19 minute read
Athletics
Advertisement
KO Athletics
2021-2022
Varsity Athletics 2021-22
FALL
FOOTBALL Head Coach: J.B. Wells Assistant Coaches: Brandon Batory ’10, David Hild ’80, Matt Kocay, Duncan Sewall, Dac Newton Record: 3-5 Captains: Chase Aston ’22, Jared Cotte ’22 Seniors: Chase Aston, Aidan Aube, Conor Bernier, Samuel Boley, Nathan Brodrick, Jared Cotte, Garrett Gallup, Chase Gibson, Daniel Raymond, Benjamin Safalow, Patrick Schwab, Thomas Vitarelli, Benjamin Woerlen M.V.P. Award: Chase Fountain ’23 M.I.P. Award: Aidan Aube Coaches Award: Patrick Schwab Four Year Award: Jared Cotte
VOLLEYBALL Head Coach: Scott McDonald Assistant Coaches: Cameron Biondi, Ryan Radmanovich Record: 12-5 Captains: Mackenzie Caruso ’22, Keira Sullivan ’23 Seniors: Lindsay Bailey, Mackenzie Caruso, Naomi Wong M.V.P. Award: Keira Sullivan M.I.P. Award: Kata Mesterhazy ’23 Coaches Award: Lindsay Bailey Four Year Award: Lindsay Bailey, Naomi Wong
FIELD HOCKEY Head Coach: Chapin Yates Assistant Coach: Nicole Baratz Record: 6-10 Captains: Katharine Doar ’22, Abigail McLaughlin ’22, Alyssa Pavano ’22 Seniors: Caroline Boardman, Katharine Doar, Kyleace Hunter, Olivia Kittleman, Arielena Lang, Abigail McLaughlin, Alyssa Pavano M.V.P. Award: Arielena Lang M.I.P. Award: Katharine Doar Coaches Award: Abigail McLaughlin Four Year Award: Katharine Doar, Arielena Lang, Abigail McLaughlin, Alyssa Pavano
GIRLS’ SOCCER Head Coach: Krista Sahrbeck Assistant Coach: Christian Ayer Captains: Gianna Christiana ’22, Caroline Dawson ’22, Megan Murphy ’22 Record: 5-8 Seniors: Olivia Chomick, Gianna Christiana, Natalia Correa, Caroline Dawson, Kaiya Deurloo, Megan Murphy M.V.P. Award: Gianna Christiana M.I.P. Award: Natalia Correa Coaches Award: Caroline Dawson, Megan Murphy Four Year Award: Caroline Dawson, Megan Murphy Five Year Award: Gianna Christiana
BOYS’ SOCCER Head Coach: Hikmet Aslan Assistant Coach: John Hissick Record: 5-4 Captains: Brio Aslan ’22, Aaron Rotter ’22 Seniors: Brio Aslan, James Beerbower, Roberto Correa, Aidan Dillow, Sean Gilland, Max-William Kanz, Yucheng Liu, Shrinaath Narasimhan, Henry Pelletier, Maddox Pierce, Aaron Rotter, David Shi, Carter Smith, William Wells M.V.P. Award: Brio Aslan ’22 M.I.P. Award: James Beerbower ’22 Coaches Award: David Shi ’22 Four Year Award: Brio Aslan, James Beerbower, Roberto Correa, Henry Pelletier, Aaron Rotter, David Shi
GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY Head Coach: Tricia Watson Assistant Coach: Carmen Kreager Captains: Olivia Reynolds ’22, Stella Risinger ’22 Seniors: Elsa June Ciscel, Sanyu Liu, Regina Miller, Olivia Reynolds, Stella Risinger, Maya Sirkis, Ashleigh Stepnowski M.V.P. Award: Kami Tarantino ’24 M.I.P. Award: Claire Palmer ’25 Coaches Award: Sasha Dausey ’25 Four Year Award: Olivia Reynolds, Stella Risinger
BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY Head Coach: Fritz Goodman Assistant Coach: Alexander Hoerman Captains: Samuel Bromberg ’23, Samuel Merkatz ’22 Seniors: Aakash Gunturu, Eli Johansen, Samuel Merkatz, Justin Rios M.V.P. Award: Samuel Merkatz M.I.P. Award: Samuel Auclair ’24 Coaches Award: Aakash Gunturu Four Year Award: Eli Johansen
