Vol. 33, No. 1
Worcester Preparatory School
Summer 2012 by Casey Knerr
The Mallards are back from a busy summer! Between trips to the beach, part-time jobs, and summer homework, many students have found time for amazing experiences. Brad Mullen and Laney Messiter joined service trips arranged by Global Leadership Adventures, an organization that offers worldwide volunteer opportunities to ambitious and kindhearted high school students. In addition to volunteering, participants learn about the culture of the locations they visit by touring the country, learning basic language skills, and meeting inspiring individuals. Laney traveled to Tanzania, while Brad visited Ghana. He spoke fondly of his “amazing experience” teaching math and English over a period of two weeks and declared that he “can’t wait to go back in the future.” Gabby D’Antonio and Casey Knerr volunteered with Appalachia Service Project, another charitable institution that provides major home repairs to lowincome families in the Appalachian region. Both students offered their service for one week in June. Gabby and her team, Trinity Church, went to West Virginia; Casey and her team, Ocean Pines Community Church, journeyed to Clinton, Tennessee. Gabby greatly enjoyed the “really good experience” she had volunteering for the well-known charity. Raazak Eniola developed his leadership skills by participating in the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference World Seminar in Chicago. Over 8 days, Raazak and 430 other teenagers from 12 different countries participated in various activities designed to encourage leadership, community service, and optimism. Students listened to inspirational speakers including entrepreneurs, business executives, and employees of CNN. They participated in leadership service projects with Alex’s Lemonade, CJE SeniorLife, and other charities, and visited fun locations such as the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry and the Chicago Navy Pier and Navy Pier Ballroom. Razaak called the program “a utopia of positive energy bringing out the best in kids.” Talha Ehtasham furthered his education through a four-week course in biomedical research at the University of Pennsylvania. A “college experience minus the stress,” the program allowed him to stay in a dorm while attending morning lectures and afternoon labs. In addition to classes, Talha joined his fellow students in other fun activities such as bowling competitions and trips to the theater. “It was a lot of fun,” he said. Mark Gee participated in an advanced electrical engineering program at Johns Hopkins University. Over three and a half weeks, he designed and built computational circuits, a task which he enjoyed immensely. Several students, including Katherine Pavlos, Claire Brown, Sarah Freund, Alyssa Talbert, Lorenzo DeJesus, Jenn Karsli, Sophia Tomaselli, Lydia Pritchard, and Libby Truitt, traveled to the University of Maryland to take a weeklong class in Biomedical Science, Forensic Science, or Animal Behavior and Physiology. This opportunity was offered by the Howard Hughes Jump Start Program, which accepts 100 rising juniors or seniors into the competitive program every summer. All in all, the Mallards had an incredible summer and made Worcester Prep proud!
Fall 2012
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The Beak Speaks New Faculty by Steven Lobo
You may have seen some new faces around Worcester lately, and that’s because we have three new teachers in our Upper School—Señor León, Mr. Caldwell, and Mr. Oxenreider. Señor León, the new Spanish teacher coming from Colonel Richardson Middle and High School, teaches a wide range of levels—from Pre-K to Honors Spanish IV. He says that he feels very comfortable at Worcester and that his transition to a new school has been quite smooth. Another new edition to our Upper School is Mr. Caldwell who teaches economics, geography, yearbook, and World History I. Mr. Caldwell enjoys the teacher-to-student ratio at WPS. Mr. Oxenreider is our new athletic trainer and weight-training teacher. Recently, Mr. Oxenreider received his master’s degree from East Stroudsburg University where he also coached Division 2 football. His time here at Worcester has been delightful. He enjoys our kind staff and respectful students. Also, Ms. Lindsay MacWha, Mrs. Marion Connolly, and Mrs. Betsy Hornung have been added to the faculty and staff. Worcester Preparatory School is excited to welcome our new faculty and staff into the Worcester family!
