Fall Sports Highlights 11.4.19

The Martlets were excited to return to the flat and fast course at AOF for this year’s Founders League Championships, with the goal of hitting some lifetime personal bests. Since their return from long weekend, the harriers have been sharpening their speed in practice, and they looked smooth and quick during warmups. As he has all season, captain Daniel Pinckney ‘20 led the team both in spirit and in effort, and he ran a very smart race from beginning to end. He was in a tight pack between 11-15th place at the mile, but he pushed slowly upward, bursting out of the woods with 300 yards to go in eighth place and never looking back. His time earned Pinckney All-Founders distinction and he moved from 22nd to sixth on the all-time fastest Martlet 5K chart by improving his PR to 17:06 (5:31 pace). Kieran Haug ‘21 finished his first race since Sept. 14, which was a victory in its own right. Oliver Fenner ‘22, Josh Mason ‘23, Jay Henry ‘23 and Sung Cho ‘22 all improved on their lifetime bests in the First Team race. In the Second Boys race, Westminster also finished eighth of nine with four of six runners improving their lifetime bests. The big drops were Jamai Miller ‘22, who dropped over 80 seconds; Hewitt Shelton ‘23 who dropped 78 seconds; Alex Shao ‘22 who dropped 54 seconds; and Oliver Olson ‘23 who dropped 86 seconds. These drops just didn’t happen; they reflect a lot of hard work over the last eight weeks, and the team still has another week of sharpening before the NEPSTA D2 championships at Nobles School in Dedham, Mass. Nov. 9.

The Nov. 2 race at Avon Old Farms was one for the ages. On a crisp, November day the Westminster girls toed the line with confidence and determination — and a fair amount of pre-race jitters — alongside the runners of the nine Founders League schools. The Westminster girls’ team brought home the Founders League title for the first time in school history, narrowly securing a victory over Loomis Chaffee in a 54-59 point finish. Annabelle Smith ‘21 shot out from the field early on to position herself in fourth place, just a few seconds behind the lead pack; she finished in fourth place overall, running a personal best time of 20:13 on the flat, grassy course. Miranda Douglass ’21 (eighth), Laura Mittelman ’20 (ninth) and Olivia Goldstuck ’21 (14th) finished in nearly rapid-fire succession — and in record times — to earn All-League honors (awarded to the top 15 finishers). Bethany Winters ’20 finished in a nearly 90-second season PR–breaking 22 minutes for the first time — to earn 19th place overall and finish ahead of Loomis Chaffee’s fifth runner, securing the team victory for Westminster. Bella Tawney ‘22 and Janessa Yan ‘22 ran gutsy races to round out the Westminster top seven; Tawney finished in a time of 23:17 (a 36-second lifetime PR) and Yan was seconds away from her lifetime best. In the girls’ JV race, Simone Routledge ‘23 bested her personal record by nearly 90 seconds (25:26) and was the first Westminster finisher in the field. Taylor Hill ‘22 and Hope Zimmerman ‘21 ran their fastest times ever by over 60 seconds to finish second and third, respectively, for the Martlets. Full results here.

 

Westminster traveled to Taft and started the game with a lack of real passion or intensity. This was disappointing. Conversely, Taft came out very strong, pushing hard on breakaways and scoring in the third minute of the game. The Martlets fought in spells, winning seven corners in the first half, but the corner execution was also not on form, and resulted in only five shots on goal. After some character searching at halftime, Westminster came out with the required fight and proceeded to hold the midfield, possession and territory with good leadership. The forward line also pushed harder and showed their grit, and, as a result, the Martlets scored twice and forced a further 11 saves from a superb Taft goalkeeper. The game ended with a win for the Westminster (2-1), but the team now knows that it must bring its best game and find its fire if the team is to achieve its strong potential.

 

 

After a break for a long weekend, and an impressive practice session from the Martlets focusing on ball retention, Westminster looked strong and energized. The Martlets controlled the ball very nicely. Taking a three-goal lead within the first quarter of the game allowed a lot of players to be involved. It was fantastic to see a lot of younger girls playing so well and with such leadership and passion. Berkshire fought with real determination to score back twice, and the game ended 5-2 after a quality display from both teams.

