Michelle Bennett ‘09
Equestrian Team
April 20-26, 2008
Michelle Bennett and her horse “Topper” came in second in the Novice Level of the Kent School Combined Test on Sunday, April 27. Michelle and “Topper” rode a very respectable dressage test which was the first phase of the Combined Test. They then rode a clean round in the stadium jumping phase of the event and had the second best time. Said coach Tina Cloutier, “Michelle and ‘Topper’ were fine representatives of the Kent School Equestrian Team!”
John Goodwin ‘08
Varsity Golf
April 20-26, 2008
Co-captain John Goodwin tied as match medalist with a 39 against Gunnery on Saturday, April 26. That was the lowest score posted by a Kent golfer yet this season. Head coach Jeremy Sokolnicki reeled off a series of praises when asked about the sixth former: “Consistent and reliable. Great attitude. Focused. A pleasure to work with.” Goodwin is leading by example in his bearing and on the scorecard.
Brennan Swan ‘08
Boys Varsity Lacrosse
April 13-19, 2008
Brennan Swan scored 7 goals and 5 assists in two games this week, including 4 goals in the final six minutes to send the game against Hotchkiss into overtime. Swan, who hails from Ridgewood, NJ, will next year attend Fairfield University, a Division 1 lacrosse school.
Monica Valente ‘08
Varsity Softball
April 13-19, 2008
Monica Valente, the softball program’s senior captain, was lauded by head coach Ms. Janelli as “a great leader in spirit, sportsmanship and athleticism, as well as in knowledge of the game.” The team and coaches count on her to get on base, get runners in, and field the ball cleanly from her shortstop position. So far this season, she has an on-base percentage of .538, a batting average of .368, and a slugging percentage of .632. In a home contest against Hotchkiss, Valente hit her first homerun of the season, sending the ball flying into very deep left field, almost onto Skiff Mountain Road.
Harry Glynne ‘08
Varsity Baseball
April 6-12, 2008
Sixth-form captain Harry Glynne pitched a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over Hotchkiss. No hitters are a rare feat in high school athletics. Trevor Conner ‘07 pitched the most recent no-hitter in Kent history two years ago, and before that, said coach Art Walters, “It was before my time”; in other words, more than thirty-five years ago. Kent was charged with two errors in the effort, and Garrett Sweitzer ’08 hit Kent’s lone RBI in the fourth inning. Said head coach Dan Zurolo, “We’re delighted for Harry. It’s a great achievement. That he did it in such a close game was great timing for the team.”
Alex Blackwood ‘09
JV Softball
The JV softball team beat perennial powerhouse Hopkins 13-12. The girls all played as a team defensively, but at the plate Alex Blackwood stood out a serious threat against Hopkins’s outfield. She hit a beautiful triple early in the game, bringing in two runs. In the last inning her double, a grounder past third base, set up the winning run to advance to third. Alex had the most RBIs in the game, and, said head coach David Greene, “her confidence helped rally the team to its seventh-inning win.”
Danny Colvin ‘08
Boys Varsity Hockey
Feb. 10-16, 2008
This season, Danny Colvin leads Kent and all of New England Prep School Hockey with 30 goals (in 23 games). He has been particularly prolific lately, scoring 12 goals in the past six games. Colvin netted Kent’s lone goal against Hotchkiss in a 4-1 loss and then followed it up with three goals and an assist as Kent topped Canterbury 7-2 on Saturday night. Said assistant coach Garrison Smith, “Danny is a bona fide goal scorer: he has the ability to get himself into shooting position, and as a result, every shift that he is on the ice he is a threat to score.”
Alex Johnson ‘08
Girls JV Basketball
Feb. 10-16, 2008
Alex Johnson, elected captain by her teammates, “has led her young charges with energy and devotion, and she has set a solid example for them to follow,” said veteran coach John Perkins. Johnson is the high scorer for the team, and she leads also in defensive statistics. Last week, she scored 25 points and earned 34 “possessions gained” in two games. Continued Mr. Perkins, “Alex has it all: offense, defense, leadership, spirit, sportsmanship.”
