Congratulations to this week’s Athletes of the Week!
Girls Thirds Basketball: Fernanda Ponce ‘19
Fernanda Ponce ‘19 is, once again, our Athlete of the Week. In addition to developing into a defensive specialist this season, Fernanda’s diligence in practice has resulted in scoring contributions as well. We applaud her unceasing hustle for every loose ball, her ferocious and effective man defense, and her ability to put points on the board with both her jump shot and her free throws.
Boys Varsity & JV Squash Teams: Chait Shah, Teddy Durfee, Merritt Wurts, Adrian Todd, Max Geraci, Charles Braff, Ahmed El Wabory, Freddy Manning, Robbie Sawyers, Mason Horton, Jason Liu, Billy Kitchel, Jackson Rother, Teddy Donohue
At the 2019 HEAD US High School Team Championships last weekend, the boys varsity squash team placed third in the country and the boys JV team was thirty-third in the country, winning the DIII bracket championship – out of 124 teams and eight divisions.
Boys varsity Hockey: Noah de la Durantaye ’19
Noah played a great game on Wednesday against Andover and scored the game-winner in overtime. He has been the model of consistency all season.
JV Swimming: Ian Gordon ’19
Senior Ian Gordon is making his mark in the pool this season, even with a late start to the season. He has approached practice with a tireless abandon, and his efforts in the pool are evident in his recent performance against Suffield Academy. He not only posted his best time in the 50 breast stroke, he bettered his previous 100 free time by 4 seconds, an eternity in the pool. Dedicated and positive, Captain Ian is very deserving of the accolade of athlete of the week.
Girls Varsity Swimming & Diving: Maggie Tydings ’20 & Katie Lawrence ’22
Maggie Tydings has earned Athlete of the Week for girls swimming and diving due to her unwavering support and dedication to DAGVSD. Although Maggie is unable to swim due to an injury, she has been on deck at every practice cheering on her teammates and inspiring them to be the best swimmers they can be. Maggie is a true team player who shows respect and concern for others, and her competitive spirit is a driving force at all of our meets. The positive energy that Maggie brings to the pool deck is invaluable, and we hope to see her in the water again soon!
Katie Lawrence has earned Athlete of the Week for girls swimming and diving this week. As a ninth grader, Katie has been a welcomed addition to our team. She comes to practice every day with a smile on her face, excited to get in the pool and work hard to improve as a swimmer. She inspires her teammates on a daily basis with her incredible work ethic and she has quickly become a leader amongst the girls that swim in her lane. Katie has made big improvements this season, and we look forward to seeing her progress throughout the rest of her Deerfield career!
Boys Thirds Basketball: Alexander Leong ’20
Our Athlete of the Week is Alexander Leong. In his work of ensuring our team is prepared on Game Day, Alexander embodies the virtues we applaud as a school community. He is diligent, detail-oriented, and always willing to help. No task is too big or too small for Alexander, and we’ve been privileged to have him working with us. Go Big Green!
Girls JV Basketball: Molly Fischer ’20
Molly Fischer (’20) is this week’s Athlete of the Week. Molly has been a leader on the court for us all season and has played a significant role in our success. It is the little things that Molly does that make a noticeable impact. Molly takes no possessions off, playing hard offensively and defensively when on the court. If on the sideline, Molly is the team’s biggest cheerleader. Molly is always one of the first in the gym. During water breaks, after a quick sip, Molly is immediately back on the court working on some aspect of her game. In practice, I never have to remind her to push themself during sprints or to go game speed during drills. Molly is always focused, ready to learn how to improve their game and ready to help their teammates. Keep up the good work Molly!
Girls Varsity Basketball: Kelly Lahart ‘20
The Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team’s Athlete of the Week is junior guard, Kelly Lahart. After being sidelined by and injury for the majority of the season, Kelly returned to action in last week’s game against KUA. Kelly made an immediate impact with her calming presence and smart play on the court. She finished the game with 7 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. We look forward to Kelly’s continued leadership and strong play for the remainder of the season!
JV Boys Basketball: Brando Rena ’21
Brando offered a lift off the bench and sparked our win against Wilbraham and Munson. He is steadily improving and brings energy and effort to every practice and game.
Girls Varsity Squash: Harbour Woodward ’19
Playing her best match (so far!) of the year, Harbour Woodward gave the girls varsity squash team the momentum it needed to beat Choate in the quarterfinals and clinch a 4th finish at the High School National Team Championships. Modeling focused intensity, precise shot-making, poise under pressure, and all-out hustle, Harbour took her game to the next level and helped pave the way for her teammates to do the same. Kudos to Harbour, too, for her ongoing leadership, support and organization of her teammates and for being the team’s Athlete of the Week.
Girls JV Hockey: Gabriella Hu ’21
Our athlete of the week this week is Gabriella Hu. She stepped into a totally new world this year as an ice hockey goalie, and her persistent effort and positive attitude continues to make the team better. She has improved incredibly over the course of the season, and allowed no goals in the third period of the Westminster game that she played last week.
Girls Varsity Hockey: Mae Emerson ‘19
Mae Emerson is our athlete of the week for her performance in our game vs. Winchendon. Mae has been steady for us all year, but during the Winchendon game, whenever we were down by a goal, Mae stepped up and got it done. She’s one of our strongest shooters on the team. She scored both of our goals during the game, to tie it up and bring the game to OT. Though we were unsuccessful in overtime, it was thanks to Mae’s grit and drive to the net that we were able to stay in the game.
Wrestling: Seth Thayumanavan ’20
For Seth, each wrestling practice is an opportunity, and each day is new. He uses our time in the wrestling room to improve himself and his training partner, always determined to refine his technique and reach new levels of fitness. He looks past whatever setbacks he may have faced, and he’s always ready to listen. Every day, Seth brings energy, dedication, and perseverance. His attitude is consistently positive; his mind is always sharp and focused. Seth models the intensity, integrity, and intelligence that we expect of every Deerfield wrestler. We’re fortunate to have him on the team!