Congratulations to this week’s Athletes of the Week!
Boys Soccer: A.J. Shea, 12th grader
The boys varsity soccer athlete of the week is senior right back AJ Shea ‘17 for his tireless work ethic and team first attitude. AJ has played every minute of every game so far this season and despite playing so many minutes, he continues to bring energy to practice, eager to improve as both an individual and as a team. The team will continue to rely on AJ’s presence in the backline going forward.
JV Volleyball: Cynthia Lugo, 9th grader
Cynthia has improved all around this past week. I have made Cynthia one of my few setters and although she was hesitant at first, she has been hustling for the ball and projecting her voice more than ever. I am more than ecstatic to see her continuously working hard on her position. Go Cynthia!
Junior B Boys Soccer: Topjor Tsultrim, 11th grader
Topjor Tsultrim is the junior B boys soccer athlete of the week for his great effort on defense and also for scoring a goal this week.
Varsity Volleyball: Brittany Kane, 12th grader
Brittany has been always been a strong defender for the varsity volleyball team, and has been an especially crucial player in our last few games. We consider Brittany to be a strong defender because of her knowledge of the game; she knows where to position herself on the court and communicates well with the players around her. We know we can count on Brittany in the back row to pick up the tough digs that other players cannot receive, and we know she will make a beautiful pass to the setter. Brittany is an incredible defensive player and has a great attitude as well. She remains positive when she has to fight back against talented servers or hitters and that positivity is a source of strength for her teammates. Great job Brittany!
Varsity Field Hockey: Ali Fujiyoshi. 10th grader
Ali Fujiyoshi ’19 had a great week of field hockey and has showed marked improvement from last season. Every day in practice this week, Ali was the one consistent player that put 100% into every drill and pushed her teammates to step up and work hard. On Wednesday against NMH, she was able to seamlessly transition the ball in the midfield and stepped to every single ball that came her way. Both Ali’s coaches and teammates alike were motivated by her willingness to work hard and her positive attitude this week, and we look forward to her continued progress and hustle.
JV Boys soccer: Nolan Zusi, 10th grader
Our leading scorer, Nolan has notched five goals in our last four contests, including three against Wilbraham. Versatile, skillful, creative, and poised, Nolan Zusi has been a dynamic presence on the team and a key to our offensive fortunes.
Varsity Football: Zykeem Sims, PG
Zykeem led the Big Green this week on the defensive end. He was a stalwart with his tough, disruptive, and complete effort from his linebacker spot. Zykeem comes in to Deerfield as a Post Graduate student from New Jersey. He has brought with him a motor and tenacity that can’t be matched. Zykeem is a smart football player and a great teammate. He pushes himself and his teammates to be their best each day. Zykeem made some excellent plays down the stretch to keep Worcester out of the end zone. He had a double digit tackle effort which included multiple tackles for loss. He is slippery quick and has the football IQ to make him a tough player to prepare for. We look forward to watching Zykeem and his teammates this upcoming weekend as they play Loomis Chaffee on Parents Weekend.
Varsity Girls Soccer: Alli Norris, 11th grader
Hard working, positive and focused, Alli, or “Chuck” as she is affectionately called by her teammates, comes to the field every day ready to give 100%. Alli’s leadership, she leads by both by example and with positive encouragement, and her tireless efforts make her an invaluable presence on the field. She is a selfless, versatile player who can play a number of positions on the field and is willing to do whatever is necessary to help out her team.
Varsity Boys Water Polo: Shaun Kronenwetter, 10th grader
After fouling out of the varsity contest against Choate early in the first half, Shaun readily accepted the coaches’ request for him to play in the JV game. He anchored the team’s defense and helped to guide the offensive patterns. More important, he constantly encouraged his inexperienced teammates, helping them to achieve a road victory.
Reserve Field Hockey: Ally Kell, 9th grader & Janis Chen, 9th grader
Reserve Field Hockey Athletes of the week are the two players who volunteered to play goalkeeper for us so that we could field a team. Both are forwards who had never played goalie but stepped up for their team.
A self-less team player, Ally Kell ’20 was the first to pad up and get in the net against Amherst. Although she had no shots on the day, she was ready and worked hard in practice the day before to prepare. Janice Chen ’20 was our next volunteer who stepped in goal against a tenacious Bement team. Janice persevered with 5 saves in the 1-1 tie against Bement.
Both players exemplify good sportsmanship and the sacrifice a true team player makes for her team. We applaud and thank them both.
Thirds Girls Soccer: Caroline Carpenter, 10th grader
Caroline Carpenter ’19 is our Athlete of the Week due to her incredible game performance on Friday. Caroline puts a tremendous amount of power and determination behind every shot she fires off during practice and in games, and her hard work paid off last week when she found the net in a home match against NMH. She maintains an impressive and mature balance between aggressive play and a cool-headed attitude, and her teammates and coaches appreciate the healthy yet intense sense of competition she brings to the field, as well as how seriously she takes her soccer. Caroline seems poised to keep up the hard work and get Deerfield on the scoreboard again soon. Thank you, Caroline!
Junior A Boys Soccer: Lowell Weill, 11th grader
The junior A boys soccer Athlete of the Week is Lowell Weill, ’18. Lowell contributed two goals to the Big Green scoring machine versus Suffield. Lowell is a poised athlete with a nose for the goal. He is a fierce competitor and selfless teammate. Keep up the good work, Lowell!