Winter Sports

ISL CHAMPIONS

Varsity Basketball

BY COACH DAVID HINMAN

The St. Sebastian’s varsity basketball team completed a historic season that will be remembered for a long time. The Arrows finished with a 23-3 record that included many firsts: the first time the basketball program won 23 games, the first time the team won a Class A playoff game, and the first outright ISL league title since 1977. The team competed with grit from our opening tip against Tabor Academy to our final contest in the NEPSAC Class A tournament. As disappointing as it was to see the season come to an end in the semi-finals of the tournament, this group of 16 young men represented our school valiantly both on and off the court. Success does not just happen. It is earned in the off-season by being dedicated to improving in the weight room, gym, classroom, and halls of the school, and continues as challenges are thrown your way throughout the season. Our team put in that time in the off-season; and when we faced a little adversity during the year, we were able to persevere through hard work and stick together as one.

There were many season highlights, but none greater than on the road at Milton Academy in our penultimate game of the regular season. Needing a victory for an outright league championship, the Arrows played brilliantly in front of a packed gymnasium and earned a 68-62 victory. With the win, the Arrows finished the season with a 14-1 ISL league record to finish two games ahead of both Milton Academy and Belmont Hill. The championship run was in large part due to a thrilling 90-88 (2OT) defeat of rival Belmont Hill. A packed West Campus Center gym and an electric “Henry’s Corner” witnessed Trevor Mullin ’23 hit two free throws with a second left in OT to extend the game and eventually win it in the second extra session. Mullin finished the night with a career-high 39 points and would go on to be named MVP of the ISL and a Class A All-Star. In addition, AJ Dybantsa ’26 and Jaylen Harrell ’25, who combined to average 31 points a game, were also selected to the ISL All-League team. Two-way forward Cooper Wright ’23, lock-down defender Zion Simmons ’23, and sharp-shooting guard Sam Hinman ’23 rounded out the rotational players who will all be returning for the 2022-23 season.

As strong as the underclassman were, our senior class embodied who we became as a team. Although this group did not play the same number of minutes as our underclassmen, they set the tone for who we would become. Nobody was more important to setting that tone than captain Mark Newell ’22. Newell was the heart and soul of the team and modeled for our young team a toughness that was key to our success. For all he did for the program, Newell was awarded the Father Gilmartin Award which is given annually to the player who shows the qualities of commitment, teamwork, and dedication to the sport of basketball. The senior class of Newell, Tommy Cronin, Braedan Donovan, Marty Kane, Gary McCall, Christian Pichay, and Alex Purpura will be greatly missed next year, but left their mark on the St. Sebastian’s basketball program and will be remembered as ISL champions!

OPPOSITE: Cooper Wright ’23 lays up a shot over a Trinity Pawling player in the Class A Quarterfinals on March 2, 2022. LEFT: Co-Captain Mark Newell ’22 dominates the offensive boards. MIDDLE: Zion Simmons ’23 with the finger roll. RIGHT: Gary McCall ’22 takes a free throw during the annual Silent Night Game against Taft on December 16, 2021.

Squash

BY COACH BEN BROWN

For the third year in a row, the St. Sebastian’s squash program fielded two high school teams and a middle school team, a testament to the growing interest in the sport at the school. The top 18 players practiced or played every day of the week and as a result, the coaches saw tremendous improvement throughout the season. Facing a more difficult schedule than in previous years, the teams held their own and were very competitive in most of their matches.

St. Sebastian’s squash alumnus Paul Keady ’16 joined veteran coaches Ben Brown and Andrew Conway ’06 to coach the team. With more than half of last year’s top 12 players graduating, it looked like the 2021-2022 season was going to be a significant rebuilding year. However, it certainly did not start that way. The team began the season with a 4-1 record, including a sweep of the opening tri-match against Nobles and Phillips Academy—a feat that the team has not accomplished in a decade. After a strong start, the Arrows finished the season by facing some of the perennially toughest competition in the ISL. Although the team did not earn a victory in any of those final three matches, they battled hard in each one, losing several important individual matches that could have been won by either team. Despite the tough ending, it was a very successful season. The team finished .500 and the program and individual players made great strides forward.

Senior squash players (L-R) Cormac Gallagher, Dylan Knightly, Richie Wilz, and Tom Scordino.

