For Varsity Bruins, Faith & Persistence Power Full-Barreled Return

FALL AND WINTER SPORTS WRAP-UP

PATIENCE. ENDURANCE. RESILIENCE. FLEXIBILITY. TEAMWORK.

Malik Samms ’23

BY MIKE KENNEDY ’99

For more photos of Bruin Sports, visit bwick.org/ tob_spring2022

For Varsity Bruins, Faith & Persistence Power Full-Barreled Return

IT GOES all the way back to 1902. Since then, Brunswick boys have taken the field of play to represent their school’s colors — emerging as stronger young men of character through lessons of sportsmanship, teamwork, sacrifice, perseverance, victory, and defeat.

Learning, you see, has always extended far beyond the confines of the classroom.

And so, as the global pandemic sidelined most all Brown & White teams for at least one season of true competition — ’Wick athletes were feeling the significant educational void left in COVID-19’s wake.

They’d have given anything to battle for that extra yard, to fight to the finish line, or to share blood, sweat, and tears with their fellow Bruins.

But they remained resilient, stayed positive, and kept the faith that better (and maskless) days were on the horizon — returning in full force last September to Cosby and Carroll Fields, Mehra Natatorium, and cross-country trails for a normal slate of practices and games.

The Bruins did the same in the winter — this time at Hartong Rink, Dann Gymnasium, Ostrye Wrestling Room, and Stephens Squash Center, in addition to Mehra and the ski slopes of New England.

All shared in one common goal: They were determined to further the storied tradition of Brunswick School’s athletic excellence.

And, in seasons of unflagging competitive spirit, they have done just that.

SOCCER Leaders Raise Standards of Excellence

IN HIS fifth year as head coach, Danny Simpson continued his quest to put Brunswick on the map as a quality soccer program that can compete with any squad in New England.

Finishing with an overall record of 11–6 and being ranked 12th out of 53 teams in the highly competitive WNEPSSA league, the team has much to be proud of with its performance this fall.

Co-captains John Dunn and Nico Montoni stepped up to lead the Bruins and shared in the goal of their bench boss, organizing spring practices and summer workouts to ensure maximum preparation and conditioning were reached before official matches began in September.

The Brown & White stood tall in the season’s opening two weeks — without a doubt the most grueling part of the schedule — and earned quality wins against Choate and Deerfield, despite dropping hardfought games versus powerhouses Taft, Loomis, and Avon.

But then the Bruins caught fire.

Over a span of 10 matches in October and November, they scorched their competition and reeled off nine victories — with highlights including a triumphant back-and-forth 2–1 battle at Frederick Gunn, an exciting 4–1 win against Kent in front of a large crowd during the team’s Coaches vs. Cancer benefit, and a decisive 5–1 showing at Salisbury.

Homecoming week, too, provided the team with much to celebrate, including shut-out wins over King, Hopkins, and Cheshire. The Bruins excelled in all stages of play during this impressive run, outscoring opponents 36–10 and going 410 minutes without giving up a goal.

Entering the final week of play, with New England Tournament hopes still on the line, the Bruins dropped close contests against Hotchkiss and Westminster to fall just short of the post-season.

The coaches, though, remained very proud of the group.

“It was clear to us that these boys lifted their standard of excellence and created a positive team culture over the last three months,” Simpson said.

“Our 12 graduating seniors will be thoroughly missed — and showed leadership, positivity, and a high standard of excellence, both on and off the pitch. Players will follow in their footsteps, and our program is better having had them as key members of it these past few years.”

John Dunn ’22 Malik Samms ’23, Ollie Leonard ’25, and Frank Carroll ’22

Nico Montoni ’22

Ryan Ohl ’24

WATER POLO Unmatched Team Chemistry, Outstanding Results

HEAD COACH Ulmis Iordache has a long history with this year’s group of seniors.

He remembers a young Luke Apostolides — one of the team’s co-captains — sitting next to him on the bulkhead at the Greenwich YMCA, asking questions and intrigued about the nuances of water polo. He remembers a young JP Ohl — the team MVP (and also a co-captain) — sporting a full wetsuit and spending more time in the warm showers on deck than in the pool.

He remembers Aidan Marks — another co-captain — joining the ’Wick water polo squad as a good swimmer, sitting on the bench in the early going (always focused and ready to learn), and ultimately developing into a key player. He remembers Ivey Gehring — his fourth co-captain — playing on an undermanned team at an international tournament in Montreal, showing superior dedication and work ethic, and evolving into a tremendous athlete in the pool.

