Hill defense and scored a beautiful breakaway goal to make it 3-1 by the end of the period. The start of the third period was again back and forth as the Hill team did its best to log some offensive zonetime. Westminster goalie, Hannah Stone '18 gave them no chances as she perfectly played loose pucks and gave her team the confidence it needed to take control over the game. The team got its feet going and also earned some power plays. Holmes capitalized again on a man-up situation pulling the team ahead 4-1. Just moments later, the roles had reversed and Westminster was on the penalty kill. Taylor Adams '20 kept her stick in the lane and intercepted a cross-ice pass allowing for a breakaway. She opted for the quick shot to beat the goalie and give Westminster a commanding 5-1 lead. The game was a complete team effort.
 
Hockey-First Boys'
Dec. 2: Hockey-First Boys’ 2 vs Northfield Mount Hermon School 2
Westminster opened the season with a competitive, high-tempo match against Northfield Mount Hermon. The Martlets played battled in all areas of the ice, but despite 37 shots for the Martlets, they were only able to tally two goals. Kai Edmonds ‘19 had 19 saves on the night and NMH tallied two goals — one late in the first period and another in the third period. Westminster’s first goal was scored by #16 Tasso Housakos ‘18 assisted by #13 Peter Horsfall ‘17. The Martlets other goal in the second period was netted by #20 Will Gilson ’20 on a tipped shot from #24 Brandon Slawaska ‘19.
 
Hockey-Second Girls'
Dec. 3: Hockey-Second Girls' 3 vs Lady Bulldogs 4
The team took on the Lady Bulldogs, a U14 club team out of Brewster, N.Y. With only a few hours of ice time leading up the game, the Martlets did an excellent job rising to the challenge. The first two periods saw goals from Susie Mahoney ‘20 (assisted by Natalie Rubin ‘18), Maddy Paro ‘17 (off a breakaway by Kendall Brown ‘17), and Rubin (assisted by Mahoney). Lily Farriss ’19 had an amazing game between the posts for the first two periods recording 20 saves. With a short bench and not much time to prepare, the Martlets came up short in the third period with a final score of 3-4. And a special thank you goes to Blake Cote ‘19 for coming down to help out on defense.
 
Hockey-Second Boys'
Dec. 2: Hockey-Second Boys’ 4 vs Eaglebrook School 0
The team opened its season by hosting Eaglebrook School and skated away with a 4-0 victory. The Martlets entered the game with just one practice under its belt but managed to piece together several minutes of quality play to earn the win. Westminster's first goal of the season came off a solo effort by Darian Benchich '20 who stole the puck during a shorthanded situation and roofed it for a 1-0 lead. Later in the first period, Max Powers '17 weaved through several opponents and fired a low shot into the Eaglebrook net to put the Martlets up by two. The black and gold spent most of the second period in the penalty box but smart and aggressive penalty killing kept the pesky visitors off the scoreboard. The home team got two more tallies in the final frame. Jack Griffith '17 finished a pretty Benchich pass to gain a three-goal advantage. Minutes later, Griffith scored again after receiving a nifty pass from Jeffery Guiliano '17 to cap the 4-0 win. Spencer Rellinger '17 made 19 saves for the Martlets. Given the lack of practice, this initial game was very sloppy at times; nevertheless, it was evident that the Seconds have the makings of a very competitive squad this season.
 
Dec. 3: Hockey-Second Boys’ 3 vs Cardigan Mountain School 2
Second Boys', playing in their second game in 24 hours, defeated a good Cardigan Mountain team by a score of 3-2. After a scoreless first period, Cardigan got on the board midway through the second frame, taking advantage of a Martlet defensive breakdown. However, with only six ticks on the second period clock, Jack Griffith '17 intercepted the puck in neutral ice and made a sweet outside-in move and accurate shot to knot the game at 1-1. Early in the third period, Westminster's Max Powers ’17 came roaring in from the blueline to bang home a loose puck to give the Martlets a one-goal advantage. Unfortunately, at the six-minute mark, some sloppy defensive crease play led to Cardigan getting the equalizer. However, the home team dug deep and put together some excellent shifts late in the game. They were ultimately rewarded when Quinn Armstrong '20 found blueliner Jake Szykowny '17 who sent a nice low shot towards the far post. After an initial stop, Brett Daubert '20 collected the rebound and slammed the puck past the Cardigan goalie with only two minutes remaining. It was a classic, great puck movement goal. Cardigan pulled its goalie with over a minute to go, but the black and gold played with confidence and poise to prevent any further damage and secured a 3-2 win. Alex Gadowski '18 made 14 saves on the day. The Martlets improved their structure and play after each period and deserved their second win in as many days. In the coaches’ estimation, Szykowny and Merlin Ennis '17 played the best game of their career on defense for the winning team. The team and coaches would like to thank all the parents who provided the pizza, drinks and brownies following the game.
 