Varsity Hockey

BY COACH SEAN MCCANN

With a full slate of games in front of us and ten seniors on the team, there was a renewed energy and excitement about the ’21-’22 season. Led by captains Will Elias ’22 and Brendan Gorman ’22, this year’s Arrows were not going to waste a single day as they held each other accountable regardless of the situation.

To start the year, the team had five games in 14 days. Against an always difficult Rivers squad, Michael Callow ’22 made an immediate impact with a hat trick in the first game of the season enroute to a 5-1 victory. Isaac Mitchell ’24 and Nolan Flynn ’24 contributed to a full team effort to come from behind to defeat Milton 4-2. Gavin Walsh ’22 had a goal and an assist, Owen Lynch ’24 provided great defense and Teddy Mutryn ’25 scored his first goal as an Arrow, as the team put up five in the first period and then cruised to a 7-1 win against Portsmouth Abbey. Finally, a solid Exeter team visited Seb’s but a quick start and a Colin Gorman ’24 third period goal guaranteed a 6-4 victory. The final game was a wellplayed one by both teams as Brooks won 3-1 behind a strong performance from their goaltender.

A fantastic group of teams travelled to Needham for the Mutch Cup Tournament and Seb’s started off the schedule with a convincing 7-2 win against Winchendon as Ben Merrill ’25 and Jack Harney ’24 scored in the first period to create a comfortable lead. The next two games were against two of the best prep school teams in North America. Both games were extremely competitive and entertaining. Brunswick scored in overtime to win 3-2, while goaltender Ryan Kazmouz ’22 turned in an outstanding performance to help defeat St. Andrew’s (Ont.) 2-0.

After a well-deserved break, the bulk of the ISL schedule remained. In the first of three games this season, Seb’s played Belmont Hill in a classic tilt which resulted in a 3-3 tie. Four straight wins followed as Matt Cataldo ’24 and Aidan Connors ’24 propelled the team to a 5-1 win versus Tabor in the Travis Roy Cup; Nolan Joyce ’23 contributed an amazing 6 points in a wild 7-5 victory against Nobles; Mike Cataldo ’22 and Jayden Grier ’22 each scored 3 versus Andover, and goalie Matthew Choi ’22 stood tall in a 2-1 triumph versus Governor’s.

In the next five games, this team would be tested every time it touched the ice as it suffered two overtime losses, two come-from-behind victories and one convincing win. The team played very well, especially winning the Valicenti Cup (6-4) against Thayer by scoring four unanswered goals in the third and by defeating St. Mark’s in a back-and-forth game which saw Michael Callow ’22 score a power play goal with eight seconds left.

With only six games remaining, the Arrows continued to exert their will offensively by averaging just under five goals a game. Cooper McCann ’22 provided some outstanding defensive

TOP LEFT: Brendan Gorman ’22 takes a shot during a game against Portsmouth Abbey on December 8, 2021. TOP RIGHT: Goalie Matthew Choi ’22 blocks a shot during the Mutch Cup Tournament game against Winchendon on December 17, 2021. BOTTOM: Michael Callow ’22 celebrates with teammates.

play and a very physical presence in a 5-2 win versus Lawrence while Charles Yang ’22 scored his first of the year and Pelle Russo ’24 made 16 saves. The team killed off four penalties in the third period alone in a convincing game against Hoosac. Against Tabor, Charlie Leverone ’24 provided a defensive spark while Brian Hall ’24 scored late in the second to help Seb’s win 4-3 after being down 3-0. Governor’s halted the streak as they prevailed 5-2, but the team responded with convincing wins versus Lawrence and Thayer to close out the regular season.

With 18 wins in 24 games, the Arrows earned a spot in the Elite Eight New England Tournament. Hundreds of supporters turned out for the game as Henry’s Corner was packed to see us play Belmont Hill. An early 3-0 deficit made the game challenging, but this team once again responded by scoring two in the third before running out of time.

This group of seniors will be sorely missed, not only because of their sheer volume, but their many accomplishments. Individually, they achieved much, but as a team they had a record of 67-23-2 and helped mentor the younger players to understand why it’s so special to be an Arrow.