Fall 2012
Beak Speaks Staff 2012-13 Editors-in-Chief Katherine Pavlos Elizabeth Sayan Page 1 Editor Casey Knerr Page 2 Editors Page 3 Editors Page 4 Editors Page 5 Editors Page 6 Editor Page 7 Editors
Brad Mullen Justin Canakis Katie Lawrence Meredith Soulé Bobby Schaeffer Jared Godwin Razaak Eniola Steven Lobo Jamie Welch
Claire Stickler Natalie Twilley Page 8 Editors Chris Klug Thomas Thornett Faculty Advisors Nancy Decker Conni Hall Nancy Raskauskas Reporters: 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade Ali Khan Lydia Pritchard Cullen Kelly Cecily Sass Daniel Rosa London Walker Amanda Gabriel Luke Baier Ragen Doyle Aeyla Ehtasham Mark Gee Laney Messiter Photographers Bobby Schaeffer Jared Godwin Bennett Truitt
Argo Review by Cullen Kelly
From left to right: Damiel Rosa, Libby Truit, Gordon Abercrombie, Elise Harmon, Harrison Brennan, Tierney Loeser, Jared Godwin, Rylie Doyle, Sarah Arrington, and Wyatt Richins.
Homecoming and Spirit Week by Meredith Soulé
Worcester once again had a fun and successful Homecoming Week! Students participated in games during lunch and at the pep rally, dressed up for themed casual days, and decorated hallways and floats to display Worcester pride and spirit during the week. Each grade’s involvement in Spirit Week activities earned points that were tallied at the pep rally. In the end, the seniors came out on top, followed closely by the juniors, then sophomores, and finally the freshmen. This year, the SGA wanted all activities to be related to the Homecoming dance’s theme, which was Outer Space. Dress days were aptly named “Parallel Universe” for twin day, while lunch games were coined “Zero Gravity” and “Space Jam.” The hallways and floats were also decorated with tinfoil, stars, planets, and other space related adornments. The Homecoming Dance on Saturday night was a truly fun-filled evening. The gym was covered with glowing stars and balloons, while silver and neon decorations hung from the walls and ceiling. The SGA even sprang for a photo booth this year, allowing students to dress up in crazy glasses and hats to take funny pictures with friends to add to the memories from the night! The Homecoming Court was voted upon by Upper School students during the week and announced during the dance. Freshman Prince and Princess were Wyatt Richins and Hannah Arrington; Sophomore Prince and Princess were Jarad Godwin and Rylie Doyle; Junior Prince and Princess were Daniel Rosa and Libby Truitt; Senior Prince and Princess were Gordon Abercrombie and Elise Harmon; and Senior Queen and King were Tierney Loeser and Harrison Brennan. Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who participated to make this a wonderful Homecoming Week!
Argo, the new film by actor-turneddirector Ben Affleck, follows CIA Specialist Tony Mendez (played by Affleck) as he leads a team in an attempt to rescue six escaped hostages who got away during the 1979 Tehran crisis. With superb acting from the entire cast, which includes such names as Bryan Cranston and Alan Arkin, a fantastic script that was based of an article originally written for WIRED magazine, and masterful direction from Affleck, Argo is one of this year’s finest. After premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year, the movie has been building massive amounts of well-deserved praise. Affleck’s last movie, The Town, was also a massive hit that garnered Oscar recognition and I see the same in Argo’s future.
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Fall 2012
Full Speed Ahead This Fall by London Walker, Ragen Doyle
Romeo and Juliet by Tommy Thornett
On October 5th, students and faculty were privileged to hear an unabridged version of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. The Brown Box Theater Group from Massachusetts visited Worcester to perform the show. The independent stage group, which possesses a number of young and talented actors, is directed by Salisbury School graduate, Kyler Taustin. The innovative troupe put a creative twist on the production while still maintaining the play’s traditional style. They utilized a simple wooden set with minimal scene changes and in a unique twist on Shakespearean form, used women in a few men’s roles. Students thoroughly enjoyed the play reacting appropriately to the events occurring on stage. It was truly a treat to host this excellent rendition of one of the most renowned English plays ever written!
