NEPSAC NEWSLETTER - WINTER 2018-19 by NEPSAC COMMUNICATIONS

NEPSAC News ®

NEW ENGLAND PREPARATORY SCHOOL ATHLETIC COUNCIL

WINTER 2018–2019

NEPSAC Awards Peter Gammons, Groton ’63 and Jim McNally, Rivers 1996-2016

by Bob York

ou normally don’t find Peter Gammons’ name buried somewhere in the first sentence of a story … you usually find it up in the byline. That’s because the three-time National Sportswriter of the Year and recipient of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s highest accolade, is rarely the subject of an article — he’s usually the author of it.

Gammons, who began his career nearly a half-century ago by covering the Red Sox for the Boston Globe as well as penning stories for other notable publications such as Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News and ESPN The Magazine, made headlines at the New England Prep School Athletic Council’s Annual Meeting on Nov. 16 at Worcester’s DCU Center when the council presented him with its 2018 Martin William Souders Memorial Award. The award was established in 1967 in memory of Souders, who was director of physical education at Milton Academy (1919–1929) and at Phillips Exeter Academy (1930–1962), as well as NEPSAC’s first president. It bears his name in recognition of his leadership, vision, dedication and the constant and

valuable contributions he made to the cause and stature of physical education and athletics among New England independent schools. The award is annually presented to a NEPSAC graduate, who made a distinguished record in life through his/her high ideals, leadership and accomplishments. The council also presented its 2018 Distinguished Service Award to Jim McNally, long-time athletic director at The Rivers School and past president of NEPSAC. This award is given annually to an individual who has contributed significantly to the athletics and physical

education of New England’s independent schools through his/her enthusiasm, dedication, leadership and vision. “I’m extremely excited to be receiving this year’s William Souders Award … I mean, just to be to mentioned with some of this award’s past recipients is truly humbling,” said Gammons, a 1963 Groton School grad whose name will now forever reside in NEPSAC Nation along side other New England luminaries such as George H.W. Bush, Bill Cleary, Mike Eruzione and Bill Belichick. For Gammons, whose career also featured frequent appearances on the airwaves with gigs on SportsCenter, ESPNEWS, Sunday Night Baseball, the MLB Network and NESN, receiving this award may have been a bit more nostalgic than for most of its 53 prior recipients. That’s because Gammons

continued on page 5

NEPSAC president Bob Howe with William Souders Award winner Peter Gammons.

SCOREBOARD Enterprises We provide Sales, Service, & Installation on the following: - Scoreboards - Video Displays - Sound Systems - Message Displays - Gym Equipment - Goal Posts

- Soccer/Lacrosse goals - Gym Maintenance and Repair - Divider Curtains

START PLANNING NOW FOR THE FUTURE OF FACILITIES DAKTRONICS SPORTS MARKETING: USE SPONSORSHIP REVENUE TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT & GENERATE INCOME FOR YOUR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT.

ATHLETIC SOUND SOLUTIONS

A Scoreboard Enterprises Company

508-339-8113 2 | NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019

www.nepsac.org

President’s Letter

NEPSAC®

New England Preparatory School Athletic Council President Bob Howe Deerfield Academy Vice-President George Tahan Belmont Hill School Secretary Leslie Guenther Hebron Academy Treasurer Jim Smucker Berwick Academy Directors of Championships Tiz Mulligan Westover School George Tahan Belmont Hill School Jamie Arsenault New Hampton School Director of Classifications Mark Conroy Williston Northampton School Past Presidents Jamie Arsenault New Hampton School Mark Conroy Williston Northampton School John Mackay St. George’s School Richard Muther St. Paul’s School Middle School Representatives Ryan Frost Cardigan Mountain School Rob Feingold The Fay School District Representatives DISTRICT I

Leslie Guenther Hebron Academy Stefan Jensen Hyde School DISTRICT II

Rick Eccleston Holderness School Matt Lawlor Brewster Academy Ryan Frost Cardigan Mountain School DISTRICT III

Brook Sumner Landmark School Rachel Horn St. George’s School Rob Quinn Berwick Academy Rick Forestiere Thayer Academy DISTRICT IV

Martha Brousseau Greenwich Academy Geoff Barlow Avon Old Farms School Rob Madden Taft School Tauni Butterfield Greens Farms Academy Communications Specialist Laurie Sachs The Rivers School “NEPSAC” and the NEPSAC logo are registered trademarks of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council and may not be used or displayed without permission. New England Preparatory School Athletic Council qualifies as a public charity under Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3).

