Hudson vs. Medway

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships”- Michael Jordan

The twelve girls on the varsity tennis squad are family, friends, personal trainers, mentors and most importantly, teammates. Even though it is an individual sport, these girls make the ultimate team.

Sophomore Emma Polk says the team shares “[a] passion for winning and striving to make a better name for HHS tennis.” The team’s mission is to become league champs, so they encourage each other to fight for that trophy.

“Our team gets along really well, and we communicate and laugh a lot when we need to and overall we [just] work well together,” adds junior Emily Collins.

Whenever someone is struggling with a particular aspect of the game, others step up and help that person fix their game. And when the girls play doubles, they are always communicating by calling for the ball and calling to switch positions.

“One time I was the last match to be played for the day, and I was really nervous going into the last couple of sets,” says Polk. “I wanted to be able to make my team proud by winning the match, so we could win the entire day.” The rest of the team watched Polk’s match and cheered for her. “Great hit, Emma!” they yelled. “Try again, come on!” Polk figured out what she was doing right, and she won her match.

“We have pride, but we’re not snobby about it,” says sophomore Maris Laughton. “Our talents are strong on the courts, and I think that strength carries over into our team’s friendship and bond.”

The team feels comfortable enough to run their own practices on Sundays without the coach, Caroline Weed. Most of the players on the team show up to the Riverside courts ready to play some tennis and help others improve their game.

Every time the team plays at Groton, they take their annual trip to Kimball Farm for ice cream. The team always takes trips for ice cream whenever they feel like it. So far this season they have been to Erikson’s Ice Cream, Hudson Creamery and Kimball Farm.

This season the team has a 6-1 league record, and they are currently second in their division.

For the varsity girls tennis players, teamwork seems to be the key to their success.

by Adam Colbert

Everybody on the track team has a personal goal. Whether it is to break a school record, break a personal record or stay in shape, everybody has one. Their goals are their motivation.

Seven-year track coach Spencer Fortwengler says breaking a school record is a bragging right. Every runner’s dream is to get on the track record board that hangs in the cafeteria. “These athletes need something to work towards, and that board is motivation for them.”

Junior Kaylee Cummings and others are pursuing their personal goals: to beat the school record…again. Cummings is running after an 800 meter in less than two minutes and fifteen seconds, which will top her personal best of two minutes and twenty seconds, the current school record. Cummings has been running hard every spring since eighth grade to keep in shape for basketball and soccer. Every day Cummings practices a mile warm-up, repeat 100 and 400 meters and then a three-mile run.

Junior Nicole Mooar is ready to jump past the school record of 15.6 seconds for high hurdles (100 meters) and 68.6 seconds for low hurdles (400 meters). Both school records are held by Mooar, but she is still looking to improve. Mooar’s goal is like Monopoly. She already holds a record just like Monopoly players own a house. But she is looking to upgrade to a hotel. Currently, Mooar runs a 15.8 high hurdles and a 68.6 low hurdles.

Junior Alison Tobin has more than one personal goal including a 12.2-second 100 meter, an 8’6” pole vault jump, a 16’5” long jump, and a 62-second 400 meter. The 12.2-second 100 meter time would be a school record, and she is only .2 seconds away from a record. Her current best for the pole vault jump is a 7’6”, and a 9 foot jump is the current record. Tobin has these goals, so she “can personally improve and get better every day.” Her practice routine includes a mile warm-up, repeat 100 and 400 meters, and then she practices her field events.

Tobin realized she was fast when she competed as a gymnast. “When we would condition to build up cardio and endurance, we would run sprints outside at practice, and I would beat my teammates.”

But not all students are after school records. Freshman David Youngerman wants to run a 400 meter race in under a minute and an 800 meter race under two minutes and fifteen seconds. He plans on getting there by practicing hard and eating right.

“You don’t want to be eating junk food for the season,” he says. By practicing hard, he means running his hardest every single time.

A lot of students run track to stay in shape for a sport, but then they discover their talent like Kaylee Cummings did.

Senior captain Lauren Priess first joined outdoor track four years ago to stay fit for soccer. “I ended up loving it, so I kept it up.”

Freshman Avery Conyers took on track because it was something to do to help him improve for baseball. Conyers is a sprinter, and he is attempting to beat his personal best of 6.6 seconds on the 55 meter dash. Getting better at sprinting will help Conyers steal bases in baseball.

Track is a game of goals, and runners like Cummings, Tobin, Mooar, Priess, Youngerman and Conyers all work hard for those goals.

Senior Marisa Duplisea hopes to lead the varsity girls lacrosse team to their first playoff birth as the team’s captain.