Hockey-Third Boys'
Dec. 3: Hockey-Third Boys’ 6 vs Berkshire School 4
With two practices to begin laying the foundation for the Thirds Boys’ 2016-17 campaign, the team ventured to Berkshire Bear country for a 4:30 p.m. tilt against its perennially tough opponent. Riding on the solid performances of Will Scott '20 and Malcolm Kleban '20, who split the goal tending duties, the Martlets emerged with a nice 6-4 victory that relied more on past hockey experiences and instincts than preparation, structure, and a deliberate style of play. There were plenty of momentum shifts during this contest and just when a Martlet victory seemed secured with a third stanza lead of 6-3, Berkshire answered back with two quick ones, pressuring the Martlets and peppering Kleban between the pipes. The Martlets early strong play was enough, however, to put this one in the books. Notable performances, among others, included Grant Noble '18 (2,0), Ryan Szykowny, '18 (2,0), Sam Leopold '18 (1,0), and SK Lee '18 (1,0), who converted on a beautiful wrist shot. The other highlight goal of the game included Carson Roth's '19 sneaky pass to a back door breaking Szykowny who roofed a wrist shot and turned a few heads along the way. All three centers -- Josh Cosentino '18, Jack Murdoch '19 and Mason Horrigan '18 -- had solid efforts helping manage the defensive zone.
 
Squash-First Girls'
Dec. 3: Squash-First Girls’ 4 vs Loomis Chaffee 3
The girls started their season with a close win at Loomis. Four-year first teamer and captain Abby Leblanc '17 got the win at #1, displaying a strong all-around game in a straight setter. Girls competing in their first First Team matches earned the other three points at the bottom of the ladder. Katie Kosior '18 won in three at #5, as did Lucy Noel '18 at #7. In the tightest match of the day, Caroline Kelter '19 was down 1-2 before storming back to take the last two games at 0 and 1. Rebecca Sargent '20 added a straight set win in her exhibition match.
 
Squash-First Boys’
Dec. 3: Squash-First Boys’ 7 vs Salisbury School 0
The Martlets opened their season with a strong 7-0 win against Salisbury today. Early on, the match felt like a 4-3 match. Westminster was debuting four new players in the line-up: #3 Andrew Doucette ‘18, #5 Connor Seeley ‘18, #6 Sean Ryan ‘18, and #7 Matthew Swenson ‘17. Salisbury took 2-0 leads at #2 and #4, while Ryan earned the first point for the team with a steady, controlled three game win. Both Chanler Miller ’18 and captain Will Leathers ’17 fought back at #4 and #2 respectively, winning in five games. Miller used some pace and stepped up in the court to turn his match around. Leathers channeled his frustration and played smarter, avoiding the deft touch and strong forehand of his opponent. Their intensity sparked the team. Seeley also had a five game victory. He was at his best using control and precision down the rails, absorbing the heavy pace and angles off of his opponent's racquet. Doucette played three dominant games featuring volley drops, lobs and hard rails, but he let up after the first game and lost game two 9-11. Aly Tolba ’18 was in full control at #1, allowing only two points total in all three games. It was Swenson, though, who was more impressive with a number of service aces and a winning strategy, which he executed to perfection. Coach Peter Doucette said it was a great team effort to start the season. He awarded match balls to Swenson, Miller, and Leathers.
 