Drew Commesso ’20 Makes U.S. Olympic History

At 19 years old, goaltender Drew Commesso ’20 made his Olympic debut in Beijing as the youngest goaltender ever to be a part of the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team. Commesso was one of three goalies selected to Team USA after the NHL announced that its players wouldn’t participate in the Games, opening the door for less seasoned players. He is the fourth Arrow to represent the U.S. in the Olympics, following Jack Mulhern ’46, Rick DiPietro ’99 and Noah Welch ’01.

Commesso, who was in his sophomore season at Boston University when he left for Beijing, did not let his youthfulness deter him as he took the ice on the world stage against more established players. In the tournament opener against China, he stopped all 29 shots fired in his direction to record Team USA’s first shutout in the Olympics since 2010. He earned his second win in the final preliminary game against Germany, staving off 24 of the 26 shots. While the U.S. lost 3-2 to Slovakia in the quarterfinal round, Commesso finished the Olympics with a 2-0 record that reflected his stellar performances in the net.

Watching Commesso play at the highest international level possible while representing his country was exciting for everyone at St. Sebastian’s and within the hockey program. “I’m not surprised Drew received this opportunity because of who he is on and off the ice,” shared varsity hockey coach Sean McCann. “When he played for Seb’s, his work ethic, technique and demeanor really stood out.”

During his days as an Arrow, Commesso earned a 2.13 GAA and .918 save % as a sophomore following an impressive freshman campaign (1.77, .932). He was the primary goaltender for the 2019-20 U.S. U18 Team and the 2018-19 U.S. U17 Team, during his two years with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. Commesso posted the second-best GAA in U18 history (2.05) to go along with a .920 save percentage. He helped Team USA win the U18 Five Nations tournament in November 2019 with wins in all three starts. In 2020, Commesso was drafted in the second round by the Chicago Blackhawks, making him the 27th Arrow in our school’s history to become a National Hockey League Draft pick.

As a young player, Commesso already had some amazing accomplishments under his belt, but never expected to be an Olympian this early in his career. “As a kid, I always watched the Olympics and dreamed of skating on the same ice as those huge hockey players on TV,” shared Commesso. “It was a true blessing to have the opportunity to fulfill those dreams and represent the USA at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.” Congratulations, Drew!

LEFT: Co-captain Cotter Walsh ’22 races down the mountain. RIGHT: The 2022-23 varsity ski team with coaches Deirdre Rynne Annan and Olivia Uhlman.

Varsity Skiing

BY COACH DEIRDRE RYNNE ANNAN

Olympic medalist skier Picabo Street once said, “To uncover your true potential you must first find your own limits and then you have to have the courage to blow past them.” This season’s senior class is comprised of skiers who worked hard to transition from recreational skiing to racing competitively. Led by co-captains Cotter Walsh ’22 and Tom Proia ’22, the squad of 14 competed in seven races and had a top team finish of 6th place out of nine teams. Kevin Cummings ’22 competed in his first varsity race. Brian Luppy ’22 and Alex Hartman ’22 competed at their first NEPSAC Championships which were held this year at Waterville Valley. Kevin Wakakuwa ’22 continued to practice improving racing the technical and often punishing slalom. This individual growth is a testament to the program’s ability to turn recreational skiers into racers. For some, those challenges and limits were not on the hill. Proia had a non-ski-related injury flare up, which kept him off the race course. Nonetheless, he worked to be supportive to the team at the base with enthusiasm and cheer. Proia ’22 has been with the team since middle school and contributed to the success of our program, putting down strong finishes during his time on the team. Walsh’s top finish this season in the ISL was 19th and he earned 18th place in the Slalom at NEPSACs. He set his goal to improve as an individual athlete and it was never at the expense of teamwork. The team is better for his leadership, devotion and positivity.

The season was not without challenges. Local ski areas showed their grit with snowmaking despite staffing shortages, we worked with the now normal roller coaster winter weather patterns, and a COVID resurgence, along with student schedules, impacted our attendance. We continue to rebuild. In a sport that is about shaving hundredths of seconds off time and reacting to ever changing conditions, Coach Uhlman proved again what an asset she is to the school and ski program. You want a scientist on your team in a pandemic, and she helped keep our skiers as safe as we could on and off the hill. The success of our program would not be possible without our parents, who in some cases helped the ski race management and operation at Nashoba Valley. While this season did not end with individual honors or top ranked team standings, no skier was injured on the hill which is a real victory. The growth and improvement of each individual skier’s technical form and timed performance was the highlight of the season. For some of the seniors, the dream or ability to compete at the highest level in our program was not something they might have imagined possible when they began. We were delighted that they were able to reach this achievement. With many skiers graduating, we hope to have increased interest, particularly at the lower school level. Arrows Skiing is a fun opportunity to improve as a skier and bond with classmates of all ages on the hill. Thank you for a great season!

