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Winter Sports Highlights 2.11.19

Basketball - First Girls'
Feb. 7: Basketball - First Girls’ 41 vs. Capital Prep 21
Westminster had its most decisive victory of the year in front of the largest, loudest crowd it’s had all season! Our triumvirate of Third Form starters — Bella Tawney, Margaret Kennedy and Sam de Kanter — were the three leading scorers and generally had excellent all-around games. Kennedy in particular showed poise and great vision and added five assists and had a number of steals. Ridgely Green '20 made a triumphant return from injury and had six points, six rebounds and several steals.
 
Feb. 9: Basketball - First Girls’ 25 vs. Berkshire School 53
Westminster was never really in this, down 18-1 after six minutes and 39-11 at halftime. With a depleted bench due to three injuries and an ACT test, the eight girls fought much harder and played the host Bears even in the second half. Ella Varano '21 tallied her career-high in points; Sam de Kanter '22 led the team in scoring and Bella Tawney '22 led the team in rebounds.
 
Basketball - First Boys'
Feb. 6: Basketball - First Boys’ 60 vs. Pomfret School 67 (OT)
Westminster and Pomfret seem to be two evenly matched teams. That’s exactly how the game was played. Both teams went on multiple offensive runs throughout the game. The game went to OT just like the first match up during the KO winter tournament. This time Pomfret prevailed due to some careless mistakes of the Martlets. However, captain Kyle Hoffman ‘19, captain Chris Robinson ‘20, Tavian Montanez ‘21 and Jack Devlin ’20 all played hard for the Martlets.
 
Feb. 8: Basketball - First Boys’ 65 vs. Suffield Academy 74
The Martlets traveled to Suffield Academy for a 5:30 p.m. showdown Feb. 8. Both teams played well to start the game. After Suffield went up by 17, the Martlets battled back and closed that deficit. Late in the second half, the game was tied 64-64 and it came down to free throws. Suffield took the game in the closing minute. Chris Robinson ‘20 led all scorers with 24 points. Kyle Hoffman ‘19 played his best defensive game of the season. Tavian Montanez ‘21 also played a solid all-around game.
 
Feb. 9: Basketball - First Boys’ 74 vs. Gunnery School 60
The Martlets came out and set the tone early. The team jumped to an early lead and never looked back. Everyone who dressed for the game was able to play. Joel Pullen ‘20 led the Martlets with 20 points. Kyle Hoffman ‘19 also played well, while recording a double double. It was a great team win.
 
Basketball - Second Boys'
Feb. 6: Basketball - Second Boys’ 36 vs. Pomfret School 47
Trailing by four with two and half minutes left, Westminster had to start fouling Pomfret, who showed signs that it would hold the ball for the rest of regulation. The Griffins unfortunately hit all their foul shots to extend their lead and ensure the win. Westminster went seven for 13 from the charity stripe themselves. The Martlets led 19-15 after the first half, but their offense and defense in the second half were a bit stymied. Lukas Dudzik '19 finished with 10 points and eight rebounds. Raymond Liu '22 scored all nine of his points in the first half.
 
Feb. 8: Basketball - Second Boys' 38 vs. Suffield Academy 65
A well-prepared Suffield squad overwhelmed the Martlets on Feb. 8. Westminster was looking for any sort of positive contribution on the court, whether it was athletically or mentally. They finally received a strong effort from center Harry Stevenson '20, whose overall play stood out amongst the others.’
 
Feb. 9: Basketball - Second Boys’ 62 vs. Gunnery School 59
Another capacity crowd witnessed a Second Boys barnburner as Westminster held on tightly until the final buzzer, securing the victory with timely free throw shooting from Eddie Lie-A-Cheong '19, Lukas Dudzik '19, Henry Mitrano '19 and Zachary Burelle '20. The high-flying action started early in the first half as the Martlets were firing on all cylinders, creating chaos on defense and ultimately jumping out to a 17-2 lead, mostly on the back of Third Former Cooper Kistler '22, whose 11 first-half points led the charge. Foul trouble, however, allowed The Gunnery to climb back within 10 at halftime. Westminster was faster and more organized, but its mental lapses allowed the Highlanders to grab too many offensive rebounds and create nonsensical turnovers in the second half. Playing by committee, the Martlets thankfully responded; Kistler, Dudzik, Teddy Schellbach '20 and Raymond Liu '22 showed uncanny leadership, poise and control. The end of the game came down to a last second opportunity for the Highlanders, who had to go the length of the court in five seconds to try to tie the game. Schellbach had other plans. Stepping on the sideline, he made perhaps the defensive play of the game, moving his feet and turning the ball handler around, thus thwarting any chance of overtime play. The game would belong to the Martlets. Schellbach finished with nine points and nine rebounds; Lie-A-Cheong, 11 points with six boards; Kistler, 12 points; Dudzik, 12 points; Liu, eight and three; and Mitrano, eight points and couple rebounds.
 