ESPORTS Coach: Ryan Brodeur ’01 Record: 17-11 Captain: William Jacobs ’23 Seniors: Benjamin Baby, Mason Goldschlager, Charlotte Mandell, Aliza Sadiq M.V.P. Award: Mason Goldschlager M.I.P. Award: Ella Chen ’25 Coaches Award: Alexa Prahl ’24
WINTER
BOYS’ BASKETBALL Head Coach: Brad Seaman Assistant Coaches: Ronald Garcia, Peter Jones Record: 15-6 Captains: Chase Fountain ’23, Gavin Griffiths ’23 Seniors: Chase Aston, Koby Braunstein, Isaias Wooden M.V.P. Award: Gavin Griffiths M.I.P. Award: Chase Fountain Coaches Award: Isaias Wooden
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL Head Coach: Quinn O’Brien Assistant Coaches: Judy Bailey ’82, Krista Sahrbeck Record: 11-12 Captains: Lindsay Bailey ’22, Natalia Correa ’22 Seniors: Lindsay Bailey, Natalia Correa, Caroline Dawson, Megan Murphy, Kylie Wolfradt M.V.P. Award: Olivia Stevens ’24 M.I.P. Award: Georgia Louis ’24 Coaches Award: Aashni Patel ’24 Four Year Award: Lindsay Bailey, Natalia Correa, Megan Murphy
ICE HOCKEY Head Coach: John Hissick Assistant Coach: Michael Wolf Record: 9-5 Captains: Aidan Aube ’22, William Berckemeyer ’22, Sean Gilland ’22 Seniors: Gabrielle Abramson, Aidan Aube, William Berckemeyer, Sevastian Concepcion, Edward Crowther, Sean Gilliand M.V.P. Award: Aidan Aube M.I.P. Award: Edward Crowther Coaches Award: Sevastian Concepcion Four Year Award: Gabrielle Abramson, William Berckemeyer, Edward Crowther, Sean Gilland
BOYS’ SWIMMING Head Coach: Alex Kraus Assistant Coaches: Kata Baker, Megan Farrell, William Martino Record: 7-3 Captains: Elias Brandt ’23, Marrich Somridhivej ’22 Seniors: Nathan Brodrick, Aakash Gunturu, Marrich Somridhivej, David Shi M.V.P. Award: Marrich Somridhivej M.I.P. Award: Aidan Ladewig ’23 Coaches Award: Elias Brandt ’23 Five Year Award: Marrich Someridhivej
GIRLS’ SWIMMING Head Coach: Kata Baker Assistant Coaches: Megan Farrell, Alex Kraus, William Martino Record: 3-7 Captains: Stella Risinger ’22, Allison Wildstein ’22 Seniors: Stella Risinger, Allison Wildstein, Ashleigh Stepnowski M.V.P. Award: Allison Wildstein M.I.P. Award: Stephanie Lu ’23 Coaches Award: Stella Risinger Four Year Award: Stella Risinger Five Year Award: Allison Wildstein
BOYS’ SQUASH Head Coach: Robby Lingashi Record: 12-2 Captains: Aidan Dillow ’22, Henry Pelletier ’22 Seniors: James Beerbower, Roberto Correa, Aidan Dillow, Edward Keegan, Shrinaath Narasimhan, Henry Pelletier, Edward Schwartz, Carter Smith, Jonathan Sohn M.V.P. Award: Henry Pelletier M.I.P. Award: Carter Smith Coaches Award: Edward Schwartz Four Year Award: Edward Keegan
GIRLS’ SQUASH Head Coach: Cameron Biondi Record: 5-7 Captains: Mackenzie Caruso ’22, Amrita Natarajan ’22 Seniors: Mackenzie Caruso, Katharine Doar, Macy Isenberg, Charlotte Mandell, Amrita Natarajan M.V.P. Award: Amrita Natarajan M.I.P. Award: Annabelle Jacobs ’23 Coaches Award: Mackenzie Caruso Five Year Award: Amrita Natarajan
SPRING
BASEBALL Head Coach: Steve Cannata Assistant Coaches: Peter Jones, Ryan Radmanovich Record: 9-7 Seniors: Conor Bernier, Dylan Diaz, Chase Gibson, Christian Pedro M.V.P. Award: Devin Wolff ’23 M.I.P. Award: Sean Habeeb ’24 Coaches Award: John Kumpa ’24 Four Year Award: Christian Pedro
