Athletics News

NMH Athletes in the News

 

April

The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)   April 21, 2008
Future Cards Shooter Offers a Quick Draw
This article lauds basketball player Mike Marra '09, an expert shooter who has already committed to the University of Louisville Cardinals.
Click here to read story.

April 21, 2008

Future Cards shooter offers a quick draw

By Jody Demling
jdemling@courier-journal.com

PITTSBURGH -- Mike Marra had just drained five three-pointers in an AAU game at the Pittsburgh Jam Fest on Saturday when he went searching.

He wasn't looking for a towel to wipe the sweat off his brow or a T-shirt to put on over his jersey. He was looking for a hat.

Check that -- Marra was looking for his University of Louisville baseball cap.

The 6-foot-5 sharpshooter from Rhode Island recently committed to the Cardinals, and he sported the cap all weekend to let everyone know.

"We bought all the (U of L) gear," said his father, Anthony. "That's all he talks about. Mike found the school that had everything he wanted, and he's so excited about it."

After his play so far this spring, U of L fans should start getting excited.

Marra has one of the quickest shots on the AAU circuit and made 16 threes in four games Saturday.

"I just work hard every day to try and get better," Marra said. "(U of L coach Rick Pitino) told me they needed a shooter. Knowing they needed me helped me make my decision."

Marra is from Smithfield, R.I., but played his junior season at Mount Herman Prep School in Northfield, Mass. He averaged 28 points and shot 55 percent from the field in his last 12 games.

Though Marra is not ranked among the top 100 by any recruiting services, the scouts are aware he's a player on the rise.

"Marra is known for his shooting, but it's his athletic ability and quick release that sets him apart from the typical shooter," said Scout.com analyst Evan Daniels, who watched Marra this weekend. "I think he has a chance to be really successful in college because he's also an efficient shooter. … He can put it on the floor some, but that's where he'll need to improve."

Anthony Marra said there is no family history on the hardwood, but his son was a perfect fit when he took up the game around age 10.

Unlike many prospects who make big jumps in improvement, Marra has progressed steadily.

"He's always had a natural stroke, and he was always a hard worker," Anthony Marra said. "He was never a big standout, but he just kept improving all the time. He's real goal-oriented, and he knows what he wants."

Marra remembers going to the Aim High Camp in Rhode Island the summers before his eighth- and ninth-grade years and honing his shooting skills, shooting about 1,200 shots a day.

Now he works at the gym and often takes 600 a day.

"It's just practice and repetition," Marra said. "The more practice you get with your shot, the more comfortable you are going to be shooting it. I just worked on it every day, and you get more comfortable and it gets quicker."

Marra is not a typical shooter.

"Sometimes I do look at other people and think, 'Wow, that's slow,' " he said. "So I do realize that my shot is a lot quicker than most people."

His three-point touch helped get him into the Cardinals' program. Anthony Marra said U of L assistant Richard Pitino was watching another prospect when he saw Mike hit 10 three-pointers in one game.

"It started from there, and he just loved Louisville," Anthony said. "We went up and met with the coaching staff, and it was just such a warm feeling. You know when you can tell someone is talking to you and they are talking out of the side of their head? We never got that. Coach Pitino truly has the kids' best interests in mind."

And Mike Marra has the Cardinals on his mind -- and their hat on his head.

"I'm just having a lot of fun now," he said. … I don't have to worry about where I am going to school anymore, and I can just keep trying to get better.

"I just can't wait to get to campus to do my thing."

Devan Dumes, a 6-2 shooting guard, committed to Indiana University. The former Vincennes University player will be eligible as a junior this fall.

 

 

March

Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA)   March 11, 2008
Local players named to play in all-star game
A story on high school basketball players selected to play an all-star game at Harvard University mentions Andrew Yanulis '08 will be among the players.
Click here to read story.

The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA)
March 11, 2008 Tuesday
Local players named to play in all-star game

Several high school boys basketball players with area ties have been selected to play in an all-star game on March 22 at Harvard University.

Hoop Mountain and New England Recruiting Network will hold the Greater Boston All-Star Game, which consists of two games.

The senior game at 6 p.m. includes two current Boston College High School players and a 2007 graduate.

Jake O'Brien of Weymouth has committed to Boston University, while Tim McKinney of Duxbury will hopefully be healthy enough to play after an injury ended his senior season with the Eagles. Andrew Yanulis earned a spot in the game after a solid postgraduate season at Northfield Mount Hermon.

Randolph resident Uche Egesionu, who stars for Trinity Catholic, will also play in the senior game.

In the junior game that starts at 8 p.m., Stoughton 6-9 center Dartaye Ruffin has been invited.

Tickets will be available at the door, which opens at 5 p.m.

The Republican (Springfield, MA)   March 5, 2008
Northfield Mount Hermon Brings Game
A game between LaSalle University and UMass pits NMH alumni against one another. The story spotlights NMH's stellar basketball program.
Click here to read story.

Northfield Mount Hermon brings game
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
By RON CHIMELISrchimelis@repub.com

AMHERST - Tony Gaffney was asked to describe the prototypical Northfield Mount Hermon School player, the likes of which will be in abundance at tonight's Massachusetts-La Salle men's basketball game.

"Hard working," said Gaffney, a UMass forward and one of five former NMH players who will play in tonight's game at the Mullins Center. "It's such a competitive level, you have to work hard to succeed."

Tonight's game has huge implications for both teams. UMass (19-9, 8-6 Atlantic 10) and La Salle (14-14, 8-6) are tied with Richmond and Saint Joseph's for third place in the A-10.

All of those teams hope to finish in the league's top four, which would mean a coveted first-round by in next week's A-10 tournament.

For UMass, victory would also clinch a second straight 20-victory season and provide another major step toward at-large NCAA tournament consideration.

Amid that backdrop will be a game involving four freshmen who were Northfield Mount Hermon teammates a year ago - UMass guards Gary Correia and Matt Glass, and La Salle twin brothers Jerrell and Terrell Williams, each a 6-foot-8 forward.

Added to that mix is Gaffney, a 6-8 junior from Berkley, Mass., who played for the Hoggers in 2003-04.

Before transferring from Boston University to UMass in 2006, Gaffney returned to his former prep campus as an alumnus, and played against the Williams brothers in pickup games He values playing under coaches John Carroll and Bill Batty at NMH.

"Going there might have been the best decision I've ever made, athletically and also academically," said Gaffney, who prepped for a year after an injury-plagued final season at Somerset (Mass.) High had given college recruiters second thoughts.

Carroll, the Northfield Mount Hermon head coach whose 2007-08 team went 18-10, said tonight's contest will be the nation's only Division I college game all season with five players from the same high school.

That feat is expected to be duplicated next year, not only when UMass plays La Salle but at Harvard-Dartmouth, where the Hoggers have also been sending multiple players.

"When our players are looking at colleges, our job is to present the facts. Recommendations based on academics first, and then it's their decision," said Carroll, whose 2007 team graduated nine players and placed them all in college programs, seven in Division I.

"There was a gap with the Williams brothers, when they were thinking of going their separate ways, but their decision was no surprise. I couldn't see them separated by a few blocks, let alone a few hundred miles."

Jerrell Williams poses a special challenge for UMass. Averaging 9.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, he's an Atlantic 10 rookie of the year candidate.

Carroll said he could have gone to bigger program, but chose La Salle, where he's still his brother's teammate and part of one of the league's most surprising teams.

UMass coach Travis Ford says he knew nothing of Northfield Mount Hermon until 2005, when he arrived in New England from Eastern Kentucky. Last year, he signed Vermont native Glass and then added Correia, a late signee from Providence, R.I.

"It's a first class program," Ford said. "They look at the person first, and that's why their graduates leave with a sense of responsibility that lets them uphold the school's tradition."

Correia said the Williams twins remain among his best friends. He spoke to Jerrell Monday, though not about tonight's game, he said.

"When those two committed to La Salle, Matt (Glass) and I talked about this game," Correia said. "There's a little bit of bragging rights involved."

"The Williamses were great teammates, and they are great players," Glass said. "For each team, this is a big, big game, with a lot on the line."