Basketball - Third Boys'
Feb. 6: Basketball - Third Boys’ 24 vs. Loomis Chaffee 42
The Martlets of Westminster Thirds Basketball came fresh out of winter long weekend with a thirst for salt water, seeking out the Loomis Chaffee pelicans for their midafternoon feast. The first half began with haste, both Hunter "2Chainz" Hoogkamp '21 and Ben "I Believe that's not Butter" Mihailovich '22 leading the charge offensively while Vincent "Spork" von Nordeck '21 showed both grit and grace on the court defensively. The game quickly became hotter than the pacific sun, and though the Martlets managed to stay within meager points of the pelicans (and often pulling ahead), the first half concluded at 11-24 with the pelicans ahead. Loomis had not seen the last of the Martlets; the second half brought new energy as Ben "Quarter-Pounder with Cheese" Li '21 had a banner shift in terms of shooting. Honorable mention will also go to Sam "Gimme the Juice" Obeng '22 for remarkable play in the second half.
 
Feb. 9: Basketball - Third Boys’ 22 vs. Taft School 62
The Westminster Martlets of Thirds Boys’ basketball donned their finest gold chains and shiniest shoes for a tilt against the Taft Rhinos, and their opponent presented with fierce horns, indeed. The boys held strong at the start, with Hunter "Bieber Fever" Hoogkamp '21 sinking a 3-pointer to start the game as well as banner defensive play by Jack "Par for the Course" Roberts '20. The game slipped through their fingers like the sands of Babylon as the Rhinos plodded their way forward, leaving the Martlets down 10-25 at the half. Little progress was made in the second, and despite double trouble Bens (Ben "Jolly Rancher" Li '21 and Ben "Everything Bagel" Mihailovich '22), the boys could not take the game. Honorable mention to Lucas "Pelé" Wahlberg ’21 for great effort on defense in the second half, winning the team's "Heart and Soul" award for this week.
 
Hockey - First Girls'
Feb. 6: Hockey - First Girls’ 2 vs. Deerfield Academy 2
Westminster hit the road again to take on a very tough Deerfield Academy team. After the first 16 minutes the teams were locked in a 0-0 tie. The second period was full of more back and forth play, but Westminster brought the pressure hemming its opponents in the offensive zone. Despite the good forecheck, the Martlets had a hard time getting good shots on net. Deerfield turned the play slipped one past the goal line with just three minutes remaining. To start the third period, Westminster was determined to claw its way back in. Great forechecking by Emma Gurnell '21 drew a penalty and the Martlets took the ice for the power play advantage. The unit moved the puck efficiently as Taylor Adams '20 slipped the puck to a breaking Abby Munger '20 who took a quick shot through Jill Parsons '19 screen. Megan Rittenhouse '20 buried the rebound and tied the score at 1-1. With the momentum on its side, Westminster continued to pressure with great chances from Betsy Winslow '21 and Margaret Sadak '22. In the offensive flurry, Westminster was called for a tripping penalty and Deerfield made the man advantage count as it took the lead 2-1 with eight minutes left. The Martlets banded together and did not let the sudden turn of the tide affect them. With just five minutes left, Munger and Rittenhouse worked a perfect regroup to a breaking Jenny Guider '20 who took the puck wide and used the defenseman as a screen to float the puck up and over the Deerfield goalie's shoulder. With the score locked at 2-2 Westminster went on the hunt for the win. Parsons and Casey Winslow '21 earned a 2-on-1 and Winslow's shot just missed by hitting the post. As the teams faced overtime, the Martlets leaned on one another even more. Goalie Kayla Ireland '22 was outstanding as she made important saves to start the OT. Despite one more odd-man rush with just 40 seconds left, Westminster could not pull off the sudden victory. It was a very exciting game and another example of what this group is capable of when they stick together.
 