 

 

The Martlets battled the Rhinos on a rainy afternoon. The game was back and forth with Westminster getting on the board first on a pass from Abby Moss '20 to Liv Fernandez '23 who sent the ball home. The Rhinos quickly retaliated to tie up the game. Callie Dermody '23 scored with 15 minutes to go in the game to put the Martlets ahead. Mary Dutton '20 was a workhorse all over the field and led the Martlets’ momentum.

Westminster had a slow start to the game but after a timeout began to control the pace of the game. Liv Fernandez '23 led the way for the Martlets with two goals and one assist. Chloe Ferro '20 also recorded a goal of her own on a beautiful tip from Fernandez's shot. Kyani Jemmotte '20 had four huge stops to keep the bears off the scoreboard. Overall, a great team win for Westminster.

 

On a beautiful crisp Saturday afternoon, the Thirds Field Hockey team took the field determined to avenge its loss to the Bearcats of Hotchkiss earlier in the season. Four minutes into the first half, the Martlets got on the scoreboard as Bella Ursano '23 buried a strong shot in the net. Nine minutes later Callie Dermody '23 grabbed a rebound off the Bearcat goalie and put the Martlets up 2-0. The Martlets kept the offensive pressure on the Bearcats for most of the game but ultimately gave up a goal late in the second half. Goalie Lara Connor '22 had a great game in goal, stopping multiple shots and the defensive backs Isabel Stone '23, Lucy Benoit '23, Serin Lee '22 and Nicole Smith '23 kept the Hotchkiss offense at bay for much of the game. It was a well-played game for the Martlets.

 

The Martlets came out firing as they would score less than 10 minutes into the game on a well-played ball through from Xander Cardia '21 to Boniface Fatohou '23 who would find the back of the net. Hotchkiss would respond less than 10 minutes later as one of its top players would convert inside the six-yard box. Heading into halftime both teams were looking for the edge. About midway through the second half, Lawrence Taylor '23 would convert from outside the 18-yard box to give the home team the lead. Fatohou would push hard for the home side and convert another well-driven ball past the Hotchkiss goalie off a great pass from Cardia. Late in the game opened up chances for both teams. It would be Jordy Nelson '21 who would give the Martlets a three-goal lead late off a great pass from Taylor. Hotchkiss would cut the score to two with under a minute to go. Lucas Wahlberg '21 would finish the game with a strong eight-save performance.

 

On a beautiful fall afternoon for soccer, Westminster hosted the always-strong Berkshire Bears in a hard-fought match that ended in a 1-1 tie. Both teams battled for the full 90 minutes of the contest, and both had good periods of possession and generated their share of scoring chances. The Martlets broke through first in the 35th minute, countering quickly after a Berkshire offensive foray. Percy Sibanda '20 skillfully played a ball down the left touchline to a streaking Boniface Fatohou '23, who beat his man, turned the corner, and placed a perfect pass on the penalty spot, where it was met by a crashing Xander Cardia '21 and hammered home. That goal stunned the Bears and energized the Martlets. Though the half ended with the home side up 1-0, Berkshire pressed the Black and Gold end hard, and Westminster had to call on keeper Lucas Wahlberg '21 repeatedly. Wahlberg was equal to the task, turning in several fine saves on the day. He was aided in this stalwart defensive effort by his steady back line of Greyson Pane '22, captain Will Lynch '20, John Clofine '21 and Wylie Clarke '21, all of whom played well against the Bears talented attack. Westminster continued to match Berkshire through the first part of the second half, searching to extend its lead. But unfortunately for the Martlets, Berkshire's mounting pressure paid dividends when, in the 65th minute, a fast break led to a hard cross drilled across the penalty box; that crossing attempt struck a Martlet defender, his head turned to cover his man, and bounded into the Westminster net: an own goal to tie the game at 1-1. Far from losing heart, the lads dug deep, weathered Berkshire's burst that followed the equalizer, and managed to produce several near-misses in the Bears' end. The last 20 minutes were wide-open and increasingly physical, as both teams vied for the win. But in the end, the 1-1 score stood. For the Martlets, a good tie against a very strong and highly-ranked team. Special mention to John Picard '22, seemingly everywhere and the tireless, gritty captain Ryan Messina '20, who together held the middle of the field. The tie keeps the playoff hopes of the team alive, and the team will have to duplicate the effort against a tough Kent team on the road Wednesday and then the season finale at home against Brunswick Saturday.