And he cites the valuable contributions of the remaining seniors — Sam Guadalupe, Felipe Leao, Will Morton, and Jackson Walker — for their spirited sportsmanship, selfless leadership, and positive attitude.

All led the way to a phenomenal fall at Mehra Natatorium and beyond — as far west as California and the hotbed of high-school water polo, in fact.

The Bruins amassed a record of 27–2 (those two losses coming at the Santa Barbara Invitational in close contests with Mater Dei High School and Laguna Beach High School), won the Beast of the East title in Pennsylvania against crosstown rival Greenwich High School, and raised their seventh consecutive New England championship trophy after a dominating performance versus Suffield Academy.

Iordache, though, will remember far more than this group’s outstanding results — which also included a Cardinal Cup Tournament victory and a sweep of the competition at Homecoming.

“We couldn’t have achieved all that we did without our unmatched team chemistry and the bonding that happened among the boys in and out of the pool,” he said.

“The seniors set an example of hard work and perseverance and had a winning attitude — and their younger teammates followed their lead.

“It was a special season.”

Vilas Sogaard-Srikrishnan ’23 Ryan Miele ’23

CROSS COUNTRY Shoulder-to-Shoulder, Back to the Race

IT WASN’T the nearly perfect record or runner-up finish in the FAA that Head Coach Steve Polikoff will remember about the 2021 cross country season.

It was the simple fact that the team was back racing again, shoulder-to-shoulder with its rivals after a one-year hiatus from official competition.

Co-captains Lucas Pombo and Seth Yoo spearheaded the charge for the Bruins, with both capping distinguished careers despite neither being on the squad as a freshman and the significant obstacles presented by the pandemic.

Pombo’s personal best time of 16:04 earned victory at the FAA Championship and ranks him as the third fastest 5K in school history, while Yoo will go down as one of ’Wick’s most improved runners of all time.

Neither achievement, Polikoff noted, came without supreme dedication and major mileage on the trails, tracks, and roads.

The hunt to take down the league’s top runners from Hopkins fell just short, although the chase was never short of excitement or drama as the Hilltoppers and Bruins headed for the finish line.

Polikoff pointed to eighthgrader Nathan Lee as the embodiment of those efforts, as the second-year varsity runner earned All-League honors, placed fifth at the FAA Championships, and was named an All-American in his age group at Nationals. In addition, the stage is set for a compelling future, as the Bruins witnessed dramatic improvement from the entire sophomore class, namely Luke Dougherty and Carter Bagaria, who each earned FAA Honorable Mention and positioned themselves as future leaders of the program, as well as the team’s lone freshman, Freddie Parkin.

“The forecast calls for a commitment to summer miles,” Polikoff said. “How we answer that call will make all the difference in the outcome for our core of returners next fall.”

Rising seniors Niki Sulkowski and Hunter Wu will lead the way as captains.

Nathan Lee ’26 Lucas Pombo ’22

Kha’lil Eason ’22

FOOTBALL Seniors Lead by Example, Set the Tone

HOW COULD they know what to expect?

The Brunswick football team hadn’t played an official game in nearly two years due to the global pandemic — and they would take to Cosby Field in September with an entirely new and mostly inexperienced starting lineup.

Add to those factors that the Bruins had joined the Northeast Prep Football Conference and would be lining up against three teams they had never faced on the gridiron.

But — as they say in sports — hard work, camaraderie, and leadership often make all the difference and breed a culture that leads to success.

For the 2021 Brown & Gold, this was very much so the case — as the Bruins developed an instant chemistry during pre-season, relied on a teamfirst attitude in practices and games, and created an inclusive atmosphere in the locker room to pave the way to a 7–3 record and an appearance in the Mike Silipo NEPSAC Bowl Game to conclude the season.

Highlights included hardfought victories against former Erickson League rivals Salisbury (33–21), Avon Old Farms (35–28), and TrinityPawling (28–20), as well as a Homecoming win versus an always-talented Cheshire Academy (34–14) to the delight of many former Bruins who had returned to their alma mater to take in the action. ’Wick earned the right to host its first bowl game since 1998 when the muddy Everett Field was called home and legendary coach Bob Sampson roamed the sidelines, ultimately falling one touchdown short to Deerfield in a thriller (and great community event) on Edwards Campus.

Head coach Mike Hannigan ’01 proudly noted the commitment and dedication of this year’s group as he reflected on the season.

“We had a tremendous senior class — 25 strong — who led by example on and off the field and set the tone for our team’s success,” he said.

“The boys forged bonds and relationships that will last long into the future, and, at the end of the day, that’s what football is all about.”