Feb. 9: Hockey - First Girls’ 2 vs. Noble and Greenough 8
Westminster traveled up to Massachusetts to face off against a talented Nobles team. The Martlets had a good start when Taylor Adams '20 drove hard to the net off a pass from Hailey Tullo '22 and slid the puck past the Nobles goalie to get the 1-0 lead. In the final minutes of the period, Nobles earned a power play and capitalized on the advantage bring the game to a 1-1 tie after the first. About half way through the second things didn't go Westminster's way as a few lucky bounces meant odd man rushes that put Nobles up 4-1. Jill Parsons '19 answered with a beautiful goal off a pass from Abby Munger '20. The third period brought more challenges for the Martlets at their opponents were awarded a penalty shot that would expand the lead. Westminster faced the adversity together and continued to play hard, earning good chances and power play opportunities. Games like this one require a good deal of Grit and Grace and the team held each other accountable as it stuck together to finish hard.
 
Hockey - First Boys'
Feb. 6: Hockey - First Boys’ 2 vs. Hotchkiss School 2
Before the long weekend, the Martlets were rolling, playing their fast, physical, high-tempo game and playing it well. Their game against Hotchkiss was not quite as precise and focused as some of the contests before the weekend. Unusual indecision with the puck, and ultimately a lack of will to win (from both teams really) defined this game. Westminster shied away from the physical side of the game, and neither team was sharp. Quinn Armstrong ‘20 opened the scoring in the second period, but Hotchkiss answered quickly. Nate Pane ‘19 would notch another tally late in the second, heading into the locker room at 2-1 after two periods. Hotchkiss earned one back in the third, and the Martlets would play another OT game. There were chances on both sides, and Ian Shane ‘20 stood tall for the Martlets in the extra frame. Westminster would earn an offensive opportunity with only a few seconds remaining in OT, but to no avail.
 
Feb. 8: Hockey - First Boys’ 3 vs. Choate Rosemary Hall 0
With better will and want, the Martlets logged another win, number 11 on the season, against Choate Feb. 8. Ian Shane ‘20 was critical in this win, making some great saves in the opening two periods before his team was able to stretch its lead. Iggy Belov ‘20, Jordie McKenna ‘19 and Sean Clarke ‘19 were the goal scorers in this one, spreading the scoring with one in each period. To their credit, Choate played hard throughout, but Westminster battled out the win.
 
Feb. 9: Hockey - First Boys’ 2 vs. Pomfret School 0
In another busy week with three games from Wednesday to Saturday, Westminster traveled to Pomfret to face a Griffin team clinging to the last postseason spot in the small school tournament. Pomfret has played many teams close this winter, though the Martlets would get the best of them in this one. Westminster carried the play for most of the game, controlling tempo and puck possession. Pomfret generated some high-quality chances of turnovers deep in Westminster’s defensive zone, but were unable to sustain any pressure. Their goalie was the key to this one, able to keep this game tight. Westminster broke open the scoring on a power play in the first when Jordie McKenna ‘19 fired a shot from the left face off circle that beat the goalie short side high. The Martlets held on to that lead through the second and added to it late in the second when Jake Monroe ‘20 made a strong move to the front, tucking one in tight on the short side. The third period was probably Westminster’s best, but the Pomfret goalie played well. Ian Shane ‘20, as always, played great, making 24/24 saves. Shots, in the end, were 41-24 good guys.
 
Hockey - Second Girls'
Feb. 6: Hockey - Second Girls’ 5 vs. Simsbury High School 2
Taking the ice at Jackson Rink for the last time, Sixth Formers Greta Baker, Megan Cournoyer, Blake Cote, Layla Ennis, Julia Krys, Liz Murphy, Susie Renehan and Natalie Rubin went out in style — with dominant play and tiaras taped to their helmets. Strong goal keeping from Simsbury kept the game scoreless until midway through the first period, when Rubin posted the Martlets’ first goal. As the first period came to a close, Cournoyer added a second goal, off a perfect pass from Cote. Simsbury fought back and tallied the only goal in the second period. Westminster, however, would dominate the third period with Renehan scoring a beautiful goal, Krys stopping a breakaway and Cote taking the puck back down the ice to score. In a game fittingly showcasing the talents of the team’s Sixth Formers, the final goal signaled a changing of the guard, with Susie Mahoney ’20 scoring with an assist from Claire Taylor ’21.
 
