Congratulations to this week’s Doors of the Week!
Girls Cross-Country: Mia Senturk ’24
Our door of the week is Mia Senturk for being so completely committed to the cross country team that she was willing to take the ACT and then run one of the hardest courses in the league just a couple of hours later. Mia’s dedication in this moment was emblematic of her approach to the entire season: this is her first fall on the cross country team, and she has thrown herself into the training, shows up for and supports her teammates, and does it all with a smile on her face. We are inspired by her, and we are grateful to have her on our team!
Boys Cross-Country: Nico Pfeifler ’25 & Oliver Peruzzi ‘26
This week’s Door of the Week is Nico Pfeifler, who has surged into the ranks of the Deerfield JV in recent weeks as a result of his hard efforts in practice and courageous racing on Saturdays. We’re so excited to see how far he can take his considerable potential with further training!
This week’s Door is Oliver Peruzzi ‘26, who nobly gave up his seat in the van for a fellow Deerfield student in need of a late departure from campus. Instead, Oliver rode the bus a full hour earlier, then went on to set a 47 second personal best. Also, his parents brought delicious pretzels, which is a separate thought but still an overall positive for the week.
JV Field Hockey: Lila King ‘24 and Juliet Amadeo ‘24
This week, Deerfield JV FH would like to nominate Lila King ‘24 and Juliet Amadeo ‘24 as DOTW. In our game against Pomfret on Wednesday, Lila had an excellent offensive game, scoring not one, not two, but three goals! In our game against Andover yesterday, Juliet played a huge game for us, making a couple of dramatic saves that held Andover scoreless. Beyond their successes in our recent games, Juliet and Lila are two of our four captains this year and have helped foster a team culture of positivity, supportiveness, and hard work. Lila King, for example, is always armed with a fun team bonding game with which we can end practice. We’ve danced, we’ve “wah-ed,” and we’ve had … cow-offs?! Juliet, on the other hand, is our team DJ. She has kept the energy high every day this year with her practice playlists. We are so lucky to have them on and off the field!
JV Volleyball: Karen Park ‘26
Karen Park ‘26 is a true team player. Last week, she jumped into a new position as a middle hitter in our game against Andover—and scored! Throughout the season, she’s been adaptable, flexible, and coachable, always willing and eager to do what the team needs. And, in the process, she’s demonstrated incredible growth and improvement in her volleyball skills. Way to go, Karen!
Varsity Field Hockey: Julia Tamul ’25
The varsity field hockey Door of the Week is Julia Tamul ’25. Julia scored two goals in our game against Worcester on Wednesday and was strong and aggressive offensively against Andover. Julia always competes at a high level and brings tremendous joy and enthusiasm to the field. We are proud of Julia for her efforts this season and appreciate her leadership – keep up the great work, J!
Boys Water Polo: Margaret Melnik ’24, Jazmine Wilson Bigornia ’25, and Sophia Gao ’26
As the season winds to a close, the polo teams want to honor their scorekeepers who helped in so many ways, especially in working with the younger players at times and in suiting up for a JV game when we were short-handed. Margaret Melnik ’24, Jazmine Wilson Bigornia ’25, and Sophia Gao ’26 generously went above and beyond their duties every week.
Boys JV Soccer: Oscar Sanford ’26
Oscar has become such a critical player for us in the last two weeks. He scored a big goal for us when we took an early lead against Eaglebrook last week. The goal was super athletic and little unorthodox and it demonstrated that if you put the ball on frame, it might just go in. In that game, he also played in the midfield and at centerback. Against Andover on Saturday, he played several positions again and was notably balanced and possessive in the midfield, making crucial defensive runs to preserve a 1-1 tie. And yesterday, when we were down to 11 players, we needed his versatility and grit once more in the midfield, this time for more minutes and with even more poise and intensity. Oscar delivered and helped us win 3-2 in ways that don’t show up on the scoresheet. We coaches have asked Oscar to start on the bench because he can play anywhere on the field and we sub him in as needed. He has leaned into this role and as the season has progressed, he has become more physical, more reliable, and more committed to our priorities of possession and providing his teammates with support and options. Without a doubt, much of our recent success has been a result of Oscar’s emergence.
Boys Jr. B Soccer: Noah Bennett ’27
The Quad Squad DOTW is Noah Bennett. Whether in practice or a game, Noah consistently works hard, gives maximum effort, and is always positive!
Varsity Volleyball: Evelyn Kunde ’26
DOTW for varsity volleyball goes to Evelyn Kunde. Kunde has moved from the right side to the outside hitting position this year. She has done an excellent job with the adjustment and is still one of Deerfield’s most dangerous weapons. While she is still one of the most powerful hitters in the league, Kunde has been working heavily on her consistency and placement. Her cheerful attitude is a pleasure every practice and she is growing into a leader on the team.
Thirds Volleyball: Arabella Nevab ’26
Arabella is one of the team’s strongest passers and is great at receiving down-balls. She plays consistently well all around the court and does well in high stress situations. Arabella is a joy to have at practice and brings a positive and goofy attitude everyday.
Theater: Cast and crew of Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Tragedy
This Fall’s production of Dracula is a tremendously technical and challenging show for a number of reasons. The entire cast and crew worked tirelessly to create an evening of spooky fun for our community, and we could not be more proud of the entire company. Congratulations on yet another sell-out production!
Varsity Football: Ethan Roossien ’24
Ethan Roossien continued his stand out senior season with his efforts in a big victory over Andover Academy. Ethan provided one of the two defensive touchdowns on the day with a 35 yard interception return in the first quarter of the game. This was his 2nd defensive touchdown of the season and a pivotal play in the game. Ethan has been one of the leading tacklers on our team and in the league this season. He is an athletic linebacker with great instincts and a high motor. We are excited to see Ethan continue to lead our defense from the front.
Conditioning for Athletes: Nate Watson ’26
A shout out to Nate Watson for his hard work and dedication, showing up each and every day. Nate is focused, always curious and demonstrates a calming focus, connecting mind and body to embody function. Nate is an inspiration to the group. Fantastic job Nate!
Boys Junior A Soccer: Jack Zhunio ’27
Jack was an instant core player on the Thirds roster and has been working hard all season to shore up our midfield. Our very short bench means he’s been running *a lot.* His touch is excellent and it’s fun to watch him dribble around bewildered defensemen. But he’s even better at distributing the ball and keeping our attacks alive. Our shrinking roster has forced us to ask him to play some time at full back, where he also equips himself well. And a big injury on Saturday led to him volunteering to step it at CDM at Avon on Wednesday. He went on to score both of Deerfield’s goals, so “Z” knows how to make an impact no matter where we put him. His future in the program is bright!
Girls Varsity Soccer: Anna Dyjach ’24 & Harlowe Healey ’24
Girls Varsity Soccer proudly recognizes two seniors who have been leaders by example throughout the season: Anna Dyjach and Harlowe Healy. Both have shown their care and commitment to the team with positivity, dedication, and countless contributions. We’ve heard Harlowe speak up when the team needed it, always expecting and modeling honesty. Anna is always there; we see her supporting teammates and consistently helping, many times not even asking, just doing. We appreciate these two more than they will ever know!
Music Concentration: Peggy Huang ’27
Cellist Peggy Huang ’27 has had a busy week performing in the Harlem Chamber Players masterclass, the Considering Matthew Shepard orchestra, and Pop-Up Concert in the Caswell Library, all while preparing for her solo performance at this Sunday’s Bach Festival. Each new project seems to bring Peggy even more joy. The smiles, positive energy, and passionate work she brings to all of her musical endeavors are infectious and have made the Music Concentration co-curricular a happier and more productive place.