Danny Lauter ’22 Ashton Winegardner ’22

Chris Gaine ’22

HOCKEY Energy, Effort & Attitude in ‘Team First’ Play

BRUNSWICK RETURNED to the ice after a season heavily impacted by the pandemic — and skated to a record of 21-8-1 and an appearance in the finals of the NEPSIHA Large School Tournament championship game.

The Bruins, in fact, hosted all three playoff games in front of packed houses at Hartong Rink

The Bruins played many exciting games in front of their fans at Hartong Rink.

— defeating Berkshire in the final minute, holding off Nobles in a one-goal victory, and falling to Kent by a score of 4-2 in a classic prep hockey battle.

Other season highlights included scoring three goals on the first three shifts of the opener against Loomis, topping Exeter for the first time in program history, besting St. Sebastian’s

Hank Cleaves ’22

Brendan Holahan ’23 in overtime at their holiday tournament, blitzing Millbrook after putting their sticks in the air for Teddy Balkind, outlasting T-P in a 6-5 barnburner and again on Senior Night, overcoming four third-period penalties in a 4-3 road win at The Gunn, and taking the first-ever meeting on the ice between Brunswick and Deerfield.

The team’s success was rooted in its “playing-on-top” identity and in all five players supporting one another on the ice. The Bruins were not boxed into a system but encouraged to make reads and plays when they had room in front of them — and to take “first downs” when they didn’t have time and space. They took care of the team first and brought the non-negotiables of energy, effort, and attitude (of the positive variety) to the rink every day.

With only three seniors on this year’s roster, the future appears quite bright at Hartong Rink, as a talented and experienced crew will return and hope to lead the Bruins to a spot in the Elite 8 in 2022–2023.

Expectations and goals will be set as high as ever.

BASKETBALL For Team on the Rise, Stellar Achievement

BRUNSWICK MADE A statement in its return to the basketball court in 2021–2022.

The Bruins, who have not claimed an FAA title since 2010, came as close to hoisting the trophy as they could, ultimately earning a trip to the finals and hosting St. Luke’s in front of a capacity and boisterous crowd at Dann Gymnasium.

Although the team fell to the Storm in a see-saw battle, there is no doubt the program is back on the rise under coaches Steve Juricek, Zach Dobbs, and Kevin Royal.

Led by senior captain Tristan Joseph and junior all-stars Jon Sigurdsson and Wyatt Triestman, Brunswick hit the ground running in December, starting the season winning five of its first six games (highlighted by victories over Taft and Avon).

After dropping the final two contests of the calendar year at the always-competitive Holiday Classic Tournament at St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire, the Bruins headed into 2022 with a record of 5-3 and the bulk of their FAA schedule still to come.

After a convincing win at Greenwich Country Day School in their first action after winter break, adversity hit in the form of injuries to key starters, and Brunswick would play the rest of its season without the starting lineup at full strength.

Despite the setback, the Bruins finished strong due in large part to key contributions from senior Charlie Johnson, juniors Malik Samms and Luke Michalik, and sophomore Matty Augustine, all of whom received the first major minutes of their careers this winter.

Brunswick won five of its last six games, earning the top seed and home-court advantage in the FAA tournament. The semifinals saw the Bruins rout GCDS for the third time in two months to set up the finals against St. Luke’s.

The expectation for the future has been set, and the team will be in good hands with Samms, Sigurdsson, and Triestman leading the way as captains next winter.

Charlie Johnson ’22 Tristan Joseph ’22

Jon Sigurdsson ’23

Kyle Karas ’22

WRESTLING Determined Quest for Pins & Wins

CONSISTENCY HAS long been the hallmark of the Brunswick wrestling program.

No matter how experienced or talented, the Bruins and distinguished coaching legend Tim Ostrye always find a way to have success (in the form of pins and wins) on the mats.

In 2021–2022, after a year-long COVID hiatus, it was no different, as the squad finished with an impressive 12–4 record in dual meets.

Led by tri-captains Cliff Belknap, Will Donovan, and Kyle Karas, ’Wick placed high at a number of tournaments. In addition to the captains, the Bruins benefited from the leadership of seniors Kaden Saad and Michael Neviera. Juniors Enzo Vera, Will MacGillivray, Wylie Ocken and Tomas Delgado were significant

Will Donovan ’22 Cliff Belknap ’22

contributors, as were sophomores Carter Bagaria and Kyle

Pagnani.

Freshman Patrick

O’Donahue and eighth graders Quinn McGraw and

Charlie McGraw filled out the roster at the lower weights. Senior Sammy Guadalupe was a contributor early in the season, but was knocked out of the lineup by injury. The Bruins won the Brunswick Invitational Tournament, placed second in the FAA and Western New England Tournaments, and took fourth in the New England Tournament. Five Brunswick wrestlers qualified for the National Prep Tournament. Western New England (state) champions included Quinn McGraw at 106 lbs., Vera at 132 lbs., and Karas at 138 lbs.

