Congratulations to this week’s Athletes of the Week!!!
Varsity Baseball: Griffin McDowell ‘18
Griffin McDowell is varsity baseball’s AOTW. Griffin pitched 4 scoreless innings in an 11 inning loss to Worcester Academy on Saturday. Griffin gave up 4 hits, 2 walks and struck out 3. Griffin has continued to improve this season with his continued dedication and hard work at practice every day. Keep up the great work Griff!
Girls Varsity Lacrosse: Hannah Valencia ‘18
The Girls Varsity Lacrosse athlete of the week is Hannah Valencia. Hannah has been instrumental to the success of the girls varsity lacrosse season, and her performance over this past week was exceptionally strong. In the final moments of our game against Loomis, the pelicans had an opportunity to tie the game with under 10 seconds remaining on the clock. As our opponent, unmarked, faced Hannah one v one, Hannah executed a point-blank save to ensure the Big Green victory.
JV Golf: Stuart Grow ‘20
Stuart Grow is the JV golf Athlete of the Week. Stuart shot a 39 against Williston on 5/2. Way to go Stuart!
Varsity Softball: Kat Hioe ‘20
Softball’s athlete of the week is Kat Hioe. Kat pitched a great game against NMH on Monday. She also hit really well and helped DA beat the cross town rivals. Kat also gives 100% in each practice and game which is why she’s our star for the week.
Boys Varsity Tennis: Arthur Yao ‘20
Arthur caught fire over the last week, winning his three singles matches by a combined game score of 36-2, including consecutive “double bagels” against Choate and Williston. He clinched our victory over Westminster and has been a dependable source of points for us all season.
Girls Rowing: Valerie Hetherington ‘19
Valerie comes to practice every day with a focused mindset, but more importantly a positive attitude. Not only is she always looking for ways to improve on the water, but she is also an excellent teammate, often offering words of encouragement to those around her. Valerie pushes herself during every practice, and in doing so, asks her teammates to rise to the high bar she sets. A diligent, driven, and selfless young woman, Valerie inspires unity among the team, asking not only what each member can do to better themselves, but also what each member can do to better the team.
Girls JV Lacrosse: Erin Howe ‘20
This week’s athlete of the week for JV girls’ lacrosse goes to Erin Howe ’20 for her fantastic play in our game against Hotchkiss on Saturday, May 5th. From the first whistle, Erin did a fantastic job of connecting with her teammates in transition and had two beautiful goals during the game. Erin played with intensity and heart during the game and proved to be a challenge for her opponents to mark. On settled attack specifically, she engaged with all of her defenders and had consistently well-executed cuts through the 8-meter. Erin’s 1v1 work up and down the field led her to frequently come up with the ball. For her had work and the improvement she has made since last season, Erin is this week’s athlete of the week.
Girls Varsity Water Polo: Izzy Ortiz ‘18
After a year abroad, Izzy Ortiz ’18 returned to the polo team this spring and immediately rallied the younger girls around her in practice and in the exhibition games. Willing to contribute in whatever way needed, be that playing a few vital minutes in relief of a tired starter or handling the ball on every possession in the exhibition quarters, Izzy remains a model teammate.
Track & Field: Nate Battista ’18 & Victoria Patterson ‘20
Boys T&F: Nate Battista. Nate completed an impressive triple on Saturday against Choate and St. Paul’s, winning the 800m run, taking 2nd in the 1500m run, and leading off the 4x400m relay team that finished 2nd.
Girls T&F: Victoria Patterson. Victoria broke her own school record in the 800m with little competition, running a blazing time of 2:16. She then returned to run a leg on the girls’ victorious 4x400m relay team.
Girls JV Tennis: Julia Ferrante ‘20, Liz Tarazi ‘19 & Cameron Heard ‘19
Girls JV tennis has three AOTWs this week – Julia Ferrante, Liz Tarazi, and Cameron Heard! These three battled out about 2.5 hours of tennis each on Saturday afternoon, and this was not the first time Liz and Cameron had to play out extra games and tiebreaks. Their good sportsmanship, positive attitude, and sheer persistence in the face of blistering heat and tough opponents all make them great embodiments of the spirit of JV tennis.
Boys JV Tennis: Sam Bronckers ‘20
Sam Bronckers has done fantastic work as a member of the Boys JV Tennis team this spring. He has learned the value of harnessing his competitive drive as a source of motivation for keeping his composure through adversity. He is one of the stronger players on the team who leads by example with his desire to improve everyday. Keep up the good work Sam!
JV Baseball: Donnie Sparks ‘18
The JV baseball team would like to nominate Donnie Sparks as our Athlete of the Week. Donnie played a steady center field for us last week and logged an important triple against NMH. He brings consistent energy and enthusiasm for the game of baseball. The only senior on our team, Donnie is a great leader.