Championship Efforts Highlight Spring Sports Season

A look back at the team successes and individual accomplishments of the 2009 spring sports season

June 12, 2009 -- The championship performances in boys crew, girls track, and both boys and girls cycling served as the highlight of an outstanding spring season of interscholastic sports for the Big Blue.

By the narrowest of margins, the Andover boys first boat edged Kent’s top crew at the finish line of this year’s Interscholastic Championship race on Lake Quinsigamond. With B2 also taking the gold medal and B3 capturing the silver, Andover won the New England Prep School team championship trophy for an unprecedented third straight year. The all-senior PA varsity eight of Teddy Teece, Kyle Rogers, William Faulkner, Steven Lee-Kramer, Shaun Stuer, Conor May, Tom Foley, Parker Washburn, and coxswain Iris Chang has also qualified for the US Rowing Youth National Championships in Cincinnati, Ohio June 12-14.

With Andover girls earning points in 16 of the 17 events at Interschols, and with both PA entries scoring points in 7 events, this year’s Girls’ Track & Field championship—Big Blue’s second in a row—was truly a team victory. Catherine Coppinger ’09 captured first place in the 400 meters to earn Andover’s only individual championship, but the total team effort produced 20 season-best performances on the day. Aniebiet Ekpa ’11 (100m and 200m) and Cayla Hatton ’12 (800m, 1500m, and javelin) each set new class records.

The New England Road Cycling season concluded with a race at Newfound Lake in Bristol, NH, and the Andover riders came away with 4 championship trophies. The boys team of Mike Discenza ‘09, Austen Novis ’11, and Scott Fleming ’10 clinched the Varsity A season championship, while the girls team, comprised of seniors Hilary Rich, Eliza Nguyen, Abby Levene, Vivian Wehner and Louise Chafee, captured both the Varsity A and Varsity B season titles. Meanwhile, Rich, the team captain, finished first overall and was awarded the trophy for best girl cyclist in the league.

Also earning top individual honors this spring were Richard “Trey” Meyer ’09 of the boys tennis team and Sarah Onorato ’11 of the girls softball team. Meyer, who was undefeated in 16 matches this spring and 48-8 in his 4-year PA career, led the team to a 9-3 record and took first place in singles at the New England Prep School Invitational Tennis Tournament. Onorato was the starting catcher in softball and hit .449 with 27 RBI’s for the 15-3 team and was chosen league MVP by vote of the league coaches. Joining Onorato on the all-league team this spring was shortstop and team captain Sarah Boylan ’09.

The varsity boys track team had an undefeated regular season and finished second at the Interscholastic team championships, scoring points in 14 of the 17 events. On a day that saw PA athletes record 13 season-best performances, Malcolm Mason Rodriguez ’11 and Peter Hetzler ’10 earn individual championships. Mason Rodriguez took first place in both the long jump and the triple jump, while Hetzler finished first in the 300 meter intermediate hurdles. Hetzler also set a new upper class record in the 400 meters.

In boys lacrosse the Big Blue finished 8-6 this spring, and captains Jack Walker ‘09 and Spencer Rice ‘09 receiving post-season recognition. Both were selected to compete in the annual Senior New England Prep All-Star game. Rice, the team’s goalie, was also honored as a 2009 US Lacrosse All-American from the New England Prep School Region, while Walker, an attackman, was honored as a 2009 US Lacrosse Academic All-American from the New England Region.

The girls lacrosse team’s 9-6 season was highlighted by a spectacular 10-9 come-from-behind victory over Brooks, the Blue’s first victory over their cross-town rivals in the last 6 years. Goalie and team co-captain Kaitlin Gaiss ’09 was named earlier this spring to the 2009 Under Armour All-American Girls’ Lacrosse team, a selection that honors the top 46 high school players in the nation.

Eliza Flynn ’10 and Lauren Wilmarth ’09 compiled a very impressive record this spring in leading the girls tennis team to an 11-1 record. Playing #1 and #2 singles respectively, Flynn (10-0-1) and Wilmarth (7-0-1) were each undefeated in dual match play, and each won her first three matches at the season-ending NEPSAC tournament before losing in the finals to finish second place in the very competitive A and B divisions. The Blue also finished second in the overall team competition.

Andover Ultimate capped another very strong season by defeating Exeter 15-2 and Andover HS 13-2 in their last two matches. The team went 15-2 on the season and took second place at the NEPSUL tournament. Captain Eli Grober ’09 and Duncan Crystal ’10 were selected to the 2009 Massachusetts State HS
Ultimate All-Star team and will compete in the Ultimate Showcase Series on June 21 in Somerville’s Dilboy Stadium.

In what could have been a rebuilding year, the PA baseball team was right back in the thick of the championship competition recording a 14-6 record and coming within one run in the tournament finals of claiming another Central New England crown. A relatively young squad got strong senior leadership and contributions from everyone. Co-captain Geoff Lynch ‘09 is joined by Sam Clark ‘09 and Zach Burdeau ‘09 on this year’s all-league team.

The girls crew, led by captain Isabelle Engelsted ’09, had another outstanding season on the water and finished second at the NEIRA regatta on Lake Quinsigamond. The boys volleyball squad finished 5-8 overall and was led by senior captains Menelik Washington and Sam Burwell.

In the pool this spring, the girls water polo team was disappointed not to make it to the final tournament, but their season did include a 4-game winning streak and a last-minute 10-9 victory over Suffield in their last regular season game. The PA golf team had its ups and downs this spring with key wins over Belmont Hill and St. Mark’s, and the top two of Ben Ho ’11 and James Poss’10 lead a group of 12 underclass players who could make 2010 a very exciting year on the links. We all look forward to a great year of athletics in 2009-10. Go Blue!