Hockey - Second Boys'
Feb. 6: Hockey - Second Boys’ 5 vs. Hotchkiss School 3
Still shorthanded by illness and injury, and clearly a bit rusty from the long winter weekend, the Seconds hosted the always-tough Hotchkiss Bearcats at Jackson Rink. Backstopped by the steady play of goalie Jack Schroeder '22, who had 31 saves, the Martlets played well enough – emphasis on the "well enough" – to post a 5-3 victory. With 32 total shots of its own, Westminster built a 3-0 lead in the second period, but the Bearcats took advantage of two defensive breakdowns to tighten the game to 3-2. Ryan Huntley '21 scored Westminster's first two goals, one in the first period and one in the second, both on breakaways he generated when he forced turnovers in neutral ice. Using his speed to create a bit of separation from the pursuing Hotchkiss defensemen, Huntley scored virtual carbon-copy goals, albeit one from the left side and one from the right: on the first, he toe-dragged through the feet of the Hotchkiss D along the left wall, then made a quick move to the net before sliding the puck underneath the Bearcat keeper's pads; on the second he broke to the right wall before making a nearly identical move to make it 2-0. Ben Michaud '22 increased the Westminster lead to 3-0 a few minutes after Huntley's second tally when he rifled home a wrist shot from the high slot. That goal was started by Walker Jones '20, who made the smart play dumping the puck just inside the center line, then won the race to the puck in the Hotchkiss end. Joined by Aidan Petrie '20, the two forechecked hard and secured possession of the puck; Petrie pushed the puck to Jones, who made a great pass to Michaud. But with the score 3-0, the Martlets relaxed a little too much. Hotchkiss earned its first goal by outworking the Black and Gold in front of Schroeder and knocking in a loose puck; a bit of good body play was called for but went unanswered. They earned their second when a Bearcat forward negated an icing call by out-hustling a Westminster defensemen to create a 1-on-3 against. The ensuing tic-tac-toe play made it 3-2 (the other four Martlets were, frankly, trailing the play and defensively MIA). Late in the second period, the Martlets restored the two-goal lead when Matt Lewin '20, on rehab assignment from the Big Club, made a great play down low in the Hotchkiss end and fed the puck to Huntley, who wrapped it around the far post to the waiting Petrie for the goal. In the third period and the score 4-2, Westminster and Hotchkiss traded goals: the Martlets scored first when David Harris '21 bunted home a midair rebound to make it 5-2 – his first goal of the season and well earned given his overall good play this year. Will Mazzaro '21 had taken the initial shot on net, pouncing on a rebound from an Alex Tonioni '22 shot from the point. This is the kind of hardworking "ugly" goal the Martlets haven't been scoring of late but are always needed to win hockey games against tough opponents. Both Mazzaro and Tonioni earned assists on the play; Tonioni was +3 for the game to lead the Martlet blueliners. Hotchkiss kept working and responded later in the third when a bit of puck-watching allowed a Bearcat forward to gather a quick pass from a teammate below the goal line and roof the puck over Schroeder's left shoulder. That made three goals against Westminster, all the result of less than assiduous defensive play. That will have to be corrected if the Martlets are going to compete against some of the teams that await on the schedule. The good news is the scoring for the game, as the Seconds were able to batten down the hatches and kill the game in the waning minutes. Credit is due Hotchkiss, as the Bearcats worked hard right to the final whistle.
 