With Correia, Glass, and the Williams brothers, Northfield Mount Hermon went 23-5 in 2006-07. The Hoggers set a school victory record and rose to No. 7 in the nation's prep rankings.

The friendships formed at the Franklin County prep school will not be forgotten tonight, only put aside by two teams with so much at stake now.

"I'm definitely looking forward to it," Gaffney said. "I'm sure they are, too."

Hartford Courant   March 2, 2008
Northfield Wins Prep Wrestling
NMH wins BIG at the New England Prep School Wrestling Championships!
Click here to read story.

Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) won the team title with 201 points at the New England Prep School Wrestling Championships Saturday at Loomis Chaffee School.

Phillips Andover Academy finished second (116) and Brooks School (109.5) third. Host Loomis Chaffee placed ninth with 64 points. Hyde-Woodstock had 56 points and finished 10th, the only other state school in the top 10.

Northfield won four weight classes: Omar Bey at 112 pounds, John Coutoumus at 125, Todd Patterson at 130 and T.J. Strunk at 152.

Loomis placed one wrestler in a final, Mike Mesrobian, who lost to Peter Randall of Buckingham, Brown and Nichols at 135.

Kyle Palmer of Trinity-Pawling, the 145 champion, won the most pins, fastest time and outstanding wrestler awards.

 

February

The Recorder (Greenfield, MA)   February 29, 2008
NMH Legend
Bob York pays homage to retiring NMH wrestling coach Frank Millard, who is one of two coaches in the nation to have a lifetime coaching record of more than 700 wins.
Click here to read story.

NMH legend
By BOB YORK
Published: Friday, February 29, 2008

Last call!

Frank Millard will make the final stop of his goodbye tour on Saturday when the Northfield Mount Hermon School charter bus pulls up in front of the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn.

There will be no time for reminiscing for the retiring NMH wrestling mentor, however. This is strictly a business trip. Or, as Millard would probably like to think of it: a trip to take care of unfinished business.

Last call will take Millard to the 2008 New England Prep School Wrestling Championships. And how ironical the goodbye tour should end here. This is a coach who has never had a losing season in 45 years, yet this is the one coveted crown to have eluded his trophy case. The Hoggers have mined silver at this showcase on three different occasions -- but never gold.

''We're hoping to win it then end it,'' said Millard, who has posted a 385-134-3 record during his 23 years on the hill in Gill, and who is one of just two wrestling coaches -- at any level in the country -- to own more than 700 victories (718-204-3).

And, quite honestly, Millard should finally grab that elusive crown and culminate his career with an exclamation point. His Hoggers will enter tonight's first-round fray as the team to beat. A 21-1 record has that lofty status written all over it.

''It would certainly make for a nice victory lap, now wouldn't it,'' said NMH athletic director Tom Pratt. ''The kids know the situation … they know what this championship means and you can be sure they'll do everything in their power to send their coach out on top.

Regardless of Saturday's outcome, the man who is considered the dean of prep school wrestling, ''has had an unprecedented run of success,'' said Pratt. He not only sits amongst the elite in victories -- in any sport and at any level -- ''but he's both known and well regarded nationally for the job that he has done in the sport.''

What he has accomplished in wrestling is only a part of the lengthy legacy Millard -- who was the recipient of last year NEPSAC Distinguished Service Award -- will leave at NMH when he walks away this spring. In fact, it's impossible to gaze out upon the NMH campus and not view some aspect of the school's configuration that wasn't instigated by Millard during his 21 years as the NMH athletic director.

During his watch, which included stints as the NMH varsity softball and golf mentors, the school built a track facility, a softball field, a field hockey field and developed the lower fields, where the sub varsity teams play and practice. And on the inside, Millard brought both the fitness center and free weights room into existence.

This native of Watertown, N.Y., used to spend his winters playing basketball. But all that changed forever following his ninth-grade season.

''There were two junior high schools in the city,'' remembers Millard, ''and after the winter seasons were over, the schools' physical education departments got together for a wrestling tournament … and everyone participated.

''I didn't know much … if anything about the sport,'' said Millard, ''but I did pretty well for myself … I won my weight class. And after the tournament, Jack Williams, my physical education instructor and the high school wrestling coach, urged me to try out for the varsity my sophomore year. And so, I did.''

And he didn't disappoint Williams, whom Millard says has always been his coaching role model. Millard lettered for three years at Watertown, which at that time was considered one of the top five high school wrestling programs in New York, before wrestling for four years at SUNY Cortland.

And during those seven competitive campaigns, Millard picked up on the key to success rather quickly.

''You can't be laid back and be a successful wrestler,'' said Millard. ''You need to have a competitive drive … in wrestling, you're out there all on your own … there are no teammates to bail you out in this sport.''

Another aspect of the sport that Millard has always enjoyed is the fact that all body weight and sizes are welcome.

''With the various weight categories wrestling is separated into, anyone from 103 pounds to 285 pounds can compete,'' said Millard. ''If you weigh 103 pounds, you're sure not going to be playing much football, and if you're 5-2, you're sure not going to be playing much basketball. Wrestling can find a spot in its lineup for just about everyone.''

One other aspect of his NMH resume that Millard is quite proud of has been the people he has hired.

''We've brought in nothing but the best coaches we could possibly find to come here and work with our student-athletes,'' Millard said last November, prior to receiving the Distinguished Service Award. Millard said at the time that ''eight of our coaches … four men and four women … have moved on to coach on the collegiate level. I think that says a lot about our athletic department here.''

One recent hire Millard hopes will be sticking around for a while is his assistant, Bob Buyea.

''Bob's been with us for two years and he's going to be moving into my slot when I step down,'' said Millard. ''He's going to be an outstanding head coach … he knows his stuff.''

''I feel very fortunate that I have been able to have spent the past two years here at NMH, working under a coach like Frank Millard,'' said Buyea, who captained the Syracuse University wrestling team for three years. ''There isn't a coach any more well respected … well known … and well connected than Frank.''

But there's one other aspect of his boss that Buyea has come to cherish even more than the knowledge he has gained. And that would be the friendship he has developed.

''Sure, I'm going to have some big shoes to fill,'' admitted Buyea, ''and some guys with big shoes to fill would want to cut the strings … but not me

''Why would I?'' asked Buyea and then quickly answered his own question by saying, ''Frank's a great guy … we've become good friends and besides, I've still got a lot of questions to be answered.''

But between now and then, we still have last call awaiting -- here's to champagne!

Bob York is a Recorder wire editor. His e-mail address is byork@recorder.com.

 

 

New England Recruiting Report   February 27, 2008
NMH Guard Makes a Decision
When Andy Moore decided to come to Northfield Mount Hermon as a post-graduate, he did it in hopes of reaching his dream of playing division I basketball.  Now that dream appears set to become a reality.
Click here to read story.

When Andy Moore decided to come to Northfield Mount Hermon as a post-graduate, he did it in hopes of reaching his dream of playing division I basketball.  Now that dream appears set to become a reality, although he still has some work to do to earn a scholarship. 

Moore will attend Lafayette College next year as a recruited walk-on.  At some division I schools walk-ons are little more than glorified managers who jump into practice drills and act as dummy defenders.  But that couldn’t be farther from the truth at Lafayette.  In fact, the Leopards basketball program currently carries only 8 scholarships as opposed to most division I schools around the country that have 13.  Consequently, Head Coach Fran O’Hanlan and his staff have the unenviable task of not only recruiting with fewer funded spots, but also finding talented players capable of helping the team as walk-ons.  In Moore, O’Hanlon has found exactly that. 

The Texas native is an extremely fundamentally sound point guard, who makes good decisions with the basketball, and knows how to run a team.  He has also done a terrific job of building up his body in the weight room and is a good spot shooter. 

“Andy is the total student athlete,” says NMH Head Coach John Carroll.  “He works hard on and off the court, is a terrific teammate, and a very good basketball player.  I fully expect him to be able to contribute at Lafayette next year.”

Moore’s decision certainly comes as a disappointment to a number of high academic small colleges and universities in the area who were actively pursuing the point guard. 