SOFTBALL Head Coach: Jason Bradley Assistant Coaches: Rob D’Agostino, Kierstan Skinner Record: 5-6 Captains: Alexis Vail ’22 Seniors: Gabrielle Abramson, Mackenzie Caruso, Alexis Vail, Kylie Wolfradt M.V.P. Award: Kyra Dunnirvine ’23 M.I.P. Award: Alexandria Segal ’25 Coaches Award: Mackenzie Caruso Four Year Award: Gabrielle Abramson, Mackenzie Caruso
BOYS’ LACROSSE Head Coach: Brett Garber Assistant Coaches: Ted Garber, David Hild ’80 Record: 2-12 Captains: William Berckemeyer ’22, Edward Crowther ’22, Patrick Schwab ’22, Carter Smith ’22 Seniors: Chase Aston, William Berckemeyer, Edward Crowther, Garrett Gallup, Sam Krugman, Patrick Schwab, Carter Smith, Cole Smith Connecticut Valley Lacrosse Club Most Valuable Player Award: Sam Krugman Most Improved: Chase Aston Coaches Award: Cole Smith Four Year Award: William Berckemeyer, Edward Crowther, Garrett Gallup, Sam Krugman, Patrick Schwab, Carter Smith
GIRLS’ LACROSSE Head Coach: Judy Bailey ’82 Assistant Coach: Erica Bromley Record: 4-10 Captains: Kaiya Deurloo ’22, Abigail McLaughlin ’22 Seniors: Lindsay Bailey, Caroline Dawson, Kaiya Deurloo, Abigail McLaughlin, Alyssa Pavano M.V.P. Award: Kaiya Deurloo M.I.P. Award: Ella Wilson ’25 Coaches Award: Chayse Shamleffer ’23 Four Year Award: Lindsay Bailey, Caroline Dawson, Abigail McLaughlin
BOYS’ TRACK AND FIELD Head Coach: Alex Kraus Assistant Coaches: David Baker ’04, Frederick Goodman, Carmen Kreager, Miriam Kabagorobya, Tricia Watson Captains: Daniel Raymond ’22, David Shi ’22, Isaias Wooden ’22 Seniors: Benjamin Baby, Nathan Brodrick, Aakash Gunturu, Eli Johansen, Joseph Kanaan, Samuel Merkatz, Grant Pennoyer, Daniel Raymond, Jandel Resto, Edward Schwartz, David Shi, Jonathan Sohn, Marrich Somridhivej, Thomas Vitarelli, Isaias Wooden M.V.P. Award: Daniel Raymond M.I.P. Award: Christian Gordon ’25 Coaches Award: Joseph Kanaan GIRLS’ TRACK AND FIELD Head Coach: Tricia Watson Assistant Coaches: David Baker ’04, Frederick Goodman, Miriam Kabagorobya, Alex Kraus, Carmen Kreager Captains: Megan Murphy ’22, Olivia Reynolds ’22, Ashleigh Stepnowski ’22 Seniors: Megan Murphy, Olivia Reynolds, Ashleigh Stepnowski M.V.P. Award: Ashleigh Stepnowski M.I.P. Award: Ava Leshem ’24 Coaches Award: Megan Murphy Four Year Award: Olivia Reynolds, Ashleigh Stepnowski
GOLF Head Coach: Michael Wolf Record: 9-12 Captain: Cody Brew ’23 Seniors: Lily Liu Mark Dixon Most Valuable Player Award: Cody Brew M.I.P. Award: Maxwell Sams ’23 Coaches Award: Austin Perkins ’26
BOYS’ TENNIS Head Coach: Andrew Krugman ’86 Record: 5-7 Captain: Max-William Kanz ’22 Seniors: Koby Braunstein, Sevastian Concepcion, Sean Gilland, Max-William Kanz, Edward Keegan M.V.P. Award: Max-William Kanz M.I.P. Award: William Jacobs ’23 Coaches Award: Sevastian Concepcion Four Year Award: Max-William Kanz
GIRLS’ TENNIS Head Coach: Ron Garcia Record: 9-5 Captains: Stella Dodd ’23, Amrita Natarajan ’22 Seniors: Amrita Natarajan M.V.P. Award: Stella Dodd ’23 M.I.P. Award: Abigail Baier ’23 Coaches Award: Alexandria Doering ’26 Five Year Award: Amrita Natarajan
GAVIN GRIFFITHS ’23
