BERWICK ATHLETICS

The 2022-23 fall and winter athletic seasons brought great success to the Hilltop. The golf and boys swimming and diving teams brought home Eastern Independent League (EIL) Championships, while boys ice hockey won the Holt Conference in dramatic fashion. Girls soccer made a run to the EIL finals and competed in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Tournament; boys cross country went 5-1 on the season; and girls basketball finished with an impressive 17-5 record that included EIL and NESPAC tournament appearances. Individually, girls soccer player Allie Moore ’24 and girls ice hockey player Bella Pomarico ’23 were named Players of the Year by the EIL in their respective sports, and Eli Chilicki ’24 was the Player of the Year in the Holt Conference for boys ice hockey.

Varsity Golf

The Berwick varsity golf team (9-1), captured the EIL Championship. The young squad, which only had one twelfth grader on the roster, played tough from the start and never looked back. The Bulldogs started the season 6-0 before suffering their first defeat on the road. With that, Berwick needed a final victory over Pingree to secure the title. With a 3.5 – 2.5 thriller on the final hole, the Bulldogs earned their second championship in the last three seasons. Top scorers were Ronan McDonald ’24 with a season average of 38 and Reece Bessette ’24 with a season average of 38.3. McDonald, Bessette, and Tyler Montecalvo ’24 earned All-League honors, while honorable mentions went to Mikey Mansfield ’25 and Eli Chilicki ’24.

Cross Country

The varsity boys (5-1) finished third at the EIL Championship at Franklin Park and fourth at the NEPSTA Championship at Marvelwood School in Connecticut. Despite being shorthanded for most of the season due to injuries, the varsity girls finished seventh at the EIL Championship. The girls also placed two runners in the top 15 at the NEPSTA Championship. The program earned a combined 11 all-league and all-star recognition awards during a season defined by speed and a positive team culture and chemistry. Notable running accomplishments included Gracie Smith ’27 finishing 16th to earn an All-League honorable mention at the EIL Championship and 11th at the NEPSTA Division IV Championship to earn NEPSTA All-Star status. In addition, the varsity girls MVP Ella Smith ’26 finished seventh to earn EIL All-Star recognition and ninth at NEPSTA to earn All-Star status. At the NEPSTA All-Star meet, Smith finished 22nd among New England’s fastest independent school female runners.

On the boys side of the EIL Championship, Nick Simonds ’24 (eighth) and Owen McGowan ’24 (13th) earned All-League honors, while Rahul Sundar ’24 (21st) and Will Shipley ’23 (27th) received honorable mentions. Despite suffering a severe ankle sprain that had him missing a portion of the season, team MVP Michael Eddy ’24 finished undefeated in regular-season competition and finished sixth at both the EIL Championship and the NEPSTA Championship. Captains and Coaches Award recipients Julia Michaud ’23 and Jack Masiello ’23 were critical to the team’s success by helping to build an ethos where teammates motivated each other during workouts and encouraged each other on race day.

Boys Varsity Soccer

The boys varsity soccer team held up admirably in a season of anticipated challenges.

With the graduation of 16 seniors from the 2021 team, the first objective was to create a competitive roster. This was accomplished through a sprinkling of returning players and bolstered by a collection of rising JV players, newcomers, and three seniors who opted to play soccer for their first time during their Upper School tenure. Mateo Corcoran ’25, Jackson Hamilton ’25, and Tucker Demers ’25 responded to the challenge of the EIL competition as they anchored the backfield, while Julian Vanderpool ’23 and Ian Kula ’23 offered senior leadership. Goalies Owen Kenney ’24 and Gus Onken ’24 held the fort in net. Prem Osborne ’24 led the way on offense, netting some important goals and offering positive signs that next year’s midfielders and strikers will provide more steady scoring. The coaches were impressed with the grit and positivity that this youthful group displayed.

Varsity Field Hockey

The Berwick field hockey program (3-12) recorded late-season wins over Beaver and Hebron Academy to end on a high note. The team was led by captains Ellie Crigler ’23 and Reese Fendelet ’23. Crigler was the backbone of the defense in net, while Fendelet anchored the offense as center forward. Harley Murch ’23 was an essential defensive player, while Ava Rahn ’24 and Ella Martin ’24 were both powerhouses in the midfield. Fendelet and Murch received EIL All-League recognition, while Martin earned an honorable mention. Year-end awards went to the captains, with Fendelet as team MVP and Crigler earning the Coaches Award.

Girls Varsity Soccer

The girls varsity soccer team (15-5-2) earned trips to the EIL final as the No. 2 seed and the NEPSAC quarterfinals as the third seed, marking the fifth consecutive year the team has qualified for both tournaments. Defeating Winsor School twice on their home turf, winning on the road at Beaver, and holding Pingree scoreless for 68 minutes in the EIL final were among the season highlights.