Northfield Mount Hermon faces Winchendon today in the quarter-finals of the NEPSAC tournament.  The game will take place at 4pm at Merrimack College.

The Recorder (Greenfield, MA)   February 2, 2008
Ive Pipeline
Bob York takes notice of the trend: NMH grads are heading to the Ivies to play basketball.
Click here to read story.

Prep Schools: Ivy pipeline

By BOB YORK
email this writer   

Originally published on: Friday, February 01, 2008

The voice at the other end of the phone conversation belonged to John Carroll, but at times, it was barely discernible.

A noisy background -- people yelling … whistles blowing … sneakers squeaking as they zigged and zagged over a hardwood floor -- made it difficult to hear.

Carroll was calling from Lavietes Pavilion, the home of the Harvard University men's basketball team -- during practice.

As Northfield Mount Hermon School's assistant director of admissions, Carroll was in Boston earlier this week on admissions business. But the 1989 NMH graduate wears another hat at the school, that of the head varsity boys' basketball coach. And so, he spent some down time looking up a familiar face.

That familiar face belongs to Dan McGeary, who graduated from NMH in 2006. McGeary, who is now a sophomore at Harvard, is the self-described ''sixth man,'' for the Crimson this season and is averaging about 10 points a game.

Reunions, such as Monday's on Harvard's hallowed hardwood, are about to become more and more frequent for the NMH mentor, because more and more of his charges are moving on to the Ivies.

A year from now, Harvard will have two former Hoggers on its roster, as 6-10, 200-pound senior forward Andrew Van Nest from Weston has committed to the Crimson.

And there's more. By the time Dartmouth College opens its 2008-09 season, the Big Green will have three former NMH standouts imbedded in its roster

Clive Weeden ('07), a 6-8, 220-pound forward, has already moved on to Hanover, while a pair of Hogger post-graduates -- Josh Riddle, a 6-8, 205 pound forward and David Rufful, a 6-4, 205-pound point guard -- will be heading up I-91 in the fall.

''By next year, we'll have five graduates playing in the Ivy League, which is the most from any single high school in the entire country,'' said a proud Carroll.

Sending recruits off to Ivy League schools is nothing new for NMH. According to Carroll, ''we've had a long history with the Ivies. For about 10 straight years … from 1996 to 2006 … we've had at least one player at Brown and we've sent a few kids to Penn, as well.''

Obviously, recruiting them is nothing new, either. And despite the high level of competition out there to attract this level of brain and brawn, a good number have been lured to the Hill in Gill.

''These kids are a pleasure to recruit and they're a pleasure to work with,'' said Carroll. ''They're goal-oriented … they have a destination in life and they're going to do what it takes to reach that destination.''

''I couldn't have asked for a better situation than I had at NMH,'' said McGeary. ''I wasn't ready to play at this level collegiately when I graduated from high school, so I decided to spend a year at NMH and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.

''Not only was the level of competition better,'' added McGeary, ''but practicing every night with and against eight or nine guys who are going Division I in college, you can't help but improve.''

As McGeary discovered, Hogger hoop speaks for itself. Not only do the Hoggers play at a high level of competition -- they win. NMH has earned its way into the New England prep school Class A tourney field 19 of the past 20 years. And over the past five years, the Hoggers have finished the season ranked among the top 10 prep school basketball programs in the country.

Last year, with a roster that saw all nine of its graduates go on to collegiate careers -- including seven who went Division I -- NMH finished as the No. 7 team in the country. It achieved that plateau after setting a single-season school record of 23 victories, including a win over the subsequent national champion Notre Dame of Fitchburg.

As Carroll pointed out, however, these kids are goal-oriented -- and basketball is just one of those goals. A good education is another.

''I've always dreamed of attending an Ivy League school,'' said Rufful, who hails from Warwick, R.I., where he earned All-State honors as a junior and senior at Bishop Hendrickson High School and won a state title his senior year. ''But I knew I wasn't ready … in basketball nor in the classroom.''

But he is now. Rufful is averaging 15 points, six rebounds and three assists a game for the Hoggers, while he owns a 3.5 GPA in the classroom while taking a number of advanced placement courses.

''It's been as challenging as I had hoped it would be,'' said Rufful, who had met Carroll in the past and knew some of the players on last year's team, ''so I knew this would be a great opportunity for me before I even started school.''

This year's club owns a 15-6 record, has won 11 of its last 12 games and again is ranked among the top 10 in the country. And much of the credit for this winter's accomplishments has to go to the three McDonald's All-Americans on the roster.

One is Van Nest, another is Simon McCormick, a 6-5 guard out of New Castle, N.H., who is uncommitted but has received extensive interest from numerous schools, including a number of Ivy League institutions. The third is Ted Eby, a 6-10 center from Asheville, N.C., who is headed for MIT.

''I came to NMH for a post-graduate year because I wanted to go to Dartmouth and Dartmouth recommended that I come here for a year,'' explained Riddle, who is averaging 10 points a game and has a 3.6 GPA despite taking a number of AP courses.

''I'm excited about the way things have gone here at NMH,'' added Riddle, a Colorado native, who earned all-state honors last year after averaging 19 points and eight rebounds a game for Grandview High School near Denver. ''It's been a rewarding experience in basketball as well as in the classroom.''

And it shouldn't take too long before Carroll will be able to see the fruits of his labor. The Hogger mentor can hardly wait for next year's Ivy League schedule to be released.

''Just think about it,'' said Carroll, ''we'll have five of our kids playing in that Harvard-Dartmouth game … I can't wait.''

Although Rufful is in the midst of his first and last season of Hogger hoops, he's anticipating the future game as well.

''It's really going to be something,'' said Rufful. ''Five guys from this program will be playing in that game … three on one side and two on the other. Bet there's going to be a lot of trash talkin' goin' on.''

Bob York is a Recorder wire editor. His e-mail address is byork@recorder.com.

 

 

January

The Recorder (Greenfield, MA)   January 18, 2008
Boss Hogger
Bob York profiles NMH's winning wrestling crew, mentioning Jesse Posl-Rhinehart '08, Martin Tarintino '08, and Todd Patterson '08.
Click here to read the story.

Click here to see a scan of the story.

 

December

New England Recruiting Report   December 17, 2007
Ted Eby Headed to M.I.T.
M.I.T. lands a big recruit: NMH's own Ted Eby '08.
Click here to read the story.

Recruiting at a place like M.I.T. is a hard job. Many schools have the challenge of meeting lofty goals on the court while only recruiting from a very small applicant pool based on the admissions criteria of their school…but M.I.T. takes that task to another level. With perhaps the most rigorous academic requirements in the nation, finding players who can compete on the court and in the classroom is an extremely daunting task.

But Head Coach Larry Anderson deserves a ton of credit as he had already put together a good recruiting class that just got a lot better.

Northfield Mount Hermon’s 6’10” center Ted Eby is headed to Cambridge. The North Carolina native was hearing from a variety of division I programs early in the year, most notably from the America East and Patriot League. Unfortunately those coaches have been unable to see the big man play in recent weeks as he has been held out of action with a leg injury. But what turns out to be a loss for those programs is a huge gain for M.I.T. as Eby will bring a tremendous interior presence.

“Ted is a mid-major player defensively, and he is working very hard to bring his offensive game to the same level,” said Northfield Mount Hermon Head Coach John Carroll. “He should be immediately successful at M.I.T. and help them catch up to some of the top programs in the NESCAC.”

Eby won’t be alone as he will be joined by another local product in Phillips Exeter sharp-shooting guard Jamie Karraker. The duo should form a nice 1-2 punch for Engineers to rely on for years to come. With Eby’s size and aggressive he is bound to command double teams right away in his freshman season. But defenders won’t be able to help off of Karrakar as he is one of the best long range shooters in the region.

With two players like this in the fold, look for M.I.T. to contend on the national level in the next five years.

The Recorder (Greenfield, MA)   December 14, 2007
Student of the Game
Commentator Bob York traces senior Erika Loomer's skill at volleyball to her childhood days watching games her mother coached.
Click here to read the story.