How long have you been playing lacrosse?

Marisa: Five years.

Why did you start?

Marisa: I wanted to play a spring sport, and I didn’t want to do softball, track or tennis, so lacrosse seemed the best option. Lacrosse most closely resembles soccer to me.

Do you like soccer the best?

Marisa: I like soccer and lacrosse evenly now.

What position do you play in lacrosse?

Marisa: Midfield.

Why do you play that position?

Marisa: That’s where we get the most action, and it allows me to play defense and offense.

How did the team play last season?

Marisa: We’ve been improving every year. We’ve been playing some pretty tough teams, but we won about half our games.

How many seniors did you lose?

Marisa: Seven

Did the team replace those seven seniors?

Marisa: Nobody is replacable, but we can work hard to fill those spots. We have some good underclassmen, but we are going to miss [the seniors] on the field.

Do you think the team will have a good season?

Marisa: I think we will do better than years in the past, since we are a developing program. But we have come a long way. We are aiming to make the tournament this year.

What makes you think the team will be better this year?

Marisa: Well we have a lot of girls participating in offseason lacrosse, and we added more preseason games.

What are the team’s strengths?

Marisa: We have some athletic girls on the team. We’re flexible with our positions.

Weaknesses?

Marisa: We have trouble communicating on the field.

Senior Jurnee Ware is attempting to break the school’s strikeout record of 718, and she is only 112 K’s away.

For most people softball begins mid-March and ends mid-June, but not for Hudson High School softball players. They start preseason conditioning in January when winter sports are still going on.

On average, 15 softball students attend the preseason workouts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. At each workout they do towel pulls, four corners, up downs, push ups, mountain climbers, and planks. “It’s a lot of hard work,” says senior pitcher Jurnee Ware, “all kinds of hard stuff to get us prepared.” Junior Audrey Dibuono and senior Laura Hydro agree. They believe hard work is one reason why the program is so successful.

Many of the girls play on travel teams in the summer. Some of the teams the girls play for include the New England Blizzard, Marlborough Diamond Cats, Marlborough Rec and Mass Destruction. Freshman Meghan Collins believes playing on these teams together creates teamwork, experience and passion for the sport.

It is the offseason that makes players better. That explains the success the team has been having. Last year, the varsity squad was 18-2; their JV squad was 9-3-2; and the freshman team was 13-1.

Freshman Haley Gaffney says the team will have the same success because of the good coaching.

Varsity coach Mary-Beth Ryan is a first year coach at the varsity level, but she has been the eighth grade coach for the past three seasons. Ryan has been a teacher for the past four years, and the JV field hockey coach for the past three. She has lots of experience on the softball field herself; she used to play Division I college softball, and she knows the game from a player’s perspective.

Ryan says the players’ dedication and preparation are what makes the team successful. “That way, when we start, we get to put everything together and create real team unity from the get-go,” she says. This way the team is ready to “tackle the ultimate goal of getting another state title for the program.”

The team also wants to make the district tournament and beat some teams that gave them trouble last year. Their biggest competition is Grafton, whom they play on April 20.

The team will have a lot of experience while making their title run this year. They have five seniors and four juniors on the team, and they only lost four seniors from this past season. However, some of the younger players filling in the roster lack varsity experience, but they should fit right in.

It makes sense the program is so successful.The team has strong chemistry, coaching, offense and player experience.  They all work hard, especially in the offseason. Plus the program has record-chasing pitcher Jurnee Ware on the hill. Is there anything bad to say about the program? It certainly doesn’t seem so. We all just have to wait and see what happens this season.

Ending a high school career with a New England championship is a dream come true for a wrestler, and for seniors Victor Zabalu and Pat O’Connell that dream has motivated them for years. Zabalu is in his third postseason while O’Connell worked his whole life to become the best wrestler he can be. They believe they are the hardest workers on the mat.

Zabalu and O’Connell finished first and second at states, respectively, in their weight classes. Zabalu is in the 195 weight class, and O’Connell is in the 138 weight class. They competed for a New England championship on Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2.

O’Connell started wrestling ten years ago in the second grade. He wanted to try something new. He stuck with it because when he started competing in tournaments, he was winning and realized he had talent.

Pat O’Connell gets his opponent in an “chicken wing” against Quabbin on January 30th, 2013. Photo credit: O’Connell studios

His training at private wrestling clubs Doughboy and Wadsworth paid off because in eight grade he placed fourth at states. Ninth grade he earned a second place finish. In tenth grade he won it all. Last year he came in fourth. This season, O’Connell came in second place.