Gray Perkins ‘09
Boys JV Basketball
January 27-February 9, 2008
Fifth-form starter Gray Perkins has been a major contributor to the JV team this year, a leading scorer and rebounder. In a Wednesday game against Avon, both teams arrived with 7-3 records, Avon having bested Kent the previous week. In the rematch, Perkins was good for 23 points as Kent pulled ahead, 51-43. Said head coach Fr. Voorhees, “Gray was the important factor in the win. He is a big reason why the team is 8-4.”
Drew Daniels ‘08
Boys Varsity Hockey
Jan. 20-26, 2008
In a week in which the boys varsity hockey team saw an overtime comeback 5-4 victory against Gunnery, a loss to Taft 6-2, and a resounding 4-2 win against Westminster, senior Drew Daniels stood out above the rest. Against Gunnery Daniels scored Kent’s second goal to begin the comeback, set up Danny Colvin ‘08 for Kent’s third goal, and then capped it all off by notching his second goal of the evening with less than one minute remaining in regulation time to tie the score and send the game to overtime. Against Taft, Kent did not play quite as well and took a defeat, but Daniels played a solid game, assisting on Kent’s first goal. The following Saturday, against Westminster, he opened the scoring in the second period and then midway through the third slammed the door on a burgeoning Westminster comeback when he scored his second goal of the afternoon in the third period to make the game 4-1. It is not unusual for Daniels to score points, but he is typically setting up his line mates, and he leads Kent in assists (24 in 17 games), not in goals scored. This three-game stretch is his best goal-scoring output in the two years he has been at Kent.
Christine Drpich ‘10
Varsity Swimming and Diving
Jan. 20-26, 2008
Christine Drpich, in a meet against Miss Porter’s, set a personal best for a six-dive meet, earning 6.0s to 7.5s on every dive for a final score of 190.75 and first place.
Justin Daniels ‘08
Boys Varsity Hockey
January 13-19, 2008
Justin Daniels has been a leader throughout the season, and yet this week with 2 goals and 1 assist against fifth-ranked Hotchkiss and 2 goals and 1 assist against then-third-ranked Salisbury he has been particularly impressive. Daniels had the game-winning goal in both contests, including the overtime winner against Salisbury. On the season he leads the team in points, and he has 4 game-winning goals (no one else has more than 2). He centers one of the best lines in prep school hockey, and he is equally impressive distributing the puck to his linemates (Danny Colvin ‘08 and his brother Drew ‘08) and scoring goals himself. This line is a threat to score every time they are on the ice, and Daniels is a major part of that success.
Chiara Traversa ‘08
Girls Varsity Hockey
January 13-19, 2008
Varsity goalkeeper Chiara Traversa stopped 52 of the 53 shots she faced this past week. Pomfret outshot Kent but notched only one goal in Kent’s 3-1 victory on Wednesday. Traversa shut out Williston the following Saturday, facing 26 shots, to help her team win 1-0 in a very tight game. Traversa, who hails from Torino, Italy, is playing her second season with Kent’s varsity squad.
John Goodwin ‘08
Boys Thirds Basketball
Jan. 6-12, 2008
On January 12, John Goodwin played what head coach Jim MacLeod called “the game of his career” to lead a come-from-behind victory over Gunnery. Gunnery got out of the gate quickly, 13-2, and held a six-to-ten-point margin through the third quarter. Kent reversed the tide with defense, and with Goodwin and others rebounding, hustling and pressing, stopped Gunnery while pouring in 19 points in the 4th quarter. Goodwin notched 17 points in the game to lead the team to an exciting road victory.
Sasha Dosenko scored her 1,000th Kent-career point as she contributed 12 in Kent’s 50-28 victory over Hopkins. Dosenko, a native of the Ukraine, will attend Dartmouth University next year. She has also been a standout member of the cross-country and rowing teams, and the refrain from her coaches and teammates has been about her drive and quiet leadership. Her results, however, speak loudly, and she is the highest scorer in Kent girls basketball history.