The New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) named Kingswood Oxford’s small forward, the vertiginous 6’7” Gavin Griffiths ’23 Player of the Year in Class B Basketball. Griffiths averaged 24 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, and he is now the No. 15 ranked player in On3’s 2023 class.
“I’m very excited,” Griffiths said regarding his award. “I’ve been at KO for three years, and I’ve wanted to win this award since my freshman year. “It means a lot because I’ve worked hard for it and my teammates have worked hard for it, and they played a big part in this, too. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Brad Seaman, KO’s basketball coach, started working with Griffiths as a sixth-grade grader, and although he spotted Griffiths’ potential, he was not certain about his trajectory. “There are so many factors to consider,” Seaman said. “Will he grow? Will he be serious about his work ethic? But, he did seem strong. He had good hand-eye coordination. He could shoot. He was like a baby deer with long limbs, and he was learning how to put it all together.” And though Griffiths’ height is in his favor – both his parents are tall and played basketball – his work ethic and coachability are key. Griffiths said he works out and practices for three hours a day to hone his skills. “His greatest strength is his attention to detail and work ethic. He is that definition of hard work pays off,” Seaman said. “He’s in the gym in the summer and it’s 100 degrees in the morning and he’s working out before camp starts, then he’s doing yoga during the day and then he’s playing at night. That’s just his summer workout regimen.” And if all this sounds like a grind, to Griffiths, there’s nothing he’d rather do. “It’s my favorite thing to do. I guess I’m good at it which makes it more fun,” he said. Seaman said that many in the field want to mold Griffiths into a shooter and make comparisons to the Warrior’s Klay Thomson and the Heat’s Duncan Robinson. Seaman explained that Griffiths can guard, play wing, and center. “He’s not Kevin Durant but his game is more like that where he can score, handle the ball, and he can pass,” Seaman said “He’s turned himself into an all-around great basketball player.” Griffiths considers his favorite player to be guard Jordan Poole of the Warriors for his fast style of play, his athleticism, and his movement without the ball. He counts the Warriors as his favorite team as they play five guards at once which he contends is revolutionary for the sport. Despite his mellow demeanor, Griffiths is a warrior who wants to win. In early spring he fractured his nose by taking an elbow to the face, and he eagerly looked forward to contact training after taking a brief respite while recovering. As for the next steps in college ball? The court is wide open for Griffiths, and he received offers from 18 colleges and universities, including Iowa, UConn, Providence, Rutgers, LSU, Penn State, and Syracuse among others. He is seeking a good team culture with “good people” and a coach that is personable and who talks and mentors you throughout the day. In May, Griffiths committed to play basketball at Rutgers University. One thing is certain. Griffiths is a player who makes it rain – sinking shots from seemingly out of nowhere.
