Phillips Academy Athletic News

Coffin '03 Earns NESCAC Hoops Honor

March 2006 - Meg Coffin, PA Class of 2003, has been named NESCAC player of the year in Women's basketball. The Bates College junior from Westford, Mass. helped to lead the the Bobcats to a 19-8 record and a 24th ranking as they head into the Division 3 tournament. Coffin, who was a second team All-NESCAC selection in basketball a year ago, is also a two-time All-NESCAC defender in women's soccer, and was named second-team All-America in 2005. ttp://www.bates.edu/x112681.xml

Stuer, Dunn Honored in Class A Wrestling

January 2006 - For the second week in a row, an Andover varsity wrestler has been named Class A wrestler of the week. For the first week of January, Sean Stuer '09, earned the honor for his upset win on Saturday January 7 over the defending league champion from Choate. Stuer won 10-5 at 189 pounds, and Andover won the meet, 61-18. A week later Colin Dunn '07, was named Class A wrestler of the week for the week based upon his comeback pin in the final match that lifted PA to a 36-27 win over Deerfield.  A decided underdog in his 130-pound bout, Dunn trailed 9-2, but superior conditioning paid off, as Dunn rallied in the third period and earned a thrilling third-period pin that sealed the Andover victory.

Filiberti Wins National Cyclocross Title

Coffin Named All-American at Bates

Meg Coffin (PA Class of 2003) has been named Second Team All-America by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Coffin, a Bates College junior defender and two teammates were also named to the All-Region team in New England. Complete story: http://www.bates.edu/x81316.xml

Modeste Honored by Football Officials

November 21, 2005--Andover’s Coach Leon Modeste was honored by the Association of New England Football Officials as their 2005 recipient of the Mark T. Crehan Memorial Award at the association’s annual banquet on November 21. This prestigious award, established in 1959, recognizes “a coach who has maintained high ethical standards during his coaching career and . . . has taught the game of football to boys so that they become men who exemplify the finest traits of American sportsmanship.” Modeste has been PA’s head football coach since 1987 and recently achieved his 100th victory in that role. This fall he and his fellow coaches guided the Blue to an undefeated regular season and a spot in the NEPSAC championship bowl game. When asked both about the team’s success and about the Crehan award, Modeste responds by crediting the players and their positive, unselfish attitude.

Leonard, Tetrault Named NESCAC All-Stars

November 2005--Kate Leonard ’03 and Cortney Tetrault ’03, each earned spots on the 2005 NESCAC Field Hockey All-conference team announced recently. Leonard a junior goalkeeper at Bowdoin College was named to the all-conference team for the second consecutive year as she helped lead the Polar Bears to an outstanding 18-1 season including the NESCAC tournament championship. Her team advanced to the semi-finals of the NCAA national tournament before tasting defeat for the first time this season. The native of Eliot, Maine also plays on the ice hockey team at Bowdoin. Tetrault a midfielder at Wesleyan University led the Cardinals in assists and was second in points, earning all-conference honors while helping her team post an 11-5 season record. The junior from Hatfield, Mass., is also a lacrosse player at Wesleyan. Both Tetrault and Leonard had outstanding athletic careers at PA including a 12-0-2 regular season record during their senior field hockey season in the fall of 2002.

Smells like team spirit
Selfless play makes Phillips Andover football squad nearly perfect

By Chris Forsberg, Globe Correspondent | November 17, 2005

ANDOVER -- ''Non sibi" and ''Finis origine pendet."

These words have graced the school seal at Phillips Academy at Andover for more than two centuries, but never have they meant more to the football program.

Loosely translated, the phrases mean ''Not for self" and ''The end depends on the beginning." Rallying around a selfless attitude, the Big Blue posted an 8-0 mark during the fall's regular season and will look to cap a perfect year when it tangles with New York-based Trinity-Pawling in a New England Prep School Athletic Council championship game Saturday at the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton.

''Non sibi -- it's essentially the definition of a team," said senior quarterback Joe Lokitis, a fourth-year player out of Norton. ''Everyone on this team has the same goal and no one is worried about individual achievements as long as we're playing as a team. We all wanted to win a championship and now we have that chance."

Need proof that individual stats don't matter? Navigate to Phillips Andover's' website. You'll find everything you need to know about the 2005 squad, including a roster, a schedule, and game highlights. But a closer inspection reveals that there's not a single name in those game reports as the team shuns putting the spotlight on individuals.

''It all goes back to the non sibi attitude," said 18th-year coach Leon Modeste. ''You're only as good as your partner. If you're a weak person or if you have weak character, then that will affect our team as a whole."

Modeste admits that no one embodies the altruistic nature of his team more than senior captain Matt Ward, the third in a series of brothers to pass through Phillips Andover.

Ward, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound running back/strong safety out of Boxford, took time in the off-season to call the incoming postgraduate players and instill the team's selfless attitude upon them.

''My brothers played here and they were captains so I always dreamed about being a captain for this team," said Ward. ''Non sibi is sort of a mutual understanding and most years it catches on. I just showed the guys the first step or two and they took it from there."