Emily-Ann MacKinnon scored two goals and added an assist in Kent’s 4-2 win against the NEWHL on Jan. 5. MacKinnon, who came up through the highly regarded Cornwall Typhoons of Ontario, is seeing a lot of playing time in her first season at Kent. Head coach Cheryl Setchell lauded this “fast, aggressive” center, whose defensive skills also earned her a spot on the penalty-killing line.
Kyle Beek broke the Kent School record for a six-dive meet during his competition at Suffield on December 12. The score of 237.7 was thirty points higher than where he left off last season, and this was just the second meet on the team’s schedule. Beek has been diving since his third-form year at Kent, and last year he placed 12th overall at the New England Championships.
Tara Fulco ‘08
Girls Varsity Hockey
Dec. 2-8, 2007
Postgraduate students are expected to provide experience and leadership, but some of their teammates, who have been working their way up the ladder for years, might not want to make room at the top. That postgraduate Tara Fulco’s teammates elected her an assistant captain speaks to the high regard she has already earned as a leader of the varsity team. Head coach Cheryl Setchell confirmed that Fulco “has been a great leader on and off the ice.” Fulco also notched goals in the week’s two games and added an assist in the 7-0 win over Rye Country Day.
Kirk Smith ‘10
Boys Thirds Hockey
Dec. 2-8, 2007
Kirk Smith stopped 32 shots in the Kent thirds team’s first victory since the re-birth of the program last year. In the 3-2 win over Berkshire, Smith caught fire early in the first period, stopping three consecutive shots within a 30-second spree. Said head coach Rob Ober, “He played with poise and great heart, and he showed flashes of brilliance.” Smith’s inspired performance brought home his team’s first victory and augurs well in the hunt for more.
Coles Marsilio
Garry Coles ‘08 and RJ Marsilio ‘08
Varsity Football
November 4-10, 2007
Garry Coles and RJ Marsilio had spectacular outings in Kent’s 41-7 Spoon Game win over Loomis. Marsilio completed 15 of 17 passes for 317 yards and 3 touchdowns, earning a passer rating of 158.3 (there is no higher rating by NCAA standards). He also rushed for 58 yards on only 6 attempts for a 9.7 yard average, all with no turnovers. Coles caught 7 passes for 208 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing for an additional 23 yards on only 2 carries. He also excelled defensively with 2 interceptions and 3 assisted tackles and averaged 41 net yards on two punts.
What makes these statistics all the more impressive is that they came in only a little over two quarters of play. After the first minutes of the second half, Coles and Marsilio watched their teammates maintain the lead their work had helped to establish.
Alex Troli ‘09
Girls Varsity Soccer
November 4-10, 2007
Alex Troli has been a standout player for the varsity team all season and was one of two players from her team named a WWNEPSSA All-Star. She was also a major asset to her team as they clinched Kent’s first Founders League title by defeating perennial powerhouse Loomis. On Wednesday, she scored two against Gunnery within the first two minutes of the game, and her team never looked back. On Saturday she animated the offense, nearly scoring on two occasions in the 1-0 win. Dropped back to a midfield spot, she won the ball back repeatedly, challenged the Loomis players, and was essential in clearing away dangerous balls in the box. Said head coach Jesse Klingebiel, “The entire team played tremendously, but Alex was awesome. It is an honor to work with her.”
Amie Pritchard ‘11
Varsity Field Hockey
October 28-November 3, 2007
Amie Pritchard was recently selected to participate in the annual All-Star game held at Loomis at the conclusion of the regular season. The third former has started every single game this season as Kent’s center-back and has dominated in many of the OT periods the team has faced this year. Head coach Cortney Tetrault said, “She has one of the most powerful drives I’ve seen in the league and uses it to her advantage, often setting up the forwards for fast break opportunities.” That shot is something Pritchard practices every day, and Coach Tetrault went on to praise Pritchard’s dedication and attitude.