ELIAS BRANDT ’23
As he walks toward the edge of the springboard, Elias Brandt ’23 fixes his eyes on an indeterminate spot in front of him. The air above the pool is still, thick, and chlorine-scented. A hush descends on the pool deck, allowing Brandt to close his eyes and visualize the dive.
“I have to go through the one dive in my brain that is the right way,” he said. “Sometimes I visualize myself doing the dive completely wrong. I usually keep in mind that I need to point my toes more or I don’t want to throw it super hard so I don’t go too far over and make a big splash. Right before I go I take a deep breath. Sometimes, if I have too much energy, it throws things off and I’m not patient enough.” At a January meet at Williston Northampton School, Brandt was patient and his dive was perfection, his body barely making a splash entering the water. The crowd exploded. With his cumulative dives that day, he set a new KO record and a new Williston School pool record for six dives totaling 298.36 points. Brandt’s diving accolades roll off him, well, like water: as a seventh and eighth grader he won the championship in New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC), an organization that serves as the governing body for 169 preparatory schools and leagues in New England, the youngest diver to accomplish this feat. In eighth grade, he broke the KO school record three times and won first place in the Founders League, an athletic league comprising of 11 Connecticut and New York college preparatory schools, with a final score of 369.60, a new 11-dive record for boys’ one-meter diving. Once again, Brandt set a new school record for diving with an 11-dive score of 450.65. This performance was enough to crown him as the 2022 Founders League Champion. He followed up the performance with another record-breaking day where he was named the NEPSAC Division II Diving Champion with an 11-dive score of 471.45.
Brandt started diving when he was five, inspired by watching his sister at her diving lesson. After trying the sport one time, he was smitten. At the time, he was also a gymnast, often leaving school at the end of the day to head to gymnastics practice, followed by his diving commitment. “The aerobatics of the two sports are complementary,” he said. “It’s a smooth transition to get into the sport of diving and having an air awareness – knowing where you are and having your eyes open to see where you are. When I was doing gymnastics and diving at the same time, it was a lot of time and effort but I was building a foundation.”
Brandt ended his gymnastics career when he was eight and continued full throttle with diving, spending a week each summer at The University of Texas at Austin diving program. There he met Olympian Greg Louganis, who made an impression on the young diver and whom he considers an inspiration. A dedicated athlete, Brandt practices his craft almost every day, training at Cornerstone Aquatics Center in West Hartford and Trinity College. During the pandemic when the pools were closed, the divers would practice dry-land training with a trampoline and a harness to mimic their rotation in the air. Since then he has increased his practices from three times a week to daily, which he feels enables him to achieve more successful dives. His most difficult and complicated dives are the inward double tuck, in which the diver completes two somersault tucks thrown toward the board, and the other dive a front 1 ½ somersault with a full twist. “It’s one of the most rewarding dives I do,” he said,
“because when I first learned it, it took me a really long time to get the motion right and do everything at the right time. Now I’ve gotten to the point where it’s one of the best dives that I do. It’s really important to twist and still throw a really hard aggressive somersault, but you also have to be mindful of when you are twisting. Air awareness is really important in this dive.” Ever modest, Brandt does not consider any of his dives to be perfect. He acknowledges that he has come close to performing the dive perfectly, but he still needs to work on performing his dives consistently. “For some dives where I’m more inconsistent,” he said, “I have to consider where my weak points are in the dive: pointing my toes, coming out of the dive before I hit the water, or how I leave the board – because all of this affects how fast you rotate to a degree. Now because I’m diving so much more often, I’ve been able to get that consistency and not be as scared on the dives that I do regularly.” Brandt is uncertain whether he will pursue diving in college at either a D1 or D3 level. In the meantime, spectators can marvel at his poise and focus during his strong and steady dives.