National Honor Society Induction by Lydia Pritchard
On Tuesday, October 23rd, one senior and forty-four juniors were inducted into the National Honor Society. The students were voted by a committee of faculty members who carefully considered a variety of characteristics for admittance. In order to gain admittance into the National Honor Society a student had to maintain a GPA of 89 percent. The inductees were also chosen based on their demonstration of leadership, not only in class, but also in their extra curricular activities. This includes service to the community, as displayed by participation in volunteer activities both in and out of school. Character was also considered based on the students’ behavior in class as well as the overall attitudes displayed throughout school. NHS sponsors Mrs. Hall and Mrs. Decker, along with Society President Katherine Pavlos, Vice President Scott Gee, and Secretary Parker Kellam, led the ceremony. The inductees are as follows: Tyler Odachowski, Ariella Anthony, Sarah Arrington, Lucas Baier, Billy Brittingham, Thomas Buas, Ben Clark, Lorenzo deJesus, Cynthia Delaney, Lilly DiNardo, Claire Dorey, Razaak Eniola, Hannah Esham, Sarah Freund, Mark Gee, Alison Greer, Jennifer Karsli, Saquib Khan, Chris Klug, Megan Kuczma, Meg Lingo, Zach Manning, Jack Marshall, Elaina Messiter, Ryan Nally, Lucas Payne, Jack Pedigo, Maddie Pilchard, Lydia Pritchard, Matthew Reilly, Robby Rogers, Daniel Rosa, Chase Schmehling, Alex Scott, Hannah Showell, Kristen Shriver, Lane Spangler, Madeline Stearns, Claire Stickler, Alissa Talbert, Sophia Tomaselli, Libby Truitt, Jamie Welch, Bethany Wolpin, and Kyle Zarif. Congratulations to all inductees!
The Upper School classes have big plans for this year. In an interview earlier this month President of the Senior Class Brad Mullen discussed some proposals for the year including a bonfire, tailgate event, and sporting competitions for the seniors. President Razaak Eniola of the Junior Class reported that progress for this year’s Prom is already well underway and promised that his class will sponsor a dance like no other this spring. President Raphael DeJesus and the Sophomore Class are positive about this year. The sophomores’ spirit shone during Spirit Week. At the pep rally, their hard work and creativity paid off when they won most spirited for costumes. The Freshman Class has adjusted well to Upper School. They have already begun thinking about fundraising and are very excited about hosting the upcoming carnival. Everyone is excited to see what all the classes have in store for the coming school year!
Club News
by Katie Lawrence
Worcester Prep is already abuzz with activity as the various clubs prepare for another eventful school year. The Environmental Club has ambitious goals already set for the year. The group has hopes of installing a greenhouse here at Worcester and has been doing research on other high school greenhouses in order to gain more knowledge about the project. Some of the group’s other plans for the year include water testing, beach clean-ups, invasive species removal, and wind energy advocacy. The club founder, Scott Gee, says, “Education is important” and hopes the group will raise environmental awareness throughout the year. The Worcester Prep Volunteers Club also has plans for a productive year. Katherine Pavlos, president of the club, says that, “We have a lot of ideas but we really need the support of the student body to make this a great year.” The club has already organized a successful beach clean-up which took place earlier this month. The group also has plans to organize a blood drive and a dress drive later in the year. The Recycling Club is excited about the year ahead. Scott Gee, the leader of the club, says that, “a plastic bottle will stay in a landfill for seven hundred years before it will disintegrate. That’s a problem, and we need to fix it.” The clubs current goal is to help more people start recycling. With all these inventive new ideas the 2012-2013 school year is sure to be a great one! The Mock Trial Team is getting excited about another year! The team will begin meeting this coming November for anyone who is interested.
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New Students
Fall 2012
by Razaak Eniola
Worcester is welcoming many new students this year. Coming from Waldorf, Maryland, Jiyun Choi is the only new addition to the Senior Class. Jiyun has many talents, such as playing the flute and cheerleading. Her favorite class is AP Physics because she really enjoys the teaching style of Mrs. Hudson. Returning to the class of 2015 is Hank Faust, who previously attended Salesianum High School in Wilmington, Delaware. Hank likes to spend his days on the beach as a lifeguard and enjoys playing soccer. He plans to play lacrosse for Worcester in the spring. A large portion of the new students entered into the Freshman Class. Noah McVicker, Nick Curtis, and Zoe Weistling all previously attended Most Blessed Sacrament. Noah’s favorite class is Mrs. McGuire’s Honors Physical Science. He finds it “challenging, yet still awesome.” In his spare time, he enjoys fishing and surfing. Nick’s favorite class is Computer. Another new addition is Tori Barros, who previously attended Uruslian Academy in Wilmington, Delaware. She really likes World History with Mr. Caldwell because she enjoys his personality. She plays soccer and finds everyone at Worcester to be “very nice.” Erica Smith joined the volleyball team in the fall and was a fabulous addition to the team. She loves French with Mrs. Speier and has played piano for ten years. Another new member of the class is Sonya Walker, who came from Sts. Peter and Paul. She really enjoys playing tennis and is looking forward to playing for Worcester in the spring. She loves English with Mrs. Wallace because she’s “awesome and we play fun games in her class.” It is so nice to see all of these new faces in the hallways of Worcester!