Hockey - Second Boys'
Feb. 9: Hockey - Second Boys’ 3 vs. Choate Rosemary Hall 4
The Seconds traveled to Wallingford to face the Wild Boars of Choate for a 5 p.m. Saturday game — a challenging task in any circumstances made doubly so as the team missed the services of several key players owing to illness and injury. The Founders League rivals had battled to a 0-0 tie at Jackson Rink in January, so this game promised to be an exacting test — and neither team disappointed the assembled fans. Three separate times the Wild Boars took the lead, and each time the Martlets dug in and managed to tie the game. But with 1:40 left in the overtime session, the hosts won a face-off in the Westminster end and worked the puck to their right point defenseman, who fired a shot through the heavy traffic in front of keeper Jack Schroeder '22 for the sudden-death win. Schroeder, who had 23 total saves, played his usual steady game but was the victim of a few unlucky bounces and bad breaks. For their part the Martlets, who fired 28 shots on the Choate net, played a gritty game throughout even though the game-time lineup included only 15 players. Choate opened the scoring in the first period while Westminster was on the powerplay when a Wild Boar forward fired a puck from the far corner along the goal line where a crashing teammate, entangled with a Westminster defender, somehow managed to deflect the puck past Schroeder. The Martlets evened the score later in the period on a pretty combination play: Nate Stevens '21, after pinching along the near boards, won the puck and dropped it back to Aidan Petrie '20. Petrie quickly passed it along the offensive blue line to Alex Tonioni '22 — who played an exceptionally strong overall game — and Tonioni fired a low, hard shot that beat the Choate keeper cleanly on the near post. Choate regained the lead early in the second period when a forward threw the puck from below the goal line to the front of the Martlet net, where it caromed off a Black and Gold skate and underneath Schroeder's pads. But again Westminster answered: two minutes later Matt Lewin '20 won a loose puck just inside the Martlet blue line and took off down the near boards, beating the Choate defender before cutting inside and burying the puck in the top corner. Unfortunately, that lead did not last long. Choate made the score 2-3 when a quick passing play left a Choate forward open on the far face off circle; Schroeder cut the angle quickly but the shot slipped by him on the near side. But in this crazy back-and-forth second period Westminster kept battling and Will Rizzo '21, receiving a pass from Stevens to break out of the defensive zone, led a two-on-one break with line mate Newt Cutler '22. Cutler drove hard to the net, and that gave Rizzo the space to fire the puck past the goalie and knot the game at 3 goals apiece. That's how the second period ended. The third period, while scoreless, was not uneventful; both teams had their chances and both keepers made their share of solid saves. With fewer than two minutes on the clock, the Martlets seemed to have a real chance to steal the win as the puck bounced around in a mad scramble in front of the Choate net before a defenseman was able to knock it into the corner; in truth the Martlets had the balance of the play in the final five minutes of the game. The OT was likewise a thriller: the Martlets earned a power play and generated several quality scoring chances that went for naught as the Wild Boar keeper made save after save and kept his team in the game. Choate killed the penalty off, and then a Westminster icing led to the fateful face-off that resulted in sudden victory for home side. While certainly a disappointing outcome, the coaches cannot be disappointed in the effort or the play of the team. The squad played a solid 50 minutes and showed real character chasing the lead for most of that time.
 
Hockey - Third Boys'
Feb. 8: Hockey - Third Boys’ 4 vs. Upland Country Day School 5
In a back and forth battle all the way through, the Westminster Thirds showed resilience, but ultimately fell short of securing its first W of the season with 40 seconds to go. Walker Jones '20 started the scoring off from the first shift with a nifty deke and finish, and a blue line shot from Rex Flinn '21, his first of two on the day, found its way to the back of the net shortly thereafter to put the boys up 2-0. Two quick Upland goals before the end of the period swung the momentum back, before, yet again the first line of David Harris '21, Wick Carter '19 and Jones put in another at the start of the period. Up 3-2, and with a head full of steam, Flinn put in his second of the day off a great individual effort. Upland, however, would claw its way back tying it up in the third and putting in the decisive tally with under a minute to go.
 
Feb. 9: Hockey - Third Boys’ 1 vs. Salisbury School 3
The boys came out against a Salisbury team that put a 8-0 beating on them just a few weeks ago, and showed just how far they've come. A 0-0 first period before Salisbury opened the scoring against a screened Rich Mugler '22, who had one of his strongest games in an already strong season. Salisbury put in one more, and a "too-many-men" penalty put Westminster in quite a hole opening the third period. The game plan was to kill off the penalty, score and quickly take ahold of the momentum going into the second half of the third period. The boys did just that. Moments after gaining even strength, Charlie von Stade '21 found line mate Kendrick Freeman '21 in the neutral zone, and Kendrick buried it behind the Salisbury goalie to bring the score to 2-1. With everything going our way, the Martlets shot themselves in the foot with a few bad penalties that, while miraculously killed off, left the team with just under two minutes to even things up. A 6-on-4 opportunity with Mugler pulled presented a few close chances at the end of the game before a loose puck found its way onto the stick of a Salisbury forward, who passed it into the empty net.
 