After laboring through three dismal seasons, Ward is savoring his senior campaign. A thrilling 33-28 victory over New Hampton in the second week lit the fuse on a run in which the Big Blue defeated all the rivals that had beaten them up over the past three years. It culminated in a 24-8 victory over rival Phillips Exeter Academy of Exeter, N.H., this past Saturday. The two teams have met 125 consecutive years as part of the longest schoolboy rivalry in the nation.

Matt Fernandez, a postgrad running back/defensive back out of Bourne High School, was one of the stars in the victory over Exeter. A big part of his decision to attend Andover was the chemistry of this year's team.

''I looked at Andover and knew it would be a good fit for me," said Fernandez, who said he knew all about the team's non sibi attitude coming in. ''I played that way even before I came here. That's how it should be. A team isn't just one person."

Fernandez is one of the reasons that Ward, a former featured running back, now focuses his energy on defense. The senior captain graciously stepped aside on offense when a pair of talented postgrad running backs arrived last fall (and again this year in Fernandez and Charles Houghton).

''As long as we're winning, it's fine by me," said Ward. ''This is what we've been working towards."

While Modeste puts a lot of stock into the non sibi attitude, he realizes that's not the only thing carrying his team this year.

''The kids understand our motto, but they also have talent as well," said Modeste. ''That's the key: Finding that blend of talent and believing in each other. Sometimes the postgrads have the talent, but they don't fit in here. This year they've bought into the band of brothers belief our guys have created. It's interesting to watch as a coach."

Modeste gets a bit more of a hands-on feel than most high school coaches. He lives in on-campus housing and his dorm includes a handful of his veteran players. He doesn't just see his players on the gridiron, he bumps into them in the cafeteria or at chapel service.

And regardless of how his team wraps up the season, Modeste said he will always remember this group and its success.

''We have guys come back all the time and say, 'You probably don't remember me,' and I say, 'Of course, I remember you. I remember your number and your dirty little face running off the field,' " said Modeste, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. ''You develop something special with these kids and it goes beyond wins and losses. In our convenient memories, we've never lost a game here. We'll always look back on the positive memories."

reprinted with permission

Chris Forsberg can be reached at cforsberg@globe.com

Football, Volleyball, Field Hockey Advance to Post-Season Play

Meanwhile, the varsity field hockey team (12-3) is aiming to rebound from last Saturday's setback at Exeter, as they take on 3rd-seeded Hotchkiss in the first round of the Class A tournament on Wednesday. The 6th-ranked girls in Blue, who have featured balanced scoring and tenacious defense all season, will travel to Trinity College for a 4:00 p.m. showdown with the Bearcats.

The Big Blue football team, fresh off a 24-8 victory over arch-rival Exeter, will face powerful Trinity-Pawling on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in the Eaton/Estey Bowl. The Big Blue gridders have used a great running and passing combination on offense along with a sturdy, hard-hitting defense to forge an 8-0 record in the regular season and will be seeking their fourth NEPSAC championship since 1995 when they take on the undefeated Founders' League Champs on the turf at Williston-Norhtampton School in Easthampton, MA. Kick-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Girls Cross Country Captures New England Championship

PA Boys Cross Country Captures Canterbury Invitational Trophy

click for story

August 2005 -- Elizabeth Demers (PA '05) of Andover, Mass, has earned a spot on the 2005 Junior National Team as selected by USRowing.    Chosen as a member of the women's eight crew, Demers and her teammates competed in the 2005 FISA Junior World Rowing Championships August 3-6 in Brandenburg, Germany, where they finished in fourth place.   One of only 35 athletes chosen for the Junior National team, Demers is a newcomer to the sport of rowing, having played lacrosse at Andover until her senior year when she tried crew for the first time.   Demers was also a standout swimmer at PA, contributing to the team's four consecutive New England Prep School Championships in the past four years.

June 2005 -- Ashley Harmeling (PA '00) of North Reading, Mass completed a remarkable career as a student/athlete at Amherst College with her 2005 graduation.   A three-sport standout at Amherst, Harmeling earned numerous awards including All-American recognition in both soccer and lacrosse and was also the school's top squash player.   Helping the Jeffs to earn a 12-4 record this spring, Harmeling was named the NCAA Division III Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association and was named Second-Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America by the College Sports Information Directors of America.   She finished her senior season ranked second in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) in scoring with 64 points on 46 goals and 18 assists.   She's also a former First-Team All-America and NESCAC Player of the Year in women's soccer.   At this year's Amherst College commencement ceremonies, Harmeling was one of two recipients of the Howard Hill Mossman Trophy presented annually to the member of the senior class who has brought, during his or her four years, the greatest honor in athletics to the College.

APRIL 2005 -- PA's Paul Murphy has been named Swimming Coach of the Year for 2005 by the Eagle Tribune's sports department. After his team captured their fourth consecutive New England Interscholastic Girls Swimming and Diving championship in March, Coach Murphy was cited by the Eagle Tribune in the following article which appeared on April 14, 2005:

Murphy's Big Blue reign again

Paul Murphy doesn't need to be a math teacher to appreciate the following equation: one plus one plus one plus one equals four.