A Spooky, Scary Search
SGA News
by Lucas Baier
The Student Government Association put on one of the best Spirit Weeks Worcester Prep has ever seen! The success of Spirit Week was due to the leadership of Justin Canakis and the incredible effort of Mrs. Wallace and Mr.Love. As many students strolled the Upper School, they were amazed at the creativity and incredible work that the Upper School students had put into decorating the hallways. The seniors took their hallway to a new dimension and earned themselves first place. They will be rewarded with a casual day. Following the end of Spirit Week, students can look forward to upcoming SGA events which are being planned every day by leaders of the SGA community. Justin Canakis, President of SGA, says, “I have a plethora of great ideas, ranging from 3 on 3 tournaments to bigger and better activities. Now, it’s just up to the students to get involved, and we encourage all to do so.” The next event planned is the Holiday Food Drive, which will take place in December. Mr.Love says “Every year the drive grows, so we expect this year to be the biggest yet!” So students, start getting in the giving groove and get involved. Other upcoming events will be announced soon.
Tombstone Treat Trick Troll Vampires Werewolf Witch Zombies Apples Bats Black Bloodcurling Cackle Candy Cat Cemetery
Cobweb Ghoul Costumes Gory Frightening Halloween Ghosts Monsters Mummies Night Ogre Pumpkin Skeletons Spiders Spirit Spooky
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Apple announces new iPad Mini, Macs
The Beak Speaks
Fall 2012
by Jamie Welch
Apple held a special event in San Diego on October 23 where they announced a new tablet offering called the iPad mini, and a refresh of the existing iPad, iMac and Macbook line of products. The new iMac has edge-to-edge glass and a remarkably thin display, and the edge is 5 mm in thickness. It includes a headphone jack, an SDXC card slot, three USB ports, a Thunderbolt connector, and an Ethernet port. The 21-inch iMac weighs only 12.5 pounds and the 27-inch iMac weighs 21 pounds. The new 13 inch Macbook Pro is lighter, thinner, and now includes Apple’s high pixel density Retina display. The new full-size iPad comes with the A6X processor chip that we were all hoping for in the third-generation iPad, making it twice as fast and with twice the graphics performance of the iPad 2. The frontfacing camera has been updated to include HD for Facetime. The Wi-Fi connection has been updated to be twice as fast as the currentgeneration iPad and the new model features the new lightning connection, which many people say they dislike, citing an insistence on sticking with proprietary connections. The biggest news from the event, of course, is regarding iPad’s new sister. The new iPad mini announced by Apple sports a 7.9-inch screen and is 23 percent thinner than the new fourth-generation iPad and 53 percent lighter at only 0.68 pounds. The iPad mini comes in black and white, with the black tablet featuring the slate black back that we see on the iPhone 5. The device has 1024 x 768 pixel resolution, which is the same resolution as on the iPad 2. It includes an A5 dual-core chip, HD-quality front facing camera, 5 MP back camera, 10 hour battery life, and also features the lightning dock connector. The iPad mini starts from $329, and Apple will start taking preorders on October 26.
Photo taken by Alex Scott, a junior in photography elective
An Evening of Theater
Zombie
by Daniel Rosa
On October 27, 2012, the Drama Club, organized by Mr. Freed, hosted an exciting evening of theater—ranging from monologues to one-acts. The event commenced at 6:00 P.M with an array of refreshments. The Drama Club, consisting of 19 members from the entire Upper School, managed to entertain an intimate crowd with spectacular acts. In collaboration with Shakespeare enthusiast, Mrs. Hall, seniors Katie Lawrence, Brad Mullen, and Thomas Thornett performed Shakespeare monologues, worthy of recognition. Due to popular demand, another production is expected to take place in the spring!
by Grace Riley
No one is safe this Halloween, Zombies are back and they’re killing machines. I hope you’re prepared, if not get crackin, You gotta protect your brain from zombie snackin. Always wear supportive shoes, you might be doing some running, Halloween is almost here and the zombies are coming. Zombies can jump but they can’t climb, A 12-foot wall should buy you some time. When faced with a zombie, what do you do? Think back to these survival tips to get you through.