 

After a short fall break, First Girls' Soccer hit the field again to host the Rhinos from Taft, ready for a solid came against a strong opponent. Taft got on the board first within the first five minutes, finding the net after a cluster in the Westminster six-yard box. Undeterred, the Martlets continued to battle, piecing together some really nice ball movement in the middle and attacking thirds of the field. Just four minutes after Taft's goal, at 31:14, midfielder Jillian Gregorski '23 scored to tie the game 1-1. This would start the very back-and-forth battle between the Martlets and the Rhinos that lasted for the remainder of the contest. With 19:19 left in the first half, Taft drew a foul for a free kick just outside the Westminster 18-yard box that was finished by a Taft attacker. The visiting Rhinos led 2-1 for the remainder of the half. With a few tactical adjustments, Westminster was ready to take the field for the second half, prepared to continue to battle and fight back. But Taft picked up another goal five minutes into the half, leading now 3-1. Westminster did not allow for this half to be a repeat of the first, so Westminster kicked it into gear and put on the pressure. Three minutes later, at 30:12, center back Bianca D'Onofrio '23 countered the Taft keeper's punt to keep the ball in the Martlet offensive end. Gregorski controlled D'Onofrio's ball, bringing it down out of the air and, with just one touch, took a shot just outside the 18-yard box for a beautiful goal over the Taft keeper. Westminster continued to play solid soccer in the attacking third, but gave up two more set-piece goals within just a few minutes (23:25; 20:02) to extend their lead 5-2. As always, the Martlets played together and fought to get one more in the back of the net. Eliza Roach '21 settled a loose ball in the Taft 18-yard box and laid it back to midfielder Wheatley Sutro '22 who one-timed it beautifully over the keeper's head with 15 minutes left in the game. Despite strong play and possession by the home team and some late-game chances, Westminster struggled to put another few goals in the back of the net to earn the win. Ultimately, the game came down to Taft's set-piece plays, on which they scored three, capitalizing on each of those often unlucky (on the side of the home team) opportunities.

 

On Nov. 2, First Girls’ Soccer celebrated and thanked the six Sixth Formers who have selflessly led the team this season. Before the start of the final home game of the season, the Martlets honored captain Jaclyn Laplante, captain Eve Cathcart, Taylor Adams, Abby Davis, Allison Kijanka and Gabby Marcus. The goal this game was to play for these Sixth Formers, and although the score did not reflect it, each member of the Martlet squad played for them and for each other until the final minute of play. Berkshire scored early (37:57) and again on a free kick outside the box (28:23), but this did not slow down the home team from putting pressure on Berkshire and remaining composed even when down by two goals. Battling back with solid plays across the field, Westminster finally put two in the Berkshire net less than two minutes apart. Wheatley Sutro ‘22 played a beautiful through-ball to Eliza Roach ‘21 for the first at 6:11. Sutro again was a key player in the next Westminster goal when she played Adams on the right, behind the Berkshire defense. Adams then found Roach for the second Westminster goal with 4:40 left in the first half. Things looked promising for the Martlets and they maintained control of the half, but an unlucky break with 1:40 left allowed Berkshire to take the 3-2 lead. This held the rest of the game despite Westminster dominating the second half. Westminster travels to Pomfret for the final game of the season Nov. 6 — looking to end on a high note and with a win.