Not even the Fibonacci Sequence qualifies as so elegant to the Phillips girls swimming coach. His Big Blue charges raced to their fourth straight New England championship at this year's Interscholastic meet, cementing their place as the dominant team on the prep circuit.

This latest title may have been the most impressive. The Big Blue entered the Interscholastics trailing Hopkins by more than 40 points based on seed times. But Phillips blitzed to a huge victory with 324 points to second-place Hopkins' 261.5, avenging its only loss of the season.

The winning has become old hat for Murphy, who returned to his alma mater ('84) in 1988 to teach math. He took over the swimming team in 1991 and has since compiled a 109-21-2 record.

The last four years have represented the high-water mark, with Phillips going 53-4-2.

Murphy has coached 20 All-Americans, including senior star Hee-Jin Chang of Korea, who has earned the distinction in seven events, including relays.

Murphy knows a thing or two about records. After a stellar career at Phillips, the Andover native went on to Bates, where he set school marks in the 50 freestyle and 200 butterfly.

Previous Swimming Coaches of the Year
2004 -- Chrystena Ewen, Londonderry; 2003 -- Paul Murphy, Phillips; 2002 -- Chrystena Ewen, Londonderry.

SEPTEMBER -- The 1993 Phillips Academy Girls Basketball Team has been selected for induction in the New England Basketball Hall of Fame. Led by Coach Karen Kennedy, the Andover team compiled a 15-0 record for the season and captured the New England Prep School Class A Championship.

Members of the team include team captain Carter Marsh Abbott ‘93, Nicole Berg ‘94, Danielle Bolduc ‘95, Heather Brown ‘93, Alexandra Calderon Palerm ‘93, Fiona Conway Cumberbatch ‘94, Shiela Danker ‘93, Becky Dowling Adams ‘94, Jill Imbriano Day ‘95, Margi Johnston ‘93, Emily Kalkstein ‘94, Kira Pittman Kimble ‘95 and Annabelle Schierman ‘96.  In addition to scoring over 50 points a game on 43 percent shooting, this team racked up an average of 33 rebounds, 13 assists and an astonishing 25 steals per game in forging an undefeated season and winning a third consecutive New England Prep School title (with a fourth to follow in 1994.)

The Andover team of 1993 will be honored in induction ceremonies scheduled for Friday, September 24 at the new Ryan Center on the campus of the University of Rhode Island.  PA will join the 1997 Suffield Academy team as the only two prep school girls teams to be honored by the Hall of Fame to date.

Also selected for induction in the Hall of Fame are Coach Kennedy and 3-time New England tournament MVP, Becky Dowling Adams.  In her 14 seasons at Phillips Academy, Kennedy has led her teams to a combined record of 188-50 while earning New England Class A Championship honors five times and finishing as the tournament runner-up four additional times.  Becky Dowling (Adams) played on four consecutive championship teams from 1991 to 1994, helped her teams compile a stellar 56-3 record in those four seasons and set career records at PA—records which still stand—in points (1,108), steals (253) and rebounds (609).  She continued her standout career at the U. S. Naval Academy, scoring over 1400 points, and has recently graduated from the Navy’s Top Gun fighter pilot school.

January 28, 2004 – The team of Jackie Latina ’04 (North Andover, MA), Marty Schnure ’06 (Mattapoisett, MA), Cassie Tognoni ’05 (Andover, MA) and Lexi Dwyer ’04 (Swampscott, MA) ran a combined time of 4:19.3 to break the school indoor record in the 4 X 400 meter relay on Wednesday. The record was broken in a home meet against Lawrence High School as the girls team registered a 72-21 victory over the Lancers in the Case Cage. The previous record of 4:19.59 had been established in 1995 by the team of Thomas, O’Connor, Mack, and Pace.

A week earlier in a meet against North Andover High, Lexi Dwyer qualified for the National Scholastic Indoor Track and Field Championships by clearing 5’2” in the high jump. This is the second consecutive year that Dwyer has qualified for the Nationals, having done so in the high jump a year ago while competing for Swampscott High School. The National Scholastic meet will take place in Madison Square Garden in March, and PA coaches are hoping to have additional qualifiers before the indoor season is complete.

Zak DeOssie Named Ivy Rookie of the Week at Brown

October 27, 2003, Providence, RI -- One of Andover’s top athletes of the past ten years, Zak DeOssie ’03, is making the most of his opportunity as a freshman linebacker at Brown University this fall. The 2003 Press Club Award winner was a three-sport standout at PA in football, basketball, and baseball, and was recruited by the Brown football coaches after he had starred for three years both as a quarterback and a defensive back at Andover. While playing quarterback may be in the strong-armed DeOssie’s college future, right now he is “quickly becoming a major player for the Bears defense,” according to the brownbears.com website. With five solo tackles and one quarterback sack, DeOssie was named the Ivy League's Rookie of the Week for his outstanding play in Brown’s 21-7 victory over Cornell. From his linebacker position, he also had five tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a blocked pass in the Bears game against Princeton, and at this writing, he is ranked tenth on the team in tackles with 17. Joining DeOssie on the Brown football team are fellow members of PA’s class of 2003, Adjatay Nyadjroh and Justin Gallagher, and Justin’s older brother Drew Gallagher (PA ’99) is the team’s captain.