Photo taken by Lydia Pritchard, a junior in photography elective
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Varsity and Junior Varsity Girls’ Volleyball by Mattie Maull and Cecily Sass
This fall, the girls on Worcester’s volleyball team have worked extremely hard. With a record of 2 wins and 10 losses, they have improved greatly since last year. Throughout the season, the girls finessed their fundamental skills by bumping, setting, serving, and even spiking with help from their head coach Herb Simon and assistant coach Dana Schaefer. Their enthusiastic coaches have helped both the new and experienced players improve monumentally. This was the first year that the volleyball team fought their way into the PACC tournament. After winning their play-off game against Chesapeake Christian, the team made it to the semi-finals where they lost in a close game to the top team in the conference. The top two players with the most kills and service points were Claire Stickler and Mattie Maull. Worcester Prep’s volleyball team will have two seniors graduating this year, Parker Kellam and Caroline Wetzelberger, who both served as captains and starting players. They will be sorely missed. When asked about the team, Parker said, “We may not have had a winning season, but we have improved immensely! Almost every game we found ourselves saying ‘That’s the best we’ve played yet’!” Also, the school congratulates Mattie Maull for making the All-PACC Tournament Team. Next year looks to be a very promising season, and the players are anxious to return to the sport!
Varsity Girls’ Soccer by Amanda Gabriel
The girls’ varsity soccer team has worked very hard this season to polish their skills and to improve their game. Their goal this season was to defeat their fiercest ESIAC rivals, Sts. Peter and Paul. First coming together in the sweltering August heat for pre-season, the girls practiced many drills and worked on building strong fundamentals. As the season progressed, the improvement became even more noticeable with assistance from the constant encouragement of their amazing coaches, Ms. Harnett, Mr. D’Antonio, and Mrs. Wallace. All of their hard work paid off in the end, as they finished up the season with eleven recorded wins. When head coach, Carol Harnett, was asked to sum up the season in a few words, she replied, “It was just a great overall effort. The girls displayed the character we know they have.” This year’s varsity team included eight seniors: Gabby D’Antonio, Alex Bruder, Molly Marshall, Tierney Loeser, Dara Pappas, Meredith Smith, Meredith Soulé, and manager Ragen Doyle. This year has truly been a great one, and the graduating seniors will be dearly missed.
Varsity Field Hockey by Natalie Twilley
With an outstanding record of 10-2, the WPS field hockey team has had its best season to date. Head Coach Jenny Frostrom and Assistant Coach Casey Hickman are very proud of their team for winning the ESIAC Conference Championships for the first time in the history of the school. The lone senior Claire Brown was commended as the best goalie in the whole conference, and Meg Lingo received ESIAC player of the year. Sarah Arrington, Alison Greer, Meg Lingo, and Jordie Loomis made first team all-conference. Maddy Stearns and Hannah Esham were awarded second team all-conference, and Libby Truitt and Natalie Twilley received honorable mention. Following their conference win, the team will be competing against Sts. Peter and Paul for the ESIAC Tournament Championship title. Throughout the season, the team has grown very close with various bonding activities including breakfasts and dinners. Coach Casey said, “I believe that this team has a lot of heart, skill, and dedication. They give 110% at everything they do and this has really shown throughout our winning season.” We congratulate the field hockey team for achieving such a successful season.