 

Second Boys' Soccer offered a good account of itself against an undefeated Berkshire team. A brief episode of confusion and a lack of focus led to a 2-0 deficit in the first half, but the team fought its way back into the game and limited Berkshire's chances. The defensive line of Will Cronin '23, Jonah Prentiss '22, Brian Opdenaker '21 and Collin Pogue '23 expended an incredible amount of energy to keep the Berkshire at bay, and they should be proud of how hard they played for each other. Cronin continues to excel with his determination and uncanny ability to come away cleanly with the ball. He never hides from a challenge and only leaves the field through injury. Agee Peters '22 has been pushing into the starting 11 recently and never disappoints when given an opportunity. Peters is tenacious in every position on the field, and is employed all over the pitch. He creates so many chances for himself through sheer determination and a ruthless attitude. He does not recognize a lost cause and always poses a threat. Tunji Osho-Williams '21 is a ball of positive energy, always driving the team forward. Osho-Williams enjoyed a number of penetrating runs which put the Berkshire team on the backfoot. His final ball can be improved but for every loose pass there is a possession he had no business succeeding with. The second half saw a much more competitive game from the Westminster and the team more than held its own against a technically sound and physical Berkshire team.

 

The girls carried a two-goal lead into halftime against Taft, but the visiting Rhinos clawed back to earn a tie. Susie Mahoney '20 got the Martlets on the board in the first minute, converting on a breakaway after a long ball skipped on the wet grass past Taft's high back line. Mahoney doubled the lead in the 13th minute when she converted a penalty kick earned by Cecilia Raymond '20 after a deep run of her own. Taft drew within one on a well-blasted ball from 15 yards out in the 28th minute, but five minutes later Raymond brought the lead back to two. The slick turf struck again, as a long ball got away from the Taft keeper under pressure from Raymond, who then put the ball into an empty net. The Rhinos turned up the pressure after the intermission, fighting hard for loose balls and repeatedly gaining deep penetration with long passes. They would cut the lead in half in the 53rd minute and draw even in the 67th. The Martlets had a couple of good chances of their own, but as time wound down the hosts were in full defensive mode. A tie was probably a fair result, and a good one against an unbeaten side.

 

As it has on a number of occasions this season, Second Girls’ Soccer got on the board early in the game against visiting Berkshire. In the very first minute, Alexa Dwyer '22 got on the end of a ball that was redirected several times in the box. Quick passing by the Martlets kept the pressure on the Bear defense, but the score remained close for the next 15 minutes. At that point, Riley Vincent '23 took over, scoring three times in an 11-minute span, including a beautiful redirect and a left-footed shot to complete the hat trick. Dwyer tallied her second goal of the day just four minutes into the second half, placing her shot well after gathering in a long through ball. Elisabeth Knauf '20 finished off the scoring in the 69th minute with a gorgeous left-footed one-timer off a nice pass from the corner. Mention must also be made of Lily Marvin '22, who didn't see a lot of action in goal, but still had to come up big twice. On both occasions she came off her line and bravely snuffed out dangerous chances for Bear attackers to keep the sheet clean.

 

Westminster played from behind against a speedy Wilbraham team (who scored first) to earn their eighth win of the season. After some formidable pressure from Wilbraham's forwards, the Martlet defense settled down, tightened up and allowed their own mids and forwards to work some nice angles before tying the game at one when utility player Travis Paulsen '20 played off the pressure, gathered a loose ball and tacked it to the far corner of the net. In the second half, Westminster's offense put together its most compete effort of the last several games. Will Mazzaro '21, stringing together his finest performance, drilled a bouncing ball from Alex Tonioni '22 and Daniel Lurie '22 over the Wilbraham keeper for the go-ahead goal. The visitors from Simsbury, however, weren't finished. Midfielder Niclas Swahn '22 and Paulsen casually netted two more goals, both assisted by forward Luke Holyfield '22, capping off the 4-1 victory. Theo Vandervoorn '20 and Oliver Frantzis '22 played exceptionally well in goal, combining for eight saves.

 

Third Girls' Soccer played to a 0-0 tie against Canterbury on a crisp afternoon. Even though no goals were scored in the game, the match was dominated by the Westminster squad. Most of the game was played in front of the opponent's net, with many shots flying at or around the goal, but none of them landed inside. Though it was frustrating not to score, the girls showed a high level of intensity and really worked on possession in the second half. India Lalor '21 played several different positions on the field and had many shots on net. Rachel Ha '21 dominated the center of the field and also had her share of possessions and shots.

