Update from WH athletics

It was an exciting and historic week for Whitman-Hanson as the winter season comes to a close. Here is a recap.
1) The cheerleading team capped off their perfect fall campaign by capturing the Division 2 State Championship in Lowell today with an absolutely brilliant performance. I have had the pleasure of seeing all 3 of their championship performances this fall and this one was their best. It is hard to capture the essence of the incredible pressure under which these young student athletes perform but imagine a sport where you aren't allowed to make a mistake, where you get just one chance at getting it right and that is what this sport is all about. This fall the girls have won the Patriot League Championship, the South Region title and the state crown. They returned from Lowell to a police escort.

2) The girls soccer team made history by winning the Eastern Massachusetts championship for the first time on Tuesday night by pulling off one of the most amazing and improbable comebacks to beat Lincoln-Sudbury, 2-1 at Manning Field in Lynn. Lincoln-Sudbury scored in the first two minutes of the game and the score stayed that way through the next 75 freezing cold minutes of play. It just did not feel like our night but with just over 3 minutes left senior captain Casey Corr lofted a ball on net from 35 yards out and it floated just over the keepers reach to tie the game and send the crowd into a frenzy. Everyone was bundled up preparing for our third overtime game of the tournament but with about 20 seconds left Alexis Fruzzetti pounced on a loose ball in front of the net on a misplay by Lincoln-Sudbury off a corner kick and put it home for the game winner.

That victory earned the Panthers a trip to the state championship game for the first time ever and the girls played their hearts out matching a talented West Springfield team every step of the way through a scoreless regulation at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Unfortunately, about midway through the first overtime session, West Springfield finally solved the stingy Panther defense to score the game winner and win the state championship, 1-0.

The future is bright because although the team does lose a handful of outstanding seniors, they return much of this incredible team next season.

During the entire run, our super fans showed great support with enthusiasm and sportsmanship. Mr. Szymaniak and I were extremely proud of how the students conducted themselves in support of our school and their classmates.

3) The final game of the winter season takes place on Thanksgiving morning as the Panthers host Abington at 10am. Abington is enjoying an incredible season in which they have won the south and eastern Massachusetts titles. They play in the Super Bowl at Gillette on December 6th. So, the Panthers are working hard to prepare to pull off the upset and return the Thanksgiving trophy to WH. The Panthers are coming off their best performance of the season, a dominating victory at Sandwich High School. Tickets are $10 for all ages and every gate to the stadium (5 in all) will open at 8:30am. There is a gate along the walking path, a gate along the road leading to the school, a gate at the steps across from the flag pole leading to the stadium and 2 gates (4 lanes) at the main ticket booth.

4) Finally winter sports begin the Monday after Thanksgiving on December 1st. In order to tryout, parents must complete the online permission slip, the student must have a valid physical (physicals are good for exactly 13 months) and must have a valid impact test. Students must earn 8 credits during trimester 1 in to be eligible for the winter season.



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