Claire Brown: Female Athlete of the Issue by Elizabeth Sayan
Claire Brown has been an avid varsity field hockey player all four years of High School. During her sophomore year, she transitioned from a field player to goalie and has been defending the goal ever since. This year she was named as one of the captains for the team. Over the course of the season, Claire has made several nail-biting, yet successful saves. In the past, she has attended several field hockey tournaments including ones at the University of Delaware and at the college of Franklin & Marshall. Her favorite memories of the season include the two team breakfasts that were a special time for the team to bond and get to know each other off the field. Also, she enjoyed the numerous shutout games that the team accomplished during their season. She is thrilled that the field hockey team has finally reached the top tier of their conference. Claire is excited to continue her senior year, but she is sad that this season will be her last. Her presence will be deeply missed on the team. Claire hopes to attend the University of Delaware next fall, and we wish her the best of luck in all of her future endeavors.
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Fall 2012
Boys’ Soccer By Chris Klug
Alec Zarif beats a defender in the September10th game against Greenwood Mennonite.
Varsity boys’ soccer has yet again had a very successful season. The team’s season was comprised of 17 games, leaving the team with a record of 13 wins, 3 losses, and one tie. There are a total of 24 players on varsity, with 8 juniors and 8 seniors. James Willey has managed Worcester’s team this year. Worcester performed well against all their ESIAC rivals. One of Worcester’s best competitions came against their considerable opponent, Salisbury Christian. The first confrontation between the two teams led to an upsetting loss in overtime for the Mallards. A few weeks of hard training proved handy when Worcester won in overtime with a victory of 2-1. Conor Nally, a senior returning from a mid season knee injury, mentioned, “ I’m really impressed by our improvement as a team throughout the season.” This growth and improvement as a whole can be largely attributed to Mr. Terry Underkoffler’s leadership. With a thorough understanding of the game, he is continuing to lead this team in the right direction. With his guidance, Worcester Prep’s Varsity Boys’ Soccer is destined for continued success in the future. The junior varsity had a developing season as well. Coaches Caldwell and McKee vigorously trained the freshman and sophomore team. Member, Will Pedigo, reflected on the season, stating, “We may not have had the numbers, but we had the heart. Dedication and passion drove us. It was truly a magical season.”
Athletes of the Issue
by Mark Gee and Aelya Ehtasham
Scott Gee has been interested in golf ever since he moved to Delaware. He began playing golf because “I couldn’t play baseball anymore, I can’t kick the soccer ball to the goal on a penalty kick, and my lacrosse skills aren’t up to par.” Scott is especially proud of his win at the Ocean Pines Junior Invitation, where he came in first place. He dominated the competition. All of his opponents could only hope to catch up to him. Unfortunately, Scott, as a senior, will be leaving the varsity golf team next year. However, Scott is confident that Sophomore Riley Doyle will “get the job done becuase Riley’s hard-work and dedication reciporcates onto the golf course.” Patrick Dowling is one of Worcester’s most passionate golf players. When asked why he played, Patrick joked, “For the fame and fortune.” Then he more honestly said that he enjoyed playing the game, especially on such a talented team as Worcester’s. One of Patricks proudest moments as a golfer occured a few weeks ago where he scored only 2 over par with a total score of only 38 strokes. His greatest inspiration is Tiger Woods. Patrick envys Tiger’s ability to overcome trials and tribulations and channel his energy onto the golf course. Patrick’s greatest strength in golf is the fact that he can drive the ball a significant length. When asked about the golf team’s fate without him, Patrick said, “The team will miss a legend, but with the guidance of Coach Kevin Gates, they will prevail.” Patrick and Scott were essential leaders on Worcester’s’ team.
Derek Wilgus hits his tee shot on the 9th hole during the ESIAC Championship.
Varsity Golf by Ali Khan
The varsity golf team did quite well this year with four wins, two games in third, and one loss. This year they competed in the ESIAC Championship and the Ryder Cup. The team is comprised of two freshmen, two sophomores, and one junior. The dominant seniors this year are Bobby Schaeffer, Patrick Dowling, Matt Middleton, Josh Moyer, and Scott Gee as the captain. With the seniors leading the way, they beat Salisbury School and Salisbury Christian by almost 100 strokes in the ESIAC Championship. Another cup for this year’s varsity golf is imminent. Many players this year received All Conference awards such as Scott Gee, Patrick Dowling, Matt Middleton, Billy Brittingham, Jason Cook, and Riley Doyle. We should be very proud of our golf team!
Athletes of the Issue-Patrick Dowling and Scott Gee, seniors on Worcester Prep’s golf team.