Erika Loomer grew up watching volleyball like most kids grew up watching television.

''My mom (Debbie Loomer) was the volleyball coach at Turners Falls High School,'' said Loomer, as she reflected on what now has to be a decade's worth of time stored away in her memory banks. ''My mom used to bring me to practice with her and I'd sit in the stands and watch.'' And she watched … and she watched … and she watched some more.

''My mom began bringing me to practice when I was in second grade,'' said Loomer, and as the seasons would come and go, little Loomer became a big fan of this game her mother was coaching.

''Although I was just watching, I began to pick up on a lot of the mental aspects of the game,'' said Loomer. ''I began to appreciate just how fast the game was played and how quickly the players had to react, both mentally and physically, and as I got older, that part of the game really impressed me.

''I also enjoyed the team aspect of the game,'' added Loomer. ''I enjoyed how everyone helped each other and how you won as a team … not as individuals.''

Well, that game that caught the attention of Debbie Loomer's little girl 10 years ago hasn't changed much, but the younger Loomer has. She's a player, now. And a pretty good one. In fact, over the past two years, this native of Gill has raised her level of the game to where she has become one of the dominant figures in New England prep school girls' volleyball.

This past week, Loomer was selected to the Boston Globe All-Scholastic Team as well as the Western New England Girls' Volleyball League All-Star Team for the second consecutive year -- on both counts.

''Erika's just a phenomenal volleyball player,'' said her coach, Dan Cohan. ''On most teams, you have a player who is your best setter … another who is your best blocker … and yet another who is your best hitter. This season, Erika led our team in all three phases. And it's extremely rare to find one player who excels in all three categories.

''In fact,'' added Cohan, I'd say Erika was the best setter in the entire league this season. It's the setter's job to make everyone around them better and that exactly what Erika did for us this season … she made everyone around her better.''

And all that good stuff is in Loomer's job description, because, as the setter, according to Cohan, she's the quarterback of the team.

''It's the setter's job to know where everyone on their team is, plus know how the opponent's defense is set up … where the blockers are … and then, almost instantaneously, communicate with your teammates for a play that will get the ball over the net while avoiding the blockers.

''And if all that sounds as though it would be tough to do in just a matter of seconds, it should,'' said Cohan, ''because it is.''

And it didn't take the head Hogger long to dig up another aspect of Loomer's game that puts the word ''rare'' back into play.

''She's averaged about seven kills a game for us this season,'' said Cohan, ''and that's a phenomenal amount for someone who spends the majority of her time setting up others,'' said Cohan of Loomer, who also averaged 15 assists per game.

The success that Loomer has met with and the notoriety her accomplishments have generated put her on the collegiate radar screen quite some time ago. But late last month the red carpet to the next level of play was finally rolled out when Loomer signed a letter of intent to play at Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y.

''I'm really excited about playing at the college level,'' said Loomer. ''From what I understand, their setter is graduating and I'm the only setter they recruited, so I'm really looking forward to the challenge that awaits me.''

While Looner's volleyball career has ended at NMH, her athletic career there, hasn't. She is currently playing basketball, and it looks as though she may pick up some hardware there too. In fact, she already has.

''Erika has really come into her own this season,'' said coach Nicole Hager, of her shooting guard, who is averaging 15 points a game and who earned her way onto the NMH Holiday Tournament All-Star Team last week.

''She's just a tremendous athlete,'' added Hager, who feels her charge, who has been a two-year captain of the hoop team, has the ability to play basketball on the collegiate level as well, if she chose to.

Volleyball is clearly Loomer's priority, however. She has been playing the game competitively since she was 11 years old.

''I began playing in the sixth grade and by eighth grade, I was playing middle school ball as well as club ball. In fact, I play pretty much year round as I still play on the club level with the Western Mass. Junior Olympics.

And she has also found time to play in the last three Bay State Games and won gold medals following her last two appearances.

Despite all her successes, 2007 hasn't been kind to Loomer, or her family. Her father, Steven, passed away in August.

''I'm amazed at the courage Erika showed this season,'' said Cohan. ''With all she had gone through and was going through, it was a very emotional time for her and her family.''

''My mom and my brother, Brady, have been there for me and that really helped a lot,'' explained Loomer.

And speaking of moms, Loomer feels she's got a pretty special one.

''My mom's always been there for me,'' said Loomer, and volleyball is a perfect example. ''She's always helped me … always supported me, but at the same time, she's never pushed me.

''I began playing volleyball because I enjoyed it and I'm playing volleyball today because I still enjoy it.''

Bob York is a Recorder wire editor. His e-mail address is byork@recorder.com.

 

November

New England Recruiting Report   November 14, 2007
Signing Day Begins with Two More Verbal Committments
NMH's Josh Riddle '08 agrees to head to Dartmouth to play for the Big Green.
Click here to read the story.

Today marks the beginning of the early signing period when all the players in the class of 2008 who have thus far made verbal commitments make it official when they sign on the dotted line.

Northfield Mount Hermon’s Josh Riddle and New Hampton’s Kendall Durant both made verbal commitments on Tuesday. Today, both players are expected to sign their national letters of intent along with a variety of other local players.

Riddle will be joining his NMH teammate David Rufful at Dartmouth. The Colorado native was getting a wide range of interest from Ivy League Schools but ultimately decided to join the Big Green.

“The academics and athletics were a great combination,” he said. “Plus having the opportunity to go there with Dave is great. I think we should both be able to earn playing time right away and hopefully win a lot of games together over the next four years.”

Rufful and Riddle also share a deep appreciation for all of the people at Northfield Mount Hermon as Riddle was quick to echo his teammate’s sentiments from earlier in the week.

“I didn’t have any opportunities before I got here,” Riddle said. “Not only have they opened up doors for me to play college basketball, but the education I’m getting is going to prepare me for the Ivy League as well.”

The Recorder (Greenfield, MA)   November 2, 2007
Homegrown Hogger
Bob York's prep school sports column speculates on the boys varsity soccer team's chances to capture the New England Championships.
Click here to read the story.

They've been kicking soccer balls around the hill in Gill for quite some time now. In fact, this year marks the 75th anniversary of the sport first being logged into the Northfield Mount Hermon School record books.

And if one cared -- or dared -- to fast forward through three-quarters of a century of scores, one would find that the Hoggers are heading into their game at Cushing Academy on Saturday with a lifetime record of 422-304-110 in tow.

This 75th edition of Hogger soccer isn't interested in rehashing what its 74 predecessors did or didn't do, however. This year's Hoggers are just hoping to duplicate what the 74th edition did -- capture the New England Class A championship.

If successful, it would mark the second time in the school's history that NMH has captured back-to-back Class A titles. The Hoggers, who already own five Class A trophies, which is the most any New England school has, picked up their first two titles during what would have to be described as the program's heyday back in the early '80s. Back then, under coach Dick Peller, the Big Red as they were known, won the 1981 and 1982 crowns. They then made it three-out-of-four by carting off the 1984 championship. The school also won the 1997 title.

''It was just a tremendous experience … the best I've ever had in high school athletics,'' said senior midfielder Ryan Dintaman of last year's title run that saw NMH ring up a 15-3-1 record.

And with an 8-2-3 record under their belts already and just three games remaining on the schedule, Dintaman, who hails from Northfield, is optimistic NMH will have a chance to successfully defend its crown.

''We just have to take one game at a time,'' said Dintaman, who has chipped one goal and five assists into an offense that has outscored its opponents by a 30-12 margin this season -- and has allowed just two goals in its last six games.

''This is a talented team that plays as a team rather than as a bunch of individuals,'' said Dintaman, one of six Hoggers on this year's roster who played a part in last year's rags-to-riches story.

''And I feel as though the experience we gained from last year's success during the regular season and post season will help us, too,'' added Dintaman. ''Now we know what we need to do to be successful.''

And that hasn't always been the case for Dintaman and some of his mates. During Dintaman's sophomore season -- just one year prior to the title run -- the Hoggers wallowed through a 2-12 season. And during Dintaman's freshman year, a season during which he flip-flopped between varsity and JV ball, NMH was 1-12-2.

