2023 Fall Sports Recap

CROSS COUNTRY

Fenn Cross Country statistically had the best season of all the fall sports teams, finishing with an overall team record of 9-2. This does not magically happen from one season to the next. With a group of nearly all new varsity runners, Coach Cribb and Coach Brandfonbrener knew they were going to have to push their team to work hard and not be satisfied with their times.

Throughout their season, Fenn went up against very good teams assembled with confident runners. More often than not, however, Fenn would come out on top as a team, led by seventh grader Charlie McGowan. Consistently following McGowan was fellow seventh grader Tye Reesey and eighth graders Juwan Acevedo and Alex Signorovitch. The team went up against the likes of middle school teams such as Pike School, Fay, Fessenden, but also competed against some high school freshman teams such as St. Sebastian’s, Dexter, and Rivers to name a few. It was experience like this that helped Fenn compete at a high level at the Roxbury Latin Jamboree.

At the Jamboree, Fenn finished 3rd overall, and 1st for schools only running with middle schoolers. With over 250 runners competing in this single event, Fenn had three runners finish in the Top 15 places (McGowan in 7th, Acevedo in 9th, and Reesey in 15th). This was historically the best finish that Fenn has had at this prestigious running event.

As for the season as a whole, so many runners improved on their own PR (personal record) throughout the season, including seventh graders James Maletz, Joseph Blake, eighth graders Daniyal Mian, Milo DuBois, Romir Vishwanath, and ninth grader Joe Galante, who all improved by over 1:30 during the fall season.

 

FOOTBALL

Going into the season with the loss of some key playmakers from last year, Coach Ryan, Coach Burgess, and Coach Blau knew they would have to rely on the experience and leadership of their ninth graders this year. After falling short to a very impressive Fay School team at Homecoming, Fenn used the time in practice and their flag games to regroup and prepare for their last three padded games of the season.

In a matchup on the road against Nobles and Greenough, it was ninth grader Elijah Donnalson who was the engine for the Fenn offense all game. Donnalson ran for 200+ yards and finished with all three of Fenn’s touchdowns. Eighth grader Buggy Lyon played well at fullback, making numerous big blocks that allowed Fenn’s run game to be so effective all game. Eighth grade linebackers Mason Principe and Charlie Whitmore led the defense both making numerous important tackles, as Fenn was able to stop Nobles on their final drive to secure the 22-14 win.

Following another toss loss to Fay, Fenn had one game left against a historically tough opponent in Fessenden. Under the bright lights of the Fessenden football field, Fenn shined the brightest to cap off their season. It was Donnalson again who was the difference maker, rushing once more for over 200 yards and two touchdowns. Ninth grader Miles Schrodel and eighth grader Cooper Low also scored on the ground for the blue and gold, helping lead Fenn to a 30-22 win on the road. Defensively, it was a team effort, led by Lyon and ninth grader Patrick Carolan on the defensive line. Ninth grader Alex Luo also had his best game of the season and finished with three tackles for loss.

Varsity Football captains for the 2023 season were ninth graders Patrick Carolan, Elijah Donnalson, and eighth grader Buggy Lyon.

 

VARSITY SOCCER

With the departure of longtime head coach Bob Starensier following his retirement in June, coaches Andy Rentschler and Jason Rude took the reins of the Fenn Varsity Soccer program for the 2023 season. With seven returning players and a crop of talented newcomers, this year’s squad was ready to build on the success of their teams that came before them. Led by ninth grade captains James Creelman, Griff Dewing, and Brett Wohletz, the Varsity Soccer team finished with a stellar 7-3-1 regular season record.

Fenn outscored their opponents 36-11 in their 11 games this season. They were led by eighth graders Eli Waldeck and Rex Hudson, who each scored seven goals, and Andy Voss, who added six of his own. As much as the team’s scoring propelled them to their victories, Coach Rude was most impressed with their performances against Fay and Fessenden - the highest level of competition they saw all season. Even though they did not result in victories, a 2-0 loss to Fay and a 0-0 tie to Fessenden showed that this Fenn team was up for any challenge.