Ben Bramhall Wins Mayor’s Cup Race

October 26, 2003, Boston, MA -- One day after he helped Andover earn a convincing 23-49 cross country win over Deerfield, Ben Bramhall ’07, captured first place in the youth division of the Mayor’s Cup Race in Boston. Bramhall, a ninth-grader from Plymouth, Massachusetts, is a talented runner who, after competing in a number of the JV races this fall, is about ready to make an impact at the varsity level and looks to have a very bright future clad in Andover Blue. On Sunday, he won the 1.1 mile race in Franklin Park for runners 14 and under, capturing the Mayor’s Cup for the second straight year. Bramhall finished in a time of 5.41, nearly seven seconds ahead of his nearest rival. PA coaches Jon Stableford and Jeff Domina, who are guiding Bramhall in his conditioning and race strategy as he makes the transition to the high school running circuit, are both very enthusiastic about his talent and future prospects.

Ben Bramhall '07, finishes first in 2002 Mayor's Cup Race in Franklin Park, Boston, MA

ANDOVER -- Two terrific pitching performances carried Phillips Andover Academy to a sweep of rival Phillips Exeter, 13-1 and 3-2, yesterday (May 3, 2003).

Senior Tom Kennedy tossed a splendid no-hitter in the first game and it was followed by a three-hit masterpiece by junior Adam Crabtree, in the nightcap.

"Those performances were phenomenal," said Phillips head coach Andy Cline. Phenomenal indeed as the two aces kept Phillips Exeter off balance during the twinbill.

Kennedy was in control for most of his day's work in the opener, getting into trouble just once when he issued a pair of walks. The offense helped Kennedy in the opener, exploding for six runs in the third.

Lee Rattigan had a home run in the first game and Zak DeOssie had a pair of hits. In game two, Phillips trailed 2-0 going into the last of the sixth when it strung together five straight singles, including a key hit from Crabtree. Crabtree had given up two first inning runs on a pair of hits, but then was untouchable the rest of the way.

Phillips Andover 13, Phillips Exeter 1 at Andover

Phillips Exeter (1): Lapointe ss 3-0-0, Andelman lf 2-0-0, Yeager 2b 3-0-0, Wallace c 2-0-0, Murnane rf 2-1-0, Gale p 1-0-0, Dufour p 1-0-0, Ottariano ph 1-0-0, Jasiak 1b 2-0-0, Matthews ph 1-0-0, Leo cf 2-0-0, Negus ph 1-0-0, Polhemus 3b 2-0-0, Totals 23-1-0

Phillips Andover (13): Nyadjroh cf 3-2-1, Chiozzi c 4-1-1, Schneider c 1-0-1, Murphy ss 3-2-1, Church 2b 1-0-1, DeOssie 1b 2-1-1, Crabtree dh 4-1-1, Hoesley 3b 3-1-2, McGravey 2b 2-1-0, Walter ss 1-1-1, Rattigan lf 3-1-1, Schaefer 1b 1-1-1, R. Gallagher rf 2-0-1, J. Gallagher rf 2-1-1, Kennedy p 0-0-0; Totals 32-13-14

Phillips Exeter (5-3): 010 000 0 -- 1 Phillips Andover (6-1): 006 133 x -- 13

RBI:-- PA -- DeOssie 2, Crabtree 2, Chiozzi, Schneider, Hoesley, Rattigan, Schaefer, R. Gallagher, J. Gallagher.

WP: Tom Kennedy (2-0); LP: Andrew Gale

Phillips Andover 3, Phillips Exeter 2 at Andover

Phillips Exeter (2): Yeager ss 3-1-1, Negus 2b 2-1-1, Wallace c 2-0-0, Gale 1b 3-0-0, Lapointe p 3-0-0, Murnane rf 3-0-1, Leo cf 2-0-0, Andelman ph 1-0-0, Dufour 3b 1-0-0, Jasiak ph 1-0-0, Ottariano lf 2-0-0, Matthews ph 0-0-0, Polhemus pr 0-0-0, Totals 23-2-3

Phillips Andover (3): Nyadjroh cf 3-0-1, Chiozzi c 3-0-1, Murphy ss 2-1-1, DeOssie 1b 3-1-1, Crabtree p 3-1-2, Hoesley 3b 3-0-1, McGravey pr 0-0-0, J. Gallagher rf 3-0-1, Barber 2b 3-0-1, R. Gallagher lf 3-0-0; Totals 26-3-9 Phillips Exeter (5-4): 200 000 0 -- 2 Phillips Andover (7-1): 000 003 x -- 3

RBI:-- PA -- J. Gallagher 2, Crabtree

WP: Adam Crabtree (3-0); LP: Ryan Lapointe

-- from the Eagle-Tribune

Paul Murphy Named Eagle-Tribune Swimming Coach of the Year

APRIL 2003 -- In 1998, Phillips accomplished something for the first time since 1983: it claimed the New England Prep girls swimming championship. Only one problem. The Big Blue didn't win outright. They tied archrival Exeter.