In fact, from 2002 through 2005, the Hogger soccer program could have qualified for the ''Ugly Betty'' Award, as it rang up an 8-44-8 record during that span.

''Winning that championship was fantastic, but having made such a dramatic turnaround made it even more special,'' said Dintaman, who is planning on shelving his soccer career after this season to concentrate on lacrosse on the collegiate level -- possibly at St. Michael's College. ''Having gone from one extreme to the other in just one season was an unbelievable experience … I think we all learned a great deal from it.''

Despite that four-year slump, NMH owns a rich tradition in boys soccer. Since 1981, it has received 13 New England tournament invites and while there, has won five titles and lost in the finals once. The school also owns a pair of Western New England Prep School Soccer Association titles and has captured eight Dunbar Cups. The Dunbar Cup is annually presented to the team that has the best head-to-head record against Deerfield, Andover and Exeter. And the Hoggers are still in the running for No. 9, having already defeated Andover and Exeter by identical 1-0 scores. NMH will play host to Deerfield on Wednesday.

''I think the key to our success of late can be attributed to the blend of players we have on the roster,'' said Jim Burstein, who, along with Charlie Malcolm, serve as co-head coaches for the program.

''We've got a bunch of talented kids coming up through the program … like Ryan (Dintaman) and we've got some excellent post graduates who have come in here and made an instant impact on the program,'' added Burstein, who was a co-captain and All-New England selection during his senior season at NMH back in 1986.

And it's doubtful any PG on the roster could have made any bigger impact on the team than Peter Rosoff. The Framingham native is the team's leading scorer, having potted 10 of the Hoggers' 30 goals.

So, what's the big deal about 10 goals, you ask?

Well, those 10 goals have come on a part-time basis. This team's leading scorer also spends close to half his playing time in goal, where he has allowed only four goals in just under four games.

''He's just an outstanding athlete,'' Malcolm said of Rosoff, ''I've seen him kick a field goal from 60 yards out.''

Rosoff splits his time with senior Kellen Mobilia of Keene, N.H., who was a key component of last year's run. To date, Mobilia has issued just seven goals in just over seven games.

''And I think that's been another key to our success,'' said Malcolm. ''These last two teams have had great chemistry … these kids are really committed to one another.

''You have two coaches who work well together … you have two talented goalies who are willing to split playing time,'' added Malcolm. ''And at the other end of the field, you have a bunch of kids who would rather pass off to an open teammate rather than score themselves.''

One aspect of the season that inevitably brought this team together was all the bus rides it took -- especially during the tournament.

The Hoggers wound up as the No. 5 seed in an eight-team field last year, thus they hit the road for all three games -- to fourth-seeded Noble & Greenough (a 2-0 win) … to top-seeded Worcester Academy (a 1-0 win), and finally … to No. 2 seed Loomis Chaffee (a 3-2 win) for all the marbles.

''It seemed as though we no sooner got home from one game than we were climbing back onto the bus and heading off to the next game,'' said Malcolm. ''The kids deserve a lot of credit for that, it wasn't easy.''

So, this time around, the Hoggers are hoping to put themselves in a position to achieve three goals: make the playoffs, defend their title -- and receive a high enough seed so they can stick close to home. Like playing a championship game on the hill in Gill, where they've been playing the game for a long, long time.

Bob York is a Recorder wire editor. His e-mail address is byork@recorder.com.

 

October

The Recorder (Greenfield, MA)   October 19, 2007
The Denier
Bob York profiles Jess Woodworth '08, NMH's soccer goalie who mercilessly frustrates the oppsing team's kickers.
Click here to read the story.

Eight feet by 24 feet. If that was oceanfront property, you know they'd find a way to build a high-rise on it. And every room would have a view.

Or you might want to fill that space using Plan B: Buy three boards and oodles of twine and create your very own soccer goal. Same amount of space, but a lot less upkeep.

''They're the biggest goals in sports,'' said Travis Derr. And Derr should know, he defended one for four years at Bowdoin College and is now sharing his expertise at Northfield Mount Hermon School by coaching the school's boys' and girls' varsity and JV goaltenders.

One of Derr's proteges is Jessica Woodworth, a post graduate from Concord, N.H. But Derr doesn't need a uniform number to pick Woodworth out of the crowd. She makes it easy to differentiate herself from the other goalies.

''Jess is always the first one at goaltending practice,'' explained Derr.

And that claim to fame is no small feat. Derr's ''block parties'' begin 20 minutes prior to regular practice.

''It's a hectic time of day for the kids,'' said Derr. ''They're winding up their class day, so getting down to the lower fields 20 minutes early is one thing … but always being the first one there is something else.''

And, as Derr will also tell you, being first to practice is just the beginning for Woodworth.

''Jess is just a real asset to the whole program,'' said Derr. ''She has outstanding leadership qualities … she leads both vocally and by example. She has an outstanding work ethic and is one of the most determined athletes I've ever coached. Her goal is to improve every day she comes to practice. She's been a real positive influence on her teammates … especially the younger ones.

''And,'' added Derr, ''I think you'll find that even the boys have come to appreciate the way she plays the game.''

They might not want to readily admit to that fact, however, because at these goaltender practices, Woodworth is not only the first one to show up. She's often the last one standing as well.

''It's interesting to watch their expressions as they come up from the lower fields to join practice,'' said Jeff Neill, the head coach of the NMH girls' soccer team. ''The girls will often be grinning from ear to ear, while the boys will just be staring at the ground as they walk by. And you can tell it's been a good day for the girls.''

In an attempt to put a little flair into his goaltending practices, Derr often schedules what he calls ''Goalie Wars.''

They take place toward the end of the week, after everyone has completed their to-do lists. And it pits guys vs. guys, gals vs. gals and guys vs. gals.

''I line up two goals 18 yards apart,'' explained Derr, ''and we work on all facets of the goaltenders' game … it just makes it a little more fun when they get to compete against each other.''

And, as mentioned, Woodworth is often the last goalie standing.

''The drill gives me the opportunity to have the boys shoot on me,'' said Woodworth. ''The boys are obviously much stronger and their shots are much harder and faster than the girls' shots, so it's great experience for me ... but I don't think they like it too much when I make a save off them.''

Now, those words certainly don't come from a gun-shy goalie, but there was a time when you couldn't have blamed Woodworth for walking away from this game while she was ahead -- or while she still had a head.

Back on Jan. 1, 2006, Woodworth was playing soccer in New Hampshire for Seacoast United, a team composed of both high school and college soccer players.

Woodworth had just blocked a shot and as she went down to cover the ball, an opponent ran into her. The opponent's knee slammed into the side of Woodworth's head and broke her jaw.

''It was all wired up and it was about two months before I could eat anything solid,'' remembers Woodworth.

Still, she made it back in time to play spring soccer, ''but it took me a bit longer than that before I really began to feel comfortable out there … needless to say, I was a little gun shy for awhile.''

By the time Woodworth's senior season rolled around at Concord High School last fall, however, she was her same old self, and that broken jaw had become a distant memory.

As for this fall, all that work down on the lower fields is paying off. Although the Hoggers own just a 1-4-3 record to date, that showing is a bit deceiving. The Hoggers have only been outscored by a 15-9 margin and three of those four losses have been by a one-goal margin.

With Woodworth patrolling between those gaping goalposts, the Hoggers have been able to hog-tie most of their opponents' offenses. Through eight games, she owns a 1.49 goals against average and an 88.2 save percentage.

Woodworth's value to the team transcends the stat sheet, however.

''We have a very young team,'' said Neill. ''Nine of our 11 starters will be back next year. Jess has proven to have outstanding leadership skills and she's someone a young team like this can really look up to.

''She's a motivational leader,'' added Neill. ''She talks to the team … she pushes them and gets them going.

''Plus, she has a great work ethic,'' added her skipper. ''She's always the first one at goalie practice and she's always the last one to leave our practices every day. She's always working to improve her skill level. She's a real student of the game She's very good at self analysis … she learns what she did wrong and she makes sure she doesn't repeat it.''