Squash-Second Boys'
Dec. 3: Squash-Second Boys’ 5 vs Suffield Academy 2
The Martlets opened the 2016-2017 season with a 5-2 victory over Suffield Academy in a match played at the Kohn Squash pavilion. Overall the match was quite competitive with three individual matches going to four games and one decided in five games. Khalil Walker '19 was his own worst enemy at #2, hitting too many tins and ultimately losing (5), (12), (7). At #4 Mac Dye '20 split the first four games with his opponent before bearing down to take the deciding game 11-7. To finish off the first round, Nate Swift '19 played very smart squash, keeping his opponent on the defensive, in a 5, 4, 10 victory. So the Black and Gold entered the second round with a narrow 2-1 advantage over the Tigers. Jack Sargent '17 faced a strong opponent at #1, but he didn't flinch, using his athleticism to power his way to a 7, 11, 5 three-game win. At #7 Gus Hartman '20 won his first game 11-1 and then promptly lost the second game 8-11. But Hartman regrouped and fought hard in the third game, coming back from a 7-10 deficit to win the game 13-11, and, having regained the momentum, he finished off the match with an 11-6 win in the fourth game. In the two remaining contests, evenly matched opponents battled hard, with Ethan Na '19 losing in four games, (9), 8, (9), (10), and Nate Londal '19 winning in four games, 6, (4), 4, 9. All in all, it was a good effort for the Martlets in their first contest of the year with many of the boys playing their first matches wearing the black and gold uniform. Kudos also to the Tigers for their spirited play. Coach Blank has his boys improving fast and he and Coach Cervas talked about scheduling a rematch for sometime later this year.
 
Squash-Third Boys'
Dec. 3: Squash-Third Boys’ 0 vs Eaglebrook School 10
Westminster opened its season against a young but experienced Eaglebrook squad. Despite a valiant effort, the team was unable to win a match. The brothers Ryan Lee ’18 (#3) and Scott Lee ’20 (#8) played somewhat parallel matches, losing the first two games and then coming back to take the third by two points, Ryan winning 11-9 and Scott winning 13-11. Unfortunately, they then both succumbed in the fourth game. At the top of the ladder, Jack Hajdukiewicz ’18 (#1) and Spencer Organ ’18 (#2), found themselves up against two very worthy opponents who varied their shots throughout the match and made few unforced errors. At #4 and #5, Travis Paulsen ’20 and Vincent Wang ’19 played smart and gritty squash, but couldn’t find their rhythm to maintain a consistent level of play. Will Carlisle ’19 (#6) battled throughout his match and was only a few shots away from turning things around in each game. Carter Henshaw ’20, Dinh Truong ’19 and Quoc Truong ’20, playing at #7, #9, and #10, faced opponents whose excellent shot making capabilities kept them off-balance for each point. This match was a great learning experience for the players, eight of whom were playing their first-ever squash match.
 
Swimming/Diving-First Girls'
Dec. 3: Swimming/Diving-First Girls’ 68 vs St. George's School 95
The Westminster girls traveled to Newport, R.I. to kick off their season but fell to a large and talented squad from St. George’s. There were several bright spots in the Martlets first competitive outing, including a win in the 100 Fly from co-captain Leta Giordano '17, who also placed second in the 200 Freestyle, and a second place finish from co-captain Elizabeth Brewer '17 in the 500 Freestyle. Newcomer Alexandra Lin '19 placed second in the 100 Back and swam a speedy leg on the 400 Freestyle Relay along with Giordano, co-captain Nathali Madrid '17 and Ally Marenco '18 to place second in that race. Dallis Alvarez '18 and Shannon Keefe '19 also had some fast swims in their first races of the season.
 
Swimming/Diving-First Boys'
Dec. 3: Swimming/Diving-First Boys’ 71 vs St. George's School 86
The Westminster boys made the trip to Newport, R.I. to open the 2016-17 season against an experienced team from St. George’s. Despite the loss, the Martlets won several races, including a fast and thrilling victory by co-captain Jordan Gabbidon '17 in the 100 Fly in which the margin of victory was a mere .04 seconds. Matt Norris '19 finished third in the 100 Fly with his best time, and swam an impressive 500 Freestyle to win that event easily. Albert Gao '18 swam a good early-season 100 Backstroke race, good for third place, and the 200 Freestyle Relay team of co-captain Joel Groves '17, co-captain Gary Simons '17, Norris, and Gabbidon finished second. Several newcomers had big debuts, including Emmett de Kanter '19 in the 50 and 100 Freestyle races, Hayden Cathcart '18 in the 50 Free and 100 Breaststroke, and Jack Detwiler '19 in the 50 Free and 100 Back. Overall, it was a fine showing to start the season.
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