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spring SPORT wrap-up By steve Palmer
Girls Crew 4–2 This year’s team was young, with only three returning seniors. Nonetheless, the team saw some notable successes, including a bronze medal from the fourth boat at the Founders Day Regatta. In addition, all four boats earned bids to the New England Championship Regatta, where the team finished 12th, but the last race of the regular season was the highlight. Taft won the Alumnae Cup, sweeping the Gunnery, Canterbury and Berkshire in all five events. With eight returning uppermids on the first and second boats, the team is looking forward to a strong showing next year, behind Emily Ewing ’11 and Hannah Dethlefs ’12 who led the first boat as the stern pair. Additionally, Liz Sangree ’11 beat the Taft record for a 2k erg test, pulling a time of 7:27.9.
Boys Crew 3–2 The team had early season wins over Berkshire and Canterbury before the loss of several key rowers made for adjustments across the four boats. The Rhinos found their rhythm for the Smith Cup, where they battled Gunnery for the title and defeated South Kent, Berkshire and Canterbury. At the end of season New England Championship Regatta, the #1 and #3 boats had great runs to make the Petite and Grand Finals respectively. Fil Stransky ’11,
Tommy Mulroy ’11, Kris Bae ’11, Keefe Rafferty ’10, and Sam Willson ’11 powered the first boat, while co-captains Jan Stransky ’10 and Max Mortimer ’10 anchored the second boat.
Girls Golf 15–1
Founders League Champions; Pippy O’Connor Tournament Champions Taft proved that they were the strongest golf team in New England by walking away with the titles at the Founders League tournament and the Pippy O’Connor Independent School Girls Golf Classic, which serves as the New England invitational. In both tournaments, the Rhinos won by a huge margin due to very strong, tight team play—16 strokes over Choate and 33 strokes over Greenwich Academy respectively. Also in both tournaments, Taft had the individual medalist: Bridget Wilcox ’10 led the way at the Classic with a low score of 80, while Ali Eleey ’12 tied for the low score (38) at the League tournament. Wilcox and Eleey gave Taft an incredible 1–2 punch, but the team dominated by having a very strong top four. Nikki Yatsenick ’12 (8th at the League tournament) and captain Alex Dowling ’10 (3rd at the League tournament) gave Taft that unbeatable top four all season. Finally, in regular season matches, Taft won several exciting contests by a 3–2 score over Choate, GA and Ethel Walkers.
h Senior Bridget Wilcox, with
coach Ginger O’Shea, was low medalist and champion at the Pippy O’Connor Tournament.
Boys Golf 6–7 This was a young varsity team that made nice strides in competing against some fine golfers. Improving course management and “staying in the present” were constant themes that made for solid wins over Kingswood (422– 424), Kent (424–427) and Hotchkiss (216–230). Captain Hunter Yale ’10 was co-medalist in the Founders League Championship at Hotchkiss, where he posted a fine 74 in windy conditions to lead Taft to a close 3rd place, just four shots off of leader Choate. At the 36th Kingswood Invitational, Henry Wesson ’13 shot a 76, which was just three strokes off the winning score. Henry’s score was one of the lowest a Taft lowermiddler has posted in the 36 years Taft has competed in the KIT. Taft Bulletin Summer 2010 19