Basketball proved to be Woodworth's primary focus on the athletic front until she reached high school. It was then that she gave soccer a shot and she's been hooked ever since.

''I just fell in love with the sport right from the start,'' said Woodworth, who is planning to play at the collegiate level, but is still undecided about a destination. ''I think it was the challenge of the game. The challenge of defending one of those goals … it's a lot of area to cover.''

And as her love for the game blossomed, so did her disdain for opponents who attempted to score on her.

''My goal is to frustrate the shooters,'' said Woodworth. ''They have so much area to shoot at and I'm determined to frustrate them and not allow them to score.''

And during her goaltending career, nearly nine of every 10 shooters who try to score on Woodworth come up empty.

''And I can tell they're frustrated,'' said Woodworth. ''I can see it in their faces.''

Bob York is a Recorder wire editor. His e-mail address is byork@recorder.com.

Providence Journal   October 16, 2007
College Basketball Journal--Friars in the Hunt for Marra
ProJo profiles NMH's Mike Marra '09 who may consider shooting hoops for Providence College, and mentions follow Ocean Stater David Rufful '08.
Click here to read story.

PROVIDENCE--Mike Marra has been going to Providence College basketball games for a few years now. By the fall of 2009, he may be playing in them.

Marra is the Smithfield High All-Stater now in his first of two years at Northfield Mount Hermon School in the Berkshires. He's a 6-foot-4 shooter with deep range, a quick first step and nice jumping ability, and now that he's enrolled at an elite New England prep school, a slew of college coaches are finding out about his skills. Louisville assistant coach Richard Pitino has seen him play and invited him to Kentucky for a visit. URI, Syracuse and a slew of other schools are interested in watching Marra play this year as well.

Where does Providence stand? Marra is friendly with several Friar players and scrimmaged with the team frequently last summer. He and his parents spent Friday night and part of Saturday at Alumni Hall for the start of practice. Staying home for college and becoming the rare Rhode Islander to play at PC is an option Marra is considering. Tim Welsh will have at least five scholarships available to offer prospects for the fall of 2009.

"I like how close Providence is to my home. It's a definite possibility," he said. "They have an amazing weight room that they just finished. My friends and I have always liked going to games there."

Marra may like PC but he didn't sound like he's ready to follow the trend of high schoolers committing to colleges in their sophomore and juniors seasons.

"I still have two years of high school left. I want to go to visit Louisville this winter with my parents and just see what happens," he said.

Rufful, Murphy on Watch List
Marra isn't the only Rhode Islander headed for a major college basketball scholarship. His teammate at NMH, ex-Hendricken star David Rufful, visited Dartmouth over the weekend and is hearing from Brown and Pennsylvania as well. But the highest-profile recruit from the state is clearly Erik Murphy, the 6-9 forward from South Kingstown who's prepping at St. Mark's in Southboro, Mass. Murphy, whose father, Jay, starred at Boston College in the early 1980s, is in the process of cutting a long list of schools down to smaller group of favorites.

"Before the start of this season, we'd like to get it to a manageable number. It may be five, it could be more," said Jay Murphy. "I just want to give Erik the tools to make a smart decision and I don't want to string any [school] along."

Two-time defending national champion Florida has emerged as a favorite to land Murphy. The Gators will certainly make Murphy's final list. Other leading contenders are BC, Ohio State, Marquette, Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse, UConn, Virginia and Notre Dame. Providence and URI are not heavily in the mix.

By Kevin McNamara, Journal Sports Writer

The Recorder (Greenfield, MA)   October 5, 2007
Night Moves
Bob York comments on NMH's first home football game to be played under the glow of artificial lights.
Click here to read story.

You can just anticipate the anticipation in John Carroll's voice as the crescendo reaches fever pitch over the public address system.

There's the reading of the starting lineups … the result of the coin flip … the introduction of the National Anthem.

Then -- and only then -- the voice of Northfield Mount Hermon School football gets to the pregame punch line that the school's football followers have been waiting to hear for years: ''Live, from Gill, it's Saturday night live!''

Yes, from afar, it might look as though the Martians have landed on the hill in Gill. But no need to dial 911. Those bright lights beaming from the school's campus are a good thing -- not a bad thing. It just means the Hoggers have gone hi-tech. On Saturday night, the school will flip the switch and play host to its first night football game ever.

''We're really excited about it,'' said NMH football coach Mike Atkins of Saturday's 6:30 p.m. encounter with Kent School.

The Hoggers have played a number of games under the lights over the past few years, but never at home. And one of those night games came just one year ago when NMH played at Kent. And it was that encounter that got the proverbial ball rolling for tonight's game.

''Kent has permanent lights,'' explained Atkins. ''And they were hoping that if we played down there under the lights, we might be able to return the favor when they came up here this season. So, I said 'We'll see what we can do.'

''I didn't think it would be too big of a problem,'' added Atkins. ''After all, we'd been talking about doing something like this for the past three years and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity.

''We worked out all the details during the school year and made the decision to go for it in early June.''

Another factor working in Atkins' favor is that this will not be the first time the school has dealt with the dark side. It has brought in portable lights for a number of years to help illuminate the annual Overton Hall ''Tron Bon,'' which is a pep rally/bonfire that always culminates the school's Spirit Week.

''They bring in two or three banks of lights for that,'' said Atkins, ''but we've got six … three on each side of the field coming in for the football game.''

And so, maybe, as its bus approaches the NMH campus, the Kent football team will catch a glimmer of light shining high above Thorndike Field.

And you can bet that if Kent doesn't arrive for Saturday's game any earlier than NMH did for its game at Kent last year, the visitors will definitely catch more than just a glimpse of this light show.

''It was a mess,'' said Atkins of last year's trip. ''The bus broke down in Avon, which is probably a little more than halfway to Kent. Then, we had to wait for another bus to come and pick us up and take us the rest of the way

''The game was supposed to begin at 7:30,'' added Atkins. ''We pulled in around 9 and the game finally started at 9:30 … two hours late.

''Despite the long bus trip, I felt we played pretty well,'' said Atkins. ''We ended up losing 22-7, but our bad luck continued once the game began, as our quarterback went down with an injury early in the game.''

According to Atkins, the team finally made it back to the friendly confines of NMH about 2 a.m.

And, it probably won't be the last time that a prep school team fails to return home until the wee hours of the morning.

And that's due to the fact that more and more prep schools are making the switch to flipping the switch. More and more schools are adding permanent lighting -- and artificial turf -- to their athletic facilities.

Kent, which has permanent lights, still plays on grass, while opponents such as Exeter, Andover, Cushing and Loomis have the best of both worlds -- lights and artificial turf.

Salisbury, meanwhile, installed artificial turf this year and is due to put up lights next year.

''It's really the way to go,'' said Atkins, of lights and turf. ''The lights allow you more flexibility with your schedule. In addition to your typical afternoon games, you can schedule Friday and Saturday night games for football, as well as boys' and girls' soccer and field hockey in the fall and boys' and girls' lacrosse in the spring.

''If fact,'' added Atkins, ''we'd like to make this an annual thing and feature some of our other teams under the lights.''

As far as the turf is concerned, that too, is on Atkins' wish list.

''The artificial turf they make today has a 20-year life span,'' said Atkins. ''And considering the various weather conditions these surfaces have to stand up to in New England, that's a good amount of time.''

Plus let's not forget that over a 20-year life span, the cost of upkeep is much less than natural grass -- just a couple bucks for a ''Do Not Mow! Sign.

''All the kids are really excited about Saturday's game,'' said Atkins. ''We have about 620 students attending NMH and about 400 of them participate on various athletic teams. So, with everyone playing at the same time, even friends and roommates … if they play on different teams … may never get a chance to watch each other play.

''On Saturday night,'' added Atkins, ''the football team will have the rare opportunity to play in front of the entire school, because none of our other teams will be playing at that time. And when you think about it, that's pretty exciting.

Exciting indeed.

But even as history is being made Saturday night and while the Hoggers revel in hosting their first night football game ever, cooler and calmer heads must prevail throughout.

And so, please clip and save the following and tape it inside the press box door:

Would the last one out please turn off the lights!

