Boys’ Football:
After winning a fourth straight NEPSAC title last year, Boys’ Varsity Football looks to continue its dominance this season. The team is off to a strong start after beating Loomis Chaffee in a scrimmage 27-13. Senior quarterback Jack Maley ’19 will take command of the offense with his primary weapons being tight end Spencer Witter ’19 and running back Rashaud Conway ’19. Co-captain Clay Zachery ’19 said, “This year’s football team has come together real nice the past couple of weeks. We have a lot of new guys who have fit in nicely with our culture.” The team appears loaded on both sides of the ball, and one imagines it will cruise to a fifth straight New England title.
Girls’ Volleyball:
Girls’ Varsity Volleyball is bringing back half of the squad that won New England’s last fall (for the second consecutive year). Last year’s New England Player of the Year Lani Uyeno ’19 returns to the team for her senior year after playing a major role in last year’s success. Seniors Julia Mackenzie ’19 and Lizzy Mitchell ’19 will also play large roles in a talented lineup. Newcomers, such as Ally Chadha ’20 and Morgann Skoda ’22 are expected to bring a lot of talent and energy to the court. Mackenzie said, “I think that the team this season has a lot of strong skills and undeniable talent. Because we are still at the start of the season, we are in the process of figuring out how to use it.” The girls hope to be the first Choate girls’ volleyball team to win three consecutive New England titles.
Boys’ Water Polo:
The Choate Boys’ Water Polo team will return a strong core of its roster from last year. Senior captains Ollie Chessen ’19, Matt Anastasio ’19, and Tommy Wachtell ’19 should form a strong starting lineup in front of goalie Jackson Haile ’19. New sophomore Jack Sun ’21 has quickly established himself as one of the team’s most talented players. The boys are off to a strong start to the season with a 12-11 overtime victory over Suffield Academy, which beat Choate twice last year. Co-captain Wachtell said, “We’ve got a really small team, but we’ve got a lot of talent and hope to do really well this season.” After missing out on playoffs last year, Boys’ Varsity Water Polo hopes to challenge for a spot there this season.
Boys’ Cross Country:
After some disappointing results in last year’s championship races, Boys’ Varsity Cross Country looks to rebound this fall. Choate Cross Country Course record holder Mustafe Dahir ’19, who placed second in last year’s Founder’s and New England Championships, looks to compete for first place in every race. The varsity team returns five out of seven runners from last year, including co-captain Parth Mody ’19 and Brennan Connell ’20 in addition to lacrosse post-graduate Jake Buchanan ’19. Mody said, “Coming off disappointing finishes in New England’s and Founder’s last year, we’re hoping that with this strong senior team we can win Founder’s and finish top three in New England’s.” With an experienced team and coaching staff, this roster, loaded with fast runners, should be able to improve upon its end-of-season performances a year ago.
Girls’ Cross Country:
Girls’ Varsity Cross Country looks to replicate the success the team notched last season, including winning the Founder’s League. The team has an impressive top six runners: Lilly Bar ’19, Claire Gussler ’19, Betsy Overstrum ’20, Sarina Kapoor ’21, Sarah McAndrew ’20, and Se Ri Lee ’19. The girls look to win races against ever-tough foes Andover, Deerfield, and Northfield Mount Hermon. Bar said of the team, “We hope to have a tight pack in competitions and maybe even win New Englands.” With such a talented squad, Girls’ Cross Country has the potential to win both the Founder’s and New England Championships this season.
Boys’ Soccer:
Despite losing a few key seniors to graduation, Boys’ Varsity Soccer has the potential to have a great season and return to the playoffs. The team is already off to a promising start after a 1-0 win against Brunswick and a 2-2 draw against Buckingham Browne & Nichols. Senior co-captains Aaron Lake ’19 and Brendan Kish ’19 look to control the pace of games and create many chances to score. Will Eichhorn ’19, Tyler Redlitz ’19, and Sam Curtis ’20 should make a formidable back line for the Wild Boars. After scoring the most goals last season, Tife Agunloye ’21 will surely bring a scoring punch to this year’s team. Regarding the team, Lake said, “Everyone is willing to play their part even if they have to play a position they have never played before. Obviously, our goal is to get to the playoffs, like last year, only this time, we will beat Deerfield.” Boys’ Varsity Soccer could easily advance in the New England playoffs.
Girls’ Soccer:
Girls’ Varsity Soccer kept many of its key contributors from last year, and looks to make a run in New England’s. The team is strong year after year, already avenging last year’s loss to Greenwich Academy, beating them resoundingly, 7-1, earlier this month. Nicola Sommers ’19 and Erin Martin ’20 will run the offense for this year’s team, while Cici Curran ’20, Jenna Rempel ’20, and Hannah Huddleston ’19 will anchor the defense. Girls’ Varsity Soccer certainly has the potential to beat Deerfield on Deerfield Day and advance deep into the New England playoffs.
Girls’ Field Hockey:
After a tough season last year, Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey looks to improve. The team will have an experienced offense this year with seniors Kaleah Haddock ’19, Giorgie McCombe ’19, and Kaitlyn O’Donohoe ’19. The midfield looks just as solid, with Tracey Stafford ’19, Blanca Payne ’20, and Haley Strom ’20. An experienced group, the team looks to do some damage in the regular season play and hopes to compete for a playoff spot.
