As the shot clock winds down and our class of 2024 reaches the end of their time on the Circle, their moments spent playing on Groton fields and wearing the Groton uniform also come to a close. For most, this will be the last time they don a uniform, but for a select few, they stand on the edge of a new chapter: college athletics. As they prepare to take this leap, eleven seniors reflect on their time at Groton and the memories that have shaped their athletic experiences.
Alica Guo, a volleyball player committed to Harvard, still remembers her first varsity game. “I was in 2nd form and we were playing Nobles at home. It had been raining hard all day, but everyone showed up to cheer us on in the gym. It was such a special and meaningful moment.”
For any athlete, the feeling of winning an upset or creating a comeback story is unforgettable. Giulia Colarusso, a Boston College lacrosse commit, says her favorite victory was last year’s playoff game against Thayer. “We beat them in the quarter-finals by two.” Zack Webber, committed to Kenyon for baseball, recalls his victory over Belmont Hill. “Coach Bannard told us he’d only seen us beat them once or twice in twenty-five years. This year, we played them hard into extra innings where Forrest hit a walkoff homerun to secure a 4-3 victory. It was electric.”
Keira Ley, a Harvard hockey player, remembers her 5th form hockey tournament at Portsmouth Abbey. “We were down 3-0 in the finals. With one period left, we rallied to a 4-3 victory. It was such an awesome win and a turning point for our team.”
Despite these highs, no athlete is immune to the heartbreak of loss. Webber reflects on a tough loss to Rivers in football two years ago. “It was the first time I saw how much emotion could be put into football.” When asked how the team overcame such defeat, he responded, “You have to live, love, and want to play every second. Anything can happen on any given Sunday—or Saturday in the ISL. The grit to push back harder is what football is all about.”
Colarusso responded similarly after a crushing loss to Rivers in overtime her sophomore year. “I went to practice the next day because I wanted to prove that Groton, even as underdogs, can play against any team.” This past year, Groton lacrosse (5th seed) beat Rivers (4th seed) in the quarter-finals to advance in the ISL tournament. Their resilience in the face of defeat has led to their success.
As these players look forward to college, they acknowledge the tremendous support they’ve had. “My mom has come to every single high school match I’ve had,” Guo laughs. Ley says, “My sisters are my biggest fans. Even after they graduated, they’d come back to cheer me on.”
We are sad to watch our seniors depart and they are too. “I’m going to miss this team so much. We’ve created such a good culture within our team that is so special and I’m so proud of us,” Guo says.
“I hope to be remembered as a leader, not just as a captain,” Colarusso states. Forrest Nelson, playing both football and baseball at Middlebury, says, “I want to be remembered as someone who liked to have fun on and off the field but got the job done when it mattered.”
In the closing moments of our interview, Smith offered this advice: “As a goalie, it can feel like one save can be the difference, but I remind myself I’m out there with twelve other teammates. At the end of the day, the relationships you build with your teammates and coaches are far more important than any outcome of a match.”