www.nepsac.org

Bob Howe

Deerfield Academy

t sure is a busy time at our schools! This three week period between Thanksgiving and Christmas is sometimes my favorite time of the school year, and can also be my least favorite time of the year. We tend to compress two months’ worth of activity into this stretch, and yes, this includes athletics as well as every other aspect of school life. And just when you hit a rhythm when all your rosters are set and game day protocol is in place it’s time to send all the teams home for the holidays. For those of you hosting Holiday Tournaments thank you and good luck with all the planning. It does look as though the weather will be cooperative through the week! Congratulations to everyone involved with this year’s postseason tournaments and championship events. The communication from the Tournament committees to schools and the NEPSAC Board was excellent. If you know anyone at your schools that happened to be involved with running these events let them know how much their time and effort is appreciated. At our last Executive Board meeting we all agreed how impressive it was to see the speed with which those game results were posted. We had really good communication with Laurie Sachs from schools and Tournament Committees. The NEPSAC Annual meeting was a great success this year! In spite of the weather, those who were able to attend received a full day of really interesting breakout sessions, award presentations, and an opportunity to hear Liz Conant speak to us on the topic of role conflict management strategies: the seven

common themes among experienced NEPSAC athletic directors. Jim McNally received this year’s Distinguished Service Award and Peter Gammons, sports journalist at the Boston Globe, received the William Martin Souders Memorial Award. Information from this year’s breakout sessions listed below can be found on the NEPSAC website:

»» Strength and Conditioning: The building, staffing and continuing education of a program. Kevin O’Neill from Noble & Greenough School led this workshop. »» NESTMA: Understanding Cultural Practices used by your sports turf manager – Victoria Wallace »» How to use Social Media as a recruiting tool – Walter Osterman, Social Maven At the business meeting part of the day I recapped some of the initiatives taken on by the Board this past year. These include the start of an online payment plan for league membership dues with all NEPSAC coaching associations, creating a more uniform and consistent all-star selection process, updating and clarifying the classification definitions and deadlines for all associations, and soon we will be looking at issuing a new and improved tournament application that will look the same for all sport associations. As we start the new year I’d like to thank everyone who is an athletic director with NEPSAC. We are fortunate

continued on page 4

COMMUNICATIONS NOTE The NEPSAC AD email list is updated throughout the year. Please remember to check for the most recent version before sending an email blast. You will find it in the Athletic Directors section of the NEPSAC website.

NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019 | 3

NEPSAC Newsbits NEPSAC Calendar JANUARY 2019 7 | Executive Board Bancroft School, 9:15 a.m. 29 | District III meeting Belmont Hill School, 11:00 a.m.

FEBRUARY 2019 7 | District II meeting Tilton School, 9:00 a.m. 12 | Executive Board Bancroft School, 9:15 a.m. 26 | District I meeting Hebron Academy, 10:00 a.m.

MARCH 2019 1 | NEPSAC News Spring issue deadline

FROM THE ARCHIVES

PRESIDENT’S LETTER continued from page 3 to work at the schools we work at and to be associated with member schools all across the New England region and beyond. It’s often not an easy job managing students, coaches, and administrations with all the cultural pressures placed on schools to have successful athletic programs. Our NEPSAC Constitution and By-Laws combined with our Code of Conduct help us all maintain a level of excellence as a league that gives us our great reputation. This winter will provide us all again with some great stories and events happening on our campuses. Good communication with league presidents and liaisons are two very important ways in which you can stay current with concerns you may have or questions that come from your coaches. I’d also like to encourage anyone with a good story to send that along to Laurie Sachs at communications@nepsac.org. Have a great winter break!

TREASURER’S REPORT Updates for Online Payments by Jim Smucker, Berwick Academy NEPSAC Treasurer

e have received positive feedback regarding the new online payment system. With over 180 schools, and 17 Coaches Associations, NEPSAC is trying to be as efficient and as transparent as possible as we move forward with this process. When we begin the 2019-2020 school year the hope is to have all members pay their NEPSAC, Coaches Associations dues, and tournament fees online. We will continue to communicate more about the specifics in upcoming newsletters.

The year was 1987...

his District IV Athletic Director (left) was the first female athlete at her prep school to earn 12 varsity letters. She captained the field hockey, ice hockey and softball teams her senior year. In college she was a four-year member of the women’s ice hockey team. Who is she? Congratulations to Tom Decker (King School) for correctly tagging Rocco DeMaio in the last issue: “Hopkins AD and Hopkins graduate. Went to Trinity College and played both football and baseball.”

Do you have a blast from the past to share with other ADs? Send your photos to Laurie at communications@nepsac.org!