Of note, Donovan joined a select group of Brunswick wrestlers with more than 100 career wins, notching wins 100, 101, and 102 at New Englands, and closing it out with win 103 at the Preps.

Alex Hazlett ’22 Owen Neviera ’22

SWIMMING Tops in Talent, Spirit & Enthusiasm

FOR BRUNSWICK swimmers and divers, the 2021–2022 campaign was a tale of two seasons.

The boys began the winter with mask mandates in place and felt the impact of the pandemic with the cancellation of two meets and their December training trip.

But the return to the pool in the new year brought incredible focus and intensity to practice on a daily basis. The Eastern Interscholastic Championships and the New England Championship gave the team a sense of purpose and motivation, and the Bruins rallied with the hope of competing against some of the best schools in the country. ’Wick team members won five of 11 swimming events and broke one meet record at Easterns. That success carried over to the New England championship meet, where the Bruins had one of their best performances in history, winning eight of 11 swimming events and breaking five New England records and three Division I meet records.

Only Andover topped Brunswick on the podium, and the margin of defeat was as close as ever.

Head coach Aaron Montgomery summed it up best when reflecting on the group.

“In addition to being known for their talent, it was evident that Brunswick was renowned for its spirit and enthusiasm for every member of the team,” he said. “Their successes this season will only be overshadowed by their incredible love for one another.”

Lucas Hodgson ’22

Henry Caponiti ’22

NOW IN its seventh season, Brunswick Alpine Skiing has established itself as a formidable force on the New England high school racing circuit.

The Bruins were awarded second place in the Small School (Class S) Division for their standing in regular-season races in the Connecticut Interscholastic Ski League (CISL).

Competing in the Connecticut State Championships, the team finished fourth overall in a field that included both the large and small-school divisions.

At the regular-season races, co-captain William Kallman led the team with first-place finishes in all races in which he competed. Teammates Cameron Shipman, Patch Leonard, and Ollie Leonard followed closely in his tracks at every race. Kallman earned the honor of First Team All-State for CISL.

At the NEPSAC championships, Brunswick took the top two steps of the podium in the Giant Slalom race at Waterville Valley Ski Resort in New Hampshire. Kallman won the Giant Slalom individual title with the two fastest runs of the day, and Patch Leonard earned the silver medal. Following close behind was Ollie Leonard in fifth.

Co-captain Shipman and Ryan Warner also showed their strength and placed in the top 20. And, in the highly-technical and highly-variable Slalom event, it was Shipman who attacked the course with confidence and consistency and crossed the finish line in sixth place.

Patch Leonard went on to earn himself a spot on Team Connecticut, comprised of the top 12 boys in CISL, and competed at the Eastern High School Championships at Attitash Mountain in New Hampshire. There, Leonard finished in 10th place out of 123 racers in Giant Slalom.

Brian Shipman successfully led the team in his first season as head coach, and with such a young and talented team returning next winter, the Bruins will look to continue their climb up the alpine ranks.

Cameron Shipman ’23 William Kallman ’22

SKIING Slalom to Podium’s Top Steps

Ollie Leonard ’25

Patrick Keller ’22

ONLY ONE individual match victory stood in the way of yet another United States High School Team Squash National Championship for Brunswick.

The Bruins, in fact, had won five of the last six titles before getting this season underway after the cancelation of last year’s normally scheduled slate of competition.

Some of the biggest highlights of the campaign were a weekend trip to Philadelphia to play Haverford School and Episcopal Academy, competing against Kent (the top-ranked school in the country) four times, winning matches against New York Racquet and Tennis Club (7-2) and Field Club of Greenwich (13–3), claiming the FAA League tournament for the third consecutive year since its inception in 2019, and finishing second at the New England Championships.

At the nationals — held at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia — Brunswick defeated Belmont Hill (7–0), St. Paul’s (7–0), and Haverford (5–2) before gaining its 10th consecutive berth in the finals. After a closely contested match with Kent, Brunswick concluded the season as the No. 2-ranked team in the country.

Head coach Ryan Abraham wished to congratulate and pay tribute to a special group of seniors — Tad Carney (captain), Patrick Keller (captain),

David Beeson, Warren Klein, Caleb Boateng, and Benet Polikoff — for their exceptional careers inside Stephens Squash Center.

Tad Carney ’22

SQUASH Always a Place Among Nation’s Best

Caleb Boateng ’22