Congratulations to this week’s Doors of the Week!
Varsity Field Hockey: Lila DeLuca ’24 and Katie Bruno ’24
Varsity Field Hockey is excited to name two doors of the week: Lila DeLuca ’24 and Katie Bruno ’24. Lila is an incredible teammate and athlete – she is positive, works hard, and brings joy and enthusiasm to the field. We have loved coaching her and are so proud of her for her strong play and improvement. Similarly, Katie is an incredibly hard-working and coachable kid. She is eager to learn and get better and has improved so much in her two years with the Big Green. Moreover, she is a great teammate and loves the game. We are grateful to Lila and Katie for their contributions to the FH program – keep up the great work!
Thirds Volleyball: Mel Aznar Klein ’25
Thirds volleyball nominates Mel Aznar Klein as DOTW. Mel has made significant improvements on the court and her all out hustle has been noteworthy. We have really appreciated her efforts to learn and contribute.
JV Field Hockey: Sarah Hanks ’25 and Linnea Knox ’27
This week, Deerfield JV FH names Sarah Hanks ’25 and Linnea Knox ’27 as our DOTW. New to DA this year, Sarah stepped into her goalie gear and immediately established herself as a reliably strong and consistent keeper. Her relaxed, positive energy off the field belies a fierce competitiveness in the goal. 9th grader Linnea Knox has become a really strong defender across her first 11 weeks of play at DA: tackling, moving the ball quickly (speed-dribbling and effective passing), and setting up offensive play. We are so lucky to have these two stellar players. Congratulations!
Girls JV Soccer: Hadley Spater ’25, Hadley Carey ’24 and Allegra Alfaro ’25
We would like to nominate our three captains, Hadley Spater, Hadley Carey and Allegra Alfaro, for DOTW. Hadley, Hadley and Allegra did an excellent job as captains of the JV girls soccer team. They were committed, enthusiastic, and spirited leaders.
Girls Varsity Volleyball: Loran McGruder ‘24
DOTW this week goes to Loran McGruder. McGruder has been a leader on the team all year. Loran is one of the three senior defensive specialists that anchor DA’s back row. In addition to holding off the opponent’s offense, McGruder has made great strides in her serve, threatening to score points of her own. Congratulations.
Girls Varsity Soccer: Olivia Hohmann ’24 and Xavier Armas ‘24
Girls Varsity Soccer is proud to honor the Team Managers, Xavier Armas and Olivia Hohmann, as Doors of the Week. Both Olivia and Xavier have arrived early to practice and games with a helpful attitude every day. We’ve appreciated their cheers and support of the players throughout the season! Thank you both!
Girls JV Volleyball: Alice Wu ’25
Alice Wu ’25 has been unstoppable recently. She has been hitting decisively from outside. In this week’s match up against NMH, Alice was instrumental in giving the team the momentum it needed to bring home the win; at a pivotal moment, she hit two intense back-to-back kills that helped us clinch the second set. In practice, she is both hilarious and determined, energizing her peers with her silliness, athleticism, and dedication to the sport.
Boys JV Soccer: Sungmin Ahn ’26
Recently, we lost our starting holding midfielder to injury. The holding midfielder in our shape works as a core defender, distributor, and vocal leader of our transition game. I had planned to rotate several players in this spot because it’s an exhausting job. Sungmin took the the first crack at against a tough team in NMH. He played 70 minutes for us, taking himself deeper into fatigue than I’d seen previously. Sungmin had also been injured himself and only recently returned to full speed. That he could make this commitment to his team speaks volumes about his physical and mental fitness, his humble and team-oriented style of leadership, and his high quality play on the field. We lost the game to NMH 0-1, but we won a starting holding midfielder for this last week of the season. We will be confidently relying on Sungmin and eager to follow his lead!
Varsity Football: Cole Geer ‘25
Cole Geer is the Football Team’s DOTW for his efforts in a dramatic comeback victory over a tough Salisbury team this past Saturday. Cole who has been a great competitor all season demonstrated his poise, confidence and ability to make plays with both his arm and his legs. On the day Cole had 9 completions for 227 yards which is around 25 yards per completion and two of those completions resulted in touchdowns. Cole also ran the ball 3 times for 14 yards and 3 touchdowns. Big things this week for Cole as we go into our Choate rivalry game.
Boys Junior A Soccer: Ryan Bai ’26
The coaches were delighted to welcome 2022 Thirds MVP Ryan Bai back to the team this year. He’s again proven to be a foundational player, both on the field and in the team culture. With our small roster, he’s been willing to play all over the field, and this past week—returning to his primary position of fullback—he helped turn the tide in our rematch against Loomis with his irrepressible energy at defense and his big kicks down the line to set out offense in motion. From his deep philosophical questions to his innovative stretches, no other player helps his teammates see the world in a new way. Everyone loves playing alongside him.
Boys Cross-Country: Blix Salz ’24
This week’s Door of the Week is Blix Salz ’24, who worked diligently all season long to post a lifetime personal best on his final meet on his home course. We’re so proud of his effort not only over this season but also across the full arc of his four years at DA.