Boys’ Varsity Squash Wins New Englands
Koby Braunstein ’22
KO boys’ varsity squash team had a whopping total of nine seniors spearheading the competitive ladder, and the team’s leadership, experience, and prowess on the court fueled them to a New England Class C Championship victory on Feb. 13. The Wyverns’ overall record glowed at 12-2.
After a lengthy hiatus from competition that derailed the 2021 season, the team was eager to make a statement and that they did, rattling off five consecutive wins to open the campaign. Three of those were convincing 7-0 shutout wins against Williston Northhampton School, Suffield Academy, and Portsmouth Abbey School. The two others were gutsy 4-3 nailbiters against Westminster School and the Winged Beavers of Avon Old Farms that showcased a high level of play from all involved. Co-captain Henry Pelletier ’22 was tremendous in the No. 1 spot for the Wyverns and believed the team was in great form with the ability to keep the momentum rolling. “Our season is off to a great start,” Pelletier said. “We’ve taken down some very strong opponents and are looking to [build upon] our [winning] record.” This experienced group tasted defeat for the first time against Choate Rosemary Hall by a score of 6-1 on Wednesday, Jan. 19, followed by another 6-1 loss on Saturday, Jan. 22 against one of the premier squash programs in New England, Kent School. Nicholas Keegan ’27 shined at the No. 6 spot against the Lions and was the lone victor that afternoon.
With a cleared rearview mirror and optimism for desired results ahead, the Wyverns got back in the winning column on Wednesday, Jan. 26, cruising to a 5-2 triumph over Loomis Chaffee School. The Black and Crimson notched a perfect 6-0 record at home, comfortably defending “The Den” and giving every opponent a run for their money. Head Coach Robby Lingashi did an incredible job making sure the team was adequately prepared
for every match and instilling his wealth of knowledge and passion for the game to his players. “Robby has always been a great coach to us,” Pelletier said. “He combines conditioning and specific technique training to make sure we’re playing as well as we can. He also keeps the ladder accurate by having us do challenge matches before every match.” One of Lingashi’s other skilled veteran players this season is Cocaptain Aidan Dillow ’22, playing in the No. 2 position. He was thrilled to be recognized as one of the leaders after two previous years with the varsity team, and, like his teammates, aimed high to go out on top. On the weekend of Feb. 12 and Feb. 13, the Wyverns made their long-anticipated title defense of the New England Class C Championship at the Portsmouth Abbey School in Rhode Island. They faced a familiar foe in the quarterfinals – Avon Old Farms School – and won handily by a score of 5-2. Highlights of the match included straight-set wins by talented Will Keegan ’25, Jack Krieble ’25, and Carter Smith ’22 in what was an exciting afternoon. Without adequate rest or time to recover, the Black and Crimson were back at it the evening of Saturday, Feb. 12 against another opponent they’d seen already during the season, Loomis Chaffee School. In identical fashion to their matchup nearly three weeks prior, the Wyverns steamrolled the Pelicans 5-2. Dillow, Krieble, and Keegan cruised to victories in straight sets, while Teddy Keegan ’22 won 3-2 in a close matchup against a formidable opponent, all propelling the team to the finals on Sunday, Feb. 13. The resilient group took on the Dragons of St. George’s School in a quest for glory and clinched the title with another convincing 5-2 win. The Wyverns successfully defended their New England Class C Championship with another shutout victory from Krieble as well as victories from T. Keegan, Smith, Dillow, and Teddy Schwartz ’22. Pelletier, a Connecticut College squash commit, was ecstatic to win his second title as a member of the team and immensely proud of the team’s performances in each match. “We played very well as a team,” Pelletier said. “Jack Krieble has been a rock at No. 5, always pushing us to victory by winning his own match handily. [Coach] Robby was giving us plenty of motivation to win our matches while giving us lots of specific tips to overcome our opponents. I, along with co-captain Aidan Dillow, made sure the boys were always in the right state to play a match by giving the rest of the team pre-game speeches.”