4 | NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019

2019-2020 Peg Dates Reminder »» Fall NEPSAC Championship tournaments: November 13, 16 and 17, 2019 »» Holiday Tournaments: December 20–22, 2019 »» First peg date in January: Saturday, January 11, 2020 (2019 date was January 5) »» Long winter weekend (for most schools): February 7–10 »» Winter NEPSAC Championship tournaments: March 4, 7 and 8, 2020 »» Spring NEPSAC Championship tournaments: May 16–17, 2020

www.nepsac.org

NEPSAC AWARDS continued from page 1 didn’t just attend a New England boarding school — he lived the life. “My father taught at Groton for 35 years and the Edward B. Gammons Recital Hall at Groton is named in his honor,” stated a proud son. “I spent much of my formative years around prep schools … it’s a culture I know well and a life experience that I will always cherish.” When Jake Congleton, a long-time teacher and coach at Groton who lived next door to the Gammons family on the Groton campus and frequently played catch with his young neighbor, learned the presentation of the Sounders Award was due in large part to the “enthusiasm, dedication, leadership and vision the recipient has shown through life,” he confirmed the selection by succinctly responding, “Yup, that’s Peter!“ Congleton also shared his certainty that Gammons’ love affair with baseball began right next door — on the family’s front porch. “During the summers, his mother used to listen to the Red Sox games on the radio … back then, as I remember, there were very few games being broadcast on television …and you’d always see Peter out there listening to the games as well. “By age 12, he knew more about the sport of baseball than you or I, “ added Congleton, who earned a spot — along side Gammons — in the school’s Hall of Fame for his successful 34year stint as Groton’s football coach, “and as he got older, his love of baseball grew, too.” Congleton fondly remembers when Gammons was a sophomore or junior at Groton and would spend some of his study hall time making baseball trades with other students … much like rotisserie league baseball, which was a precursor of today’s fantasy league baseball. “One of the students Peter traded with most frequently was a kid by the name of Peter Magowan,” remembers Congleton. “Ironically, Magowan would later become the managing general partner of the San Francisco Giants (1993–2008). “While heading up the Giants, Magowan spearheaded the construction of the Giants home stadium (now AT&T Park) and also signed free agent superstar Barry Bonds … a move I think Peter would have agreed with,” quipped Congleton. Entering Groton as an eighth-grader, Gammons spent five years as a student/athlete at the school. His prowess in the classroom, which would lead him to the University of North Carolina as an English and political science major, overshadowed his exploits in the athletic arena, however. He played baseball and hockey for the Zebras and summed up his careers in both by saying, “I wasn’t very good, … but I had a ton of fun. “ In fact, Gammons, who was a pitcher and second baseman at Groton, admitted the highlight of his prep school athletic career came in a hockey rink. “I’ll never forget playing against St. Paul’s School my junior year,” said Gammons. “Their first line was one of the best throughout New England prep school hockey that season. That line consisted of Bob Mueller (former director of the FBI) and John Kerry (former Secretary of State).”

www.nepsac.org

Distinguished Service Award winner Jim McNally with NEPSAC past president John Mackay.

The third member of that line was John Whitman, and he too ended up in the political spotlight. His future wife, Christie Todd Whitman would serve as governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001 and later as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. While reflecting upon his prep school days, Gammons tipped his cap to some of the people who influenced his life at Groton — and well beyond. “Junie O’Brien was my baseball and hockey coach,” said Gammons. “I remember him not only as a tremendous coach, but more importantly, a terrific leader of young men. He taught us that if you get knocked down, just get right back up again. He taught us whether you’re competing in baseball, hockey, or life … you’ve just got to learn to hang in there and never give up.” In the classroom, meanwhile, Jim Waugh earned a spot on Gammons’ best-remembered list. “Jim was one of my English teachers,” remembered Gammons. “He was also the teacher who was in change of the Third Form Weekly … the school newspaper … and so I have to give him credit for not only getting me involved in writing for a newspaper, but also for assigning me to cover some of the school’s athletic events. Needless to say, I fell in love with it.” From the Third Form Weekly, Gammons made his way to UNC, where he continued to hone his writing skills at the Daily Tar Heel. Following graduation, he was off to begin his internship at the Globe and the rest, as they say, is history. When Gammons returned home from North Carolina to serve as an intern at the Globe, one of his first assignments for its sports department was to cover prep school sports. It was a position that would pay dividends to both Groton and Congleton. “We had a very good football team in 1969, and Peter covered us quite often,” said Congleton, whose Groton teams chalked up a record of 144–68–9 and won or shared 10 league championships. “We got a lot of free publicity from Peter that year,” he added with a chuckle.

