Today, the Deerfield community gathered at School Meeting to celebrate the hard work, dedication, accomplishments and achievements of all of our fall co-curriculars including students, coaches, instructors and all those supporting each co-curricular throughout the fall term.
Mrs. Hynds, the Chair of the Visual & Performing Arts Department, opened School Meeting with a slideshow celebrating and highlighting all of the magnificent performances shared by the Visual and Performing Arts Department throughout the fall term.
Then, Mr. Howe, Director of Athletics and Co-Curricular Programs, picked up the microphone from Mrs. Hynds to kick-off his portion of School Meeting. Mr. Howe began by thanking longtime boys and girls water polo coach Mr. Scandling for his many years (1987-2024) of dedication and passion for teaching the game of water polo to Deerfield students.
Following, the fall sub-varsity and varsity award winners were announced and recognized, each receiving big applause from the audience!
Mr. Howe’s traditional end-of-season Top-10 was announced and also received much applause!
Finally, School Meeting closed with a standing ovation for Mr. Scandling as the boys water polo team received a new name, The Mark Scandling Award. The citation for the newly named award reads: Given annually to the team’s most valued player who “played with a strong heart and a sharp mind.”
View the School Meeting photo album here.
Mr. Howe’s Fall 2024 Top-10
Welcome to the winter term starting now, and you just know we are all going to have a ball.
But let’s pause one last time to revisit our most memorable Fall.
The weather was amazing. Not a bad day was had. Our fields remained turf-like, I’d say not one of them was bad.
So let’s start our TOP TEN with a tip of our hats to an amazing physical plant crew. Chip, Devon, Jordan, Jeff and so many others do so much for me and for you. Let’s be sure to always say thank you for the hard work that they do. Your words mean a lot, even just a few.
Next up, at NINE I want to honor a promise I made to coaches Corliss and Gieske. I told them I’d mention a special group of seniors that made boys JV soccer so fun and where positive culture was key.
I’ll ask you to stand when I read off your name – I want you to be in everyone’s sight. Andrew Lewis, James Curto, Cai Harrison, Keifer Ebling, Evan Galli, and Finn Knight. Thanks for your good sportsmanship and for doing things right!
I have two sub varsity teams who tie for a spot at number EIGHT. The Quad Squad has become a regular on this slate, and with them I’ll add JV Field Hockey for their dismantling of Choate on their last game date.
Both teams have big records, and they win way more often than lose, but their rosters are filled with great kids, and these are athletes that continue to play because they can, and they choose.
Now on to the SEVENTH spot, Can you hear that grumbling? I can hear it too. It’s those thirds volleyball members wondering what on earth do they have to do?
They were undefeated this year at 13-0, 9-0 last year, and 11-0 the year before. You’re sitting there thinking what’s with Mr. Howe?” Does he not see our score?!
Next season I’m adding more J.V. teams to challenge you more. And if you remain undefeated you’ll rise to at least a number four!
Our Boys Cross-Country team had a most successful fall. With consistent good health, and PR times aligned this team had potential to win big and win all.
Depth and Top-End talent like Max, Arafat, Liam, Aiden, Jackson, J.T., and Leo places them at SIX on this list and fourth at the New England Race. I can’t remember a season so filled with talent, potential and togetherness in this sport at this place.
Congrats to those seniors who challenged their teammates and who set the daily pace. Your legacy is that you’ve shown another class how to work smartly and compete with grit and grace.
Girls Varsity Soccer climbs onto the list at number FIVE with their first winning record in over a decade. Their record this year reflects a strong team culture from which this team never strayed.
Ellie, Alex, and Allie kept this group together in good times and in bad, making winning in girls’ soccer a repeatable fad.
This Class of ’25 deserves to feel good about what they’ve accomplished and the long-range good they have done. Their team learned to compete, they learned to win, while still having fun.
At number FOUR are two fellas who are truly my kind of Deerfield Doors. In my mind, they are the best and they come from the top drawer.
Last summer, when deciding what to do in the fall, RJ Radonis and Ben Sackrey made the choice to play football.
Both were new to the team but fit nicely into Coach Barbato’s scheme.
I want to say thanks to the two of you, and anyone else who did something new. In the end you simply become a better version of you.
This November I went to see the Crucible playing inside of the Hess. The acting, the stage setup, and technical support was top notch I have to confess.
But most impressive to me, and this is partly why it comes in at THREE, was the energy given by the students each night, wouldn’t you agree?
My hat goes off to Lily, Aviel, Sophia, and the rest of the Crucible staff. Your missing this list would have been a noticeable gaff.
Now we come to number TWO and we have two very good teams to choose. Both came into their seasons with differing expectations, but with a common theme of not to lose.
Field Hockey didn’t know yet what they had but at season’s end they were the clear opposite of bad.
Volleyball had that return to the playoff’s kind of vibe but needed the buy in from new players to ascribe.
Different starts, different teams, but very similar results and scores – made these two teams reach playoff goals and represent all of their Deerfield Doors.
Field Hockey finished with a record of 12-5 while volleyball had a record of 15-5. Each team graduates five seniors and so both programs keep their positive momentum alive. Thank you ten seniors for all you have done. You’ve led, you’ve cheered, and you’ve role-modeled and your teams have won.
And now, without further adieu, I’ll announce the ONE left standing. This person’s service to the school you’ve heard has been outstand-LING, He confronts adversity and manages the handling of Deerfield’s Brand-LING, His style is never too demand-LING, His players all know that their coach is understand-LING. Our Top Ten Award goes to our beloved Mark Scandling.
Sub-Varsity Award Winners
Boys JV Cross-country: Most Valuable Runner – Nico Pfeifler
Girls JV Cross-country: Most Valuable Runner – Rowan Skinner
JV Field Hockey: Most Valuable Player – Rose Manning & Coaches’ Award – Charlotte Steffensen
JV Football: Most Valuable Player – Sawyer Johnson
Girls Thirds Soccer: Most Valuable Player – Aelahni Valdez & Most Improved Player – Simona Plugaru
Girls JV Soccer: Most Valuable Player – Allegra Alfaro & Most Valuable Player – Hadley Spater
Boys JV Soccer: Most Improved – Isaac Shobola
Boys Jr. A Soccer: Most Valuable Player – Ryan Bai & Most Improved Player – Max Yau
Boys Jr. B Soccer: Most Valuable Player – Ryan Stenzler & Most Improved Player – Cole Higgins
JV Volleyball: Most Valuable Player – Devon Coleman & Most Improved Player – Karen Park
Thirds Volleyball: Most Valuable Player – Fiona Van Nice
Boys JV Water Polo: Most Determined – Mac Wang
Varsity Award Winners
Boys Cross-Country
The Moreau C. Hunt Trophy: Max Wang
Peter C. Brush Award: Aiden Van Epps
Girls Cross-Country
The Moreau C. Hunt Trophy: Skye Georgiadis
Peter C. Brush Award: Tatum Lowe
Field Hockey
The Deerfield Field Hockey Cup: Julia Tamul & Loulla Rousou
Football
Thomas Williams Ashley Memorial Award: Nick Gerard
Frank Dahowski Award: Hawk Okpokwasili
Boys Soccer
The Holbrook Ellis Cup: Jonny Scagel
Girls Soccer
The Marjorie Ellis Cup: Allie Corrieri
Volleyball
The Gavros Family Volleyball Award: Georgia Ball & Greta Trapp
Boys Water Polo
The Mark Scandling Award: Barron Celli
Many congratulations to all of our fall co-curriculars!