Seniors of the Week: 11/13/20

The Athletics department celebrates the Class of 2021 through a Seniors of the Week series honoring Hackley’s graduating athletes.

Ava Roberts '21 - (Captain) Girls’ Cross Country
Ava has been a leader on and off the trails for the past three years. In her first year, Ava earned “Rookie of the Year” as a sophomore and competed on the HGVXC for the duration of her time with the program. Besides her talent, many Hackley athletes will remember how Ava made them feel. She always put faith in her teammates and encouraged them to do their best at practice and in races. In addition, Ava volunteered to run with the middle school students at practice and prepared goody bags for them after their races. Throughout quarantine, Ava led strength workouts for the girls team. Ava certainly played many key roles during her three years on HGVXC and she will be greatly missed!

Charlie Rudge '21 - Boys’ Cross Country
Charlie was a late addition to the program, but he quickly established himself as both an athlete and a teammate. Through an extraordinary amount of hard work, Charlie worked his way up to being one of the top runners on a historic boys’ team. Charlie will always be remembered for his unwavering support, dedication, and optimism.                     

James Spencer '21 - Boys’ Cross Country
James' dedication, commitment, and lead-by-example approach, are several reasons why his boys’ team will graduate as the fastest in school history. James will forever be remembered as the most consistent and selfless member of the boys’ team. Whether for a race or just a Monday set of repeats, James always gave his absolute best to every challenge he faced.

Hannah Satty '21 - Field Hockey
Hannah is a two-time varsity player, and one of the most positive and selfless players and teammates. She is a hard worker and willing to play any role that is necessary or needed. Her  smile, humor, and positive attitude are contagious—which makes her an integral member of the team. Hannah is also a strong forward, and we have seen her grow and develop throughout her career—always working to be better. She is dangerous in the goal circle—both on the post and as power on the goalie pads. We know that she would have had an amazing senior season—as she played hard through all of our “games!”  We will miss so much about her presence and her ‘being’ next year.

Josh Williams '21 - Football
Josh joined the Hackley football family as a sophomore and made an impact from day one. His enthusiasm for the game and for the team is contagious. Williams pushes his teammates to be better physically and mentally. He is a fixture in the weight room, and is always coaching up his teammates in between reps. No matter who his opponent is, Josh is fearless and relentless. His intellect, compassion for others, and relentless pursuit of improvement will serve him well on and off the field.

Tyler Wyman '21 - Boys’ Soccer
Tyler joined the program for the first time this season and made an impression right away. His energy and fitness were evident from day one, and he used it to make up for the lost time. Tenacious and tough, Tyler is easy to find on the field and a tough one to beat one on one. We are grateful Tyler played this season and hope his example of fitness and enthusiasm carries on in the younger players for years to come.

Sophie Thomas '21 - (Captain) Girls’ Soccer
Sophie has been a force to be reckoned with throughout her four years as a starter for Hackley Girls Varsity Soccer. Throughout her time on HGVS, Sophie has earned 2nd Team All Ivy League her sophomore year, 1st Team All Ivy League her junior year, nominated as LoHud’s Girls Soccer Player of the Week her junior year, and voted captain her senior season. Sophie worked tirelessly over four seasons to accumulate 26 goals and 21 assists, which is equivalent to 73 total career points; only 27 points shy of the 100 point mark. Sophie undoubtedly would have broken the 100 point mark her senior season, joining a short list of HGVS alums who have done the same. We are going to miss Sophie’s innate nature to lead and guide her teammates with her passion for soccer.

Olivia Rowbottom '21 - Girls’ Tennis
Olivia has been part of the Hackley tennis program for four years. She is a tennis enthusiast whose love of the game and desire to improve is obvious from the second she steps on the court! Watching her compete is quite the treat, as she is incredibly focused and always tries her absolute hardest on each point! It has been a joy seeing her thrive on varsity this year, as she has been a fun and much appreciated addition to the team!

Jessie Bard '21 - (Captain) Field Hockey
Jessie is a four-year varsity player; three-year undefeated league champ; two-year all-league recipient. She was named an All Journal News All Star Honorable Mention as a junior and won the “Rookie of the Year” award in 9th grade. To say that Jessie is a dominant field hockey player is an understatement. Voted as a co-captain this season, Jessie is one of the strongest players we have had in our program. She has developed into a top player all over the field: She has an incredible shot on the goal, she is key in the transition with her quick stick and footwork, she is able to defend against any opponent, and she also has amazing game sense and has become a true student of the game. It would have been amazing to see what Jessie would have done against other teams this fall. She ended her career with a total of 52 points. We will miss her incredibly next year, but can’t wait to watch her on the field at Bates!

Lara Schechter '21 - (Captain) Field Hockey
Lara is a four-year varsity player and three year undefeated league champ. She was named All League and All Journal News Honorable Mention as a junior. Lara was voted co-captain as a senior, and has been an incredible role model for all our players. She was our leading goal scorer as a junior and ends her career with a total of 53 points.  Lara has grown into a dominant player on the field with her sticks skills and game sense, and her matching strength and determination. She is inspirational both on and off the field, standing up for what she knows is right, and never failing to show how much she cares about her teammates and the people around her. She has been an incredible part of our team for four years. We are going to miss her greatly next year.

Riley DeMatteo '21 - Girls’ Soccer
Riley has been a member of the girls’ soccer upper school program for four seasons. Joining HGVS her senior season, Riley’s work ethic, willingness to never give up, and fun attitude made it such a pleasure having her on HGVS. We are extremely proud of Riley for playing for the girls’ soccer program all four years of her upper school career. We are going to miss her so much next year.
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