"The head of school thought it was great," coach Paul Murphy said with a chuckle. "It was very collegial. I'd have rather lost." Murphy was kidding, but he wouldn't have to wait long for an outright title. The Big Blue won in 2002, then repeated this year.

It's just the continuation of a great run under Murphy's direction. The Phillips grad ('84) returned to his alma mater in 1988 to teach math and coach swimming, taking over the girls team in 1991. Since then, he has compiled a 96-19-2 record, highlighted by the back-to-back New England titles. Over the last four years, his teams have compiled a 40-2-1 record.

Murphy has coached 17 All-Americans, "and we may add a couple this year," he said. Under his tutelage, swimmers like Andover's Sarah and Liz Demers have blossomed, not to mention record-setting sophomore He-Jin Chang of Korea.

Murphy is no stranger to records himself. After a stellar career at Phillips, he went on to Bates, where he set school marks in the 50 freestyle and 200 butterfly.

Still a math teacher at Phillips, Murphy is also now the Flagstaff Cluster dean, overseeing about 200 students. He and wife Debby have two children | daughter Madison, 5, and son Tyler, 2.

-- Article by John Tomase, The Eagle-Tribune

Girls’ Swimming and Diving Team New England Champs Again
Marking the perfect end to a perfect season, the Andover Girls Swim Team went into Interschols undefeated and left as League Champions for a second consecutive year. A fierce competitor all season, Hee-Jin Chang ’05 continued her dominating swimming at ‘Schols, as she took home the Outstanding Swimmer award for the second time. Chang is only the second swimmer to be presented with this award twice, and the only athlete ever to win the honor two years in a row.

Chang’s 200 freestyle swim highlighted the day. Although she was the first seed in the event with a time of 1:53.47, Chang had her work cut out for her. The event’s second seed was Winsor’s young standout Sarah Ernst ’07, who clocked in a 1:54.70 in the morning. The Korean Olympian did not worry, as she touched in at 1:51.85. Chang not only won the event by a mile, but also shattered the New England record. Since 1987, when Anne Hardy of Choate set the mark, swimmers across New England had peered at the time and marveled. Now, they will gaze at Chang’s name and time. Chang’s times last weekend were fast, even by her high standards. For her efforts, the crowd in attendance rewarded the lower with a standing ovation.

Chang’s day hardly ended with her work in the record setting 200 freestyle. She also led the winning 200 freestyle relay along with Captain Sarah Demers ’03, Tracey Zicherman ’03, and Margaret Ramsey ’03. With a fast Hopkins team trailing them closely, the girls managed to pull through with a victory, touching in at 1:40.00 and setting a new school record.

The 200 freestyle relay was not the only record-breaking relay of the day, however. The 200-medley relay of Alex Doty ’05, Captain Demers, Liz Demers ’05, and Zicherman powered past the competition to finish with a time of 1:51.82, breaking the Deerfield pool record. Swimming anchor for the relay, Zicherman sealed the victory, recording a personal best split of 25.19. The girls quickly took the lead and never looked back. Following the 200-medley relay was Chang’s record-breaking 200 freestyle. Equally impressive is the fact that the Big Blue managed to qualify three of their swimmers for the final heat. Following Chang ’05 were Ramsey and Katie Faulkner ’06 who finished third and seventh, respectively.

The distance swimmers turned in some of the top performances of the day. Freshman star Faulkner, well rested after the late season taper, swam even faster than she had earlier in the season. After a seventh place finish in the 200, Faulkner swam to fifth place in the 500 freestyle. Faulkner, who clocked in at time of 5:14.74, narrowly missed third as she trailed a pair of Hopkins swimmers by only half a second. Teammate Kate Page ’04 followed suit, finishing seventh with a final time of 5:20.53.

Freestyle was not the only stroke in which the Big Blue dominated. Flyer and backstroker Doty celebrated the best day of her young swimming career, winning the 100 butterfly and finishing second in the 100 backstroke.

The final heat of the 100 butterfly lit up the pool with electricity. Any of the top three seeds, Choate’s Kendall Dacey ’06, Deerfield’s Co-captain Liz Berger ’03 or Andover’s Doty, could have taken the race. In the end, however, Doty wanted it the most and came through for the PA girls. After the first two laps, Doty held second, behind Berger, and the Blue fans grew worried. In the third lap, however, Doty pulled ahead, keeping her lead for the remainder of the race to finish with a lifetime best of 58.71.

Doty followed her stellar win with a second place finish in the 100 backstroke. Touching in at a time of 1:00.13, she swam to another personal best; in fact, Doty recorded her fastest time by over half a second.

