Weekly Athletics Update

1/16/2024

In a week replete with contests the Girls’ Varsity Basketball team took center stage and performed like champions in two impressive wins. On Wednesday, WA employed a tenacious 2nd half defense and pushed past a talented squad from Loomis-Chaffee School here on Rowe Court. Seniors Cam Rust and Kailee McDonald led the scoring parade with 17 and 13 points respectively. On Sunday evening in the much-anticipated TD Garden clash with the Rivers School, the Hilltoppers dominated from start to finish in a 20-point win. Cam Rust, in an extraordinary overall effort poured in a game high 32 points to the delight of the Hilltopper crowd. It was a tremendous night for WA Athletics and we salute all those who helped make this a special event!
Boys’ Basketball had a busy week (1-2 overall) opening with a heartbreaking 92-89 OT loss to Phillips Andover and concluding with a 86-71 AA defeat to the St. George’s School. Junior Jake Blackburn hit 7-3 pointers (26 points) in Saturday’s big win over AA CATS Academy as 4 other Hilltoppers scored in double figures. Junior Ryan Sullivan continues his solid play with a career high 22-point effort in Sunday’s game in Boston.
Girls’ Ice Hockey traveled north over the weekend for a pair of Vaillancourt League contests with Kents Hill and Hebron, this on the heels of a mid-week loss to Class A power Phillips Exeter (6-3). On Saturday, the team captured their 1st ever league win registering a 4-1 win at Kents Hill. Four different Hilltoppers rang the red light for the visitors. Despite a tidy 26 save performance in net from Freshman, Natalie Spaeth, NYA was able to squeak out a 2-1 win on Sunday afternoon in North Yarmouth, Maine.
Boys’ Ice Hockey continues to search for some consistency which seemed to surface in their 3rd and final contest of the week, a come from behind 6-4 win over Holt rival, Hebron Academy. Williston jumped out to a lead with a late 1st period goal on Wednesday and never looked back as they pushed past the home town team at the WIC on Wednesday. Kents Hill slipped past the Hilltoppers on Saturday evening in the front end of the Holt Conference weekend series. The Hilltoppers return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Pomfret for a 3:45 pm contest.
Varsity 2 Basketball (0-3) lost a heartbreaker to start the week on Monday against the Gann School in a see-saw contest here on Rowe Court. Travel dates to Class C power Wheeler on Wednesday and a trip to Deerfield Saturday saw the young Hilltoppers compete hard, but fall short in both contests. A trip to Cushing Academy on Friday afternoon will hopefully jump start the V2 team.
The Varsity ski team opened up their downhill racing schedule on Friday and while early reports were positive from the coaching staff, final individual and team results had yet to be posted as of this communication. The recent snowfall is a sign that the Winter season has begun!
There was a bevy of activity on both Wednesday and Saturday in the WA pool as the Hilltoppers hosted Dexter-Southfield on Wednesday and Milton Academy on Saturday afternoon. Per usual, the WA team – and our opponents as well – were energetic and supportive of the individual efforts displayed in the myriad of events. The Hilltoppers have a healthy roster and should be poised to follow the senior leadership of Miles Gao on the boys’ side and Claire Puffer on the girls’ side.

AROUND THE RIM:
Congratulations to Dean Linden, Westford, Ma. on being tabbed the Boston Globe Defensive Player of the Year for Boys’ NEPSAC Soccer.

Co-Athlete of the Week:
Emma Holmes ’24 – Varsity Ice Hockey & Cam Rust ’24 – Varsity Basketball
Jake Blackburn ’25 – Varsity Boys’ Basketball

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