continued on page 7

NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019 | 5

.BUSJY 'JUOFTT 7BSTJUZ %PVCMF )BMG 3BDL Special "Make a Strength & Condition room over night"

Details Total Price for 4 Combo Rack and Accessories $9,584.00 (MSRP $16,320.00) The racks come with 4 Dip Bar attachments. The racks come with 4 Land Mine attachments This is a used resale order (3 months old) If interested, please contact: Matt Kehoe Northeast Sales Rep 860-368-9478 Matt.Kehoe@MatrixFitness.com

6 | NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019

www.nepsac.org

NEPSAC AWARDS continued from page 5 Gammons showed up as well nearly a quarter of a century later to write an article on Congleton for his final game as Groton football coach. “Peter wrote a very nice story ... I have it framed and hanging on my wall at home,” said Congleton. “He was very complimentary in the article … in fact, he may have even exaggerated just a little. “ That wasn’t the end of the story, however. “The following June, I attended my 40th class reunion at Wesleyan and was presented with a Distinguished Alumni Award by the school,” added Congleton. “I really couldn’t figure out how I ever won such an award, but then I read the plaque they gave me that summarized the things I had done to receive the award. Then it all started making sense … the plaque pretty much paraphrased what Peter had written in my retirement article.” Jim McNally’s nomination for this year’s Distinguished Service Award comes following a two-decade span — from 1996 to 2016 — he spent as athletic director at Rivers School and transformed its sports program into one highly regarded by its ISL foes, and prep school opponents throughout the New England area. His lengthy resume while serving as Rivers’ athletic director included being voted secretary, then president of the ISL. He

Athletic Scheduler High Street Solutions https://highstreetsolutions.weebly.com/ Mark B Perkins markbperkins@gmail.com 802.457.7383 Key Features  Automatically Calculate Logistics  No re-typing - Rollover for Seasons  Create and Print and Email o Contracts o Master Schedules o Change Notices o Weekly Reminders  Integrate Google Calendar  Manage Transportation  And, much, much, more!

www.nepsac.org

was also elected District III president, then ran the gamut of positions on the NEPSAC Executive Board from secretary, to vice president, to president from 2007–08. During McNally’s time spent amongst the NEPSAC hierarchy, he was also named Director of Championships, which meant he oversaw tournament competition in 21 sports, including 81 championship tournaments, meets and football bowl games, as NEPSAC oversees all interscholastic competition for more than 180 independent schools throughout New England. The work he did earned him a firm pat on the back in 2008 when NEPSAC presented him with an award for his outstanding dedication to the council. “Jim’s a very deserving recipient of the Distinguished Service Award,” said long-time friend John Mackay of St. George’s School, who introduced McNally and presented him with the award. “He’s been a strong voice as well as a driving force for the ISL … for NEPSAC … for its tournament selection committee. “To his credit,” added Mackay, who served as athletic director at St. George’s from 1997 to 2016 and who is the school’s football coach, “as director of championships, Jim always looked out for the little guy. He didn’t just look to the prestigious schools when sizing up a tournament field … he looked to the small schools, too. He always felt as though no matter the school’s size, if it did what it needed to do to qualify, then that school deserved to be in the tournament field.” McNally was also a big advocate of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and introduced many of his ISL and NEPSAC counterparts to the certification of this association that preserves, enhances, and promotes educational-based athletics through the professional development of interscholastic athletic administrators. As a recognized educational institution committed to leadership programs, resources and service opportunities, this group supports the athletic administrator’s effort in providing quality athletic participation opportunities for students. “Jim’s always been my go-to guy,” said Rachel Horn, athletic director at St. George’s School and a District III representative. “When it comes to NEPSAC, he’s a wealth of knowledge and the first person I’d seek out whenever I was looking for advice. “He inevitably had the answer, but more importantly, he’d always help me see the bigger picture of whatever I was involved with,” added Horn. “He was able to do that by making sure I stopped and thought about that bigger picture and how decisions we make now could affect our student/athletes, coaches and schools in the future … and that approach has proven invaluable to me. “I’m thrilled that Jim’s being presented this award,” continued Horn. “I consider him a dear friend and will be forever grateful that he always pushed me out of my comfort zone. When his name came up as a nominee for this award, I had no doubt whatsoever he should be its recipient and everyone else on the council felt the same way, too.”

NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019 | 7

MARIONAPOLIS PREPARATORY SCHOOL | THOMPSON, CONNECTICUT

Masciarelli wins National XC Title by Bob York

ast fall, Sydney Masciarelli spent her freshman year chalking up 21 goals for the Marianapolis Prep girls’ soccer team. This fall, she decided to give cross-country a try and capped off her inaugural campaign in that sport by capturing the Girls’ Foot Locker National Cross-Country Championship in San Diego, Calif., on Dec. 8. The feat, which she literally won in the blink of an eye — by .7 seconds — classifies her as the best high school-age girls’ crosscountry runner in the country. Masciarelli, a resident of Northbridge, Mass., covered the 3.1-mile course in a time of 17:00.3 seconds, which proved to be the 10th-fastest time by a girl in the 34 years the race has been held in San Diego. Her time had to be among the best ever, however, as it was just seven-hundredths of a second ahead of Katelynne Hart, a junior from Illinois, who trimmed nearly 22 seconds off her second-place time of a year ago. “It’s the closest finish I’ve ever been a part of. I was so nervous as I watched them head down the home stretch and toward the finish line,” said Emily Gaudet, Masciarelli’s coach at Marianapolis, who has been involved in the sport — either as a runner or as a coach — for the past 16 years. “It was truly thrilling; something I’ll never forget and I doubt Sydney will either.” “I had flashbacks of past workouts and training sessions with my brother, and for that split second I realized how far I had come and to get there and to not give it all I had would’ve been something that would have stuck with me forever,“ said Masciarelli in describing her stretch run. “I’ve never been in a situation where I had to push as hard as I did or even try to catch up to someone, so once I caught up to her I knew I had to go all the way. “It felt good to push and challenge myself and be surrounded by such great competition,” added Masciarelli. “All the girls that ran that day were great runners and I was happy to be a part of this amazing experience. I thank Foot Locker for putting on a very special event.” It didn’t take a cross-country trip to a cross-country championship for Gaudet to figure out she had some kind of special runner on her team this fall. She got a sneak preview last spring, when, as a freshman, Masciarelli rang up some influential numbers to qualify her as Rookie of the Year in another sport: Track. During her debut at the New England Prep School Track Association Championships, she won the 800-meter race (2:13.94), the 1,500-meter race (4:34.72) and the 3,000-meter race (10:10.63).

8 | NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019

This fall, Gaudet knew Masciarelli was for real before the echoes of the starter’s gun had died away from her opening cross-country meet of the season. “We opened against Noble & Greenough,” said Gaudet, “and Sydney just took off and led that race start to finish. In fact, that’s pretty much what she did throughout the entire regular season as she went undefeated (10-0).” If any doubt lingered as to just how good a runner Masciarelli was, it vanished the second weekend of the season at the Canterbury Invitational. There, Masciarelli beat out 104 other runners to the finish line to capture the Division II championship in a record-setting time of 17:04, shattering the previous mark by an astounding 55 seconds. Her time also bested the clocking of Deerfield Academy’s Victoria Patterson, who won the girls’ Division I race in 17:55. Combining the two divisions, Masciarelli logged the fastest time of any of the 185 girls who competed at the Canterbury race that day Then, during this fall’s NEPSTA Championships, Masciarelli began her tune-up for the Foot Locker competition by winning the Div. IV race in a time of 17:51. Patterson, who was one of four other NEPSTA runners to qualify for this year’s Nationals, won the Div. I race with a girls’ best time on the day of 17:49. “This race, for which only 40 girls in the country qualify … from both public and private schools … is considered the national championship in the sport of cross country,” said Erin Dromgoole, the NEPSTA president. “The list of past champions is filled with athletes who went onto become NCAA champions

continued on page 11

www.nepsac.org

SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST IS THE #1 KILLER OF STUDENT ATHLETES. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO PROTECT YOUR STUDENTS?

Mass Heartbeat is committed to bringing affordable, efficient, and non-invasive ECG screenings directly to your school. The screening takes less than 5 minutes, and could detect a fatal heart issue student athletes may otherwise never know existed. We can screen over 200 students/athletes during a given school day.

www.nepsac.org

GIVE US A CALL

(508) 625-0353 VISIT US ONLINE

www.massheartbeat.com

NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019 | 9

WHAT IS SHAW SPORTS TURF?