Andover, dominating the meet at all distances, also finished well in the diving, with three divers finishing in the top sixteen. Captain Janis Scanlon ’03 closed out her four-year varsity career with a third place finish and a final score of 352.60. Scanlon will be missed by both her diving and swimming teammates, having left quite a legacy behind.

Jacqueline LeBoutillier ’04 and Junior standout Liz Finnegan ’06 followed, finishing 11th and 12th, respectively. With three years left, Finnegan will look to be a force for the Lady Blue in the coming seasons. With the Hopkins School, the Andover’s biggest competition and the runner-ups at Interschols, failing to qualify any divers in the scoring finals, Andover gained a substantial lead after the diving event.

For Captain Demers, this final meet was the perfect way to end her successful four-year varsity career. Demers was pleased with, not only her own performance, but also the way the team swam, saying, “You could not ask for a better end to an undefeated season. It’s sad to think that this was my last meet with Andover but what a way to go out.”

Last weekend’s Interschols marked the end of an era. The team will graduate ten seniors with the class of 2003. The 2004 season will be a rebuilding one for PA, but the Lady Blue plan to step it up and defend their title.

-- Kristina Chang ‘04

Girls Swim Home Page

Parents' Cancer Battle Inspires Gifted Son
By Hector Longo
Eagle-Tribune Writer

ANDOVER -- At 18 years old, Andy Salini is on top of the world. Brilliant student. An athletic specimen. Unlimited potential. Holding an academic date with Princeton and a possible athletic rendezvous with major league baseball in the near future. Salini brushes all those accolades away.

The fact is, when he hits the diamond at Andover High this summer for the Post 8 American Legion baseball team, his parents Jane and Americo (Sal) Salini are right there in his corner, fighting off the tough pitches and sending baseballs to the deep corners of Peter Aumais Field with him. "My parents have always been there. My dad has thrown me batting practice or given me support in anything I've done," said the recent Phillips Academy grad, a two-time Eagle-Tribune Baseball All-Star. For a while, Salini, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound raw-boned outfielder by trade, had doubts if their presence was going to be a given.

"We had a tough couple years," Salini admits, with maturity beyond his years. "Both my parents were diagnosed with cancer and had to overcome it." Salini's summer coach, Joe Iarrobino, remembers the rough times when Salini, then a 16-year-old with uncanny potential, fought the game he so loves, bringing his family's problems to the field.

"The kid went through hell," says Iarrobino, who to his credit stuck with Salini through the trying times, reaping the benefits of his big bat and fantastic glove skills ever since. "At 16, he had a tough summer. He was just angry about everything. He threw bats, helmets, anything he could get his hands on."

With one more lesson for their son to learn, the Salinis showed Andy how to persevere in their recovery.

"Watching what they went through really teaches you to put things into perspective. It helps you grow up fast," said Salini. "You learn what life is all about. Like I said, my parents have always been there, and we got through this together."

Free to be a kid again, Salini truly matured into a big-time athlete, and more importantly, a big-time student, over the past two years at Phillips. Salini shrugs off his accomplishments, like his 5.3 GPA at Phillips (on a 6.0 scale) as being a "pretty good student." He calls his spectacular effort of 1,380 on the SATs as "doing pretty well."

At Phillips, he says, there was plenty of help along the way. Playing three seasons for Andy Cline's varsity Big Blue, Salini tasted nothing but success, racking up 53 career hits and leading the club to Central New England Prep titles the last two springs. Twice, he led the club in RBIs and his junior homer tear of nine roundtrippers in 18 games is near legendary on the Andover campus. "I can't imagine a better high school than Phillips. It's a rigorous, top academic program, with great teachers. The kids you interact with there are hard-working," said Salini, who also skated two years on the Phillips varsity hockey team. "I loved playing baseball there and it prepared me very well. Coach Cline was a great coach and a great friend."

With Salini banging the ball hard again this summer, even Iarrobino, who proudly gave up the academic numbers for his humble superstar, was a little shy about offering up the batting average.

Through the first half (10 games), Salini, who did admit that "I am happy with my performance," was sizzling at an unbelievable pace. "He's hitting .703," Iarrobino finally relented. "I'm not kidding, .703." Not that the coach didn't expect big things.

Salini, who bats and throws left, had heard from all kinds of NCAA academic/baseball powers like Notre Dame, Michigan and Stanford. Princeton, being an Eastern team and more importantly an Ivy League institution, eventually sifted to the top.

"I'm really excited about going there," said Salini of the 2001 Ivy League champion.

The Tigers will be getting the total package in a talented southpaw with unlimited power at the plate.

"He has more power than any kid I've ever coached, and for an arm, I'd put him right up there with (current Anaheim Angels minor league pitcher) Mark O'Sullivan," said Iarrobino.

"Andy's just a great kid to coach. He works and works and works. We'll have a two-hour practice in the heat, and he'll want to stay longer and keep going. He's the greatest kid in the world, and he really loves this game." With Princeton ahead, Salini is almost guaranteeing himself success in the real world. But the presence of a possible career, playing the grand old game, muddles the future a little bit.

"I've seen a little interest from the pro scouts," he said. "I'm definitely interested (in a baseball career)."