The wrestling team cheers on Eddie Zhang ’24 in an exciting match against his Governor’s opponent.

Wrestling

BY COACH MATT WILLEY

This year’s wrestling season was another strong showing from the Arrows. The team went 10-4 overall and placed 4th in the ISL. The boys wrestled hard after taking a season off and the team had many new faces.

Notable wins over Governor’s Academy, St. Mark’s and Brooks proved that this was not a team to take lightly. The Arrows trounced some of the early season competition, including shutting out Tabor and beating Thayer, Milton and BB&N by more than 30 points each. Led by captains Nick Derenzo ’22, Ben Frisoli ’22 and Landon Bailey ’23, the team was competitive in every match. Many of our first-year wrestlers were very young and we had lots of contribution from four 8th graders: Dom Funke, Eamon McCarthy, Andrew Zhang, and Cam Steele. Three of those wrestlers also qualified for the New England tournament, a monumental feat for an experienced wrestler and unheard of for an 8th grader.

Every year, the team seems to be setting some new record and this year was no exception. The team qualified 11 wrestlers for the New England Prep School Tournament, the most ever brought by a St. Sebastian’s team. Not only did we have many boys qualify, but we also had three place in the top eight. Luis Sosa-Espinal ’25 placed 8th in all of New England. Hans Vigener ’22 and Eddie Zhang ’24 both placed 5th and qualified for the National Prep Tournament in Washington, D.C.

Landing a spot in the national tournament takes some remarkable wrestling. Vigener and Zhang proved to have the skill and incredible efforts to be called some of the best wrestlers in the country. Zhang came back from behind in his final three matches at the New England tournament. He had to compete with boys who were older, stronger, more experienced, and he still came out on top. Vigener had one of the single greatest matches that Seb’s has ever seen. Down by three points, with less than one minute remaining, hope for his season was beginning to fade—this was a “win or go home” scenario. Vigener escaped and took his opponent down with less than five seconds to force an overtime. With both wrestlers bloodied, taped up, and exhausted, Vigener attempted to grapple and throw his opponent. He lifted the wrestler from Lawrence off the mat, slammed him onto his back and pinned him. This proved to be the deciding match to send Vigener to Nationals. The Arrows are already looking forward to next season!

WINTER

ATHLETIC AWARDS

The following student-athletes were recognized for their performance during the winter season at an Athletic Awards Assembly on March 8.

BASKETBALL

ISL Basketball MVP: Trevor Mullin ’23 ISL All-League: AJ Dybantsa ’26, Jaylen Harrell ’25, Trevor Mullin ’23 ISL Honorable Mention: Cooper Wright ’23 Fr. Daniel J. Gilmartin Award:

Given by the coaches to the St. Sebastian’s basketball player who possesses the qualities of commitment, teamwork and outstanding attitude. Mark Newell ’22

HOCKEY

ISL Hockey MVP: Brendan Gorman ’22 ISL All-League: Mike Callow ’22, Will Elias ’22, Brendan Gorman ’22, Nolan Joyce ’23 ISL Honorable Mention: Mike Cataldo ’22, Jayden Grier ’22, Ryan Kazmouz ’22, Teddy Mutryn ’25 Jack Doherty Award:

This award is presented to the member of the St. Sebastian’s varsity hockey team whose commitment to excellence and devotion to the game has repeatedly been evidenced by aggressive and spirited play and selfless contribution to the total team effort.

Mike Cataldo ’22

WRESTLING

ISL All-League: Landon Bailey ’23 ISL Honorable Mention: Luis Sosa Espinal ’25, Hans Vigener ’22, Eddie Zhang ’24 O’Malley Family Award:

Given by the coaches to the wrestler who most exemplifies commitment, willingness to learn, and enthusiasm for the sport of wrestling. Eddie Ryan ’23