#MORETHANAFIELD That’s how we like to think about our company. We believe our products are more than playing surfaces, they are centerpieces and rallying points for schools and communities. Along those same lines, we see our customers as partners. We want to be there throughout the life of a field together—and we will be. Follow us to see more of how our fields are connecting communites.

www.shawsportsturf.com • 1.866.703.4004

10 | NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019

www.nepsac.org

MASCIARELLI WINS NATIONAL XC TITLE continued from page 8 and Olympians. It’s a tremendous achievement and the highest honor in the sport of cross-country. “Sydney is the first athlete to win the Foot Locker title in his or her first season of cross-country since 2005 and not only that, but her down-the-homestretch battle is being widely recognized by many long-time cross-country fans as possibly the greatest finish in Foot Locker Championship history.” Dromgoole also pointed out that NEPSTA had a total of five of its runners qualify for this year’s prestigious finale. In addition to Masciarelli and Patterson, who failed to finish due to a hamstring injury, the boys’ race featured Matt Farrell of Loomis, who finished 23rd, in a time of 16:04.9, while Choate’s Mustafe Nahir and Richard Sturtevant of NMH were 30th and 32nd, with respective times of 16:18.3 and 16:19.5, “which,” added Dromgoole, “is another tremendous accomplishment given that the qualifying is open to every high school crosscountry runner in the United States.” “Victoria truly crushed it this year,” said Deerfield crosscountry coach Dennis Cullinane. “She’s a dream athlete to coach for her focus, dedication, professionalism and ferocity. The Foot Locker regional was her stepping-up race where she ran 17:27 and finished tenth … our exact goal. “Unfortunately, all the travel to the West Coast and standing around for pre-race ceremonies set her up for a strained hamstring on the big downhill,” added Cullinane. “Frustratingly, she was running 18th at the time and looked fantastic, but we expect her to return next year and do really well. “I would add that her progression at New Englands has been wonderful, finishing fourth as a freshman, second last year and first this year and that the excitement of winning was second only to the thrill of running back the last 200 meters to cheer on her teammates.” Farrell chalked up his third consecutive Founders League championship and his second straight New England Div. I crown this fall to prep for the Nationals. Dahir, who is the first Choate runner to qualify for the Nationals in 16 years, earned All-NEPSAC laurels after finishing fourth at the NEPSTA Championships and second to Farrell in the Founders League Championships. Sturtevant, meanwhile, finished up fourth in the NEPSTA Div. I Race in a time of 15:47. “Matt has been the fastest runner in the Loomis Chaffee program since he arrived as a freshman, and this year, for the third year in a row, he received our Most Valuable Runner Award and that probably won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has watched him race,” said Loomis Coach Sally Knight. “What might surprise people, however, is just how hard Matt works for his wins,” added Knight. “This year, unlike preceding years, his competitors have been running with him stride-forstride in the majority of the season’s races.” Masciarelli, who is already drawing interest from Division I college basketball coaches after the 5-10 point guard helped lead Marianapolis to the NEPSAC Class A championship game as a freshman, punched her ticket for the West Coast during the Foot Locker Northeast Qualifier in the Bronx. There, she

www.nepsac.org

covered the 3.1-mile course in a time of 17:27.6. The top 10 girls to finish as well as the first 10 boys on the clock qualified for the nationals, along with the top 10 boys and girls from the Midwest, South and West Regional meets. Patterson, who hails from Greenville, S.C., competed in the South Regional and earned her spot by finishing 10th in 17:27, at McAlpine Park in Charlotte, N.C., The boys’ competition saw, Farrell, Dahir and Sturtevant all compete in the Northeast Regional where they finished eighth, ninth and 10th respectively. Although Gaudet admits that a number of opposing coaches came up to her this fall after watching Masciarelli register win after win after win and asked her, “where’d she come from,” her appearance on this fall’s Golden Knight roster didn’t come as much of a shock to her coach. “Sydney did very well in track last spring and I think that got the juices flowing for her,” said Gaudet. “Plus, running is in her blood … her twin brother, Sal, just happens to be the best runner on our boys team, so it all makes sense. “She’s a gifted athlete who runs both effectively and efficiently,” added Gaudet. “Plus, she’s a tremendously hard worker … she goes all out in everything she takes on and I can’t wait to see what she’s able to accomplish over the next two years.”

SKUNK HOLLOW graphic design with a maine accent

Do you need a handbook, directory or magazine? How about a postcard, invitation or stationery? Or a program brochure, fundraising appeal or search piece? Are you overwhelmed? Do you even know where to start? Let me help. I have over 25 years of experience with school publications and printing production, and I am accustomed to tight deadlines and equally tight budgets. I can help you figure out what you want, pull the pieces together and deliver a final product you will be thrilled to share with parents and alumni.