Perhaps the stars are in line. People talk about the game of baseball being a game of adjustment to adversity. At 18, Andy Salini could write his Princeton senior thesis on that very subject. He's got four years and hundreds of at-bats to get the job done.

Andover Post 8 riding high again

With Salini and Andover High's Chris Hanlon the only 18-year-olds on the Post 8 roster this summer, Andover's success borders on astonishing. Remember, the high school team, which fills out all but a couple spots on the Post 8 roster, had only three wins this past spring.

Surely, Salini has set the tone, but Hanlon has produced above all expectations, as the pair has really taken on the leadership role. Andover, under Iarrobino, is again right in the hunt for its 11th playoff berth in 14 years with a sparkling 10-3 record.

"I'm proud of this group because, despite being so inexperienced, they've just worked so hard," said Iarrobino, whose clubs have gone to the state title game twice. "We have 15-and-16-year-olds starting all over the place, but they believe they can win."

The players agree that Andover and winning Legion ball go together for a reason. It's not an accident or coincidence.

"I really feel proud when I put on that Post 8 jersey," said Salini, a starter for three Legion seasons. "Coach Iarrobino respects the kids. He's a great coach. There's been such a great tradition here. We never doubted our ability to pull through. The kids on this team believe in themselves. They know they can win."

reprinted with permission from the Eagle-Tribune, July 2002

Shvartsman Wins National Wrestling Title; Eclipses 100 Victory Mark

February 23, 2002 - Dan Shvartsman '02 made history on Saturday, capturing the 135-pound title at the Prep School National Wrestling tournament held at Lehigh University. It is believed that Dan is the first Andover wrestler ever to win this prestigous tournament, which annually showcases the best prep wrestlers in the nation. This year, 661 wrestlers representing 123 schools competed for individual and team honors. Pawan Deshpande '02 and Doug Presley '02 also competed in the tournament.

Shvartsman's path to the title began on Friday, when he won his first two matches by technical fall, then won 19-5 in round three to earn a spot in the quarter finals, where he defeated Matt Morris of Blair Academy 6-3. On Saturday morning he faced Dave Hopkins of Germantown Academy, who defeated Dan at last year's tournament 7-2. This time, Dan was able to win 10-9, earning an escape with just four seconds remaining to secure the upset win. In the finals, Dan took on Chris Miosi of St. Stephen/St. Agnes, who also defeated him a year ago 10-1. This year, Dan took a 9-5 lead in the third period before pinning Miosi at 4:44 to clinch his title.

Coach Gorham said: "Dan earned this. He set his goals very high, and worked very hard to achieve them."

By winning all six matches, Shvartsman extended his undefeated season record to 26-0. His second round win made him the first wrestler in Andover history to record 100 wins in a career, and he ended the tournament with an incredible career mark of 104-14.

Shvartsman Captures New England Crown; Finishes Stellar PA Career

March 2, 2002 - Dan Shvartsman '02 has ended his remarkable Andover wrestling career with another trophy for his increasingly crowded shelf. On Saturday, March 2, Dan took home the individual title at 135 pounds at the Prep School New England championships held at Williston-Northampton School. Surprising Jeffrey Peña '04 placed sixth at 125 as four members of the varsity wrestling team concluded the 2001-2002 season competing at the New Englands. In his final apperance in an Andover uniform, Shvartsman defeated four opponents en route to the first New England title of his career, having placed 2nd, 4th and 2nd in previous seasons. Dan finished with a season record of 30-0, and a career mark of 108-14; both marks are believed to be new school records. Peña, who entered the tournament unseeded, recorded a big upset when he pinned the #2 seed in his first match, then defeated the #7 seed to advance to the semi finals. Leon Fay '04 and Harry Boileau '02 competed well, but were unable to place. Andover finished in a tie for 15th place among the 47 competing teams.

Shvartsman Sets Career Record; Named Wrestler Of The Week

January 5, 2002 - Wrestling co-captain Dan Shvartsman '02 was named Class A league wrestler of the week, according to the Class A Wrestling Newsletter of January 9. Shvartsman defeated a high quality opponent from Choate-Rosemary Hall in the dual meet on Saturday, January 5, and the victory was the 81st of his career at Andover, setting a new school record. After winning the Class A League Championship last season at 130 pounds, Dan is now ranked #1 at 135 pounds in the Class A league.

Co-captain Harry Boileau '02 is ranked #2 at 140 pounds. Harry placed 2nd in the league last season at 125 pounds.

Fall 2001 All-Stars

Congratulations to these PA athletes who were named to All-League or NEPSAC All-Star Teams this fall.

Girls' Soccer: Louisa Butler '02, Meg Coffin '03. Heidi Herrick '02
Boys' Soccer: Bronson McDonald '02, Johnny Whallon '02
Football: Gary Garcia '02, Pat O’Brien '02, J.T. Simms '02
Field Hockey: Betsy Burke '02
Girls' Cross Country: Melissa Donais '02, Kathryn Moore '03, Anne Riordan '03
Boys' Cross Country: Pablo Durana '02, Geoff O'Donaghue '02
Girls' Water Polo: Caroline Lind '02
Volleyball: Mimi Hanley '04

Special congratulations to Melissa Donais '02 (Cross-Country) and Louisa Butler '02 (Soccer) who were named All-Scholastic by the Boston Globe as the top NEPSAC athletes in their respective sports.