O’Connell went from first his sophomore year to third his junior year, but he felt that he could have done better. There is no other way to explain it other than “it sucked.” He knows he has the potential to be the best in the state and competes with that attitude.

O’Connell “just strive[s] to be the best.” He hopes to compete in Division 1 for the national title in college. While he will miss high school wrestling, he says, “I look forward to going out with a bang.”

Zabalu has a different story. He started his freshman year because his friends thought he’d be good at it. At first, Zabalu did not want to wrestle because he thought the practices and conditioning would be challenging. After his friends convinced him to try it, he realized that the wrestling team was a true family, more than the other sports, he claims.

Senior Victor Zabalu tries to pin his opponent in his match against Quabbin on January 30.

When Zabalu started, he weighed 171 pounds, and he won only three varsity matches. Over the next two years, he worked hard every day at practice and private clubs, and he moved down to the 160 weight class. His hard work helped him to finish fourth in states his sophomore year.

Tragedy struck a week before playoffs during junior year as he tore his ACL, leaving him on the sidelines the rest of the season. Determined, he tried to wrestle despite the bad knee, but it was just too hard to finish.

After a tiring recovery and a month of sleep, he started his senior year, and Zabalu has had his best ever season with a 50-4 record and first place in states in the challenging 195 weight class. The injury that kept him off the mat junior year pushed him to try harder this year because he got one less chance to win a championship.

To bounce back from the injury, he worked out every day. To improve his knee, he says, “Coach gave me a rubber band and told me to do physical therapy with it.”

He was determined to get better by working at clubs during the off season, and that’s what makes him unique. Most kids play other sports or don’t work in the off season. Because it was his last year, “he wanted to go out with a bang.”

O’Connell lost both matches in the New England tournament, but he is still proud to say he is the second best in Massachusetts. Zabulu struggled as well, losing both matches, but he is the state’s best from the 195 weight class.

Donasheed Philippe rushes the quarterback for the Hudson football team.

by Marcus Altman

An athlete is not just someone who plays a sport, but a person who is passionate about their sport, determined to succeed, and confident.

Adam Aucoin, a senior on the varsity baseball team, loves baseball because it is a team sport. “Sure you have to do things individually, but you need everyone to work as a team to win,” he said.

Donny Philippe, a senior on the varsity football team, enjoys playing football the most when he can hit someone and knock them over. “I play football because it is my life. I’m always excited to play, and I’ve played it throughout my life,” Philippe said. “I’m always thinking about it. It is just natural to me.”

Athletes need to be determined and confident to succeed in their sports. Athletes must be determined to push through times when they struggle and have the confidence in themselves to know that they can make it over the slump and get back to being who they normally are.

Shaniece Foreman, a senior on the varsity volleyball team, has faced her share of tough times. One such time occurred after a really tough loss. Although Foreman contemplated quitting, she could not bring herself to do so. “The thing that motivates me is my team; they never give up on me, so I don’t give up on them,” Foreman said.

Matt Dang, a senior on the varsity tennis team, has literally had to stare down defeat in some matches to come back. In one particular match, he had lost the first set, and he was very close to losing the second. But, Dang was able to come back in the set and to be the better player for the rest of the match. He ended up winning that match.

“Playing tennis really gives me respect for the sport because it’s not an easy sport and you have to keep working hard just like any other one,” Dang said, “and I am determined to improve my game and be able to play more competitively with higher level players.”

For many athletes life without that sport would be tough.

Kayla Davis, a senior on the varsity tennis team, could not live without tennis. Her love of tennis runs in her family. Her brother Eric Davis (also an avid tennis player) graduated two years ago. Tennis will always be a part of her life.

James Adams, a senior on the varsity baseball team, could think of no way to describe his life without baseball other than “lost.”

The final thing that is absolutely crucial for an athlete to have is a love of their sport. School sports are typically a ten to fifteen hour commitment each week, and practices are after school and happen up to six days a week. Without a love for their sport, they would not be able to juggle it all.

Shaniece Foreman loves the challenges that volleyball brings her and the personal fulfillment she gets from achieving goals. She is always trying to improve her volleyball skills and, of course, get killer abs. But the thrill of each play and the exhilarating feel of close games are a large part of her love of volleyball. “I play because it is a challenge for me; I may not be the best but I am my best,” Foreman said.

Kayla Davis loves tennis for the greatness of the perfect plays and the sweet feeling of scoring difficult points. “I am motivated by wanting to keep getting better. I see the pros play, and I want to be like them,” Davis said. “I love the sport, and I don’t want to ever stop playing!”

