Champions
HIGHLIGHTS Recapping five ways the Jeffs totally killed it this year:
By Emmett Knowlton ’15
Photo courtesy of Rob Mattson
▶FOOTBALL
In the final game to be played at Pratt Field (before renovations, at least), the Jeffs held off Williams to win the 127th installment of the Biggest Little Game in America, 23-20.
Photo courtesy of Rob Mattson
You’ve probably heard by now: the men’s basketball team comfortably beat unranked Mary Hardin-Baylor, 87-70, to capture its second Division III national championship and the program’s second title in the last seven years. When phrased this way, it all sounds sort of routine. But really, the Jeffs 30-2 season that concluded with 24-straight wins, a repeat NESCAC title and a national championship was far from easy. The Jeffs entered the season ranked fifth nationally and with high hopes, due largely to the return of 2012 NESCAC Player of the Year Aaron Toomey ’14 and NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year Willy Workman ’13. The squad certainly looked motivated early in the season, opening the season with four easy wins at home over non-conference opponents and taking the 12th annual Ken Write ’52 Memorial Invitational Tournament in the process. But despite a perfect November, the Jeffs stumbled twice in the first week of December. On Dec. 1, the Jeffs fell to Springfield at Westfield State, 7064, before losing to Babson on Dec. 6, 78-70 — their first loss of their home court in 35-straight games. While one could very easily point to Toomey’s absence against Springfield with an ankle injury and Babson’s 12 triples and 54 percent shooting from the field as excuses for the Jeffs rough December week, perhaps the best thing to say about these two skids is that they sparked an important refocusing in what was perhaps an overly-confident Amherst squad. In the team’s next game, at home versus Brandeis, Toomey eclipsed the 1000-point barrier for the Jeffs and senior center Pete Kaasila netted 21, as the Jeffs won by 10.
And from there it seems the team never really looked back. The Jeffs entered the new year with eight-straight NESCAC games, a grueling stretch in an ever-competitive basketball conference. After routing Wesleyan and Conn. College on the road, the Jeffs faced their biggest test in Hamilton. Down 77-73 with 1:16 to play in regulation, Amherst closed out the game on a 6-0, four of which came from Kaasila, including a gamewinning layup with two seconds remaining. Winning 79-77 to improve to 12-2 (3-0 NESCAC), the Jeffs raced to 10 more wins, all by double-digit margins. But it seems that the Hamilton game — a game overlooked as more late-game heroics would ensue (we’re getting there, be patient) — could very well have been another turning point for the Amherst ballers. Think about it. If the Jeffs hadn’t closed the game out so strongly and fallen to the Continentals, then they’re 11-3. Still dominant, yes, but more importantly it would have put them just 2-1 in the NESCAC without having yet faced stronger Williams and Middlebury. One has to wonder, then, the importance of Workman’s two made free-throws to tie the game at 77 and Kaasila’s post-up-to-lay-up move that barely beat the buzzer. The Jeffs next biggest test, and undoubtedly the most thrilling game of the team’s season, came at Pepin Gym in Middlebury, Vt. on Feb. 12. You may have heard about this 3OT thriller — or even seen Workman’s gutsy play on SportsCenter’s Top Plays — but if not, here’s what happened. Amherst seemed in control of the Panthers early in the second half, building a 14-point lead early in the second half despite Toomey’s cold
shooting night. But Middlebury came roaring back in front of their rowdy crowd to take the lead in the final moments of regulation. In regulation it was Kaasila, again, who nabbed a crucial bucket, putting the Jeffs up one. Middlebury’s Joey Kizel was fouled on the ensuing possession (the last of the game), having the chance to win it at the line, but he could only knock down one of the free-throws and so the game went to OT. The first OT ended tied at 81 apiece. With five seconds to play in the second overtime, the home side took a 91-88 lead. Racing up the court as the clock ran out, Workman was intentionally fouled before he could shoot, putting him at the line