Bob York is a Recorder wire editor. His e-mail address is byork@recorder.com.

 

September

The Recorder (Greenfield, MA)   September 28, 2007
Ultimate Jock
A column about Ben Weyers '08 describes his skill on the gridiron and on the Ultimate Frisbee field (as well as in the classroom). He's also a heck of a guy, notes Bob York.
Click here to read the story.

Here are some numbers you can chew on for a while: 6-5, 190 and 3.8.

The 6-5 is Ben Weyers' height. The 190 is his weight. The 3.8, meanwhile, is his grade-point average.

The first two numbers qualify Weyers for a spot on the end of the offensive and defensive lines -- wide receiver and defensive end -- of the Northfield Mount Hermon School football team. The last number qualifies him for the head of the class.

''He's just an amazing young man,'' said Mike Atkins, the NMH head football coach, of Weyers, who hails from Northfield. ''He's an outstanding football player, he's the captain of the school's New England champion Ultimate Frisbee team and he participates as a drummer in a number of the school's musical groups.''

But Weyers' ''can-do'' list doesn't end there. That's just his accomplishments outside the classroom.

When it comes to hitting the books rather than smacking opposing quarterbacks, Weyers is more than holding his own there, too. He is a member of the National Honor Society. He is taking two Advanced Placement courses -- calculus and economics -- and will take two more in the spring -- physics and French.

''The way the AP courses work is that you take an exam at the end of the course and if you pass it, you receive college credits for it,'' explained Weyers.

And so, if everything goes according to plan, Weyers will have four college courses under his belt even before he graduates from NMH.

''I just don't know how he has enough time in the day to do all that he does,'' said Atkins, ''but he does.''

To Weyers, however, being busy is really not that big a deal, it's what he's all about.

''I don't mind having a hectic schedule,'' said Weyers, ''because I enjoy doing everything that I'm doing.''

A typical day for Weyers begins when he gets out of bed at 6:30 a.m. He attends classes from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., then eats lunch. Music rehearsal -- which could mean any of the following: symphony orchestra, concert band, world music combo or jazz ensemble from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Football practice follows, from 3:45 to 6 p.m. Then, two nights a week, it's back to the drums for music rehearsal from 6:45 to 8:15, which gets him home about 8:30 and just in time for about four hours worth of homework.

On nights when Weyers doesn't have music rehearsals, he normally makes it home around 6:30 and studies from 7 to 11 p.m.

''I usually leave Sundays open,'' said Weyers. ''I usually sit back and watch a couple of football games on TV and spend some time with the family.''

Despite a 34-7 loss at the hands of rival Deerfield Academy on Saturday, Weyers had a good day for himself at defensive end, registering five unassisted tackles and a sack during the game.

''Most of the day, they had two blockers on him,'' said Atkins, ''but with his long arms, he's able to shed a lot of blocks and either make the tackle or stand his ground and force the runner back inside where someone else can make the tackle.''

And just like in every other aspect of Weyers' life, he did his homework in preparation for Saturday's opener against the Big Green. Much of that prep work came the previous Saturday when Weyers turned in what Atkins described as ''an outstanding effort'' during a scrimmage against the Mass. Maritime Academy. During the scrimmage, Weyers registered eight unassisted tackles, two quarterback sacks and two quarterback pressures. Atkins rewarded him by naming Weyers game captain for Saturday's opener.

''We have two elected captains and then every week we select a game captain,'' explained Atkins. ''It's usually based on what a player did the previous week … it serves as a little incentive for the players, and I don't think this is the last time you'll see Ben being selected as a game captain this season.''

But this season may be the last time you will be seeing Weyers decked out in football garb. This Northfield native may have a bright future in football -- but it's doubtful it will be as a player.

''I'm interested in majoring in sports management or economics,'' said Weyers, who, needless to say, has some pretty darn good colleges on his wish list. With the resume he has accumulated, he'll probably be hitting bingo on that list sooner rather than later. And to be a name dropper, that list includes the likes of Boston College, Virginia, Pitt and Syracuse.

Weyers is planning to continue his career in Ultimate Frisbee on the college level, however.

''A lot of colleges have Ultimate Frisbee on the club level,'' said Weyers, ''and that's fine by me. It'll give me a chance to have some fun and get some exercise at the same time.''

''You can tell from just watching what he does on the football field that he has the makings of an outstanding Frisbee player,'' said Atkins.

Although football is a much more physical game than Ultimate Frisbee, ''the two sports are still remarkably similar,'' said Atkins. ''They both require similar athletic ability, such as quickness and agility.''

''If they recruited for Ultimate Frisbee on the college level like they do for football or basketball, I don't think I'd ever have any time to myself. I'd be constantly talking to coaches and scouts about Ben,'' said NMH Frisbee coach Mark Yates. ''He's a force both offensively and defensively.''

With those good hands, long arms and fast feet, Weyers is the perfect prototype for the serious Ultimate Frisbee player. And it's probably no coincidence that Weyers plays very similar positions in both sports.

''You have seven-man teams in Ultimate Frisbee,'' explained Weyers. ''You have three players who can throw the Frisbee … two receivers who run short patterns and two who run longer routes.''

Being a wide receiver in football, it wouldn't take much imagination to figure out what Weyers' assignment is -- going deep.

And did he ever. Weyers accounted for close to 70 points last spring, according to his mentor, as the Hoggers posted a 23-4 record, won the New England crown, won the B Division of the Amherst Tournament, ''which is probably the most prestigious Ultimate Frisbee tournament in the country,'' said Yates. ''And it's the most prestigious simply because all the top teams in the country participate in it.''

The Hoggers also placed seventh out of 16 teams in the National Tournament.

On defense, Weyers is like a defensive end. ''I usually keep an eye on one of those three guys who throws the Frisbee,'' said Weyers.

''And with those long arms of his, he does an outstanding job pressuring those guys,'' said Yates. ''When he gets in your face, it's tough to concentrate on what's going on downfield.''

Both of Weyers' coaches discovered a long time ago, however, that there's much more to this young man than just brain and brawn.''Ben's just the nicest kid in the world,'' said Atkins. ''He's always smiling … he's everyone's friend.''

Yates, too, has come to appreciate his charge. ''Even if he didn't play sports, you couldn't help but feel the same way about him. I'm just in awe of his character,'' said Yates.

''He's the kind of young man, who, if he was going to marry your daughter, you'd be able to go to sleep at night with a smile on your face,'' added Yates, who happens to have two teenage daughters.

Bob York is a Recorder wire editor. His e-mail address is byork@recorder.com.

 

August

Foxsports.com   August 10, 2007
Amaker Changing Culture at Harvard
Andrew Van Nest '08 (who is considering accepting an offer to play with the Crimson) is evidence that basketball is alive and well in Cambridge.
Click here to read story.

Things are changing at Harvard Yard.

Exhibit A: Andrew Van Nest, a skilled 6-foot-10 senior forward from Massachusetts who will spend his second season at Northfield Mount Hermon, has the Crimson among his leaders. Van Nest was also considering Pittsburgh, Georgetown and Virginia until a sub-par summer in which he didn’t play all that much. Now he’s got Tommy Amaker’s club right there with UMass and Davidson – and currently ahead of Penn, Princeton and Northwestern.

Would this be possible if Amaker hadn’t taken over.

``I doubt it,” Van Nest admitted. ``Harvard is Harvard – it’s the best college in the country – and now it’s a program with a high-major feel because of Coach Amaker.”

The ex-Michigan and Seton Hall head man is still getting settled in Cambridge, but he and his staff (which includes Will Wade and Kenny Blakeney) have done a tremendous job getting the Crimson involved with players who would never have given a sniff to the old regime.

``Before we’ve got to win some of the battles, we’ve got to be in some of the battles,” Amaker said.

Amaker has already added talented 6-foot-10 Cem Dinc, who spent his freshman year at Indiana before getting a 4.0 GPA at a junior college in Iowa last year.

The Crimson are in the mix with Max Kenyi, a wing out of Gonzaga in D.C., and Frank Ben-Eze, a 6-foot-10 big man from Bishop O’Connell (Va.). One of the schools they are battling for both players: Marquette, a legitimate Top 10 school in the country.