Hudson High School has a long history of extraordinary athletes, but the current crop of athletes has certainly made their mark. Athletes Jake Loewen, Jurnee Ware, and Vinny Bonina are all a part of this group. The work and dedication they put in year round is why they have been able to accomplish great things. Each one of them has recently reached a milestone that deserves to be recognized.

Jake Loewen

Boys basketball player Jake Loewen has been one of Hudson’s best athletes for a long time. On varsity since he was a freshman, Loewen has a lot of experience playing at the high school’s highest level. He’s been a Mid-Wach league all-star, he’s led the league in scoring, and  he’s been a captain for two years. All of these accomplishments are great, but they don’t stand up to his biggest accomplishment of scoring his 1000th point.

“I was so excited,” Loewen said about getting the point. “It felt great because the other team was trying to stop me from getting it.”

With this accomplishment, he becomes only the third male in Hudson High history to have 1000 points. The first two athletes were Jason Blackburn and Nick DiBlasi. In the game against Marlboro on January 15, Loewen became the all-time leading scorer for boys at Hudson High. With about another 200 or so points, he can pass Ali Peters to become Hudson High’s all-time leading scorer.

For Loewen, this was the culmination of years of hard work. He has been playing since he was four. Loewen’s dad, Landis, was also a star basketball player in his day, so the interest Jake has in the game is no surprise.

Loewen’s coach, Mike Mercuri, has seen the hard work that Jake has put in. “Jake is a very self motivated individual and has always had the desire and drive to be the best basketball player he can be,” Mercuri said. “He has put in countless hours working on his game and playing basketball 12 months a year. Many players say they want to be great, but only a select few do anything about it. Jake is one of those individuals to put actions behind his dreams.”

Loewen has played in AAU basketball leagues in the spring and fall, and he’s attended many summer camps.

“We have had some great basketball players come through the boys program but at the end of the day, I think Jake is the very best to have ever worn the Hudson uniform,” Mercuri said. “Jake and I both came to the Varsity team at the same time 4 years ago, so I have been able to see every point he has scored and it was a really special moment. I’m glad I was a small part of it.”

As for next year, Loewen plans to play at either Wentworth or RPI. This season isn’t over though, and his goals for the rest of the season are to make the Clark Tournament, win the league and to make districts.

Jurnee Ware

Another athlete who has had great success in their time at Hudson High is softball player Jurnee Ware. Like Loewen, Ware has been on the varsity team since she was a freshman. She has been a major contributor to the team ever since joining.

She finished last season with a 13-2 record and a 1.22 ERA. She has also pitched multiple no-hitters in her career. Last year, she also had a huge accomplishment, getting her 500th strikeout.

“I was awestruck. I had no idea I had that many strikeouts,” Ware said.

This accomplishment was the result of all the hard work she has put in over the years. “It’s been ten years of dedication. I have had countless lessons and clinics and year-round practices plus summer travel leagues to help me improve.”

Despite the success Ware has had, she has had many struggles along the way. She has had injury troubles with her shoulder throughout the years.

“It’s painful and emotionally stressful,” Ware said. “I’ve been working on fixing my shoulder with lifting and massage therapy.”

Next year, Ware signed to play at Assumption College. She was given a $37,000 scholarship for 4 years to play.

As for this year, her main goals are to do well in the tournament, and she wants to surpass the school record for strikeouts for softball, which is 610 strikeouts.

Vinny Bonina

Bonina has been a top wrestler at Hudson High School since he came here in eighth grade. He has won at least twenty matches, the past three years. Bonina recently reached a great milestone, the 100 win mark.

“Getting my 100th win was a goal for my high school career.”

Like the others mentioned in this article, Bonina has been working at his sport for many years. He’s been wrestling since he was 6 years old. His older brothers wrestled in high school, so his dad signed him up. He thought it would be fun, so he stuck with it.

Bonina has gone through many struggles throughout the years. There have been many times when he has been the underdog at large tournaments, but that hasn’t stopped him.

“Every match has its struggles, but you have to learn to push through it,” Bonina said. “Whether it’s a tough kid or you’re injured in a way. It always has its struggles.”

Wrestling might not get the attention that other sports get, but that doesn’t lessen the accomplishment of getting 100 wins. At year’s end, only eight wrestlers would have accomplished this feat.

“If you get 100 wins in wrestling, it deserves to be mentioned,” Bonina said. “It’s equivalent to scoring 1000 points in basketball and not many people have done it.”

With the season in full swing, Bonina has some important goals. He’s currently dealing with an injury, but that hasn’t changed his goals. He wants to be a state and sectional champion. He wants to place at All-States, and he wants to become a New England place finisher.

All these athletes should be applauded for their accomplishments. They have given up everything for the sport they love, and that deserves some recognition.