 

On a rainy day in western Connecticut, the boys faced a talented Rumsey Hall team. When the final whistle blew, Rumsey finished with an 8-1 victory. Matt Greggains ‘23 and Ryan Flam ‘23 prevented the score from getting much worse. Jack Adams ‘23 was the lone goal scorer for the Martlets. Once again, Marcello Demerski ‘23 did an outstanding job in the center of the field. The boys played well, but Rumsey Hall was too talented on this day.

 

It was a great day for soccer as the boys battled the Knights of Salisbury school. Matthew Greggains ‘23 was spectacular between the pipes in the first half. Kade Smith ‘22 led a skillful Martlet attack. Benno Wurts ‘22 played several beautiful balls through the crease, but Westminster could not score. In the second half, Newt Cutler ‘22 took over in goal. Cutler held the Knights scoreless and when the final whistle blew, the Martlets and Knights were tied 0-0.

  

In the first tilt of the season-ending tri-match, the Martlets came out fired up and ready to play. Westminster was more organized and more persistent than they had been all season. St. John’s played strong, organized offense, but Westminster was ready to challenge them in all facets of the game. Play up and down the pool was even, and the first quarter would end with St. John’s holding a one-goal lead. St. John’s goaltender stood strong, and the Martlets weren’t able to capitalize until the end of the second quarter, when the score was 1-3. At different points in the season, this would have spelled disaster for Westminster’s young team. However, Westminster exhibited poise and a little grit, and continued to fight for momentum. Keegan Bankoff ‘22 helped his team stay in the game by coming up with some superb saves that prevented St. John’s from pulling away. The third quarter would end with the Martlets down 1-4. The Martlets scored two goals early in the fourth, narrowing the margin to one at 4-3. An ejection and a final goal from St. John’s with seven seconds remaining sealed the victory for St. John’s at 6-3. Jeremy Hopsicker ‘22 earned a hat trick, and Bankoff came up with 10 saves.

 

The Martlets saved their best for last in year two! The confidence gained in their first match of the day was clearly evident when the team opened the game against Deerfield. In a season that saw many lopsided losses, including one against DA early in the season, this match was an opportunity for this team to see how much it had grown against league opponents. Max Larock ‘22 won the opening swim-off, grabbing the ball and some momentum from the first whistle. Larock only lost one swim-off the entire day, a feat that hadn’t happened all season. Westminster looked like a mature, composed, capable water polo team. Even after DA scored the first goal, the Martlets played strong team offense and defense, tying the game at one midway through the first quarter. DA would score again, only to be matched by a Martlet goal, ending the first quarter at 2-2. Early in the second quarter, Hunter Hoogkamp ‘21 scored a goal to take the lead and capture some momentum, and Westminster never surrendered the lead. The second quarter would end at 4-3 Westminster. The third quarter saw back and forth action, with Keegan Bankoff ‘22 again helping his team stay in the game. Bankoff’s consistency and grit in this game was exceptional. He distributed the ball well, and helped control the tempo of the game. The Martlets scored again to head into the fourth quarter up 5-3, something they had never accomplished against a league opponent. An ejection early in the fourth resulted in a five-meter shot for DA, and the margin narrowed to one goal. Strong team defensive play helped Westminster hold off DA’s attack through the first half of the fourth quarter. With three minutes left, DA earned another five-meter shot. Bankoff came up huge with a save, keeping DA from tying the game. Westminster would capitalize a minute later, extending the lead to two. With two minutes remaining, Justin Parsons ‘20 broke toward DA’s goal and his effort and grit earned his team a five-meter shot. Jeremy Hopsicker ‘22 lined up for the shot, which rang off the crossbar. He quickly snatched up the rebound and scored in a flurry of activity in front of DA’s net, making the game 7-4 with two minutes remaining. Not to be outdone, DA scored quickly after the restart, climbing to within two goals with 1:36 remaining. Both teams had opportunities in the last minute of the game, and both goalies came up with big saves for their teams. Westminster played strong defense in the middle of the pool, and earned a few steals, and they also controlled possession, looking more poised and experienced than they had all season. The Martlets scored two goals in the final seconds of the match, one from Bankoff at the buzzer. The game ended at 9-5 Westminster, and the Martlets earned their first win against a league opponent. In a season where the team wanted to be competitive within the league, this outcome was an amazing capstone to end year two.