207-890-8919 SKUNK HOLLOWMAINE.COM SKUNK HOLLOWDESIGN @ GMAIL.COM THRIFT ~ HONESTY ~ PRIDE

NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019 | 11

BRUNSWICK SCHOOL | GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT

Cornelius Johnson Named Gatorade Connecticut Football Player of the Year

n its 34th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, recently announced Cornelius Johnson as its 2018-19 Gatorade Connecticut Football Player of the Year. The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Johnson as Connecticut’s best high school football player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Football Player of the Year award to be announced later in December, Johnson joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners in 12 sports, including Emmitt Smith (1986– 87, Escambia High School, Fla.), Matthew Stafford (2005–06 Highland Park HS, Texas) and Christian McCaffrey (2012–13, 2013–14, Valor Christian High School, Colo.). The 6-foot-3, 198-pound senior wide receiver caught 50 passes for 826 yards and 12 touchdowns this past season, leading the Bruins (8–2) to the NEPSAC Class ‘A’ Mike Silipo Championship Bowl Game. Selected to play in January’s AllAmerican Bowl, Johnson also ran for a score and returned a 99-yard kickoff for a touchdown this past season. A two-time All-New England honoree, he concluded his prep football career with 2,167 receiving yards and 33 touchdown receptions. In the community, Johnson volunteered locally as a board member with Jack and Jill of America, which focuses on developing leadership and community service among African American youth. Johnson has maintained a B average in the classroom and represents one of the state’s top academic candidates

12 | NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019

in meeting the Gatorade award’s broad criteria. He remains undecided upon a collegiate destination. The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. From the 12 national winners, one male and one female athlete are each named Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year. In all, 607 athletes are honored each year. Johnson joins recent Gatorade Connecticut Football Players of the Year Spencer Lockwood (2017–18, Killingly High School), Ben Mason (2016–17, Newtown High School), Mark Evanchick (2015–16, Darien High School), Zach Allen (2014–15, New Canaan High School), and Dario Highsmith (2013–14, Middletown High School) among the state’s list of former award winners. As a part of Gatorade’s cause marketing platform “Play it Forward,” Johnson has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of his choosing. He is also eligible to submit an essay to win one of twelve $10,000 spotlight grants for the organization of choice, which will be announced throughout the year. Since the program’s inception in 1985, Gatorade Player of the Year award recipients have won hundreds of professional and college championships, and many have also turned into pillars in their communities, becoming coaches, business owners and educators.

Stay in touch with NEPSAC Phone 978-533-1942 Email communications@nepsac.org Mail NEPSAC, 10 Technology Drive, Suite 40 #147, Hudson, MA 01749

www.nepsac.org

Supplier of

NEPSAC

Championship Trophies for over 10 years • CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS • CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHIES • AWARD PLAQUES • GLASS & ACRYLIC AWARDS • CHAMPIONSHIP BANNERS • RECORD BOARDS • MEDALS & RIBBONS • AND MUCH MORE AWARD-GUYS.COM PHONE: 508-695-8133 EMAIL: CUSTOMERSERVICE@AWARD-GUYS.COM

www.nepsac.org

NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019 | 13

BREWSTER ACADEMY | WOLFEBORO, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Brewster Academy Hosts 2018 Prep School Plunge

hirty-six prep school students braved the chilly waters at Brewster Academy on Sunday, December 2, to raise $19,475 for Special Olympics New Hampshire. Nineteen students from Brewster and four from Proctor Academy did a wonderful job raising money. Funds raised through student efforts will allow more than 3,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to continue playing sports. Brewster Academy has been building a strong relationship with Special Olympics athletes, providing ongoing opportunities for students to interact with athletes with intellectual disabilities through Special Olympics Unified Sports in soccer, basketball, tennis, and flag football. Brewster hosts parties, dances, and games for Special Olympics athletes and shares Sunday brunch in their dining hall. In early December Brewster will be

hosting Mini-Olympic Games followed by a Yankee Swap. Proctor hosts a fall Fun Day where they invite 50 Special Olympics athletes and their families on campus to play games and share a barbeque with the entire Proctor community. Brewster’s involvement with Special Olympics has enhanced the school

experience and provided opportunities that will serve their students as they move forward in their careers. If your school is interested in getting involved, please contact Mary Conroy at Special Olympics New Hampshire (maryc@ sonh.org) or Maria Found at Brewster Academy (marfound@brewsteracademy.org).