``We’re in the mix and we like the position we’re in, but we’ve got to crack one of these guys,” Amaker said.

 

July

Philadelphia Tribune   July 15, 2007
Dante Wooten Joins Prep School
Despite recieving scholarship offers from two colleges, one football player chose to attend NMH.
Click here to read the story.

Dante Wooten would like to be a major Division I player next season. Wooten, Franklin Learning Center's 6-foot-8, 225-pounder, had received scholarship offers from the College of Charleston and Ball State.

However, he has decided to spend a year in prep school in an effort to garner some big time offers. Wooten will attend Northfield Mount Hermon Prep School in Northfield, Mass, to boost his stock.

"It's a real good prep school," Wooten said. "I had a chance to visit the school. It's a nice atmosphere. They play a good schedule. I'll be playing against a lot of great players. They have a good academic program. But I'm already qualified academically to play NCAA basketball. I have the grades and the test scores. I just want to work on my game, get more exposure and learn as much as possible."

Wooten didn't start playing basketball until he was a sophomore. Cedric Powell, FLC head coach, discovered him at Temple's National Youth Sports Camp. The Bobcats' power forward has gradually developed into a solid all-around player. He played a major role in leading the team to the Public League semifinals.

Wooten is playing for the Hunting Park Warriors AAU basketball team this summer. He's working out with Prep Charter's twin brothers Marcus and Markieff Morris at LA Fitness on City Avenue. He also plans to attend George Mason Elite Camp, Reebok University Camp and Eastern Invitational Camp in New Jersey.

"It's going to be a busy summer for me," Wooten said. "I'll be playing a lot of basketball. That's what you have to do this time of year. I want to be well prepared for the competition at the prep school level."

 

June

The Recorder (Greenfield, MA)   June 8, 2007
Overdue Honor
Bob York comments on several undefeated teams of yesteryear that were inducted into the Northfield Mount Hermon School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Click here to read the story.

It must have seemed as though the world was falling apart around them. And that's because it was.

It was the fall of 1943 and to a bunch of football players at Mount Hermon School, World War II had become as much a part of their daily lives as wind sprints and study halls. There was a war raging in Europe against Germany and another in the South Pacific against Japan.

But despite all the turmoil that surrounded them, this team found a way to steal some of the headlines and news space that otherwise would have been devoted to describing the worldly carnage.

Mount Hermon's football team won its first four games that season. So why all the fuss? Well, back in those days, they played a five-game season. So, not only did Mount Hermon head into its final game of the season undefeated -- it entered its finale unscored upon as well.

And, as fate would have it, archrival Williston scored 19 points in the first half to end Mount Hermon's shutout streak. But the hosts bounced back from a 19-6 deficit at intermission to post a 31-19 win and finish up undefeated.

Now, 64 years later, it's time to shine the spotlight on this team one more time.

And so, on Saturday, Northfield Mount Hermon School will induct its very own ''Band of Brothers'' into its Athletic Hall of Fame.

The induction, which will take place in the school's gymnasium beginning at 11 a.m., will also feature four other undefeated NMH teams: the 1982 boys' and girls' cross country teams, the 1982 girls' track team and the 1982 girls' basketball team. These teams are being honored Saturday because this weekend marks their 25th reunion.

Grace Robertson, a long-time swimming coach at the school, will also be honored at the ceremonies.

Under athletic director Tom Pratt's guidance, the school's Athletic Hall of Fame is widening its entrance policies.

''I thought it would be nice to add undefeated teams to our Hall of Fame,'' explained Pratt. ''We've had a tendency in the past to honor individual performances and I felt it would be nice to expand that to team performances as well.''

''And it's a good thing they decided to start with us,'' quipped Peter Leyden, who was a member of that fabled football team. But, he quickly added in a more somber tone that ''there were 26 guys on that team … and 13 are now deceased.''

And of the 13 remaining, nine are scheduled to attend Saturday's ceremonies.

''We've scattered all over the country,'' said Leyden, who now resides in Virginia and whose son, Peter, lives in Northfield. ''We've all kept in pretty close touch with one another over the years, but it's going to sure seem nice to actually see one another again.''

The festivities will begin with a dinner in their honor tonight at Bella Notte restaurant in Bernardston.

''It should be quite an evening,'' said Leyden, who asked not to be played up in this article over his teammates, saying that he only wanted to be referred to as ''just one of a bunch of guys who had a great time that season''

It would be difficult not to build Leyden up just a bit, however. After all, he was the team captain and a halfback.

But then again, Leyden's modest response to that fact was that his captaincy ''came simply by chance. We had only four kids returning from the year before … and I was one of them.''

And as far as his glory days as a running back were concerned, according to Leyden, who played in the secondary on defense, there really weren't any. ''We ran the single wing in those days,'' he said. ''I was the right halfback … or, as it was known back in those days … I was the right wing back. I'd line up behind the right end, but unless we were running a counter play … much like how today's reverse plays work … where I would take a handoff from the tailback and would then run around the left end. But other than that, I didn't run the ball all that much. In the single wing, the tailback and the fullback were the primary running backs back then.''

Unless you may have caught Pat O'Brien playing Knute Rockne and Ronald Reagan playing the ''Gipper' on the American Movie Channel recently, you may not have much idea about how the single wing really works -- or worked.

But here, in a nutshell, is what happened and how it differs from today's offenses.

Leyden, the wingback, would call the plays in the huddle. When the team approached the line of scrimmage, it would line up in a shotgun formation. The quarterback of yesteryear was basically a blocking back in the single wing, so the tailback would take the snap and would either run, pass or hand the ball of to his primary running back -- the fullback.

Leyden can only imagine what this weekend will be like. ''But I'm pretty sure we'll be swapping a lot of stories with the teammates who are there and offering up some toasts to those who aren't.''

Looking back more than a half century ago, Leyden remembers that season as though it concluded yesterday. And why wouldn't he. It was the best of seasons amidst the worst of times.

''Those were difficult days,'' said Leyden, who figures his graduation from Mount Hermon followed D-Day (June 6, 1944) by no more than a week. ''We were fighting the Germans in Europe and the Japanese in the South Pacific. You just didn't know what was going to happen … you didn't know how things were going to turn out.''

One thing was for sure, however, Leyden and just about every one of his teammates that graduated that year would be enlisting in the service.

''I enlisted in the Navy on July 1 of that year, just two weeks after graduation,'' remembers Leyden, who attended Colgate University under a military program in which he helped train Navy pilots for the war. But the pilots who Leyden was helping to train were never needed for the war.

''The war was beginning to turn in our favor around the time we were getting into a real training regimen, so they never had to go into battle,'' said Leyden, who remembers the Colgate campus resembling a military academy in those days, because close to 90 percent of the students were wearing military uniforms.

While Leyden and his teammates went through their football season not knowing what the future held in store, they spent the preseason with no idea as to how their football season would turn out.

''There were just four of us coming back from the previous season,'' said Leyden. ''So there were a lot of questions.''

But those questions didn't take long to answer. With coach Bill Rineer plugging the right holes with the right people, Mount Hermon opened its season with a crushing 54-0 victory over Kimball Union.

Next in line was Deerfield Academy, which fell, 20-0, then Vermont Academy was victim No. 3 by a 19-0 count. The fourth win of the season came via a 31-0 win over Wilbraham.

And so, Mount Hermon, which had outscored its opponents by a 124-0 margin, had one last hurdle -- Williston.

''I remember Williston came right out and scored on us early in the first period and then scored twice more before halftime,'' said Leyden, whose team found an unhappy coach in the locker room at halftime as they trailed, 19-6.

''I can't remember exactly what coach Rineer said at halftime, but we all knew he wasn't happy with the way we were playing, and he let us know about it.''

But whatever Rineer said, stuck. Leyden and his teammates went out in the second half and secured their place in the school's record books with an undefeated season by trouncing Williston 31-19.

And now, 64 years later, they have secured their place in the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.

Bob York is a Recorder wire editor. His e-mail address is byork@recorder.com.

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