Alex Perkins ‘11
Boys Varsity Cross-Country
October 28-November 3, 2007
Alex Perkins was the first freshman over the line at the Founders League Championships, 18th overall and third on the team. He has been running with the varsity since the very beginning of the season, despite being new to the sport, “because he is just so talented as an athlete,” said head coach Jeremy Sokolnicki, who is happy that Perkins has the character to capitalize on that talent: he makes the most of every workout, welcomes his coaches’ guidance, and supports his teammates. Not surprisingly, he is “a young man we look forward to working with in the years to come.”
Lauren Brady ‘10
Girls Varsity Soccer
October 21-27, 2007
Taft’s fields were soggy at game time Saturday, October 27, slowing players for both teams. Incredibly, as the second half wore on, Lauren Brady got stronger. In what was a tight 0-0 game, the fourth former and second-year varsity player was relentless in pressuring the ball and winning it back, and she provided the offense Kent needed as the second half wound down. On two plays in a five minute span, she covered a tremendous amount of space to earn two breakaways. On the first, she was forced wide by the defense. On the second she adjusted her touch, came in on the goalie and scored the game winning goal with a beautiful chip over the diving keeper. To close out the game, she was assigned the unenviable task of marking up Taft’s speedy, all-state forward for the final ten minutes of the 1-0 victory. Said head coach Jesse Klingebiel, “Her constant effort and enthusiasm in practice has allowed her not just to improve, but to have the fitness base to push with all her might in the closing minutes of each game. It was the difference on Saturday.”
Matt Pickrell ’08
Varsity Football
October 21-27, 2007
Matt Pickrell rushed for 101 yards on 13 carries in Kent’s 38-31 win over Taft on Saturday, October 27. He scored two touchdowns, blocked well and – most importantly – never lost his grip on the ball in soggy conditions, when turnovers played a crucial factor. He also excelled on the defensive side of the ball and in the kicking game, recording four unassisted tackles, causing one fumble, and deflecting one pass. He literally did not leave the field until late in the fourth quarter. His selfless play and tremendous work ethic have helped lead the team throughout the season.
Tenley Godfrey ‘11
Girls Varsity Cross Country
October 14-20, 2007
Kent’s top female runner is a third former, and she is already one of the best in the league. Her head coach, Laura Herr, is already convinced that Tenley Godfrey could one day be remembered as one of the best athletes in the school’s history. Godfrey has consistently placed in the top ten in invitational races, most recently placing fifth overall among roughly 120 competitors. Her performances have also helped Kent in victories against Millbrook and Westminster as her team has piled up a winning record this season.
James McKay ‘09
Boys Varsity Soccer
October 14-20, 2007
In the boys varsity soccer team’s 8-1-2 season (so far), James McKay has been in the middle of the action. As one of the team’s center midfielders, he is usually going full-gas no matter which way the ball is going. Said head coach Tim Booth about that aspect of his game, “James works tirelessly, transitioning hard on defense and constantly putting his teammates in better places to succeed when he has the ball at his feet.” Booth went on to say that McKay is a selfless player whose own game is still improving, summing his remarks by calling the fifth former “a role model.”
Marc Rogers ‘08
Boys JV Soccer
October 7-13, 2007
Marc Rogers, a senior forward on boys JV soccer, scored 3 goals in the week, leading the team to two victories. At Kingswood-Oxford, Rogers put the game out of reach in the second half by getting behind the defense twice and beating the goalkeeper. Against Canterbury, he created numerous scoring chances, dribbling past defenders and leading teammates to the goal with clever passes. He also scored on a difficult volley, slotting the ball into the side netting. Said head coach Michael Benjamin, Rogers’ “consistent hard work, high skill level, and great attitude have helped carry the team this year,” adding that he has scored roughly half of the team’s goals for the season.