MISS PORTER’S SCHOOL | FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT

Nelle Andrews Inducted into CT Field Hockey Hall of Fame

iss Porter’s Varsity Field Hockey Coach Nelle Andrews was inducted into the Connecticut Field Hockey Hall of Fame. Ms. Andrews, who is in her first season coaching at Porter’s, was one of eight inductees recognized at the Hall of Fame dinner, held September 16, 2018, at the Aqua Turf Club. “Being included in the Connecticut Hall of Fame’s 2018 class of inductees is such an honor for me,” shares Ms. Andrews. “I am humbled that my contributions to the sport of field hockey in the State of Connecticut have been recognized in this special way.” Prior to joining Miss Porter’s School, Ms. Andrews, who also teaches English at Porter’s, coached field hockey and taught English at Farmington High School for 19 years. During her time at Farmington High School, she was twice voted Coach of the Year by the Connecticut

Field Hockey Coaches Association and once by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association. She also served for 10 years as an assistant coach and site director for the USA Field Hockey Futures Program, Connecticut Region, and is an executive board member of HTC Youth!, Inc.; a member of the U.S. Field Hockey Association, National Field Hockey Coaches Association, and the Connecticut Coaches Association; and a past member of the CIAC All-State Committee, Connecticut Field Hockey Hall of Fame Committee, and Hartford Courant Coaches Poll for field hockey. A graduate of Connecticut College, she was a four-year starter for their field hockey team, serving as co-captain in her senior year and earning recognition as a Division III Second Team All-American, North-South Division III All Star, and team MVP.

14 | NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019

www.nepsac.org

Vidigami is a secure and collaborative media management platform designed for schools. Centralize, organize, and privately share athletic highlights, student work and achievements!

Intelligent Structure

User Access & Control

Members Only

Curate & Publish

Learn more at about.vidigami.com

www.nepsac.org

NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019 | 15

“ PLAYSIGHT IS A VEHICLE THAT ALLOWS US TO BE THE BEST THAT WE CAN BE AS STUDENTATHLETES, COACHES AND EDUCATORS.” William Taylor

HEADMASTER TRINITY-PAWLING SCHOOL

THE SMARTCOURT MULTI-ANGLE VIDEO REPLAY & RECORDING FULL HD LIVE STREAMING 4K SMARTTRACKER TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATES WITH SCOREBOARDS, TAGGING PLATFORMS & SENSORS CLOUD-BASED SPORTS VIDEO MANAGEMENT PLATFORM COACHING & PLAYER DEVELOPMENT TOOLS CREATE AND SHARE VIDEO CLIPS

16 | NEPSAC News | Winter 2018–2019

PLAYSIGHT.COM

INFO@PLAYSIGHT.COM

@PLAYSIGHT

www.nepsac.org

DEERFIELD ACADEMY | DEERFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS

Brendan Creagh Inducted into New Hampshire Hockey Hall of Fame by Carly Barbato

and served as assistant captain in his senior year. He finished his collegiate career with 16 goals and 36 assists. A skilled, puck-moving defenseman, he played briefly in the AHL and enjoyed a four-year career in the ECHL making stops with the Greensboro (N.C.) Monarchs and the Birmingham (Ala.) Bulls. Currently, Creagh is a science teacher at Deerfield and recently took over as the Big Green’s golf coach. Previously, he served as the Big Green’s head hockey coach from 2003–2004 to 2015–2016 and coached current NHL players Ben Lovejoy ’03 and Alex Killorn ’08.

he New Hampshire Legends of Hockey welcomed six new inductees into its 2018 Hall of Fame class on Sunday, October 21, 2018. Included in this year’s class was current Deerfield faculty member, Brendan Creagh. According to the New Hampshire Legends of Hockey, the Hall of Fame Induction event honors New Hampshire’s hockey elite — men and women who have made significant contributions in New Hampshire as players, coaches, officials, builders, or media representatives. The five additional members inducted at the 17th Annual Induction Ceremony included Brian Foster of Pembroke and Rich Ryerson of Concord, inducted as players. Dartmouth College coach Bob Gaudet entered the Hall as a coach. Don McKinnon was inducted as an official and the late Tony Urban was inducted posthumously as a builder. Additionally, the hockey history of the Manchester Regional Youth Hockey Association (MRYHA) was recognized. The ceremony was held at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH. Creagh played three years for Hanover High School in the late 1980s, he was the

www.nepsac.org

W team’s leading scorer all three seasons and left as the all-time leading scorer among defensemen with 54 goals and 73 assists. After a prep year at Phillips Andover he moved on to the University of Vermont, where he played four seasons

e’d like to feature your school in our special news articles sponsored by Scoreboard Enterprises on the NEPSAC website. Do you have news about an alum, a current studentathlete, coach, former coach or athletic director for an article? Please let us know! Email communications@nepsac. org with the scoop!

Congratulations to the Fall 2018 ALL-NEPSAC Athletes 2018 Football ALL-NEPSAC Read more >>>