It is the beginning of the school year, which means the start of a new athletic season at Wilmington Friends. The fall season consists of six teams: football, field hockey, soccer, volleyball, and boys and girls cross-country. This year, each of them appear to be eager and prepared for the season ahead, all with unique goals and members.

The football team has enjoyed a plethora of success the past couple seasons, making it to two consecutive state semi-finals. Their expectations are no lower this season. Led by senior captains Justin Beneck ’17, Matt Denney ’17, Henry Gise ’17, and Andrew Jaworski ’17 the Quakers have their sights set on making it back to the playoffs. Beneck ’17 detailed, “We have high hopes for the season, but we are going to have to play one game at a time. We hope to get back to the semi-finals, and we could have won that game last year if we did a few things differently. We definitely need 8-1o wins to get back to the playoffs so that’s the top thing on our mind.” It is certain that the whole Wilmington Friends community will be cheering on the football team as they look forward to an exciting 2016 season.

The field hockey team is equally motivated for the season ahead. This year’s squad is led by Scott Clothier, Jessica Franklin, and new addition to the coaching staff, Betsy Cepparulo, along with senior captains Blair Atkins ’17, Simone Veale ’17, and Lydia Yeatman ’17. Veale expressed, “I am very excited for this season because I know that we have a lot of potential and I believe this could be the best team I have been a part of. I am so happy to be able to help lead such a great group, and I think I can speak for my co-captains, and the entire team, when I say that if we push ourselves, we can go far.” Last year, field hockey’s record was 10-5 and they lost in the first round of the state tournament, but they are enthusiastic and looking forward to a hopefully improved upcoming season.

The volleyball team anticipates another strong season. Following last year’s impressive 12-2 record and successful run in the state tournament, captains Alyssa Nathan ’17, Alex Musi ’17, and Katrina Skibicki ’17 and all hope for another thrilling season. Nathan  remarked, “I am looking forward to experiencing the excitement of high-intensity volleyball and getting to share that feeling with all of our fans and our competitive, hard-working team. We become really close on and off the court, which makes the whole season that much better.” The entire community looks forward to sharing the same excitement as the team in this year’s season.

The soccer team is looking to capitalize off of a winning season last year. Although many seniors graduated last year, the team has a nice mix of older experience and new talent that could help them get to the playoffs. The team is led by captains Chris Lee ’17, Danny Manley ’18, and Max Pickles ’18, who are all dedicated to the season ahead. Senior captain Chris Lee commented, “I am excited and looking forward to the upcoming season because we have a young team with a bright future. We have the potential as well as the talent to be very successful.” With their goals set high, the soccer team is excited about the incoming talent and the upcoming season.

The boys and girls cross-country teams are determined to have a successful season. Their captains are Sarah Gooderham ’17, Margaret Sullivan ’17, Ryan Fischer ’18, and Andrew Slomski ’17 and, who are all eager for the next few months ahead. Sullivan noted, “After a tough but fun preseason, which included tie-dye and a beach trip, we are hoping to have a great season with returning, strong upperclassmen as well as young talent.”

Whittier wishes all the teams amazing luck in the season ahead!