for two, rather than three, shots. The Northampton native and twoyear Amherst captain buried the first, before very quickly intentionally missing the second, catching Middlebury off-guard as he grabbed his own rebound and buried the put-back as the clock expired. Again, one has to imagine how different the season would have turned out for the Jeffs if Workman hadn’t executed this so impeccably. In the third overtime, Toomey reminded everyone why he was the NESCAC player of the year and preseason All-American, crossing over his defender before stepping back and drilling the game-winning three. Swoosh. After securing the top-seed and home-court advantage for the NESCAC tournament, the Jeffs cruised to the finals, where they met Williams for the third time that season. Williams, who’d knocked off Middlebury in the semis, came ready to play and nearly stole the title from Amherst, if not for a game-ending block from
senior guard Allen Williamson. Williamson, who’d been solid all season, seemed to really come into his own from this point forward, and would be the driving force for the Jeffs in the NCAA tournament. Ranked second in the country entering the Big Dance (Div. III, but still), the Jeffs earned a first-round bye before cruising to Salem, Va., for the Elite 8. In the NCAA Quarterfinals, the Jeffs dominated Cabrini, 101-82, and then eked past North Central 5244 in an ugly, defensive battle. For the finals, the Jeffs traveled to Atlanta to play at Philips Arena (home of the Atlanta Hawks) along with the Div. II and Div. I finalists. In the finals against Mary Hardin-Baylor, the Jeffs raced out to a 10-0 lead and never looked back, securing the title with an 87-70 win. Williamson led the way for the Jeffs, netting 18 to go with his six rebounds. Williamson earned Most Outstanding Player honors for the tournament, averaging 17.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in the Final Four. It was, by all accounts, a spectacular season and as good as it could get for the Amherst men. Toomey and Workman were both named to the d3hoops.com first-team All-American squad, while Toomey also earned a spot on the NABC All-America team and was named Northeast District Player of the Year and NESCAC Player of the Year for the second year in a row. While the Jeffs will certainly miss their trio of seniors, they have to think that Toomey’s senior season could be one for the ages. That, plus the breakout rookies season of Connor Green and Ben Pollack mean that big things are certainly in store for the Jeffs next year and in years to come.
Photo courtesy of Rob Mattson
▶WOMEN’S SWIMMING The Amherst women’s swimming and diving team stunned Williams at the NESCAC Championship to win the program’s first-ever NESCAC title. The win also ended Williams’ 12-straight title streak.
Photo courtesy of Rob Mattson
▶MEN’S SOCCER
The Jeffs wrapped up their undefeated season with a 2-0 victory over Williams on the Ephs home pitch. The title marked the men’s soccer team’s second-straight NESCAC title.
Photo courtesy of Niahlah Hope ’15
▶WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The women’s basketball collected its fourth-straight (yep, fourth) NESCAC title this season, and also earned its fifth-straight (yep, fifth) trip to the NCAA Final Four.
MVPs: The Best of the Jeffs Of the many successful seniors, these Jeffs shined the brightest
Spencer Noon
Geneva Lloyd
Keri Lambert
Senior striker Spencer Noon earned first-team All-American honors this season. Noon is the program’s all-time leader in points (117) and goals (49). For the fourth-straight season, Geneva Lloyd earned first-team All-NESCAC honors in ice hockey. The defenseman also was named first-team All-American and runnerup for the Hurd Award, awarded to the country’s best player. Cross country superstar Keri Lambert won NESCACs and Little IIIs and took third at Nationals. Oh, and a spot in Sports Illustrated‘s Faces in the Crowd.
Photo courtesy of Rob Mattson
▶MEN’S BASEBALL
Fred Shepard threw a complete game shutout and the Jeffs sluggers scored seven runs as the baseball team beat Wesleyan, 7-0, to win their first NESCAC title in eight seasons. The next weekend, the Jeffs topped Rowan 10-8, to win its first NCAA game since 1999.
The Amherst Student: Commencement Edition May 24th, 2013