On a cloudy, rain-forecasted Wednesday, the Deerfield Varsity Ultimate team faced a strong opponent: Williston. Deerfield players had been waiting for this game. When the Doors took a heartbreak loss (10-15) against Williston earlier in the season, our players felt, “We’ll beat them next time.” We did not, in fact, beat Williston, But the Doors put up a good fight, especially in the second half.
Because of multiple absences due to AP exams, Deerfield operated with a shallow bench with only two subs. In the opening half, sluggish Deerfield defense, combined with low-percentage throws on offense, led to a rapid 8-0 run by Williston. Yet the Doors did not give up. The second half was an exhilarating and spirited one: Captain Jerry Huang and Kass Gifford combined for three quick points; the Doors’ tenacity and ability to bounce back knocked Williston off guard. While Williston then chipped in with two points, Deerfield retained the pressure on defensive end and forced several turnovers from Williston. Then, another scoring run: Captain Forrest Gao, Sunshine Chen, and Jeff Wang brought home four big touchdowns in the face of fierce Williston defense, with Jerry and Kass assisting. Although Deerfield did not take the W in the end, the Doors are proud that they fought hard against a highly skilled Williston squad. Thank you, Williston, and Go Big Green! (writeup by Jeff Wang ’23)