Squash - First Boys'
Feb. 6: Squash - First Boys’ 2 vs. Williston Northampton School 5
Despite missing three players who were out with the flu, the Martlets battled hard against the Wildcats of Williston, ultimately losing 2-5. Alex Unruh '22 won a four-game match at No. 1 (9, (9), 3, 8) and Nate Londal '19 gutted out a five-game victory at No. 3 (5, 10, (10), (5), 5). Sean Gregg '22 playing up at No. 2 and Ethan Na '19 playing up at No. 4 both lost in straight games although Na's match was very competitive (he lost 9-11, 7-11, 8-11). The three Second team players called up to replace the sick Martlets all acquitted themselves nicely. Peter Miller '22 lost in four games at No. 5, Scott Lee '20 lost in four games at No. 6 (including a 10-12 loss and an 11-13 loss) and Mac Dye '20 lost in four games at No. 7, losing the pivotal third game 10-12 after taking a 10-7 lead.
 
Squash - Second Girls'
Feb. 6: Squash - Second Girls’ 5 vs. Williston Northampton School 2
Long weekend is a welcomed respite from the grueling squash season; however, Westminster was rusty from its time away and showed it against Williston. After dropping matches at Nos. 1 and 2, Westminster swept Nos. 3-8 to earn the 5-2 victory. Olivia Zhang '20, Shelby Oken and Daniela Mays-Sanchez '20 were dominant at Nos. 3, 4 and 6 respectively in 3-0 victories. Anna Veber '21 struggled early and dropped the first two games before prevailing 3-2. Wheatley Sutro '22 also won in five at No. 8. Sixth Form-captain Elaina Comia ‘19 played the match of the day. She outlasted a very determined opponent in four games 3-1. Comia wore down her opponent by utilizing all four corners of the court and forcing her into weak returns.
 
Feb. 8: Squash - Second Girls’ 7 vs. Suffield Academy 0
Westminster won handily Feb. 8 when the team traveled to Suffield to face the Tigers. The girls did not concede a single game all afternoon. Bennett Ghriskey '22 played the match of the day when she faced Suffield's No. 6 player during the exhibition round. She featured an impressive backhand serve and kept her opponent off balance with a good mix of deep drives and clever drops.
 
Squash - Second Boys'
Feb. 6: Squash - Second Boys’ 1 vs. Williston Northampton School 6
Missing six of the top 14 players on the First and Second teams, a Martlet squad patched together with lower Seconds players and top Thirds players lost to a gritty and talented Williston team 1-6 in a match played in Easthampton. The boys played hard despite playing much higher (four to six places higher) on the ladder than normal. Ian Lee '21 was the only Martlet to win a match as he prevailed at No. 2 in a five-game tussle (3), 8, 7, (6), 8. Nate Chaves '19 played well in a four-game loss at No. 4, as did all three players who were called up from the Thirds. William Mell '21 and Charlie Pappas '22 lost in hard-fought four-game matches at Nos. 5 and 6 respectively, and Dinh Truong '19 pushed his opponent to five games at No. 7.
 
Feb. 8: Squash - Second Boys’ 0 vs. Eaglebrook School 8
With all but one of their players back in action, the Martlets faced off against a young but supremely talented squad from Eaglebrook, ultimately losing 0-8. Nevertheless, coach Michael Cervas was pleased both with the boys' effort and with the quality of their play. Especially noteworthy was Ian Lee '21 who took 20 total points in his contest at No. 7 and who has been improving dramatically over the past three weeks. Ral Reyes '21 also played good squash, hustling all over the court to keep balls alive. Zach Eckerson '21 played against the No. 1 ranked under-12 boy in the country and pushed him hard, losing (5), (8), (5).  
 
Squash - Third Girls'
Feb. 9: Squash - Third Girls’ 7 vs. Choate Rosemary Hall 0
All members of the team displayed good playing and effort that led Westminster to yet another victory this season.
 
Squash - Third Boys'
Feb. 8: Squash - Third Boys’ 0 vs. Eaglebrook School 12
Playing a rare Friday afternoon match, the Martlets lost to a deep and talented Eaglebrook squad. Charlie Pappas '22 got off to a good start, winning his first game 11-9, but was unable to maintain his momentum. After losing his first two games, Will Mell '21 rallied nicely to win the third decisively, only to run out of steam in the fourth. Meanwhile, Jeremy Hopsicker '22 was only a few points away from tying up his match at two games apiece, but ended up losing 13-11. Kudos go out to Connor Eddy '21, who despite falling short in his match, played his best squash of the season in the second game, a see-saw battle that his opponent finally eked out, 15-13.
 