“They used all the tools we went over in our practices,” said Rude. “These teams were elite and have had a history of being elite when we played them. We found a way to run with them and hang in these games. That is exactly the kind of effort we want to see from our varsity programs.”

Fenn received top notch goaltending all season from ninth grader Eric Olson, as well as hard-nosed defense from Wohletz, Peter Belin, Max Kulewicz, and Walker Leonard. Ninth grader Ethan Pearson, eighth grader Van Rowan, and seventh grader Luke Mutooni controlled the midfield for the blue and gold.

To conclude the season, Fenn hosted the 1st Annual Star Cup. Pike School, Carroll School, and Applewild School came to Concord, MA to take on the Fenn boys. It was Fenn who prevailed over Pike in the championship game to win it all. Former head coach and athletic director Bob Starensier, who the tournament is named after, presented the trophy to the team.

 

JV SOCCER

With a group assembled of returning players and determined upperclassmen, the Fenn JV Soccer team was eager to begin their fall season! Coach Sanborn and Coach Dipersia had the boys ready for an opening season scrimmage against Dexter, as the boys in blue and gold came out firing from the opening whistle. Thanks to multiple goals from ninth grader Ben Kuegler and eighth grader Nkosi Dube, the Fenn offense was off to the races. Solid defensive play from ninth graders Gordie Gund and Sammy Bigelow helped preserve a shutout in the team’s first contest of the season.

As the season went along, Fenn battled against some tougher opponents and found themselves on the losing end of some tightly contested games against Fay School, Fessenden, and Sparhawk Academy. Eighth grade goalie Ryan Mulvany played some of his best soccer during this stretch. He made countless big saves to keep Fenn competitively in these games including a 15-save performance against a high-powered Belmont Hill squad.

The game of the year for the team came against Fay School in a rematch on the Reynolds Family Turf Field. It was the team’s pink out game and the team captains - ninth grader Jonas Ahlgren and eighth grader Cass Myler - had their teammates focused early on in the matchup. That focus carried over into the second half when a still scoreless battle was finally broken. Ahlgren received a pass up the left sideline and sent a perfect cross onto the head of a diving Nkosi Dube, who directed the ball past the outstretched goalie’s arm to give Fenn the 1-0 lead. Fenn’s determined defense, including eighth graders Sean Park, Luke Oldershaw, and Alex Sutton, along with Gund, held on for a great win at home against rival Fay School.

“This group showed a lot of hustle and a desire to work as a team to get this win,” said Coach Sanborn. “To me, this game is the highlight of our season.”

 

THIRDS SOCCER

Soccer was the sport of choice in the upper school this fall, as once again, Fenn Athletics fielded three soccer teams. This year’s Thirds Soccer squad was filled of only upper schoolers, some of who had played for years, and others who were giving soccer a try for the first time. With Head Coach Billy Hackett at the helm, the team was in good shape for the season ahead.

After a solid start to the season with a win over Park School and ties against Carroll and Fay, the meat of the team’s schedule came into play. Regardless of some of the results in favor of their opponents, Coach Hackett and Coach Writer kept to the game plan and continued to see growth throughout their practices and games.

“There was no quit in this team,” said Coach Hackett. “This was a group of boys who were happy to be out there on the field working hard, but more importantly working together. They thrived in that area all season.”

A late season game against Belmont Day would show that total team effort from the first whistle to the last. Eighth grader Diego Mojica hit a perfectly aimed shot into the top right corner of the net to give the blue and gold the lead. The ninth grade goalie tandem of Jack McBride and Bjorn Tellefsen helped keep their opponents off the board with some great saves, helping to propel Fenn to a 1-0 win. Solid play from eighth graders Kaden Ata, Dylan Neumann, Mitchell Ntuen, and Finn Whitman throughout the season really helped this team rise to the occasion in each of their matchups.

The captains for Thirds Soccer were Jack McBride and Mitchell Ntuen.