Lauren Welles ‘10
JV Field Hockey
October 7-13, 2007
Though she had never played the position before, Lauren Welles is off to a great start as the goalie for the JV team. She has had particularly impressive games against Millbrook (Wednesday, October 10) and against Pomfret the following Saturday, shutting out both teams. Welles faced a number of shots from Millbrook, but no matter what, their offense just couldn’t get the ball past her. In an even tighter game against Pomfret, Wells was poised and confident in the cage, blocking anything that came her way. The officials in that game told her coach how impressed they were with Welles’s strong clears and quick footwork. She really kept the team in both games, allowing Kent to come out on top on both occasions, winning 4-0 against Millbrook and 2-0 against Pomfret.
Tegan Campia ‘10
Varsity Field Hockey
Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2007
Tegan Campia had a superb game in goal against Williston-Northampton. She earned her third shutout of the season as Kent won, 3-0. She had another great game in a 2-1 loss to Deerfield. Deerfield was awarded 20 corners (many of them in a row) and only scored two goals as Campia sealed the net. Her efforts were graciously noted by her opponents, as well: the DA website lauded her “amazing saves” in the game.
John Goodwin ‘08
Boys Varsity Cross-Country
Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2007
John Goodwin had a great race against Trinity-Pawling and Berkshire, setting a personal best time for his home course (19:21), finishing second for the team and third overall for the run. Goodwin has been a major contributor to the varsity team for four years. He is co-captain this year, and, said head coach Jeremy Sokolnicki, he “has been doing an excellent job of leading the boys by example. “ Goodwin is a national-caliber orienteerer, a tremendously strong endurance competitor. His coaches anticipate a fine finish to his Kent cross-country career.
Alston Eldridge ‘08
Boys Varsity Soccer
Sept. 16-22, 2007
Said head coach Tim Booth of sixth-form tri-captain Alston Eldridge, “He has been the glue that has led the boys’ soccer team to its strong start. His discipline in playing the position needed by the team, his leadership during games and training sessions, and his dominance in the air in our defensive third have been some of the most important keys to our success in the first three matches of the year.” Coach Booth went on to praise Eldridge’s tactical positioning, for which the stopper can take some credit in keeping Kent’s first three opponents to a total of 4 goals while his own side netted 14.
Ellen Blanchard ‘08
Varsity Field Hockey
Sept. 16-22, 2007
Ellen Blanchard helped get the varsity field hockey team off to a solid start and was a key factor in both wins. In the season opener, she netted the lone goal of the game against Gunnery, and in the following game, against Miss Porter’s, she marked their top attackers and distributed the ball nicely to Kent’s midfielders. Said head coach Cortney Tetrault, “She is truly a coach’s dream: she listens to advice and works hard every minute.”
Renato Campos ‘08
Boys Varsity Cross Country
Renato Campos made the boys varsity soccer team but decided that he could make a greater contribution to the cross country team. In his first race, the Canterbury Invitational, he finished first for Kent, 13th overall, among 115 runners in the varsity-only race. This past week, he brought home the win in a meet with Choate. He led the Choate first runner from the gun, and when his opponent passed him nearing the final stretch, Campos would have none of it. He regained the lead and kicked home with the win. Said head coach Jeremy Sokolnicki, Campos “has a desire to test and push himself, and good fundamental skills. He has embraced the sport, and brings a great attitude and unique personality to the team. His influence on his teammates is continually positive.”
Jayde Bennett ‘09
Girls Varsity Soccer
In two inspired shutout victories for the girls varsity soccer team this week, Jayde Bennett was a huge factor. She has only allowed one goal past her this for a goals-against average of 0.25 per game. Against Westminster on Sept. 26, she had a dozen saves, stuffing four or five point-blank, breakaway stops. She also read the run of play perfectly and stepped up to clear away dangerous balls from the defensive end. The following Saturday, though she was not challenged until the second half, when Berkshire rallied, Bennett again came up strong. On a penalty kick, a Berkshire player struck a solid shot to the upper corner of the net. Exploding off her line, Bennett punched the ball away to make the save. She had another spectacular save ten minutes later that the Berkshire coach was certain was bound for the net. While her teammates played well in front of her, Bennett was the key.
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