Feb. 9: Squash - Third Boys’ 0 vs. Choate Rosemary Hall 8
Playing their second match in as many days, the Martlets gave it their all but came up short against a solid Choate team. Will Mell '21 and Charlie Pappas '22 were actually playing their third match in four days, having been called up Wednesday to play at Williston for the JV. Not surprisingly, both players ran out of gas in the fourth game of their respective matches. Jeremy Hopsicker '22 found himself in a real slugfest, as both he and his opponent hit all-out on almost every point. Down 2-0, Hopsicker avoided the sweep by winning the third game 11-8, but ended up losing in the fourth. Max Hong '22 played smart and steady squash in outlasting his opponent 14-12 in the opening game, but unfortunately lost the next three.
 
Swimming/Diving - First Girls'
Feb. 6: Swimming/Diving - First Girls’ 89 vs. Kingswood Oxford School 58
The Westminster girls, fresh off a grueling five-day training trip to Florida, brought a shower of fast swims and best times in a home dual meet against Kingswood, beating the Wyverns, 89-58. The 200-medley relay team of Campbell Swift '21, Dorka Nagy '19, Katherine Ashe '21 and Ellie Thorson '21 won with their fastest time this season, and co-captain Alex Lin '19 won the 200 freestyle with her season-best time. Nagy won the 200 IM and Thorson took the top spot in the 50 freestyle. Cecilia Raymond '20, Jane Ogden '19 and Ola Szopa '20 went 1-2-3 uncontested in the diving event and Ashe swam a lifetime best in the 100 fly to finish second. Lin won the 100 Free and Sydney Schuster '21 took second in the 500 free with her personal record. The sprint relay of Simonne Ponce '21, Angelesia Ma '20, Thorson and Lin took first, and Nagy won the 100 breaststroke, with Ma in second and Annie Brewer '21 in third. Thorson, Ashe, Nagy and Lin teamed up for a convincing win in the 400 freestyle relay with their fastest time this season. The girls swam a flurry of lifetime bests, including Ashe (200 free, 100 fly), Schuster (200 free, 500 free), Ponce (200 free, 50 free), Brewer (200 IM, 100 breast), Clea Guerrand-Hermes '19 (50 free), India Lalor '21 (50 free, 100 free), Isabel O'Connell '20 (100 back), Diana Tsibikova '21 (50 free). The girls were in good spirits as their win loss record climbed to 8-1 with one double-dual meet to go in the regular season. Spirits were high on the pool deck from start to finish.
 
Swimming/Diving - First Boys'
Feb. 6: Swimming/Diving - First Boys’ 86 vs. Kingswood-Oxford School 94
Battling illness and injury, the Martlets swam fast and hung around late into the meet against a strong Kingswood team, but they gave up the lead at the 200 freestyle relay and couldn't recover despite winning the final race. At the start, the team of Max Larock '22, Eddie Shin '21, co-captain Matt Norris '19 and Jason Shi '21 won the 200 medley relay, and Larock turned around and won the 200 freestyle moments later, with Kieran Haug '21 in third. Hudson Stedman '21 had a big day, swimming lifetime bests in all his races and winning the 200 IM in a close race against his former teammate. Shi took second in the 50 freestyle with a near-best time, and Layton Harmon '21, who had been sidelined with an injury since December, swam his first race in weeks, placing third. The boys led by two points heading into the diving break, but with no Martlet divers KO earned 10 unanswered points to go up by eight. Norris won the 100 fly, with Stedman third (another best time), and Shi and Harmon took first and second, respectively, in the 100 free. Norris won the 500 free, with Haug fourth, and the Martlets had the meet tied with four events to go. KO then took first and third in the 200 free relay, and even though Larock won the 100 backstroke and J-C Lane '21 took third, the Martlets couldn't make up the difference. KO went 1-2 in the 100 breaststroke, with Shin third, and the team of Stedman, Norris, Shi and Larock won the 400 free relay. Despite the loss, there was nothing to complain about. The boys swam well, especially for having come off nine grueling workouts in Florida over the long weekend. Best times were swum by Lane (200 IM, 100 free), Jeevan Palaniyandi '19 (50 free, 100 free), Shi (100 free), Stedman (200 IM, 50 free, 100 fly, 100 free), Grant McCargo '21 (100 free) and David DeFronzo '19 (100 backstroke).
 
 
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In keeping with our support for a diverse community, Westminster abides by all applicable federal and state laws and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, color, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national and ethnic origin, ancestry and/or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. Westminster admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. 
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