Click here for the Individual Athletic Award winners for each fall varsity team.

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October 28, 2001 -- Melissa Donais can outrun the other girls, so now she trains with Andover's boys' team.

What does it take for a young runner to draw attention from the national media?

In the case of Bradford's Melissa Donais, it was more than her athletic ability. Donais, a senior at Phillips Academy, Andover, has become one of the best cross-country runners in the nation simply because it's her nature.

"Her running is amazing," said Andover girls' cross-country coach Nancy Lang, "but she is also so graceful in dealing with everything. She's able to see beyond a setback or a mistake and see what she has to do to improve. That is something few girls her age are able to do."

Running greatness has been a part of the Donais family for generations. Melissa's father, Mark, is an avid runner and has coached Melissa throughout her childhood. Her grandfather (on her mother's side) was an elite marathon runner who died of a massive heart attack at the age of 57. Melissa's twin siblings, Chris and Jen, are both runners. Chris is a freshman at Andover with Melissa, while Jen runs for Haverhill High. If Melissa was born with the athletic talent to become a runner, her character has made her one of the best in the country. She speaks touchingly about what motivates her to run.

"My grandfather has always been my inspiration," said Donias. "The day he died he set an American master's record in the 3,000 meters at Brown [University]. He was supposed to come baby-sit me after the race. I have always taken that as a sign."

Her desire and love for what she is doing became evident in her sophomore year. In an undefeated season, Donais broke a seven-year-old course record at Andover and won the Manchester Invitational. But it was winning the Foot Locker Northeast Regional Nov. 27, 1999, that put her in the media spotlight. Donais may have been the only person not surprised by her accomplishments that season. In her freshman year, Donais missed the spring track season because of a battle with anemia. During the summer she took iron supplements and ran 25 miles a week to regain her strength. Many people would have given up after a setback of that magnitude, but Donais has run year-round since her freshman year. In addition to cross-country, she runs indoor and outdoor track and in the summer attends running camps and runs road races. Her indoor track coach, Jon Stableford, who is also the boys' cross-country coach at Andover, knows her as well as anyone.

"Over the years she has had some setbacks, anyone with such high standards as she, would," said Stableford, "but what makes her unusual is her ability to bounce back, reset her sights, and get back to work."

Lang and Stableford share similar opinions on Donais: The two work together daily to coach her. This season Donais will be training with the boys' cross-country team and will be coached by Stableford.

That decision likely had something to do with Donais's performance in 2000, when she was again undefeated, broke five course records (Phillips Andover, Phillips Exeter, St. Paul's, Deerfield, and Choate), won the Canterbury Invitational, the Manchester Invitational, and was a Junior Olympic Regional champion and NEPSTA Division 1 champion.

This summer, Donais again had problems with anemia. Because iron supplements taken on a regular basis can cause liver damage, Donais was forced off of the supplements and now has to watch her diet and eat more red meat. The second battle with anemia has not affected her running.Since her sophomore year, Donais has improved from a 25-mile-a-week training program to the 40 miles a week she runs today. Her training has surpassed the other girls. She is hoping to benefit from the challenge of running with the boys' team.

"I design some very challenging workouts," said Stableford. "Melissa has the uncanny sense of when to let up. As a result, she has managed to avoid injuries, while she has trained herself very hard."

The workouts have paid off. The girls opened the season with a first-place finish at Canterbury. Donais won that race, setting a course record with a 15:43 on the 2.7-mile run. In her next two races, Donais was taking antibiotics for a heavy cold, but managed to finish third in the Manchester and Thetford Invitationals.Healthy again for her race against Buckingham, Browne & Nichols and St. Paul's, Donais set another course record with a 17:39 at the 3.05-mile Fresh Pond Reservoir in Cambridge.Her consistent dominance in her sport had some college coaches waiting by the phone for July 1, the first day they were allowed to contact Donais.

"I think I got 10 calls in the first two days," said Donais. "In the first two weeks I had gotten 40 calls." Donais has narrowed her options to four schools - two Ivy League schools (Yale and Cornell) and two schools offering scholarships (Duke and Boston College).If the coaches who know her best are right, Donais will flourish in college as well."She is smart and coachable," said Lang. "She is able to take the best from all of the coaches she has and use it to create her own style.

"That style is the perfect blend of talent and strength of character. Born with natural ability and having developed into a determined, intelligent, and self-motivated athlete, Donais's ever-present smile is likely to be in the media spotlight for years to come.

By Jon Hussey, Globe Correspondent.
This story ran on page 13 of the Boston Globe's NorthWest Weekly section on 10/28/2001.
Printed here with permissin from the Boston Globe. Photo courtesy of Jim Davis.
© Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company.