Goaltender Allie Moore ’24 became only the second player in the history of the School to earn EIL Player of the Year recognition, which she shared with Pingree’s Maddie Landers. Moore, who was also a NEPSWSA Junior All-Star and All-NEPSAC, recorded a 0.76 goals against average, 14 shutouts, and allowed goals to only two of the 11 EIL teams. Captain Chili Dowd ’23 earned 60 points in her career (34g, 26a), was named the team’s MVP for her contributions as a five-year varsity player, and was also an All-NEPSAC and EIL All-League selection. Grace Libby ’24 (17g, 12a) led the team in scoring and was also a NEPSWSA Junior All-Star and EIL All-Lea gue selection, Eliza Small ’25 and Tessa Keenan ’24 received EIL All-League honorable mention recognition. Captain Cam Hamilton ’23 received the coaches award for her dedication, following fellow captain Bella Mazza ’23, who received the award in 2021. Sevill a Coffin ’26 (7g, 14a) was third on the team in scoring, and Blake Metcalf ’27 added six goals.

The season ended in heartbreak with a loss to New Hampton in the NEPSAC quarterfinals. The Bulldogs graduate senior captains Dowd, Mazza, Hamilton, and Nat Jacuch, who scored the insurance goal that brought the Bulldogs to the EIL finals, and Julia Cab ral, who set up the lone goal in the Bulldogs only tie in the EIL against a tough Dana Hall team.

Varsity Volleyball

Led by seniors Rowan Brennan ’23 and Noel Grube ’23, the volleyball team (3-11) recorded its first three wins in program history. Finishing strong, the team hit its stride over the last few games to end the season on an upswing and set the bar for the future. Tremendous growth was seen across the board, as every player contributed to team success as the season unfolded. Brennan and Grube (honorable mention) earned EIL All-League recognition. Brennan also earned NEPSAC AllConference honorable mention.

Boys Varsity Basketball

Grit and adaptability defined the 2022-23 boys basketball squad (1012). The leadership of captains Noah Daniel ’25 and Gage Morin ’23 was critical throughout the season. Team MVP Daniel earned All-League honors from the EIL, while Morin received an honorable mention. The team narrowly missed a bid to the NEPSAC Tournament, finishing ninth in the rankings. Tucker Demers ’25 was the recipient of the Coaches Award. The team closed out the season by winning three of its last five games.

Girls Varsity Basketball

The girls varsity basketball team (175) earned EIL and NEPSAC postseason appearances. The season began with Berwick hosting the preseason Tip-Off Invitational, which raised money for Camp Sunshine, a retreat center for children with life-threatening illnesses. Berwick opened EIL play at home with a convincing win over Concord Academy. After a tough loss to Beaver, the team bounced back with a big home win over Newton Country Day, which started a 13-game winning streak. The Bulldogs finished third in the EIL, but were unfortunately edged by Pingree in the semifinals. However, the team earned the No. 4 seed in the NEPSAC Class C Tournament and advanced after beating Montrose in the quarterfinal round. The girls were defeated by eventual NEPSAC Champions Hamden Hall in the semifinals.

A host of Bulldogs were recognized for their efforts with postseason honors. This included two All-EIL and AllNEPSAC selections in Ella Smith ’26 and Grace Libby ’24 and two honorable mention All-EIL and All-NEPSAC selections in Mira Franzoso ’25 and Cameron Hamilton ’23. Smith, Franzoso, and Libby were selected to play in the NEPSAC Class C All-Star game. Smith was named team MVP, while Hamilton earned the Coaches Award.

Boys Varsity Ice Hockey

The Bulldogs (1411-2) captured the Holt Conference Championship in style, with a double-OT win at UNH over North Yarmouth Academy, followed by a 1-0 win on the road at Portsmouth Abbey. With the team success came some historic individual performances. Parker Murch ’26 tied the freshman scoring record with 34 points, and Eli Chilicki ’24 broke the junior scoring record with 48 points. Matthew Pimentel ’25 finished the season with the most minutes played by any goaltender, and registered four shutouts on the season, including his biggest in the Conference Championship. It was a significant turnaround season for the program and, with many returning players, the Bulldogs will look to continue the success.

Girls Varsity Ice Hockey

The Girls Varsity Ice Hockey team finished with a record of 9-12-3 earning second place in the EIL. The Bulldogs beat Newton Country Day in the semi-finals, however, they were defeated by Portsmouth Abbey in the Championship game. Five players earned recognition from the league. All-League selections were awarded to senior goalie Bella Pomarico ’23 (Boston College commit), senior forward Ashlynn Libby ’23 (Chatham University), and eighth grade leading scorer, Mia Daley ’27. Earning Honorable Mention honors were senior defenseman Reese Fendelet ’23 and senior defenseman Bella Mazza ’23. Pomarico, a team captain, was also named All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention and the EIL Player of the Year.

Varsity Swimming

Berwick’s swim team expanded to the swim and dive team in 2022-23. The program also welcomed eight middle school students onto the high school team and expanded its roster to 26 athletes. The team had an impressive season, including eight athletes being named EIL AllLeague, four EIL honorable mentions, and four NEPSAC First Team honors. The new diving team captured sixth, seventh, and 10th place at the EIL Championship, which helped lead the girls team to a fourth-place finish and the boys to first place. At NEPSACs, the girls finished in 10th and the boys placed sixth, with each individual athlete swimming best times and 100% of swimmers participating at finals in either relays or individual events. The future looks bright.